Wanted To Try Posting Some Of My Old Art. Enjoy This Redraw Of Ash And Eiji ;-;

Wanted to try posting some of my old art. Enjoy this redraw of Ash and Eiji ;-;

I also made a friendlier wallpaper version!

T.Y.O.M. Chapter 11: Tricks & Nightmares

Pairing: Miroku x Kagome

Some comfort and light-hearted robbing attempt content for y’all.

He swallowed thickly but regretted how dry it left his mouth as sweat peppered his forehead and upper lip. The bob of his Adam’s apple brushed against his offending restraint and he tried to pull back. It was no good. The sharp edge of the blade slid harmlessly against his skin and he urged himself to not flinch. Curse his healthy libido. Do you have to jump at every attractive woman you see? Why, yes, I do, the fate of the Miroku bloodline is at stake. Of course, of course. He sighed at himself, his arm straining against the unnatural position it was put in.

He got tricked. Worst than the most cunning prostitute that slid in his robes and took all of the gold he stole a couple years ago. He didn’t think he’d be that careless again but the nails digging into his arm and the knife at his throat proved otherwise.

“How embarrassing.”

No response. She pushed him further into the dark with a twist of his threatening-to-snap arm. What to do, what to do indeed. You’ve snaked your way out of worse situations, come on. He glanced back at her and she pressed the blade tighter against his neck. Well then.

“Hand over your valuables, filthy monk.”

“Bold of you to assume I have valuables. I am a monk.”

“Don’t lie. Those robes of yours aren’t cheap and that staff...?” Miroku grimaced as she stripped him of his outer priest robes. Her rough ministrations left scratches on his chest as his inner wrappings tousled loose but her sultry voice continued, “Definitely gold-plated. So be a good boy and hand over the rest. No funny business either.”

He sighed, a shiver from the cool night air crawled up his spine as she cast the rich fabric aside. She must’ve been impatient, he thought, grunting at a sudden shift of balance, as his cheek slammed against a nearby wall. Maybe women can lose their charm.

“We don’t have all night---.”

“My front robe pocket.”

“Thank you, oh handsome servant of God.”

He rolled his eyes at the nickname that drew him into this mess in the first place. He could have found better women in Kaede’s hut. He pushed his chest harder against the wall and she paused. Their position was rather constricting. Her hands brushed over his body, fondling unnecessarily at intimate crevices, but she couldn’t reach his pocket. He smiled in the dark and his eyes finally adjusted. Trap for a trap. There was an exit to his right. Open space long enough for a scuffle. Boxes surrounding the two in the alleyway. No problems. The pressure against his neck budged slightly in her struggle to reach his hip pocket and he threw her off, bumping his head hard against her nose. She flinched with a surprisingly elegant yelp, at least to the tense monk before her. He cursed his subconscious women-only romanticized frame of reference.

With a quick crouch, he stuck out his leg and swept her legs off the floor. The woman stumbled and the blade went flying. There was a scrambling of hidden bodies in the room and Miroku dashed, a fistful of his ripped robe in his hand and an onslaught of angry clambering at his heels. Shoulders bumped into unfriendly corners and walls kept coming from left and right. He could only follow the dim light of the moon and the stars, his racing heart beat obscuring his other senses as adrenaline pumped through his veins.

His breathing quickened, his muscles strained, and his sides stitched. What felt like hours could have been seconds, it was hard to differentiate. Either way, he was alone. Looking down, he swiped away the sweat on his brow and sighed. His sandal was broken. How it stayed on his foot was beyond him.

“How embarrassing.”

He casually readjusted his robes and made his way back to the hut, breath slowly returning back to normal. At the sight of a sitting figure on his doorway, Miroku stepped back and tried his best to turn casually as if he wasn’t caught in the middle of the night looking like he walked into a bar fight.

“Look who’s out so early in the morning. That couldn’t be our Miroku-sama, right?”

At the sound of his name, purposefully amplified to stop him from making another step, he flinched and turned back to the scarily calm figure addressing him. He couldn’t help the nervous crack in his voice and attempted a cough.

“Nope, you got the wrong monk, Miss…?”

“Nah, I’m sure I got the right guy.”

He dropped the act and deferred to an exaggerated play at humility.

“Well, you didn’t have to stay here for little old me.”

“Ah, just spit it out. What happened to you? You look like a hot mess.”

“I… uhhh---”

He looked nervous, muscles tensed and eyes a little frantic behind a frozen half-smile, which caused her to slouch a bit from her mothering pose---arms folded with a tapping foot and a stern expression, in this case a looser, more teasing smirk.

“It’s ok, I’m just teasing. I was worried when I saw your corner empty but I guess it was nothing…?”

Adjusting the folds of his robes, he flashed a soft grin and shrugged his shoulder.

“I, uh, got ambushed…?”

The confession flew out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

“That much I could guess, you really got your shit rocked.”

Unfamiliar with the phrasing, he understood the connotation and chuckled. Looking back to her, he softened at her resigned but amused smile. Settling down at the porch edge closest to the direction of the moon, she patted the empty space without glancing back at his tense form. Plopping down as gently as he could, he followed her gaze to the full moon and loosened his posture, adrenaline slowly leaving his veins.

“Well, that’s my excuse but surely you weren’t just worried about me to be up at this time of night”, he saw her tense up from the corner of his eyes and quickly added, “But you don’t have to share, Kagome-sama---”

“Inuyasha was out too.”

His lips thinned into a firm line. This was a routine affair, and he was already too familiar with his role. He kept a level gaze on her, willing her to relieve her tension, but she continued glare at the moon. Feeling, rather than seeing the seconds and tensions slip on her shoulders, he offered the first words.

“I see.”

She sighed, jumping into the role of accepting seemingly pointless comforts, but refused to meet his eyes. “Don’t worry, it’s not like that---”, that being Inuyasha’s recent nighttime stroll in the forest, “I had a nightmare and seeing the two of you gone was a real shock for me. So I’m glad you’re back.”

He frowned softly, too soft to notice, but his shifting towards her was noticeable. She spared him a small glance and he finally noticed her sweat-glistened skin and haggard appearance. He reached a hand out to her, offering silent solace and good intent.

“May I?”

He could see her shakily exhale, then nod, and slowly pulled her into him by the shoulder. As soon as contact was made, she slumped against him. She was shivering.

“Tell me what happened.”

“Hm?”

“I need a distraction. Please. Any story about a con-man out-conning our conniving monk must be quite the story.”

“Of course. But it’s quite a looooong story, I wouldn’t want to bore you with all the details.”

She giggled a bit and he squeezed her shoulder with a soft smile, the familiar but dangerous clash of beads against flesh grounded them both.

“And it was actually a con-woman.”

“Why am I not surprised.”

“Hey, hey, be nice. I was assaulted, you know.”

She managed a small scrunch of her nose.

“Well, she matched me in wordplay and played along with my fruitless attempts of ensnarement, you know the palm readings and blessings, and she caught me fair and square in an alleyway. To my surprise she didn’t shove me in there to ravage me senselessly---”

“Ewwwww.”

She stuck her tongue out in distaste and he stuck his tongue back at her mockingly. With a sign, he fell back onto the grass and took her down with him, making sure she laid comfortably on his upper arm. She didn’t resist. Good.

“More like a disappointment on my part, Kagome-sama. She had a knife and tried to rob me, a monk, can you believe that?”

They stared up to the starry night sky and Kagome scoffed lightheartedly, shifting more comfortably against his side to fight against the sudden chill.

“I would rob you too, you look easy.”

“Oh how you wound me, Kagome-sama.”

That put a smile on her face. Good.

“Anyways, there we were, knife to my throat and arm twisted behind my back and she asked me for my valuables. Smart woman, she saw my robes and staff earlier this afternoon, and concluded that I was wealthy. And let me tell you, she fondled me so, looking for the money I left with you. It must’ve been my masculine physique or my dashing looks that caused her to slip, because when the chance arrived I was able to escape. Though, six---six, can you believe it?---men came out from the shadows and chased after me. I couldn’t tell how long I ran, escaping spears and assorted weapons and threats but after what seemed like an eternity, I found you.”

He stole a quick glance at her and jerked his head back up when he saw her looking up at him, sparkling blue eyes that reflected the stars hanging over them.

“Dashing looks, huh?”

“Indeed. Why, have I caught you as well?”

“You wish.”

“I didn’t share my embarrassment to be attacked so harshly, Kagome-sama.”

“Sorry, sorry. I’m glad you’re ok though.”

“Thank you for worrying.”

She smiled before her eyes caught a shine on his neck.

“Oh, you’re bleeding.”

“I am?”

She rose up on her elbow and assessed the wound, dark red slightly flaking and leaving a trail on the edges of his robe collar.

“Yes! Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

“I didn’t feel it, too busy fighting off 10 men.”

She quickly tiptoed inside the hut and came out with a damp handkerchief.

“Don’t you mean 6?”

“Did I say that?”

“I was listening!”

“And I was there, Kagome-sama. You can’t trick me!”

She shook her head, amused, and he rose to let her settle back next to him but she shook her head.

“Don’t move.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

He stilled and watched her from under his lashes. She caught his eyes for a second before sighing dramatically.

“What a rare opportunity for me. Seeing you act so childish, you make me feel special. Better not let the other girls see.”

She dabbed at the cut on his neck lightly and he hummed, not trusting his words to keep the atmosphere going.

“Ok, done. For now. Tomorrow morning, I’ll get a bandaid, I couldn’t reach it in the dark earlier.”

“That’s alright, Kagome-sama, thank you.”

She shivered and he cocked his head slightly at the display.

“S’chilly.”

There was a haunted look in her eyes, which he didn’t miss, before she smiled down at him.

“So it seems.”

Without another word or hint of hesitation, he gently pulled her back down into him and she let him, humming softly at the warmth radiating from him.

“Well, Kagome-sama, I’m not sure what dream dared to hurt you, but you’re not alone. We’re here and we’re here to stay.”

She flinched but there wasn’t an answer. He wasn’t looking for one. His eyes drew invisible lines within the stars but stopped when she hesitantly leaned into him.

“I--- I’m sorry just for a little bit please.”

He let her trace her fingers along the skin on his arm exposed from his rolled up robes, feeling it play along the edges of his beading and glove before resting on his inner forearm. He could feel her gaze burn across the planes of his skin but made no move to initiate eye contact. Whatever she was searching for, he needed to keep calm so he evened out his breath. Seconds turned into minutes, aimless trailing turned into invisible doodles on his arm and it was only a few more moments before he felt her ministrations stop completely. Stealing a glance, he found her asleep. Good.

“Sleep well, Kagome-sama.”

Intro | Chapter 10 | Chapter 12

Resident Frosty Boy....? Not sure what I wanted to accomplish here but he’s cool (like ice, someone stop me)

Also pretend his staff transformed into a snowboard or something idk

T.Y.O.M. Chapter 5: Oh, Just Find a Healer, Miroku-sama

Pairing: Miroku x Kagome

Kagome’s ankle throbbed uncomfortably. Out of all the reasons, she happened to be running away from a band of demons and tripped, twisting her ankle on one of the demon soldiers’ decapitated heads, foot in their rotting mouth and everything. Looking around, she found herself alone and weak. Everyone was too busy fighting, even her little baby Shippo. 

Her heart sunk at the crashing and burning pain and insecurities of her own helplessness. Heat crept up her neck, she couldn’t breath under the weight despite her lungs crying for oxygen. She dug her nails into her palms to ground herself but tears welled up in her eyes, she tried so hard to not drag everyone down, but damn it, it was already happening. Her throat itched to scream but she bit down hard on her hand. She’d have to apologize for the needless abuse of her appendages later, she couldn’t risk drawing attention to herself. The demons might come back for her.

Kagome leaned heavily against a nearby tree, testing her ankle. Her unharmed leg shook as she played around with the weight distribution. Hey… It isn’t so bad-- Nope! She groaned, jerking her injured leg away from the offending floor, she can’t even protect the future correctly and now she was going to die at the hands of a weak demon army. Oh Kami, why me?

A dismayed yelp caught her attention and she reluctantly sprung toward that direction, all darkness and apparent pain plaguing her gone. Limping, she notched an arrow on her trusty, surprisingly not broken, bow. The scene before her was just as expected. Inuyasha was fighting fiercely against waves of blood-thirsty demons, swinging his Tessaiga in purposeful albeit reckless movements. Sango and Kirara were the definition of a ruthless, perfect tag-team, slaying various demons left and right. They worked in perfect unison, exposing the center where Miroku was impressively holding up on his own with an injured Shippo at his side, his staff chiming against the blunt force and spiritual sutras thrown with precision. Kagome aimed, projecting a single emotion into the arrowhead, and shot straight through an enemy’s heart.

The arrow flashed, burning bright and pink and dissolving the demons' cries as the impact brought out a weak wave of pure energy. It burned a nearby evil entity, causing it to hiss and focus their attention on her. She froze, the hungry, malevolent look in its eyes was far too unnatural due to its hunger for power. She quickly notched another arrow, aiming only to miss the target rapidly approaching her. She narrowed her eyes, fear fueling her currently weakened ankle, as she grabbed another arrow and ran toward her pursuer. Another burst of her reckless courage, she would later guess. The demon’s bloodlust brought on more demons, all chasing after her slower-paced form. She didn’t connect the shaft to the bow string though, catching the eyes of her teammates. Inuyasha called out to her in protest but she didn’t stop to listen, not this time. Her heart pounded, blood rushing and emotions flying, she already decided. She was going to bring these demons down, she will prove herself worthy of her team. Letting out a warcry, the arrow pulsated, energy multiplying magnificently as pink enveloped her hand. She quickly ducked under the aggressive demon’s hand and stabbed its corrupted heart, gaining deep scratches from another’s claws. The effect was instantaneous, the pulsing energy from the arrow spread to the close vicinity of various demons. Cries of agony rang in her ears as she curled underneath herself, predicting another painful backlash. It didn’t come.

“What…?”

Kagome heard herself utter, glancing at the protective figure in front of her. She expected the heavily saturated red of Inuyasha’s robes and was suddenly shocked at the deep shades of purple instead. It was soothing. “Miroku...sama?” He grunted against the force of a particularly nasty snake demon, quickly assessing her with his unusually swirling eyes.

“Are you alright, Kagome-sama?!”

Kagome nodded, voice too stuck in her throat to properly reply. He didn’t see it, mumbling chants and smacking his golden staff against snarling mouths and vicious claws. After another whine from a nearby wounded demon, Miroku found a small opening between defense and offense and put up a quick spiritual shield. It's a bit fainter. He must have already used Kazaana when I tripped.

“You were limping when you ran, Kagome-sama. Is your ankle alright?”

Good eye, the cheeky-- She shook her head.

"It's a bit hurt right now. I… I tripped over a decapitated head, I think you could see teeth marks if you look hard enough.” Miroku let a small amused look pass through his otherwise battle-ready expression before Inuyasha leapt between the monk and another wave of demons, his weapon sparking against the onslaught of claws and swords.

“Take Kagome and Shippo! We can take care of it from here.”

“Inuyasha! I’m not helpless! I can help here just fin--Whoa!”

Miroku seemed to have swept Kagome up, hands at a respectable distance due to the impulsiveness of his action. She protested at first, her hand already grabbing hold of his chiming staff as prayer beads dug into her lower thighs. He was fast, inhumanly so, causing her breath and her dying comment to catch in her throat. With an unconscious Shippo safely in her hold, Kagome felt blood pool at the edge of her uniform shirt. Her adrenaline made no sense of the pain, blood smearing on Miroku’s staff in her hands. Seconds past, but it felt like time slowed down between them.

“Miroku-sama.”

“Yes? What is it?” His breath was oddly composured despite running a considerable distance with additional weight and fighting against a demon army just moments before.

“I think you’re bleeding.”

“What do you mean, Kagome-sama?”

“There’s blood.” 

Now she was the one who was breathless. Why? Miroku stopped for a second, assessing the blood that seeped into his own robes. Something must have happened, Kagome thought, watching his eyes narrow with concern before he fixed a reassuring smile on his face. It didn’t look right.

“What’s wrong, Miroku-sama? Forget to grope me?”

Her vision blurred and Miroku laughed with a hint of hysteria, running again. His pace was faster than before.

“Yes, Kagome-sama. I did. There’s a village nearby, I’ll take my chances there.”

They reached the skirts of said nearby village, but by that time, Kagome was feeling a bit lightheaded.

“Miroku-sama.”

“Yes? What is it?”

Kagome scrunched up her nose faintly, this conversation sounded familiar.

“I think I’m bleeding.”

Miroku’s grip was tight on her form and she couldn’t focus on anything else really. The pain finally seeped into her consciousness and all she could think was that Miroku’s prayer beads was surely leaving marks on her skin.

“Hey, filthy hands off, Miroku-sama. You could corrupt Shippo.”

A chuckle was her only response as his grip relaxed. She laughed along too, humored by the ridiculous situation, before gazing up at him. He was close. Warm. His eyes, as lovely as they undeniably were, looked odd. In fact, he looked concerned. Oh, we can't have that.

Wasting no time, Kagome brought her unbloodied left hand and squeezed Miroku’s right bicep softly. Humming appreciatively, she nodded with satisfaction, gaining the monk's attention from searching for herbs or otherwise help.

“Nice muscles, monk.”

“I… Now who's groping who?” She had the strength to actually blush, retracting her hand quickly to her chest.

“Oh, just find a healer, Miroku-sama!”

Intro | Chapter 4 | Chapter 6

This was a quick doodle for a discord friend but I feel like I had to share it with all the Kageyama simps, stans, and kinnies out there. For YOU? I offer sleepy Kags. Enjoy.

T.Y.O.M. Chapter 12: Two-Person Bow Action

Pairing: Miroku x Kagome

You could say Kagome’s arm was subdued at the moment. Her ramen eating, hair brushing, cheek pinching, monk-slapping, bow holding arm was badly sprained---or dislocated, or broken, who knows. 

But… it wasn’t Kirara or Sango’s fault for jamming the Hiraikotsu in the eye of the large demon who squeezed her body to the brink of explosion like their life depended on it. It wasn’t Miroku’s fault for thrusting his golden-pointed staff head into the demon’s calf, who’s feet almost trampled him in it’s sudden blindness. It wasn’t Shippo’s fault for landing a fast one on the demon’s head and it definitely wasn’t Inuyasha’s fault for cutting off the demon’s hand that held her without a second thought.

Kagome would have to say that it was her own fault for falling---well, dropping---like she did. The demon’s dismembered hand wouldn’t let go of her small body and she tumbled hard over the teetering hill of a tall ledge, a pop and a crack following her every roll until she was airborne. The demon’s unconscious, overgrown body had followed after and the trip down the ledge never seemed as slow as it did in that moment. The collective expressions of horror on each team member’s face as they followed the shrinking form of Kagome falling stuck in her head but the battle wasn’t done. The looks shifted as quickly as they came as waves of demons and possessed villagers clawed at their last defences, leaving no free hands to spare for the falling girl.

Kagome knew they had no choice but that didn’t stop the cold grip of fear twisting her heart as the final crash failed to come. She just kept falling. 50 foot fall. 50 percent chance of survival. What if she died? What odds would Kagome’s luck grant her? 

She couldn’t take that chance, so her hand reached out. Desperately. Selfishly. Her nails cracked and peeled but her fingers caught onto an impossibly small ledge, her body stretching from the momentum as her other arm dangled beside her. It was only for a split second but she heard a spine-tingling pop, one made from a stretch too far and too fast, but couldn’t be relieved lest she wanted to risk cracking her skull at the bottom of the mountain. It hurt to hold on but she forced herself to dig her fingers into the ledge, urging herself to bear with it. Burn. Burn. Burn. Sting. Sting. Sting. Kagome’s eyes welled up but melded into an inaudible scream that escaped from her lips as she closed her eyes. 

She couldn’t let go of the ledge holding her but she could feel the strength slipping from her arm. One second more. Please. In her pain, she didn’t bother moving as dismembered carcasses rained from off the ledge where glimpses of Kirara’s flying form, Sango’s Hiraikotsu, and Inuyasha's sword swings flashed by.

God, why am I here? At 17 years old, in a psych-ward-worthy trip to the past, fighting demons and dead people, with no one to tie her here. Yes, the shards were partially her fault and, yes, her whole existence circled around the fact that she was the reincarnation of a hanyou’s booty-call but that didn’t really give her a reason to stay. Maybe she was being angsty but… 

She could’ve had a normal life.

A couple of clawed fingers, rocks, and blood pelted down beside her head from above.

With normal friends...

Inuyasha’s growls and Kirara’s roars, mixed with various chants and cries of battle moves, echoed into her ears. 

A normal body...

Her muscles abnormally toned and body scarred for a girl her age, from years of P.E. and time traveling in the valleys and grasslands of Edo-Japan, had gotten her one too many disapproving comments. She could still feel the tingle in the scars littering her body and words they sparked from passerbyers.

A normal innocence for her age...

Her eyes shone differently and her posture was more defensive, she was told but brushed it off with a practiced smile.

A normal love life...

Saturated red filled her mind before a swirl of something dark and rich flashed by. Kagome did a double take. Dark? Purp---?

“Kagome-sama!”

“Kagome!”

Kagome whipped her head to the side, hair obscuring her view as a flash of deep purple and bright orange, blue, and golden greeted her. A teardrop fell down her cheek. Her heartbeat picked up. Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara were miraculously, unbelievably there, right in front of her. Their eyebrows scrunched with worry and the former two’s hands shook from the height. They both reached out to her but she couldn’t do a thing. It was hard to breathe, hard to blink, hard to move, but it didn’t stop the smile that reached her lips.

“I think my arm is broken! I can’t move it!”

They found her smile and her giddiness strange, evident in the way their eyebrows lifted. Miroku shook his head and shouted over the wind.

“Which one?”

“What do you think?” She wiggled her dangling arm towards them and Shippo’s expression shook.

“Hold on, we’re coming!”

Kirara descended slightly below her with quiet mews and Miroku gripped her waist and ankle. Her arm protested greatly as she peeled her numb fingers off the ledge. She was glad she couldn’t feel her fingers, the pain in her shoulder overpowering her senses, because her nails were pretty much ruined. I need some serious self-care after this---One minor slip and her stomach plummeted as she fell flat on Miroku’s lap. She didn’t mind the way Shippo buried his head into her chest, warmed at the thoughtfulness of his hand avoiding her shoulder. Kagome also didn’t mind---or maybe didn’t notice---the way Miroku’s arms tightened around her shivering body as they rose back into battle.

It was just as bad as before she fell. Blood decorated the massacred battlefield of grass, mud, and bodies of both demon and human. The enemies’ numbers had greatly reduced with the combined powers of Inuyasha’s and Sango’s practiced teamwork and Kagome gasped at the ridiculousness of spotting her magically unbroken bow and arrows in the midst of the field. Suddenly, there was a heavy blow from behind. It knocked everyone off of the transforming cat demon and they stumbled hard, the battle resuming without pause. The demons took advantage of their weak links and Sango quickly mounted Kirara at her roar to fend them off. Miroku instinctively jumped in and pummeled the claws that scratched at their feet. 

Kagome tried to minimize her vulnerability and cover Miroku’s back but there’s only so much two loose shoes and lean legs can do without arms to balance with or the inability to turn off the pain in her arm. A scratch here, a cut there, it was an endless cycle of misses and defenses. She knew it couldn’t last long, she saw the sweat dripping on Miroku’s face and the strain in his arms as his strikes became sluggish. 

Inuyasha could be heard in the back, piles of bodies just circling his slashing form as he attacked from all sides. He attracted the most attention but the looming form of Naraku’s puppet stayed on the side, fending off each and every attempt that Sango made to destroy its supports from below it. With a wordless look, Inuyasha forced the enemies flat on their backs with one last slash of wind. He pounced on the retreating form of Naraku’s puppet but the tendrils of dark wooden roots dragged him back down. He yelped, embedding his large sword into the root but hundreds more joined in, constricting his movements like the seamless, strong muscles of a large snake with its prey. Miroku thought to use his Kazaana, arm already reaching for his prayer beads but a sudden attack from the right with no time to grab his staff caught him in the arm and he fell with a grunt. Blood splat across the floor and Kagome rushed to heave him up, feet scrambling to escape the demons behind them.

Picking up a beaten Shippo along the way, they could only watch as Sango and Kirara sunk into the pits of writhing vines and roots. Kagome saw something flash by in her peripheral and U-turned, causing the demons behind to skid past them as Miroku got a mild case of whiplash from the pull. She pounced on the forgotten bow and arrow but hissed at the pain in her left arm. She couldn’t hold her bow.

“Are you kidding me?!”

“What is it, Kagome-sama?”

Miroku peered over her shoulder and realized their situation. He was without his Kazanna and she couldn’t grip her bow.

“Got a plan, Miroku-sama?”

Her legs trembled slightly. Poison wasps filled the air once again, the buzz drowning the racing beats of their hearts that threatened to spill out of their chests.

“Do you still have any of that medicine from the future?”

“No.”

“Then I don’t.”

It was a standoff by then. Piercing eyes of pure spiritual energy clashed against the animalistic, unstable presences of a hollow beast and the hairs rose on the back of their necks. Their captive friends struggled against their bonds, weapons cast aside. Kagome could feel the pull of the hidden shards within the baboon coat of Naraku’s copy and slowed her breathing. If you can hear me, Kikyo or Midoriko, please give me the strength to purify and hit my target. As if he heard her thoughts, Miroku placed his uninjured arm over hers and they shared a look. Purple eyes probed into her mind, calculating different outcomes, but he wasn’t so quick to answer this time. They rolled under the swipe of a tree root and the arrows went flying, trampled under the pressure of the copy’s attack.

“Shit.”

“Shit indeed!”

He dragged them into the edges of the forest, the trees providing a temporary solace in the face of their imminent death.

“Hey Shippo, can you help me wrap up Miroku’s arm?”

Miroku kept eyes on the slithering form gaining on them as Shippo and Kagome stumbled through temporarily stopping the blood. Their options were dwindling and the muffled threats and growls only set them further on edge. What to do, what to do. Looking at their rations, they only had so much which set Miroku further on edge. He looked at his unoccupied hand. One staff. He glanced at Kagome’s smaller form. One Miko. One bow. One kitsune. One Priest. Four working arms, two too small to hold a bow, and two incapacitated. Shippo could possibly transform but the chances of purification? Unlikely. What else…? He checked over Kagome again and his voice hitched in his throat. One arrow. One chance.

Kagome followed his gaze and broke the pounding silence.

“I can’t hold my bow, Miroku-sam---.”

“Can you notch an arrow?” Miroku had quickly cut her off, both with a question and the sudden intensity of his gaze.

“I… I, yes, I can. Why?”

“Shippo might not be big enough to do the job and he doesn’t have your purifying energy. Sorry, Shippo.”

“That’s ok.”

“Can you summon that energy?” Kagome pursed her lips, confused at the progression of his hasty ambiguity.

“You know I can’t, Miroku-sama! Anyways, where are you going with this?” He brushed off her question.

“I don’t ‘know’ that, Kagome-sama. What I do know is that you can purify impurities!”

“And look where that got us!”

She bit hard on her lip as Miroku pulled them aside to another tree, deeper into the forest.

“I know you can do it. You just have to reach deep. I can help support but it’s on you, Kagome-sama.” He had pinned her against the tree, roots slashing against their tree, and Shippo buried himself closer into Kagome’s chest. She scrunched her eyebrows and clenched her fist around her bow.

“And what if I can do it? I still can’t hold my bow!” Her nose briefly brushed against his in the coincidence of a shared look.

“You’re going to have to trust me! Do you hold it with your left or right hand?”

“Left!”

“That’s perfect.” His gaze flickered to hers before staring past her. Her eyes followed but his jerky movements to the left landed them on the floor, rolling to the next patch of trees. Shippo had slipped from her grasp as both Miroku and Kagome winced at the pressure on their respective arms. The last arrow dropped from her pack and the group felt their hearts stop. In a flash, the large, deformed body of the puppet stood in the way between Miroku and Kagome and Shippo and the arrow. A non-existent hunger lingered in its gaze as it towered over the two.

“Hand over the shards, Kikyo-reincarnate.”

“Over my dead body!”

The large being paused.

“...That could be arranged.”

“Not literally, you psycho!”

Miroku caught a glimpse of Shippo, trembling, with the last arrow pinched delicately in his little paws. They made quick eye contact and Miroku slowly mouthed indistinct instructions at the little fox. Ears twitching, Shippo nodded shakily.

“Kagome-sama.”

“Not right now, I gotta rip a new one in this jerk!”

He went softer, harsher, and closer to her ear. She didn’t flinch.

“That’s fine. Just keep him occupied. Shippo’s got the arrow. Do you think you can force your purifying energy into it?”

“IF we can get it and IF I’m pissed off enough.” Kagome hissed, breath brushing against his cheek.

“Well you’re in luck. I can help with both,” Miroku quickly whispered into her ear and shifted his focus, clicking his tongue at the puppet, “Naraku! I don’t think I can ask you to release our friends, can I?”

“No shit, Miroku-sama.”

He ignored her snarky comment.

“What about a trade?”

“Are you crazy--!?”

“Go on.”

At the demanding tone, Miroku straightened his back to hide his wince.

“A shard for a friend.”

“Foolish monk. Your miko’s shards have fused into one. The locket---”

The pink bubble shape of Shippo’s transformation floated gently above Naraku’s puppet’s head and the two found it hard to focus on the rest of the deal, a smile fighting itself on their tired lips. The demon prattled on and Kagome felt Miroku grip the base of her bow from behind her. With a tug, she let go and crouched down to pick up a decent-sized rock. Miroku didn’t bother to look up her skirt. This was a crucial moment. One wrong move could send them crashing---besides he always had other opportunities. If they survived.

His eyes must have shifted suspiciously, maybe her throwing a rock at him signaled the wrong reaction or maybe Shippo wasn’t quiet enough but none of them could have predicted the snake-like grip that attached onto Shippo before they could blink.

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

The snarl became Miroku’s new signal.

“Now, Shippo!”

Shippo threw the arrow in their direction and shifted his form to a rock statue. The quick change in weight and size loosened the puppet’s grip and Shippo planted a good thud on their head. While he scurried away, the arrow flew in slow motion, blurring as Kagome reached to catch it. Her uninjured arm brushed along the shaft and she squeezed.

She was ready to cheer in triumph until Miroku pulled her back flush against his torso, prayer-bead-covered arm circling around her waist as his other hand held her bow where she normally positioned it if her arm wasn’t messed up.

“Oh Miroku, you clever perv!” Kagome leaned her head back on his shoulder to look up at him. Inuyasha and Sango had to take a quick pause from their struggling. Like what in the actual hell but most importantly, would it actually work?

“Let’s focus, Kagome-sama.”

The position was a little awkward. He was a head or more taller and twice as broad. Without a pause, she bumped back into him. He glanced at her and crouched down, chin resting on her shoulder with his cheek brushing against hers. It felt secure. Cheesy but warm. This couldn’t fail. They had only one arrow. She’d bet her luck on it.

Kagome didn’t realize it but a pulse tingled in her battered arm, shifting down to the tips of her fingers. It was a steady feeling of a calm heartbeat, maybe two heartbeats. It soothed her and drew something from her partial soul. Was it hers? Was it...Miroku’s? Without another word, she hooked the arrow onto the bow string and tugged experimentally. It’ll have to do but she needs to adjust him. God, it’s going to hurt.

“Hold it tight, Miroku-sama.”

He hummed against her ear and tensed his form behind her, his hand tightening unconsciously around her waist. She forced her hand upward, smoothing the twist of his inner elbow, and covered his hand with hers. It burned, her arm cried out in pain and a whimper escaped her lips, but she didn’t let go. Tightening her grip, she shifted their position and it aimed straight for the ‘heart’ of the beast. 

The arrow by her side glowed, bright and heavy, as if transforming the projectile’s point. It might’ve been the heat of the moment but the rushing form of the puppet slowed, the drops of blood dripping over the battlefield froze as Kagome exhaled. Her hair flew with a non-existent wind, the slight vibrations of the power at her fingertips engulfed the arrow once more and she aimed straight for the puppet speeding towards them. One shot. One chance.

Thud. 10 feet away... Thud. 6 feet away... Thud. She released the bowstring. It struck its intended target and the force blew it back, body swelling as the arrow burrowed deeper within the empty folds of the puppet’s body. Kagome shoved Miroku back and they fell to the ground with a unanimous grunt, a familiar position to their ‘first’ meeting. The sounds of a disintegrating hollow shell was enough to indicate the end of the battle and they all cheered. 

Kagome refused to get up. She was pooped. Miroku didn’t protest, he didn’t even move. He too was tired. The others recovered quickly and the moment of triumph diminished, adding onto the pile of their previous shard battles. Inuyasha pulled her off of the offending monk and Sango reached out her hand towards him. He grabbed it with his uninjured hand but a tingle persisted in his slashed palm. With mild complaints of being hungry for ramen, they continued in another direction with no regard for their bodies at the sight of a nearby village awaiting them in the distance.

Inuyasha and Kagome snapped semi-playfully at each other. Shippo jumped onto Kirara’s transformed back. Sango heaved her large boomerang over her shoulder to cover her back and Miroku retrieved his abandoned staff from the forest floor. It was back to normal. Kagome bent down to pick up the purified shards and a glimpse of white caught Miroku’s eye. Yep, back to normal.

Intro | Chapter 11 | Chapter 13