Beautiful Souls

The day after Sesshoumaru left, Kagome gathered all of the adults together, allowing Shippou, Kohaku, and Rin to play together under Kirara’s supervision. The young girl was, of course, the topic of conversation, and Kagome was eager to explain the situation, and get her friends opinions.

Sango was excited by the prospect. “This is wonderful, Kagome! Rin’s led such a sheltered life with Sesshoumaru, and there is so much we can teach her.”

Kagome smiled at Sango’s use of the word ‘we’. “Sesshoumaru asked us to train her how to protect herself, and I suppose we are the best one’s to do that. It’s not as if he could teach her his Dokkasou attack. You and I can teach her the girly stuff – Sesshoumaru certainly won’t be any help to here there. I just feel like there’s something more I’m expected to do….” She trailed off, feeling uncertain.

Inuyasha had his arms folded, familiar scowl in place. “Hey, you’re not expected to do anything. Sesshoumaru doesn’t have any right ordering you around. He’s just counting on your good nature to do what he wants you to.”

“I know that… but as long as the opportunity to help Rin has been handed to me, I want to do whatever I can. She needs us.” Kagome agreed.

“Keh,” Inuyasha allowed. After a moment’s thought, he added softly, “I could probably teach her what I know of inu-youkai.” His eyes met Kagome’s, searching for her consent.

Nodding, Kagome felt her heart warm. If they were right about Sesshoumaru’s intentions, that knowledge would be essential for her. Only Inuyasha could determine what she would need to be taught in that area. “Maybe Myouga can help?”

Inuyasha grunted, but nodded in agreement.

Miroku had his hand to his chin in a familiar pose of contemplation. “ Kagome, couldn’t you teach her some of the things you learned in school? Reading, writing… stuff like that?”

Kagome’s eyes lit up. “That’s a great idea! I should have thought of that!”

Miroku frowned suddenly and shook his head once, as if trying to shake loose something clinging to his hair.

“What is it?” Sango asked, immediately concerned.

Looking up, Miroku smiled “It’s nothing… for a moment I thought… but it’s gone now.”
Sango’s brow creased, and she looked unconvinced, so he took his wife’s hand. “I didn’t sleep well last night. My foot was throbbing where the snake bit me, and it kept me up. I’ll meditate this afternoon and feel much better. Don’t worry.”

Kagome moved to unwrap the bandage she’d applied to the wound the night before. “Is there any swelling?” she asked. Miroku jerked when she touched his foot, surprising Kagome. “I’m sorry! Did I hurt you?”

“Yess,” Miroku said tightly as if he were angry with her. His eyes closed, and when he opened them again, his body was relaxed once more. “Yes, it’s still very swollen. Maybe later you could look at it again?”

“Of course,” Kagome smiled.

Miroku stood. “I’m feeling more tired than I thought. I believe I’ll do my meditations now. You’ll excuse me?”

Sango watched her husband walk away, trying not to worry. It wasn’t as though this were the worst injury he’d ever sustained. He just seemed much more tired today than usual. When she’d gone to kiss him goodnight yesterday, he’d barely even looked at her as he brushed his lips against hers. If his injuries were so bad that he wouldn’t even touch her.... Inuyasha’s voice drew the taijiya out of her thoughts.

“So, where should we start?” the hanyou asked.

Sango nodded, regaining focus and glanced at the woman sitting beside her, “If Kagome agrees, I think we should begin with the more physical lessons. She’ll need the time for her muscles to grow accustomed to the movements, and once Rin learns the basics, we’ll be able to move more quickly from there.”

Kagome nodded, “That sounds fine. I’d like to take a quick trip to my era and gather some supplies anyway. You can get Rin started on that, and tomorrow I’ll go shopping.”

***********************

The waxing moon cast long shadows against the earth, distorting the already darkened path that led through the forest into the village. A man moved silently along this path. Had anyone been awake at that hour to see the lone figure, silhouetted by the night sky, they would not have recognized him - although they knew him well.

Why, just this afternoon he had been among the other villagers, finishing the hut he now approached. Crickets sang in the field as if to frighten away the stillness of the night. The man stopped before the structure, standing in the garden. The house was empty; murder was not on the agenda - for tonight anyway. When the time came for that, it would have to be someone young; untainted by the world’s influence. Only an offering of such innocence would achieve the right effect. Tonight was too soon for that.

In one deliberate movement, the man unwrapped the beads from around his right hand, unleashing the force of the Kazaana in his palm. The air stirred around him, and the hut began to creak under the pull of the wind. A roar rose with the turbulent breeze, but did not wake those nearby. They had slept through much worse than what sounded as though it could have been nothing more than a wind storm.

The hut groaned as if pained, and then sighed in defeat as it vanished into the darkness of the void the man now clenched into a fist. Once more, silence ruled over the earth, and this time even the crickets were quiet. An evil leer crept over the man’s face as he stared at the now empty patch of earth. An entire weeks worth of work, gone in an instant. Not a spectacular accomplishment, but impressive enough for a start.

As quietly as he arrived, Miroku returned into the darkness.

***********************

“Can Rin go play outside?” The girl asked, tugging at Kagome’s sleeve.

Kagome smiled patiently down at her. “Can I go play outside,” she corrected.

Rin grinned widely, “You’ll play with Rin?”

Kagome sighed. It’d been three weeks, and she still couldn’t convince Rin to stop talking in the third person. The girl was eleven years old - old enough to stop using the diminutive form of self-reference, but no matter how often she was reminded, she would drop back into it after a while. Kagome knew that the child wasn’t stupid... or stubborn for that matter. Rin was very bright and always tried her best. She just couldn’t get used to this change of an old habit.

“No, I mean.... Remember to use ‘I’ and ‘me’, when you talk, instead of calling yourself by name.” Kagome explained.

“Oh,” Rin said, looking thoughtful. “Why does Sesshoumaru-sama call himself by name?”

“Because he’s an arrogant baka!” Inuyasha answered as he entered the kitchen.

“Inuyasha,” Kagome reprimanded, glancing at Rin.

Rin scowled, imitating the hanyou’s familiar expression perfectly. “Don’t talk bad about Sesshoumaru-sama!” she demanded with arms folded. Going over to him, she quickly stomped on Inuyasha foot before running towards the front of the house.

“Ouch - hey!” Inuyasha shouted, wincing at the unexpected pain. “Oi! Get back here, you!” He took off after the sound of Rin’s giggles, grinning as he caught up with her in the main hall. “What makes you think I’m gonna let you get a way with that, runt?” he threatened as he turned the girl upside-down and began tickling her.


“Stop! Stop!” Rin begged, voice shrill with laughter as blood rushed to her head.

“Attack!” Kohaku suddenly appeared from the direction of his room with Shippou close behind. The older boy grabbed Rin around the waist, pulling her out of the hanyou’s grip as the kitsune took a flying leap and landed between Inuyasha’s ears.

Kohaku carried Rin out through the front door, whistling behind him as he ran. In response, Kirara shot into the hallway, and playfully nipped at Inuyasha’s toes before he could react to either the loss of his captive, or the boy on his head. In the confusion, both Shippou and the tiny feline escaped outside, leaving the hanyou to stare after them.

The sound of Kagome laughing hysterically made Inuyasha turn around. His mate had slid down the closest wall and now sat on the floor, arms wrapped around her stomach as her giggles showed no sign of ceasing. She looked up at his face, and erupted into another laughing fit, bringing tears to her eyes.

“It wasn’t that funny,” Inuyasha mumbled.

Kagome nodded, still laughing. “You... just got beat... by two eleven year olds, a fourteen year old... and a nekomata!” she managed to choke out.

Inuyasha grunted, shaking his head in amusement. “You’re gonna get beat in a minute!” He threatened as he raised his hands to tickle her.

“Noo!” Kagome giggled, trying to pull further back against the wall.

Inuyasha playfully grabbed his wife and flung her over his shoulder upside down, holding onto her ankles so that she was facing the wall behind them and hanging from her knees. “How about a swim in the lake?” he asked, heading towards the door.

“Inuyasha!” Kagome shrieked. “Don’t you dare!”

“‘Yes’, you say? Well alright, here we go!” Inuyasha smirked as she tried to wriggle away. “Careful, or you’ll fall and then you’ll never get to take that swim.” He was fully prepared to follow through with his punishment for her laughing at him, when Miroku appeared in the doorway, blocking their exit.

Miroku stared at the sight his two friends presented and, instead of laughing as they expected, the monk shook his head. “Kagome iss going to be a mother. Sshe really sshould sstart acting her age.”

Kagome’s mouth fell open as Miroku disappeared down the hall. Although she hadn’t seen his face from her position behind her husband’s back, the monk had sounded serious. ‘That’s silly,’ she told herself. Miroku would never intentionally say anything mean.’

Inuyasha growled low in his throat as he set Kagome back on her feet and started to go after the monk. How dare he say something so rude to his mate... and in front of his face! Before he could find the bouzu and pummel him into something unsightly, Kagome placed a hand on his shoulder.

“He was joking. Besides, he’s been under a lot of stress lately with all the stuff happening in the village. Let’s go outside and round up the kids. It’s time for Rin’s lessons.” Kagome watched to make sure he followed before leaving.

Inuyasha hesitated a moment, looking uncertain, then turned to join his mate. She was probably right. Things had been fairly quiet since the wedding, although a lot of interesting things had been happening in the village since they’d come back. A young couple had been planning their wedding, and the hut built for them by the villagers vanished the day following its completion. Not long after, another man lost all of his chickens to what appeared to be a small pack of wolves. Ten cattle from a nearby field had been found dead not two days later, and the reason was still unclear.

The two most recent occurrences had been the worst. A loose support wall surrounding the rice paddies had broken free, sending water spilling out over the road and making it nearly impassable. Villagers were still finding the displaced snakes lurking in the damp corners of their yards, as though they had decided to move in with them. Then, just last night, the entire village had awoken to the screams of ‘Fire!’ coming from near the hillside shrine. Were it not for Miroku, who had organized an assembly-line to smother the flames with dirt, the entire village would have been lost as well.

The monk had been up all night trying to save the shrine, and now plans were being made to clear the land and rebuild it - a project that would take years. It was no wonder that Miroku was a little cranky. Inuyasha wasn’t too happy either, since more worshipers than ever had begun appearing on the doorstep to their home, either to pray, leave offerings, or beg for the ‘kami’ to put a stop to whatever had brought such bad luck to their village.

Although Inuyasha didn’t believe in good or bad luck, he had to admit that things had definitely taken a turn for the worse. If it hadn’t been for the fact that, with the exception of the vanishing hut, all of these things were so mundane , the hanyou would have felt sure that something fishy was going on. As much as he may have wanted youkai to be involved - for that would have been easy to fix - Inuyasha suspected that the village’s trouble was the product of human fate, and nothing more.

*******************

Silently, the snake youkai moved closer to the shrine house. His toy was inside, and the time had come to for Seppuku(1) to attend to his task; to the reason he had come all this way from the distant mountains. Tasting the air with his forked tongue, he was glad to discover that his toy was alone. He emitted a sound, like that of dry leaves rubbing together, as he laughed with eagerness.

The bite he’d given the monk must have healed by now, sealing in the poison that would not kill his victim, but gave control of him over to Seppuku. With great concentration he could slip inside his victim’s mind and use him like a puppet - his control growing ever stronger with each possession. What made it most enjoyable, was that his toys never knew that anything was wrong - until it was too late.

Up till now, Seppuku had been playing. It amused him to watch the humans scurry about - as though more offerings to these imposter Kami could do them any good. Despite his lack of sincere effort, the game’s he’d played with his new toy had been deliciously effective. According to the local serpents he had sent into the village to act as his ears, the people were scared, and ready to take action. So far, they continued to come to the exterminators, begging for their intervention. He wondered how long it would take for the humans to turn on their beloved gods; to blame their misery on those from whom they sought protection?

It was time for the tide to turn. When his Queen had chosen Seppuku for this task, he’d known that he would probably not return. If these exterminators were as formidable as he was told they were, they would not stay clueless for long. Were he caught, he would either be killed - his life sacrificed to further his Lady’s will, or he would return to her a hero, with their blood still warm in his belly.

Given just a few days more to accomplish his mission, Seppuku would focus his attention onto those whom it was his intention to destroy. The villagers would recognize them as the source of their misery and, if they did not kill them, they would drive them out of the village - and one by one, he would have his toy do it for him.

********************

Rin, Shippou and Kohaku sat in a circle on the grass with Kagome. She was teaching the younger two how to read, and Kohaku, who already knew how, was helping. Inuyasha sat high in the branches of the Goshinboku with his own book, alternately reading and watching the lesson.

From her trip back to her own era, Kagome had brought back some things to help with Rin’s training, including a dry erase board with pens, a few more children’s books, and a some elementary school primers. Shippou had immediately fallen in love with the white board, and kept trying to sneak it into his own room without Inuyasha catching him. Finally, Kagome had invited him to the reading lessons, promising to buy him one of his own if he learned how to read.

Both of her students were progressing very quickly, and Rin had already been able to finish four whole book on her own. Shippou could already read to some extent, and had needed so little help getting through all of the children’s books, that Kagome thought he might be ready for something harder.

“Here you go, Shippou.” Kagome handed the boy a small book filled with brightly colored pictures. “This is called manga. You remember that show you watched with Souta on TV? This is the book for it.”

“Ranma ½!” The kitsune exclaimed. Shippou opened the book and eagerly began reading. Kohaku scooted closer, leaning over the other boy’s shoulder to follow along.

Kagome smiled, “Kohaku, you get this for helping me.”

Kohaku’s eyes widened as he was handed volume two from the same series. “Wow,” he mumbled with a shy blush. Looking up at Kagome, he breathed, “Thanks.”

Kagome shook her head. “Why don’t you help Shippou get through the first one, then you guys can start on the second.” She laughed as the two ran off without another word.

Inuyasha looked up from his book to glance down at the girls. Rin sat close to Kagome at the base of the tree, her finger slowly running over each word as she read. The book was by the ‘Disney’ people, who had built the roller-coasters Kagome had taken them all on. It was called, ‘Beauty and the Beast,” and as the child read the words aloud, Inuyasha closed his eyes to listen to the story.

Inuyasha had gone with Kagome back to her time, unwilling to spend a single night without her. She had taken an almost perverse delight in dragging him along on all of her errands, including the book store, which had made him happy too. The hanyou smiled, remembering his mate’s excitement when she’d seen the book in the children’s section. She had babbled about the movie version, and seemed to like it so much that when they’d arrived back at her mother’s, Inuyasha had asked the older Higurashi woman where he could get it.

Kagome mother had informed him that they owned it and so Inuyasha had managed to surprise his wife by sitting down with her in front of the television later that night and turning on the set just as the movie began playing, thanks to a little help from Souta. She had been touched by the gesture, and snuggled closer to him as she settled in to watch. When all was said and done, even he had to admit, the story was good. The tale of a beautiful girl falling in love with a surly beast appealed to Inuyasha in ways that were not lost on his mate.

“Do you think Beast is an inu youkai, Kagome-sensei?” Rin asked seriously.

Kagome bit back a grin. “I don’t know,” she replied, looking intently at the illustrations in the book. “He doesn’t really look much like Inuyasha or Sesshoumaru,” she concluded.

Rin nodded, “That’s true. Sometimes though, Sesshoumaru-sama gets cranky, and shuts himself in the library. Master Jaken always tells Ri - me ” she corrected, looking to Kagome for approval, “to stay away when he’s like that, but I always sneak in anyway. Sometimes I’ll just sit with him, or maybe I’ll sing... but Sesshoumaru-sama always comes out of the library sooner when I’m there.”

“Does Sesshoumaru ever talk to you?” Kagome asked casually.


“Sometimes. Sesshoumaru-sama knows a lot about almost everything, so I guess his head must be pretty full of thoughts.”

From above, Kagome heard her husband mutter something obscene, “What was that, Inuyasha?” Kagome asked him sweetly, as if she hadn’t heard.

“Nothing.”

Rin smiled. “Sesshoumaru-sama doesn’t need to talk though. Rin... I always knows what he wants.”

Now Kagome did grin, “What’s that?”

The girl shrugged. “Depends. Sometimes he wants to be alone, but then he gets very lonely, so I go sing to him.” Rin’s face clouded. “What if Sesshoumaru-sama gets lonely while I’m gone?”

“He’ll be alright. It’s not for too much longer,” Kagome assured her.

“Three weeks.” Rin supplied. Kagome had taught her the measurements of time, and had even gotten the girl a calendar so that she could keep track of her stay.

“Rin!” Sango called as she approached from the house. The taijiya was wearing her battle gear, though she’d left Hiraikotsu back at home. Her new student was too small to lift it, even if she were ready for such advanced training.

Rin stood up and bowed respectfully. “Ohayo gozaimasu, Sango-sensei. We were reading about a woman who falls in love with a beast!”

Sango raised an eyebrow. “That happens to a lot of women,” she commented, exchanging an amused glance with Kagome. “Are you ready to try something new today? That is… if you’re done with the reading lesson,” she added, looking at Kagome again.

Kagome nodded. “We’re done for now. Have fun!”

Frowning, Sango looked Rin over, “You’re not really dressed for what I had in mind… I’ll need to make you some body armor. I think I have just enough leftover dragons hide from the exterminator’s village to do it.”


Looking at Rin’s worn kimono, Kagome suddenly got an idea. “Hey Sango… do you think you could teach Rin to sew?”

Sango blinked in surprise, before understand hit her. “If we can get our hands on some new material, I can start tonight.”

“There’s a lady in the village who sells cloth.” Inuyasha supplied. When all three of the women below him stared in undisguised astonishment, he snorted. “When I patrol in the afternoon I see her soaking and wrapping stuff onto boards in front of her house. I asked her what she was doing and she said the material tightened as it dried, making it easier for her to carry to other villages.”

“Then it’s settled,” Kagome said brightly. “Now when you go home Rin, you’ll be able to make your own clothes.”

Rin looked down at herself, as if unsure how she felt about the idea. Then she smiled. “Can Rin make a yellow kimono? The color of the dress in the book?”

Kagome grinned, “ Can I - and yes, you may.”

As Sango and the girl walked away, Kagome replayed the conversation in her mind - two aspects of it in particular:
’Do you think Beast is an inu youkai....’
‘Can Rin make a yellow kimono?’

“Oh, boy,” Kagome muttered under her breath.

Hearing her words and understanding their meaning, Inuyasha nodded. “Yeah.”

******************

Seppuku looked out through the eyes of his toy, enjoying the sensation such control brought him. The snake youkai remember to allow the monk to nod to any who offered their greetings, although he disturbed the man by insinuating odd thoughts about each person into his brain. It was delightful.

The serpent was not controlling his toy at the moment, but when the perfect opportunity approached, Seppuku jumped on it. A cart was making its way along the muddy path with some difficulty, due to the damage he’d had his toy inflict on the support wall to the rice paddies. In the back of the wagon was a fresh faced little boy, eyes shining with the innocence that only youth could give.

Thrilling to the call of such pure blood, Seppuku knew the time had come. Urging the monk closer to the road, the youkai waited - eager to try his hand at acting like a god... already able to feel the boys warm, coppery essence gushing down his throat


******************

Kagome examined the materials spread before her on the floor of the hut, trying to ignore the woman hovering nervously nearby. The cloth seller had nearly fainted to find two of her villages Kami on her doorstep, and when Inuyasha had explained why they were there, she had immediately knelt before them in prayer.

The work was simple, but surprisingly good. Most of the material was plain and unembellished in a vibrant array of colors. However, the fashions from Edo where already beginning to reach the smaller villages surrounding it, and a few had very simple patterns and designs woven in.

The seamstress, who invited them to call her ‘Kumi’(2), even brought out her finest materials, which she reserved for festivals in Edo every spring. “My husband works on a merchant vessel,” she told them proudly. “He brought these to me from China... they are very rare.” With gentle hands, she displayed three colors of beautiful silk material - red, yellow and purple.

Without a second thought, Kagome bought some of the red and yellow silk. From the woman’s own creations, Kagome chose a pale pink, a shimmering white, a delicate green and a beautifully embellished blue which, when held up to the light, revealed the intricate stitching that created the pattern of willow trees.

With much persuasion, Kagome convinced Kumi to accept her money, and promised to return to her whenever they needed to. Despite the seamstress’s overwhelming display of gratitude, Kagome felt deeply satisfied with herself as she and Inuyasha left, the hanyou carrying her purchases.

Inuyasha stared at the yards of fabric in his arms. “You sure got a lot. How did you pay for all of this?”

Kagome grinned. “Miroku paid me back for the book I bought him in my era.”

He raised an eyebrow. “That must have been some expensive book.”

“Inflation,” Kagome explained.

“Huh?”

“Never mind.” Kagome began humming to herself, enjoying the kind of happiness that only shopping could bring.

They were not far from home when Inuyasha grunted and jerked his head to the left. “Speaking of... what is Miroku doing over there?”

The monk stood in the center of the road leading into the village, effectively blocking the path of a cart drawn by two horses. The driver – a traveling merchant, his wife and their two children were all kneeling before Miroku, bowing low. As they watched, he asked the family to rise, offering his hand for them to kiss. Each person came forward, thanking him for his forgiveness as they pressed their lips to the offered appendage.

Unnoticed, the merchant’s son reached out timidly to touch the fabric of Miroku’s robes, pulling slightly as if to test that they were real. The small tug drew the monk’s attention, and even from a distance, Kagome could see anger ‘(and what looked like triumph?)’ flash in her friends eyes as he raised his hand to strike the boy.

Before Kagome had a chance to gasp in surprise, Inuyasha was behind Miroku, grabbing his arm before the monk could follow through with the threat. She rushed to their side and pulled the boy close, staring in wonder at the suddenly empty expression on Miroku’s face.

Inuyasha had also noticed the change in their friend, and immediately began scanning the area for any youkai presence. He eyed the travelers who were begging Kagome’s forgiveness for the boy’s insolence. As she reassured them and suggested they continue their journey, the hanyou determined that they were indeed human, and definitely not the source of the threat.

Waiting until the merchant and his family were on their way again, Kagome turned to Miroku, putting a hand to his cheek and staring intently into his eyes. “Miroku? Are you alright?”

The monk didn’t answer for a moment. His eyes made contact with Kagome’s before blinking suddenly. Turning to look at the spot where the merchant’s cart had passed, he frowned and looked down at his robes. It was then that Kagome and Inuyasha noticed that the front of his clothes had been splashed with mud from the road.

Miroku looked at Kagome’s concerned face, then took in Inuyasha’s firm grip on his forearm, finally asking, “What’s going on?”

“You don’t remember?” Kagome questioned, looking at Inuyasha so he’d release their friend.

Miroku shook his head, “ I was working on the kitchen well, and I decided to take a walk to stretch my muscles. I was walking along the road when a cart came along. This section was muddy from the rice paddies, and I got splashed when the wheel hit a puddle. The driver stopped to apologize, and I looked up to tell him it was nothing… and that’s all I remember.”

While Kagome told Miroku what they had seen, Inuyasha walked away, still seeking the presence of youkai in the area. From the monk’s behavior, there was only one conclusion the hanyou could reach, and he didn’t like it at all. Miroku may have been a hentai, but there was no way the hanyou would ever believe that the monk was capable of what had just taken place. That meant youkai.

Certain demons could attach themselves to a host, and use that body as a vehicle. The group had seen at least one example of that when a Yadori Sanagi(3) youkai had gotten hold of Shippou once. Others could control their subject from afar, and Kagome had been prey to this kind numerous times. The moth demon Menomaru had achieved this by putting a jewel shard into her, and the dark Miko, Tsubaki had done the same with more tainted shards. There was even the rare being, like Naraku’s infant detachment Akago, who had tried to control Kagome by latching onto the only evil in her heart - her jealousy of Kikyou.


It wasn’t the only explanation for Miroku’s behavior, but at the moment it was all Inuyasha had. Unfortunately though, there were too many youkai nearby, and none close enough for him to pinpoint as the culprit. The nearest presence belonged to Shippou, and the hanyou recognized that one right away. The forest was home to dozens of youkai species, most of which were harmless, and there was no hint of suspicion from that direction either.

Kagome had finished the story by the time Inuyasha rejoined them. “I think we should get you home,” she suggest to Miroku, taking his arm.

Miroku hesitated. “Could we go to Kaede’s? If something is wrong with me... I’d rather not tell Sango just yet.”

“Sango would want to know... so would I if I were her.” Kagome said with a frown.

“I know,” Miroku said with a sigh. “I will tell her... I just want to wait until I know what’s causing it. Everything’s been going so well and I,” he seemed ashamed. “I don’t want to upset her and hurt the baby.”

Kagome softened, but still didn’t look convinced. “She’s my best friend. I can’t lie to her, she’d never forgive me when she found out.”


Miroku sent a pleading look to Inuyasha, “Give me till tomorrow. Let’s talk to Kaede now and if she can fix it, I’ll tell Sango right away. If she can’t, give me a day to find some answers myself. She’ll know by this time tomorrow.”

Silence fell, while his request was considered. Kagome’s face was full of guilt as she looked at Inuyasha, not knowing what to say. The hanyou knew his mate was right. Sango would want to know, and she’d be angry when she found out. Then again, if it turned out to be fixable it could all be over before she ever had to worry about it. If Kaede couldn’t find an answer, it meant they would have to do it, and Sango would have to know. The sun was already setting on the horizon, so would one more day really hurt?

Meeting Kagome’s eyes, Inuyasha realized that if he were in Miroku’s place, he’d probably be doing the same thing. His wife would be furious when she found out, but he knew he would do anything to protect her at all costs. Still....

Growling in frustration, the hanyou looked at Miroku. “Let’s go see Kaede baa-baa and hear what she has to say.”

Less then twenty minutes later, Kaede frowned as she listened to Miroku’s story. “This is not good,” she responded when they had finished.

Kagome looked worried. “Is there anyway to figure out what’s happening?”


“He’s being controlled.” Inuyasha stated matter-of-factly from where he leaned against the wall.

Miroku, Kaede, and Kagome looked up at the hanyou from their circle on the floor, looking surprise.

Inuyasha scowled, “Oh, come on!” He exploded. “How many times have I had to save one of you from being bewitched or controlled? It’s not as if I don’t know the signs.”

Kagome blushed.

Miroku tried to hide an involuntary smile. “I don’t know, Inuyasha, but I do seem to remember a certain female flea youkai who took you for a ride while chasing down Myouga,” the monk reminded him.

“Keh.” Inuyasha’s scowl deepened, but he came to join them on the floor. “So how do we fight it, baa-baa?”

Ignoring his name-calling, as always, Kaede sighed. “It is not that simple, Inuyasha. As ye have seen, there are many different forms of demon possession. Without knowing precisely what we are dealing with, it would be most difficult to release Miroku from such a strong hold.”

“It can’t have anything to do with the Shikon no Tama, right?” Kagome asked, remembering her own experiences.

Kaede shook her head. “The Jewel is not gone, as its spirits reside in the five of ye. However, its power is only accessible to the person it inhabits. No youkai would be able to use Miroku’s gift to their own advantage.”

Miroku shifted uncomfortably as Kaede, Kagome and Inuyasha all stared at him, deep in thought.

“Has he been searched for smaller youkai attached to his body?” Kaede asked.

“I’m sitting right here,” Miroku frowned, not appreciating them talking around him.

Inuyasha shot him a look. “Not physically. I didn’t sense a youkai presence anywhere on him though.”

Kaede shook her head. “Just the same, he should be examined.”

Inuyasha stood, looming over Miroku. “Strip, Monk.”

Miroku rose to his feet, but looked pointedly back and forth between Kaede and Kagome. Kaede rolled her good eye, but got up to leave, muttering something about him not having anything that she hadn’t already seen in three years of tending to his wounds. Kagome blushed brightly and followed her sensei with one last glance at Inuyasha.

Miroku sighed, “Let’s get this over with.”

*******************

Deep within the safe mask of the forest, Seppuku trembled with rage. How dare they deny him the blood of that child? They were his victims! The life essence of the boy had been his for the taking, until that damn inu hanyou got in the way.

He would pay... all of them would pay. It wouldn’t be long now before his presence was made know. Before they died, Seppuku would have the pleasure of hearing them beg for their deaths.

********************

Kagome was impatient as she waited outside with Kaede. She knew that Inuyasha would find nothing, and that left them… absolutely nowhere.

Sighing in frustration, Kagome turned to Kaede. “There has to be some way to help him,” she insisted.

Kaede smiled reassuringly. “Do not worry, child. We will do all that we can.” Silently, the old woman only hoped that there was something they could do. Each time she had witness a situation involving youkai possession, freedom had been brought about through the will of the person being controlled. When Kagome had been bitten by the shikigami(4) sent by the dark Miko Tsubaki, it had been the young girl’s own strength and spirit that had pulled her through. Kaede had a feeling that Miroku’s freedom would have to come from the monk himself.

Remembering Kagome’s experience, Kaede frowned. “Kagome,” she asked, “ Miroku hasn’t been bitten recently, has he?”

Kagome’s eyes widened as she smacked herself in the forehead. “Kami! I’m such a baka! Miroku got bit on patrol over a week ago. I took care of it myself. That has to be it!”

Inuyasha stepped outside, allowing Miroku to get dressed in private. “Like I said - there’s nothing there.”

“Never mind that,” Kagome rushed. “Kaede figured it out. Remember the snake bite? That’s got to be how Miroku is being controlled!”

Inuyasha frowned. “That makes sense… but wouldn’t we have noticed him acting differently before now?”

Kaede shook her head. “ Not necessarily… most youkai take complete control of their victims, but some demons can use the power to their advantage if they have the discipline.”


Staring up the hill behind Kaede’s hut, Kagome’s stomach sank. “Um… guys? Maybe there were signs… we just didn’t notice.”

Inuyasha followed her gaze to the ruined remains of the shrine, where the villagers had spent all day clearing away the debris. He thought back to all of the strange events that had plagued their village recently; things he’d been sure were nothing more than unfortunate circumstances. Was it possible that they actually were caused by youkai -or more accurately, a youkai working through Miroku?

“No,” Inuyasha scoffed. “Youkai are the smash and grab types. They aren’t patient enough to sit around for weeks causing such randomly pathetic acts of destruction. There’s no payoff for it.”

Kaede didn’t look so sure of his assessment. “That is true… unless there is a larger goal in mind. Naraku, for example, thrived in even the most minute actions.”

“Naraku’s dead. There’s no way he could have come back after what Kagome did to him.” Inuyasha insisted.

“Kaede,” Kagome interjected. “Are you saying that Miroku has been targeted by another youkai? Just like with Naraku?”

“Possibly,” Kaede mused, “but why Miroku, I can’t say. It is possible that all of ye are the target, and he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“That seems to happen to me a lot.” Miroku commented from where he stood in the doorway, listening to his friends’ conversation. The usually good-natured expression was gone from his face, replaced by one of utter fatigue. “All the things that have happened… the shrine… the hut that disappeared… I’m the only one who could have done that. I should have realized it earlier.”

Kagome’s eyes shone with concern. “ Maybe you didn’t do it…. Lot’s of things could’ve started the fire. Anyway, even if it was you, it wasn’t you. I mean, you were being controlled… no matter what happened, it isn’t your fault”

The smile Miroku gave her in response was so gentle, so uncharacteristically meek, that even Inuyasha didn’t react when the monk pulled Kagome into a hug. “Thank-you, Kagome, but I know. I can see it now.” He reached into his robes and withdrew one of the small boxes of matches that Kagome kept them supplied with. “I used these to light the fire in the kitchen last night. I thought I had put them back afterwards, but I just found them as I was dressing. It was I who did these things.”

Seeing her mouth open to interrupt, Miroku hurried on, “Even if I was being controlled, I was the one who did it physically. Besides… I allowed myself to be compromised. I was patrolling alone when I was bitten.”

“So what?” Inuyasha interjected with a frustrated expression on his face. “We’ve all been patrolling alone - it’s not like you’re special or something. It could have been any of us. If you want to feel sorry for yourself, go right ahead. In the meantime, I’m gonna find me a hebi youkai.”

Miroku opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again without a word. A look of resolve entered his eyes as the monk nodded solemnly to his friends.

“We should get home; Sango will be worried about us.” Kagome urged softly.

“Sango...” Miroku said thoughtfully. “How can I tell her what has happened?”

Before either Kagome or Inuyasha could reply, Kaede spoke up. “Ye must tell her, Miroku. To do otherwise could prove dangerous, should ye come under this youkai’s control while alone with her.”

Eyes widening, Miroku considered this. “Yes, this is so. I shall tell her tonight.”

As the three friends walked home, no one spoke. Kagome searched desperately for something to say, but remained silent as nothing came to mind. As they reached the house, the girl grabbed Inuyasha’s hand, preventing him from entering.

“We’ll wait out here... call us if you need anything.” Kagome told Miroku as he paused on the steps above them. With a nod of acknowledgment, he disappeared inside.

Inuyasha sank down next to Kagome on the porch. “I’m not sure why this is such a big deal,” he confessed.

Kagome turned to him, eyes wide. “ What? ”

“Well, it’s not like we haven’t faced worse,” Inuyasha defended.

“That’s not the point!” Kagome told him. “Things have been so peaceful lately and Sango needs that. This is the first time she’s actually allowed herself to be truly happy and now that she’s pregnant, something happens to Miroku!”

Inuyasha nodded, “Yeah, but Sango’s strong. She can handle anything.”

Before Kagome could reply, a loud crash sounded from inside the house, followed by yelling.

“Well, maybe not anything,” Inuyasha amended as he leapt to his feet and rushed inside.

Sango stood in the middle of the living room with Hiraikotsu in hand. Miroku stood across the room from his wife, but the look in his eyes was unfamiliar.

“I’m ssorry if the truth hurtss, Ssango, but asss you have already fulfilled your purpose by conceiving my child, I have no further usse for your body.” Miroku hissed cruelly.


With tears in her eyes, Sango raised Hiraikotsu and swung.

“Sango, no!” Kagome shouted. “It’s not him!”

Inuyasha ran forward, but was not in time to stop the blow. Sango’s weapon did not hit lethally, but hard enough to knock the wind out of Miroku, who clutched his stomach at the point of impact and staggered backwards before falling to his knees.

Kagome arrived only seconds behind her mate, and wrapped her arms tightly around Sango. The taijiya allowed Inuyasha to disarm her and buried her face Kagome’s neck, crying. The young miko spoke soothingly to her friend as she watched Inuyasha check Miroku’s condition. The monk groaned, but otherwise appeared to be alright.

“I don’t understand,” Sango sobbed.

Inuyasha pulled Sango out of Kagome’s arms and turned her to face him. “You’re a warrior... stop crying and listen up. Miroku’s mind is being controlled by a snake youkai. Whatever he said to you wasn’t real, okay? We sent him in here to tell you what’s going on and he must have been stopped. We’re gonna find this thing, and we’re gonna fight it together, but we’re not gonna win unless you pull yourself together, got it?”

A hundred questions rose in Sango’s eyes, but her despair melted into acceptance as she absorbed the hanyou’s words.

Nodding when he saw that she understood, Inuyasha turned to Kagome. “I’m gonna check outside. Why don’t you make sure the kids are alright?”

Alone with Miroku again, Sango stared at the unconscious man on the floor. She had wondered what was taking him so long in returning home, and when she saw him standing in the doorway, she had rushed to greet him, only to be pushed away roughly.

He’d been so distant over the last week or so... barely speaking to her one moment, smiling and acting normal the next. Never before had Sango ever thought she’d hear the words he’d spoken to her that night. For Miroku to say that he didn’t need her, didn’t love or want her, that his interests now lay in other women... all of these things had provoked her to violence - not to kill, but to physically wound he who had done the same to her emotionally.

Sango knew Miroku loved her. His emotion shone in his eyes for her to see. During the last week, there were times when it’s absence had roused her old fears and insecurities, so it was no wonder that she’d so easily believed the truth of such harsh words. In retrospect, she should have known. The voice was his, but the speech was off. The unnaturally vicious expression in his eyes should have told her that this wasn’t her houshi-sama.


Throwing her arms around him, Sango pulled him against her chest, softly begging him to forgive her as she kissed apologies across his face. Inside, her anger grew towards who or what ever had dared to threaten her family.

“Sango...” The soft voice in her arms drew her attention. Miroku looked up at her through half-closed eyes. “My love....”

Sango fought back the tears that threatened her newfound composure as his words confirmed what she already knew. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

Miroku smiled and raised a hand to her face. “So am I,” he answered. “You’re alright? The baby?”

“Just fine,” she answered with a relieved laugh.

Suddenly Miroku sat up, eye wide. Voice suddenly firm again, he jumped to his feet shouting, “I’ve got him!”

Sango didn’t have time to react before he was out of the house. Kagome reached her side as the taijiya grabbed her boomerang bone and prepared to follow.

“What’s happening?” Kagome asked.

“I don’t know,” Sango replied, leading the way out, “but I’m not going to wait around to find out.”

************************

So many damned youkai! Inuyasha cursed as he ran through the forest. He thought he’d sensed a more sinister presence coming from a point not far from the well, but as soon as he’d arrived, the presence had retreated into the woods.

A family of tiny rabbit youkai glared at him with reddened eyes as he passed, disturbing their hunt. It was the most activity Inuyasha had seen yet. The snake bastard was no where to be seen. He returned to the shrine house just in time to see Miroku rush out, hardly pausing before taking off wildly at a diagonal path from where the hanyou stood.

Sango and Kagome followed in hot pursuit, and Inuyasha didn’t think twice before joining the chase. Quickly catching up to the girls he flung his mate onto his back and called out, “What’s going on?”

Sango answered without slowing her pace. “Don’t know! I think Miroku’s on to something!”

Grabbing the other girl and placing her on his back as well, Inuyasha doubled his speed to catch up with Miroku. The monk didn’t have much of a lead, and soon he could be heard crashing through the trees just ahead. Just as the hanyou took a final leap to close the gap, All fell silent.


Inuyasha came to a stop beside Miroku and let the girls down. “Miro-“ Before he could finish his question, the monk held up a hand to silence him. The hanyou watched as his friend closed his eyes, concentrating intently.

Miroku struggled to hold on to the intruder’s thread in his mind. This time when he’d awoken from the youkai’s control, he’d known immediately what must have happened. The pain in his mid section and Sango’s Hiraikotsu on the floor nearby had given him a pretty good idea of what must have happened.

The idea that some monster had caused the look of pain Sango wore when he awoke, had ignited a fire in him unlike anything he was accustomed to. Feeling the burning sensation rise in him, Miroku had suddenly sensed a fragment of the demon’s presence remaining within him. In a rush of pink energy that surged through his body, the monk had seized hold of the presence and followed it to it’s source.

The path had led him deep within the forest, where it suddenly stopped. The youkai was nearby - so close he could taste it. The frantic tugging within his brain as the demon tried to free itself told him that they must be almost on top of it. The darkness of the fallen night prevented them from seeing clearly, and Miroku squeezed his eyes tightly, hoping to discern his enemy’s location based on pure instinct.

“He’s here.” Miroku informed the others. All of them fell into their familiar battle formation, as though it were second nature. Each listened intently for a clue to their foe’s location.

Inuyasha tested the air, straining to sift through the various youkai for the one he wanted. Miroku said it was here, yet the hanyou could smell nothing like the other hebi youkai he’d come across... until another odor; a strangely familiar one came to him, and he knew exactly where his prey was.

Tetsusaiga was already drawn and ready as Inuyasha pounced, directly in front of Miroku. As the blade came crashing to the ground in time with his cry of “Kaza no Kizu!” an unexpected blast of yellow light surged back, sending the hanyou flying through the air and into a beech tree.

“You bastard!” Inuyasha spat, immediately on his feet again and jumping in front of Kagome.

The hebi youkai laughed as it suddenly appeared from the underbrush. Before their eyes it grew until the serpent towered above them, eyes burning yellow. “I would have preferred that you hadn’t found me. However, this way has it’s merits too. Now Seppuku will personally have the pleasure of rending your flesh!”

“Seppuku, is it? Let’s see how much pleasure you’ll get on the end of my fang!” Inuyasha raged forward, thrusting Tetsusaiga down towards the earth and again summoning the wind scar. The competing energies collided, swirling together until the blast from the sword sliced it in two.

With immeasurable speed, Seppuku managed to dodge the attack, landing in a clearing twenty feet further away. “Your measly tricks cannot touch me!” he cried triumphantly.

“Why don’t you try saying that to my face!” Inuyasha leapt towards his opponent as the other fighters chased after.

“Hiraikotsu!” Sango’s call preceded the flying bone being flung through the air, only to be swept aside moments later by Seppuku’s tail.

“Fools! Do you think my Queen Kuroseirei would have sent just any servant to deal with the likes of you?” As he spoke, the snake reached his tail out towards Sango, prepared to lift her into the air.

“No!” Miroku shouted, immediately opening his wind tunnel. “Kazaana!” It was too late, however. Sango’s feet lost touch with the ground as she was carried closer and closer to Seppuku’s razor sharp fangs.

“Ane-ue!” From behind the serpent, Kohaku, Shippou and Kirara rode into the night and the silver flash of the young taijiya’s Kusarikama cut deeply into Seppuku’s flesh. Sango fell from his grasp, only to be caught safely by her husband, who immediately brought her back to her weapon.

“Tatsujou!” Kagome unleashed an arrow as soon as Sango was clear, and the pink aura of her power trailed behind as it soared directly at it’s target.

Seppuku managed to avoid her arrow, although the power of her aura seared a burn across his flesh, making him roar in fury. “You will be first, Miko!”

As the serpent lunged towards his mate, Inuyasha realized with horror that he was too far away to grab her in time. “Kagome!” he screamed. “Shoot again!”

All realized the danger their friend was in as Kagome raised her bow once more. Unable to fully focus on her target as it rushed forward, she closed her eyes tightly and fired.

“Tatsujou!”

“Bakuryuuha!”

“Hiraikotsu!”

“Kitsune-bi!”


“Kusarikama!”

Every member of the group attacked simultaneously. Miroku raced forward and slammed the end of his Seibai into the youkai’s tail, just as Kirara sunk her fangs into another section of their enemy.

As arrow, sword blast, boomerang, fox-fire, sickle, staff and teeth all struck, a blinding pink radiance engulfed Seppuku, who screamed with rage. In an instant, the serpent had vanished; reduced to nothing by the combined force of their attacks.

The warriors stood in silence, unsure of what to say.

Inuyasha remembered his brother’s question about how the Shikon no Tama had affected his fighting. It was obvious now that something had changed. When Midoriko had said that they were stronger together than apart, she hadn’t just meant figuratively, she’d meant literally too. He looked up in wonder to see if anyone else understood.

“What was that?” Miroku finally asked.

“The Shikon no Tama,” Kagome replied. She’d grown very pale. “I felt the power surge through me.”

Quiet fell again as this information sank in.

“Kuroseirei,” Sango muttered. “Seppuku said that his queen, Kuroseirei, had sent him. How do we find her, now that we’ve killed our only lead?”

“I know where we’re going,” Inuyasha said grimly. “I recognized the youkai’s smell... he’s from Mt. Hakusan.”

****************************

There was a little over a week left before Sesshoumaru would return for Rin, but to Inuyasha’s mind, this didn’t complicate the situation. Considering that both Kagome and Sango were expecting, he was determined to keep them from going on the journey to Mt. Hakusan. Although Miroku agreed with this plan, both of their wives reacted passionately against it.

“We’re going with you,” Kagome insisted.

Inuyasha scowled. Although his mate’s stubborn side was one of the things he loved most about her, it was also one of her most infuriating attributes. “Like hell!” he snapped.

“Inuyasha, there’s no way I’m letting you go without me. There’s something strange about that mountain and I’m not going to just sit around here and wait to find out what happens.” Without even thinking about it, Kagome adopted a stance that had become familiar for her over years of arguing with the hanyou. Fists clenched tightly in determination, she stamped one foot to emphasize her point.

Trying not to let amusement at her behavior influence him, Inuyasha crossed his arms and snorted. “Yeah, that’s a persuasive argument – I’m not going to put you and our pup in danger! Besides, I can take care of myself, and Miroku will be there too.”

“And me!” Shippou piped up from where he sat watching on the other side of the room.

“No, you’re not. Shut it, runt.” Inuyasha glared menacingly at the kitsune, daring him to cry. Turning back to Kagome he added, “We can’t take Rin with us, and Sesshoumaru won’t be back for a few more nights. Someone has to stay here until he comes for her.”

“Why don’t we wait until after he comes? Then we could all go together!” Kagome argued.

Inuyasha growled in frustration, “That’s not the point! You shouldn’t be traveling now anyway, and it isn’t safe!”

Giving in to her irritation, Kagome yelled, “It took all seven of us to kill that hebi youkai… what makes you think that you and Miroku can handle the queen without the rest of us?”

“I’ve killed plenty of youkai on my own… and the sooner I get there and find out what she wants, the sooner I can kill her, too.” Inuyasha postured.

Tears entered Kagome’s eyes and she turned away from her mate. “Don’t you need us, Inuyasha? Don’t you want us to come with you?”

The hurt in Kagome’s voice combined with the scent of her unshed tears nearly unseated Inuyasha’s resolve. If she allowed those tears to fall, he knew that he’d be unable to deny her anything she asked for. Approaching her and wrapping her in his arms from behind, the hanyou rested his head on top of hers. “Of course I want you with me. That’s not the question. I just don’t want you or our pup to get hurt. It’s safer for you here.”

Kagome sniffled, struggling to hold back her tears even though she knew they were his weakness. “What if something shows up here? What if they’ve sent other’s to hurt us and we’re attacked while you and Miroku are gone? Sango and I are strong, but we’ve got the kids to think about too. Even though it’s dangerous, I’d still feel safer there with you, than here without you.”

Inuyasha sighed. As much as he hated to admit it, Kagome was right. True, the chances of something bad happening to her while traveling were far greater than the chances of her being hurt while at home, but the fact remained that they would all be safer if he were around to look out for them.

Each of them, even the kids, were strong, but ever since they’d joined forces, Inuyasha had felt a strong sense of responsibility for their wellbeing. Their injuries were his failures, and though it meant that he’d have more to do looking out for them, he knew that he would feel easier if they were under his ever-watchful eye.

The only problem was Inuyasha’s lingering concern that it wasn’t safe for Kagome and Sango to travel in their condition. It would take at least two weeks to get to Mt. Hakusan even with his and Kirara’s speed, and there were too many of them now to travel that way for the entire trip. Even if he carried Kagome and Shippou, that left Miroku, Sango and Kohaku to ride on Kirara, and that would slow the nekomata down somewhat.

Summer was quickly approaching, bringing a familiar humidity that would add to their discomfort on the road, and even in the peak of summer, snow still lingered on the peaks of Mt. Hakusan. Add all of that to the usual perils of traveling across the continent of Feudal Japan and what it added up to was not the ideal situation for two expectant mothers and some runts.

Inuyasha looked down as his mate turned in his arms to face him. Kagome’s eyes still shone with tears, but she smiled tenderly as she stood on tiptoe to kiss him gently.

“Besides,” she said softly. “Midoriko told us that we’re stronger together. If we were apart I’d worry about you the whole time.”

That was it. Inuyasha felt the ties reining him in snap as he pulled her closer and deepened the kiss Kagome had given him. “All right,” he whispered. “But if something happens to you…”

“It won’t,” Kagome assured him. “You always protect me.”

“I see you gave in as well?” Miroku and Sango stood smiling in the doorway to Inuyasha and Kagome’s bedroom with Kohaku and Rin trailing behind. The two children exchanged amused grins with Shippou, who nodded as if to verify that the situation had gone as expected.

Inuyasha pulled away from Kagome and folded his arms. “Keh… I’m no weakling like you. I just decided that Kagome would be safer where I can keep an eye on her.”

“Ah,” Miroku commented, winking slyly at Kagome.

“So how did Sango convince you… promise to let you grab her ass whenever you wanted?” Inuyasha mocked.

Miroku looked offended. “I’ll have you know that I already have that privilege,” he said. To prove it, he reached over to caress his wife’s bottom.

“Do it and you’re dead, Houshi.” Sango warned. Looking at Inuyasha she replied, “It was easy… I just hit him with Hiraikotsu, and he caved.”

Inuyasha snorted, “Hentai.”


As the family gathered for dinner, Inuyasha had to admit that the idea of them traveling together again felt right somehow. After all, it was their destiny.

******************************************************************************
Chapter Glossary:

1) Seppuku - A ritual suicide where the person in question disembowels themself. This is considered to be an honorable death.

2) Kumi - Name meaning ‘braid’.

3) Tadori Sanagi - From the Manga, Vol. 34, chapter 333. Demon name translates to mean ‘lodging pupa.’

4) Shikigami - Means something like, ‘familiar’, (like a witches cat?). In this case, it refers to Tsubaki’s demonic snakes.

A/N: Almost all of the characters in this story are brought to you by the genius of Rumiko Takahashi, and the letters G, O and T. I do not own the characters, they own me.

A thousand pardons for my lengthy absence! My show was taking up all of my time, and now it’s finally over! It went very well, thanks to all who were asking! I’m still trying to get back on the wagon, but I promise I’ll get there soon enough! This chapter kicked my ass! I have a special thanks to Crossbow Trueshot for beta-ing it, and making me feel much better about its direction.

Updates! My new website is up! There are still a few things that will be tweaked on it, but Diane’s artwork is there, and it look fabulous! Soon, her work for this story will be posted, as well as the coming plans for stories in the works! Thanks and love to both Diane, for her amazing artistry, and Stuey, for creating the site! Love ya! The site link is:

http://theotherside.125mb.com/

Enjoy! The next chapter will be posted on this site a whole two days before I post it on AFF... for a head start on chapter 20, go to my website on Friday night or Saturday morning, depending on your time zone!

Juice - Thanks for liking not only the chapter, but my little stress release story! The co-worker it’s based on is really like that! Argh....

PJ - I’m glad you liked my insight into Sessh... he’s so much fun! I really love trying to figure out how his mind works. All this stuff with Miroku as a result of that snakebite - man, was that a kick in the pants. It’s so hard to make a good guy be bad without alienating everyone around him!

Mike *articgreen* - Yay for guys who love love stories! I’m so happy you like my fic! I’m really trying hard to keep a plot going, so I’m especially glad it pleases you! Ah, Sesshy’s smile... That’s so much fun! I’m a closet Sesshy fan girl... an out of the closet Inuyasha fan girl, but I keep my love for Sessh close to my heart.... Keep enjoying!

Anon - Ah, you make my heart sing! Thank you for all the wonderful words of encouragement, and I hope I can continue to live up to your expectations!

Vikki - I’m now going to write a sequel to the evil story of Lu, in which my fans attack her with dull pencils. Heh, heh, heh. Can you believe someone like that actually exists? Yech! I’m lucky to have Sessh and Inu to wrestle my problems out for me... especially if there’s some kind of oil involved..... Oops, sorry. That’s a story from my PERSONAL files.... I hope the wait wasn’t too long, but I promise to try and squeeze another lemon or two in, just for you!

Stuey - I’m looking forward to writing about Sessh and Rin in the sequel.... This whole plot line is leading up to one of the main focus’s in the sequel, so look for clues!

BakaInuGirl - Kaede and Jii-Chan! That makes me so excited to think about it! I’m making their developing relationship a focus in one of the coming one-shots, so you’ll get all the WAFF’y details of their lovely little story. Awwwww...... You are more than welcome to borrow Sessh and Inu to take out your co-workers, as long as you promise to return them ‘none the worse for wear’! I’ll get lonely!

WhirleeQ - Wow, I just got equaled with Sueric! Thank you so much! I hope you’re continuing to enjoy the story, and if you have any suggestions on how to pump up my summary, let me know!

Diane - Thank you, thank you, thank you! Your words of love and encouragement are so heartening to me! I can’t wait to share your genius with the readers so that they can love your work as much as I do! Talk to you soon!

Aleke - Being a nerd is okay... I’m ready to run for presidency of the nerd faction! I’m honored that you stayed up to read my fic... I’ve done that a few times myself, so I know how you feel and it touches me so much! I hope you keep enjoying the story, and that I can continue to make you happy with it!