Chapter Nine: Campfire Confessions – The Game of Truth
"Sesshomaru?" Kagome questioned. "What is he doing here?"
"I don't know, but I'm gonna find out!" Inuyasha bellowed and drew Tetsusaiga, vaulting deeper into the woods.
Without a second thought, everyone chased into the woods after him, Kagome calling out his name.
"Who is Sesshomaru?" Ouija called out to Kagome, out of breath.
"Inuyasha's older brother!"
"Then why did he draw his sword?"
"They hate each other! They fight every time they meet!"
Finally, they reached the edge of yet another clearing. Inuyasha stood several yards out, his sword bared and his knees bent. He was ready to battle. Midfield, Ouija saw, was a tall man with silver hair longer than her own, and a white kimono. She thought it impossible, but from this distance, she could see every minute detail.
His hair was long and silver, rather than white like Inuyasha's. It fluttered against his calves in the light breeze. His kimono was fine white silk, bell sleeved and decorated at the left shoulder with dozens of small red pentagons with red flowerlike shapes in the centers. He wore armor that she could see was just beginning to wear down just a bit. Over it, there was a long white and blue obi, tied in a knot on his abdomen, the tails swinging over his knees. The armor rose up his chest and ended with a spiked metal strip that ran horizontal over his chest and then rose in an arc over his shoulder. And then, a peculiar accessory to this wardrobe, if that's what it turned out to be. There was what seemed to be an enormous white boa slung over his shoulder, curling out behind him, almost like a tail.
Ouija's eyes moved up to study his facial features. She narrowed them slightly, tilting her head in slight confusion. And then she straightened and blinked several times. What a man.
His eyes were bright amber, like Inuyasha's. But, unlike Inuyasha's this man's eyes were dangerous and intimidating. Dashed over his lid was a red shadow, making his eyes pop. Ouija found herself staring at his eyes longer than anything else. But then, something took her by her surprise. On either cheek was a pair of burgundy stripes. Adorning his forehead, visible between the split in his bangs, was an indigo crescent moon. His ears were pointed, she noticed, probably better suited for acute hearing.
Those eyes captivated her. They were gorgeous! Like crystalline pools of topaz, they made her shiver. And those eyes, at this particular moment, were locked on Inuyasha. It was almost as if he noticed nothing else around him. There was such a deep hatred of the half demon there that Ouija nearly cringed away.
"What the hell are you doing here, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha demanded gruffly.
"That is none of your concern, Inuyasha." He spat back icily.
Ouija felt the hairs on her arms stand on end at his voice. She exhaled sharply. Kagome eyed her suspiciously, her eyes running over her cousins features repeatedly.
"The hell it isn't," Inuyasha growled, shifting Tetsusaiga in his hands, passing more of the weight into his left hand to relieve the tremendous burn on his right arm. "There are humans around here. You around humans only means trouble."
Ouija saw the corner of Sesshomaru's mouth twitch, as if he were fighting a smile.
"Why the hell are you here!"
Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I have come for what rightly belongs to me," he hissed and before Ouija was able to blink, he was at Inuyasha's throat.
Sesshomaru grasped Inuyasha by the neck, his claws digging dangerously deep into the skin. Ouija noticed now that Sesshomaru had only one arm. She also noticed markings on his wrist that were similar to the burgundy ones on his cheeks. Where else, she mused, might those markings be?
"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed, nearly racing forward. Ouija grabbed her arms and held her back.
"Stupid! You're gonna get hurt!"
"You are not fit to wield the Tetsusaiga. Give it to me, and I shall spare your insignificant life." Sesshomaru murmured dangerously.
"Still going on about that damn sword, eh?" he wheezed. "In your dreams, Sesshomaru!" And then, he swung Tetsusaiga at Sesshomaru's chest.
Sesshomaru, though, was simply too fast. He dropped Inuyasha and jumped back, watching in satisfaction as Inuyasha fell to the ground at his unexpected release. He clutched his throat and groaned. Sesshomaru's eyes snapped open wide and he rushed at Inuyasha again, his hand raised high over his hand.
But an unexpected occurrence saved Inuyasha's life. Something in the air had changed. A sickly sweet smell had floated through the air and filled Ouija's lungs. She winced at the smell, and instantly recognized it as an acidic substance that was emanating from Sesshomaru's claws. It didn't occur to her that she shouldn't be able to smell something so far away. Her eyes opened wide and her jaw dropped. A direct hit was sure to kill Inuyasha. And then, she reacted upon pure instinct.
Just before Sesshomaru reached Inuyasha, Ouija slid fluidly between them, slashing at Sesshomaru with her own claws. The surprised demon Lord jumped back, away from the lengthy claws that surpassed his own and evading a serious injury. And he locked eyes with her.
They narrowed slightly, taking her in. "Who are you to interfere?"
Ouija exhaled sharply and stood upright. "As much as I would love to see Inuyasha get his ass kicked, I'm not gonna let some pompous bastard fight dirty against him." She retorted.
Sesshomaru growled, a deep throaty sound that made a chill run down Ouija's spine. She hid it well. Behind her, Inuyasha growled aloud.
"Get the hell outta here, Ouija. I have everything under control."
"Yeah, that's why you would've been killed if I hadn't stepped in."
"Shut up. You don't know what you're dealing with here."
Ouija's eyes never left Sesshomaru. His eyes never left her. They were sizing one another up. Every step she took, Sesshomaru countered faultlessly.
"Be careful, Ouija!" she heard Kagome call, but didn't respond.
"Who are you?" Sesshomaru questioned, his voice almost nonchalant. "You seem familiar."
Ouija growled, surprising herself at how feral it sounded to her own ears. "Stop trying to distract me," she snapped.
"Huh." Sesshomaru said. "Clever girl."
He stopped then and tilted his head slightly. "What are you? You aren't human, and yet you aren't demon."
"She's not either at this point," Inuyasha said in a clipped voice, stepping to Ouija's side. "She's got Irukandji's soul inside her body."
Sesshomaru's eyes widened momentarily, but he didn't speak.
"You never answered my question, jackass." Inuyasha shouted. "Why are you here?"
It was Ouija who spoke this time. However, her voice had changed. Inuyasha automatically stepped away from her, recognizing the deep guttural growl that intertwined with Ouija's voice. Irukandji had taken over again. "He has come for me."
"Huh?" Inuyasha was dumbfounded. Then, he turned to Sesshomaru. "You came for her?"
Irukandji chuckled darkly. "He sensed my aura when I arrived in this time," she said, taking a menacing step towards Sesshomaru. "It was said I perished long ago. He came to see it for himself."
Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. "And it is true. You have returned from the dead."
Irukandji laughed. "Not quite, dog." Sesshomaru bared his teeth, surprising Inuyasha. She must really get under his skin if she can anger him so quickly. "I simply reside in this new body from another time. Your father did quite a job on my last one."
"I will finish what my father began."
And then he rushed her. She laughed aloud as she disappeared from his path. She reappeared behind him and leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "Still not quite as quick as the Great Dog, I fear."
Sesshomaru grunted and whirled around, bringing his claws with him. Irukandji gasped softly and jumped back in a crouch. She reached up to her cheek slowly, touching a now bleeding cut. She cringed, recognizing the Poison Flower Claw that Sesshomaru's father used on her so many years ago.
She rose to her feet leisurely and smirked at the demon Lord just two feet away from her. Their eyes were locked, and Irukandji bowed slightly, almost mockingly. "Until next time, Lord Sesshomaru."
And Ouija collapsed. She slumped forward and Sesshomaru's arm wrapped around her back, leaning her against him. Wordlessly, he laid her limp form on the ground, and began to walk away.
"Wait," Inuyasha's voice said.
Sesshomaru stopped in his tracks, refusing to turn around.
"You caught her. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to be a gentleman for once."
"Which is more than can ever be said for you, little brother."
Inuyasha growled. "Why didn't you kill her when you had the chance to?"
"I needn't explain myself to the likes of you."
And he continued into the forest, disappearing into shadow.
Kagome burst into an all out run and threw herself into Inuyasha. "Are you alright?" she rushed, reaching up for Inuyasha's neck.
He grunted softly. "It's nothing."
Kagome, knowing he'd heal within a few hours, dropped to her knees by Ouija and winced as she observed the poor girls' cheek. It was swollen, bruised, and a fair sized cut oozed a disturbing greenish fluid, angry, puckered red around the edges. Sesshomaru's poison.
"How do we stop the poison?" she asked, borderline hysterical. She took Ouija's hand into her own, gasping at the touch. "She's freezing."
"Where's Myoga when you need him?" Inuyasha grumbled, dropping to one knee beside her as well. "She's out cold."
"Ouija was able to fight off Irukandji, but it took an enormous amount of energy to accomplish such a feat." Miroku chimed in. "Irukandji's soul is constantly battling with Ouija's, trying to merge them together. It seems as though Ouija's resisting."
Kagome made a soft sound. "Poor Ouija."
Sango reached into a pouch inside her kimono and brought out a small vial. "Here. Pour this into the wound. It should neutralize the toxins."
"Thank you so much, Sango," Kagome whispered as she took the small glass tube, popping the cork out and letting the clear liquid trickle into the cut, drop by drop.
Slowly, Ouija resurfaced from the black waters of unconsciousness. Within minutes, she was struggling to sit up. Kagome helped her.
Ouija groaned heavily and clutched her head. "Oh. What happened to me? I feel like I've been hit by a truck."
"Irukandji took over. You don't remember?"
"No, I remember seeing Sesshomaru, and I remember saving Inuyasha's butt." He growled. "And then, nothing."
Kagome exchanged a glance with Inuyasha. "Last time, when you fought with Inuyasha, you could remember."
"I know," she murmured, refusing to admit that this time had scared her. She couldn't remember a thing. What if she had killed someone?
"You almost fought Sesshomaru."
Ouija looked at her, surprised. "I did?"
"He knows who you are now. He said he was going to finish what his father started. He swung, you dodged. But he got your cheek."
Ouija swallowed and reached up with a trembling hand, her fingernails now back to normal. She hissed when she touched the cut, searing pain shooting down her jaw. "Ah," she dropped her hand. "He poisoned me!"
"Sango gave you an antidote," Inuyasha said, now standing with his arms stuffed into his sleeves. "If she hadn't you'd be hurting a lot more, trust me."
Ouija grunted as she brought herself to her feet. She stared out towards the forest, where she somehow knew Sesshomaru had disappeared to. His elegant, beautiful face appeared in her mind. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. What a man.
The soft orange glow of a dancing flame always seemed to have a calming effect on Ouija. She sighed softly as she stared at the campfire, strumming her guitar idly. Miroku and Inuyasha had decided to spend a few hours in the hot spring to relax tense muscles, and Kagome had insisted that the hot waters would kill any bacteria that may have made their way into Inuyasha's wound.
So, the girls and Shippo had cuddled around the fire, a comfortable silence falling over them as Ouija took out her guitar and strummed. Kagome was the first to speak.
"Something happened last night," she murmured, almost unsure she wanted to say it aloud. "Something that's got me very confused."
Ouija smirked. "I told you to use protection."
"No, not that!" Kagome stammered, her face ablaze. Sango glanced back and forth between them, confused.
Ouija shook her head. "You don't want to know. Trust me."
Sango smiled uneasily. "I'll take your word for it."
Ouija cleared her throat and laid her hand over the strings to silence them. "So what's the newest mind splinter?"
Kagome's eyes glided over her surroundings. "Can Inuyasha hear?"
Ouija was silent a moment and suddenly laughed. "No, he's talking with Miroku."
Kagome made a mental note to ask what about later. "You know Inuyasha stayed in my room." Sango's lips parted. "Nothing bad happened, I promise. But, after I had lain down, I guess Inuyasha waited a while so I would fall to sleep. And I almost did. Until…"
"Until?" Ouija pressed.
"Until he laid down beside me."
Ouija and Sango took in deep breaths simultaneously. "Really now?" Ouija said, smiling. "What else happened?"
"He, uh," she faltered, licking her lips. She could feel her face burning. "He wrapped his arm around me. He smelled and played with my hair, and he touched my face a little…"
Ouija squealed. Kagome and Sango looked up in alarm, only to Find Ouija nearly jumping in joy. "Finally! Some progress!" She slapped her knee and grinned. "I knew that boy wasn't all living-dead-girl up there." She said and tapped her temple.
Sango smiled gently. Good. She liked hearing things like this from Kagome. Maybe Inuyasha could forget about Kikyo and move on and stop hurting Kagome.
"Alrighty then," Ouija announced and lifted the guitar strap off her shoulder, resting the guitar gently on the thick forest grass. On her other side, Shippo lay inside Kagome's sleeping back, sleeping soundlessly. "Let's play the Game of Truth."
Kagome bit her lip. "Just between us girls, okay?"
Ouija nodded. "Of course."
"Okay. You start."
Ouija leaned back scratching her neck with the rounded tips of her fingernails. "Hmm. Kagome."
Kagome swallowed hard. Here it comes.
"Do you love Inuyasha?"
Kagome froze. She simply became a statue, unblinking, barely breathing.
"Kagome?" Sango asked gently.
"I, uh,"
"Remember. The Game of Truth. It's not like you're gonna get made fun of, Kagome. And we won't tell him either way."
Kagome's breath hitched. "Yes." She whispered
Ouija's breath left her in a rush. "Thank you!" she praised, throwing her hands up. Kagome laughed uneasily, her heart pounding in her ears. "It comes out!"
"K-Kagome," Sango whispered, reaching for her best friend and touching her arm gently.
Kagome swallowed again, her eyes moist as she smiled and shrugged.
"Okay. You go now, Kagome." Ouija said, uncrossing her legs and re-crossing them.
Kagome smiled. "All right. I know this question's a bit raunchy for me, but it seems like you might be experienced." She began, looking at Ouija. Ouija bounced her foot. "Are you a…" she faltered, licking her dry lips. "Have you ever been with someone?"
Ouija smiled and bowed her head, quickly lifted it again, and shrugged. "The Game of Truth. Yeah. I have."
Kagome nodded, breathing in slowly. "How many?"
"Two. But, one I don't really count, because I didn't want to do it." At Kagome's appalled expression, Ouija rolled her eyes. "No, I didn't get raped, Kags. But I let didn't stop things when I should have. I wasn't ready. That was my first, and I learned my lesson, because I felt awful afterwards. So, just a word of advice, make sure you want to do it before you do, and not just because they talked you into it. Okay?"
Kagome and Sango both nodded.
"Oh, so Miss Sango is a virgin too, eh?"
Sango's cheeks flushed. "Um, yes."
Ouija laughed softly. "Okay. Your turn, Sango."
Sango stammered. "Um, I can't think of anything. You go, Ouija."
Ouija smiled. She licked her lips as she stared up at the star studded sky, thinking. "Alright. I've got one." Her eyes flickered from Sango to Kagome. "What do you really think of Sesshomaru?"
Kagome and Sango looked at one another, unsure of their answers themselves.
"I think there's a lot more to him than he would ever care anyone to know," Sango said, looking at Ouija. "Other than that, I don't know anything about him. I see him when he shows up once in a blue moon, and that's it."
Kagome was silent for a few moments. "Hmm. Well, I agree with Sango, and I also believe that he's not near as cold and emotionless as he seems. He claims to hate humans, but I don't think that's completely true either. She wasn't with him tonight, but there's a young human girl named Rin that travels with him."
Ouija tilted her head.
"And he claims to hate Inuyasha," Sango added. "But that can't be all true. Inuyasha's the only family Sesshomaru has left, and it's the same for Inuyasha. And Sesshomaru's had many chances to kill Inuyasha like he declares he wants to, but actually protected him instead."
Ouija nodded. "Okay. Cool," and then she smirked, looking up at the two girls from beneath her lashes, her cobalt eyes smoldering. "But what do you think of him?"
Kagome's eyebrows rose. "You mean, appearance-wise?"
"Mm-hmm."
Kagome and Sango exchanged glances, looking uneasy.
"Ha!" Ouija exclaimed. "I knew it. You both think he's hot."
"Well," Kagome said. "He is a striking man. But he just isn't the type of person you want to be around. We've seen his temperament."
Ouija snorted. "Whatever. He's gorgeous, and those eyes are stunning. I bet if one of you tried, you'd get to him."
Sango's brows furrowed. "We've both got our own suitors," she said, then glanced at Kagome with an uneasy smile. "In a way, I mean. But why would it have to be one of us? Why not you?"
"Me?" Ouija repeated, one brow rising.
"Yeah." Kagome replied. "You'd be the better option, and you could actually hold your own against him. It seemed like Sesshomaru was kinda stunned by you, actually."
"Get off that, will you?" Ouija barked, sighing softly. "Even I'm not dumb enough to realize that the two of you are beautiful and I can't compare. So just hush."
Kagome and Sango looked at one another. "You can't be serious." Sango said.
"I am."
Kagome pursed her lips. "Ouija, do you own a mirror? You're beautiful too. You don't look like everyone else. You've got a certain…individuality about you that makes you beautiful."
Ouija huffed. "Whatever. It's your turn now, Sango."
The girls continued this game for another hour or so, until Inuyasha and Miroku returned, Inuyasha's hair still wet. After the initial heated conversation, the group lay down and rested for the night, readying to continue their search for the Jewel shards in the morning.
