The Mists of Midoriko by feminafures

Thy enemy unites thy enemy

The Mists of Midoriko

By: Lady Fury

1-Thy enemy unites thy enemy

He watched her with silent fascination, the girl who had dared to challenge him face to face in the past, her downcast eyes gleaming with a grief unknown to the age of demons, her mouth twisted into a thin line of anticipation. This is how she looked as she sensed shards of the Shikon no Tama, the fierce anger in her heart abounded by grief and wrought by feelings of betrayal.

It was betrayal indeed that gave her an inhumane air, robbing her of childhood innocence and laughter. This was not the same girl he encountered two years ago at his father's tomb as she wordlessly pulled out the great Tetsaiga from its resting place. She was different then; her fierce loyalty to his brother had saved the hanyou many times from death by his hands. To say he was intrigued by the girl was certain, but there was another occasion where his curiosity soon grew to fascination as her arrow had canceled the power of Tetsaiga. He vowed then to discover the secret of the young miko's power, and he had watched her closely as the years passed, as her miko power grew stronger by the day, her eyes becoming hard and her gaze deadly fire. The women-child now before him was determined to fight or meet her end defeating the hanyou responsible for so much grief in the lands of this Japan.

Naraku. The bastard hanyou who dared to cross paths with him.

It was unthinkable to a great youkai that a half-breed could surpass him in strength. Yet as Naraku gathered the shards of the so called jewel of four souls, his power grew with every piece of the puzzle. The girl, Kagome, sensed his growing power with acute distress, knowing what evil plots Naraku was capable of weaving. As he had experienced himself, Naraku specialized in deception, and the destruction that resulted affected more than just the intended victims.

It was but a year ago that he agreed to help his brother and his companions to defeat Naraku. How he stomached the company of his brother, he did not know. All he was certain about was that Naraku was someone who needed to be extinguished from this world. He clenched his sword tightly as he remembered how close he came to losing Rin to that hanyou. Jaken's stupidity new no bounds as the toad had attempted to trick Inuyasha into giving up the Tetsaiga. Kagura had snuck up behind A-un and grabbed Rin before she could scream out. It was all an elaborate plan to trap him into fighting Inuyasha.

He lost control then and almost transformed into his youkai form, the rage thrumming in his body threatening to spill over as his eyes bled to crimsom fire. His feelings for Rin had been his only weakness and Naraku had managed to trap him like a wounded animal. The only thing that kept him sane was the memory of Rin's smiling face, her outstretched hands reaching towards him in a warm embrace. Despite the danger of having feelings for the child, he would not lose the only person that he truly cared for. These thoughts allowed his body to reverse the youkai transformation, his eyes once again shining golden. He did not seek out his brother and do Naraku's bidding, and instead wordlessly followed the bastard to his hiding place.

The encounter with Naraku was brief but deadly when the hanyou had managed to trap him in a cocoon. His every breath was sucked out of his body by the heat of the dark energy as he fought against his bindings, desperately trying to escape. He could have perished that day, but was saved by his wretched brother speeding to the scene of battle, itching for his own revenge against Naraku. He had escaped from his cocoon in that moment and aided his brother in the fight. Naraku was eventually struck down by Inuyasha but escaped into the mists yet again after taunting him with the knowledge that his young servant would see to the death of Rin.

He raced furiously passed his brother toward the forest leading to the scent of his young ward. Naraku's servant, a young boy, had a scythe raised and ready to kill Rin. His demon speed brought him to the boy's side as he grasped the pathetic wretch by his neck. His brother arrived at the scene arguing with him to spare the boy's life. He was unmoved by Inuyasha's reasons and would have struck the boy down if it wasn't for the feeling that Naraku actually wanted him to end his life. Apparently Naraku desired the jewel shard that was wedged in his back. In the end, he chose to spare the boy's life to the relief of his brother and companions.

He smiled slightly, remembering the look of happiness that graced the features of his young ward as her eyes fell upon him. He was relieved Rin was well and would have left the group happily if he hadn't heard the gentle yet powerful voice that floated to him whispering his name like a sweet caress.

"Sesshoumaru, please join us in defeating Naraku. Put aside your hatred for Inuyasha and help us defeat him."

He looked up at that moment to see the sad, brown eyes of the small miko who spoke his name, her sweetness enchanting him, drawing him into her embrace of warmth. He remembered her from their previous encounters as the interfering woman-child who had bested him at times. Yet on this occasion it was her sadness that called to his cold heart, the grief colliding with his powerful aura, kissing it with the sweet scent of cherry blossoms and honey. He wanted nothing more at that moment to be buried deep inside the small miko, having her sad and powerful gaze turn into a bliss-laden one of content. His blood boiled at the thought of the writhing women beneath him, shivering, moaning deliciously with sweet passion, her taunt form crying out in ecstasy.

He felt the beginnings of arousal work steadily into his core, struggling against his unwilling mind that this was all wrong. As he struggled to comprehend these new and strange emotions pouring out from his being, a low and dangerous growl broke his concentrated gaze from the miko, turning his attention to his angry brother. The hanyou was giving him the ugliest look he could muster, his eyes brimming with jealous rage. That look in Inuyasha's eyes brought him out of his lustful thoughts and into reality. His intent toward the girl startled him as he became fully aware of his senses again.

Despite the slip in his control and the strange and unwelcome emotions he had felt, there was only one answer he could give this miko and he answered her in a low seductive tone, once again locking his eyes with hers.

"If you desire this Sesshoumaru's aid against the hanyou, I will give it willingly."

He bowed slightly acknowledging the miko's own. To say everyone was surprised at his decision was an understatement, especially his reluctant brother who eyed him warily with suspicion. He knew Inuyasha had smelled the arousal that the little miko elicited from his body, and his growling countenance stood over her like an overbearing father, shielding her from the youkai's roving eyes.

He chuckled low at his brother's jealous antics, as his growls continued to be heard along the forest path. Otherwise the night was strangely serene and quiet and he was enjoying the trip through the vast trees. As they marched to the sleeping beds set up by the monk and demon exterminator, he noticed a small kitsune appear and walk alongside Rin, who had slipped beside Inuyasha and had eagerly grabbed onto Kagome's hand. His mind drifted to the miko again, as he witnessed the growing bond between Rin and the young woman. He couldn't help but think she would make an excellent mother one day, as he observed her kind and gentle behavior toward his ward and the kitsune.

How like and unlike this woman was to his brother's wench, Kikyo. It was later that he came to know the circumstances of this young miko's existence. She was in fact the reincarnation of the undead priestess, who now wandered the land with only a trace of this girl's soul, gathering the spirits of the dead to maintain her clay-forged body.

It was then he understood the sadness that affected this young miko.

It was the same sadness that affected her now, which had slowly eaten away at her soul and made the coldness seep into her heart. It was etched in her mind, in her being, the arrival of Kikyo after 50 years of death. His brother's undead bitch had been the cause of this young girl's grief and it saddened him to see her in such a state, the light in her eyes reflecting her soul consuming pain. For some strange reason, as her suffering grew, it brought out strange human emotions from him that he never thought himself capable of feeling. She was a strange girl indeed, and as they rested for a short time, she silently drew her katana thrusting it into the air with a fiery passion.

She didn't remember where the damn thing came from, but sure enough she slowly learned how to fight with it and it saved her life many times in the past. As she swung around preparing to make another thrust, her sword caught the base of a larger one, its master being the taiyoukai, Sesshoumaru.

"I see your skill grows with this blade."

She jumped back crossing her sword in front, as she prepared to do battle with the taiyoukai. "We are in a war-torn land, Sesshoumaru. Do you not think it wise that a young girl know how to wield a blade?"

He gave a short chuckle of agreement, as he also prepared to do battle with the small miko. As her fiery gaze fell upon him, his heart pounded with anticipation and excitement.

The miko's eyes changed from grieving to fierce fire as she charged at her opponent, the clanging of swords ringing through the vast forest.

"I see you are eager for battle, my young miko." He quickly moved to the side, blocking another powerful attack. Her fierce frenzy was bringing him to the edge, eliciting growls of bloodlust from his mouth.

"I believe you are enjoying this a bit too much, my lord." She emphasized the last two words mockingly, as she sized up the great demon before her.

Having caught her subtlety and not too pleased by it, he lunged toward her prone form as she turned to the side, blocking his powerful attack yet again.

"Miko, do not test my patience." He used his demon speed to reach her, giving one last thrust and crushing her to a vast bow of a tree. Her sword clanged with his as he pushed himself against her, trapping her flushed body against his heated form.

He was thoroughly aroused to the core as the young, lithe woman struggled to free herself from his grasp, her mews of frustration vibrating off his chest. Through their struggles, his eyes met hers with a fierce frenzy of lust, a strange look coming from such a cold demon, yet she was unable to look away as the crossed swords between their bodies glistened with the light of the full moon. Her struggles eventually ceased and she lost herself in the burning embers of his eyes, mesmerized by their intensity and passion.

Reaching down he gently grasped her chin, gazing into the warm brown eyes that had haunted his every dream the past year. Slowly he closed the space between them, breathlessly brushing his lips to hers before leaning over her taunt form and whispering sensuously in her ear.

"Do you acknowledge?"

"I acknowledge," she whispered gently, as she felt his great weight shifting and allowing her room to escape. The air was thick with the scent of musk and arousal; she had felt the danger of the situation and knew she had to get away from him; his soul searing gaze was igniting more things in her than she cared to recognize.

Her mind was clouded by disturbing thoughts, the feel of his lips on her own racking her body in delicious shivers. The temptation he offered was overwhelming and before running through the dark forest, she dared a glance at him, his eyes still shining with a gleam of lust.

He watched as the young miko disappeared through a path in the dark forest, her beautiful black mane flying wildy with the wind. After she gained a good distance, he followed behind her, wanting nothing more than a fitful night of rest, the miko had awoken more thing in him then he cared to dwell on. As he wordlessly followed the well-trodden path after the feisty woman, the silent wind picked up, sweeping his silver tresses among the red and yellow of the great trees. He closed his crimson-tipped eyelids, inhaling the cool scent of the autumn breeze.

As he journeyed through the forest, something in the crisp air spoke of danger and he quickly scanned the area paying close attention to every detail. Seeing or hearing nothing, he picked up his pace, swishing past the dark forest and gaining on the miko's path. As he cut through a small clearing, a woman's voice caught his attention.

"We must go after him; we cannot wait for Lord Sesshoumaru."

He cocked his ear trying to identify the speaker. It wasn't Kagome's voice, so the only one left was the demon exterminator, Sango. So his instincts were correct, there was danger abound. He once again quickened his pace, not wanting to be left behind by the hunting party. He approached a large clearing where he had heard the voice of Sango to find that he was on time for the expedition.

Rin happily greeted him as he approached the party before their departure. "There you are, Sesshoumaru-sama. They were going to leave you behind."

He gave the child a pat on the head before turning his attention to his impatient brother. "Is it Naraku, What's going on?" The question was aimed at his brother, but the sweet voice of Kagome replied in kind.

"Naraku and his demons are attacking a small village up ahead. They need our help." She bowed slightly after answering.

His lips curled into a slight smile at her respectful manners toward himself. This human woman had more class than his bastard half-brother, who just grunted a response to his questions.

"He doesn't care about weak humans, let's leave him behind," Inuyasha spat with contempt.

Inuyasha was angered by the reaction his response brought, a sneer for him and a smile for Kagome. What was with is brother? He never cared about saving humans before, why would any of that change? Surely it wasn't because of Kagome? He didn't doubt Sesshoumaru's lust for his friend, but he was sure his brother would never love Kagome or give her the human feelings she desired in a mate. He quickly jumped next to the miko, silently pulling her onto his back. They would go faster this way, as he jumped ahead, speeding past the forest path, his brother's behavior put in the back of his mind.

Miroku and Sango mounted on Kirara and followed Inuyasha's lead, trying to keep the furious pace of the hanyou. Sesshoumaru quickly caught up with Inuyasha, gliding with ease on the opposite side of the path, keeping the same rhythm and speed. They didn't have to go far as the stench of fresh blood and screams assaulted their senses. The village was burning and the survivors ran wildly in terror, in their pursuit an array of hideous demons.

The bright flames had engulfed the entire area, spreading with the gusts of wind and charring the earth of the surrounding forest. In the middle of the village where the smoldering flames reached a peak, a dark figure was visible, his fire red eyes igniting with malice and hate. His cackling laughter rebounded like the echoes in the deepest caverns, as they approached him warily, destroying demon after demon to get closer. When they reached the center of the village, the dark figure turned toward his new audience, his sinister laugh turning to silence.

"Naraku." The heated glare of Inuyasha gave way to rage as he watched the village burn down to the ground. Any survivors were now scattered over the mountainside as the demons vanished into the misty mountains, leaving their master to tempt his fate.

He seemed to be looking right into her eyes, his knowing gaze in sighting a steady fire in her soul. He knew. She bore the last pieces of the Shikon no Tama, the ones he needed to complete the jewel. She suspected Kohaku's piece had been removed a long time ago. She knew Sango held on to the hope that her brother was still alive somewhere with no memory of his identity, so she never spoke of it, never told Sango her suspicions on that matter. Kagome knew now would be the best chance to defeat Naraku, now that the jewel was almost complete. She needed the jewel, needed its purifying aura to pass through her body and give it renewed life before disappearing forever. When it was torn from her body a few years earlier, it was like a part of her was missing. It was the source of her miko powers, but there was also some special connection she shared with the jewel of four souls.

Inuyasha drew his Tetsaiga, ready to do battle with Naraku. He lunged forward, cutting through his barrier with a powerful stroke. The black mist scattered around him, allowing him to pass momentarily. He was so close he could almost smell the bastard, but just before he reached him a cloud of poison miasma engulfed the entire area, choking the life from every living thing left in the tattered village. All shielded their faces from the attack, as Inuyasha reeled back into his brother, who had jumped toward Naraku only seconds after Inuyasha made his attack and prepared to launch an attack of his own. Overwhelmed by the fumes, Sango, Miroku, and Kirara collapsed to the ground, leaving Kagome and her purifying arrows as the only weapons still available to them.

Kagome was determined to defeat him. She had only one chance to take the jewel back and purify it. A gust of wind swirled around her prone form, as she arched her back, loading and cocking an arrow with one swift motion. Her eyes on the prey and with a strange gleam in her eyes, she released her powerful attack, cutting through the barrier of their enemy, Naraku.

The hanyou in question looked up, surprised by the sweeping power of the young miko before him. A strange glint in her eye indicated she was thirsty, hungry for his demise. He blocked her powerful shot before it could tear apart his entire body but he was not unscathed from her attack and needed extensive healing when he returned to his castle. The injuries she had inflicted would prevent him from obtaining the final pieces of the jewel at the moment; the girl had too much power and was a force to contend with. He looked into her searing eyes on last time before descending into the cover of night, his miasma field shining around him like a dark clouded veil.

"Naraku, come back here you heartless bastard." Her anger flared around her as Naraku made his escape. The cursed hanyou had avoided death by her hands yet again. He escaped without a trace and who knew how long it would take to hunt him down again.

She shifted in anguish toward her fallen and injured companions. Sango, Miroku, and Kirara were choking past the fumes, slowly taking small steps toward her. Sesshoumaru had already risen and sat upon a charred tree surveying the land for signs of the enemy.

From her front side, Inuyasha let out a growl of frustration as Naraku had escaped into a cloud of miasma, disappearing like a phantom in the black night.