Chapter 11 - Soul Searching

Soul Searching Yoshi woke up with a headache. She was surprised to find Sesshomaru gone. ‘I wish he would make up his mind and either stay or leave’ she thought searching for him with her powers. She sensed Naraku was coming faster. ‘I need to lead him away from the village.’ she quickly decided. She got up and went to Kaede’s hut first. She needed her help. She ran to the hut and swiftly walked in. Kaede was asleep still. Yoshiko shook her until she awoke. “Yoshiko, what is it child?” Kaede asked a little more concerned than she probably should have been. “Its Naraku. He is coming faster than I thought he would. He will probably be here in an hour. He is looking for us. If we leave now he will more than likely not stop here. Could you wake everyone and help them gather things?” Yoshi asked hurriedly. “Yes, of course. What will you need?” Kaede asked eager to help. Yoshiko stood and pause for only just a moment. “Kagome should know everything.” she said before heading to the door. “Oh. Don’t bother Rin or Kohaku. I think they should stay here for now. If we are lucky we can lead him away and at least injure him, but Rin shouldn’t go. Kohaku probably could, but I’m not sure his memories of what he did for Naraku won’t come flooding back. I believe that’s it.” she said quickly before leaving the hut. Kaede got up and ran to catch her. “Wait! Where are you going?” Kaede asked as she caught up to Yoshi. “I’m going to find Sesshomaru. Naraku is furious and we could use his help.” Yoshi replied. Kaede looked skeptical. “Are you going to find him because everyone needs him or is it because you need him for yourself? I heard your conversation last night. I think you need to sort some things out and you might want to tell someone what you are protecting him from.” Kaede said and then turned to run to the huts that housed her friends. ‘Should I talk to someone else about that vision? InuTaisho wasn’t a lot of help.’ Yoshiko wondered for a second then shook her head. “I need to go.” she said out loud to no one. She used her powers to sense for Sesshomaru. She soon found him. He was laying at the base of a huge tree using his fur as a pillow and blankets as he usually did. He was so gorgeous and looked so sweet like the night before. She wished she could of just kept looking at him like that, but she needed his help. “Sesshomaru, wake up.” Yoshi said as she shook his shoulder. She suddenly sensed Naraku getting far too close. “Sesshomaru! Come on we need to go.” she shouted as she pulled him up. “What is going on? Yoshiko? What are you doing?” he asked half asleep still. “Naraku is coming. He is going to be here in a few minutes. Now hurry up.” she nagged him pulling him along quickly. He didn’t have to be told a third time. He picked Yoshi up and carried her back to the village faster than ever. ‘I shouldn’t be carrying her, but we need to hurry.’ he thought with the wonderful feeling of her in his arms. Once they arrived at the village he quickly let her go on the ground. Everyone was up. Rin and Kohaku were out there, and Kohaku had some stuff ready to go. “Are you going Kohaku?” Yoshi asked hoping he would say no. “Yes. Kaede told me you didn’t want me to come, but I’m a demon slayer. That is what I do. I should help you all defeat Naraku.” he protested. “But do you realize that it wasn’t the demon slayer who slaughter villages or other demon slayers? It was Naraku and he will use it against you. I don’t think you’re ready.” Yoshi tried to convince Kohaku. “I’m coming. I want to come. If Naraku tries that stuff I’ll come back to the village. Sango, can’t I come.” he asked his sister knowing that she wouldn’t turn him down. “You can come, but I don’t want you staying if it gets too serious.” she replied putting a hand on his shoulder. “Alright, but we need to go now. He is way too close as it is.” Yoshi said trying to round up a few of her things quickly. “I thought ye said we had an hour.” Kaede said shocked. “He is speeding up. He will probably be here in a few minutes, but I’m not sure. He keeps gaining speed.” Yoshi said getting her packs on Kilala’s back. Miroku was going to ride her. InuYasha offered to carry Kagome and Sango. Sesshomaru was stuck carrying Yoshiko and Shippo and Kohaku. They headed West toward Naraku. ‘I hope this isn’t it. I should write a letter or something to Sesshomaru. I can deal with that later though.’ she thought clinging tighter to Sesshomaru. He noticed this. ‘Why is she holding on so tight? Is she scared? What did she see in her vision?’ Sesshomaru wondered. Their thoughts were interrupted by Naraku. He was in front of them. He had on his baboon cloak. “So who is the new girl who thinks she can turn my servants against me?” he asked seemingly in a good mood. Yoshi quickly got out of Sesshomaru’s arms and walked up to the front of the group. “I’m Yoshiko. It is nice to finally meet you. Although I do believe we’ve seen each other before.” she said raising her hand to summon her staff. It appeared and scared Naraku. “How did you do that? I had InuYasha right where I wanted him. Then you had to protect the whole village. How could you create a barrier so large and strong so quickly? I was sore for weeks after I was flung from it.” Naraku said frustrated now. “I can do more than put up a barrier.” Yoshi said as she headed for him. InuYasha stepped forward to help, but Kagome grabbed his shoulder and held him back. “No. I think Yoshi should deal with this for now. Let her weaken him a little.” Kagome said looking at her friend move forward quickly. InuYasha nodded and stepped back beside her. He held her hand to reassure her and himself that everything would be alright. Yoshi had come forward and tried to stab Naraku. He put up a barrier which only slowed Yoshi. Her staff stopped for a minute and then she pushed it through. She landed there in front of Naraku. He swiftly moved forward to use one of his tentacles to choke her. This frightened her a little at the memory of the scratch of her throat. She only just got her arms up in time. It hit her right hand wrist hard. He broke the bracelet that held InuYasha’s and Sesshomaru’s father’s soul. It fell to the ground in the dirt. Yoshiko watched as it fell. She couldn’t break away from the arm lock or he would kill her for sure. Naraku noticed this. “What do we have here?” he asked teasingly. He used another tentacle to grab the bead. Yoshi tried to get it but couldn’t. He crushed the soul in his hand. Yoshi’s eyes bulged. Her arms fell. His tentacles wrapped around her whole body. Sesshomaru and InuYasha started to run for Naraku. Kagome was too stunned to do anything. Shippo clung to Kagome in fear. Sango and Miroku and Kohaku headed for Naraku, but were slower than the demons. Yoshiko was inside Naraku’s tentacles. Her eyes were closed. ‘That was the last piece of him I had. He is gone now. What am I going to do? I can never talk to him again. I told him I would see him in a year.’ Yoshi thought with anger growing in her heart. Sesshomaru, InuYasha, Sango, Miroku, and Kohaku were close to Yoshi when there was an explosion. When the dust cleared everyone saw Yoshiko. She wasn’t the same though. She was glowing black and red. As she opened her eyes Naraku saw her eyes. They held all of her furry, sadness, and grief. They were black with red spirals coming from her now blue pupils. She pointed a finger at Naraku and said something in a dead language. Light shot from her finger. Naraku was smart enough to dodge the worst of it. It did hit most of his left side though. When the light was gone Naraku’s shoulder was barely attached. His leg and side was completely fried. He called for Kanna and Kagura. They helped him, Kagura reluctantly and Kanna quietly. Once he was gone Yoshi’s breathing became labored. Sesshomaru rushed to her. He reached her just in time because she collapsed into his arms. “Yoshiko? Are you alright?” he asked very worried. Her eyes flickered as they changed back to blue. She looked at him with tears in her eyes. “He’s gone. Your father’s soul is gone. I’m so sorry I just… I…” she couldn’t finish. It was too much. She pulled herself closer to his chest. She felt like the world was ending. Sesshomaru could only hold her close and let her cry. “Shh. Its ok. It will be alright. I’m here. Naraku is gone. Just rest now. I’ll carry you to the village and you can rest.” he said as he stroked her head. Once Yoshi had nodded he picked her up. He pasted by everyone with his eyes closed. “We can head back slow.” Miroku said after Sesshomaru was gone with Yoshiko. “There is no need to hurry now and I think Yoshi needs to be alone with Sesshomaru.” “I think your right.” Sango said. Miroku turned to her a little shocked that Sango agreed. She smiled at that. “Let’s go then.” Shippo said from Kagome’s shoulder. They headed back to the village.******Meanwhile****** Sesshomaru tried to hurry back to the village quickly with Yoshi. She was clinging to him tightly. ‘I shouldn’t be carrying her or letting her cling to me like this, but she needs someone right now. I really shouldn’t have stayed in the hut with her for so long either.’ he thought feeling sorry for her. He soon got her to the village. He walked into Yoshi’s hut and he laid her down. Tears were streaming down her face. Her bangs were covering her eyes though. Sesshomaru moved them back to look at her eyes. Her eyes were closed. She was asleep. He decided to leave her alone and let her sleep. He got up to go, but Yoshi grabbed his arm and stopped him. “Wait. Please don’t go. Don’t leave me alone, Sesshomaru. I need you here right now.” she pleaded with her eyes closed. He looked at her and was confused. ‘She might be a little weak and she just lost my father for the second time. That’s probably why she said she needs me.’ he thought wanting her to want him there and not just who ever she could get. “I’ll stay.” he said tucking her hair behind an ear. They smiled a little. Hers from relief and his from the joy of comforting her. He sat against the wall and pulled her to him. ‘I shouldn’t be leading him on like this, but I need him now.’ she thought desperately as she was pulled into a loving embrace. She leaned her head back to look at Sesshomaru’s face. “I’m sorry, Sesshomaru. It’s all my fault. I should have blocked him sooner. I took his soul all those years ago, too. I just don’t know how you or InuYasha can be here for me after all I’ve done.” she said crying brand new tears. He just wiped away the tears. “I’m not angry with you and neither is InuYasha. You can’t blame yourself.” he said leaning his head on hers. A single tear rolled down her cheek. He kissed it away not wanting to see her cry anymore. He hugged her tighter to let her know he wasn’t going anywhere. ‘If only he had kissed my lips. He has been less romantic around me lately. A week ago he probably would have kissed me.’ she thought as she softly cried into his shirt. They sat there in each others arms all night. In the morning Yoshi found herself laying on the floor alone. Sesshomaru was sitting in the door way. “InuYasha, Kagome, Shippo, Miroku, Sango, and Kohaku haven’t come back yet. Can you sense them?” he asked concerned for his brother. Yoshiko closed her eyes and sensed them coming slowly. “They’re coming. They’re just taking their time. Sesshomaru, can we talk about last night and the night before?” Yoshiko asked hoping he didn’t hate her, even though he had as good as said that he didn’t care about what happened between her and his father, she was afraid of what had made him shy away from her. ‘Why am I so worried about why he isn’t as romantic with me anymore? Isn’t that what I wanted?’ “I’m not mad at you. You don’t need to apologize for anything. I understand you don’t care for me the way I care for you. As to my father…” he shrugged. “He asked you to. It was in the past. If you are able to forgive me for what I’ve done why can’t I do the same for you?” he asked reasonably. She nodded her head and got up. She walked over to him and sat down next to him. “I am sorry that I can’t tell you my vision, though. I can tell you that you didn’t do anything wrong. It shouldn’t happen for a little while so don’t worry.” she said and hesitantly laid her head on his shoulder. All he could do was enjoy her presence. ‘I love her so much. Why can’t she love me, too? It has to be what she saw in the vision. What could she have seen?” he thought wanting to hug her so bad. ‘I need to stop leading him on. Maybe I should just go find Naraku and die without him there.’ she thought as she sensed the others coming closer. ‘I can decided later.’ she concluded as she heard them greet her and Sesshomaru.

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