Chapter Twenty
The instant Kisekimaru had said Himura Estate, lots of things fell into place. For a timeless moment, everything that had made little sense in his investigation became crystal clear in the larger scheme of things.
In that moment, Sesshomaru cursed his packaging Kagura in his mind as a lone entity, not tied to any family or name beyond herself. If he had made the connection to her family and her family's business sooner, the situation wouldn't have dragged on as it had.
When the panting breath of his son reached passed his thoughts, Sesshomaru snapped into furious motion.
He burst from his office, reaching Rin in the living room before she had time to turn around at the noise his exit caused. Her eyes were wide as she took in his appearance, but his mind was on other things.
"Rin, I want you to stay in your room until I come back." He instructed, lifting her effortlessly from the couch. His strides were inhumanly swift as he approached her door. "I am going to get Kisekimaru. You must not move until I return, is that clear?" He settled her quickly on her bed, pausing his frantic movements only to stare into her shocked brown eyes. A small part of him was worried about leaving her behind so abruptly, but it was drowned in the howls of his beast.
It called for him to reclaim his pup.
He remained motionless until she nodded, breathing a sigh of relief before sprinting from the room. It was only a few moments later that he found himself outside of his apartment building. Closing his eyes, he called upon a form he hadn't needed in years. If he remembered correctly, Kagura had been the last one to see him as such.
When he felt only the buzz of energy that came when he was fully transformed, the ball of light that carried his essence shot away towards the north.
Sesshomaru had only been to Himura Estate once, taken there in secret on Valentine's Day, when Kagura's family had been absent. She had wanted to lay in the field and stare at the sky above, if he remembered correctly. Despite years having passed, he still remembered exactly where it was.
Within minutes, he could feel himself hurtling towards the property, a strain of relief hitting him when the familiar fields came into view. A deeper relief crashed over him as he noticed a small figure stumbling towards the main house through the fields.
He transformed back the instant he was before his son, catching him in a tight embrace as his beast howled its relief. His eyes roamed over Kisekimaru's form, desperately looking for injuries he could see. It was only a second after he started his search that his nose picked up the cloying, metallic scent of blood. As the initial relief faded away, he noticed more and more things.
His pup was trembling, legs no longer supporting the small body. As he held him away from his body, Sesshomaru's nose picked up the subtle difference in the scent of the blood that covered Kisekimaru's stomach and thighs. A strange mixture of consolation and guilt washed over him as he acknowledged that the blood didn't belong to the tired pup in his arms, but to someone else. That guilt increased when his brain finally recognized it as Kagura's blood.
"Where is Kagura?" The words flew from his mouth before he could think to check them. As he looked into red eyes that were the exact copy of hers, he couldn't help himself. "Where is Kagura?" Kisekimaru blinked and stared at him for a long moment. A small part of him recognized that his pup was likely in shock, but much of him was roaring to find the demoness who had borne him his son and heir.
He could feel his eyes bleeding red when a shaking arm raised to point behind a tiny body.
His gaze immediately shot to the building that he distantly recalled being used for storage. Kagura had stolen a chair from it for him to sit on when he had mentioned the indignity of sitting on the ground. She had laughed.
From the amount of power and malice that radiated from it now, he knew that he would not be able to get her as long as he had Kisekimaru with him. He felt the small body in his arms turn to look at the building as well, and he tightened his grip when he felt his pup tense.
"She said don't look back." The whispered words sent a harsh pain to Sesshomaru's heart. He knew, he knew the message she meant to send with those words, and all of him wanted to deny it. "Ama!" His pup leapt and strained against his arms, but he didn't relent his grip. He spared a moment to stare at the building, seeing the sick purple miasma of her father begin to seep out of cracks in the structure.
As he closed his eyes to transform with their son, Sesshomaru spent a brief second to acknowledge the grief in his heart. Kagura would and had done everything she could for their child. Even as he took to the air, hurtling back towards Osaka and safety, she was fighting her own father to keep Kisekimaru safe. He only hoped that she would still be alive when he returned to get her.
And he would return. Whether it was to collect a corpse or retrieve a dying, but still breathing Kagura, he would return to Himura Estate. For if Naraku still lived after fighting with Kagura, he would take his own payment out of the retched demon. It was to be a payment in blood, for there was no other reparation that could be made otherwise.
Especially if Kagura died for him.
Pushing the grief and anger aside, Sesshomaru focused on the present, on speeding back towards Osaka faster than he had headed north. He wanted Kisekimaru safely ensconced in his home, tucked securely in his room with Rin to keep him company.
When he transformed back to his solid body, he noticed that his pup had lost consciousness. Since he could smell no injury beyond a few bruises, he assumed it was the shock finally proving too much for the small body in his arms. He hugged the form close to him, burying his nose in the dirty silver locks, so like his own.
Because he was so young, Kisekimaru's scent was still a mix of Kagura's and his own.
It brought the grief to the fore once more, but he shoved it aside once more. Sesshomaru moved swiftly into his apartment building, taking the stairs four at a time. He slammed open his apartment door when he appeared before it, hearing a startled squeak from within. As he entered and swept down the hall towards Rin's room, he was pleased to see her door still closed as he had left it. He could hear her hard breathing and rabbit-swift heartbeat on the other side.
"Rin," He called, even as he opened the door. She leapt from where she had settled on her bed. In her hands was clutched the plush toy that was Kisekimaru's.
"Is he ok?" Her voice shook. Sesshomaru paid it little heed as he strode to her bed, tugging back the covers of her large bed to deposit his pup beneath them. His small body was still trembling.
"He is just sleeping." He lied, golden eyes locking onto her own brown ones. "You will need to stay with him while I return for Miss Kagura." Rin's eyes widened even as she nodded, scrambling onto the bed. She settled herself under the covers as well, huddled as close to Kisekimaru as she could. He was relieved to see Kisekimaru's trembling decrease a bit when her hand clutched at his.
"Stay here." He reiterated once more, waiting until Rin had nodded before taking the familiar path out of his apartment and to the street below.
As soon as he hit the pavement, he transformed. He pushed himself recklessly fast across land and sea, racing back to the estate where he had left Kagura fighting, likely for her life if the blood she had spilled on Kisekimaru was any indicator.
When the land came into view once more, he was dismayed to find the storage building utterly destroyed. Transforming back to his solid state, his golden eyes bled swiftly to red as he searched for her. A tentacle shot into the sky from the rubble of the building, drawing his attention to its target.
His heart almost stopped at the sight of the bloodied and completely red stained feather it aimed for.
He had only taken a step when the feather managed to twist away, but not swiftly enough. Horror ripped through him as he saw the feather's rider thrown from her seat and hurtling towards the ground. He was streaking towards her before he had even thought to bring forth any of his defenses. In his haste to reach her and Kisekimaru, he had left Tenseiga and Bakusaiga where they were stored behind his desk.
She landed in his arms with a sickening squelch. The blood that had coated Kisekimaru absolutely drenched Kagura. Her own scent of clean, crisp wind was drowned by the strength of the smell of her blood. She felt slick against his hands, some of the blood sticking his fingers to her skin. Even the minimal jolt of his landing caused her to whimper and gurgle in pain.
"Sesshomaru." The taunting voice of Naraku, her father, called to him, inciting his rage. "So you did show up. And I was so certain you would simply leave her to die after she had managed to let her little bastard escape." There was a bit of rage and bitterness in his voice at that admission, and a swell of pride lifted Sesshomaru's heart as he gazed at the valiant demoness in his arms for a moment more.
Her ruby eyes were heavily lidded, barely visible and glazed with pain and blood loss. They were still fascinating to him, even in this state. For a moment, he saw them clear and focus on him. He read the relief in them as she recognized him, just as he recognized the surrender there as well. That emotion made him want to shake her, convince her not to give up. Kisekimaru was waiting at home for her, for them.
As gently as he could manage, Sesshomaru placed her on the ground. She whimpered when her leg jostled, but he couldn't try to relieve her pain. With fury flaring in his chest, he whirled to face Naraku. He could feel his beast roaring louder than ever, screaming and howling to be released, to be allowed retribution for its pup and his bearer. For once, he didn't bother trying to reign in his beast.
Sesshomaru roared as his beast shattered its cage, and he transformed.
The pain was almost blinding.
When Naraku had collapsed the building, furious that she had managed to let her baby escape, she had taken a lot of damage. The cut on her side had widened, stretching almost completely across her back. Some of the bone that had shattered in her leg was protruding from her skin. The acid brand on her back stung and throbbed in equal measures. Her head was light, the harsh slap of her winds one of the only things keeping her from slipping into unconsciousness. Flying high above her father, she pushed her weakened control to its limits dodging the enraged tentacles that aimed to strike and skewer her.
Tired ruby eyes scanned the field as she maneuvered, relieved to find no trace of her baby in it. So Sesshomaru had already come and taken him away. That was one more weight off her shoulders. The final one would only fall away when she watched the light leave her father's eyes and the breath fade from his body.
Her fan, the delicate paper somewhat torn, made it difficult to control the winds as she usually would with its aid. Still, she sent blades of wind towards him with the best of her ability. She no longer cared for the miasma that spewed from each wound that appeared on tentacles. Her Dance of the Dragon was out of her reach, her fan too damaged for such delicate wind work. All she could do was hope that one of her blades would get through the mass of tentacles protecting her father and cut him apart.
One blade sliced a tentacle near its base and the others recoiled in shock and pain. Kagura couldn't stop the smirk that graced her face, even through the pain of the movement. As she floated high above the field below, she noticed a ball of light speeding towards the estate. Her heart stopped for a moment when she realized that Sesshomaru had returned.
Ruby eyes followed the ball until it transformed into Sesshomaru standing in the field far below her. Disbelief made her grip on her fan slack.
Her moment of inattention cost her.
Naraku shot a tentacle toward her, one she noticed at the last moment. She managed to twist most of her body and feather out of the way, but the tentacle clipped the tail end of her transport. She couldn't muster the fear as she fell from her seat and hurtled toward the ground.
The few seconds of free fall seemed to stretch into infinity.
Her feather grew further away from her, wheeling wildly in the air once it was directionless and riderless. Vaguely, she noticed it was no longer its normal, pure white as it spiraled away. She could only think that it matched Sesshomaru's eyes when he was angry and they bled red with his fury. There was no sound as she fell, just the sight of her feather getting farther away.
Time seemed to catch up with her when she landed. As the cut across her side and back was brushed and she tried to scream, she saw silvery strands flicker into her sight. It took long seconds to realize that Sesshomaru, Sesshomaru, had caught her. The slight jostling of his landing sent a blinding wave of pain through her. Her vision blacked and sounds grew distant in the face of the pain caused by her leg jostling and his arm pressing hard into her cut.
When her sight returned, she could only see Sesshomaru's face.
Sweet relief swept through her body like a tidal wave as she truly recognized that he was there. Every part of her screamed surrender now that she knew he was there to take up the battle in her stead. His eyes were a glowing, swirling mix of livid crimson and soothing gold. They were all she could see, even as her vision partially blacked again as a wave of pain rolled through her from leg.
When he turned from her, she finally let herself close her eyes.
She would rest. Now that Sesshomaru had come, she could let him fight the battle she had begun. As Kagura slipped into darkness, the last thing she heard was a wrathful roar that promised blood, pain, and retribution. She couldn't have stopped the smile that graced her face if she had tried.
It wasn't like anything he had felt before.
His control, that he had worked long and hard for, was always employed, even when he used his more bestial forms. Seeing the surrender in Kagura's eyes had torn that from him, leaving him at the mercy of his beast. For once though, feeling the unhindered rage and the power that came with it, he couldn't say he was displeased with his lack of control.
To the contrary, it felt immensely freeing.
Shaking himself once his transformation was complete, Sesshomaru could feel the acid dripping from his jaws at the smug look on Naraku's face. He roared, the sound coming from deep within his bones. His freed beast screamed for blood, pain, and most of all, retribution. From deep within himself, Sesshomaru could only support what it wanted.
He felt distant, once he let the beast within have full control. It was like watching a movie play out from his point of view.
He heard the words Naraku used to taunt him, but they sounded so far away. Each movement felt almost sluggish, even while he watched the scenery and his foe move rapidly. It made vindictive pleasure course through him when he realized his beast was only playing with Naraku. The worst had yet to even begin.
And so he sat back and watched, for once content to let the events play out before him without any interference from him. Kisekimaru was safely at home, Kagura was protected at least by his massive bulk, and Naraku was walking to his doom, whether or not the other demon realized it.
He spotted the beginning of the end when Naraku flinched at one of the hits he managed to land. The foul miasma still spewed forth, but he was satisfied to see that it wasn't as thick or potent as it had been earlier. His focus on the battle sharpened as he watched for more signs of weakness. It was to a wave of malevolent satisfaction that he saw they began showing up more and more as the fight progressed.
It was when Naraku physically buckled that he sent a sharp command to the beast in charge that the time to play with their victim was over. It roared again, pouncing on the disadvantaged demon before it. They both felt vengeful pleasure when Naraku had to grit his teeth to keep from screaming when drips of acid began eating away at him.
When his beast began to rip him apart, one limb at a time, Sesshomaru knew he was well pleased with how Naraku would meet his end.
Minutes later, the beast relinquished its control with a low growl of satisfaction. As he transformed back to his more humanoid form, Sesshomaru could no longer feel Naraku at all, no matter that he was standing over his prone and thankfully dead form. As he rushed back into control, a thought that had escaped him as he let the beast fight came flooding back, with enough force to almost stagger him.
Kagura had lain bleeding behind him, and he had let the beast take it's time to punish and kill Naraku. With a heavy sense of panic, he rushed to where she lay, her eyes closed. For a moment, he worried that he had left her to die.
The sight of her chest stutteringly rising was enough to make him grateful that he still had time. He wasted not a second more of it as he scooped her up and transformed, hoping only that he had enough left to make it back to Osaka and to the hospital he trusted.
A/N- Don't you guys just love my recent cruel streak? Probably not. Anyhoo, this one practically wrote itself. The next chapter is already begun and I'm pretty sure we only have one, maybe two chapters left now that this one is out. We're getting to where I had planned the ending, though we'll see if the players agree to get there. As always, thank you so much for all of your reviews and sticking through with this story. I love you all for it.