A/N: Well, normally these are at the end, but…
I got somethin' to say!!
Okay, so, after ten months, one person has decided to review. Whoa! Must really like this story, huh? :) Well, I am so glad you decided to review, Anonymous, (figures, right?) and I feel I owe it to you to update this. Problem is, it's been so long, I barely remember where I was going with this! Ah!! But, don't worry: I've still got the gist deep in the cobweb-covered file cabinets of my brain, so I can pry open the rust-covered drawer and give you this. Someone else review, please?!!
Sesshomaru was not in the mood for any distractions.
As soon as he had finished gathering his things, piling on armor, and taking along some extra weapons and poison antidotes to pacify Rin, Sesshomaru walked right out the front door of his extravagant dwelling and took Ah-Un's reins from one of the servants waiting there. He swung up into the saddle easily, and turned Ah-Un away from the gates. His heels touched the dragon's sides; a puff of smoke ensued from the right head's nostrils, and then, the dragon took off. Sesshomaru didn't bother to look back when he heard Jaken screaming at him from behind. The little toad wasn't of much use on this little adventure, and Sesshomaru got the distinct feeling he would be irritated enough without Jaken bringing him down further. Dealing with Naraku and all the flirting girls was going to be torment. Ah, where was a very forward monk when you needed him?
Sesshomaru turned his face to the wind, ignoring the entire world and simply closing his golden eyes against it. Frankly, people just annoyed the crap out of him. Sure, he kept plenty around: but none of them got in his way, under his feet, in his face-most likely because they knew exactly what happened if they did. They wouldn't live to see tomorrow. Sesshomaru's hand instinctively fell to Tokijin's hilt as a soft pulse of demonic power wafted up through the air: it stank of ape. Sesshomaru's golden eyes narrowed in anger, which Ah-Un sensed. The two-headed dragon gave an awkward, mid-air buck, and Sesshomaru responded by placing a magnificent kick to the dragon's sides. Ah-Un shook one of his heads, but complied with Sesshomaru's more-than-clear message and moved on. Sesshomaru's eyes finally dropped from the clouds to the ground, searching for the figures he knew were lurking below. He got the feeling someone was aiming a poisoned arrow at him right now, and just let go. Moments later, he would hear the sinister whistle, and get splashed with the poison, it passed so close-
Feathers exploded next to him.
Sesshomaru put aside his anger, deciding it was better than the aforementioned poisoned arrow. He began guiding Ah-Un downwards in slowly-narrowing, slowly-dropping circles. He was trying to get close enough to the ground to actually see something below. Ah-Un flicked his tail, signaling his annoyance to Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru offered the dragon a reluctant pat as compensation, and tried again to drop lower. Another feather bomb exploded, and by then, Sesshomaru had had enough.
Ah-Un was thoroughly confused, suddenly relieved of the burden of his rider. He slowly flew in lumpy, lopsided circles, finding a safe place to land and wandering around, slightly confused as to what he was expected to do. He heard voices, and travelled towards them. Sure enough, they were looking up, pointing and gasping as a silver-haired figure catapulted downwards several yards away. Ah-Un recognized his master's scent on the wind, and paused a few yards away from the people there. That was strange: one of the figures was dressed like a baboon, and yet, his scent was human and demon. A hanyo, then? The female, too, was a mixture of human and demon, but she at least appeared true to her nature. She appeared human, save for her piercing red eyes. Ah-Un shook his head, the buckles on his bridle jingling softly. Still, the figures took notice of him. They were too busy focusing on Sesshomaru. Ah-Un wasn't concerned: his master could take care of himself, and there was usually a method to his madness.
Usually.
This time, though, Sesshomaru had acted purely out of frustration. And now, the yokai was plummeting towards the ground, hearing now the gasps of, "He jumped!" Of course I jumped, Sesshomaru thought to himself. Idiot half-breeds. Filthy scum of this earth. I, unlike you, can survive if I fall two feet.
Sesshomaru landed gracefully on top of a tree, swords barely shifting with the fall. Sesshomaru then disappeared into the lush green of the tree's leaves, re-appearing down on the ground. He shook the leaves out of his hair, carelessly flicking it back over his shoulder and picking a few twigs out of the fur at his shoulder. He was quite irritated to find that those he sought were not even ten yards in front of him. Great. He jumped for nothing, then! Well, he had gotten their attention. It was good enough for him. "Perhaps a better signal can be arranged?" he said dryly, weaving elegantly through the trees to stand before Naraku and Kagura. "I don't appreciate being attacked with feathers."
"Get stuck in your hair?" Kagura sneered. A scathing glare resulted in a hasty apology, and one decidedly quieter wind sorceress.
Sesshomaru returned his gaze to Naraku, seemingly ignoring Kagura at the moment. "I believe you have something for me?" he said slowly. Sesshomaru didn't waste time. Skip the pleasantries, introductions, and whatever else one may feel necessary. Sesshomaru didn't even have a deadline, and he wanted this done as fast as possible.
Naraku shifted uncomfortably. "I have the sword Sounga, it's true," he said, seemingly through gritted teeth and much anger. "But it has been sealed inside an unbreakable seal. You were there when it was sealed away again: what happened to it?"
Sesshomaru felt a snicker rise to his lips. "You were the one who called it back up," he said. "You tell me."
Naraku expressed genuine shock at this. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't play games with me, stupid hanyo," Sesshomaru threatened, anger creeping into his voice anew. "I do not have time for this."
Naraku shifted again. It seemed he didn't know what to do at this point. Sesshomaru had called his bluff, and he was out of options. There wasn't much saving grace falling from the heavens, either. Naraku glanced at Sesshomaru, searching the demon's porcelain features for a hint of mercy. There was nothing to indicate that Sesshomaru would spare Naraku for his deceit, and he was swiftly growing impatient. Naraku turned his gaze to Kagura; the woman barely spared him a shrug. She made it very visible, as well, with no hint of subtlety. Sesshomaru fixed Naraku in his killing stare, waiting for an answer.
Rustling behind them saved him.
Naraku felt all the tension suddenly leave his body as more time was bought. But then, his heart just flat-out stopped beating. Who should appear behind him, but Inuyasha and Kikyo. Oh, just wonderful. Now, all they had to do was speak more than two words to each other, and they would figure it all out! Naraku had wanted to get the brothers together to kill each other, but that was when he and the sword swapped places! Sounga needed to be there, without him! Kikyo took one look at Sesshomaru, and immediately ceased speaking to Inuyasha. Inuyasha, on the other hand, picked up right where she had left off.
"Sesshomaru!" he cried. "I'll kill you!!"
"I'm sure you will," Sesshomaru said gently. "Just like you did the four and a half times you said that, and tried. And failed."
"How does one half-threaten you?!"
"I gave up on listening halfway through your latest spiel."
Inuyasha went straight for Tetsusaiga. The sword transformed in his hands into their father's fang once again, leaving Sesshomaru to draw Tokijin. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, looked rather bored and fed up with proceedings as he drew his sword. The thin, perfectly sculpted blade shimmered in the light filtering through the treetops, gleaming with a threatening light. Sesshomaru gave Inuyasha a bored, tired look. "Now, if you're going to make a serious effort this time, I will gladly push you out of my way. Again."
Inuyasha only seemed further incensed by Sesshomaru's words. He charged his elder brother with a primal screech, swinging the blade in a rather obvious overhand chop. Sesshomaru slid out of the way of the blade, not even sparing a single hair to Tetsusaiga's blade. "You bore me, brother," Sesshomaru said, swinging Tokijin up and around. Inuyasha suffered a cut to the shoulder and a scratch across his cheek. "Shoo, shoo," Sesshomaru said, swinging another terrifying blow at Inuyasha. "Your older brother has business to attend to."
"I'm sure," Inuyasha said, rushing in yet again, "that you'd be better off if I took care off that for you!"
"So you can steal another of father's swords?" Sesshomaru sneered. "Over my dead body. Or yours!" Poison talons swooped in from nowhere; Inuyasha barely dodged them. Sesshomaru elegantly pivoted, stabbing with his sword from almost behind Inuyasha. Inuyasha, too, moved in to stab at Sesshomaru. The difference was, Sesshomaru took the care to punch Inuyasha's blade out of the way with his free hand. Inuyasha took a deep gash to the side; he was lucky he wasn't completely impaled on Tokijin. Sesshomaru was left with a small scratch across his knuckles. Inuyasha faltered as Sesshomaru's blade drew a long line in his pale skin, opening his side as easily as a hot knife slid through butter. The cut was made so cleanly, so easily, that Inuyasha hardly registered the sword's cut until full seconds later. Sesshomaru gave another elegant pivot, and promptly punched Inuyasha out of the way. Snickering slightly at the blood on his blade, he bent slightly and wiped the blade on the grass. The silver shone in some places with a splotchy red sheen, dulled slightly by the residue of hanyo blood. Sesshomaru sheathed his sword, ignoring the spasming Inuyasha off to the side.
"Naraku. Where were we?"
Kagura moved too fast for Sesshomaru to get to her; another feather bomb exploded, right in front of him, streaming from a near-invisible fiber of down. Kagura's enormous feather could be seen rising up into the air seconds later, both herself and Naraku on its surface. The wind sorceress was grinning. Sesshomaru growled softly, reaching for Tokijin again. The blue lightning he summoned began to dance across the blade, threatening to be unleashed. Sesshomaru felt the power seep into his hands, and was about to release it-
Something fell from the feather.
Sesshomaru halted the Dragon Strike, reaching out with one hand to catch the falling object. It was a tiny silken pouch, simply glowing with the energy aura of Shikon shards. Sesshomaru opened the pouch; sure enough, there they were, three more. And, sitting firmly underneath them, a single, small, white feather. Think of me, was burned into the back of the feather. Sesshomaru huffed slightly, seeing the words. Either she's flirting with me again, he thought dryly to himself, or there's some hidden message, here. He decided to find out later. Naraku had clearly intended to double-cross him, or use him to kill Inuyasha. Sesshomaru could appreciate the move and its audacity, but he would have done it a whole lot better. Sesshomaru sighed, closing the pouch again and sliding it deep into his robes. No sense in losing that, now. Sesshomaru turned, and glared at Kikyo. The woman was still standing where she had stopped when Inuyasha first confronted him. She looked slightly lost, slightly scared, and slightly angry.
And slightly like she wanted nothing more than to leap at him and just kiss him.
Sesshomaru arched a single eyebrow at her, silently asking for an answer as to why she was still standing there. The priestess's eyes narrowed, a slight pink tinge rose to her cheeks. "I'm waiting for you to go," she said, almost sounding disgusted. Sesshomaru's eyes held a sinister glint at this: he looked sickly amused.
"Tell me what you know about Naraku."
"He dresses up like a baboon?"
Kikyo couldn't even see Sesshomaru move; one second, he was several yards safely in front of her, the next, he was gone. Barely a whoosh of air followed his departure. Kikyo hurriedly turned around in a circle: she couldn't see him. Finally, she decided to just give up. If a demon didn't want to be found, she knew she wouldn't find him.
"I know, my dear Kikyo, that you are in league with him."
The soft voice met her ear so close, she could feel his breath. She found her own breath caught in her chest: Sesshomaru's fur gently touched her shoulder as he leaned closer, one hand coming to rest on her shoulder. "And I also know," Sesshomaru continued, whispering, "that you're interested in me." A more forceful exhale hit Kikyo's ear: a silent snort of laughter. Of course; Sesshomaru would never actually laugh. "Your scent, Kikyo: it betrays you. A dog knows when a female wants him as a mate. She gives off a certain smell." Sesshomaru leaned even closer, and Kikyo feared her lungs would burst. Having him so close…even she could smell him, with a nose merely human. He smelled like the forest itself, and slightly of dog. But it wasn't an unpleasant smell, like a wet dog in August. It was the earthy scent of a wild, untamed animal, the scent of fresh waters from the mountains and sharp winds from the east, of hardened clay, moist earth, and smoky fires. Kikyo could picture the forest itself just by his smell-
"And this female just happens to be leaking this smell like melted snow down the mountains."
Kikyo felt a blush rise to her cheeks: damn demons and their true forms! Why did he have to know?! She knew now that Sesshomaru was likely to kill her: it wasn't long before he realized she was plotting with Naraku. Her heart began to beat faster, and her breath finally came back. In deep pants, she heaved in mouthful after mouthful of oxygen, her body struggling to keep up with the heart she feared would explode.
"I assure you, I can offer you more than Naraku can."
And suddenly, his scent vanished.
Kikyo's heart slowly began to calm; her breathing began to even out. He had left behind only the traces of his voice: "He promised you me. I promise you freedom and a chance." Kikyo wasn't sure what to think. He should have killed her-everything in his character said he would. And he clearly knew: and yet, he didn't do anything? This had to be some joke. He was playing some sick game with them, wasn't he? Kikyo sighed, and glanced over at Inuyasha. The half-demon was lying in a pool of his own blood; oh, dear, she'd better see to that. Naraku wouldn't be happy if an important asset to his plan was killed. He might just bleed to death, poor hanyo. Kikyo slowly walked over to Inuyasha, and tried to see about healing him.
Unfortunately his silver hair didn't help her forget.
A/N: Bwahaha. I updated. Now review!!
