Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha
Chapter 14
Armor
Kami help him there was no escaping from the woman. It didn't help that with the new moon he was completely human and thus unable to use all of his abilities as a Hanyou to avoid the cursed woman.
And while she pouted about the loss of his cute, fluffy ears, nothing stopped her from chasing him down no matter where he tried to hide. It didn't take much effort for her to find him, and we swore that she was getting assistance from the youkai that were not being sent into hibernation by the event of Midwinters eve.
"Wan-chan, will you stop pouting now." Midoriko grinned up at him.
Inuysha sighed as she plunked down next to him before shooting a glare at the kitsune she had been riding.
"Traitor." He grumbled at the kit.
The kitsune just grinned at him as he landed on the beam Inuyasha had tried to hide up on before he lost his powers as a Hanyou. Maybe he should have thought it through a bit since now he was stuck up here with no way down.
"You are worried about Kagome?" She asked seriously.
"A little he admitted."
"She will be fine. Her training has come about amazingly in the last several months. Her power is far greater then mine, she just doesn't have the control I do. That will come in time. Her shots better then mine to." Midoriko chuckled.
"Keh, I would hope so. She had to fire a lot of arrows from my back." Inuyasha grinned.
"Oh?"
"Hai. We traveled together for 4 years trying to defeat Naraku. I thought you knew all this?"
He couldn't help but to feel smug knowing he knew something she didn't.
"Must have slipped my mind." She smiled.
Something was different about her tonight. She seemed less childish and far more womanish. Her eyes had a kind of glazed look to them and she was smiling at him in a way he kind of liked.
Just why he liked it he wasn't quite sure. Something was stirring, something he hadn't felt since his early days with Kikyo. Something he had never felt with Kagome. Nothing about Midoriko reminded him of Kikyo like Kagome had.
Midoriko was Midoriko and something about her carefree attitude appealed to him in ways Kikyo never could or did. With Kikyo everything had been proper and he tried to be who he wasn't for her. Midoriko liked him for him.
Said Miko stretched and yawned, her chest lifting up and perking out with the action. Something stirred within him he hadn't felt in a very long time. And when the Miko smiled up at him that feeling only intensified.
"I am going to retire to our room. Care to come?" She asked in a way that sounded like it was more of an offer.
"Sure." He found himself answering before he realized he had opened him mouth.
He settled behind her on Kitsume as the Kitsune flew them back to their room. For some reason tonight he noticed how close her body was to his. How her curves fit against him and the way her armor hugged her body. For being the middle of winter the fortress was seemingly hot at the moment.
For a two minute travel time back to their room it felt like it took 40 years and 6 seconds all at the same time. The door shutting behind him almost felt like the lid of a tomb for the few seconds he bothered to notice it.
"Can you help me out of my armor please?" Midoriko asked.
"Yeah, sure." He agreed without thinking.
He fumbled with the straps a little until she caught his hands and assisted him. He regained a bit of his composure and slowly started to undo the buckles holding her armor on.
The chess piece came off first and was dropped to the floor forgotten beside them. Midoriko sat down and he started on the guards on her legs, which were followed by her boots, then her socks and her pants. His fingers tingled whenever they brushed against her skin.
Somehow he found himself hovering over her and removing her shirt. At some point his cloths seemed to have mysteriously vanished as he started to kiss her, her flesh tasting good to his mouth.
Midoriko moaned pleasantly under him as his mouth went from her neck down to her breast. Her hands played upon his back and his flesh felt like it was on fire wherever they roamed. He had never felt like this before.
He felt at peace, so soft and warm and comfortable. Midoriko's moans had him trembling, her flesh tasted so sweet to his mouth he just wanted to lick and nibble on her all night.
Heat was beginning to pool lower in his body though and Midoriko's hand went from his back to his rear. She pulled him into her and his head exploded in pleasure. Instinct took over and he began to thrust into her.
Midoriko moaned louder and began to cry out and rose to meet him. Her hands and mouth were all over his body, leaving a trail of heat that was only beaten out by where their bodies joined.
They climaxed together. A moment of mind-blowing bliss that left his head reeling in the aftermath. He felt drunk and relaxed and a million other things that he couldn't even begin to explain. Midoriko nestled up against him, sighing contently.
"That was good Inuyasha." She purred.
"What was that?" He asked.
"Hmm?"
"Say it again."
"That was good." She repeated.
"The last part."
She smiled up at him with that little minx of a smile that both intrigued and infuriated him at the same time.
"Inuyasha." She purred.
He smiled down at her. Exhaustion began to claim him as Midoriko reached down to pull the furs over their cooling bodies.
"We have got to do that again, when you have your ears back."
"Insufferable wench." He growled playfully at her.
"Wan-chan." She purred back.
For once it didn't sound like an insult. More like an annoying cutesy name shared between levels.
"Koneko." He shot back.
Midoriko's soft chuckles were soon lost to the sounds of slumber. Inuyasha followed her down in blissful darkness.
Kagome awoke the next morning feeling slightly sleepy, but otherwise refreshed. Beside her Sesshomaru was still deeply asleep. What was it with the winter months that kept the darn youkai in a state of near hibernation?
She stretched briefly before curling back up under the furs. Her body felt wonderfully warm and content, a feeling she hadn't had in a long time since the war had started. She didn't remember going to sleep; hell she didn't remember cleaning up the cave. The last thing she remembered was walking into it and starting a fire.
A quick stock of her body to determine rather or not she had been injured revealed what she apparently had been doing with her mate. A year ago she would have blushed bright scarlet and been fighting between mortification and down right rage. Right now all she was feeling was a deep sense of regret that she couldn't remember a damn thing about what was sure to have been an amazing and pleasurable night.
She looked over to her mate, noticing his deep breathing and apparent lack of stirring while she stirred next to him. No doubt their night had taxed his already weak levels, so she left him to rest while she prepared herself something to eat.
The storm had clearly worked itself out over the night and the sun filtered through the entrance. It was late in the afternoon by the time Sesshomaru stirred. Golden eyes blinked open with more alertness then Kagome had seen in her mate for a while.
Once they were both fully dressed in their armor once more they headed out. Nothing could stop her from seeing Rin and Shippo again. As much as she loved and missed Reimei she could not ignore her other children either.
Sekira meet them at the door, Rin and Shippo ploughed into her the moment her feet touched the ground.
"Kagome-sama." They cried.
Kagome swept them both up into a heavy hug until they started to squirm and complain about her squeezing the air out of their lungs. She set them down with an apology and a smile as they dived into everything they had been doing since they had left and demanded they show her everything they had made.
Sesshomaru wisely slipped away while the children were focused on her. She promised to get back at him for it later. Until then, she would enjoy spending time with Rin and Shippo while she could.
Both of them demanded her attention as they began to bombard her with everything from how their lessons were going to demanding how the war was going. She smiled down at them and permitted them to lead her into the mansion and to their private quarters.
Sekira met her at the children's room and managed to distract them long enough for Kagome to change into something more comfortable. While the armor that had once belonged to Reimei-sama fit her perfectly, she was very much wishing to where something a little more comfortable and breathable.
Digging through her store of clothing she stopped when she found and old pair of jeans and a white sweater. Clothing she had brought back with her from her time, or what had once been her time as THIS was now her time.
Also packed in her beg where pictures of her mother, brother, and grandfather. She sat on the floor and flipped through them, trying to hold back tears of loss of the family she would never get to see again.
She would never get to see Souta graduate. Or get married. She wouldn't be there to help him through his first heart ach or stand by her grandfathers' bed as he passed on. She thought of all the things she would miss, and that inevitable brought he around to think of her own daughter.
She looked at the clothing from the future and set them aside. They were from a life that was no longer a part of her. Much like the yellow dress she had loved when she was eight. She took out one of the kimonos from her chess and quickly changed into it with the help from another youkai filling in for Sekira.
When she walked back into the room with the children she was every inch the Lady of the Western Lands. And she was determined to make sure that nothing happened to Rin or Shippo and that she would get her daughter back.
The trip back to the front lines was a lot faster, and less snow stormy, then the trip home had been. Ah-un landed on the top tower where the other lords and their ladies were currently watching the attempted excavation of the large amount of snow the two insane Miko's had convinced the earth elemental to bring down.
Said excavation was not going very well as another barrage of attacks from Aleria and her birds swooped down upon them yet again. Any youkai that could fly where among them, including Midoriko and Inuyasha astride Kitsume.
One archer on the ground managed to get off a shot that hit Kitsume in the rear hip. The kitsune yowled in pain and the youkai had but a moment to shine in pride before he was ripped to shreds by Inuyasha's Kaze no Kizu.
Kagome sighed in relief when Midoriko brought the wounded Kitsune back to the base and excused herself from the meeting of the lords to attend to the wounded kit with Akio by her side.
"Akio-sama?"
"Yes Kagome-sama?"
"I was just wondering, why do so many of the youkai not wear armor? Would it wound their pride if I were to suggest we craft armor for everyone? I would help cut down the number of injuries sustained."
"The problem with armor is that many of us have alternate forms that the armor would not fit when we change. Those you do see wearing armor either do not have an alternate form, do not switch to it often enough to mater, or their armor is a part of their youki and thus can 'disappear' at whim, such as those worn by a Taiyoukai."
"Would it be possible for someone like Sesshoamru-sama to then 'summon' a set of armor if he were to take on his Inu form?"
"Theoretically I would have to say yes. Our true forms generally have thicker hides and they are not easily punctured."
"Would it be possible to craft armor and, I don't know, set it to a youkai's youki so they could 'summon' it when they assume one form or another."
"Can you be more specific?"
"Let us use Kitsume. Clearly the kit needs no armor in his smaller form, but when he is in his larger form and on the field having a set of armor for him would be a big asset. Youkai don't rely on conventional methods of flight, like a common bird, and use their youki to fly so I would imagine the weight of a set of armor would not hinder them as much as if we were to try and put armor on say, a finch.
"Clearly it would be annoying to have to put the armor on every time he transforms. If there was some way to make the armor then, I don't know, seal it inside of something that he can use as a focus to summon it at will when he transforms. Maybe I have just watched too many Saturday morning cartoons."
"Cartoons?" Akio asked.
"Long story. Is anything I mentioned possible? I know Toutosai was able to seal Inuyasha's sword in a black pearl. Can we not do something similar with a suit of armor?"
"I believe it would be worth looking into. The one to ask about such things would be Sutamina-sama. She would know more about manipulating Youki in such a way as that."
"Where might I find her?"
"She can only be found by need."
"Need?"
"Yes, need."
"That's rather annoying." Kagome signed as they made it to the infirmary where the injured form to days assault were already being laid out. Kitsume was not among them and Kagome assumed that Midoriko was taking care of the kit herself.
It didn't take long to settle the wounded as there were not many to begin with that needed their care. Those that took a stray arrow would be fine come morning unless it struck mortally.
Again she could not help but to think how wearing armor could have prevented many of these wounds. How many might have not died needlessly if they'd had some sort of protection.
Kagome wished Akio good night once their were no more wounded to assist and started to head back up to the chambers she was sharing with her mate when she was stopped by voice.
"Kagome?"
"Hai?" She turned to face the voice.
It was a young woman with eyes so blue looking into them was like staring into the sky. Other then that she appeared to be a normal, young, human woman.
"You have need of me." The girl said.
"If I know who you where I might be able to tell you what it is I would need you for."
Kagome turned to face the woman fully, one hand resting on the hilt of Kagearashi.
"I have no name, though some call me Sutamina. Your need has called to me and thus I have answered. What is your need?"
Kagome stared at the young woman in shock.
"If you have no need of me, then I will go."
"No wait." Kagome shouted as Sutamina began to disappear before her eyes.
"You have need of me then?" The woman asked.
"Hai."
Kagome paused to compose herself.
"My apologies Sutamina-sama. I was not expecting to find you so easily. Would you care to retire somewhere more pleasant while I explain my need to you?" Kagome asked formally.
"It would please me." Sutamina answered.
Kagome led Sutamina to a more comfortable room and offered her tea. Sutamina accept and she settled into the ritual of making tea while Sutamina found a comfortable place to sit.
"Your blade and your bow bear the marking of Toutosai." Sutamina commented.
"Hai. My mate, Sesshomaru-sama, had them crafted for me from his fangs."
"An appropriate gift for ones mate."
Kagome served the strange woman her tea. They filled the time with idle chatter as was customary. It wasn't until the last drop of tea had been drunk that Kagome expressed her need to Sutamina.
The woman listened in silence, then remained silent for some time after. With out a word Sutamina stood up and vanished before her eyes. Kagome stared at the space the woman had been standing bewildered.
Did this mean she couldn't do it? Or was she thinking about it? Gathering the materials needed perhaps? A test of her patience maybe? After several minutes, just when Kagome was about to give up on her ever coming back, Sutamina re-appeared before her.
"What you ask for has never been done by one for another. Do you have on willing to suffer through the trail an error?" Sutamina asked.
"I am sure we can find someone. I have a few in mind."
Sutamina nodded at her and Kagome led the woman to where she knew Midoriko to be. If Midoriko was there, Kitsume was sure to be there as well.
She was right. Midoriko had the small Kitsune in her lap, gentling stroking his fur with one hand. Surprisingly Inuyasha was nowhere to be found.
"Kagome." Midoriko smiled up at her. "I didn't realize you where back already."
"Got back this afternoon. Where is Inuyasha?"
"Pouting again no doubt. He wanted to kill more youkai before we were forced to return. Either that or he wanted to head back to bed early." Midoriko chuckled.
"Inuyasha go to bed early?" Kagome asked shocked.
"I'll tell you all about it later. Until then, who is this?"
"This is Sutamina-sama. She is willing to try and assist us with a project that I am contemplating, but we need a youkai volunteer and I thought of Kitsume right away."
The fox kit popped his head up and Kagome couldn't help but smile at him. Kitsume was just too cute in his smaller form.
"What are you trying to do?" Midoriko asked.
For what she was sure was the fifth or sixth time that day Kagome explained her idea. Midoriko listened intrigued with the idea. She herself had been wondering abut getting a suite of armor crafted for Kitsume.
"I am up for trying it if you are."
Kitsume yipped his affirmative and hopped out of Midoriko's lap to stand at attention before Sutamina. The woman pulled out a measuring tape from thin air as Kitsume transformed into his battle form and stood patiently while she took his measurements.
Nodding in satisfaction Sutamina phased out of existence again. The two Miko's and kitsune stared where the woman had been standing.
"That's the second time she's done that." Kagome sighed.
"I trust she will come back in her own time. Until then," Midoriko yawned, "I think I will retire to bed."
"You, go to bed early? Expecting something?" Kagome teased.
"Maybe." Midoriko winked at her.
"You didn't." Kagome gasped at her.
Midoriko just grinned wider.
"And what were you and Sesshomaru doing during your trip home?" Midoriko poked at her.
"What proper mates do." She snapped back good-natured.
"Uh-huh."
The two girls giggled as Kitsume mewed, back in his smaller form.
It took forever, and I mean forever, to get this chapter out. I have been staring at this blank chapter for a long time trying to figure out how to get to where I need to go. Then I started to catch up on the manga again and things started to pop into my head again.
No promises on when other chapters will be coming up though. I got a job to work, raids to lead, doctor appts to suffer through.