A blinding white light filled Kagome’s vision. The sudden blast of light and energy caused Inu Yasha’s coat and undershirt to fly off. (Because we all know that anime guys can’t really lay it out until they are bare chested.) When she could finally see, she looked around. Sango had been knocked against a tree, and Kirara was no longer standing in front of her. Naraku, Kanna, and Kirara were standing in front of Inu Yasha seemingly unfazed by the sheer power being emitted from the hanyou’s body. Kagome cowered in fear when she saw him. Inu Yasha hovered six feet in the air, and his entire being was covered in a white aura of power. He just hovered and leaked out power. This both scared and confused Kagome.

"Jewel shards shouldn’t cause this type of reaction." She voiced her thoughts to herself, but they were drowned out by Naraku’s sinister laughter.

"Hah, hah, hah, hah, hah. Now that I have you under my control, nothing will stand in my way." At this statement Inu Yasha floated back to the ground and landed gently on his feet. He turned his head towards Naraku, and opened his eyes. Instead of the expect red they were a bright and soul-less white. Inu Yasha began to speak, but it was not his voice that came out.

"It is hard to control others with purified shards." The voice was strong and benevolent, and a woman’s. Inu Yasha, or whatever he happened to be now, extended his arm and pointed to Kirara. "Come to me my faithful companion." A large ball of white energy formed at his fingertips, then released with a trailing line straight at the fire cat. The light formed around her completely, and she walked over to the one that called her.

"Purified? How could that be?" Naraku was clearly surprised. "Only the girl has the ability to do that. You don’t even have miko powers. Something is amiss." Kagome’s eyes widened, and it began to dawn on her just what was going on, but just before her thoughts had the chance to fully form, Inu Yasha answered everything.

"I am the spirit of the priestess Midoriko. In actuality, I am only part of her soul. I am the thinking and feeling portion of that soul. My miko powers were lost when I formed the jewel, and since my powers were a part of me, the jewel is part of me. The rest of my soul was reincarnated into this body, but since it was not the full soul, my powers remained in circulation with everything in the universe. When Kikyo burned herself with the jewel, it came as part of her, but since it was separate from her soul it traveled along side of her spirit until it found a new body. Souls are cleansed of power upon death, so the miko powers that Kagome holds belongs in portion to me. So, I am the reincarnated spirit, she is the reincarnated power, and that jewel is the only thing that can finally put me to rest. So, Naraku, unless you want to meet a fate so horrible that you would wish for purification, I suggest you hand over what jewel shards you have, and leave now." Inu Yasha/Midoriko, finished the short version of his/her story. Naraku, only laughed.

"You have already told me that your spirit holds no power. Any one can call a companion from Kanna’s mirror as long as the link is strong enough. You can do nothing to me."

"You are wrong again Naraku." Inu Yasha/Midoriko stated. "I said my spirit had no power only because I had put it all into the jewel. You unwittingly returned part of my powers and awoke my soul when you lodged those jewel shards so close to this body’s heart. Now you shall pay for your foolishness." Everyone who was conscious had some sort of exaggerated expression upon their face. Whether it was fear, surprise, or in Kagome’s case relief. Everything made sense now, and didn’t hurt that Inu Yasha was in no way under Naraku’s control.

Inu Yasha/Midoriko sent a beam of light at Naraku, but at the last minute turned the beam onto Kanna’s mirror. The petite piece of nothingness was too slow to react. The light entered the mirror, and a loud scream engulfed the area. One so loud and full of pain that the very air around them seemed to vibrate. The mirror cracked, and shards of glass flew in all directions. The shrapnel caused by the explosion sliced thru the air and tore at flesh. The high speed projectiles sliced off three of Kanna’s fingers. Another caused her left eye to explode within its own socket. The pieces that came at Naraku only lodged themselves in the surface of his baboon pelt. If it hadn’t been clear already, it was definitely obvious that this Naraku was only a puppet.

A few flew past Inu Yasha/Miroku and Kirara seemingly deflected by the white aura about them.

One grazed Kagome’s cheek. The rest fell slightly short of Sango since she was out of range.

Kanna took this as the time to leave, and the puppet along with herself became engulfed in the miasmic smoke that was Naraku’s trademark.

With Kanna and Naraku gone, Midoriko turned her attention to her other comrades. Kirara ran over to Sango, and Midoriko to Kagome. The newly emerged spirit picked up the fire rat coat covered the trembling girl.

"You were injured." Midoriko reached up, and in a wiping motion caused the injury to dissipate. Kagome looked to her fallen friend.

"Sango," Kagome pushed past Midoriko and ran to her friend, only to be stopped by a firm arm.

"Kirara can care for her. When I had my powers she was able to feed off of them. I don’t see how things would be any different now."

"She really is old isn’t she?" Kagome stared in awe as the large cat revived Sango.

"No, not really. Do you not know of the phoenix cats?" Midoriko’s answer confused the girl.

"Phoenix cats? I thought she was a fire cat." Midoriko gave a slight laugh that seemed a little out of place in the current situation.

"So, that is what they call them now. Yes, I could see that, but those who know their true origins call them phoenix cats. You see, Kirara, as you call her in this life, is of a special and ancient breed of demon. Much like the birds that their names are derived from, phoenix cats go through cycles of life and death. Every time one of these demons feels that their body has grown too weak, or they feel it is time to start anew, they cause their bodies to ignite in an all consuming flame. Though they are the only ones to feel or see the effects of the fire, it is in this way that they regenerate themselves. A new body with all of the memories of their previous lives is wrought from the ashes of these blazes." Midoriko finished her story as Sango walked over holding Kirara, who was now in her smaller form.

"That would make sense," Sango said petting the small feline, "Father had mention something about Kirara appearing soon after the disappearance of the previous family pet. Since it coincided with my birth, it was assumed that she was to be mine, but it was thought that she was the offspring of this pet, not one in the same." Sango considered all of the facts. "But I guess it would make sense."

"It means that she chose you, be proud of that because she is quite a picky partner." Midoriko looked around at her surroundings. "I would prefer to head back, but I know that the rest of you may not wish to leave in the dark." Kagome just nodded her head concern clear in her eyes. "Do not worry for your friend," Midoriko had seemingly read Kagome’s mind, "he sleeps within me. Right here." She picked up Kagome’s hand and placed it on the spot where Inu Yasha’s heart lay. Kagome felt a warm sensation, and then the feeling that he was standing next to her, in another body. As tears formed in her eyes, Midoriko grabbed Kagome’s chin and tilted it upwards. "You do know that he cares deeply for you. One would even venture to say love, but he is confused by many of your actions, and gets extremely frustrated whenever he tries to figure it out. I know that he had a conversation with you and in it confessed how he had always wished for a chance to act around you in that playful manner. It was harder than you may think for him to do that. Give him a chance, and he may figure out his feelings enough that he could say all that is on his mind. I know that you also hold feelings for him that you have yet to sort out, but in a broad sense, you love each other. It is that love that will bring him back. Though I am not quite sure how. Not only have the shards restored my power, but they have also advanced the powers of this body. The wounds created by the initial entry from the shards have long disappeared, and if we do not figure this out soon, it may begin to absorb the shards. If this happens, all will be lost, your friend and I will be forever locked in this way, and the body will become a vacuum for the remaining shards. One so powerful that even I won’t be able to control it. After that, well, let’s hope that we never come to it. Now, I know that it will be hard, but all of you need to sleep. I will make sure that no one interrupts for the rest of the night." Midoriko pushed the two women back towards the sleeping area. Kagome stopped to ask a question.

"What if Naraku decides to come himself?" Midoriko was already heading into the other direction.