AUTHOR'S NOTES:
A. Inuyasha and its original characters were the creation of Rumiko Takahashi. I do not claim them as mine.
B. The characters and names Maksim Danilov, Ivan Danilov, Kevin Spencer, Alynna, Richard Higurashi, Masahiro, Mako, Yori, Haru, Sune-ku, Allen and Ryotaro were my original creations. Please do not copy their characters!
C. The people and names in this story were fictitious and if someone has the same name it was just a coincidence (like Maksim).
D. This is still a parallel story to link the Feudal Era and the Modern Time until Kagome's disappearance and return from the well.
CHAPTER 20-B
FEUDAL ERA
Previously on Chapter 19-B
"Perhaps I could be of assistance." A brace of sutras flew and glowed as it stuck a group of advancing enemy. The attackers fell from the holy power. A twirling shakoujou grasped between armor-covered hands stuck the ground and released another blast of power. It swept the ground as a dark miasma rose from the 'mind-controlled' group.
The violet robed monk untangled the beads around his left hand and spread it out at the cloud. The force of the wind pulled the miasma inside the howling hole in the middle of his hand. The cry from the miasma sounded eerily like a human's as it was cut off. The wind stopped when the beads once more settled around the hand.
Everyone stood breathless at the sudden quiet that settled in the woods. The monk's violet eyes closed briefly as he murmured a short incantation and faced the group.
0 ~ 0 ~ 0
The group tensed and readied for more battle as one by one their attackers began to stir, groaning and staggering on their feet, looking around quite surprised at the place they suddenly found themselves into.
"Where am I?" everyone asked to no one in particular as they wake up from whatever power or force that controlled their minds and bodies. As they gathered their wits about them the humans and youkai gathered among their own group looking at one another in suspicion.
"They're all youkai!" A tall man, a taiji-ya exclaimed when he noticed the telltale signs on Sesshoumaru's face and the others around him. The man backed away guardedly as he further noticed the other members of the daiyoukai's pack-an Ookami lord, dragon youkai, a kitsune, a hanyou… Huh, is that a houshin? What a strange bunch.
The rest of the human men picked up any weapon they could find, even the broken ones. "You all picked a good day to die!" one taiji-ya shouted. The rest of the humans shouted in agreement.
"There will be no more fighting!" Sesshoumaru called out to the two group. "Who leads here?"
"Why are we here?" The tall taiji-ya demanded as he looked around warily, pointedly ignoring the question. "Are you planning to kill us, daiyoukai?"
Sesshoumaru growled and the men backed away a bit. "Had I wanted you dead, you would have been speaking with the lord of the underworld right now, taiji-ya."
Kouga snorted. "Actually, you and your buddies here" he thumbed at the youkai group "attacked us, not the other way around."
"You lie!" The man couldn't believe what he's hearing as he tried to hide the pain from his injured arm. "We do not consort with youkai!"
"And we do not consort either with ningen!" A neko youkai bared his fangs at the human, stirring the other youkai to back him up.
A wall of blue fire cut a swath in the middle as the two groups almost clashed in a bloody encounter. Every one quickly backed away to avoid the flames. The ground shook from a high-pitched shriek followed by a growl.
"Stop this insanity right now!"
They all turned to see a huge dragon, actually, seven dragons! They all gasped as six of them flew out of the bamboo thicket and landed behind….Dear kami, their eyes bugged out. If that image were not striking enough then the sight of a miko glowing with holy power BESIDE one of the smaller dragons would strike fear to anyone's heart. Almost everyone gaped, particularly the assembled youkai. The taiji-ya was glad to see someone this powerful had come to help them eliminate this scourge of humanity in one big flare of reiki. Her power must be great to command even dragons to do her bidding!
"Yes miko-sama, help us end this insanity right now! Send these youkai vermin into oblivion!" The humans echoed the tall taijiya's words noisily. Sesshoumaru snorted and exchanged an amused glance with Kouga.
"Be quiet!" The miko shouted back while striding forward angrily.
She was wearing a dirty, blood speckled, ill-fitting haori that looked as if it belonged to someone bigger and taller. The taiji-ya quickly noted the same pattern on the taller daiyoukai's hakama. Her hair was tousled and she had an overall look of dishevelment on her person. Dear kami, were they raping her before they arrived?
"Miko-sama, are they keeping you against your will?" The taiji-ya worriedly asked. Have these demons no honor? To defile the purity of a miko…
"No, they are not, but it is you and your friends here who are under control." The miko threw a pair of sticks away.
"What? Controlled?" The taiji-ya frowned as he was totally taken aback at her words. The taiji-ya was further surprised when the silver haired Inu lord stood beside her and placed a protective and proprietary hand on the miko's shoulder. What in seven hells…?
"She is correct, taiji-ya." The houshin also came forward. "My sutras are a testament to that." The taiji-ya and the others looked down in surprise at the sutras still pasted on them.
"Who is this person then?" The neko youkai angrily crumpled the sutras and marveled that it did not burn him. "I will part his head from his shoulders when I meet him!"
Kouga nodded to Kagome. "You have to thank Kagome for sensing the controlling power. If she hadn't then you all would have been dead."
"You told them" the taiji-ya pointed to Sesshoumaru and company "not to kill us? Not to kill them? Why?"
"Are you stupid or something? If I could I'd purify you right now!" The man's jaw dropped. Kagome snapped at the man. "Didn't you hear what Kouga-sama said? You are all under control! "You" she indicated them all "were being pitted against each other by the lord of the East, Masahiro."
"Do you have proof of that, ningen?" The neko youkai stiffened when the tip of a glowing sword came under his chin.
Yori spoke up. "Llearn to properly address the regent of the Northern lands, youkai!" Kohaku and the other human's jaws dropped in surprise. A miko as youkai regent?
Kagome held Sesshoumaru's arm and pulled it down to lower Bakusaiga. "Please, what is your name?"
"I'm Yoshio, from the south east…my lady." The youkai didn't remove his eyes from the fabled demon sword of the equally legendary daiyoukai of the Western lands.
"And you?" she turned to the pale taiji-ya.
"I am called Kohaku, Kagome-sama." The man was glancing at Kagome and Sesshoumaru, still uneasy standing in front to a youkai this strong and this close but he complied. "We are from the taiji-ya village from the east."
"Listen well, all of you." Sesshoumaru's voice rang clear. "We are at war against Masahiro. You may stay and fight with us or leave. It is your choice. But…" his cold golden eyes swept the group "if we meet in the battlefield…" the Inu lord let the threat hang.
"If you want to fight with us I suggest you choose a leader among you. There will be a war meeting later. Your leader or leaders are welcome to join us." Kouga informed the assembled groups.
"You may hunt and rest." Sesshoumaru added. "We will assemble here at sundown." They watched as the group began to disperse walking in the opposite direction.
The monk turned to Kagome and bowed. "My best wishes on your ascension to the title, Kagome-sama!" Kagome nodded. "Congratulations to you as well Ryo-dono!" Miroku raised his hand to the young dragon standing a distance away. Ryo softy rumbled at the friendly houshin.
"It is surprising to find you here, houshin." Sesshoumaru sheathed the sword. "But your presence was welcome."
Miroku smiled and bowed at the acknowledgement of his assistance. "My purpose was to see and talk to Kagome-sama, my lord."
"Me?" Kagome raised a brow. "Why, Miroku-sama?" Kohaku and Yoshio were stunned when Kagome turned as Ryo ran to her after re-transforming and picked the boy up. "Can it wait? I have to tend to someone. You are welcome to help."
"He…he's just a boy?" Kohaku couldn't help exclaiming.
Kagome kissed the boy. "Yes, he is and he's my son." The miko looked at him pointedly. The taiji-ya got the non-verbal 'keep-away-from-my-son-or-I'm-gonna-hurt-you' message in her eyes. "And" the miko looked fondly at the boy "I believe this boy can now breathe fire! Yay!" The boy giggled helplessly when the miko nuzzled his neck.
Kohaku looked at the miko and the laughing boy and has a feeling that many of his misconceptions would be shattered from this day on.
0 ~ 0 ~ 0
Sesshoumaru held Kagome's arm as she approached the female wolf demon. "Let Kouga take care of her, Kagome."
The miko sighed in annoyance. "I need to check on her, Sesshoumaru. She was hurt." After a few seconds he reluctantly let her go. The Inu lord just sighed at her foolhardiness.
"That woman is your assassin, miko. She should be executed." He could never understand magnanimity for a foe even if he lived up to four thousand years. He felt the flare of the miko's irritation.
"You don't always execute people whenever you like it, Sesshoumaru." She looked at him over her shoulder. "Besides, I don't think she's herself. I felt something strange about her…I don't know what it was…" She murmured an incantation and the barrier around the wounded Ookami princess blinked away. She knelt at the wounded Ookami female softly calling the female wolf's name.
Kouga was shaking his head. "What's gotten into her head to try and kill Kagome?" But like him no one had the answers.
Yori was shocked as Haru assisted the regent in removing the imbedded bamboo from the hime. "My lady, it is not your duty to take care of the wounded most especially enemies. Your guards could do that." Yori beckoned two guards to replace her but the regent shook her head.
"I am used to doing this, Yori. I am not some fragile flower that would wilt at the slightest wind." She was saying this but her eyes were on Sesshoumaru and Kouga. The two looked clueless at her words. "If you would like to help, set up a tent for Ayame-sama and bring her there after I'm done. She would need a place to stay while she recovers."
"Hai, my regent." Yori reluctantly acted upon his mission.
"So, Kouga-kun" Kagome glanced at Kouga "what is this pledge Ayame-sama was talking about?"
"Yeah, I was also thinking about that…" The Ookami lord scratched his head. "Damn! What the fu…" He stopped at Kagome's glare at his foul language. Ryo clapped his hands over his mouth and giggled because his mommy made the big Ookami scared. "eh-heh…funny she said that. It must be the promise I gave her when she was young…but…"
"Does 'Age of Acceptance' mean anything?" Kagome continued to remove some big splinters from the Ookami female's back and legs. Sesshoumaru took note of Kouga's blanching face in the implication of that promise long ago.
"Hn, then it would seem that the hime was right. You are betrothed to her." Sesshoumaru and Kagome looked at Kouga in surprise.
"My lord, could you kindly explain what 'Age of Acceptance' is about?" Miroku turned to the Inu Lord.
"It is a period in an Ookami's life where pledges of troth between families were honored." Sesshoumaru supplied.
The houshin's eyes lit up in understanding. "Ah, it is similar to our 'arranged marriages'!"
"Whatever. I am not mating that woman!" Kouga gritted his teeth in annoyance. He stomped over and examined the female's bandages. "She's gonna be okay, the wound will be healed by tomorrow. Let's get to the bottom of this. Ayame…Ayame, wake up!"
"No, Kouga-sama, she's still hurt!" Kagome protested when Kouga began to roughly shake the female wolf. She pushed the Eastern lord's hands away.
"Heh! I don't care! Kagome, she just tried to kill you!" Kouga grabbed Kagome on both arms and bodily lifted her off of the Ookami female in spite her protests. "Get up there and move away from her. Let's go."
Kagome began to feel irritated at the treatment of both men, of all of them. They are all treating her like she's a delicate little flower. "Would you all stop this!"
"Stop what?" The Ookami frowned as Kagome jerked away from his hold.
"I am not helpless! I can take care of myself!" Kagome stood with arms akimbo before the startled wolf lord.
"Hey, we were just trying to protect you, Kagome." Kouga soothed.
Ah, Sesshoumaru thought. I see what irks her. "Would you prefer that Ayame slit your throat than have one of us rescue you, miko?"
"That's not it! I had the situation under control and then the two of you decided to play 'macho'!"
"What's 'macho'?" Kouga queried.
"It's…argh!" Kagome snarled like a lioness at the Southern lord. "Nevermind!" Kouga back stepped from the miko's wrath, hands spread out front and splayed, his mouth in an 'O'. A high giggle came from Ryo.
"You forget that is it is my sworn duty as your intended to protect you, miko." Sesshoumaru leaned his head near the miko's; one light, one dark. They looked like bulls about to butt heads together.
At first everyone began to back away and politely remove themselves from the scene but their curiosity got the better of them when they heard the word 'intended.' They inconspicuously inched nearer to the arguing couple.
"The 'intended' thing might not happen if you piss me off! And it's Kagome! I'm sick and tired of you calling me miko!" Kagome held her stiff index finger inches from Sesshoumaru's face.
Sesshoumaru had a sudden impulse to take that slim finger into his mouth and smell her reaction as her eyes darken in arousal… He mentally shook himself to concentrate. But his mind suddenly came up with images of her back at the spring. Her long lean body, her breasts tilted proudly in the air, her superbly long legs and that dark fuzz between…dear Kami…
Instead he took the hand between his as a placating gesture.
But it annoyed the miko even more. She jerked her hand out of his. "Stop that!" She shook the same finger under his nose again. "I know what you're doing and it won't work!"
Ryo was observing the whole thing and found it so hilarious. His mother and Lord Sessh (his own private nickname for the tall youkai) were so funny when they fight.
"Really, Kagome?" He purred. "What is it am I doing?" A footstep and they were toe-to-toe, chest to chest.
"Hey! Back off..." With the speed of a striking cobra Sesshoumaru's arms wrapped around Kagome, and bent her backwards in a hot kiss. Her hands wanted to push him away but her brain and body got mixed signals so her idiotic limbs held on to the Inu lord. Her legs seemed to be in the consistency of Jell-O. The heat of that kiss traveled like fire at two points on her body: her breasts were swelling and peaking and another way down her….
She was about to wrap her legs around him to thoroughly enjoy the mind-searing Harlequin romance bed scene prelude when a giggle snapped her out of it. Her eyes snapped open when she remembered where they were…
"You!" Kagome snapped and pointed when she found herself painfully on her butt after she struggled to free herself from that evil…handsome…melt-in your-mouth…"That was so underhanded!" Kagome struggled to get up but her weakened knees wouldn't cooperate with her. Her brain must have been permanently damaged because of that kiss and someone was idiotically laughing…
"My hands are at your disposal where you want them to be under, over or in, Kagome." The half-lidded smoldering look in Sesshoumaru's eyes made her whimper as she felt his words melt her body. She turned a deep shade of red when she realized that there were people around.
"You- you are…" She sputtered.
"Irresistible?" He silk like voice finished her sentence as a brow lifted. Sesshoumaru's eyes were boring holes at the cleavage of the haori.
"That's…!" her eyes narrowed at him.
"…true?" Sesshoumaru quickly continued. Dear kami in heaven, those legs were mouth watering!
"Stop…" she snapped her eyes at him.
"…'standing there and take me into your arms, Sesshoumaru'?" Worse still, Sesshoumaru went down on one knee as if to crawl to her…
She panicked. "Hey!" Kagome pointed as if a single digit would be an effective deterrent to the daiyoukai. Damn these legs! They're so useless! "Stay…"
"…'where you are and I will come to you?'" He lifted one brow and smirked. He lightly stroked a leg with the back of his fingers. He smiled when her legs jerked away revealing more expanse of her thigh. Success!
Oh shit, that roguish look was just so HOT! Kagome thought,"Ooh! Stop putting words into my mouth!" She grabbed a handful of dried leaves and hurled it at the infuriating Inu lord. It only made her target chuckle at her childish display.
"I could think of other things to put in them, Kagome." He purred but he backed away and stood up once more, his eyes caressing over her form. He was totally amused at Kagome's speechlessness, the way her mouth closing and opening like landed fish.
"Shut up!" If she gets any redder she would be on fire. The miko buried her tomato red face in her hands. "Oh my god, you are evil. I wanna die in embarrassment." The last word ended in a soft wail.
Kouga came over, chortling hard, he tried to help her get up but she swatted his hand away with a snarl. It made him chortle all the more; doubling up and shoulders shaking even when she shot him a death glare.
"Try to exercise some common sense next time you do that, intended!" She stressed the last word at Sesshoumaru "We have a companion that is not of proper age to witness those kinds of scenes!" She slid her eyes covertly at Ryo's direction.
Ah… Sesshoumaru nodded. "I do apologize, intended. But this one could not resist the luscious charms of your lips." He gave her a bigger smirk when she gasped in outrage.
"My son will not be subjected to the gutter words that you use!" She stood up and hurriedly went to Ryo. "You didn't hear that baby, right?" She picked up the giggling boy.
"Mommy, Ginta and Hakkaku had words like that too. Did you now they like their bitches on their behinds…" Ryo stopped talking when he felt his mother stiffen. Wide-eyed, the boy looked at Sesshoumaru and Kouga for their reaction and then back to his mother's shocked face. Uh-oh, the boy thought, I think I wasn't supposed to say that…
Kouga was almost rolling on the ground laughing as she turned to the two younger Ookami. Ginta and Hakkaku looked like two deer caught on headlights. They almost climbed at each other in terror, their faces pale, knees shaking. People near them shuffled out of the way knowing pain will be involved.
A lot of pain.
"Haru." Kagome called, still looking at the two idiots. Her eyes nailed them where they stand. Haru ran to her and bowed. "Please take Ryo." Her voice was cold and low. No sound could be heard in the woods.
"Hai, Kagome-sama!" Haru patted the worried boy in his arms. He had a feeling that more blood will be shed today. He and the boy went towards the smirking Sesshoumaru, the still chortling Kouga, Yori and the two new wide-eyed guests.
Kagome waited until her son was a good distance away. "What did I say about gutter talk in front of my son?" Her voice rang like a drillmaster's. "Huh? What?" The last word was spat out with a snarl.
"Ah…neechan…we didn't know the kid was there…" Ginta nudged Hakkaku to back him up.
"Eh, he's right, neechan. We didn't know…he-he-he…! Really!" Hakkaku was sweating like a runner.
"You're lying." Their faces fell when Kagome's face darkened. Her hands flexed as wind streamed around her, lifting her hair.
"Please don't hurt us…eh…not much. Please?" Ginta pleaded as holy power burned in Kagome's eyes.
"Neechan…? Neechan…!" They whined in fear as power in Kagome's hands grew and a discharge sent them slamming on their backs. Though the power wasn't sufficient to purify, it still hurts like hell. The two wolves realized in horror that that was really their neechan's intention. They scurried away to avoid another twin blast, wailing and screaming for mercy all the while. Kagome went after them like the Terminator, unhurried.
Up on a tree branch, Inuyasha was laughing so hard he was holding his middle while trying to stay on his perch. "Serves you right, you fucks!" The hanyou yelled in surprise when he was also hit and fell on his face in the dirt.
"I said no bad words! SIT!"
"Damn!" Kouga winced as blast after blast thundered in the woods. He whispered. "I'd rather face these guys" He thumbed their used-to-be opponents "than face her." The six males nodded in unison.
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