AN: I want to apologize for the last chapter. It was not my intention to upset my readers. It was meant to give a base on the betrayal and where it all started from. It was designed to show why Kagome worked so hard training and learning, and why she would never be able to forgive them for what had happened to her.
Volkswagenlover: I received your message but I was unable to read it as I am still blocked from seeing anything you whether it is incoming or outgoing. Please contact me on FaceBook. I am worried about you.
Chapter 9
"Shouldn't someone go get her? She's been gone for a long time. She could be in trouble." Sango asked, worried her friend would get hurt. She didn't know what happened and she really didn't care. Kagome was back and she was going to start treating her like she used to, and maybe Kagome would come around.
"Leave her be. She will come back, when she is ready." Sesshomaru stated bluntly, not looking at the Slayer or anyone for that matter. All his senses were tuned to the miko's location. He knew she was safe under a barrier. He knew she would need time to collect herself, after feeling her powers and aura flaring and snapping the way that they were.
Saito didn't know what to do or think. Everything was fine until his lords brother opened his mouth, demanding things. He had watched and listened. What he saw frightened him. When Lord InuYasha was released from the spell he and the miko shared. He watched as InuYasha rushed to the bushes to retch. He wanted to know like everyone else, what had happened.
"Mi'lord?" Saito asked quietly, he wasn't sure he should even ask. So he thought of something that he could do for the little miko.
"Hn."
"Do you think, I should try to fix something for Kagome~sama, for when she returns. She might want to eat as humans need more food than youkai, and it has been along time since the miko has eaten anything."
"Yes. She seems to enjoy rabbit." Was all he said, making his servant smile and rush off with Kirara on his heels. Which surprised everyone, but mostly Saito as he stopped, looked at the transformed cat and nodded, before running off into the woods to hunt a rabbit for the little miko.
Sesshomaru wasn't surprised that his servant wanted to do something for the miko. He had been listening to them talk all day. It was nice hearing her soft voice and light giggles. She had reminded him of Rin, but she was so different than his adopted daughter. She had gone through far worse and came out a beautiful woman, even though she appeared ningen, he knew that she was far more than just a simple being.
When she was close enough to him, he had taken in her scent and studied it. She was clearly female, the scent of lilacs, a raging thunderstorm in spring and something not entirely human. Unlike the other humans, Kagome's scent held a hint of something that he couldn't define, though the closest thing he could come up with was light and warmth, that even seemed to warm his cold heart.
He was grateful that his servant was asking questions, as he was getting answers to his many questions and he did enjoy her voice. He was curious about her training and all the things that she had learned in her time away. She was definitely an interesting creature and he wanted to know everything there was about her.
Kikyou was seething with anger, her mate wasn't answering her call. She was so used to having everyone's attention when she wanted it. Now all she got was yelled at, everyone telling her to shut up. All in favor to her wretched reincarnation. She refused to believe that the girl was anything, but her future self. Even her own sister believed, that the girl was her reincarnation.
She had hated the girl from the instant she saw her, she knew that she was the one that had taken her place in the world. She had tried to take InuYasha away from her, even though she never truly loved him, she was lonely and so was he. The man that she wanted while she was still a human, was too intimidated by the powers she had. When she tried to get close to him, he had told her, that it wasn't her, but the fact that she was a priestess and he didn't want the Kami to be angry with him. But he knew it was because she held powers. It was just the way of things, priestess' rarely married.
She had InuYasha almost convinced to use the Jewel to turn human, since she knew that she wouldn't have him as a hanyou, but when she was finally alive again, she was turned into the thing she hated the most. She had mated with InuYasha quickly after arriving, she was angry, that she was turned into a youkai. InuYasha had told her of the trade to make her alive. She was so caught up in the moment that they ended up mating. It was that night that he had turned youkai.
InuYasha had told her that Naraku kept his promise in returning her to the land of the living, that the girl most likely died quickly so that Kikyou could live, and that since her human body was long gone, that it must have been part of Naraku's plan to turn her youkai, to spite them.
Everyone was happy. The monks wind tunnel was gone, the slayer had her brother back, InuYasha had her and she had InuYasha, such as he was.
She knew that InuYasha fell in love with her as did Onigumo, but then again who wouldn't fall in love with her. She was beautiful, intelligent, she was a powerful miko and the reincarnation of the most powerful miko to have ever been born and the creator of the Shikon no Tama. She hated the girl that had stolen her rightful title as the Shikon no Miko. She was nothing, but a pathetic, untrained idiot, that didn't like her place in the scheme of the world.
She wanted to make the girl pay, she wanted her to suffer for ever thinking that she was better than she, herself. She was Kikyou. She wanted to be whom she used to be. The girl will give her the soul she stole. She had hope that once she had her real soul back, that she would be able to turn back into a human and be the miko she was born to be or find a man to marry her or at least bed her.
She new once she got her old body back, she would be a virgin, and everyone knew that once you lost your virginity, you were no longer a miko, you lost your powers. It didn't matter that she had bedded both Naraku and InuYasha while still trapped in a clay body, or the fact that she had bedded others since she mated InuYasha. He just wasn't that aggressive in bed. He was far to gentle.
She had thought of trying to seduce his brother, but the male was just too cold for her tastes. She wanted a male to take care of her, pamper her and give her everything that she derserved.
When she had first returned to the land of the living and had learned that they had betrayed the girl, she had wanted to laugh. She had tried more than once to get rid of her. She was a bit surprised, when Onigumo wanted the girl and not her, but then again the girl could see the shards. Naraku, himself had told her that he feared only two beings and she wasn't one of them. No he feared the Lord of the West and her reincarnation, her copy. She couldn't understand how anyone could fear such a pathetic being. She had wondered if Sesshomaru had a hand in helping the girl to defeat Naraku. Yes, he was a construct of a hanyou: a human that accepted low level youkai into himself, but he was still powerful.
She was so into her thoughts that she hadn't noticed the girl return from her bath, until she heard InuYasha jump down from his perch in the tree and run off towards the river without saying a word to anyone. Her lip curled in disgust, as she looked towards the ningen female. She refused to call her by name, she didn't deserve the respect, that she was demanding from everyone. She also noticed, that the ningen was again ignoring her former friends.
If anything the girl should be bowing down to them, thanking them for just being alive and in their time and she should be kissing her feet, just for the privilege of being in her presence. She was Kikyou, mate to the second son of a Lord of the West and a human hime. So by all rights she was a princess in both societies and that, bitch needed to learn her place in the world.
Sesshomaru watched as Kagome returned to camp and set her bag next to the tree, that was not too far from him, as she was setting up her bedding. Kirara in her kitten form headbutted the her to gain her attention.
"Miko~Sama, I caught some rabbit. I'm not sure if I cooked it correctly. I have also made sure that your nekomata, was fed." Said a red faced, Saito, as he handed her the rabbit, that was still on the stick, that he had skewered it with to cook.
"Thank you, Saito~San, you didn't have to do that for me." Kagome replied, with a smile on her face. It had been so long since someone did anything nice for her. "Would you care to share it. It's more than I can eat on my own." She said as she dug into her bag for plates and chops sticks, along with her cutting board.
"That is most gracious of you, but you don't have too."
"I insist. You went through all the trouble to catch it and cook it, the least I can do is share it."
Saito didn't know what to do, he looked at his master for any clue, since he knew that his master was watching everything to do with the little miko. With the slightest of nods from his lord, Saito accepted the half rabbit and sat down, near the miko, but not too close. He knew his master would be angry, if he got too close to the miko.
"We will be remaining here for the night." Sesshomaru stated. As it was late afternoon and InuYasha had just left, after his ordeal with the miko. He was grateful that she was much calmer, than when she left. "In the morning we will part company with the others."
"No." Kagome said, as she swallowed the bit of food in her mouth.
"Why do you say that, Miko. I was under the impression, that you did not care to travel with them."
"You're correct, I don't want to travel with them, but while I was meditating, It came to me an old saying. 'Keep your friends close, and keep your enemies closer.'. I don't trust them, but I would rather have them under foot, than planning things behind my back. I will not be caught unaware ever again." Kagome stated and lowered her voice so only the two males and the beasts could hear her. "Kikyou is planning something. She is dangerous."
"What do you feel, Miko?" Sesshomaru demanded an answer. He didn't trust the female. If she was planning on harming Kagome, he would make sure she paid dearly.
"It's more than what I feel, I can see it in her aura and the way she carries herself. She is full to the brim with hate and anger towards me. I would rather see it coming, than having to watch over my shoulder, waiting for her to strike." She stated watching his golden orbs.
"Your half-brother got a lesson, that he won't soon forget. I worry though, I can feel that he is very determined about something. I don't know what and that is what worries me." She explained, sensing Sesshomaru's own determination.
"Sango and Miroku seem truly remorseful for what happened, but I can't be sure, if it's because of me or the fact that they can't have offspring, because of their actions or the lose of her brother." She knew that she would have to watch those two closely, just in case.
"They all bare watching. Unfortunately, InuYasha and Kikyou," his lip curled in disgust at the wench's name. It was evident that he didn't like her. "Are part of this ones pack. If I had known about the betrayal, this one would not have accepted them within the pack. This one cannot undo something, that was done so long ago, prior to his acceptance. If it becomes known of their betrayal, then this ones acceptance of them, it would ruin the West." He was seething, and everyone within the group knew it. What InuYasha had done knowingly or not, would state that he, condoned the betrayal on the Shikon no Miko. I could also seriously hinder his want to court and mate said miko.
"So, he betrayed you as well?" Kagome asked, her eyes downcast, fighting the despair that the others caused, on top of their other betrayals. Just how deep were the betrayals.
"It is not your fault, Miko."
"It was not yours either. They betrayed so many. Just to get what they wanted." Kagome stated sadly, with a hint of anger.
"That is true, but know this, Miko, they have not been content." Kagome's head snapped up, to meet the slight smirk on the others face.
"What do mean?"
"InuYasha's mate, is a foul beast, as you have seen these last few days, that is how she always is." Kagome wanted to laugh at the irony of it all. She wouldn't want to wish the hateful female on anyone, but then again, she didn't wish it, InuYasha did. She started to giggle at her own thoughts. She didn't like when others suffered, but after everything she had gone through, it was like being able to see justice being served.
"There's an old say, 'careful of what you wish for, you just may get it'. I guess he got what he wished for and more." Kagome tried to hide her smile and failed.
"Hn." Sesshomaru smirked agreeing with her.
"Do you know of the others?" She asked, quietly.
"This one does not know. They are rarely seen."
"Well, it looks like we have our hands full, between the Necromancer and InuYasha and crew."
"Indeed. Rest, Miko. We will be leaving shortly after first light."
"Fine, but know this, Sesshomaru. I don't need as much rest as most humans." With that she stood, taking the dishes to wash. When she returned, she settled against a tree, weapons at the ready, while she rested against the tree, listening to everything, while her senses where on high alert.
She heard when InuYasha returned to camp, his aura was still not calm, but that was a rare thing in itself. He was rarely calm, he was always agitated, when he was a hanyou. She did take note, that he didn't seem to want to talk to his companions. His aura kept flipping to the point where she had to block him from her senses, as he was making her nauseous.
Kikyou's aura was still angry, to the point if it was water it would be boiling. Sango and Miroku were giving off waves of shame and guilt.
It didn't matter how any of them felt, she wasn't here from them, but that didn't mean that she could ignore them entirely either. They all bore watching. She meant what she said. They were a danger to others and she would make sure that they didn't hurt anyone else, if she could help it. There were too many individuals hurt by their betrayal and the list was growing.
It had surprised her greatly, the things that Sesshomaru told her. They even betrayed him and tied his claws, so that he couldn't retaliate against them, lest he ruin his own reputation. They just added another name to the long list. It made her loath them all that much more.
Sesshomaru was fair and just, if he accepted his half-brother into his pack. She wondered where in the pack he fit. She would have to ask. If she was thinking correctly, he would be the beta, since Sesshomaru was the alpha and that left Sesshomaru in a very sticky place. With her not being a part of the pack, she was just an outsider, asking for aid or alliance.
What made things even more sticky for him, was the fact that she was a miko. She would have to leave after she got Shippo, that is if he wanted to come with her. She couldn't ruin Sesshomaru's reputation anymore than she had.
If Shippo didn't want to travel with her and fight, then she would go on her own. She was used to being alone. She had been alone for a long time. It had been nice to have traveling companions. Well she wouldn't be totally alone, she would have Kirara. That made her smile internally.
But, for however long it took to get to Shippo, she had to watch her back... Damn, I would still have to travel with InuYasha and company, She couldn't leave them behind. Kikyou was the biggest threat at this point, right next to the necromancer. She would have to do something soon to keep her under control.
As she rested, her thoughts ran wild on how she could subdue the inu, when an evil thought sparked. InuYasha still wore the beads. She wondered if they still worked.
So while playing that she was asleep, she mumbled "Sit." The accompanying loud thud, and her startled awaking, from the expletives coming from said youkai, as he lay in an InuYasha shaped whole, made her giggle, while everyone looked at her. She was looking at the InuYasha shaped crater and knew that with her greater powers, it took less force to implant him into the ground and she also noticed that the spell lasted longer than it used to.
"It's good to know, that they still work." She looked to Sesshomaru, seeing amusement in his golden eyes.
"Indeed."
She looked over at the poor stunned Saito. "He wears subduing beads, with a single word from me, he gets planted into the ground. I used to have to subdue him, when he was being... overly stubborn." She smiled.
Turning her focus back on Sesshomaru and whispering so the others wouldn't hear her, she made a request. At his slight nod, she smiled the largest smile, he had seen since her return.
"Miroku?" Sango whispered to her husband. They sat further away from InuYasha and Kikyou, they weren't happy with either of them at this point and didn't really want to be near them, but wanted to be part of the group. They wanted to be near Kagome. She was once their friend and they dearly wanted to have that back.
"What is it, dearest?" He had stopped groping her or others long ago. He loved the attention, but since he married it wouldn't be proper to do that to women, let alone his wife in public, so now he only groped her in private.
"I'm worried." Sango stated, never taking her eyes off of Kagome. "What if she never forgives us. I want my friend back."
"Even if she does forgive us, it will never be the same, Sango. Whatever Naraku did to her, must have been terrible for her to loath us, as much as she does. Have you not seen the pain she carries? She tries to hide it and does well, but when she grabbed InuYasha, I saw it clearly."
"She is so much stronger now. Colder. She is nothing like she used to be, and Kirara wants nothing to do us anymore. Kohaku left us. We can't have children. I don't know what to do anymore. We made so many mistakes, and what do we have to show for it. Nothing. If we would have just fought Naraku like we should have. Kagome would still be Kagome, you would have lost the Wind Tunnel, Kohaku could have lived and we would have been able to have children. I wish we could go back and make things right."
"Unfortunately we can't, but we can try to prove ourselves to her now. By being loyal, like we should have been all along. Protect her like we should have done. She needs to know that we won't betray her again."
"All of this stinks. If we are loyal to Kagome, then we betray InuYasha. It's a lose, lose deal."
"I know Sango. No matter what we do, we will still be betraying one of our friends. That is the price we pay, for what we have done. I know we have never talked about any of this until now. We ignored what was right for our own selfishness. We have to be patient, we have to be there for when Kagome needs us. Between this necromancer, Kikyou and InuYasha, she is going to need all the backing and protection she can get."
"Do you really think that they could be a danger to Kagome?" Sango asked, concerned for her once dear friend, that she had thought of as a sister.
"Yes. You know yourself, how cruel she can be and how determined he can be."
"You're right."
"Get some rest. We will need to be up early, as we have another hard day of traveling."
"Alright." Sango said as she laid down to rest, so many things running through her mind, made falling asleep a challenge.
