Sealed within the Shikon no Tama by dwX

Sealed within the jewel

Sakura petals danced around as the wind picked up, harshly whipping the delicate scent of the flowers to mingle with the coppery scent of blood. A lone figure regally tries to stand, her silken blue-black tresses swirling furiously about her. She fails and ungraciously stumbles in a heap. Ragged breathing echoes evenly as the coldness of death creeps in to make it's presence known. The woman barely clinging to life leans haphazardly against a large triangular boulder casting an eerie shadow on the blood spattered ground...

"Nadeshikochan..daijoubu?..." a looming figure wearing archaic armor kneels tears streaking her beautiful face. "..there is so much blood.. hold on I have summoned the healer she will come soon... Nadeshikochan?"

"No time..." she sucks in an agonizing breath. Coughing up blood she moves her clotted hair to reveal an ugly gash that runs from her left side just under her breast to arc above her left hip.

"Onegai be strong my friend.. see she arrives with several women to aid you.. gomen Nadeshikochan I regret I cannot heal you"

"Honti ni Midorikochan?" she jokes cordially, smiles as she stares blanky at the darkness that is threatening to consume her. "I know you must conserve your strength for the upcoming battle with the youkai hoarde.. I have seen it in my meditations..hai i have seen IT all .. all that will come to pass to you, to the youkai hoarde.. but would rather I die and I will use my remaining strength to save you from a fate worse than death.. time will come when a blue-eyed miko will set things right, through her you will be free of your duty. Free of this wretched struggle of which there is no seeming end." a flash of victory graced her face. Lifting a blood covered claw an orb the size of her palm formed as a kaleidoscope of colours merged to centre at the stunned armor-clad miko. Her face wavering slightly as a warm sensation caressed her whole being centering in her heart.

"Nadeshikochan.. what did you..Nadeshikochan?" Midoriko's shoulders slumped. Her friend had passed on before explaining the meaning of the gift she had imparted.

"Yarrgghhhhh.."

"Kagome.. what's the matter?"

"Sango, it's that dream again. It's starting to creep me out. Eversince Naraku's demise the stupid dream never leaves me a moments peace."

"Hn.. there's nothing creepy about that Kagome." disagreed Sango

A still visibly shaking Kagome tilts her head towards her taijiya friend.

"It's not just the dream.. Sango I'm really afraid.. I feel as though I'm being pulled apart and put back backwards just after each dream and there is a sense of foreboding."

"What do mean exactly?"

"I'm scared that Naraku's death may have triggered something and I'm smack bang in the middle of it!" shouts Kagome. A pair of purple and amber eyes jolt to consciousness and start focusing on her.

"What is it now wench? Didn't your lungs have enough practice bashing my ears with your stupid display of attention seeking?" Inuyasha growled irritably.

"Well maybe not enough because your ears are still intact!.. You know what, lets just drop it ok, I'm really not in the mood to argue right now." she stalked off angrily kicking an unoffending pebble in her way, nearly tripping in the process.

"Feh! Still as clumsy as ever" grumbled Inuyasha. 'Still something has her spooked I better ask her in the morning.' He thought.

Somewhere in a nearby river a figure strides angrily in circles.

"Grrrrr..."

'Kamisama.. what was that' gulped Kagome. 'shimatta.. I forgot about my bow and arrows..maybe it's just my imagination, please let it be my imagination.'

"GRRRRRRRR"

"Maybe not!" yelled Kagome as she sprinted towards the camp site.

A bear youkai rears up it's lethal claws already visible as it snarls it's fangs to it's intended victim. It took a swipe at the bolting teenager as Kagome doubles over in pain, blood seeps through the broken flesh of her neck and back. She stares dumb-foundedly at the red stream freely flowing down towards the completed shikon no tama that dangles on her chest. Unknown to her as her blood touches the jewel it started to give out an ominous looking blue light. The jewel floated free of it's beaded-string confine and splintered into hundreds of spheres of light, then it shot back in her body.

Fire coursed through her veins she was aware of many things, her heart beating furiously, her limbs flailing widly, and the scream now frozen in her throat. Then she felt it, her nails elongating, her hair cascading further down her back and whipping against her calves, waves of power dancing around her, crackling in unrestrained bolts that shake even the ground she stood upon. Light shot out an invisible ripple of power radiated outwards from where she stood.

Simultaneously a roar resounded trapped in the loud merging of miko and demonic aura that bathed the surrounding area with iridescent light.

As suddenly as it began it stopped. Bewildered, Kagome looked around, the bear was nowhere in sight. 'Did it run away?' Particles of grey dust whisked away sporadically. 'I purified it' she gaped as she lost consciousness.

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"is she awake?"

"Buzz off furball give her some room" remarked Inuyasha swatting at the kitsune.

"Inuyasha you're not helping the situation" reproved Miroku.

"Will the three of you just shut up!" cried Sango pushing between Miroku, Inuyasha and Shippo.

Not letting such an opportunity go to waste Miroku's hand glides over to Sango's behind. A nervous ticking of the eye and a popped out vein in the forehead later...

"Hentai!" a loud slap reverberated in the trees.

"Hmmm.. I..where am I?" she glanced her surrounding. Sango grabbed Kagome along with her bag and pulled her to her feet, all while pushing her away from the still bickering trio.

"Kagome! We felt a pulse of power last night, then it disappeared then we found you.." she lowered her eyes to the ground. "we were too late, gomen Kagomechan I was not there for you.."

"Wwhat?"

"Uh.. I think you should take a look." Sango retrieved a mirror from her backpack.

"Kkagomechan?"

".."tears already threatening to spill. Kagome stared at the reflection in the mirror. Waves of rippling blueblack tresses, contrasted with a thick platinum silver cluster of hair on each side of her face-contrasting it boldly . Stormy blue-grey eyes accentuated by thick dark lashes thats alluringly long and curled and perfectly outlined her almond eyes, appearing as though she had applied kohl upon her eyes. Lips pouting in flush of pink calling to mind a cherry newly picked from harvest. 'That can't be me.. oh Kami, I have fangs' she screeched inside. A single tear dropped followed by another then another and soon a torrent of tears poured out.

"What happened? It's ok, just tell me" cooed Sango. Kagome described haltingly the events of the night. After a couple more sniffles and tears they came back to camp. Unbeknown st to them a pair of green eyes watched intently, devouring every conversation said.

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"Okachira, report"

"Sesshoumarudono, it seems the source of the mysterious power surge last night is none other than the ningen onna that travels with your half-brother only now she is no longer a ningen, I was only able to identify her by her scent"

"Explain to this Sesshoumaru." stated the young lord. His commander relayed faithfully all the words spoken by the two girls. Eyes bulging the kappa retainer dropped the scrolls he was stacking.

"I see that stories were true then" he interrupted his arms flailing about. Scurrying towards his lord he prostrated himself before him.

"Speak Jaken" Sesshoumaru's cold voice not betraying his irritation at his retainer's outburst.

"As you know Lord my family were keepers of royal records in the libraries of your most honored ancestors. When I was young I was told of a story by my predecessor concerning a powerful hanyou miko who fought alongside Midoriko. Her name was Nadeshiko she was the illegitamate pup of the then Lord of the Western Lands.. your great, grandfather Yurimaru."

"Another hanyou that stains our family's blood" retorted Sesshoumaru.

"Though a hanyou she is very powerful! It was said it nearly decimated the youkai population of both the east and south to subdue her enough to hit a fatal blow! Near her death she summoned her power and put a seal upon midoriko's heart where the tama was to be born. It was said that she mentioned a blue-eyed miko that will release the seal of the spell she has wrought."

"And what of this spell?" Sesshoumaru demanded. "you believe this nonsense? I have read all the scrolls in the family library not one mentions this incident which you describe."

"My lord, the scroll was destroyed by Yurimarudono himself not wanting a reminder of Nadeshiko, not because of wiping out the blight in the family but due to his love of her for though a hanyou he mourned her loss privately."

"What of the spell what did it involve?"

"A wise elder in your great grandfather's court familiar with reading auras and spells was heard remarking that she had fused her blood onto Midoriko's heart, the spell is an ancient one and which only few know. Not much is known about the technicalities of it but it gets rid of a powerful opponent by incorporating them in one's self in doing so strengthening one's being at the same time."

"I wonder.. Jakensama, you say a direct effect of the fusing is acquiring the opponents strength. The shikon no tama housed powerful youkai of that time I read even both the taiyoukai of the east and south... is it possible the miko's blood has fused them onto herself as well? I had thought her appearance was a mixture of inu, dragon, phoenix, and one unknown youkai. Being that the tama is an ancient relic it could be an extinct race of youkai but nonetheless powerful, I have seen her aura and determined it by her scent. If she is so she will be a formidable opponent"

"A question worth investigating okachira, take two spies with you follow the group closely but remain hidden, it is easy to follow them now they are in my lands. Now leave I have much to ponder about this turn of events."

"Sesshoumarudono, if the miko has unsealed the spell it could very well mean that even Nadeshiko's essence resides in her.. that would mean she is a distant pack member to you, therefore your ward and possibly another heir to the western lands as much as I abhor the thought of another hanyou being heir."

Sesshoumaru's eyes seeped red and narrowed dangerously at the kappa youkai. His hands visibly clenched tightly puncturing the skin and drawing blood. Turning towards the shoji screen overlooking an expansive garden he looked down at his blood tipped claws.

"Summon back okachira" he stated flatly. "It seems that another taint has revived and must be dealt with before word spreads."