Tainted Halo

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
"Words like this are thoughts"

Chapter 3

“Kagome, watch out.” Sango screamed from Kirara’s back. Green tentacles shot out aiming for Kagome’s chest. Inuyahsa thrashed the tentacle that had wrapped around his leg. He leaped.

“Kagome!”

The tentacles were a few inches from piercing her chest. Time stopped, Kagome tensed, the tentacle missed, the group exhaled, and the demon roared. Kagome set her arrow and aimed at the beast. The tip of the arrow glowed and streaked the sky with pink light as she fired. The demon let out another roar.

“Inuyasha, the shard is in his stomach. Well, I think that’s his stomach.” Kagome looked at the green rotund body with teeth and tentacles. Kagome’s gaze switched from the demon to the red clad half demon diving toward it. His blade sang as he cut through the air.

The demon disappeared.
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A heavily breathing Shamira slammed her back against the tree and slid to the floor. Her sword of light shrunk from a pale blue blade to a six-inch pin. She placed the pin at the base of her wrap-around lilac ponytail next to the other five pins. She wiped her sweaty bangs from her forehead.

“That girl gets in more trouble than a –“ she thoughtfully paused. A leaf fell onto her lap, “ –than a tree that loses its leaves.” She huffed.

Laughter came down from the tree.

“I see that you have been keeping busy.”

Shamira glared at the direction of the voice.

“I see nothing funny,” she hissed.

Serafina laughed louder

“Do you know how hard it is to try to save that girl while trying to remain undiscovered? How to flash in and out of this dimension fast enough for them not to see me. Not to mention nearly being stabbed, slashed, slammed, or maimed by these beasts while doing it.”

Serafina continued to laugh.

“That’s not all. This girl has powers that looks similar to our own and they called these BEASTS demons.”

Serafina stopped laughing.

Shamira smirked.

Silence.

“So the girl has powers and the beast you fought are referred to as demons?”

Shamira nodded.

“Odd.” Serafina stared off into the distance.

A bird chirped on the branch above them.

“Well, back to the purpose of my visit.”

Shamira cringed.

“The great one would like to ask another favor of you.” Serafina paused to wait for a reply.

“Continue.”

“Well, you are aware of those shards Kagome and her group are searching for?”

“The Shikon Shards.”

“The very same. He would like you to aid Kagome in collecting them.”

Shamira scrunched her face up. “So not only do I have to protect her, I have to help her gather the jewel shards?”

“Correct.”

Shamira clenched her jaw, rubbed her temple, and stomped off.

“Where are you going?”

“To find a shard I sent away.” Shamira swung around. “By the way you could have warned me that my appearance as well
as my attire was inappropriate for this place.”

Serafina smirked knowingly. Shamira huffed and stomped away. Serafina began to laugh. Her laughter died down as Shamira’s figure disappeared.

“So what are these demons that she is referring to, Amos?”

A light blue-haired figure walked from behind a tree.

“Well, hello to you too, Serafina. It’s been a while.” He smirked. Serafina smiled with a hint of distain.

“What are you doing here?”

“I should ask you the same question.”

They stared at each other with smiles that hid a secret.

Serafina sighed. “To think that I used to admire you,” she said softly.

“I had no such qualities that you should have admired,” Amos glanced away. “ So what is the situation with Shamira?”

“Why? Are you planning to recruit her?”

“Precisely. I have my orders and I intend to follow them through.”

Serafina watched him. “You’re lying. You have other motives.”

Amos turned away, “If so, it does not concern you. If you would be so kind as to answer my previous question.” His tone was cold and firm.

Serafina smiled. “You haven’t changed.” She tilted her head toward the sky. “Shamira is fair game and that’s all you need to know.”

Both figures turned from each other and faded.

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“Inuyasha?” Kagome’s soft voice called out to Inuyasha’s back.

“What?” He replied with his hands in his sleeves while he walked.

“Have you sensed anything for the past couple of weeks?”

“Yeah. Demons.”

“No, something else.”

“Have you been sensing something Kagome-sama?” Miroku spoke from behind. The group stopped to hear her reply.

“Well, yeah. But I don’t feel threatened by it. It’s just been following us around for a couple of weeks. Right
now its kind of…missing.”

Inuyasha’s ears twitched. He looked away from the group. He had sensed something the past couple of weeks, but it only showed up when Kagome was in danger. He could almost see it sometimes but it was just a white blur. He didn’t know what to think about it and he didn’t want to alert the others. He partly believed it was a hidden miko ability that Kagome had yet to discover. After hearing Kagome had sensed something too, he doesn’t know if he should be worried or grateful that this thing had been around.

“So you can’t feel this thing now?” Inuyasha inquired over his shoulder. Kagome nodded then gasped.

“What is it Kagome-sama?” Sango asked.

“There’s a jewel shard coming from over in that direction.” Kagome pointed to the part of the forest on the right of their path.

The group made a run for it.
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A grumbling Shamira mowed her way through the forest, searching for a shard she couldn’t sense. All she knew was that she sent the demon is this general direction. She gave a frustrated shout, stomped her feet, and then plopped down under a tree. She leaned her head back against the bark. The wind blew across her face causing her to close her eyes. She sighed.

A musical sound made its way across her ears. She cautiously followed it. In a clearing was a little girl leaping, humming, and picking flowers. Shamira couldn’t help but stare at the oddity of the little girl’s hair. Just a portion of it was pulled up in a lop-sided ponytail while the rest remained lose. The girl hummed and frolicked in her yellow and orange-checkered dress without a care in the world. A smile appeared on Shamira’s face. Somehow watching the little girl play so carelessly by herself made her moodiness melt away. Shamira’s smile faded. The child was playing by HERSELF. Where are her parents? Who’s watching over her? Do they not realize that there are dangers in this forest?

As if on cue a roar sounded beside the little girl. A green tentacle shot out toward her. Shamira reflected it with her sword, but it caused her to stumble back into the little girl. The child fell backwards and scrambled to get back up. A look of terror was on her face.

“Sesshoumaru-sama!” She cried. She tried to run left, but a tentacle blocked her. So she tried the other direction and another tentacle shot out to block her path. She faced the demon and noticed three tentacles were aiming for her. She froze in terror and watched them come straight for her. All three tentacles missed and the demon cried in pain.

Shamira smirked at the injuries that she inflicted. Dipping and dodging, she blocked each attack that came toward the
little girl. The demon slammed his tentacles. She was on the defense. With the constant attacks toward the child, the demon left no openings for her to attack without revealing herself completely.

Where is that damn half-demon when you need him?

Shamira was being pushed back. It was getting harder to protect the girl. She exhaled and nodded to herself. This is going to take a lot out of me. She turned to the child, swung her sword, and stabbed the earth at her feet. A white sphere appeared around the little girl. Shamira took another one of her six-inch pins from her hair. It transformed into a sword of fire. She positioned herself into an attacking stance. She took a step toward the demon, ready to strike. A blue-white light appeared behind the demon, sliced through it, and was heading in her direction. She quickly knelt down and shielded herself with her sword. The force of the light only pushed her back a couple of centimeters.

Shamira quickly lifted her head. The site that she beheld was green globs spread all over the forest floor. A figure clad in white walked toward them. Shamira slowly got up. She was awestruck by the figure’s long sliver hair that swayed so gracefully with each step. The end of the fur pelt on his shoulder also swayed with his movements. His ears were just as pointed as her own. His eyes—those golden piercing eyes—looked all too familiar. Those same eyes that had her entranced were staring directly at her. Shamira frowned. He’s not supposed to be able to see me.

“Sesshoumaru-sama,” An awed voiced came from behind Shamira. She looked back at the smiling little girl still in the sphere. Shamira still went unnoticed by the little girl. Maybe he wasn’t looking at me after all. She pulled her sword out of the ground. The white sphere disappeared and the little girl ran to her savior’s side and smiled up at him.

“Rin, why are you not with Jaken?” The figure’s baritone voice resonated throughout the clearing.

“Rin wanted to pick flowers for Sesshoumaru-sama.” She smiled. Shamira couldn’t help but smile with her. The swords in her hands shrunk back to six-inch pins, which she then returned to her hair.

“Rin! You stupid girl.” A loud, high pitched, screeching voice came bursting out of the forest. “Sesshoumaru-sama has no need for flowers. Nor does he have the time to save filthy hum —“

“Jaken.”

The little green toad man cringed. “Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama?”

“Take Rin.”

“Yes, my lord.” Jaken bowed and turned. Shamira watched Rin hop off behind Jaken asking him if he would like to help her pick flowers next time. Sesshoumaru didn’t follow them. Shamira glanced up to find that he was definitely staring at her. She walked to her right, his eyes followed. She panicked. A rustle in the trees next to them broke their attention.

“Oy, Sesshoumaru!” Inuyasha leaped into the clearing with his sword blazing. The rest of the group stopped just behind him.

Sesshoumaru didn’t budge.

“Where’s the jewel shard you bastard?”

Sesshoumaru smiled. “ I have no use for such trinkets, little brother.”

Shamira’s mouth dropped. She quickly looked back and forth between the two. I can see the resemblance, but they still remind me of someone else.

“Inuyasha, the jewel shard is over there.” Kagome whispered and pointed to a green glob a few inches from Shamira’s feet. Inuyasha held his stance as Kagome walked over toward Shamira and plucked the shard out of the green glob. Kagome visibly tensed. She looked straight through Shamira and then searched franticly.

“What is it Kagome-sama?” Miroku inquired. Shamira took a few steps back.

“I thought—I thought I felt that presence again, but it felt really close.” Shamira was shocked. So she could feel me.

“Hn-” A baritone voice garnered the attention of everyone in the clearing.

Sesshoumaru had a secretive smirk on his face. Sango stepped closer to Miroku. Kagome stepped back and Inuyasha tensed. Shamira noticed once again that he was staring at her. Kagome followed his line of vision. He turned. “Follow your instincts, Miko,” he said over his shoulder as he walked away.

“Hey, come back here!” Inuyasha shouted to the trees.

The group was left staring between the trees that the Great Demon Lord exited through, hoping that maybe a more satisfying answer would come from them.

TBC...........

I would like to give special Thanks again to my dear friend and editor Sammie-chan. If it wasn't for her, you probably wouldn't understand what I was saying. I hope this chapter causes someone to write a review. Just one would probably make me write a little faster (and better).