Where Loyalties Lie

'Dog…Dog…Dog…Shaeda, she's…well…I don't even know. That's weird, isn't it? Then again, when she first appeared I could have sworn she was one of the trees, but then later, she seemed more a horse like Reiku. Huh, maybe I'll ask her later…Dog…Dog…Snake-Dog? I don't even want to know how that's possible…Reiku, he's a horse, I think. Hmmm, I wonder if he knows Jinenji. …Dog…Dog…Whoa! That guy's huge! He's built like a mountain! And all hairy! I'm going with…Bear? Yeah, he's gotta be a bear.'

Startled from her little game of what youkai is what when the bear youkai she was examining turned his gruff, hard features towards her, a firm look of displeasure in his shiny black eyes as he lifted a bushy eyebrow at her. Kagome flushed in embarrassment and sent a half-hearted grin of apology at the massive youkai, waving her hand conspicuously in her own little way of saying hello without actually being able to speak. The bear continued staring at her, his black eyes seeming so tiny over the broad bridge of his nose and the wide set of his jaw and forehead. It was very intimidating, but Kagome refused to give up, and just turned the wattage up on her smile. Eventually, she got the reaction she had been hoping for, and the tiniest bit of movement could be seen at the edges of the bear's large mouth as he fought off the urge to smile back at her. He shook his head slightly, then turned his attention back to the meeting.

Kagome suppressed a sigh as she tried, once again, to stay involved in what was being said. But she was doing a horrible job at it.

'I don't even know what I'm doing here,' she whined in her mind. 'I mean Sesshomaru has this covered, and like I know what forces are posted where or what houses have what kinds of supplies or whatever. Wait. What was that? Jaken is a warlord! That little imp? How? Oh, never mind. At least I won't have to put up with him if he's getting sent away to gather his troops. Troops. Troops. Boring! How many troops do these guys have? They're talking like the numbers are in the millions! There aren't even that many humans in Japan during this era are there? Supplies…Weapons…Wait!'

"Totosai." It was the first time she had said anything since she had entered the council room, and it only came out as a whisper, but it was enough to make Sesshomaru turn to her. "Totosai," she repeated, her voice stronger this time. "He's the best weapons forger in the land. And he…Oh!" She gasped softly. "Sesshomaru, have you ever seen his cave? No, what am I saying, of course you haven't, he's terrified of you. But he's got a stash of weapons there that could put any army I've ever seen to shame. Powerful ones, too, I'd bet, knowing him anyways. You don't suppose…"

'What was that?' Kagome's attention was drawn across the room when she felt a terrible surge of darkness. Whoever it had been, they were definitely bad news. And that was saying a lot since she was in a room full of youkai, and there had been plenty of hard looks and washes of anger, mistrust, and full-out resentment towards her as she was pressed with the different auras from all around her. But this one was different.

Standing, Kagome focused harder on what she was feeling. 'It's downright mutinous. There's no way that much animosity is being directed solely towards me. And it started when I mentioned Totosai. Is it because he was one of Toga's most trusted retainers? That's got to be it! They know how powerful Totosai's weaponry is and they don't want us getting out hands on it! Now where are you, you little rat?...Gottcha. Now let's see how far your betrayal stems.'

"You," Kagome lifted her finger to point towards one of the Inu commanders.

He was dark skinned, tall, and built heavily with muscle. His armor and weapons, Kagome could tell, were worn with pride, as were the scars covering his body. Though unusual to see a youkai with scars, judging by the damage she had personally seen Sesshomaru's poison do, it stood to reason that other youkai would have other such poisons that would leave a lasting impression on their opponents. The most notable scar on this Inu, however, was the one that ran in a thick, discolored line across the whole of his face, from his hairline, down across the bridge of his nose, ending only at the joint of his jaw. But he wore it proudly across his strong features, a battle scar, a testament of his service to the house.

"Stand, please." The Inu looked first to Sesshomaru before complying with her request and lifting himself to his feet. Once he was looking at her again, Kagome proceeded to question him. "What's your name, commander?"

"Hasaki," he replied stiffly, his voice a deep baritone, hard and rough around the edges.

"Tell me, Hasaki, what house do you serve."

"I serve the House of the West."

"And do you serve the Lord of this house?"

"Lord Sesshomaru has my loyalty, my blade, and my life at his will."

"And what of the Lady?" He hesitated for only a moment, but it had been enough. "You know that lies are of no use to you here, Hasaki. Tell me, do you serve me?"

She had trapped him, and he knew it. His hands tightened at his sides, clenching hard into fists as he glared at her in anger and hatred. "No," he spit out. "I would never give service to human filth."

Instantly the room was filled with a commotion of angry growls and snarls, and several members of the gathering were on their feet and approaching the Inu. "Stop!" Kagome's command was loud enough to carry over the commotion, and it was obeyed, though hesitantly. "He has a right to his own opinions," she said as she turned back to the commander. "But I have done nothing to you, Hasaki. Why do you hold such hatred for me?"

"Answer." It was Sesshomaru that gave the order. He had heard enough. The miko was taking things too far to be questioning his commander's loyalties, especially now when they were needed. But what had been done could not change, and now proper measures would have to be taken.

"Lord Sesshomaru," Hasaki lowered his head as he spoke. "You are well aware that my entire family was slain by mortal scum. When I joined your house I was seeking training, to grow in strength to take my revenge."

"And you have had it, Hasaki," Kagome said softly. "I can see the blood on your hands; feel the darkness in your aura. How many humans have you slain? How many more than what took your family from you? How many of them are now without their fathers, their brothers and their sons? And what of you? Has your anger, your pain, been healed at all? Do you still seek revenge so long after such a terrible ordeal? Revenge can not grant you peace, Hasaki. Hating me, hating all of my kind, will not bring your family back.

"I have seen so many horrors in the short time that I have lived this life. Would you have me hate you for all of it? Would you have me kill you for the pain others have caused? Don't you see? This is what we seek to make right in fighting this war. No human will be allowed to strike out at a youkai in spite, anger, resentment, or hatred; and no youkai will be permitted to do so against humans. In that future, all of us will be held accountable for our own actions, not for those that others have committed. I fight for a future where my child will not have to face such horrors as you have, as I have.

"There will always be prejudice, there will always be war; but this, this blind hatred, this unforgiving blood-lust; it must stop. If it doesn't end now, there will be no future; not for me, not for you, not for our children. I fight this war for a future I believe in, and for my child. Lord Sesshomaru fights this war for his family and for his people. For what do you fight, Hasaki? Is revenge so strong a motive that you can not see the power of our cause, that you would deny yourself and your future children the chance at peace?"

"My…Lady…" Hasaki stuttered as he dropped to his knees. "Forgive me. I was wrong about you. You are right. Revenge has brought me no peace, only more pain. But if I can't fight to bring them back, then, please, allow me to fight to see the future you speak of."

"The future needs strong hands like yours, Hasaki. I am sorry for having done this, but it was necessary. Now, please, rise." He did so, and she shifted her sights to the one that had been the true target of her attack. "Hasaki, if you would, remove that traitor from our midst."

"I have done nothing!" The snake-dog Kagome had noticed earlier hissed as Hasaki moved to restrain him.

"Perhaps not yet," Kagome answered as she glared at him. "But the hatred you felt towards me, the anger you felt at the mention of our forces growing stronger, and the resentment you felt towards our cause, will serve us no purpose. Your aura screams of treachery. It is black and filled with hatred and greed. You would seek to use what information has been revealed here against us, and I will not allow it."

Giving a curt nod to Hasaki to have the traitor removed from the room, Kagome turned to Sesshomaru. "I don't know about you, but I'm famished. And if I have to spend another minute in this ridiculous getup, your commanders are going to get a live viewing of my, how did you put it, ah yes, ridiculous displays of crudity unbefitting a Lady." She turned and gave a polite curtsy to the gathering. "Gentlemen," she said sweetly, "Adieu."

But as she rose from her curtsy, Kagome found herself hit with a startling wave of dizziness. She swayed on her feet, her strength leaving her so quickly that there was nothing she could do to stop it. And then everything went dark. The world was washed away from her senses.

She fell.

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Well, that was short, but meetings are boring anyways. And, if I'm feeling generous, I just might be able to type up the next chapter for later.

Shadow