- THREADS OF FATE -
An InuYasha FanStory

Chapter Three: Questions
000
When Kagome finally came to, her entire body felt like it was on fire. Every inch of her was sore and bruised, her muscles aching, her head pounding and her eyes stinging from too many tears. On top of all that, whatever she had been sleeping on was very hard and very cold.

She moaned as she pushed herself up onto her elbows, squinting at her surroundings. The light of a small fire sent wild shadows dancing all around her and the sky above was bedecked with a million little diamonds. A nearly full moon hung fat and heavy in the sky, its rays gently caressing the leaves of the thick forest all around her.

She sat in a rather small clearing, the branches of large, somewhat misshapen trees hanging over her. The ground was hard and cold, plagued with rocks and sticks that jabbed into her ribs and left ugly imprints on her skin. The fire was a modest thing, flickering unassumingly in the center of the little clearing. On the other side of the fire she could barely make out a small, squat figure carrying with it what seemed like a walking stick much to large for him.

She jerked up suddenly as memories rushed back into her head – the fight between InuYasha and Sesshoumaru and the fire that had consumed her friend. She knew he would not be injured by it, but all the same her breath momentarily caught in her throat. Where was he now? Was he badly injured from the fight? Not that there was anything she could do about it. He was equally eager to kill her as he was to kill his half-brother.

Speaking of…

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" she murmured softly, her eyes adjusting to the light of the fire and the darkness around her as she glanced hurriedly around. She could not find the tell tale glint of silky white hair and neither could she make out the tiny chips of gold that were his eyes. The only creature keeping her company was the odd little youkai called Jaken, his eternally wide eyes regarding her from across the tiny flames of the fire.

"Sesshoumaru-sama is not back yet, human," the little youkai said stiffly, regarding her with what she thought might be an arrogant expression, though it was hard to say with his inhuman features. She stared at him silent for a moment, massaging her shoulders to try to get some of the ache out of them. She inched forward towards the fire hesitantly and then paused as her sight caught on something else.

"Tetsusaiga," she murmured. The sword was lying next to her, sheathed and decrepit looking. She stared at it for a moment before being recalled from her thoughts by Jaken's grating voice.

"It seems that Sesshoumaru-sama cannot wield the sword and that only you can carry it," the little youkai pointed out tartly. He seemed somewhat disappointed. "That's why he has taken you with – to carry the sword until such a time as he may carry it himself." The youkai did not seem happy about this in the least. He regarded her suspiciously, his beak like mouth turned down in an irritable frown.

Kagome did not respond immediately. Her hand reached out, her fingers running along the edge of the blade. This was the blade InuYasha had saved her life with so many times before – but it was no longer his to carry now. She wondered if it would ever be.

"He will never be able to wield it," she murmured at last, flicking her gaze to the sky. She wondered where she was exactly – if she was close to the Bone Eater's Well, she might be able to escape to her own time and then try again later. Perhaps next time she would be sent to the right place, the right time.

"Where are we?" she continued before Jaken had a chance to respond. He glowered at her, his huge eyes narrowing slightly.

"We are a ways away from the God Tree where InuYasha was bound, though still in the same forest," the little youkai responded sourly. "Now stop talking, human. You tire me!"

If she wasn't so distressed, she might have found the whole situation absolutely hilarious. Here was Jaken – the little youkai that was constantly as far away from the battles as possible, always helplessly tagging along behind Sesshoumaru – berating her for talking too much and insulting her as if she were some lower being. It had been the same in the future, of course, but they were rarely in much close contact, certainly never alone. This was entirely new for her.

I could get up and leave now, she mused. She didn't think that the little youkai would be able to do anything against her. She eyed the two-headed staff propped against his shoulder suspiciously, wondering if perhaps he could do something against her. But then again, if he fried her she wouldn't be able to haul the Tetsusaiga around for Sesshoumaru, would she? But any human would do, wouldn't they? It didn't have to be her – and human could carry the sword.

But he does not know that, she reminded herself. For the time being, she was safe as long as she kept him clueless. Or at least, safer than she would be otherwise.

But if I told him any human could do it, maybe he would let me go. Then I could return to the Bone Eater's Well and… Her thoughts trailed off helplessly. She didn't know what to do – mostly because she didn't know what he would do. It was all so troublesome.

And then it was too late.

She lifted her gaze as Sesshoumaru's elegant figure moved gracefully into the clearing, his fur draped over his shoulder and his haori in pristine condition. It seemed that no matter how many fights he got into, he never looked even slightly ruffled. There were no tangles in his beautiful hair, no stains on his clothing and no blood or scars across his white skin. He was the most perfect of demons – a lord over lords. A taiyoukai.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" squawked Jaken, scrambling to his feet and bending over in a clumsy bow. "Welcome back. I have prepared a fire for your return." The youkai lord ignored him. His gaze scanned over the clearing before coming to rest on her. He regarded her silently for a moment before moving over to a tree some distance away and just barely in the light of the fire. He sat down silently, his back leaning against the trunk. Jaken continued bowing for a moment longer before glancing up with his wide eyes and settling back down into a sitting position. He glanced between his master and their new human 'guest'.

Kagome stared at the great youkai silently for a moment before stretching her feet out towards the fire. She pulled her shoes off and then her socks, wiggling her stiff toes as they absorbed the heat. She wasn't sure what else she could do – Sesshoumaru was not the type of demon one could easily start a conversation with.

"Why am I here?" she asked after a long time of awkward silence. Not awkward for him, she was sure, but certainly awkward for herself. She knew the answer to the question already, but it seemed a reasonable way to start something.

Jaken opened his mouth to respond angrily, probably to remind her that he had already told her. It was Sesshoumaru who answered first, however.

"You are here because I will it," he answered. There was no hatred in his voice, no impatience, no annoyance. There wasn't anything there. He was simply speaking, his voice cool and calm. "I cannot carry the Tetsusaiga myself, and so, for the time being, you will carry it for me."

"You will never be able to wield it," Kagome blurted out. Her head was still throbbing, her body aching and even her heart felt like it was about to collapse. It occurred to her, vaguely, that maybe she should just shut up and rest. Now was not the time to be trying to talk out her situation with the youkai that had kidnapped her.

"…because it can only be wielded in the protection of a mortal, am I correct?" he asked softly. She wasn't sure if he really required an answer so she simply nodded numbly. He looked thoughtful, his golden eyes gazing into the little flames.

"That does indeed pose something of a problem," he said pensively after a moment. For some reason she thought that that was a funny thing to say. He didn't say it as if it was a joke but she couldn't help staring at him in surprise anyway. Jaken's wide eyes flashed continually between the two of them, though he kept quiet.

"Tell me, girl," Sesshoumaru continued slowly after another long, awkward pause. His golden eyes lifted from the fire, settling on her with the force of a ten ton boulder. "Why do you emit so much power?"

The question floored her. Her eyes widened slightly and she stared at him in silent wonder. For awhile she couldn't figure out what he meant – she had never been considered a particularly strong miko and no youkai had ever before remarked on any sort of 'power' that she might emit. Her mouth opened as she struggled for something to say and then closed again.

What is he…?

"Oh dear God!" she cried out suddenly, her hand going to her chest. She fumbled around, pulling out the little necklace with the tiny glass bottle at the end. She stared at in silent horror – the shards were gone.

"How could this happen?" she murmured, oblivious to the stare of the two youkai across the fire. Her hand dropped the necklace, sliding down her side to just above her hip.

Is it in me? Is it in me again? she asked herself, horrified. When she had first come to the Sengoku Jidai, a demon had ripped the completed Shikon no Tama from her side. If she had gone back in time to before that had happened, then was the jewel once again embedded in her flesh?

"I…that is…" she stuttered, her gaze lifting to Sesshoumaru as her hand clutched her side protectively. Would he try to rip it out of her if he found out what it was? He had never had any interest in the Shikon no Tama anytime in the future, but perhaps everything would be different now.

"It is because I am a miko. Because I am a…very powerful miko." She shuddered as Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed on her, slowly traveling down her body to the hand clutched to her side. She knew then that he knew she was lying. There was no way he would believe such a lame excuse as that. She was startled when his gaze shifted back to the fire and he asked a different question instead.

"How do you know my foolish half-brother when he so clearly does not recognize you?" he asked. Kagome nearly heaved a sigh of relief, her hand slowly moving away from her side and going instead to the Tetsusaiga.

"I…I have met him before, but I don't believe he remembers me," she murmured, lowering her eyes. It wasn't a lie – not really. She had met him before, certainly. 'Before' in the future.

"Unless I am mistaken, he has been pinned to that tree many more years than you have been alive," he answered calmly. It was unnerving, just how calm she was.

"Do not lie to Sesshoumaru-sama, filthy human!" Jaken snarled at her, his little hand clenching around his staff threateningly. Kagome glanced to him, hunching her shoulders and flicking her gaze back to Sesshoumaru. His expression had not changed – in fact, he gaze no sign that he had heard Jaken at all.

"I…am not," she murmured, lowering her head and lifting a hand to rub at her temple. The headache was going worse, and her body still ached like it was on fire. At least her feet were warm.

"Then how did you meet my lord's half-brother if he has been nearly dead all this time?" Jaken asked haughtily, his giant eyes narrowing again. The firelight played across his taunt, greenish skin in eerie ways. He was not a threatening figure in the least, but she could not help but cringe.

She was becoming desperate now. There were far too many questions that she could not answer – far too many questions that she could hardly find a reasonable lie to fool them with.

"That is…I…I cannot say," she whispered, her voice breaking half way through the stuttered statement. Even if he would not kill her, there was no reason Sesshoumaru wouldn't at least hurt her, right?

You only need one arm to carry that sword, correct? She could almost hear his cold voice mocking her in her head.

"What manner of clothing do you wear? Where does it come from?" Sesshoumaru interrupted before Jaken had a chance to protest. She was amazed – amazed that he had not threatened her yet, even though she was not adequately answering all his questions. He only stared into the fire, a serene expression on his aristocratic face.

"My cloths?" she asked, glancing down to her body. She was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, as well as a light winter jacket. The snow in this area was light – mostly blocked by the branches hanging overhead and melted by the fire at its center. Her jacket had slipped off, revealing the tight black shirt with what would be considered strange decorations to the two youkai.

"Ah…these are…these are from my home town," she murmured. That wasn't a lie either. Not really.

"Strange. I have never seen attire like yours before – and I have traveled long and far from these lands," Sesshoumaru pointed out coldly.

"My…my home is very far away. I doubt you…would ever come across it in your travels," she responded, attempting to keep her voice calm and confident. It was hard work.

Sesshoumaru did not respond, and neither did Jaken. The smaller youkai stared at her hatefully from across the fire while the larger stared into the flickering flames in silence. She watched the two of them for a long time, the silence stretching on and on and on. Her body was beginning to ache worse than ever and her stinging eyes were having trouble staying open. She could feel the heavy darkness of the night pressing down at her, caressing her body into a state of unawareness.

Perhaps when I wake up, this will all be just a dream…was her last thought before she finally gave in to the shadows and fell into a deep but troubled sleep.

000

"What do you think of her, Sesshoumaru-sama?" his little companion asked as the human eventually drifted off to sleep, her body curling into a ball while one hand clutched her side and the other grasped the Tetsusaiga. He ignored the question, turning his head away from the fire.

"Get to sleep, Jaken. We will leave early in the morning tomorrow. My foolish half-brother is still somewhere in this area," he responded. The little youkai squeaked in acquiescence, fumbling around until he found a comfortable position and closing his eyes. He stayed awake for quite some time however, and it was only until much later that Sesshoumaru heard the steadying of his breath and the soft snores that marked his sleep.

His gaze shifted over to the human then. Her face was contorted into an expression of deeply rooted worry and fear. That was not surprising in the least – she had just been kidnapped by a taiyoukai, after all. But she was a miko, and that made everything a thousand times stranger. Why had she not attempted to purify him before, even though she had claimed that she had extremely strong miko powers? She had, after all, been able to break the seal over InuYasha. She had even been able to take the Tetsusaiga.

There were many strange things about this human that he could not begin to understand. She had a strange depth of knowledge that seemed unnatural to him. He had not smelled the scent of lies on her when she had said she had met InuYasha before, but that he did not remember her. And yet, she was far too young to have ever met him – certainly not while he was conscious, at least. He hadn't smelled the scent of lies when she had told him about where her clothing came from, either.

She had lied when trying to explain the strange power emitted from her body, however. That was another curiosity – exactly what was it that he sensed? It called to him, throbbing in his veins. It had a deceptive voice that spoke to his blood and seemed to promise him power.

"Who exactly are you, little girl?" he murmured to himself. There was no answer forthcoming, however. The heavens were silent on this matter and the moon watched him from its lazy perch in the sky. It didn't matter. He would keep her by him and find out all of these answers and more – even if he had to rip them out of her. For the time being she would carry the Tetsusaiga for him, until he found out some secret to wielding it himself. The barrier his father had put on it was still effective and if the girl was right, it would not transform for him unless he used it to protect the life of a mortal.

That is something only you would do, father, he growled in his mind, his eyes narrowing. I am not so foolish.

He flexed his hands, turning away from the fire so that his cheek rested against the soft fur pelt wrapped around his shoulder. He would have all his answers soon enough. Now all he required was a bit of patience.

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So this chapter was something of a filler - obviously because I couldn't simply rush into another dramatic situation so soon after escaping the first one. Besides, you readers need to see how things are/will be working out between Kagome and her new companions as the story goes on. As for the reviewer who asked if the other characters from the series would be involved in this fanfic - read the preview for next chapter and you'll have your first taste of what's too come! I've got big plans. Hope I don't disappoint!

((Please read and review! Your reviews set aflame my passion to write!))

NEXT CHAPTER
Chapter Four: Lady Exterminator

Sango finds herself caught in a plot far beyond her own understanding when she wanders into a peaceful village, nestled in a valley beneath the Bone Eater's Well. When told of the legend of Kikyo, she visits the God Tree to see the hanyou sealed there with her own eyes – only to find that he is not so bound as she was told.