Disclaimer: Dulcet:-clears throat- I do not now, nor will I ever own Inu Yasha.
Koneko: Speak for yourself! -sings- A-huntin' I will go! A-huntin' I will go! Gonna catch the entire cast, a-huntin' I will go!
Chapter Seven: "I'm sure that it's for the best..."
Yuki plopped back down onto the bed, feeling utter shock at her outburst. What was going on with her lately? Never before had her temper been this active. She was usually a very calm person... What was wrong with her?! "Well…" she began to say before smiling foolishly up at her friend, "I feel dumb."
She now realized the large error of her way and knew fully well that she should have never accused kind Kagome of helping Sesshomaru the way she had just done. But then, Yuki felt a wave of exhaustion sweep over her weary body and she let out a yawn, signifying her lack of energy that the events of the day had caused.
Smiling at Yuki, Kagome stood up, telling her, "You must be tired after all that's happened. You can sleep in my bed tonight."
"No, no," Yuki protested, standing up from her spot and stretching, "Just because I'm here, doesn't mean you should surrender your bed. I'll just go sleep downstairs on the couch."
Being the good hostess she was, Kagome tried to argue, but the other girl would not budge in her statement. "I will be able to sleep in a bed soon enough," she assured Kagome, "One more night won't hurt me."
Once again about to go against the offer, Kagome opened her mouth to say something, but stopped herself and smiled. "Okay," she finally agreed, "You're the guest, after all. Whatever you want." But as Yuki went back downstairs, a pillow and folded blanket in her arms, she couldn't help but smirk to herself, knowing that there had been a hint of gratitude in Kagome's grin. However, if she had known what was to come then she would have gladly accepted the offer of a chance to sleep in a bed.
As Yuki laid herself down onto the small, yet comfortable couch, thoughts of Sesshomaru drifted back into her mind. Why was he being so persistent with her? It just didn't make any sense in the least bit! First, he scorned the very human race to which Yuki happily belonged, and then he takes her as a companion. He had to have some reason for wanting her and not just some other human or female. But what? What was so special about her that would make Sesshomaru want her so much?
Then again, Sesshomaru did strike Yuki, and hurt her very badly, simply so that she would stay with him. So, the more and more that Yuki pondered these facts, the more she began to believe that there MUST have been something unique about her that he needed… but what? WHAT?
Yuki knew for a fact that any of Sesshomaru's feelings for her (not that there were any) had nothing to do with his reasons… that is, unless the feelings came from somewhere below the belt. And after seeing the way that he had been eying her while she was wearing that towel, Yuki couldn't dispel that new motivation. But she still knew that there had to be some other reason. He wouldn't go through all of this trouble for any reason like that.
And after all, he must have been plotting this entire capture from the very beginning. Ever since he had seen her, Sesshomaru must have been plotting. That is… unless he was just waiting for a use for her…
Yuki put her hands over her ears as if trying to block out the sounds of her own thoughts. These stupid possibilities were endless! If only she had known more about the situation, she might have been able to uncover Sesshomaru's intentions! And now she'll probably never know because soon she'd never have see him or that stupid place of the past again!
Wait… never have to see them again… If she was leaving this entire memory behind, then why was she fretting about it at all? Why was she wracking her sanity over the futile and meaningless puzzle? There was no point in it! And yet, even now as she realized this, Yuki found that she was still as curious and determined to uncover the secret as ever. She still wanted to know. But deep in her heart, she knew that she would never discover the answer that she was looking for. And so she finally closed her eyes and slept.
It was apparent in the expression of those enraged golden eyes and the way that Sesshomaru's lips formed soundless words that the message unheard were only phrases of acid, slicing at Yuki as she stood before him, her eyes staring at the ground as her hands curled into fists, tight with hatred. But neither he nor she seemed to notice the flaming circle that surrounded them, growing stronger and closer, feeding on Sesshomaru's fury as he went on.
He then made his way over to Yuki, slowly tilted her head upwards so that she was looking into his lustrous orbs that now reflected the enclosing inferno. Then, he slowly coiled a clawed hand around her throat, and tightly he began to squeeze, cutting off her breath. She was dying. He knew the one only way to extinguish this raging fire… and he was going to satisfy that need.
Yuki's hand went to his, trying to force it off, but the hold wouldn't give in to her futile attempts. However, not even now did she become scared. This only increased her anger towards the threat. But the blaze surrounded them, drawing nearer and nearer. And the longer Sesshomaru held on, the more Yuki struggled, the more both of their tempers heightened. But Sesshomaru didn't make a move to flee the incoming danger. As his glare then intensified, so did the fire, becoming hotter and hotter as it came nearer.
Air was running low for the struggling human. She couldn't breath. She couldn't think. She couldn't even cry out in fury or terror or even desperation. But the incoming wall only crept closer, now playing at her back and setting her kimono aflame, the fire beginning to lick and caress her bare skin with its hot and intense touch. It was at this point, right before she was about to die, that she forced herself to whimper out the one word that she knew Sesshomaru wanted to hear: "Sorry."
With that, Sesshomaru dropped Yuki to the ground, her hands going to her liberated throat as she gasped and choked for breath. The blaze then quickly retreated into the darkness. And after finally recovering from the incident, Yuki looked up to Sesshomaru whose voice now came into true sound, "Your hatred for me will only bring on my wrath as I attempt to exterminate that feeling towards me. So keep your anger to yourself and it won't end up getting you killed."
So… the fire had been the true threat, not Sesshomaru. And the fire was Yuki's anger, then? Was her developing temper a threat? Well, if Sesshomaru was willing to kill her over it then it could be. But it had been Sesshomaru who had started the fire. It had been Sesshomaru who had been feeding the fire of Yuki's fury the entire time. Why should he not tend to it then?
Yuki awoke, her brow dampened with a cold sweat while her body was still hot with the intense dream flames' heat. 'Only a dream,' she thought her herself, trying to relax once again, 'Only a dream…'
But what had it meant? If the fire had resembled her hatred for Sesshomaru, and Sesshomaru was trying to put the fire out, did that mean that he wanted to rid Yuki of her fury? If so, then why? Was the reason because he simply didn't like being hated? No… plenty of people MUST have hated him. How could anyone not?
Then if the motive was indeed not because he disliked being hated, perhaps he only disliked being hated so openly as Yuki did. Of course, there was always the possibility that it wasn't her hatred that he found noisome, but her arrogance that was caused by it. But Yuki wasn't THAT arrogant… was she?
Now, like always when Yuki came into one of these situations, she hit not just a crossroad, but a place where the path disappeared altogether so that she would only know where she was going when she arrived. Heaving a heavy sigh of defeat, she shifted in her spot where she laid on the sofa. Well, at least she would be able to turn around on this particular path and forget every dead end she had ever come to.
And just as Yuki was once again about to close her eyes and slip into sleep, a light clicked on in the other room. "Are you sure, Grampa?" questioned Kagome's hushed voice, "I mean come on, this is Yuki we're talking about here! She didn't even know that demons existed until she stumbled down the well."
Yuki's eyes instantly popped back open at the sound of her name being mentioned. They were talking about her! But why? They must know something that she didn't! "I'm positive Kagome," came the reply from the old man, "You know what you have to do, right?"
"Uh…no, sorry. I forgot"
There was a grave tone in the grandfather's reminder as he answered, "You have to take her back to the Feudal Era. She's too dangerous here while she's in this state."
'State?' Yuki pondered, 'What state? There's nothing wrong with me… Wait. Did he just say "take her back"? No way! I am NOT staying behind! She promised that she would bring me back! She promised!'
"Alright, Gramps," she sighed, "I'm sure Inu Yasha and the others could watch over her until Yuki is better." But the curious "sleeping" girl was deprived of anymore information as Kagome let out a yawn.
"Go to bed," her grandparent told her, "You need your rest."
"Okay," Kagome responded, walking away, "Night."
'Is there something wrong with me?' Yuki wondered, fearing that she might have caught a deadly disease in the Feudal Era that she hadn't noticed, 'Well… it's Kagome. I'm sure that she wouldn't do me wrong. I'm sure that it's for the best.'
"Good morning, sleepy head!" came the cheery voice of the other high school student. Yuki slowly cracked open her eyes, only to shut them again against the bright light of the morning sun that was shining brightly through the nearby window. "C'mon!" Kagome urged, "I made you breakfast!"
Opening one eye halfway, Yuki saw that Kagome was standing in front of her, a breakfast tray in hand. 'I guess it's about time I got up then,' came the whining voice inside of Yuki's head.
Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Yuki uttered a few words of humble thanks before taking the first bite of the food. After that, its delectable taste didn't make it hard to satisfy her hungry stomach.
"So, are you ready to go then?" Kagome questioned as she cleaned up the remains of the morning meal. It was so odd to Yuki that her friend could pretend that nothing was wrong with the proposal that she had just made. Didn't she feel the least bit guilty that she was about to betray her friend?
But Yuki could only do her best to play along. "What? Where are we going?" she asked, with a perfect tone of fake curiosity and confusion in her voice.
"You don't remember? To get Sesshomaru back to the Feudal Era," Kagome replied as she began to enter the kitchen to put the dishes into the sink, "He's conscious now and I need you to help me."
After sighing lightly that she could only hope that Kagome hadn't heard, Yuki arose from her seat on the couch. 'I'm sure that it is for the best,' she kept thinking to herself as Kagome reappeared and then lead her outside, 'I'm sure it's for the best.'
BANG! Yuki looked around the yard, searching for any possible source of that loud commotion. Then it sounded again, sharper and louder this time, BANG! That was when Yuki first noticed the change in the shrine's appearance. It was covered top to bottom with all sorts of spells and sutras!
With every thunderous boom that came from inside, the entire shack seemed to pulse with purple light as the sutras prevented Sesshomaru from breaking through. 'Hah!' Yuki thought smugly to herself, 'And Sesshomaru said that they couldn't contain him!'
Upon reaching the entrance to the small structure, Yuki noted that Kagome carefully tore away one of the sutras that was placed partially on the door and on the door frame. This must have been why Sesshomaru was trying to break through the walls. The spell wouldn't let him open the door.
Kagome then slowly slid open the door and entered, followed shortly and hesitantly by Yuki.
'I'm sure that it's for the best.'
Sesshomaru had quit his struggles and stood slightly hunched and panting from the effort. Those charms must have been pretty powerful to keep him in and wear him out like that!
Then, as his eyes fell upon Yuki, he straightened up and fixed his disheveled clothing, then returned to staring at her. Yuki stared blankly back at him, unafraid and yet hiding the rage that smoldered inside of her. The rage was not only towards the demon for taking her captive, but it was also directed towards her friend for returning her to her prison.
'I'm sure that it's all for the best.'
But Kagome didn't notice the other two as she went to go close the door again. Nor did she pay their behaviors any attention as she turned back to face them. "Okay Sesshomaru," said she, "It's time to go back now."
Then, to both of the girls' amazement, Sesshomaru turned away from them and began to slowly make his way towards the well. Neither girl could believe their eyes! Not so much as a quick retort or an argument of any sort! Then after coming within a foot of the small fount, he stopped and turned to face the other two and waited.
Kagome was the first to regain her senses. "So just like that?" she interrogated, almost suspiciously, "You're gonna come with us peacefully?"
"There is one condition," he corrected her, and then turned his gaze to Yuki, "You have to come with me…"
And there it was; the loophole that for a couple of moments, Yuki had thought not to exist. But as Sesshomaru spoke, Kagome cut him off, "Done! She'll go with you!"
Yuki shot a surprised glance at her, feeling the deep betrayal that she had expected ever since that conversation she had overheard the other night.
'I'm SO sure it's all for the best!'
"I appreciate your quick consent, but I think I should tell you what you have just agreed to," Sesshomaru told her, "Now that you have permitted this, not only does she have to come with me, but she will also stay with me without the hope of being rescued by you or your companions, including Inu Yasha."
"Is that what I just agreed to?!" Kagome squealed as she received the most deadly of glares from Yuki's violet eyes.
'No WAY is this all for the best!'
"I swear, Yuki," Kagome shouted, panic filling her eyes, "I didn't mean it!" Then she turned back to Sesshomaru, "Sesshomaru, there has to be something else! How about we just let you borrow her for a week in return for letting you go back home?"
"You don't seem to understand the situation, so I will explain it to you," Sesshomaru replied as he began to slowly approach the women, "I'm not the one who wants to leave this place. You are the ones who are sending me away. So, in order to get what you want, I want something in return, and that's her!"
"Hey! I don't know who you think you are, but I can tell you that you are not the boss of Kagome or me!"
"Really?" he asked, "Well, according to your so-called 'friend' I am, and you are coming with me, whether you want to, or not."
With that, Sesshomaru picked Yuki up off of the ground and slung her over his shoulder, making his way back to the well.
"What the hell are you doing? Let go!" she screamed as she wildly struggled against Sesshomaru, banging her fists uselessly on his back while kicking and screaming. But Sesshomaru simply ignored her shouts and continued on until he finally reached the well and jumped down it and back to the Feudal Era.
Once back out again, Sesshomaru set Yuki down onto the grassy ground, grabbed her wrist and began pulling her along as she continued to struggle the entire way. But she did eventually stop to let out a low growl of frustration at the situation. Then suddenly, at the top of her lungs she yelled, "Bad! Bad boy!"
Flames enveloped the man, causing him to release Yuki's wrist as he bent over, putting a hand to his face and the other to his torso at the torture of the heat. But Yuki didn't move though. She didn't run either. She could only stand and watch in fascination as the fire eventually died out, leaving a very agitated Sesshomaru. As he slowly straightened once again, he shot daggers of pure anger at her with his eyes. "Don't… ever… do that… again," he huffed.
But Yuki just slapped him across the face, and continued to yell at her determined keeper, "What do you think you're doing?! You obviously don't like me in the least bit, so why do you keep doing this? Just tell me what the hell is going on!"
As she continued and went on with her rant, it seemed that Sesshomaru didn't hear her words as he slowly turned his head back to look at her. He gave her the most demonic of glowers that Yuki had ever seen as his eyes glowed red. It instantly shut her up and cut off her words as she stared up at him, not feeling so brave anymore as he took a step towards her, causing her to take a step back.
"You have no idea how relieved I will be to get rid of you," he growled. 'What?' Yuki thought as she froze in her place, 'So he wasn't planning on me staying with him then? He doesn't plan on killing me, does he?'
Then he once again grabbed Yuki's arm and once again began to pull her along. "Ow!" she cried, "That hurts!"
And finally fed up with her, Sesshomaru just slammed her against a nearby tree in response. "Believe me; it is going to hurt a lot worse if you don't shut that annoying hole in your face!"
For the first time, Yuki was actually terrified by his threats and his piercing stare. Not just afraid… but terrified. Those beautiful eyes… tainted with the intimidating fire of anger. Thankfully, Sesshomaru released the hold that kept Yuki's back to the trunk, but immediately afterwards scooped her into his arms, carrying her bridal style as he darted off into the forest.
His speed was incredible and it even a little frightening. After all, he could have simply dropped her at any moment, accidentally or not, and she probably would have gotten hurt very badly on contact with the ground.
Yuki had to close her eyes to help avoid her fear of being abandoned by him in this very way. In fact, she was so scared of this ride that she actually grabbed onto Sesshomaru's shirt and cowered, turning her head so that her face was digging into the cloth that she held in her fingers.
'Oh God! This damn well better be for the best!'
Then suddenly, they came to a halt. Yuki didn't move for a moment, nor did Sesshomaru. He simply stood in his spot, looking down at his cargo with newly restored patience. Then, slowly Yuki opened her eyes to find a HUGE surprise. This wasn't the campsite at all...
