Ch57 Konyoku
(Kagome POV - Foot of the Mountains - Dusk)
We all had left the village a few hours ago with a small crowd seeing us of. Even saw Yura giving a small wave to Tatsu again, although she denied it to both me and Y/N. The two of us had clearly seen her do so.
Minus a Shibugarasu lurking in the canopy the walk/bike to the foot of these mountains was thankfully uneventful. We found the pathway to the next town before it started to get dark.
Quickly setting up camp for the night, not that far from the path. A quick walk along the side of the mountains and we should reach a merchant town. From there a straight shot back to Kaede's village.
But there is one thing I was looking forward too...
"You really looking forward to those hot springs." Y/N said, breaking me from my thoughts as he picked up my bowl. My face reddened in embarrassment as he smiled at me.
"All day really." I said, trying to regain my composure.
Guess he could read me there...
"Thought so." Y/N said with smile as he shook his head. "Best to takethis chance while you can."
"Definitely." I said a little wistfully.
Considering my last soak in hot water was in an earthen tub mixed herbs meant to draw out my soul, even using the village's bathhouse was preferable. Thankfully it was largely undamaged from Mittsume Jōrō's siege.
Granted bathing here in the Sengoku Jidai is like visiting a sauna or washing yourself in a river or lake, so I was very eager to take a soak in the hot springs.
"Might try it latter, but count me out." Inuko said, shaking her head as Shippō sat next to her leg finishing off his dinner.
"Honestly I'll join you in the springs girl. Think I might actually be missing the baths of your and master's era. Shame I couldn't bring any products along." Yura sighed out.
Think maybe she enjoys hair care products a bit too much...granted I hardly had any time to grab anything not already prepared before chasing Urasue.
"I suppose that I will take one later, after checking the temperature. Sure I regained some resistance, but I don't want to take any chances." Y/N said, getting me to nod.
Really the only good thing the Midori Pearl seemed to do for him. But he is still part yuki-onna, hopefully it won't be hot enough to scald Y/N without a ton of ice applied to the spring.
"Can I join too?" Shippō said, placing his bowl down before glancing at Yura. "And I'll stay away from the creepy lady."
She bristled as Y/N just sighed, Inuko smirking at her reaction.
He's never going to stop calling Yura that.
"Of course." I said, getting him to smile.
"Then how about Y/N, he should join us too." Shippō said happily, getting both me and Y/N to freeze at his words. Looking between the both of us as he smiled. "It will be more fun that way for everyone if we all got in together. Besides you and him are already together."
...Eh?
W-Why did he suggest that?
Sure Y/N was my boyfriend, but being together in the same hot spring without any cloathing or a towel...
Calm down Kagome, it will be okay...
Wait Yura will be there too, less okay!
"Kit." Inuko said, breaking me from my thoughts as Shippō tilted his head.
"What, mom and dad bathed together with me all the time. Minus the creepy lady it shouldn't be all that different." He said with a shrug.
Of course he would say that...but maybe it could work...
"I wouldn't mind if master joined in." Yura said, smirking as me and Inuko glared at her. "I'll keep my distance, if he and Kagome don't mind or just wait awhile."
"Better not try anything you hairy bitch." Inuko growled out as Y/N lowered his hand from his kimono while sighing, more than likely reaching towards Yura's comb.
"Don't plan on it." Yura said, giving a glance as I fumed inside.
Not even 12 hours after finally making up my mind on sharing Y/N and Yura's already pushing my limits! At the least she's backing down, but still!
I took a deep breath to calm myself as Y/N shook his head.
"Maybe I should wait a bit-" He tried to say, but I cut him off.
"There's no need for that Y/N, Shippō's right...you can join in." I said, my face reddening in embarrassment as he looked at me in surprise. I can't believe I'm doing this...
"Are you sure Kagome?" Y/N asked as I nodded quickly.
"Of course...I trust you, besides you could use some cloth as a blindfold again. Or give it to me..." I said, getting him to shake his head.
"No need for that...we can both look away or find a divide. And just enjoying soaking in the hot springs." Y/N said, shaking his head with a smile. "Figured that you would enjoy it...but there is nothing I can do to change your mind."
"You got that right." I said as Shippō cheered.
Looks like the kit was hoping for this...then again he did say his parents did the same thing with him...
"Don't even ask me kit, not changing my mind." Inuko said, causing Shippō to pout as she turned to face Yura. "I swear-"
"No need to say anything. I'm pretty sure master would've requested me if Kagome was against it. Their reactions are telling." Yura said, flashing me a small smile quickly as I nodded. "Just soak me feet for a moment while setting up hairs around our surroundings."
It seems like just as much as Yura was willing to push things, she'll honor what we promised earlier...her forcing the issue probably would have caused me to snap.
At least she was honoring our boundary until we can tell him.
Wanted to spend some more time just with Y/N, never pictured it like this. Not that I mind it though...
"Thank you Yura." Y/N said as Inuko sighed.
"I'll help keep an eye out for anything." She said, give Yura a quick glance before facing us. "When do you both want to head out?"
"Actually mind if I go first Kagome?" Y/N said as he gathered up the bowls, I shook my head with a smile.
"Go ahead, I'll be there in a minute." I said, smiling before chuckling as Shippō climbed onto his back and hanging off his shoulder. "Yet he can't wait any longer."
"True, let me get my bag first." Y/N said to Shippō, getting the kitsune to nod happily as he started to walk to the other side of the camp.
Smiling at the, while quashing my nerves about this.
We both trusted each other enough not to pull anything and Inuko seems set on Yura not pulling anything too. I don't think she'll try anything, but can't be too careful with Yura...
Yet despite this and being a bit nervous, I have been looking forward to this.
(Y/N POV - Hot Springs - A few minutes later)
Shippō continued to swim around in the springs as I was half submerged in the hot springs, it certainly helped after the battle last night. Helped that the springs were cooler than I originally thought.
Did have to lower the water temperature around me a degree or two, but it was still pretty comfortable even with Shippō barely noticing the difference when he swam by.
This felt pretty good...
"Seems like you're enjoying this Y/N." I heard Kagome's voice from behind me, I sinked further until the water reached my shard. Soon followed by the sound of a splash. "This feels so good!"
I smiled at her enthusiasm before feeling some ripples hitting my back as I believe she was drawing closer to me...
Keep it together, just focus on enjoying the hot spring with Shippō and with Kagome...who was getting closer now judging by the ripples.
"Water feels a little cooler, but still feels pretty nice." Kagome said, I'm picturing that our backs facing each other.
"It does, feels like the aches and pain just melt away." I said with a smile, hearing Kagome letting out a content sigh.
"Tell me about it, I can feel everything just washing away." Kagome said happily, while I'm picturing the smile on her face right now. "But I've been looking forward to this beside the springs."
"Same." I said, feeling my face redden up a bit. "Thought as much when you asked me to join..."
"Pretty much took the chance...yet this better than I first imagined." Kagome said, before I felt the water shift as she moved a little closer. "Soaking in here with you...close to each other..."
"Just enjoying the moment..." I said with a smile. "This is the life..."
"Yes it is." Kagome said, picturing her smiling face.
The both of us probably weren't going to get any closer, yet this was just fine...
Never thought we would be bathing together in a hot springs like this anytime soon. Yet that didn't take away from the two of us just kicking back and admiring the hot springs for however long we can.
(Miroku POV - 20 minutes later)
Hmm...think I might've dozed off for a few moments...
Letting out a brief yawn, I started to stretch. Enjoying the effects of the noyu for a bit longer.
Been a few weeks since I've had the pleasure of enjoying the effects of a hot spring.
Just bargained for use of an exorcism from a noble's household and a small haul the next morning before anyone was the wiser.
Granted there was a genuine ikiryō haunting their storehouse, didn't know until entering the property.
Think I'll soak here for a few minutes more before heading back to camp, I'll head to the village to inquire about the hanyo I heard about in the morning.
"You getting out?" I heard a voice saying behind the large rock seperearing this spring from another one.
Great, just great there is someone here with their family. The voice sounded like a little boy. I can feel my barrier holding up, channeling my hōkiri just incase it wavered.
Still what were they doing on the mountain at this hour?
"I might do so too in a few minutes Shippō." A woman's voice said, getting my attention.
Suppose it will be safe enough to check.
Peering past the rock under the cover of steam, my breath hitched as I saw a girl who looked a few years younger than me. More beautiful than anyone I've seen in weeks...and her features were bigger than my own.
Normally I would have been awestruck by her beauty alone, but what caught my attention was the massive Shikon Jewel shard around her neck!
It looked like several shards conjoined into one. No idea how many until I can get it off the necklace she wore.
But why does she have something like that...wait her aura...reiryoku. And one far more potent than any single priest, miko, or omnyoji I've personally encountered.
Far from refined even at a glance, yet incredible potential beneath.
She alone couldn't have gotten all those shards alone, but it sounded like there were others.
Looking right next to her was a kitsune kit in a human like state, he didn't seem to be that much older than Takechiyo. Maybe a year older in human terms.
On the shore of the hot springs was an alarmingly gifted woman who I can tell was not a human at a glance. Very few humans I have seen were that beautiful or endowed. And she was possibly the most dangerous one of the lot.
Despite soaking her feet in the springs, her uniform was befitting of a kunoicihi. Almost mistaking the strands on her fingers for wires, but more than likely hairs. Add in the wakizashi's pommel sticking out of the bushes and I figured to look around for stray hairs while making my exit.
Still there was one more in the spring, their back facing the first girl and myself, half submerged. A young girl with halfway black and white hair framing her neck. She also seemed to be much slimmer than he compatriots and was unfortunately marked by a burn scar on her shoulder.
From what I could see, it might've come from a yokai that uses lightning. Hopefully not a raijin.
I was liking what I've glimpsed...but I can't get a read on what exactly she is.
Dichotomy of the hair suggests at least someone with yokai or divine ancestry. But I can't clearly tell if they were merely a hanyo or something else entirely just from their back.
A close inspection was in order.
"Need to check something out real quick." The girl said as she started to swim away back to shore...
Wait that was a guy's voice...
I squinted as he/she swam to shore...before a small burst of clouds erupted on the shore. Either this was a transformation into their true form...or a cover of mist...
Watching with anticipation as the cover blocked out their form, seeming rolling off their body for about a minute before it subsided.
Revealing them to be in a pair of hakama pants, picking up a kimono hanging off of branches and drooping it over his shoulders.
He was defiantly a male, looked to be as old as the first girl. Lean with some muscle tone, some form of training and could easily be concealed by a kimono. Their face, well it was certainly starting to developing a feminine charm.
Apply some make up and the kimono, well I'd have get up close to tell their true gender.
But what caught my eye was the center of their chest, a shard of the Shikon Jewel and claw scars around it. Like someone tried to rip it out.
Let's see the scars and a Shikon Jewel shard on his chest, with the mist this was the yuki-onna hanyo the villagers talked about.
Have to say after seeing him...a definite possibility. Shame I couldn't see more.
Judging by the kunoichi's pout I wasn't the only one.
But it will take more than just a glance to determine everything, this will require a closer inspection..and with him getting away from the hot springs-
Rustling from some nearby foliage broke me from my thoughts, getting me to frown.
Trouble was quickly approaching.
(Inuko POV)
Have to say that was a pretty bold move of Kagome to bathe together like that, took me and Kikyō a while to get that comfortable. Then again those two known each other for a life time.
Unlike us the two of them still maintained their distance, but I suppose they're just moving at their own pace. It was kind of nice to see actually.
That and the hairy bitch was behaving herself, so nothing to-
Kagome's scream broke me out of my thoughts, I huffed as my ears twitched.
Hopping down from the treetops, I saw what the trouble was about.
Nothing to really worry about at all.
"Get away! Shoo! Shoo!" Kagome shouted at a macaque pulling on her hair from the rock next to her. Shippō looking up at her as another one jumped onto the rock.
Both macaques looked startled as the one grabbing Kagome's hair found its arm pulled up into the air, being raised off the rock a tiny bit before being dropped down. The two of them running off the rock and into a bush as Kagome sighed out in relief.
Nothing more than an annoyance that Yura can scare off...but where is Y/N?
Quietly I jumped back into the treetops, it didn't take that long to find him looking around the hot spring behind the rock.
"Looking for something?" I said, landing right behind him.
Y/N just sighed and shook his head.
"Might be jumping at shadows, but I thought I saw something in the steam earlier. Thought that it could be a macaque, can't be too sure." He said, getting me to nod as I took in the scent of the area.
Really nothing all that different from other spring, except for a faint scent. It was human, not one from the village and with how faint it was they probably left sometime before we arrived.
"There was a someone here hours ago, but it could have been a traveler. Other than that all I can tell it was human. Best to check around incase." I said, getting him to nod.
"I'll keep an eye out for Yura's hairs for you." Y/N said as we started to look around.
After the past few days it couldn't hurt to be careful, even with Yura's hairs. There is no telling what could be out there around us.
(Miroku POV - Foothills - A minute later)
"That was, too close..." I panted out as I finished adjusting my robes.
Should be enough distance between myself and the group, anlthough the hairs were tricky to get past without tripping anny. Any chances of observing the yuki-onna hanyo more are gone for now.
Was not expecting them to have an inugami daiyokai with them, I've faced regular ones before and her prescience alone blew them out of the water. Perhaps she was a hanyo too.
Either way, she'll be the most troublesome to deal with.
"As much as I abhor the thought of violence against such beauties, might have to resort to it." I sighed out, fishing into my robes.
Find out more about the yuki-onna hanyo later, maybe I can do both it and claim the jewel shard from the girl's necklace. His shard was embedded around the heart, with the scars a possibly indication removal was maybe fatal.
Needed to be smart about this, and some more information about this...and there it is.
Within an hour or two I will have everything needed to form a plan for tomorrow.
(Y/N POV - Camp - 40 minutes later)
"Where can he be." I said, looking for Shippō. Having just seen him run off in this direction a moment ago.
Until now the rest of the time in the hot springs had been uneventful since the macaques messed with Kagome, I slipped back in when me and Inuko couldn't find anything.
Now as we had gotten out and getting ready for bed, Shippō had run off from our camp after he was sniffing around our bags.
Thought that maybe he trying to sneak some candy or something, then he just bolted into a bush when I saw him.
"Gotcha!" Shippō cried out, getting me to turn to a nearby tree.
Looking behind the trunk I saw him holding down on a common grass lizard, it struggling in his grasp. So that's what he was running off for.
The lizard soon slipped out of his grasp, minus the tail. Running away before Shippō grab it again.
"Dang it." He said, looking down at the lizard tail in his hand. Placing it down on the ground before walking over to me as I just shook my head.
"Next time please give us a heads up before running off like that Shippō, I thought that you were trying to sneak candy out of my bag." I said, the kit flinching at my words. "You were."
"Yes, Y/N..." Shippō said, as he walked over to me. Looking down at the ground.
"All you had to do was ask, but not now. Time for you to start getting ready for bed, we're going to have to wake up early tomorrow." I said, Shippō pouting before nodding and running back to our camp.
I just sighed, looking at the lizard's tail before following after Shippō.
Might be starting to grow paranoid, but something about the lizard felt off to me.
Just the very sight caused my mind to tell me that something was wrong about it, but I couldn't exactly figure it out what...
(Miroku POV - Her Campsite - An hour later)
"Truly, he suspected you?" I asked the lizard, throwing a stick into the fire.
It trilled in response as I nodded, lowering my hand and the lizard scurrying into it.
"Good work anyway, thank you." I said. The lizard trilling in response as smoke billowed off of it.
Revealing a lizard shaped piece of paper with kanji writing on it, the paper lighting aflame from hitodama. Dispersing off my hands into wisps and carrying the last traces of the shikigami.
A trick my father picked up from an omnyōji, never got more details than that yet I could fill in the gaps considering everything.
Only can summon a lizard shikigami and it will take sometime to get the materials to remake the paper all the way out here, but quite the useful spirit for gathering information.
Like the fact they had a third jewel shard in their possession, much smaller than the girl's one. More than likely from the omukade I heard about given it was separate from the others.
That and a whole lot of material in the bags the shikigami described that I was unfamiliar with...it just kept making things more interesting on them all.
Two jewel shards up for grab and one much larger than the ones I collected. Come the morning I already have a few plans to grab one or both shards. But the yuki-onna hanyo, Y/N had me curious...
Plus there was something about the inugami besides here beauty...something familiar...
Maybe I could just swipe the shards and disappear, yet they must be the most successful group hunting the shards after Naraku.
Could they possibly be an answer to my problem...
Double checking that the nenju was secured around my forearm, I smirked as a plan came to mind.
By the end of tomorrow, either I will claim their shards...or I could very well find the answer to my problems with them...
(Chapter 57 end)