Sango: what did you do with Tenseiga?
A1969: -throws sword away- bah! It's not worth mentioning, since it failed.
Miroku: whatever…Care to do the disclaimer?
A1969: I do not own the show…stupid Tenseiga.
Miroku: I think I know what you tried to do.
Sango: really, what?
Miroku:I think she-
Sesshoumaru: onna, there you are. You shall pay for stealing from me.
A1969: uh-oh –leaves- I'm leaving you in charge, Miroku!
Sango: kami save her soul…
Chapter Twenty-five: Gone and Gone
XoXoXo
Helen slammed the lid of her suitcase shut and glanced out the window at the darkening sky. She let out a small sigh. She was leaving tomorrow; she was leaving Japan, leaving behind the Feudal Era, leaving Sesshoumaru…
Another sigh escaped her. The door to her room swung open and Kagome walked in. "Hey," the miko said softly, her brown eyes locked on Helen's back. "Are you sure you want to leave?" Kagome asked softly. Helen turned around to face her and nodded, a third sigh escaping her lips. "Why don't you wait till after the exchange program is over?" Kagome went on, seating herself on Helen's bed.
Helen shook her head. "No thank you…if I do, then I might just…change my mind…" her voice trailed off as she returned to staring at the darkening sky.
"Be warned," Kagome said, trying to sound cheerful, "I'm going to try and change your mind!"
Helen glanced at her from over her shoulder. "What's the use?" the young woman asked. "Even if you do manage to convince me to stay till after the exchange program's over…I'm still going back to America…and nothing is going to change that."
Kagome stood up. "Here," she said, handing Helen slips of paper from her pocket. "Your ticket…mama said she'll be happy to bring you to the airport tomorrow…" Her voice trailed off as an idea formed in her head. It was dangerous yet well worth the effort.
"You're not coming with me…?" Helen asked softly as she pocketed the tickets into her jeans.
Kagome shook her head. "Get some sleep…there's something I have to take care of." With that, the miko closed the door and left. Helen sighed and threw herself on the bed; she looked up at the ceiling and an unwanted thought of Sesshoumaru entered her mind.
Damn it, she thought as she covered her own face with the pillow. How am I supposed to leave if I keep on thinking about that…that…mutt…?
She sighed and removed the pillow from her face. At that exact moment, Mrs. Higurashi entered the room. "Helen dear," she began. "Eri, Yuka and Ayumi are outside…they want to see you, isn't that sweet?"
Helen inwardly rolled her eyes. She wanted to be left alone. She sighed and eventually stood up. "Tell them I'll be down in a minute," she said.
XoXoXo
Sesshoumaru had known his mother since he was…well, since he was an infant. She had been gentle with him when he was that young and as the years passed that gentleness seemed to harden until finally, his father had had enough and decided-curse him for it-to find himself a new wife.
Today, whatever was left of Takeida's being a mother had vanished.
The inu demoness glared at her son. It was a glare so sharp, any human-no matter how brave-would have fainted as if they had seen a basilisk. Her eyes-crimson-were glaring at her son with a new kind of…was it actually hatred or just an intense form of anger? If it was the latter, it was one of the many reasons why Sesshoumaru was the cold-hearted young man that he was.
"This is not necessary, Takeida," Lady Shinsuke said softly, as she placed a soft hand on her friend's shoulder. "Do not punish Sesshoumaru."
Takeida glared at her son. "He cost me a powerful alliance!" Takeida half-shouted, her voice deadly. Sesshoumaru only looked into his mother's blood red eyes and said nothing. "If I had known that this would happen, it would have been best if you, Shinsuke, had betrothed Helen to Toshimaru!"
Sesshoumaru gave his mother a glare; he was getting fed up with people constantly comparing him and Toshimaru. "So you are saying that you merely wished to have me marry Helen all for the sake of an alliance?" Sesshoumaru asked softly. "You wish me to undergo the same thing that you and father have gone through? No wonder father chose to find a new wife." He added venomously. He knew that those words would hurt his mother more than any physical blow. Indeed, Takeida looked as if she had been slapped. The red receded from her eyes to be replaced by a look of sadness which lasted for approximately 0.5 seconds…then Takeida backhanded her son.
"Takeida!" Shinsuke said, her eyes wide.
Sesshoumaru glared at his mother. There was no emotion on his face. "You ungrateful cur!" Takeida snarled, the red returning to her eyes. "Do not use that tone of voice with me!" Shinsuke looked at her friend. It was the first time in living memory that anyone had seen Takeida loose control like that before.
Takeida raised her hand again. "No!" Shinsuke grabbed her friend's wrist before she could anything else. "Do not harm Sesshoumaru…besides…it won't bring her back."
Sesshoumaru looked at Lady Shinsuke, a questioning look in his eyes. "What are you saying?" he asked quietly.
Lady Shinsuke released Takeida's wrist and sighed. "Helen…she told me that she was leaving. Going back to that…place called…its name escapes me."
Sesshoumaru was about to open his mouth to ask one more question when the door to the room slid open and a servant bowed before them. "Mi'lady," he said, glancing nervously at Takeida and noticing the red in her eyes. "The hanyou known as Inuyasha is here along with a woman-"
He didn't finish his sentence for at that moment, Inuyasha stormed in, Tessaiga held aloft, Kagome right behind him. "What is the meaning of this?!" Takeida growled as she stood before Inuyasha, her eyes-surprisingly-returning to their normal shade of amber.
"I wish to speak with Sesshoumaru," Kagome said hesitantly. Maybe coming here was a bad idea after all, since Takeida seemed to be in a foul mood.
Sesshoumaru was suddenly behind his mother. Kagome could see a faint red mark on his cheek. "Onna…little brother…leave," he said dangerously.
Kagome was determined, however. "No!" the miko said. "Not until you listen to what I have to say!"
The youkai lord pushed passed his mother, a hand on the hilt of Ryuko as he gave Kagome a death glare.
Kagome didn't look intimidated, instead, she looked determined. Sesshoumaru couldn't sense the slightest trace of fear coming from her-only determination. He turned his back on Kagome. "I will not waste my time on you," he said softly. "Leave before I kill you."
Inuyasha tensed but Kagome gave him a look. "Come on, Kagome," Inuyasha said, clutching the miko's arm and dragging her off.
"No!" Kagome shouted. But Inuyasha was already dragging her away. "Sesshoumaru!" the miko decided to shout instead. "I know you love Helen and I know that she loves you! You heard her admit it yourself! So stop her! She's going to leave and when she does, there'll be no way for you to reach her again!"
Takeida looked at Kagome then at Sesshoumaru. Her son in love? That was absurd.
"Inuyasha, let go!" Kagome snapped, struggling against the hanyou.
"You said what you wanted to say, now let's go!"
Sesshoumaru watched them go, his mind reeling.
XoXoXo
Sunlight streamed into Helen's room, waking the young woman. She sighed and sat up. Last night, Eri, Yuka and Ayumi as well as Houjo took her out to a farewell trip to the carnival. She hadn't enjoyed it and it was the main reason why she had a headache that day…
She sighed as soon as she remembered that she was leaving for America today.
She got up, changed and went downstairs to breakfast. "Morning, Helen-neesan," Souta greeted.
"Morning Souta," Helen said with a weary smile. Kaogme suddenly came into the kitchen, looking tired and defeated. "Kagome," Helen said as she turned her attention from the bowl of rice her aunt had given her to her dejected cousin. "Where were you last night?"
"Somewhere," Kagome muttered as she seated herself at the table. She sighed and looked at Helen. "Helen…I'm sorry if I can't come with you to the airport…I have…important things to do…"
Helen smiled at her bowl. "It's alright," she said quietly. "Say goodbye to Sango and the others for me…please and…say goodbye to Rin for me too."
Kagome sighed. There was no point in convincing Helen to stay. "Alright…anyone else you want me to say goodbye to?" the priestess asked meaningfully.
"Yes," said Helen. "Say goodbye to Inuyasha for me."
"Say goodbye to who for who?" a gruff voice asked. A second later, the door to the kitchen slid open and Inuyasha stood in the threshold, eyebrows raised.
Helen smiled up at him. "Bye, Inuyasha."
"Dear," Mrs. Higurashi said. "We had better hurry." She glanced at her watched, her eyebrows in the middle. Helen nodded and quickly ate her food. Kagome looked at her and sighed. Her eyes slid to the well shrine that was visible from the kitchen window and she hoped that Sesshoumaru would-though she knew that he would not-come. Helen was making a mistake, Kagome decided. Helen loved Sesshoumaru and Kagome was sure that Sesshoumaru liked Helen.
"I'm done," Helen said as she put down her now empty bowl. "I'm ready to leave now if you are, Aunt H."
Mrs. Higurashi nodded. "Bye, Helen," Kagome said under her breath as she watched her cousin exit the kitchen.
XoXoXo
"Sesshoumaru-sama, you're back!" Rin cried happily as she ran up to Sesshoumaru and hugged his knees. Kagura looked wearily at Sesshoumaru as he walked into their camp. There was something in his eyes…a look that Kagura could not discern.
"How was it?" the wind witch asked, not bothering to stand up from where she sat. Sesshoumaru didn't even look at her; he was looking up at the sky, buried in his unknown thoughts.
Sesshoumaru didn't even hear Kagura's voice as his gaze darted across the sky. Outside, he was calm and collected but inside, for the first time, he was having a conflict of emotions. Kagome had said that Helen was leaving and when she did leave, he wouldn't be able to see her again…
That was what the conflict of emotions was about. A part of him wanted to go after her, he didn't know why and the other part of him wanted to let her be. He suddenly became aware that Rin was clinging to him, her toothy smile flashed in his way. "Rin, let go," he said quietly. Rin nodded and disengaged herself from her lord and ran to Jaken who sighed. It seemed that Sesshoumaru wasn't the only one starting to miss Helen. Jaken missed the fact that it was usually Helen who had to baby-sit Rin.
"Sesshoumaru," Kagura's voice snapped Sesshoumaru from his thoughts. He glanced at her. "How was it? Did your mother punish you?"
Sesshoumaru didn't answer. Instead he fixed a calculating look on her, a look that Kagura did not like in the slightest. "Why are you staring at me like that?" the wind witch asked with slight amusement.
Sesshoumaru turned away from her again. Kagura scowled. What had gotten into him? What was making him behave this way? The questions raced across Kagura's mind and each time she analyzed each question another one popped into her head…
She placed a slender hand on his shoulder. "What's the problem?" she asked softly. "Tell me…and I can help you."
Sesshoumaru glanced at her. "You shall help me?"
Kagura nodded her head eagerly.
"Then watch over Rin." With that, Sesshoumaru darted out of their camp.
Kagura turned a bright shade of red. That mutt! She knew perfectly well where he was going. She clenched her fists and an angry vein throbbed in her temple. Unknown to her, Jaken and Rin were regarding her with amusement. Jaken thought that it was funny that his lord asked his 'lover' to watch over Rin instead of him and the little girl beamed at the thought of her lord going after Helen and brining her back…that is…if that was what he had in mind…
"Master Jaken," Rin said as she leaned towards Jaken so that she could whisper into his pointed ear. "Where do you think Lord Sesshoumaru is going again?" There was a twinkle in Rin's eyes as if she already knew the answer and was testing to see whether or not Jaken knew it too.
Jaken pretended to shrug with uncertainty. "Why, I don't know Rin," Jaken said in a loud tone so that Kagura could hear him. "Where do you think Lord Sesshoumaru is going?"
But Jaken knew where.
XoXoXo
Helen sighed as a security guard checked in her things. She turned to Mrs. Higurashi. "Thanks for bringing me here, Aunt H.," she said with a grateful smile.
Mrs. Higurashi nodded. "Your plane doesn't board for at least fifteen minutes and you've checked in your things already, would you like to go get a cup of coffee while you wait?" Mrs. Hisgurashi invited. Helen politely declined saying that she'd rather wait till her plane boarded. "I see," her aunt said, somewhat peevishly. "Well…dear, I had best get going. I still have a lot of chores to do and say hello to your mother for me, please."
"Okay…" Helen said. She hugged her aunt. "Bye, thanks for having me over!"
Her aunt gave her a soft smile, turned and left.
Helen sighed and sat down to wait.
XoXoXo
Kagome sighed as she and Inuyasha made their way to the well. She had been so sure that Sesshoumaru would try to stop Helen even if he didn't love her. She sighed again. "Penny for your thoughts?" her hanyou companion asked. Kagome shook her head.
"No…just…well…Helen left," the priestess said.
"Listen," Inuyasha said. "There's one good side to this."
"And that would be…?"
"You won't come back here often now, will you?"
Kagome glared at him and was about to say the dreaded word when the door to the well shrine unexpectedly slid open. "What're you doing here, Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha snarled as he placed a hand on the hilt of Tessaiga.
The youkai lord stood before them, his cold eyes darting from the hanyou to the miko, who beamed at the sight of him. "Stand down, little brother," Sesshoumaru said quietly. "I have no time for you."
"You got no more business being here," Inuyasha snapped.
"Inuyasha, osuwari." Inuyasha crashed to the ground at the miko's command.
"Why are you siding with him?!" Inuyasha whined amid the dirt and curses coming from his mouth.
Kagome glared down at him and then turned her attention to Sesshoumaru. "Why are you here?" the miko asked although she already knew the answer.
Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrows at her. "Where is she?" he asked quietly.
Kagome's eyes slightly widened. "Crap!" She hoisted Inuyasha to his feet and turned back to Sesshoumaru. "Hurry! She's at the airport…she might be boarding her plane by now."
Sesshoumaru didn't understand what an airport or airplane was but he did understand the miko's need to hurry. "Lead the way," he said.
XoXoXo
Helen heard the announcement. It was time to board the plane, time to leave Japan. She glanced back behind her, hoping that he would come…hoping that he would stop her…
But it seemed as if Sesshoumaru wouldn't do such a thing. She sighed and made her way to where the others were boarding.
XoXoXo
"Wait a minute!" Kagome shouted and quickly pulled Inuyasha to one side, behind a few bushes. Sesshoumaru followed the two. There standing across a rather large yet intricate building. Beyond the building, he could see giant metal birds that Kagome had said were called 'airplanes'.
"What now, miko?" Sesshoumaru asked. "Lady Shinsuke expects me to bring back that girl and if you say that were are in a hurry, why are you stopping?"
Kagome glared at him. "That building is an airport," she explained. "It's highly guarded…that means no swords…or armor." The priestess looked at him wearily.
"You expect me to abandon Ryuko?" Sesshoumaru asked, placing a hand on the hilt of the blade.
Kagome shook her head. "No…leave your armor and the sword here with Inuyasha…I'll go with you and find Helen."
"Whaddya mean you're going with him?!" Inuyasha snapped.
Kagome gave him a look that silenced him.
Minutes later, Sesshoumaru had relinquished the spiked armor and sword to Inuyasha, hesitantly though. He didn't trust a half-breed. As they entered the airport, people threw Sesshoumaru weird looks. Kagome heard a little boy say, "Mommy, I've never seen an old guy who didn't look old before!"
Kagome had to stifle in her laugh. With his silver hair, one could easily mistake Sesshoumaru for an old man…until you got a look at his face, that is. "Can't you sniff her out?" Kagome asked Sesshoumaru.
"I can," Sesshoumaru said quietly, suppressing the urge to kill the humans who were giving him 'looks'. "But her scent is faint…there are other scents in this place that mingle with hers."
Sesshoumaru stopped in his tracks then abruptly turned in the other direction. "Hey!" Kagome called. "Where are you going?!"
"This way, miko," he said without bothering to look back.
"Boy," Kagome muttered under her breath. "No wonder Inuyasha hates him."
They came to one of the gates and a guard stood in front of Sesshoumaru, blocking his way. "Only passengers with tickets are allowed to go beyond this point," he said, hi voice full of authority.
Sesshoumaru glared at him. "Step aside, human," he said dangerously, flexing his claws.
Kagome inwardly groaned. No, he can't do anything in here that would give him away…
"Sir, if you do not leave, I will have security escort you out of the airport," the unfortunate human said.
Sesshoumaru actually smirked. Humans here didn't know the dangers of standing in his presence…and he found that quite amusing. "Oh no," Kagome said under her breath. "Jaken always said that Sesshoumaru was more dangerous when he was passive aggressive."
So before Sesshoumaru could decide to end the unfortunate mortal's days on earth, she stepped between the two. "Um, you have to excuse my companion…he's…new to all this," the priestess said. The guard looked at Sesshoumaru's silver hair and markings. "Um…anyway," Kagome went on. "We only want to get in…our friend's about to leave and we…didn't say goodbye-"
"That's not my problem, Miss," the guard said stubbornly.
"Please…it'll only be for a minute."
"It'll take shorter than that to get me fired…besides…flight 163 just took off."
Kagome's heart sank. The plane had left.
The priestess sighed and began walking towards the exit of the airport. Sesshoumaru followed her. "Well?" he demanded.
Kagome shook her head. "She's…gone…"
XoXoXo
Sango: that's the end of the chapter.
Miroku: five reviews minimum…
Sango:-rolls eyes-ignore him. Anyway, Miroku I think you should go help our authoress before Sesshoumaru kills her.