Disclaimer: You know, these things don't actually have any effect in court... Websites, search engines and ISPs can take your material down whether it is a copyright violation or not... But yea! Inuyasha isn't my series! I am just the fangirl who likes to play with Rumiko's characters.
Author's Note: Chapter Edited
Chapter 13: Touch of Insanity
As Naraku faded away, Kagome tried to calm her racing heart. Sesshoumaru didn't seem very surprised by the information they had received, and Sango and Miroku covered their shock with frustration. But Inuyasha was seething. Naturally, he would have taken the news worst of all.
Once again, their arch-enemy had out-manipulated them, and he obviously still had a hidden agenda they had not perceived. Why had Naraku been using a group of unsuspecting hanyou to destroy human settlements in the South? Was it just to lure in Inuyasha and torment him? Or had there been rumors of Shikon Shards in those villages?
It helped to have someone to blame. Comfortable with the situation, now that he could lay all the blame on someone other than the hanyou army at his back, Inuyasha was irate once again. "Well," growled their resident half-demon furiously, "If that is what Naraku wants us to do, then we do the opposite."
From the corner of her eye, Kagome thought she saw Sesshoumaru nod slightly. For once, it seemed the brothers were in agreement. Yet no one knew exactly what constituted the 'opposite' of what Naraku expected them to do. If Naraku told them not to remove the shard from the hanyou captain's neck, did that mean it should be done?
With a sinking feeling, she realized this must all be part of an elaborate trap. Jaken had been targeted by Naraku as well, and through him, Sesshoumaru. This plot involved both brothers somehow.
In the end, everyone agreed with Miroku's resigned recommendation – they should not be too hasty to take action. Still, if the hanyou army was a threat to itself and others, then it made sense to tail them and ensure no further harm came to the countryside and its inhabitants. Inuyasha would return to the group, while the rest of them followed behind, at a sufficient distance not to be noticed.
Next, they would focus any attacks solely on the shard-holder, and if the chance arose, Kagome could purify the tainted shard, without removing it. Then, the hanyou army might have the benefit of a Shikon shard, sealing their blood, but not the corruption of Naraku controlling their minds. Privately, Kagome thought this was the best option, because then, even when Naraku returned to take the shard later, he would not be able to dominate or direct the hanyou army.
Unfortunately, she had no idea how to get close enough to the shard to purify it. Firing a holy arrow through the captain's neck might do the trick, but it would also kill the leader of the group, making a bad situation worse. And aside from that, what could she do? Flirt with the captain and hug him, embarrassing herself to the point of terror while sending Inuyasha into a fit of rage? Hmm. No. Bad idea.
Deciding to deal with this issue later, she shouldered her backpack and marched after Rin and Sesshoumaru. While Inuyasha was gone, his half-brother had become a de-facto leader for the group. This meant: they did whatever he told them to do, and in the meantime, Inuyasha could rest assured that his merry band of traveling companions was well-protected and hidden. So, that meant everything between herself and Sesshoumaru was hunky-dory and cool, right?
Judging by the dubious looks Sango was sending her way, whenever the demon-slayer thought she would not notice, the members of her group thought otherwise. Perhaps wearing that kimono a few days ago had been a bad idea, in more ways than one. Not only had it pissed off Sesshoumaru (for some inexplicable reason that she still did not understand), it had also caused her friends to think she was insane and needed to be carefully watched, lest she inadvertently anger the taiyoukai again.
With a sigh, she shook her head and focused on keeping her feet down on the ground in front of her. No point in tripping on branches or twigs in the woods, making herself feel more foolish than she already did.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
A swift prick of pain to the side of her neck brought her hand up rapidly to her head, where she pinched Myouga between two fingers and drew him away from her skin. The little demon-flea acted exorbitantly pleased with himself, eyes shining with admiration, when he discovered she had not squished him as flat as a pancake for his audacity. "Ah, Kagome-sama!" crooned the old flea. "What a pleasure to see you this evening. Delicious as usual."
If it had been anyone else, the comment would have sounded incredibly odd and perverted. But then, this was Myouga, and he was a flea, after all. Of course, he would talk about such things. She had grown relatively immune to his behavior by now. "Hmph. I notice you didn't bite Sesshoumaru today," she frowned at him.
Sitting beside her, a fluffy haired girl glanced up from her coloring project and stared at the tiny shape on the priestess's hand in wonder. Miniature talking demons like Myouga were apparently new to her. Shippo feigned complete disinterest in the proceedings, using the opportunity to steal Rin's green crayon while she wasn't looking.
"Who is that?" inquired the young girl, scooting closer and peering over at the wizened little six-limbed man in awe.
Politely, Kagome gave a formal introduction for the two of them, but inside, she was boiling with curiosity. Earlier in the day, Sesshoumaru and Myouga had spoken, and it was evident that they knew one another. The fact that Rin had never made his acquaintance only deepened the mystery. Obviously, the flea-demon had known the Western lord before this human girl became a member of his party. What was the connection between them?
Putting this question aside for the moment, Kagome got down to business, asking whether anything had happened with the hanyou forces yet. In the end though, it seemed Myouga was merely making a progress report. The situation had not changed.
"They are moving toward the east, but should not reach a major town for a few days," the flea admitted gruffly, rubbing his short white moustache. "Mm. No rumors of a shard have been detected either, it seems."
"Okay, thanks for telling us," she murmured in disappointment.
Hopefully, this particular quest would not drag out for too long. Kagome had a history test next week, and she had really been looking forward to taking this one! But as long as they were on the trail of these rogue hanyou, there would be no chance to escape and return to the Bone Eater's Well. Arguing with Inuyasha over such issues was bad enough; arguing with Sesshoumaru would be impossible. Besides, she had to downplay the fact that she could travel through time by way of jumping down a well.
Maybe he hadn't understood the comment she made earlier that day, about her era and how it was different from this one. Maybe he hadn't been paying attention, focused on the content of the conversation instead of an idle remark she had made about 'her time' period. In any case, if he didn't mention it, then she certainly never would.
Digging around in her giant yellow bag, she searched for something to go with their dinner. Not ramen for once – Sango had caught a rabbit for supper, and Kagome had a few remaining flavoring packets, salt and spices to go on the meat. Then, at the bottom of the sack, she felt silk and paper beneath her touch, and she drew a deep breath, remembering what she had stowed there. She covertly unearthed a package wrapped in brown paper, tied up with twine, and stared at it blankly, before setting it aside to continue on her quest for seasoning.
Of course, she knew what was on the inside of the package. Originally, it had been intended as a gift for Sesshoumaru, a thank-you present for trusting them to take care of Rin for two weeks. She had bought it in a clothing-resale shop in the future, thinking that a nice gift would improve his opinion of humans and thereby decrease the overall friction between his half-brother and himself. But then, things had gone terribly wrong, and she had never managed to give him the present.
What could she do with the darn thing now? The time for gift-giving had passed. Rin had been returned to her proper guardian, and each group had gone separate ways. The fact that everyone was back together mere days later was coincidental, and bestowing a gift upon him at this point would just look weird, as though it had come out of nowhere. Or so it felt to Kagome at least, but then, she had never been one for belated birthday presents either. In her world, one remembered the date and presented gifts on time, or one admitted the error and moved on with life honestly.
All the same though, she didn't have any use for men's clothing, and she really wanted to hand the whole problem over to someone else. Preferably Sesshoumaru, since that was whom she had bought the item for in the first place. Handing a spice packet to Sango, she returned to her seat, curling her toes beneath her legs and glaring banefully at the package.
Finally, it dawned on her. She didn't have to give him the gift for no reason – she had a perfectly plausible pretext. She had yet to thank him for saving her from Mukotsu, one of the band of seven, on Mount Hakurei. If she tied the gift to that event, it would seem less arbitrary and sudden, and Sesshoumaru might be more likely to accept it.
Gathering the brown-papered parcel into her lap, she tried to piece together the courage to talk to the taiyoukai. Beside her, Miroku and Sango stilled and their easy banter ceased, as both monk and hunter noticed the direction of her gaze. They had not seen the contents of the package either, and she could tell they were eager to know what it held. This probably became the only reason that neither one of them stopped her, when she rose to her feet, at last.
As she crossed the tiny enclosure toward Sesshoumaru on the other side of the fire, she could feel her cheeks growing red, and her heart rate increased under his scrutiny. Clearly, he looked un-enthused that a human priestess had just invaded his personal space, yet he said nothing and he made no move to stop her. Embarrassment washed over her as she sat down, not too close but not too far, next to the imposing presence of the demon in their midst.
And the scenario would not have unstrung her so badly, except that her friends in the future had sent her on a stupid dare, forcing her to think about Sesshoumaru in a new light. Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi had challenged her to go on a date, with someone who didn't already know her or like her. Because she did not know many men in the feudal era, and her friends didn't know about her travels through time, the stipulations of the dare had seemed insurmountable at first. In the end, she had compromised by trying to be nicer to Sesshoumaru – but all her efforts had been in vain, since the dog-demon was too private and prickly to respond to compliments or formal, respectful behavior on her part. Still, although he had not understood her motivation, she could not forget her friends' words. Really! At this point, the whole situation made her feel uncomfortable and silly.
Agh! Kagome moaned internally. Why am I making such a big deal of this? It's not like I'm Hojo or something – giving gifts to a pretend-sweetheart who really doesn't like me.
Resolving to get this over with, once and for all, so her life could go back to normal, Kagome held the paper-wrapped bundle out for Sesshoumaru's inspection. "Um… I realize I never thanked you for saving us from Mukotsu, on Mount Hakurei. Even if you didn't mean to, it really helped us a lot. So, er… thank you."
Meanwhile, a certain white-haired taiyoukai had been observing her progress across the clearing with interest. On the one hand, he did not need any favors from humans, but on the other hand, he had known about the existence of the gift and he had been slightly curious about it. Dogs were naturally intelligent and inquisitive creatures, after all. It was only reasonable to want to know what the miko had obtained on his behalf. This did not mean he had to accept her offering. But still, he could admit, at least to himself, that he was interested. A little bit, anyway.
And then, the priestess had to spoil the whole thing by qualifying his present in such a fashion. Her speech was definitely less polished than the one she had prepared before, and it made far less sense. When he had encountered one of the criminals from the Band of Seven on Mount Hakurei, he had killed the man. Why did there have to be anything more to it? In so doing, he had saved the priestess's life, and the lives of all his half-brother's party, yes. But his action had not been meant to garner affection amongst the humans. It had simply been a matter of defending his family's honor. His half-brother had been away at the moment, so he had stepped forward briefly, protecting these humans while pursuing his own agenda at the same time. It was simple, really.
Now though, if he accepted the package, it would mean he agreed with her interpretation of the events. Staring straight ahead, he ignored the parcel entirely. "This Sesshoumaru has no need of paper," he replied blandly, to put her off the scent.
Needless to say, the miko was not deterred. "It's not paper!" she cried, "That's just the wrapping. You're supposed to open it."
Sesshoumaru closed his eyes for a long moment and sighed inaudibly. Obviously, the priestess thought he was stupid, plus, she was immune to subtlety. He was going to have to deny her outright.
Luckily, Rin intervened. Upon seeing the present Kagome held, the little girl ran around the fire and deposited herself beside the miko's knees. "What is it?" the child asked guilelessly.
This, he decided, was a very good question. Allowing the exchange to continue without him, he passively watched his ward weasel answers out of the priestess.
"Well, you see," began the priestess, "It's a surprise. You have to guess what is inside the wrapping paper."
"Like a game?" bubbled Rin, excited by the prospect. Moments later, the fox-kit joined the little girl in her vigil, staring at the package in amazement, as if it had sprouted purple wings.
"Is it candy?" Shippo asked. His one-track mind could think of no greater delight in this world.
Growing steadily more embarrassed, Kagome realized this occasion had not turned out like she had hoped. "Er… no," she squeaked, "I didn't think Sesshoumaru would like candy."
"Is it a picture?" Rin inquired next, taking turns with her friend, the kitsune.
"No, not a picture," the miko answered, imagining crayon drawings that these two children liked to scrawl plastered all over a refrigerator in the home of the great taiyoukai, Sesshoumaru. Not that refrigerators existed in the feudal era, but it would have been funny, nonetheless. "It does have a picture on it, though. A design."
"Can I open it?" came the next question. As Rin reached forward to press on the top of the package, she remarked in delight, "It's squishy! Is it a duck?"
At this, Sesshoumaru finally drew the line. The children's high-pitched, nonsensical inquest was assaulting his ears. And besides, it was his package. If anyone got to open it, then that person should be him.
Before Kagome knew what was happening, the brown parcel had disappeared. Startled, she looked up to find the twine cord snagged by pale colored claws, and the package hovering loosely above Sesshoumaru's lap. However, he did not unwrap it, he merely gazed at it disdainfully. "It is clothing, Rin," he instructed the little girl aloofly, "Also an unnecessary gift, like paper."
As Rin's face brightened and she moved closer to her guardian, Kagome's face fell and she moved away, returning to her rightful place across the clearing, on the other side of the fire.
Although she had told herself firmly that his reaction should not matter, it still hurt her feelings. He never even opened it, and he had implied that he would never do so. So, what had she been expecting? Gratitude?
Sango met her eyes, then shook her head sadly, offering her long-time friend a piece of rabbit meat on a stick. Somehow though, Kagome no longer felt like eating.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The feeling began as a slight burning behind his eyes.
Earlier that day, the priestess had filled his lord's ears with lies, regarding his character and disposition. And ever since then, Sesshoumaru-sama had not spoken a word to him – not even in the form of a command.
Before, his master had glanced over one shoulder now and again, to ensure that his entourage was following along in an orderly fashion. But ever since they joined this group of humans, Sesshoumaru-sama had not looked back at him. Not even once.
Once, he had walked directly after his lord and master, second only in position to Sesshoumaru-sama himself. Now, a despicable human had taken his place, and he brought up the rear. Who did that priestess think she was, walking so closely behind the greatest youkai in the land?
Finally, she had committed the worst sin of all. She had attempted to force the Lord of the West into her debt, with a gift. The exalted Sesshoumaru did not need charity from humans. It was clear that his lord had only accepted the gift out of a sense of obligation, not to hurt the woman's feelings. Pressing such ridiculous offerings onto his master was unacceptable and compelling Sesshoumaru-sama to take the present through a sense of guilt – this made the situation even worse.
Furthermore, as though such offenses against his master's dignity were not enough, the priestess had wounded him personally. It was unbearable, the ugly stain that she had left upon his reputation. The priestess of the Shikon claimed that a 'tainted light' flowed from his heart, that he was somehow involved in one of Naraku's evil schemes. But this was a patent falsehood. Jaken was nothing but faithful. He gladly would have died, before serving one of his master's enemies.
How convenient, then, that this priestess was the only one with an ability to see light from the Shikon no Tama. When the miko lied, who could verify her story? No one! Obviously, the priestess had realized this too, and she was using her unique ability to further Naraku's plans. Because he knew he was not tainted by the Shikon Jewel, and yet the priestess claimed he was, the answer was clear. She lied to help the enemy.
If his master could not see the truth, then he would have to defend for himself. But at the moment, all eyes were upon him, watching and judging his every move. It brought agony, knowing that no matter what he did, the others did not, and could not, trust him. All for the lies of one human priestess!
For an instant, Jaken understood and sympathized with his lord's half-brother. The previous Shikon no Miko had strayed from the path of righteousness, as well. No one had believed it then either, and just look where that particular disaster had ended – Inuyasha sealed to a tree, and the Shikon priestess dead. Supposedly, the current Shikon no Miko was the prior one's reincarnation. In that case, it was not too hard to believe that the same deceitful texture characterized them both.
How could he prove his innocence?
It could no longer suffice to protest her lies and show his faithfulness through his usual deeds. No, he had to remove the corrupt priestess from his master's presence. And not only that, he had to demonstrate her duplicity, in an obvious fashion, or her companions would simply rescue her and this dilemma would remain.
There seemed to be only one solution in sight. It was fraught with hazard, but the kappa knew that no lengths were too great to travel for his master, and no trials too difficult. He would bear all the consequences, if only he could serve his lord and save him from this sinister plot.
As the night wore on, Jaken furtively observed his master, who was watching the humans sleep around the glowing coals of the fire-pit. Once more, his master was examining the human priestess. What could Sesshoumaru-sama be contemplating?
The burning sensation in his head only increased, the more he thought about it. Perhaps, this ruthless priestess had somehow cast a spell over his master. Only the death of a caster could remove a spell…
But no. He could not kill the miko outright. First, she had to be discredited, and Jaken could only think of one way to do this at the moment, one way to prove she was in league with their enemies.
Calmly closing his eyes and slowing down his breath, Jaken listened for the faint, almost indiscernible sound of his master's departure. It took a while, but eventually, Sesshoumaru-sama rose and vanished into the forest, searching for game to eat that night.
A taiyoukai could move and hunt quickly, so Jaken knew he had to be faster still. Standing, he slipped out of the campsite and ran toward the hanyou army, wherein lay his only hope for salvation.
He would inform the hanyou general that this priestess could sense Shikon shards and advise him to kidnap her immediately. Once she was out of the way, it would become manifestly obvious that she had sided with the enemy. The more he considered it, the better this plan sounded, and the fire in his mind only grew and grew.