InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Mysterious Little Visitor ❯ Scroll Thirteen: To Touch a White Soul ( Chapter 13 )

Disclaimer: Leave me alone! I don't own Inu-Yasha! So stop bothering me!

A/N: Been busy and thinking about how to write this chapter. Lot's of schoolwork. Fun, fun. Not much else I can say to save my butt; I've had so many damn people ask when I'm going to update "On a Leash". I really with people would read the end-of-the-chapter author's notes instead of asking me something I already answered.

To answer a few things:

First one, about Little Inu's siblings and their parents. I'm getting really tired of people asking me like I'm some idiot. Little Inu made a rough guess at how long his parents have been together. To him, they've always been together. And don't give me suggestions on "Well, maybe it should be XYZ" because to be honest, it really just annoys me. I figured I didn't have to tell everyone exactly what I meant, that everyone could figure that out on their own. (It's late, I'm not in the finest of moods, so please don't suddenly peg me as a bitch based off this.) Also, this story is supposed to take place towards the end of the Inu-Yasha storyline. So, Kagome and Inu-Yasha would get together quite soon. There.

Two, about the words he says in scroll seven or something (and I've already addressed this), he's a smart kid, and he's Japanese. Kagome's brother says some 'big' words a couple of times.

Three, why Inu-Yasha and Kagome didn't instantly look at Little Inu and go "Look! It's our future kid!" is because of the Naraku factor. Think about it. They didn't want to get caught in one of Naraku's traps, so they suspected a bit that Little Inu could be a ploy by Naraku and not a relation at all. I mean, look at Kanna and Hakudoshi, they're little kids-bodies anyways-and they're evil. So, it's kind of natural.

That's basically it. To the scroll

Scroll Thirteen: To Touch a White Soul

"If you look out this hole, you can see the sacred waters," Shiokki said, pointing to an opening in the rock wall.

Little Inu poked his head, as did the others, into the wide hole. Quite a ways down they could see water lapping against a beach; however, it was not part of the ocean proper. Rather, it was a good-sized lake, surrounded by smaller offspring mountains of Fire Soul. It shimmered in the sunset's fiery light in all the colors imaginable. A few collections of plants sprang out of the sand and waved serenely in the quiet breeze that had descended from the summit.

"Amazing," Miroku said for the company as Inu-Yasha and Kagome joined them. "I've never seen water this clear before."

The dragon-boy made a half-smirk. "Neither had I, until I found out that's actually where Jumiyo fished me out of." Turning back to the torch lit path, he stated, "Had you been coming on the ocean to this sanctuary, you would have heard the sound of the sacred waters."

Little Inu was the first to scoot away from the portal and go after Shiokki. The injured Sango and her escorts were kept in the middle, while a tense Inu-Yasha and Kagome brought up the rear.

Firelight gleamed off the blood-free walls of the tunnel. Stalagmites and stalactites protruded from the ceiling and floor in the caverns below their trail, droplets of water raining into a pool at the center of the gray stone ground. As the group went along, the air got sweeter, cooler, and not as heavy the deeper they delved.

"It smells like sakuras," Shippo pointed out as they trudged. His fox-tail twitched a bit as he stood upon Miroku's shoulder.

"More than likely it is from the trees outside," the monk suggested as they went around a corner.

There was huge pair of doors, set right into the stone of Fire Soul. An emblem of some sort was emblazoned in the middle of the seam between the two. The doors were old wood with ornate carvings of ivy and flowers.

Shiokki waited until everyone had gathered around. He could see the eagerness and uncertainty etched on each visage. He gave a somber smile as he thought of how happy Jumiyo would have been to know that someone else was being helped in their time of trouble. "This is the Chamber of Spirits," his voice boomed. "Within there lies the Hakushinmu herbs."

At the notion of the name, Little Inu ran full-speed at the door, intent upon thrusting it open at once. Yet, when his fingertips just brushed the entrance, he felt a zap from a barrier and saw the familiar crackles of purplish-white light that surrounded his hand before he was sent flying backwards on his rump for a ways. He thudded his head against the wall, which was what finally stopped him. "Ouch…" he grumbled as he rubbed the sore spot on his noggin.

"You cannot open that door, pup," Shiokki chuckled. "No demon or dragon, or anything not human can open that door."

"Yeah?" the boy challenged dazedly, staggering to his feet. "Well…then Kagome can probably open it."

All the sets of were instantly upon said girl.

She blinked. "Wh-who? M-me? Why would I-"

"To be able to open the chamber," the dragon interrupted gently, "one must have a pure heart and soul. One that is unblemished by the ignorance and prejudice of this world, one without unacknowledged, unfounded hatred, a heart and soul that are not tarnished."

"But I-"

"Then it has to be Kagome," Inu-Yasha's voice broke in. He paused, allowing the silence to fill the channel. He stepped closer to her. "She is the only one of us Naraku's spirit traps and shit doesn't work on. It has to be her." Saying softly as his golden gaze slipped over to her, "She has a beautiful heart and soul."

Kagome's head swam as she blushed, and tried to process all the things said to her at once. It took a moment to get over the initial shock of her hanyou's sweet words, and her being the only one. It was true, though, that only she was able to overcome spiritual attacks; the rest were powerless when it came to that. She'd had her soul sucked or nearly sucked out numerous times, and had even fought against possession. So…maybe… "I can do it." She nodded firmly. "I know I can."

Smiling, Shiokki gestured to the door. "All you have to do is touch the insignia with your hand and push on it."

"Ok." Walking nervously up to it, Kagome raised her right hand and placed it on the emblem and pushed. A short flash of white light flared from where her palm connected with the wood and it flew outward to the sides. The light followed the arch in which the doors hung; when it finally touched again at the top, the portal began to unseal itself. The ground vibrated slightly beneath her feet as the entryway became wider and wider, and internal illumination flamed away towards the company.

Kagome shielded her eyes, as did most everyone else, until finally, the light died down. "Did it work…?"

Shiokki was the first one to her side. "Yes, it seems to have."

Spanning a vast distance fore them was a field of hunter, topped by white cross-shaped blossoms. Thousands must have been there, all crowded in a massive growth; some of the plants crept on vines up on the walls and ceiling. The Chamber of Spirits was lit by some unseen light force from above them all.

Making his way to the edge of the field, Little Inu breathed, in question to himself, "Are these…the Hakushinmu herbs?"

"They are." Shiokki strode passed, onyx hair fluttering after him in the warm air. He walked a few paces into the field before crouching down and picking a few petals from one of the herbs. "You, Miroku," he hailed to the monk standing in the doorway, protectively cradling his fiancée to his side, "have the girl eat these. It'll heal her up in no time."

Wordlessly, Miroku helped Sango to hobble to where the dragon was. Gingerly setting her on her bottom, the young man took the petals offered to him and held them to his betrothed's lips. "Sango…."

The young demon slayer leaned forward so she could take the medicinal herbs in her mouth. She chewed them for a bit with her eyes closed. Swallowing, she breathed deeply for a moment or two.

Shippo, who had jumped to Kirara's back when the chamber was first unsealed, scampered on all fours over to the pair. "Sango! Sango! Do you feel any better?" asked the fox-child worriedly.

Sango didn't say anything at first, but once her eyes opened, she smiled. "I'm feeling fine," she said, a tad bemused as she slowly rose. "It feels like I was never injured at all."

~*~*~*~*~*

Little Inu was jumping about, hastily-but vigilantly-placing them in the chest compartment of his haori. His face was a mask of fretfulness. I will get these back to Dad… he thought desperately, tears stinging his eyes painfully. I must get them to Father. The dog-boy made to leap over to another section of prime Hakushinmu herbs, when he spotted something. "What's this?"

It looked like a lump of some sort, covered by the green runners of the blessed plants. The crisscrosses were so dense, that Little Inu couldn't figure out what was beneath them.

"What'd you find there?" Inu-Yasha asked, standing over the boy and the mound with his arms crossed.

"Not sure." The young hanyou raised his small claws. "But, I'm going to see what's beneath it."

~*~*~*~*~*

Shiokki was surprised to hear the cry of, "Hey! I found something!" closely followed by "It looks a girl or something…." He'd been up in a flash and over to the two dog-demons, charily moving bits of stem from the quiescent figure. It can't be… his mind stuttered.

A pair of very light-skinned legs and the hem of a kimono with flower petals dotted on it were now visible.

It can't be…

More of the form was revealed. It was definitely female.

It can't be…

Strands of hair as pale as moonlight shimmered, like ice-covered snow.

It can't be…

Lips a soft pink, almost claret shade, were exposed as more was uncovered.

It can't be…

The face of the person was uncovered.

It can't be… "Jumiyo…" Shiokki whispered. He swiftly snatched the maiden around the waist and hauled her into his arms. He brushed the little specks of green from her ashy locks. One arm behind her neck, the boy maneuvered that hand's claw tips to her cheek. His ruby eyes widened in disbelief. "You're…you're still warm…." Could you still be alive, Jumiyo…? He stared wonderingly at her, a single dainty hand lying atop her stomach, the other dangling off the edge. Did you somehow survive? A single tear slid off his face and landed on the inert Jumiyo's eyelashes.

"Shiokki…" a soft, feminine voice said, as if drifting upon the window. "Shiokki…."

There, standing in the middle of the field, was a translucent young woman with a kimono dotted with flower petals and long silver-like hair with her eyes closed. Her arms were stretched out to her sides with her head bowed low. Lucent drops of crimson slid from her hands, face, chest, and legs, landing on the white blossoms as fully opaque beads of blood.

Turning his head, he let out a choked gasp of surprise. "Ju-…Jumiyo…?!"

"What is that?" Little Inu asked, jumping to his feet, not taking his eyes off of the apparition.

Kagome, now standing between Inu-Yasha and Shiokki, murmured, "I think it's Jumiyo's spirit."

A draft of wind spiraled in the Chamber of Spirits, making fragments of the Hakushinmu herbs soar about in a whirlwind. The air was chilly and extremely strong. Shiokki held Jumiyo closer, as Inu-Yasha embraced Kagome who drew Little Inu to them; Shippo was suspended by the shirt collar by Kirara's teeth-the boy crying all the while-and the giant fire-cat stood before Sango and Miroku who huddled behind her.

The tornado-like gust regressed until it was just around the spirit of Jumiyo. The wraith's hair flew messily about as her garments flapped near noiselessly in tandem. A quiet laugh could be heard melodiously drifting about, yet there was something inhuman and bitter about it. She raised a long fingered hand to her mouth and chortled louder, throwing her head rearwards, and placing a hand on her sternum.

"Who are you?!" Shiokki demanded, lolling the body of Jumiyo even nearer to his chest.

She gradually stopped laughing, a smirk spreading on her face, but the ghastly sound lingered for a time after. Even then, when it completely disappeared, the eerie whispers of the wind reverberated off the walls. "I've come for you, Shiokki, to take you to Hell…." Her eyelids parted, and there were only glowing pools of scarlet, locked on the young dragon-warrior. "But you won't go alone…

"Inu-Yasha is coming with you…

"With me…."

~*~*~*~*~*~*

A/N: Ooh! Evil! I think I'm back into the swing of this story. Ok, well, yes another 4 pager, but, still, it was just a succulent place to end. So, any guesses or comments on the current predicament? I love the reviews, people!

Little Inu: *big grin* A majority of you said I was cuter than Shippo. A few were undecided, but I don't mind, I'm cuter than Shippo!

Shippo: No, you're not!

Little Inu: I am, too! I've got this kawaii dog-ears like my dad. Of course people like me better than you, fluff-butt.

Shippo: *leaps on Little Inu and pair start fighting*

What can I say? Boys will be boys.

Anyway, I think the next chapter will be longer, but don't hold me to that.

Jane,

~Moonlight Shadow

P.S. Things are not always as they appear….