The Pain Behind The Mask
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha!
Note: Hey all!! I'm back with another chapter for this story & am now working on the 3rd chapter for The Truth & thinking about making another one shot for the Flourishing Love. Hope you enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 10
As the Samyoshio(sp?) continued to follow our heroes, there was an argument happening amongst the group. Apparently, InuYasha does not like the fact that Kagome had invited Sesshomaru to travel with them.
"You ain't the leader of this pack wench! I am." InuYasha yelled out, his hands reluctantly holding onto the backs of Kikyo's knees as they ran on.
Kagome sighed out & corrected the Hanyou. "It's aren't, you dumbass. Get your grammar straight. & I am the Alpha Bitch of this group, you insolent whelp! I'm an equal to you, if not of higher status InuYasha." Sesshomaru silently agreed with her & because she heard his thoughts, she nodded to him over her shoulder.
"Prove it you stupid bitch!" InuYasha came to a skidding halt & practically threw Kikyo away from him as he unsheathed his sword & transformed it into the famous Tetsusaiga.
Just as Kagome was about to pounce on the Hanyou, all demons froze as a scent reached their noses & sent InuYasha into even more of a temper tantrum. "Goddamn it! I hate that scent!" 'Course there was a reason he hated that scent & no one has yet to find out the real truth. For that, InuYasha was grateful. A tornado separated the group as the Leader of the Wolf Tribe stood in the middle with his fists propped on his hips. His eyes were darting from one person to the next until they landed on his intended target.
"Kagome! My Love, you look better then ever. Smell better too." He praised, walking closer & wrapping his arms around her waist to bring her closer to his body so he could feel & smell her better. "Oh yes, so very better." He practically purred out.
Kagome's hands were at her side & closed into tight fists. She did not like the sound of Kouga's voice, let alone the fact that he was touching her when she did not want him to. Several growls were heard through out the group. Shippo's was the loudest & Sesshomaru's was the quietest. InuYasha was trying to hold his back because he didn't want anyone to know the real reason why he was growling.
"She ain't yours, wolf!" InuYasha spat out. He growled louder when he realized that Kouga wasn't paying any attention to him & stalked past his half brother to yank on the wolf's shoulder to gain his attention. Sesshomaru's eyes widened as he caught the scent that InuYasha was trying to hide & once InuYasha noticed that, Sesshomaru had already turned to him & was sizing him up. A silent conversation went on between the two Inu's & the oldest decided to keep it as a secret between the two.
InuYasha was just about to sigh in relief when he was punched into the tree behind him. "What the hell was that for?" He growled out, standing up from his prone position on the ground.
"You wouldn't take your hands off of me Mutt!" Kouga explained, standing straight with pride & having his arms crossed over his chest, a smirk present on his face. InuYasha had to swallow before he inhaled to shout out another insult.
"Well maybe you should have listened to me asshole!"
"I didn't want to listen to you! Your voice grates on my nerves."
That hurt but InuYasha was good at hiding his pain. "Shut up &-"
"The both of you had better shut your mouths before I do it for you!" Kagome's quiet voice cut through the quarreling, making everyone's eyes turn to her being. Her own arms were crossed over her chest & her eyes were narrowed to slits. "We have two jewel shards coming towards us & you two want to bicker like children? Fine. But I'm going to get them before Naraku does. See ya!" She saluted with two fingers before her & Shippo disappeared into thin air.
InuYasha quickly gathered Kikyo up & told her to tell them where the two had gone to. Sango & Miroku jumped onto Kilala & Sesshomaru had left to follow them a couple of seconds after the Kitsunes had disappeared. Kouga looked around wildly before he reluctantly followed after them in his tornado.
When they all arrived, they didn't move from their spot. They were too shocked at what was going on. The thing that had the two jewel shards was just that… A thing! All over its giant, blister filled body was arms. It had a couple dozen eyes covered in different areas of its body. It was just a blob of appendages. It had no legs.
Kagome & Shippo were hovering in the air above it, Shippo occasionally diving down & slashing an arm off with his sword that Totosai had crafted for him while Kagome shot arrow after arrow through it with her purifying powers. Shippo quickly jumped out of the way when the monster curled one of his hands closest to the young Kitsune & tried to slam it over him. "Thing is getting quicker the more we play with it 'Kaa-san." He called out, doing a back hand spring to stay out of the swinging arms way.
"So I have noticed Shippo. Alright, hold on a second or so." She mumbled before quickly multiplying herself & diving at the monster in different directions. It howled in pain as Kagome yanked the shards out of its flesh & allowed Shippo to cut it down before burning away all evidence of the monster, making it seem like it never existed.
"That was fun while it lasted." Shippo announced, smiling as he sheathed his weapon.
Kagome spun around, pulling out an arrow & notching it before letting it go in a seemingly random direction. The group was confused.
"What the hell was that all about wench?" InuYasha asked, but before he could set Kikyo on her feet to march up to Kagome, the arrow was back in her hand & on the tip of the weapon was Naraku's Samyoshio(sp?). She spun the shaft of the arrow between her fingers as she hummed contemplatively.
"I'm thinking that Naraku has had this little guy following us since Shippo & I met up with you guys. He now knows our plan of looking for the jewel shards first, then go to the Northern lands. This means, he'll be expecting us to do exactly as we said. I'm sorry you guys, but as of now, we have to go to the Palace & do what we had intended to do later on down the road." She shook the bee off of her weapon before putting it back in the quiver & nodding to Shippo.
Sesshomaru was silently amazed at how well Kagome can now handle herself. 'She is very strong... & still more beautiful then she was when she was human. What is it that I feel for this being?' He questioned himself, his thoughts turning inward so that neither Kagome, nor Shippo could read them. Just cuz he, himself, couldn't read minds, doesn't mean that he didn't know how to block mind readers. The leader of the South was a mind reader & Sesshomaru has had to deal with that until he taught himself how to block him out. How he hated the Southern lord. He really knew how to get under his skin & he didn't like it one bit.
"I'll go with you Kagome." Sango declared, shaking Sesshomaru out of his thoughts.
Kagome looked over at her & smiled, her fangs glinting in the sun. "I was hoping you would Slayer."
Sango didn't know if she liked having Kagome call her by her title instead of her name, but she was her best friend & Sango knew she would do anything to keep Kagome safe. Even if Kagome could take care of herself now, it didn't change the fact that Sango looked at her as a younger sister.
Kagome smiled, having listened to her thoughts & nodded. "You to, Sango." She replied, confusing her. "Read your thoughts." Sango's mouth formed into an 'O' shape as she began to understand how Shippo & Kagome communicated without having to verbally do it.
"I shall company you as well, Lady Kagome. I wouldn't be a gentleman if I didn't offer my services to two beautiful women!" Came Marko's explanation as he stood beside Sango.
Kagome laughed & Sango scowled. "What services… Exactly?" Sango all but growled out, glaring at him from the corners of her eyes.
Miroku's eyebrows shot up underneath his bangs & he tossed a coy smile over at Sango. "Why, my Dearest, I thought you'd never ask!" He was out cold before his body even hit the ground, a giant, throbbing red hand print on his face.
"Stupid lecher!" Sango tightened her hold on her Hiarikotsu(sp?) & walked away from Miroku, grumbling about stupid perverted monks.
"Well then, who else is joining us?" Shippo asked, getting slightly impatient. /I really wanna get going 'Kaa-san!/ He mentally nudged her, trying to get her to focus better.
/Hai, we shall leave very soon./ She calmed him down & listened for anymore volunteers.
Sesshomaru just nodded at her & InuYasha began his shouting once again. "No! Absolutely not! We have jewel shard to find wench."
The growl that spilled out from Kagome's mouth had his ears flattening to his head & making him take a step backwards. "I am getting sick & tired of your mouth Hanyou! My name hasn't changed any since before I changed. Its Kagome you insolent pup!" She barked out, using the Inu language her father had taught her.
InuYasha caught himself from whimpering in apology before he too began to growl at her. He didn't have time to speak before he was held, my his neck, to a tree. Kagome's face remained impassive as she stared into his frightened eyes as she lifted him higher against the tree, the growl still audiable. "You will submit to me!" She yipped out, her voice deep & sinister, sending shivers of fear down InuYasha's back. Her blood, the royalty in her, demanded that he submit to her! She was Alpha Bitch. She deserved respect.
InuYasha's claws sank into the flesh of her wrist, trying to get her to release her grip on him. When that didn't work, he removed his claws, the marks healing instantly ay hung his head, whimpering his apologies. Kagome let him go & he fell to his knees, coughing & trying to regain his breath. 'She's way more scary then before. She doesn't even have to use the prayer beads to get me back in line anymore. I'm not sure if I like that or not.' He thought to himself, his eyes on her back as she walked towards Shippo.
"We will go with you." Kikyo said, her voice monotone. 'This is perfect. I can get my soul back while she is distracted by taking back what she claims to be hers.'
Kagome nodded, but Kikyo must not have been paying attention to what was being said earlier, for both Kagome & Shippo had heard what Kikyo was planning. /Oh yeah, its gonna work now, Golem!/ Shippo spoke sarcastically.
Kagome chuckled & noticed that Kouga was looking at InuYasha in a weird way. "Hey, Kouga. You alright?"
When he heard his name called, he shook out of his thoughts & nodded. "I have to be going now though." Before she could blink, he was in front of her & crushed her to his chest. He quickly kissed her cheek & took off in a whirl of wind, dust & leaves.
"Bleck!" Kagome said, wiping the back of her hand on her cheek to get rid of the feeling there. "Alright, lets go guys!" She announced before taking to the trees & quickly began to make her way to the north, the group following closely behind.
Too bad they don't know what's ahead of them once they get beyond the doors.
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Alright, I know this isn't much but I had to leave it here lol. Please R&R! Danke to the readers who have stuck with me on my slow uploading dates lol & for those who love my stories so far. I'm happy that you like them! Every review I get makes my day that much better! I love you guys! & to whoever sends me a good review, gets a cookies =(^.^)=