AN: Yeah… Well I kinda have a major, major writing block for Every Dog Can Learn New Tricks and a rabid plot bunny decided to maul me about a Sesshomaru/Kagome spinoff of my Inu/Kag story. Being as imaginative as I am (snort) I came up with a new fic called Every Demon Lord Can Learn New Tricks. Oh and for those who enjoy my Maintenance Manuals I will eventually get my lazy butt in gear to finish the Kouga one I'm working on, so please try to be patient. This is dedicated to TheEvilBanana because she threatened me with bodily harm to finish this and because her stories are freaking awesome. Check them out, if you don't you'll be sad you didn't!
Disclaimer: You think Inuyasha belongs to me? (Breaks down into hysterical laughter) Yeah… The mental ward is that way. Cheers!
Every Demon Lord Can Learn New Tricks
Play Dead
To say that Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands was pissed was a massive understatement. It was like saying Shippou mildly enjoyed pocky or Inuyasha had a minor disagreement with Naraku. Such was Sesshomaru's fury that it took more than a bit of effort to hold his youkai transformation in check. His scarlet eyes oozed a tangible mixture of hatred, disgust and pain as he practically burned his sword into oblivion with his glare alone.
'Damn you Tenseiga.'
His contemptuous stare shifted to the smoldering remains of what was once the mentally unstable Naraku. The bastard had finally kicked the bucket (and about damn time too), but managed in one last ditch effort to take one of the few things that had actually mattered to the youkai lord.
His miko was dead.
Anger, desperation and (not that he would ever admit it,) grief continued to surge with fiery ferocity throughout his veins. Of course it did not help in the slightest that his thrice cursed and entirely worthlesssword could not even revive his soul mate. Due to the blade's demonic origin, the healing properties of Tenseiga would not work on any holy being, whether their energy was absent or not. It was a fortunate thing for Naraku that he was now dead. If given even a quarter of a chance, Sesshomaru would take great pleasure in demonstrating the consequences of the wicked hanyou's actions. Blood, anguish and torture included.
Gazing down at the crumpled form slumped at his feet, the taiyoukai's sorrow temporarily overwhelmed his emotional maelstrom before cold rage took over once again. Gathering up his mate with a tenderness that many would never believe of the beautiful youkai, Sesshomaru left before his idiotic half-brother and those ningens could arrive. They were far too late by half and Kagome paid the price for their foolishness. He would rather shave himself bald before he suffered their presence again.
Icy determination steadied the youkai as he summoned his chi cloud. He would go to Hell itself to get his miko back if he had to, which was coincidentally what he was planning to do. After all, Kagome belonged to him. If Death had a problem with that, his claws would persuade Him otherwise.
'This Sesshomaru will see to it.'
Barring only a swift stop at his fortress to ensure Kagome's body would be adequately protected, Sesshomaru's journey to the Hell Gates was uninterrupted. It probably helped that the taiyoukai's anger was still very much in evidence and everyone without dung for brains knew that an encounter with a pissed off Sesshomaru would mean an instant brutal ending courtesy of venom-tipped claws.
Sesshomaru eventually found himself at the entrance to an underground cave. It seems that his moronic minion was useful for some things after all. Jaken had originally come from a band of Hell imps, contrary to popular belief. The warty henchman had always been quite irritated whenever someone assumed he was just a common swamp youkai. But, his disgustingly servile minion's questionable origins had nothing to do with his objective. Kagome was far more important.
The highfalutin taiyoukai began to delve into bowels of the earth using his toxic poison as illumination. Eventually he stood at the foot of a massive doorway engraved with archaic symbols. The scent permeating the area reeked of old blood and decay- a rather apt odor for death, Sesshomaru mused. Far from impressed, the taiyoukai unsheathed Tenseiga and was suddenly able to view a message inscribed upon the gateway.
'For ye who enter, a sacrifice is needed.'
With a snort of disdain- wasn't losing his miko sacrifice enough?- Sesshomaru delicately slit his striped wrist and allowed a few drops of his lifeblood to soak into the door. The effect was immediate. With a despairing shriek, the gate lurched open and began to glow a sinister crimson. An elegant eyebrow arched in contempt. Granted, it was Hell after all, but there was no need for such theatrics in his opinion. Ignoring the fizz of his youkai repairing the slight injury to his person, Sesshomaru thought of Kagome being trapped in this place without him.
His fury renewed with the reminder, Sesshomaru stalked into the depths of the now-scarlet passageway, eager to satiate some of his bloodlust with the creatures that would be sure to challenge his passage. So focused was he on his eminent rampage, that he did not notice the exit melt away into oblivion, this time accompanied by a quiet and decidedly malicious cackle.
'Hell,' thought Sesshomaru, 'was quite repulsive.'
Putrescent, scabbed things constantly slunk in the shadows of the rotting cave walls, while searching for any weakness whatsoever in order to satiate their ravenous desires. Their eyes were nonexistent; only a dark maroon line of wrinkled flesh gave hint to where their eyes might have been. They moved with a disturbing grace although they were forever in a hunched over position with their talons trailing onto the ground.
The smell was a cloying mixture of bitter despair, loathing, and the very dregs of the human soul, if a smell could be described as such. The taiyoukai was forced to use his aura as a shield against the power of such an odor lest it completely incapacitate him. Sesshomaru had had to fend them off constantly in the beginning of his trek until they finally began to respect his strength. The creatures were frightening strong and if Sesshomaru had not been who he was, he would have most likely fallen long ago.
He had made progress, however. Hell was a labyrinth of twists and turns meant to bewilder any who attempted to navigate its fearsome depths if they were somehow strong enough to deal with the creatures within it. Sesshomaru had no problem finding his way though. Tenseiga was earning its keep for once and obediently guiding its master to his mate. The fact that it caused Hell's minions indescribable anguish was an added bonus. Although they could not be killed, the nauseating things could be temporarily stunned for a period of time.
Tenseiga pulsed in warning.
Someone or something was aware of him. He had come to the end of the maze it seemed. The creatures, accompanying the taiyoukai throughout his journey from the beginning, were suddenly gone. This did not bode well. Tenseiga pulsed once more. Sesshomaru spread out his senses. It was….there!
With an ear-piercing shriek, his new enemy leapt out of its hiding place with baffling agility. Not a feared youkai for nothing, Sesshomaru dodged the appendage that would have planted straight into his chest.
Denied of its kill, the monstrosity howled its rage at the white-clad figure in front of it. An improved version of the creatures from before, his foe was leaking a gray fluid from its red skin, which glowed with a sickly sheen in the crimson light of the passageway. Where stray droplets struck the floor, stone melted and smoke sizzled.
Sesshomaru eyed it warily. It seemed stronger and quicker than the others from before. This could get interesting. He would have to stun it long enough for him to get off a Soryuha and destroy it. He evaded another swipe from those rending claws and struck back at its vulnerable head. The thing screeched its displeasure and displayed another difference from its predecessors.
The taiyoukai's sleeve was drenched in bile from a too-slow dodge. With a disdainful sniff, Sesshomaru watched his kimono melt away. It was lucky that it was the empty one. He was truly getting careless if such a thing landed a hit on him. Using his superior speed, he managed to land a flurry of hits onto his opponent that enraged it even further. Finishing his strategy, Sesshomaru outdistanced himself from its retaliatory attack and used his energy whip to trip the thing when it tried to pursue him. Taking the advantage Sesshomaru unleashed the Soryuha and watched the azure dragon devour its prey in a dazzling explosion of youkai.
Leaving the now unconscious creature behind, Sesshomaru traveled the now-straight path in front of him.
'No more games.'
Glossary:
Soryuha: One of Sesshomaru's signature attacks, it translates as the Azure Dragon Wave.
ningen: human
youkai: demon or demonic energy
highfalutin: arrogant/egotistical Sesshomaru in a nutshell
miko:priestess