Rainbow in the Night by Selestia

Chapter One: Enjoy the Silence

WARNING! This is a sequel to the story "Edge of Heaven." Nothing will be explained. Please read "Edge of Heaven" to understand this story. Thanks for reading!

Kagura simply stared between the kitsune and the hanyou, eyebrow raised and mouth slightly open in incredulity. The hanyou was holding small bag of...something, some sort of food, high in the air, making the kitsune jump for it. While the entire scene was high in entertainment value, the wind-user doubted that this was what they needed to be doing.

The taijiya walked by about that time, followed almost too closely by the houshi. As Inuyasha stuck his tongue out at the kitsune, bag high in the air, Miroku snatched it away from him and continued walking.

"Arigatou, Inuyasha!"

"You give that back!"

"Miroku!"

"Houshi-sama--"

It came to a head then. Inuyasha dove for the bag in the houshi's hand, but tripped over the toy top that Shippou laid out as the kitsune leapt on the hanyou's shoulder. Shippou jumped through the air, hands outstretched for the bag, but Miroku's notoriously wandering hand found its mark at that time with an automatic, almost instinctual reaction from Sango, who sent her Hiraikotsu back over her shoulder enough to knock him on the head. Which threw the entire line of everyone's motion off enough that the kitsune missed his grab, hugging air, and continued onward into the brush on the other side of Miroku.

"As entertaining as this all is, we really should be on our way."

Sango looked over to the wind-user with cool eyes as she righted the giant boomerang. "Right as usual."

"Ah, Sango, she is right this time..."

"Houshi-sama!"

Kagura's lips twisted in amusement as the houshi sprawled out on the floor. "Two attempts in as many minutes. I'm impressed."

Sango stalked off them, calling out over her shoulder, "So am I."

"Jaken-sama? Jaken-sama!"

Tiny hands gripped the little youkai's shoulders, and she shook him as hard as she possibly could. He squawked, eyes snapping open with each jolt of his body.

"Ri-Ri-Ri-Riiin-ch-ch-aa-aa-n!"

She stopped and sat back on her heels, hands on her knees as she watched her master's retainer expectantly. "Ano, daijoubou, Jaken-sama?"

The kappa youkai stared at her for a full moment before shaking his head. Looking around then, he grew even more wary. It was dark and dank. Jaken could barely see Rin so close in front of him. "Hai, daijoubou. Where are we, Rin-chan?"

"I don't know, Jaken-sama."

A clang came from above echoed in the dark room, followed by the dragging sound of metal on wood, like chains scraping across the floor. The floorboards creaked as someone walked over their heads, making the young girl cower closer to her youkai companion.

"Kowai, Jaken-sama..."

"Hai, Rin-chan." So am I.

Failure was unacceptable.

Kouchou and Asuka glanced at one another behind their mistress, hands tucked into the sleeves of their haori as they walked behind her in silence. Their mistress, the undead miko Kikyou, was never one for talking more than was necessary. Speaking to her shikigami was completely beneath her.

But it was still the same; Kikyou felt that failure was unacceptable, and she had failed to assassinate the miko-turned-youkai, Kagome.

And now that meddlesome girl was off with Sesshoumaru somewhere. Where, Kikyou did not know.

But now she doubted that the taiyoukai would allow her to get near enough for a confrontation with the keeper of her soul. One whiff of her scent, and she would be facing the business end of his claws.

Her Shinidama Chuu floated over head, winding through the trees like white ghosts ahead of her as she stared hard at the trail through the woods. There was one sure way to meet up with Kagome without raising suspicion. Capture the remaining shikon shards, then seek out Naraku.

It was the only way to face the girl without facing Sesshoumaru's wrath.

"I have it on good authority that there's a shikon shard nearby."

The taiyoukai stopped, peering over his shoulder with an eyebrow slightly raised. Good authority? "Whose good authority?"

Kagome beamed with a cat-in-the-cream smile that bared just a hint of dainty fangs, hands on her hip as she tossed her head back and to the side. "Mine."

"Hmmph."

A frown quickly replaced the smile, hands dropping to her sides as she took quick strides to catch up with his longer gait to walk beside him. "It's the honest truth." Her hand rose then, a clawed finger pointing ahead of them--the West--and just to the north a degree or so. "That way."

"And...?"

"You never did care much about the Shikon no Tama, did you?" Kagome's lips pursed as she mulled over her thoughts. Sesshoumaru had candidly stated--repeatedly--that he had no desire for the Shikon no Tama. Or the shards. But... "You do realize that if we collect the shards that Naraku will come to us, right?"

"Aa. And what of Rin and Jaken in the meantime?"

Putting it that way... Kagome sighed and slumped her shoulders slightly, kicking an errant rock with her boot. "Naraku hides himself from us, you know. It'll be easier to find him with the shikon shards."

"You think."

"I know."

That earned her a disapproving glare from the taiyoukai, but she remained outwardly unphazed. Inwardly, she cringed. She was yanking the beast's tail, here...

"Look." Her feet stopped on the path, and after a few steps, so did his. Yet he did not turn. A sign it was Sesshoumaru at his most obstinate. "If we get the shards, then Naraku will come for us to retrieve them."

"You wish to face that...detachment of Naraku so soon?"

Kagome felt her cheek tic in irritation as her lips thinned to a narrow line. She fought the urge to plant her hands on her hips, and instead stalked past the taiyoukai abruptly, leaving him in her wake as she continued down the path. That...that youkai of Naraku was actually one of the least worries she had.

Had it only been a month? A month ago she had become a youkai--and not even a mere youkai, but if Sesshoumaru was correct, a taiyoukai like himself?

All because of that double-blasted dratted mirror!

Though the fujo controlling it had something to do with that as well. Yes, yes, that fujo Yuzame probably had more to do with it than the mirror did. Of course, Yuzame had been lured to Kagome by Naraku and the promise of shikon shards...

It was only moments before she felt the promise of the taiyoukai come up behind her and set a pace next to hers. She glanced his way in annoyance, but kept on the trail. If the shikon shard stayed on the same heading--the way they were going--then they would get it on the way. But if it deviated from that... She doubt the taiyoukai would be interested in a detour. Which was fine, she'd go get it herself. Kagome was, after all, still the designated guardian of the Shikon no Tama.

She glanced up as the white figure breezed past her, and her eyebrow shot up before she shook her head in disbelief. Unbelievable...he acted like Inuyasha sometimes. It was all she could think as she stared at his back as they walked silently through the woods.

Enjoy the silence. I doubt we'll get it for much longer.

Glossary

Shinidama Chuu -- Kikyou's soul-snatchers

arigatou -- "thank you"

kowai -- "scary"

houshi -- monk

hanyou -- half-demon

youkai -- demon

taiyoukai -- demon lord

miko -- priestess

taijiya -- demon exterminator

kitsune -- fox demon

kappa youkai -- reptilian demon

shikigami -- magical, mystical familiar

Author's Note: *inhales* I hope you all are happy! There! The beginning of a sequel. Holy friggin' COW did someone start a movement to flood my inbox until I pushed the schedule ahead? It makes me feel so...soooo...LOVED. ;_; Ah well. I can live with it. Anyhoo...welcome to the second half of my little...whatever this is (albeit a very SHORT beginning). Bon appetite!