Chapter 7 - A plan of action!

Chapter 7 - A Plan of Action!

Inuyasha was the first one to return from the night's excursions. Sesshomaru had explained to Rin that Kagome had been injured badly and that she was healing. It was felt that informing her in advance would make the trauma of seeing someone who the onna thought of as a distant mother so badly injured, a little easier to bear. This way, the child at least would know to expect the unpleasantness associated with Kagome's condition.

Rin had a good heart, and she had seen many bad situations in her travels with Lord Sesshomaru, so it didn't occur to anyone to try to prevent her from seeing the awful truth. But they were considerate enough to at least help her to accept the matter, and do what was necessary to help make Kagome's recovery easier than it might otherwise have been. This did a lot to help Rin on many levels, especially in a time when horror was more the norm than not.

It said a lot for the group, to even see the normally complaining and ever grumbling Jaken struck speechless by the sight of the battered onna. Even the already green youkai imp turn more green at the image she presented and almost fainted from the smell. He might not have a liking for ningens, but this was one of those that he himself made an exception for.

Even though he and his Lord had more than once attempted to end the lives of the stalwart group, this one little ningen onna still stood up to them in battle bravely facing even the Great Sesshomaru, and willingly risked her life to protect those she cared about. But it went even farther than that, as Jaken had never known anyone who would stand by her enemy as she had, and call them friends when no one else would, and to help them when they needed it.

To even further raise this little onna to a higher status in the eyes of the old toad, was the fact that she did all this completely unconditionally and without expectation of any kind of payment in return. She just gave selflessly, and seemed happiest when she could help others.

Who could be so horrid as to do such a thing to a creature as pure and innocent has her?

"My Lord, a question if I may?" the little imp turned to Lord Sesshomaru, bowing to the floor to make his request. Even the Youkai Lord could hear the anquish in the old toad's voice.

"Speak Jaken," he stated.

Clearing his throat, and staying bowed low, "I request that you permit me to return to your palace and to fetch the Chief Healer. There are some treatments that she knows that the old miko, no insult intended, maybe unaware of and could help the young Miko in her recovery."

Sesshomaru considered this for but a moment, then nodded to Jaken, "Hai, you have my permission Jaken. Take Ah-Un, and bring back Atsuko. Explain the Miko's condition to her."

Jaken turned to start out the door, only to stop in his tracks as the Youkai Lord spoke once more, "Jaken, know that if you are not back with the Healer in one hour, I will have to find another choice of career for you." Jaken audibly gulped at that. He could think of a few possibly things that his Lordship might set him to, including being the 'nanny' to a village full of children all about the same age or less than Rin. This was NOT a prospect that Jaken found enticing, so he raced as fast out the door as he could and did his best to impress upon the two headed dragon the urgency of getting the Healer as quickly as possible.

Sesshomaru took a few moments to visit with Kagome. She was still unconscious, but even in that state the onna still moaned in pain and not just the physical either. As he spent a short time watching the little Miko, there was a sound at the door, and moments later Miroku and Shippou entered the room. Miroku brought the news that Kouga and his pack brothers would be arriving by dawn.

Kaede made tea and offered it for those who wished to partake. As these simple ministrations were taking place and in themselves offering some sense of calm, Sesshomaru asked for a complete rundown on what had happened and of Kagome's injuries. Though it hurt to bring back the images, Inuyasha, who was sitting with Kagome, carefully holding her in his lap and doing his best to lend her what comfort he could in her current state, explained to the others in the room exactly what he knew.

An hour later, an angered and enraged Demon Lord excused himself for a short time, promising to be by the old well by dawn, and headed into the nearby forest. All that could be heard by the rest of the group was a roar that sounded like raging thunder as the earth shook and the screams of a number of lesser youkai that were unfortunate enough to believe that they had the right to take up residence in Inuyasha's Forest.

They all knew that a certain inuyoukai in full demon form was relieving some much pent up rage, as a way to calm himself for what was to come. No one mentioned this or even considered bringing it up to anyone. It was a private moment and would remain such.

It was a short time after that, that Kouga and his pack brothers along with the five pack wolves arrived. Just as with Sesshomaru, the Youkai Ookami Prince took the time with Ginta and Hakkaku to visit with Kagome. They were badly shaken by what they saw, and also found a need to release the anger that this brought to their hearts and blood. So they, too, took to the nearby forest to let off their anger and all then met up by the old well to have the meeting that Inuyasha called.

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The sun shone brightly down upon a clearing. A clearing that held an old well, whose origins were so old that the reason for its very being were lost. No one could ever remember the old well holding water, or whether it had ever been meant for such. All anyone really new for sure, was that it seemed to be a dumping ground for the nearby village to deposit the bones of dead and dying demons. All of which tended to disappear in a few days, but no one knew why, how or where those bones ever went.

But this well held more secrets and importance than just a few bones. It also, held a strange connection to time. It is possible that the reason for this was due to the fact that the material of this almost timeless well had come from two very important trees. One was a very ancient and now gone, Tree of Ages that was now nothing more than dust and the last resting place of Hyouga. The second was the matriarch of Inuyasha's Forest, the Goshinbuko, a sister tree to the long gone Tree of Ages.

Although only known by a few people, the apparent result of this combination of very special and powerful woods, was a well that allowed for a simple appearing, onna from 500 years in the future to travel to Sengoku Jidai and a wayward and proud inu hanyou to travel 500 years into the future. No one understood how it worked as it did, and quite frankly no one really cared. More important to them all was that it did work and by doing so gave them all something more precious than even the Shikon no Tama.

That something now lay hurt badly in the old miko's hut in the nearby village. This fact of reality was the reason that there now sat by the old well an odd group of individuals conversing and planning an up coming venture that would leave a quiet mark on the pages of history 500 years yet to come.

Introductions were not really needed, so Inuyasha just got right to the point. To bring everyone up to the same page of reality he started with how he had first met Kagome several years ago. The Taijiya, kitsune, houshi, and neko mo no noke all knew this story and contributed what they could to reassure the rest of the group of the truth of the tale. Little Shippou had even brought some of the small treasures that over the years, Kagome had brought for him, to show as further evidence and proof of Kagome's origins.

After completing this part of the meeting, Sesshomaru, Kouga, Ginta, and Hakkaku sat in thought just trying to process the almost overwhelming knowledge. No wonder it was so important to keep such information secret. Kouga and his pack members had heard the tale in brief, from the houshi, but had not really taken the story very seriously. But hearing it again, and in complete detail left them almost breathless in awe. If Naraku had even suspected such to be the case, they would never have succeeded in destroying him as they had. They all shuddered just considering it.

After a short pause to let the information sink in, Inuyasha continued and outlined his plan and the reasons for his decision to help 'fix' the problem that had cause Kagome so much pain. Of course, everyone had their questions and doubts, but he had taken the time while travelling to find Sesshomaru to work out some of the more important details and had answers ready for their concerns.

Kouga was the first to voice one of their questions.

"If only you and Kagome-sama are the ones to get through the old well, how are you going to get us through?" he asked.

Inuyasha pulled out several necklaces of prayer beads. They were most unusual in that the beads themselves were a deep blood red, and the claws that randomly separated them were black as pitch. But on each one, attached to one of the beads was a small shard of the Shikon no Tama. There were enough necklaces to provide for everyone at the gathering, including Kirara and the five pack ookami.

"Each necklace has been specially made and spelled so that if either I or Kagome ask, the wearer must return the shard contained within. Once they are placed around your neck, much as with my own, only Kagome can remove them. Unlike my own necklace there is no other binding spell so there is no other control to be worried about. The beads are ones that Kagome made sometime ago and left here with Kaede should they ever been needed," Inuyasha informed everyone.

"With the help of these each of us will be able to pass through the well to the otherside and then safely return when our mission is completed," he stated.

"Why are these 'poll-eece' you spoke of, from Kagome's era not taking care of this matter?" came the quiet voice of Sesshomaru.

"Kagome's mother has informed me that they have been trying to catch these 'things' for sometime and not been successful. Much like the sentries and guards that are common in this time, there are certain restrictions to what the police in Kagome's time can do. Plus these particular criminals have been pretty clever by ningen standards in that they have cased out a fair size chunk of territory that they consider their own and have set up the den in what otherwise appears to be a deserted area," came the ready reply.

"They control the surrounding area through fear and have no qualms about maiming anyone that they believe threaten their control. So far none of their victims has been either willing or alive to come forward and identify who they are and what they look like, so those in power in Kagome's time have not been able to bring these monsters to justice or even to provide any idea of what they look like."

Ginta spoke up next, "How are we to identify them if their own 'poll-eece' are unable to do so?"

"We have several things that even with the 'tek-noll-o-gee' of Kagome's time, ningens still do not have. We have far superior senses. They have to rely on whatever visible physical evidence they can find, but even then they still are unable to find the most important information that would help them to bring such as these to task for their crimes," Inuyasha said with assurance.

"In other words, they are unable to scent their prey or seek out their aura's," stated Miroku. "From what Kagome has told us over the years, magic is almost unheard of in her time. We have spoken of this on several occasions and come to the conclusion that it may very well still exist, but is just concealed as this 'tek-noll-o-gee', that Kagome describes has replaced much of what magic is used for in our time."

"Ningens of the future, however, have still not found a way to duplicate such things as hunting by scent, reading auras, or sensing magic. Apparently, while they do have means to hunt in the dark, they do not use this skill to full advantage either," he concluded.

The youkai in the group considered this information and nodded their understanding.

Inuyasha paused in thought for a moment and then spoke up, "I have asked Kagome's mother to have a number of things ready for us by the time we arrive. These things will make it easier for us to move around in Kagome's era, and to have the freedom that 'we' need to complete our plan of action."

"From what Inuyasha has learned from Kagome's mother, these fiends have been plaguing the area where they attacked Kagome for quite sometime now," Sango began. She shuddered to think that such creatures could hold such ominous power over anyone and was anxious to take part in this little venture and do her part to help Kagome.

"One of their weaknesses in our favor will be their over-confidence," she stated firmly.

Hakkaku spoke up, "I agree, not to mention that they will not be expecting anyone with our abilities to track them down either." a couple of the pack wolves sat near the young ookami youkai and he quietly scratched them behind their ears.

"Hai," stated Miroku. "From the stories that I have heard Kagome tell, the ningen from her time are not familier with youkai or hanyou. They may still exist, however, they too are concealed if they are still around. The ningen in her era are not as well versed in the hunt, and their normal lifestyle is not as filled with the same hardships as exist now, so they tend to be much less guarded and aware as ningen of this time."

"Considering the concerns that Kagome's family have," spoke up Inuyasha, "my intent is not to 'kill' these things! I prefer to take a lesson from my brother, and make them...'live'. The last word said with growled emphasis, a sadistic grin that left his brother proud - although it didn't show, and a feral gleam in the hanyou's eyes.

"I have an idea for that one, Iittle brother," spoke up Sesshomaru. "Something that I think will suit quite well."

"I am willing to listen, brother," said Inuyasha, "although whatever it is, it must not be anything that can be traced back to Kagome's family or the shrine. We must be careful not to leave any trail of evidence that could lead back to her family. If these villians have more people than the six I have seen, they might try to harm Kagome's mother, brother and Ojii-San."

"Not to worry, little brother," said Sesshomaru. "It is a simple potion. One with an unusual binding spell. Most of the ingredients are readily available and in fact, the old miko probably has those aplenty. There is but one more ingredient required, but for that I must have your permission to obtain it."

"What would that be?" asked Inuyasha cautiously.

"The essence of her memories of the attack," Sesshomaru stated like it was as everyday a thing as breathing.

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