Xu Zhiqiu knew that once she gave her name, there would definitely be plenty of trouble to deal with. Halfway along, she stopped and turned to Kagome behind her. "You have Shikon Jewel shards on you, don't you?"
"Yes." Though she had no idea how the woman knew, Kagome still answered.
"Give me the shards." Xu Zhiqiu slid her sword into the scabbard at her waist and held out her hand.
"What do you need the Shikon Jewel shards for?" Sensing no killing intent from Xu Zhiqiu, Kagome asked curiously.
Miroku was curious too, but he had inhaled too much miasma to speak for the moment.
"I have a use for them." Xu Zhiqiu kept it brief.
"No." Naturally, Kagome refused.
"Oh." Unable to get them by asking, Xu Zhiqiu supported Kikyo and hurried outside.
Sango and Shippo, who were waiting outside, felt the mountain shake and split. Just as Sango was about to send Shippo inside to check, Kirara ran out carrying a bow and arrows in her mouth, followed by those two unfamiliar figures.
"Where are Kagome and the others?" Sango asked, walking to the cave entrance, where she saw Kagome helping Miroku out.
"Kagome, Master Miroku, are you all right?"
"We're fine." Kagome shook her head and looked at Xu Zhiqiu, who was bending down to stroke Kirara's head. Kirara swished her two tails.
With her slight weakness for furry creatures, Xu Zhiqiu petted her for a while before picking up Kikyo's bow and arrows and helping Kikyo down the mountain.
"Lord Autumn, where are you going?" Miroku asked once he had recovered.
"Down the mountain," Xu Zhiqiu replied.
"Uh..."
For a moment, Kagome and the others had no idea what to say. Going down was indeed what they needed to do now.
By the time they reached the bottom, Inuyasha was heading toward them too. "Damn it, Naraku got away." As he spoke, he spotted Kikyo in Xu Zhiqiu's arms and immediately ran over. "Kikyo!"
"All right, all right. The dead souls inside her were just absorbed. She'll be fine once her soul collectors bring back dead souls to replenish her body." Xu Zhiqiu waved him off, keeping him from approaching.
"Autumn, what do you mean by this? Why won't you let me touch Kikyo?" Unable to touch Kikyo, Inuyasha roared straight at Xu Zhiqiu.
Xu Zhiqiu lifted her gaze toward Kagome at the side.
Inuyasha followed her gaze and saw the distraught Kagome. "Kagome."
"Inuyasha, do you have to plant your feet in two boats so blatantly?" Xu Zhiqiu snorted. She remembered how Inuyasha and Kikyo had flaunted their affection when they were together, yet now his heart had changed so quickly. This damn mutt was the root of it all.
The group walked to a small river and stopped to rest.
After settling Kikyo down, Xu Zhiqiu looked up at the group behind her, all watching her with probing eyes. She found a spot and sat facing them. "Ask whatever you want. I'll answer as much as I can."
Inuyasha asked first. "Autumn, didn't you disappear fifty years ago? Why have you shown up now, and why are you with Kikyo?"
As he spoke, Inuyasha twitched his nose. "And you still smell human. Wait, there's Naraku's scent mixed in too?"
Miroku's mind worked swiftly, and he immediately said, "Come to think of it, didn't Granny Kaede say Lord Autumn was abducted by Naraku back then? Perhaps you've been staying with Naraku all this time, and collecting Shikon Jewel shards for him?" By the end, his eyes were wary as he watched Xu Zhiqiu.
"But when Father and I went to exorcise the yōkai, I never saw Lord Autumn. I did hear that the young lord had a fiancée, though. Still, it was under Lord Autumn's protection that the people of my village survived the yōkai attack unharmed. Lord Autumn also took the Shikon Jewel shards."
Sango shared what she knew, stroking Kirara, who crouched by her feet.
Since Kirara was acting so affectionate toward Xu Zhiqiu, she should be the Lord Autumn who had helped protect the Yōkai Exorcist Village.
Inuyasha and the others had learned about the latter events Sango mentioned when they reached the village.
Miroku and Kagome nodded, looking at this woman who seemed both righteous and wicked.
Listening to their three questions in a row, Xu Zhiqiu rubbed her temples. "Naraku didn't take me away fifty years ago. I disappeared and went somewhere else, then fell into a deep sleep. When I woke up, I discovered almost fifty years had passed. I appeared in Naraku's castle after waking up, and then became somewhat involved with him. Yes, only somewhat."
"As for why I'm with Kikyo, it's because I went looking for her. She seemed so lonely on her own, so I stayed with her. As for the Yōkai Exorcist Village, I sensed yōkai heading there and went over to help."
Inuyasha's dog ears drooped at that. Autumn had said Kikyo was lonely. After Kikyo's last attempt to drag him into hell had failed, he could only watch as her soul collectors carried her away. He stared at Kikyo lying nearby in orange clothes. She seemed to be growing more and more beautiful.
"As for the Shikon Jewel shards, yes, I gave them to Naraku, but I have my own reasons. Don't you have your own reasons for collecting them too?"
Xu Zhiqiu turned the question back on them, looking at Inuyasha.
Inuyasha snapped out of his thoughts and looked up at Xu Zhiqiu. "Autumn, Naraku was the one who set Kikyo and me up."
"Was it Naraku, or was it you, Inuyasha, who couldn't withstand a little provocation and hurt the villagers?" Xu Zhiqiu challenged softly.
Inuyasha was struck speechless. "I..."
Thinking it over carefully, he really had been at fault. If he had realized that the person impersonating the priestess wasn't Kikyo, perhaps he wouldn't have rushed to take the Shikon Jewel. But there was no room left for ifs.
Miroku raised his right hand, which was wrapped in a string of prayer beads, and said grimly, "My grandfather was cursed by Naraku while trying to capture him, creating the Wind Tunnel. Both my grandfather and my father were swallowed by it."
Sango thought of her father and Kohaku, whose fate was still unknown. "My father and several of my uncles died because they walked into Naraku's trap. More importantly, Kohaku is still in his hands."
At the thought of her younger brother, hatred for her enemy filled Sango's eyes.
Thinking of those two matters, Xu Zhiqiu felt even more like tearing her hair out. Still, there ought to be a way to resolve them.
"So, Lord Autumn, are you on Naraku's side now?" Miroku gathered his thoughts and asked.
Xu Zhiqiu shrugged. "If I were on Naraku's side, do you think you would have survived back at the cave entrance?"
Miroku froze, remembering that arrow imbued with powerful spiritual power, as well as the sword at her waist.
Kagome recalled Xu Zhiqiu's polite request earlier. She truly hadn't seemed intent on hurting them. "Then, Lord Autumn, what are your plans? If you're not like Naraku, why help him?"
"Granny Kaede said Naraku seemed to be your lover. Is that the relationship you have?" Miroku pressed.
The corner of Xu Zhiqiu's mouth twitched. She hadn't expected them to be such gossips. "I only want the Shikon Jewel shards. I have my reasons for helping him. As for Naraku being my lover, that's a little far-fetched."
"Oh, I understand." Miroku looked enlightened.
"What do you understand?" Sango asked quietly beside him.
"This Lord Autumn wants to reap the benefits from both sides," Miroku answered quietly.
Hearing those all-too-audible words, Xu Zhiqiu raised her eyelids and began fiddling with her fingers. "Anything else? If not, I'm taking Kikyo and leaving."
"No!"
Before you continue