Both Tsukimai and Sesshomaru had not moved. Both their gazes locked in on one another, never once breaking contact, except to blink.
"Kagura died." Inuyasha stated as a matter-of-fact.
"She did not."
"We saw it-"
"You saw nothing." Sesshomaru barked back. He knew this surprised his brother, Rin and Kagome. "I, however stood with her till her last breath."
Tsukimai pushed herself off her thighs, she leaned forward defiantly, "You did no such thing! My sister did not die."
The two once again locked eyes, staring angrily. Around them, the pool was beginning to fill as the waterfall had once again begun its path. The water made a deep thudding noise as it hit the empty chasm. Slowly, the noise became a gurgle as water slowly, but surely filled higher. The grass was moist and mushed due the flood of water Tsukimai had spread everywhere, some of the smaller shrubs had uprooted and flowers lay crumbled and shattered around them. Still, no woodland creature had returned to the glen, still sensing the unceasing tension. The silence was piercing. Echoes of previously said words ringing in Sesshomaru's mind. The thrum in his chest had lessened in intensity, but remained irritating all the same. He inhaled the scent of the air, inhaling the scent of the girl just a few paces ahead of him. Her stance still defensive, fists clutched angrily at her thighs.
The silence was broken as Kagome hissed upon moving. Sesshomaru tuned in to his brother's movement, the shuffle of clothing as Inuyasha quickly turned to his wife. He listened to their exchange, Inuyasha asking how she felt; Kagome, stubbornly reaffirming she would be fine. He assumed the sharp darts of water that assaulted her back were the source of her discomfort. He turned his head at the sound of Rin's gasp.
"Miroku-sama! Sango-nee-sama!" Rin ran to the two unconscious bodies. Other than their clothes being soaked, they seemed unharmed. "Sesshomaru-sama, we have to help them! I'm going to get Ah-Un and Kirara!"
"Rin."
"She won't be harmed." Tsukimai said. "Even I can tell there are no threats here. Your names are famous in these lands."
Rin had already made her way back to the village. Kagome gingerly stood up, holding the crook of Inuyasha's arm for support, his other hand was on the small of her back, making sure not to touch the welts. "Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango and Miroku the travelling group of warriors; and Sesshomaru the wandering Lord. Who would ever dare attack you." Something about her tone and the way she spoke made Sesshomaru feel agitated. It was almost as if she was angered by them. However, to his recollection, he had never encountered her in his travels. If what Inuyasha had said previously was true, then he and his had never encountered her either.
Before he could try and goad her on, Rin had returned on Ah-Un's back with Kirara, in her full size, behind them. Jaken leapt off from behind Rin, rushing to his side. "Sesshomaru-sama, I was so worried! I thought for sure you were leaving me in the village."
Usually he would give Jaken a snide reply, however this was not the time to question his vassal's trust. He turned wordlessy towards the monk and the slayer, grabbing the monk unceremoniously by the waist. He turned to Inuyasha, who just finished helping Kagome onto Kirara's back. As soon as she reassured him that she was secure, he went to pick up Sango, holding her neck in one elbow, and the back of her knees in the other. Sesshomaru heaved Miroku onto Ah-Un's back. The Dragon grunting at the new weight. He took the reigns from Rin and turned to the village. Before he made his way, he heard his sister-in-law call back to the water youkai. "Hey, if you come with us peacefully, we'd like to hear what you out."
"What!?"
"Inuyasha, she knows something about Kagura." Hearing that name struck a nerve in Sesshomaru. A nerve that caused the agitating thrum to swell, just a tad. "She helped us many times. And we couldn't save her."
"Well it's too late now, ain't it. She's dead."
"She is not!" Tsukimai yelled. As she did, the water behind her burst in deep ripples, reflecting her anger. "She's not. I can prove it."
Sesshomaru had heard enough. He took a stride forward, he felt his temper beginning to boil.
"You." He knew she was addressing him. "You claim to have been there with her. What did you see."
Sesshomaru took another few steps forward, without replying or even giving a hint as to what he was thinking. Truth be told, he just wanted the pounding in his chest to stop. He wanted to forget her and forget that moment with her. Staring at her, as she sat defenseless and pathetic – dying.
"What did you see?" Tsukimai yelled again. The sharp smell of tears assailed his nose. She was a fool to believe he would be swayed by her tears. He heard yet again, yelp out to him. Again, he refused to respond.
"She was smiling." Rin said. "Sesshomaru-sama told us she was smiling."
"Her corpse was smiling." Tsukimai said dryly.
"No, there was no corpse." Kagome responded.
"Then how can you prove she died."
"And how can you prove she lives." Sesshomaru finally spoke, he pivoted to her. The girl had pushed her limits, and he was going to silence her. He would break her spirit, before she would break his. "Miasma ate her from the heart and outwards. Her blood stained the white anemones in the field. And you claim she did not die. Have you a body to show?"
Tsukimai stood still. Sesshomaru's gaze deepened. She was silent, but her body showed confidence. She stood tall, her hands at her side. Her fingertips fell just at the hem of her short kimono. Her pale lips were tight, and pressed together.
"Wait a second." Jaken's high-pitched voice interrupted. "If you're Kagura's sister, are you a surviving incarnation of Naraku's?" He hated to admit that, Jaken made a good point. His body stiffened defensively, he stepped between Tsukimai and Rin; Inuyasha's hand flew to tessaiga, as he also put himself between the water youkai and Kagome.
The girl scoffed. "Disgusting. Do not even insinuate such a thing."
"But, Kagura was a woman born of Naraku."
Tsukimai let out a growl of frustration, before retaliating at the imp. "Silence! The body you saw was born of Naraku. Not Kagura, herself."
She was met with silence. Sesshomaru's mind began to bubble with thoughts over this revelation. But there was a chance she was lying. This was validated by the fact that Tsukimai had attacked them, posed a threat to them, then suddenly begged for help. Perhaps she was a trap, a last surviving and loyal incarnate, waiting to exact revenge. Of all people to use though, why Kagura. She could have baited them with one another, used Rin or Kohaku. She could have destroyed the village or gone straight for Kagome. Was there method, in her madness, Sesshomaru wondered. The possibility of this being a trap began to become less and less likely. But, if she was telling the truth, there was a chance that Kagura lived. If she was telling the truth, there was a chance he did not fail.
Perhaps the silence went on for too long. It seemed something in the girl snapped. "You-you fools. Did you think Naraku some sort of god." She hissed venomously. Her rant began "Did you believe that he could be so powerful as to produce purebred youkai despite being a hanyou, himself? That he could delegate the powers of wind, and void and illusion, while being but a spider hanyou? Not even born of natural birth himself. The audacity of you all. Only Lord Izanagi and Lady Izanami could have such power, and they have never desecrated such a great power."
Oddly enough, he never thought of it that way. He turned to his comrades. From the looks on their faces, they seemed to have never thought of it that way either.
"Come with us, Tsukimai." Kagome invited, "It seems we have a lot to learn."
I'm sorry, it's so short and super dialogue driven and exposition heavy... but I really couldn't elegantly end this. I wanted it to end off like... not dragging?
Anyways, your comments seriously inspire me. I love you all Kudo'ers and Commenters!
