Disclaimer: I own nothing on Inuyasha. I only own my characters.
Chapter 13 – Lessons
'So. Mikoto doesn't trust Sesshomaru, despite their history. Interesting... But I can't exploit this straight away... I'll have to wait... again...' Kagura plotted, as she laid on her bed, idly turning her battered, and worse-for-wear fan over in her hand. If she moved too soon to exploit this new revelation, she'd be found out. If she was going to eliminate Mikoto to get to Sesshomaru, she needed to plan this carefully. She'd have to play the part of dedicated student and vassal a little longer. No more planting doubts and suspicions in the Prince's head, for now. There'd be other ways to drive that wedge of distrust between her beloved Sesshomaru and loathed sensei Mikoto. And the best part was, they'd be subtle.
As she was plotting out the finer points of her plan going forward, there was a firm knock on the door. Curious to find out who would be visiting her, she got up and slid the door open. What greeted her was entirely unexpected,
Within a second, the tip of the fully transformed Tetsuaiga was under her chin. And holding it, was a very pissed Inuyasha. He growled menacingly, stepping forward and forcing Kagura to back up, back to the bed. As soon as the back of her knees hit it, they buckled, and she fell onto the bed, Tetsuaiga ever present under her chin.
"If I may, my Lord, your control with your sword has improved greatly. I'm happy for you," Kagura praised sweetly, hoping to distract the hanyou before her.
"Shut up. I don't need praise from someone like you," Inuyasha barked. Kagura's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
"My apologies, my Lord. But may I ask what I have done to prompt having your sword so uncomfortably close?" Kagura asked, trying to play innocent.
"Cut the crap. I know you put my son up to all that bullshit down at dinner." Kagura looked shocked up at Inuyasha before he continued his tone low and dangerous. "Yeah. I saw your smirk when Shago started questioning Mikoto. Back the fuck off. From Mikoto, and from Shago. Keep your filthy conspiracies out of his head. He has enough of an attitude, without you getting inside his head, and adding to it."
"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about, my Lord," Kagura attempted to deny. A moment later, she gasped as she felt the flux of power, as Tetsuaiga responded to Inuyasha's will, shifting to its Adamant form.
"Are you really playing stupid right now?! I told you I'd be watching. And you've obviously forgotten what Tetsuaiga here is capable of, especially in this form. It'd be so easy to rip you to shreds right now, and not even feel an ounce of remorse for it. Fortunately for you, there are things in place to stop me, now that I'm in the position I'm in." Tetsuaiga fluxed, as it returned to its standard transformation. "Don't forget that I'm watching," Inuyasha growled warningly, getting right in Kagura's face and holding his snarl for a moment to really get his point across. Seeing the slight panic in Kagura's piercing red eyes, Inuyasha was satisfied that his word had sunk in. He straightened up, turned to exit the room and sheathed Tetsuaiga at his hip as he walked powerfully back to the door. He paused there for a moment, but didn't bother to turn around. "You have tomorrow off. Be out of this house by 7am, and do not return for a full 24 hours. Or else," he said darkly, purposefully placing a hand in Tetsuaiga's hilt.
Kagura sighed unconsciously as Inuyasha slid the door shut behind him, and moved down the hall. He was on to her. She'd have to be so much more careful to make her moves away from Inuyasha. And she could no longer use the prince as a pawn. The hanyou lord would know the second the prince pulled another stunt like tonight. Any moves she could make just became a whole lot more limited. But she wouldn't back off. Not off Mikoto, at least. That bitch had been a thorn in her side for far too long.
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"What the FUCK were you thinking?!"
Inushago clutched his head hard, feeling sick to his stomach. Recalling his mother's stories of her travels in feudal Japan all those years ago, he was suddenly very empathetic of Shippo. His father had come barrelling into his room, Tetsuaiga sitting powerfully at his hip, and, without a word, hit the teen over the head. Hard. Then he'd spoken...
"Well?" the hanyou demanded.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Inushago ground out, the stomach turning pain in his head consuming all his thoughts.
"Don't give me that shit. I know that witch put you up to that little stunt at dinner. What the fuck were you thinking, allowing her to get into your fucking head?!" Inuyasha demanded, crossing his arms powerfully across his chest.
"I guess I wasn't. Not clearly, anyway..." Shago trailed off, still trying to get a handle on his turning stomach.
"Damn right you weren't! That witch is not to be trusted! With anything!"
"But you guys made her my vassal! What's the point in doing that if I'm not allowed to trust her like Uncle does Mikoto?"
"That is entirely different, pup," Sesshomaru emphasised, walking into Shago's room to stand before him, beside Inuyasha.
"How?! How the fuck is that different?!" Inushago demanded, forgetting about his turning stomach, he climbed to his feet to face off against his father and uncle.
"That is not your concern."
"Like fuck it's not! It was your idea, Uncle, that Kagura become my vassal, Like Mikoto is yours. She knows which buttons to press to get you to stay on the straight and narrow! How the hell am I supposed to work with Kagura to achieve that same relationship, if I'm not to trust her?" Shago demanded.
"Kagura being your vassal is not a permanent arrangement," Inuyasha admitted.
"You will eventually choose your own. Fushoma would be a good choice, when you do," Sesshomaru said offhandedly.
"I can't believe this! What is this bullshit?"
"A lesson. One you're already fucking failing," Inuyasha answered, pissed and disappointed in his son.
"A... A Lesson? Are you fucking kidding me?!"
"No. We are not. You must learn that in your position, there will be those around you that you can, and cannot, trust. Some you can trust with what you tell them, and they you. And others you cannot. Kagura falls into the latter."
"What even happened for her to get her claws in you, anyway?" Inuyasha asked. Sesshomaru regarded his brother quietly at this.
"Nothing!" Shago insisted.
"Inushago. We all know your mother raised you better than how you behaved this evening. What happened?" Sesshomaru demanded.
"I'm telling you, nothing happened!" Shago insisted, before something dawned on him. "Unless..." he trailed off slowly.
"Unless what?" Inuyasha demanded gruffly.
"After my fight with Mikoto this morning, I went for a walk and Kagura was accompanying me. She started asking me questions about Mikoto, like what's her surname and her background. When I couldn't answer, she said something about being a spy for one of the noble families. I was sceptical of this, but she came up with some bullshit about gaining trust and destroying us from the inside out." Sesshomaru and Inuyasha looked at each other, both concerned about this revelation.
"I'm telling you, Sessh. This is fucking dangerous. What have you gotten us into? She's after Mikoto, but Kami only knows why. And now, me and mine are involved. Well done!"
"You are not involved in this."
"Like hell we're not!" Inuyasha insisted loudly.
"You made Kagura my vassal, and I know this was out of your control, but Mum is now Mikoto's pillar of strength. How is that not involving us?!"
"Exactly! I knew this was a fucked up idea!" Inuyasha glared at Sesshomaru. "From 7am tomorrow morning, you have 24 hours to fix this shit." Sesshomaru looked puzzled, raising a single eyebrow at Inuyasha. "I gave Kagura the day off tomorrow, and told her not to be here for 24 hours. I will not have her here tomorrow night, of all nights."
"Why tomorrow night?" Sesshomaru asked, still puzzled, and now more than a little curious. When Inuyasha wouldn't answer, or even look at Sesshomaru, Shago offered up an explanation.
"Once a month, Mum, Dad, Mi and Shoma are all human for a night; the night of the new moon. I'd say that's tomorrow night.
"Yeah," Inuyasha agreed softly, when Sesshomaru looked at his brother with surprised eyes. "I will not have a danger like her so close to my family when I won't even have the strength to protect them."
"Fair point, well made, Ototou. I shall revise the situation with Kagura before her return. Inushago. Please; Do not pay any heed to Kagura's words. Please also be cautious with what you reveal to her in future. We all need to be on guard. I have known for quite a while that Mikoto is battling demons of her own. I just hadn't realised they were the cause of her mistrust, especially of me. Can we please agree to endeavour to keep Mikoto as safe as we possibly can, despite her mistrust?" Sesshomaru requested.
"Does she really mean that much to you, Uncle?"
"I owe her my life. She serves me as my vassal, but without her, I likely wouldn't have been around to help Kagome all those years ago." Shago sighed.
"Fine. I agree. I'll also back off picking fights with her, too."
"I appreciate that very much, Inushago. You have my thanks. Inuyasha? What of you?"
"You know I owe you for what you did for Kagome," was all the hanyou said, with a lopsided grin in his brother's direction.
"Many thanks. I will take my leave of you now. I have much to do."
Father and son watched the stoic lord leave, silence falling between them, until Shago quietly broke it.
"Err... Dad? What just..."
"I'm not sure. But one thing I have learnt recently is not to question your uncle. He doesn't give much away, but if he wants you to know what's on his mind, he'll tell you in his own time," Inuyasha said quietly, watching after his brother. Turning to his son, he spoke again; gently this time. "I know that you're trying your best with his lessons, despite not wanting them. But Kagura isn't the one you need to attempt to replicate Sesshomaru and Mikoto's relationship with. She is dangerous. Don't forget; she was created by Naraku. We all had no end of trouble with her back in those days. I know you know that. But you're a big boy now. All I can do to protect you, is warn you. I just really wish I could have done more while you were younger. Just... be careful from now on." And with that, Inuyasha left his son with a very shocked expression.
Never in his wildest dreams did Shago ever expect to hear his father speak to him like that.
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"Mother?" the caramel haired young man called, walking into the house he was supposed to call home. It had never felt like one, so he didn't. It had always felt more like a prison. "Mother, I need to report to Uncle, but he's not at the main house. Do you..." his question leaving him at the sight before him. He'd fund both the relatives he was looking for in the lounge room, in a rather compromising position.
There, on one of the armchairs, was his most loathed uncle, with his mother straddling his lap. Her shirt was gathered up around her hips, and her head was thrown back as she moaned with abandon at the nips and licks her brother placed up and down her neck. The young man's presence did nothing to deter their actions, and the boy took it in his stride. Unfortunately, this wasn't the first time he's been witness to their illicit 'love' affair.
"You're not due to report for two more days, Whelp. Get back to your post," his uncle demanded coldly, levelling a warning glare at him.
"There's been a development."
"What kind of development could be so important to stop me now?"
"She opened up to the Lady of the West." Both his mother and uncle stopped at these words, sharing a calculating look. "The Lady also encouraged her to tell Lord Sesshomaru."
"I suppose that's reason enough for disturbing us. You have escaped punishment. This time. Return to your post."
"Yes... Uncle..." 'Whelp' said before leaving the house, knowing that being excused from a beating was as good a hank you he was ever going to get.
"What are you going to do, Brother?" the boy's mother asked.
"If she wants Sesshomaru to know so badly, I'll give her, her wish, and 'help' her."
"Shall we finish what was interrupted before you go?"
"As much as I would love to, Hevn, and I really would love to, I need to go see my mate and pups before I go 'help' our dear sister."
"She always did ruin everything."
"I quite agree. But, we will have her back here soon enough. Then I won't let her ruin anything ever again," 'Uncle' vowed, taking Hevn's face in his hands and kissing her tenderly.
"You will be the first I see upon my return."
"Hurry back."
'Whelp' stood outside his prison, absolutely disgusted with his mother and uncle's behaviour. 'oh, Aunt Mikoto. If only I could warn you about what they're planning...' he thought longingly. His uncle's footsteps brought him back to reality quickly, knowing that he wouldn't be excused from a beating this time around if he was caught dilly-dallying. He set off back to his post, keeping surveillance on the Western Castle, riddled with guilt over not being able to protect his only family.
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A/N: So another update. Who is 'Whelp'? And what is his uncle's name, and just what is he planning for Mikoto? What will Sesshomaru's reaction be when he hears about Mikoto's horrid past? How will Sesshomaru fix the situation with Kagura? And how will Kagura take the change? All will be revealed in coming chapters, so please read and review!
I'll keep doing my best to keep posting and writing, but my commitments are about to start ramping up, so if you don't hear from me again until the end of the month, I'm sorry. I have 3 more chapters written; they just need to be typed up. Hopefully I can get that done by the end of the week.
Side note: I've upgraded the rating on this story solely for that last scene, and violence in later chapters.
TBS Juri