"I always wanted to come here." Nayumi smiled as they approached Mount Wassami.
"Why didn't you?" Hychi asked.
"Always busy." Nayumi said; turning to smile at him. She had learned over the last few days, that Hychi was a lot like Shippo.
"Why doesn't she smile at either of us?" Kiyoshi asked; even though she ignored him he had developed a slight crush on her.
"Hychi probably reminds her of someone." Sesshomaru shrugged.
"I hate when you two whisper as if I can't hear it." Nayumi sighed.
"Jade?" Sesshomaru asked.
"She's doing a little better." Nayumi lied. Truth was, Jade was getting worse. Her spirit wasn't holding on as well as she would have liked, but not that they were at Mount Wassami she could save her.
"Good." he mumbled; voice showing no emotion.
"Alright! You two first!" Nayumi boomed; appearing behind Sesshomaru and Hychi. Before they could move away, Nayumi shoved them towards the barrier.
"Lord Sesshomaru! Master Hychi!" Kiyoshi exclaimed.
"Hmph. I was hoping for more screaming." Nayumi muttered as they disappeared behind the barrier.
"You didn't know if they would be able to get through?!" Kiyoshi yelled in her ear.
"Why are you so loud? Come on." Nayumi mumbled; grabbing him by the ear, and dragging him towards the barrier.
"How's it feel to be the first demons to pass through?" Nayumi asked as she dragged Kiyoshi behind her.
"We've been expecting you." a man said from behind them. Nayumi had felt him coming, and had disappeared.
"Where's Nayumi?" Hychi asked.
"She's already at the temple. Please follow me. Monk Michio is waiting." the young man bowed at him.
"What do you mean you can't help!" they heard Nayumi's voice yell.
"This isn't good." the young man escorting them said as he scurried off towards the arguing.
"She's too badly wounded. There's nothing I can do to help." the monk said in a pained voice.
"Fine. I'll do it myself then." Nayumi snapped; storming out of the temple.
"Come in you three." Monk Michio said from the doorway.
"What have you come here for?" he asked when they were all sitting; except for Sesshomaru. He stood against the wall, and listened for any sign that Nayumi was breaking something.
"You don't have to worry about the girl. There's nothing on this mountain that would attack her." Monk Michio assured.
"I'm more worried about her attacking something." Sesshomaru smirked.
"Let's just hope that no one bows at her." Hychi snickered.
"And if someone does?" the monk asked.
"You'll hear it." Kiyoshi mumbled.
"She really is a Yamamoto then." the monk sighed.
"You know of her family?" Hychi asked.
"Yes. I once helpd them out. They were all short tempered, and hated for someone to bow at them." he replied.
"Yep.That's her." Kiyoshi muttered.
"My men will learn." Monk Michio shrugged. "Now, what is your business here?"
"I brought this staff to you to be sealed." Kiyoshi explained; setting the staff in front of him.
"Is this the Staff of Hate?" Monk Michio asked; shock in his voice.
"Yes, sir." Kiyoshi nodded.
"I'm sorry, but that is out of even my reach. There is one person who could, but I heard she died. I never quite heard her name, but most that spoke of her, called her Lady Slayer." Monk Michio replied.
"I've heard of her! She's not someone you want to make mad." Hychi replied.
"Is it true that she's dead?" Kiyoshi asked.
"No. You're speaking of Nayumi." Sesshomaru interrupted.
"The Yamamoto girl is the elite priestess?" Monk Michio exclaimed. Sesshomaru merely nodded.
"I SAID DON'T BOW AT ME!" they all looked towards the door in shock as Nayumi threw it open.
"Don't be too hard on them." Sesshomaru said.
"Shut up, dog. I'll kill you first." Nayumi snapped.
"You're just as violent as your grandmother was." Monk Michio muttered.
"Don't speak of my family." Nayumi said; her voice low.
"My apologizes." the monk nodded.
"Whatever, so did you guys finish whatever it is you were doing here?" Nayumi asked.
"Actually.." Hychi mumbled.
"What now?" Jade exclaimed.
"I can't." Nayumi sighed after they explained things to her.
"Why not!" Kiyoshi exclaimed.
"Because I'm using every ounce of power I have to heal Jade!" Nayumi snapped. "You choose. Either I save Jade, or I seal that stupid staff."
"What about when you're done with Jade?" Kiyoshi asked.
"Then it will be Jade who has control again." Nayumi shrugged.
"Save Jade." Sesshomaru said.
"That's what I figured would be the choice." Nayumi scuffed.
"What will we do with the staff?" Kiyoshi asked.
"Let Jade carry it when she's healed." Nayumi shrugged.
"What good will that do?" Hychi asked.
"She's my reincarnation. While she doesn't have near the expirence, she still has spiritual powers of great stature." Nayumi said.
"Can she seal the staff?" Kiyoshi asked.
"Maybe." Nayumi shrugged.
"That's so good to hear-"
"In about ten years." Nayumi finished.
Everyone was quiet for a while, so Nayumi decided to walk around the mountain.
"You shouldn't go off by yourself." Sesshomaru said; appearing beside her.
"Hmph." she scuffed.
"You didn't jump. Jade usually jumps when I just appear." Sesshomaru muttered.
"I felt you coming." Nayumi shrugged.
"I see." Sesshomaru said.
"What did you want?" Nayumi asked; annoyance in her voice.
"Haven't been able to talk in a while." he shrugged.
"Sorry. I've been busy being dead." Nayumi snapped.
"How's Jade?" he asked.
"Since we're alone, I'll tell you the truth. She's getting worse. I'm not sure if I'll be able to help her for much longer." Nayumi said; no emotion conveying in her voice.
"You will manage." Sesshomaru said, then was gone.
Jade, wake up. Nayumi thought.
N-Nay-Nayumi? Jade's broken voice replied.
"Jade!" Nayumi yelled out loud, then dove into unconciousness.
"How are you feeling?" Nayumi asked; they were both floating in darkness, but could see each other perfectly.
"What happened?" Jade asked.
"Nothing. At least you're finally awake." Nayumi said; smiling at her.
"Am I dead?" Jade asked.
"No. I'm keeping your body alive until you're healed enough to take it back." Nayumi replied.
"How is everyone else?" Jade asked.
"They're fine. Just worried." Nayumi assured her.
"They wouldn't have to worry if I was stronger." Jade sighed.
"You're only human." Nayumi countered.
"So are you." Jade retorted.
"You consider me human? I'm dead. Not even I would have stood much of a chance against Lady Mother when I was alive. I'm using borrowed time, and power." Nayumi snapped.
"Borrowed time, and power?" Jade asked.
"Yes." Nayumi replied, "I'm going to let you rest now. When you're strong enough, then your soul will slip back into place. Until then, I'll keep your body out of harms way."
"Keep everyone else safe, as well." Jade said before she was gone.
"You okay?" Hychi asked; he was carrying her.
"Let me go. I'm fine." Nayumi sighed.
"That was nicer than usual." Kiyoshi whispered, but Nayumi still heard.
"What was that, kid?" Nayumi asked.
"Uh! Nothing!" he exclaimed; stepping back from her.
"As I thought." Nayumi said as she brushed the dirt off her.
"What happened to you? We found you passed out." Hychi asked.
"Talking with Jade. She's awake now. Soon she'll be back." Nayumi explained.
"Will you be back?" Kiyoshi asked.
"If I am, then it means Jade's close ot death again. In that case, I hope not." Nayumi snapped.
"Oh." Kiyoshi mumbled.
"Give me the staff." Nayumi sighed.
"Why?" he asked; caution filling his voice.
"If I planned on taking it, then I would just take it. Not ask. Now, give me that staff." Nayumi snapped; she was losing her patience with this kid.
"What are you going to do?' he asked as he handed it to her.
"Back up. Everyone." she said. When everyone was a good distance away, Nayumi shoved Katana into the gorund and help up two fingers. Everyone gasped as a barrier formed around her.
"Nayumi?" Sesshomaru questioned.
"Shut up, and don't touch the barrier." Nayumi snapped.
Nayumi threw the staff into the air, then jumped up as well. She was floating under it, and both were horizontal. Everyone, except Sesshomaru, looked away as a blinding light engulfed both Nayumi and the staff.
"What's she doing?" Hychi asked; attempting to see past the light, but having to look away.
"Dammit!" they heard Nayumi yell. As the light disappeared, they saw her struggling with the staff.
"Is it fightng her!" Kiyoshi exclaimed.
Nayumi wrapped her legs around it as it rushed towards the barrier. The staff slammed Nayumi into the barrier as hard as it could, but she refused to let go.
I almost have it seal!" Nayumi thought. One more time! The light engulfed them again. Nayumi gripped the staff with both her hands, and it finally stopped moving.
"Seal!" she yelled.
"That's some serious mogo." Hychi mumbled as the light filled the entire barrier.
"This is nothing." Sesshomaru scuffed.
"What do you mean?' Kiyoshi asked; his eyes never leaving the scene in front of him.
"I've seen her drag someone to Hell. This is nothing." Sesshomaru said with a smirk.
"What!" Kiyoshi exclaimed; tearing his eyes away from the light.
"She's much stronger than you think." Sesshomaru shrugged.
"That's amazing! No wonder her reputation spread across the lands as quickly as it did! She was a threat at 5!" Hychi exclaimed.
"Nayumi!" Kiyoshi yelled; when the light died down they all saw her laying on the ground. She was covered in bruises and dirt, but her breathing was so heavy that they could tell she was still alive.
"There're cuts all over her!" Hychi gasped when Katana let the barrier down.
"Wait, they're already healing." Kiyoshi said in wonder.
"She's truly amazing." Hychi breathed.
"Let's take her back to the temple." Sesshomaru said; scooping her up in his arms.