(A/N: I'm so sorry peoples! Summer school has been draining my brain dry! Hope ya'll enjoy this chappie… sorry it took me so long!)
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I Need You With Me
Part I
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"Almost there… just a little farther!"
Suma Aina rolled her eyes as her sister's voice echoed joyously around the dense forest. She could barely make out Sara's silhouette as the youth skipped through the brush, not caring how much racquet she made. Shifting her weight more evenly across her feet, Suma tightened her grip on the arm that was strung across her shoulders, and smiled apologetically at the miko whose hand she was pulling.
But the tired priestess simply kept her focus on the inconspicuous trail ahead of them, cold sweat drenching her forehead as she bit her lip, more than likely to keep from crying out as every stumble she made pulled painfully on her tightly bandaged shoulder.
"Steady now," Suma encouraged her gently, pausing their trek so they could catch their breath. "Don't overdue yourself… you don't want to stress your wound even more…"
The miko's brown eyes met hers, and as she righted herself, a small smile slowly formed across her face, the first smile she had shown since she had awoken in their hut, half dead with blood loss, almost a week ago. A silent conversation passed between the two young women, until the priestess nodded her head and took a step forward. Suma checked her weight and balance then continued down the path, her blue eyes scouring the thick brush around them for low hanging branches that threatened to catch on her tied up brown hair, the long locks already snagging on tall briars that kept them from wandering too far off the pathway. Her slender, toned body shook slightly under the added weight, but she refused to show her weakness to the frail girl beside her, and kept up with her slow, but steady progress down the trail.
When they broke free from the dense woods to a small clearing, they paused once more, relaxing as much as they could in the sudden silence that enveloped them. Suma helped her companion sit upon a rock, and straightened as soon as the miko was comfortable. Scanning through the dusk, she tried to find her sister, and was about to call out for her when Sara unexpectedly appeared before her, a wide smile spread across her bright, youthful face as Suma nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Sara! How many times have I told you not to sneak up on me like that?!"
"Sorry sis…"
Suma shook her head in exasperation. Her sister was almost identical to her, the only exceptions being her gray eyes and short hair, and the fact that she was five years younger than her. But they still wore the same hunter clothing, and both sported wicked looking twin blades that were strapped to their backs, the silver ends of their hilts glinting in the spare rays of light that managed to escape the dusky gloom surrounding them.
"Just don't do it again… understand?"
Sara nodded vigorously, then quickly pointed behind her, nearly jumping in excitement.
"I found it Suma! We made it!"
Two pairs of eyes followed the direction of Sara's finger as Suma and the miko both stared into the shadows.
"I don't see anything."
"Of course you cant, silly! You have to get closer to see anything in this fog!"
"Don't call me silly, small one."
"I'm not that small! I'm only a few inches shorter than y– "
"Show me where it is Sara."
Both the girls gave a start then turned their startled gazes to the priestess, who slid off the rock and shakily caught her balance. Her eyes were still trained on the spot where the youth had pointed, but her voice held a tight authority that made all the wild excitement in the young girl before her condense into carefully restrained determination. With a grim expression, Sara started for the target, while Suma carefully wrapped the miko's arm around her shoulders and followed.
Within moments, a dark silhouette materialized out of the gloom, and as the trio closed in on it, the fiery surface of it slowly became more and more distinguishable, until their sharp eyes could make out every break and crevice on a usually flawless surface.The three stopped and stood before the fire wrought boulder, all staring in awe at the magnificent size of it as it toward over them.
"This is it," Suma half whispered. "Daimaru's cell."
The miko withdrew her arm from the girl beside her and walked forward, her soft hands gently reaching up to caress the smooth stone. She was silent for a moment and simply stared up and down the length of it, her hands exploring, until she froze, and her fingers came to rest over a deep gash that reached from the top to its center. The young woman closed her eyes as though hearing the silent cry of the rock as it suffered from the cruel wound.
"What happened here?"
Suma stepped forward, her voice hesitant and uncertain.
"I don't know. This is where we found you. You can still see the effects of your battle here…"
And it was true. The tree trunks surrounding them were charred black and a few were ripped and torn, the outcome of sacred arrows striking them mercilessly. A slight demonic aura still radiated around the clearing, proof of the powerful demon that had once inhabited the cell, but the feeling of it was empty, telling them that the yokai had fled and hadn't returned since his experience with a spirit shield.
"Suma," Sara whispered so only her sister could hear her, "let's get back home. This place is giving me the creeps."
Suma nodded, then took another step forward, reaching out for the miko who hadn't moved from the fiery stone.
"Kagome, let's go back. He's not here."
"Suma, who was he? Why did he attack me?"
She could feel the young woman tense slightly as she gently placed a hand on her uninjured shoulder.
"I'm not positive, but I can tell you about him."
Kagome turned hopefully, but Suma only shook her head and walked up to her side, once more wrapping her arm around her shoulders to brace the delicate priestess's weight.
"Nuh-uh. Let's get home first. You need to rest up if you have any hope of healing faster."
"You're right, I know, but…"
Kagome cast another glance at the cell, but turned away as Suma began to walk back to the trail, Sara leading the way.
"When we get home… I promise…"
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With a deep sigh, Kagome slowly lowered herself onto the thick carpet of grass, stretching her legs out to relieve the cramped muscles as she stared down the hill to the never-ending expanse of land below. She could hear rustling sounds coming from the hut behind her, but she didn't look, and only averted her gaze from the starry skies when Suma appeared at her side and offered her a glass of steaming herb tea. Gratefully accepting the small cup, Kagome took a sip then wrapped her cold fingers around the rim of the miniature mug, relaxing as warmth slowly spread over her hands. With a stretch, Suma settled down next to her, a dark green shawl wrapped firmly around her shoulders.
"Sara's asleep, thank the Kami. I swear that child can jabber for days and not be tired at all."
Kagome returned Suma's warm smile, her eyes soft as she listened to the girl go on about her sister. They had become fast friends, being close to the same age, but there was something about listening to the young warrior talk about her family that set Kagome more at ease, and helped her lose some of the homesickness that had settled over her.
After talking for a good ten minutes or so, Suma quieted, and for a moment or two the young women stared up at the dark sky in a comfortable silence.
"Suma, who is Daimaru?"
Their gazes locked. Sadness seemed to creep over the hunter's face but, with a deep breath, Suma spoke, her voice on the verge of breaking as it fell to a whisper.
"Daimaru was a lowly demon lord who enrolled into the service of a higher, but human, daimyo, where he served as a relief general for many years. He was an awesome warrior, but he kept his demon identity secret, in fear of being cast out. In no time, though, he was the daimyo's most loyal subject and friend, and soon he commanded the armies and led campaigns in the name of his overlord. In only a few years time, Daimaru had established himself amongst the greatest war generals in all of Japan."
Suma paused, looking uncertain. Kagome placed a gentle hand upon the girl's arm.
"What happened?"
A brief silence held between them, then, with another deep breath, Suma continued.
"He was betrayed."
"Betrayed?"
Suma nodded.
"Daimaru's overlord had conquered many lands by then, and almost all of local clans were destroyed entirely. The people of these newly claimed territories grew very uneasy, and it wasn't long before an attempt was made on the daimyo's life."
"Let me guess… they failed and made it look like it had been Daimaru."
"Yes, they failed. Unfortunately, they didn't blame Daimaru… the daimyo's counsel did. You see, the culprit who had tried to assassinate the overlord was a demon, and not long after that Daimaru's true identity was revealed to not only the daimyo, but also the entire court and Daimaru's top generals and lieutenants. They, of course, defended him; they knew he wouldn't try to kill the very man he had spent the whole of his life serving. They said it didn't make sense for him to try to do something like that when he had helped unite the lands the overlord now controlled. For a while, it seemed the daimyo believed and sided with Daimaru, but his counsel turned him to their side, and Daimaru lost everything."
"That's horrible."
"Yes, but that's not the worst of it. After being stripped of everything, Daimaru was sentenced to death, and was sent to the palace prison. That night, it's said he went mad and destroyed the entire place, killing everyone but those who had sided with him. He gave himself to his demon side and sought out the counsel members and their families, murdering them all when he found them. He went on such a blood bath that feuding daimyos joined their armies together in order to stop him, though it didn't do much. He couldn't be stopped. Armies fell before him, and he destroyed them all completely, down to the last man. It was so bad, his own armies had to fight him. Enraged by their apparent betrayal to him, he slaughtered his own men, not sparing anyone, until there was nothing left of them but their bloody armor. Then he went on to attack villages that supplied the daimyos who were attacking him, and killed them; he was so lost in his lust for vengeance, it fed on his demon side, which only wanted the blood of his enemies. Soon, everyone and everything was his enemy, and he killed them by the thousands. He became a legend, and people knew to run when someone said 'the Black Dragon is coming!'"
"How did he end up in that cell then, if no one could stop him?"
"A group of monks came down from the northern mountains to aid the people. They pinned his demon in a trap, and sealed him in that lava stone, never to be freed for all eternity, and live only as the Legend of the Black Dragon."
"Then how is it he is free now?"
"I don't know. Like I said, the monks' seal was never supposed to break."
Kagome glanced at her feet in concentration, her fingers grabbing the jewel at her neck.
"When Daimaru attacked me, he said I was the reason he was free, but that doesn't make sense. I didn't even know he existed, so I couldn't have done it intentionally…"
"Maybe is was the jewel?"
Kagome stared down at the Shikon no Tama in her palm, the feeling of its power spreading over her hand as she closed her fingers around it.
"It has to be. That's the only thing that makes sense right now…"
Suma nodded, her eyes straying to Kagome's tightening grip.
"What are you going to do now? Daimaru is going to be following you everywhere now, even though he has been weakened. He'll stop at nothing to get that jewel from you, or you for that matter…"
"I need to go somewhere where he'll not try to get me. Someplace that he'll feel to intimidated to attack me."
"Where?"
Kagome sighed hopelessly.
"I have no idea."
Suma rubbed comforting circles across Kagome's back, gaining a grateful smile from the tired miko. Then they both fell silent again, their eyes straying over the skies.
"The moon sure is beautiful tonight," Kagome said after a while, her gaze tracing the edges of the crescent moon overhead.
Suma nodded in agreement.
"Sesshomaru's moon is always beautiful. It's my favorite."
"Sesshomaru's moon?" Kagome asked, staring at the other in wonder.
"Uh-huh. He is the demon lord of the West. Over the last year, he's united the western lands and now it's peaceful there. All the yokai that serve him are too afraid to rise against him, and, last I heard, he just disappeared. If he built a house for himself, I'm not sure, but he hasn't left his lands, and he just leaves there peacefully and quietly with his most loyal companions."
Disbelief filled her to the point of explosion as Suma spoke; the memories of the ruthless daiyokai flooding her brain as she looked up at the moon once more.
"The crescent moon is called 'Sesshomaru's moon' because he has a blue crescent moon tattooed on the middle of his forehead, so it is said."
"Well, it's true."
Now it was Suma's turn to stare at her, unbelieving.
"What? You know him?"
"Oh, we've met," Kagome said dryly, "under less than comfortable circumstances."
"How?"
"He's Inuyasha's half brother, and of course they hate each other, and so, he hates me."
"Wow… tough break…"
"I know…"
"And he's tried to kill you plenty of times I bet, huh?" Suma smiled grimly as Kagome nodded, then added, "So now you're too afraid to be around him, then, without Inuyasha with you I mean – "
She was cut off when Kagome suddenly gasped, a large smile spreading over her face.
"Suma that's it!"
"Huh?"
"I'll go to the West, where Sesshomaru is! Daimaru wouldn't even think about attacking me in lands that belong to the most powerful demon I know, especially not in his weakened state!"
Suma's own grin widened as the realization dawned on her, then, laughing, she hugged Kagome's shoulders, though careful to not stress the miko's wound. They shared their mirth, holding each other on the top of the hill as though sharing a great success. The moment didn't end until Suma collected their teacups and went into the house to retire for the night. As soon as the young hunter had fully disappeared into the hut, Kagome stared up at the moon, a new sense of hope filling her.
All I have to do is get Sesshomaru's protection, and then I can finally save Inuyasha!
But it wasn't until her eyes continued to trace the crescent shape overhead, that her mind began to conjure up the vision of the daiyokai the moon was named for, and she increasingly realized how insane that previous thought truly was… and how hard it would be to make something that seemed so simple come to reality.
No… she had to get him to cooperate. She had to get him to help her…
…if he didn't kill her first, that is…
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(A/N: Yay! Another chappie done! I have finally defeated writer's block! Yes!! Well, I hope ya'll enjoyed it! Until next time… R&R plz!)