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Chapter 25: Dog Days Are Over

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"Kikyou, I have something to tell you!" Inuyasha declared, "And... Damnit, Myoga, stop suckin' my blood! Can't you see I'm trying to think of what to say?" Inuyasha yelled; stopping mid-pace in the middle of the forest clearing.

"Sorry, Lord Inuyasha. Your blood is just so tasty!" The flea demon rubbed his bulging little stomach. "Continue on practicing with confessing your feelings to Lady Kikyou!" Inuyasha turned as red as his kimono.

"I ain't doing that!" The half-demon explained.

"Lord Inuyasha, we both know you care very much for Lady Kikyou. I don't blame you, though. She is very beautiful. You definitely have your father's good eye." Myoga chuckled, making Inuyasha blush even more.

"She's kind to me. Unlike the rest of the world." Inuyasha spoke softly, his golden eyes lost in thought, "But like with everything else, I get the short end of the stick. Sesshoumaru beat me to it."

"Why don't you fight for her?"

"Let's be real, Myoga. Why in the world would she choose a half-demon over a high and mighty full-demon with a prestigious pedigree?" The silver-haired boy-demon said dejectedly.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, m'lord. Women work in mysterious ways. Some women prefer the underdog, after all."

"Myoga..." And so Inuyasha flicked the little demon off his shoulder, "Your puns aren't needed right now! This is serious! Kikyou doesn't want me. I'm just a half-demon."

"Then why don't you become a full-demon?" An unfamiliar voice interrupted the conversation.

"Who's there?" Inuyasha growled as he got into a defensive stance.

"Just a friendly bystander who happened to overhear your conversation." An unruly-haired man stepped out of the clearing, his scent informing Inuyasha of his demon blood. His savage posture did not change; however, not even when the adorementioned bystander outstretched a hand to him. "I've heard a lot about you, Inuyasha."

"Oh yeah? I'm an outcast and yet people still keep me in their damn gossip." Inuyasha relaxed a little; still on guard in case of attack, but less tense than he was before.

"So from what you say, it seems all could be solved if you simply became a demon, since your lady seems to take a fancy to full-blooded powerful demons." The man suggested, offering the advice as if it was the most obvious path to take.

"And how am I supposed to do that, huh? Half-breeds can't just wake up and decide to be full-demons." Inuyasha reprimanded haughtily.

"Well, I do hear about a magical jewel that can grant any wish..." The tall, dark, and handsome demon commented absently.

"Feh. She'd just hate me if I took the jewel. Damn Sesshoumaru always gets everything."

"You really do hate this Sesshoumaru. Your brother, if the gossip is true. Well then, just imagine his shock to find that the brother he's always looked down on is just as powerful as he, if not more. And now imagine the look of humiliation if you drove him away from your lady?" The demon further elaborated, feeding off of Inuyasha's deep resentment for his arrogant older brother.

"Yeah, the look on his face would be downright hilarious if it was me who drove him out of Kikyou's village, like he did to me that one time." At this fantasy, Inuyasha darkly snickered, letting his fangs protrude in menace.

"Ah, but well, it's just a thought of mine. That's what I'd do." He chuckled. "Especially if I knew the lady coveted power. You'd only use it once and give it back, right? Kukukuku." The demon continued with his enigmatic laugh as he cleared out, leaving Inuyasha to his own devices.

"Lord Inuyasha... you aren't considering on following that demon's advice, are you? I doubt Lady Kikyou would appreciate it if you stole the jewel." Myoga reasoned from atop his shoulder.

"No, guess not..."

"And I don't think she'd appreciate it if you hurt Lord Sesshoumaru, either." Myoga mistakingly said aloud, causing the irate dog-eared boy to snarl in blaring hatred, as he once again shoved the little demon off of him, opting to run out of sight. "Oh my, I should really keep quiet."

XXX

"Sister, can we please keep him? Oh, please!" Kaede begged an indecisive Kikyou, who stood across the young girl, her hands on her hips, on her face an uncharacteristic pout of indecision. "Just look at him! How can you say no to a face like this?"

"Alright, we can keep him. But you must take care of him too. Understood?" And Kaede jumped up in joy, nuzzling the young bronze-colored akita dog in bliss. The dog was just a puppy, hence it's medium, chubby build. Kikyou had been reluctant, since it'd be another responsibility, but she figured that the dog could hunt on its own if need be, and that it would be helpful in alarming her of any danger. The pup had wandered into the shrine, lost and confused, as well as injured. Kikyou had felt pity for the poor thing and along with Kaede's insistence, had nursed the dog back to health, all the while growing fond of its endearing behavior.

"You hear that, Taro! We're going to keep you!" Kaede giggled as the dog licked her face in gratitude. Kikyou couldn't help but smile at the scene.

"Hmm, speaking of dogs..." Kikyou mentioned, as surely enough, Sesshoumaru appeared from within the forest, coming up to meet the woman who stood in front of her humble home – a small hut at the edge of the human settlement. "Hmm, how strange, for Taro not to have barked at the first whiff of your scent. He's never met you, after all." At this, Sesshoumaru took note of the puppy who then began to cautiously sniff around the demon lord's perimeter. Whether this displeased him or not, he did not say, and instead opted to silently gaze at the little golden-furred dog, wondering why Kikyou would acquire such a creature. Surely not for its practical uses? Why need a dog, when she had him as her silent defender?

"Maybe it's his dog intuition. Maybe he can smell that Sesshoumaru is of his kind!" Kaede spoke without thinking, causing the demon lord to frown in disapproval.

"This dog and me are not of the same kind, girl. Don't compare me to such a lowly being." He scolded, "Even it realizes my status as royalty, something you fail to do." And as if on cue, the dog put it's muzzle to the ground, as if bowing in respect.

"Well, he certainly seems to take a liking towards you." Kikyou laughed softly, ridding Sesshoumaru of his annoyance. "I wonder how in the world I ended up associating myself with so many dogs?" Sesshoumaru merely scowled, but neutralized when the light-hearted smile on her face did not wane.

"Come on, Taro, let's go play!" Kaede whistled for the dog to come back to her side, picking up a random stick from the floor and throwing it out into the surrounding forest. "Fetch, boy!" Kikyou caught the slightest twitch of movement from Sesshoumaru, wondering briefly if his canine instincts were trying to surface. Finding the idea ridiculous, she shot it down and concluded that it had just been something else. She tried to keep the humorous images of Sesshoumaru playing fetch and prancing around like a dog out of her absurd.

"Lady Kikyou!" An incoming human shouted out, waving to catch the priestess's attention. Sesshoumaru did not flee; both had stopped caring about whether the villagers saw him with her or not. Many of those that had survived the attack a few weeks ago had accepted their priestess again, seeing as how both she and her strange demon companion had saved them from sure extinction.

"Gorou? What's wrong?" Kikyou questioned concernedly.

"A group of demon slayers... They've come to our village, asking for you." Gorou panted.

"How strange... Where are they?"

"They'll come to you, m'lady! I'll go get them." The boy gave a quick bow to the shrine maiden, and briefly considered doing the same to the silent man beside her, but at Kikyou's urgent stare, the boy decided he was better off in making haste.

"I don't know how they'll react if they recognize you as a demon." Kikyou said with a hint of worry. Sesshoumaru saw through her statement and merely complied by stalking off out of sight. He didn't go too far, she noticed, as she felt his aura nearby. Demon slayers were ordinary humans, they could not sense a demon's aura like she could. It wasn't long before she saw a group of men in black slayer suits approaching her.

"Lady priestess." The men at the front of the pack bowed in respect, the others behind him following suit. Kikyou politely curtsied back, not wanting to appear full of herself for her status as miko.

"What a surprise. I had not been expecting anymore visits from the respectable taijiya clan."

"Lady Kikyou, we require your assistance. There is a demon in the next village over that has been terrorizing the villagers. We could not defeat it. It seems we need the power of a skilled priestess." The leader explained.

"A demon that you could not handle? How peculiar."

"Yes, we are ashamed to have to ask you this. But it seems the demon has taken the form of the lord of the castle, and is causing quite the ruckus." At this new piece of information, Kikyou's eyes widened. "We cannot tell apart the lord from the demon. We are at a loss."

"Worry not, men. You've come to the right person. I shall start my travel to the next village as soon as possible." Kikyou assured them.

"There is one other thing... The demon has made demands for the Shikon Jewel. He is a clever one, Lady Kikyou. Please be careful, for we know it is in your care." The men took one last bow before saying, "Oh, and we shall remain in this village for the time being, if you need us for anything, please do not hesitate to ask."

"Yes, please enjoy our hospitality, I'm sure more than one villager would be happy to house you for the time being. I will handle this matter on my own." She smiled kindly to calm the men's fears. With nods of gratitude, the men began to disperse back into the village away from her. Almost immediately, Sesshoumaru came out of his hiding place, on his face the nastiest of scowls.

"I suppose you came upon the same conclusion." Kikyou spoke sternly, her face also set in a serious frown.

"Yes, I'm sure of it. It's that shapeshifting bastard who dared to sully my good name." He bellowed angrily.

"It's about a few hours of travel on horseback. I'm going to gather what I need. I'll be gone by midday if I make haste." She settled, already turning away from him to prepare herself.

"It sounds as if you plan to go alone."

"I do." She said bluntly, continuing on her way, but he stopped her by catching her petite hand in his own large one. He gently pulled her to face him. The action surprised her, but more than anything, it lit her cheeks up with a soft pink glow that in the golden light of the morning, made her look ethereal. Even Sesshoumaru, the indifferent man that he usually was, was taken aback by the simple beauty the woman possessed. He shook it off.

"I'm going with you." It was more of an assertion than a request. She couldn't bring herself to argue. She absently cluctched at the pink pearl in the hand that wasn't being held by Sesshoumaru, "I don't believe it is a good idea to bring that with you." He let go.

"Hm?"

"The Shikon jewel. This demon obviously knew they'd come to you. He expects you to take it with you. I wouldn't let it happen anyway, but shan't we outsmart this vermin?" Sesshoumaru advised. Kikyou took it into her consideration, but came upon a fault as she scrunched her eyebrows in slight consternation.

"Then everyone would be in danger if we left it here." Kikyou glanced back at where Kaede had gone off to play, remembering what happened the last time she had not been in the village when it was under attack. Following her line of vision and using his sharp sense of smell, he comprehended what she was hinting at.

"There are a group of demon slayers here. Although human, they can take on the usual petty demons that invade." He pointed out wisely, "Jaken!" It took awhile before the little demon toad stumbled out of some nearby foliage, immediately bowing to his master anxiously. "Where is the dragon?"

"I'll go get him, m'lord!" And the little demon scuffled off.

"Dragon?" Kikyou inquired. He didn't reply, instead opting to wait for Jaken to come back with the answer. Surely enough, in a matter of minutes, Jaken traipsed out of the forest, in his stubby demon hand a reign of some sort. Kikyou slightly gaped at the two-headed dragon demon that stomped after the toad.

"Jaken, I am leaving."

"Ah, yes, my lord!" Jaken ambled over to his master's side, offering Sesshoumaru the reigns that controlled the dragon demon.

"You misunderstand. You are to stay here." The regal demon corrected, much to the shock of the little toad demon. "Along with the dragon."

"B-But, master Sesshoumaru, I always accompany you!" Jaken had tears in his big, circular eyes.

"You're assistance is not needed." Was his only explanation. Kikyou stared at the discreet demon, even though his explanation was less than satisfying, she had a strong feeling he was doing it to reassure her of the safety of the villagers while she was away. "Don't get me wrong, I could care less about those worthless humans." Sesshoumaru spoke once Jaken had wandered away in his dejection. "I just don't want you to bother me with reviving them if they die." Kikyou said nothing, but gave the man a curt nod in mutual understanding.

"Sister, why are there demon slayers in the village?" Kaede popped out from among the trees, Taro pouncing behind her.

"Kaede, listen well..." and so the older sister began to recount, as well as giving her detailed instructions as to what to do while she was away. "And if anything bad happens, Kaede, you run away. You are not yet old enough to handle demons that demon slayers cannot defeat."

"Y-yes, sister." The girl hung her head down, not wanting to go through death a second time.

"Good, now, I shall talk to the demon slayers. Also, if something bad were to happen... give Jaken a shout." Kikyou patted the younger girl's head. From a ways off, the girls heard an undignified squawk from the little demon and then a string of complaints, which were silenced by an accompanying thwack. "Be good, Kaede."

XXX

As predicted, Kikyou was on her way to the village plagued by the shape-shifting demon by midday. She rode on a horse as Sesshoumaru, her taciturn companion, easily followed the horse's quick pace. She had surmised that the journey would only take a few hours, and that they'd be arriving sometime by nightfall. Hopefully. She was anxious about leaving the jewel in town and wanted to get rid of the demon as fast as possible - she expected that she could be back to the village by dawn.

Neither the woman nor the demon spoke to each other the entire duration of the expedition. He didn't say anything to betray his stoic facade, but she could tell he was restless at the idea of killing the demon who had disrespected him – the nasty grimace on his face was the look of bloodlust, she knew it well. It wasn't until after their arrival that they finally uttered a word to each other.

"I'm not going to hide from the humans this time. I have a score to settle." Sesshoumaru announced, the dim light coming from the torches at the front of the village casting shadows to play on their bodies.

"I won't ask you to." She merely agreed, her soulful brown eyes glimmering in the flickering flames.

"Who goes there?" A quaky voice called out from within the settlement. The odd pair were met by a group of burly samurai whose wide eyes indicated they were terrified.

"I am a priestess. Protector of the Shikon Jewel. I have come to rescue you all from the demon who haunts over your lord's palace."

"Ah, thank the gods! Please, follow us, young priestess." The samurai enthusiastically called out, urging her to follow him. "But before we make our way to the castle, who is this man?"

Before Sesshoumaru could answer, she butted in, "He is with me. He will help me in exterminating the demon." The samurai stared at the tall, platinum-haired dog demon in awe.

"Perhaps he is some type of fancy priest?" Sesshoumaru caught the curious whispers of the men, but paid them no heed. The group soon arrived at the front steps leading into the castle. They both noted the pitch darkness inside. Usually, castles were bustling with life, even at night time; the residents had all probably blown out their candles, too afraid of the demon that threatened them.

"I cannot navigate as well in the darkness. May I use one of your torches?" Kikyou courteously asked the men, but before they could hand over the torch, Sesshoumaru intercepted.

"I can be your eyes. The torch will only get in the way."

"Yes, you're right. Please lead the way." With a polite "thank you" to the men, Kikyou began her ascent up the steps into the castle, following Sesshoumaru's white incadescent silhouette tentatively. "I sense many demons lurking ahead."

"Hmph, quantity over quality. This fool does not know who he's dealing with." Sesshoumaru admonished, brandishing his poisonous claws out in front of him, ready to rip any demon to shreds at any given moment. Kikyou followed his example, taking her bow from within its place strewn across her shoulder and readying an arrow from her sling. As predicted, a multitude of demons burst out from the building without warning, all of them heading straight into the paths of Sesshoumaru and Kikyou. "Such vermin..." Sesshoumaru rebuked before springing into action, eliminating a good bunch by using his poison. Kikyou also wasted no time, easily taking out a few demons with a single arrow. As the demons gushed out, the duo continued on fighting, Sesshoumaru alternating between using his poison claws and his whip of light to annihilate a good fraction, and Kikyou just kept firing arrow after arrow without stop. It wasn't long before the demons spread about the parameter of the castle entrance. Everything was going normally until one of Kikyou's spiritually powered arrows waned in power and only killed about half of the demons that one arrow usually could. She gasped as she hunched over in exhaustion all of a sudden, leaving herself vulnerable; Sesshoumaru swiftly took note and leaped out in front of her.

"Clever beast." Kikyou gasped as she stabbed her bow to the ground, using it as a crutch to steady her wobbling legs from collapsing underneath her. "Whoever it is that's in control here has set up a barrier to weaken my sacred powers." Despite her apparent fatigue, the priestess did not relinquish her attack, instead she summoned up all of her strength to stand up again, once more taking aim with her arrows, occasionally destroying a demon with a blow from her long bow. Sesshoumaru did not leave her side, noting that the barrier was taking its toll on her fragile human body.

Father... What would you think now? Heh. Sesshoumaru thought as he flaunted his deadly whip at the demons. The fight went on for a good amount of time, every once in a while the trembling Kikyou had to take short moments to catch her breath. The demons began to diminish in number, and with a sigh of relief, Kikyou released her last arrow, killing the last rampaging demon. "There remains one inside." Sesshoumaru snarled. Kikyou nodded and used her bow as a cane. Sesshoumaru followed suit, sensing the demon wasn't moving anywhere. Surely enough, through the large gaping hole, there was a singular demon standing within the rich throne room, his face and body covered away by a baboon pelt.

"A half-demon?" Kikyou wondered aloud.

"Are you the shameless fool who dared take on my appearance?" The dog demon demanded to know. He heard a sinister cackle in response to his demand.

"Perhaps I am."

"Murderer. Show yourself!" Kikyou ordered, the anger welling up in her.

"Ah, the lovely Kikyou. Has anyone ever told you how pretty you are when you scowl like that? Rage is quite becoming for you, my dear." The demon complimented with a whimsical air about him. Neither could figure out if he meant it or was just being cynical. "Do you like the barrier I put up? It's a special gift, just for you." The demon took a step closer towards the priestess who slouched over her bow, breathing heavily. Sesshoumaru was in front of her in less than a second. "Ah, how amusing. The pup is defending his human mistress." Sesshoumaru bared his fangs at the demon's mock.

"It doesn't matter to me who you are. I'll tear you apart."

"You dogs are all the same. Threaten their little human and they'll go feral. That's how your father died, right? Protecting a human woman he'd chosen over his superior demon mate." At that distasteful insult, Sesshoumaru lunged at him, beheading the half-demon with a single swipe of his claws.

"Was that... it?" Kikyou questioned disbelievingly as she went over to the pelt the demon had worn. She lifted it to uncover a strange doll of some sort, but could not sense any demon aura emanating from it. "I don't know if this is the last of him, but at least he's out of this village." She struggled as she began to make her way out of the castle. A group of wide-eyed villagers greeted her at the bottom, as well as what seemed to be the human lord of the castle.

"Lady priestess, we are forever in your debt," The lord began, giving the tired woman a handsome smile.

"It was no trouble." She gave the people around her an equally stunning smile, making many of them sigh in awe of such prettiness, in spite of the blotches of demon blood caked on her face.

"Please, stay the night here, young priestess. As a token of our thanks." The lord insisted, gesturing back towards the castle.

"No. I must get back." The stubborn woman proclaimed, but her struggle to stay up on her two legs weakened her resolve, as she tumbled over, falling to the ground as she finally gave into her weariness. Many villagers gasped in alarm, but before any of them could make a move to get to her, Sesshoumaru approached her from his place in the shadow of a nearby hut. He knelt down, not paying any attention to the curious stares of the surprised onlookers. "I must head back." She reiterated.

"No, you're in no condition to travel. We stay." Sesshoumaru decreed, his tone leaving no room for argument. Without further ado, he took the woman in his arms and easily hoisted her up, all the while not directing a single word toward any of the humans. Taking note of his continued silence and the look of slight impatience on his face, the humans took that as his silent consent to lead him up to a room for the priestess to sleep in. It wasn't long before two guards lead the odd pair up to a solitary room in the castle. Kikyou found herself unable to protest as her demon companion settled her down on the only futon in the room. The guards asked if he needed a room also, but he replied in the negative.

"I don't need to sleep." Was his enigmatic answer, leaving the two guards to exit the room, not sure of what else to do or offer. The grand demon lord settled himself in a corner of the room, facing her. He sat with one of his knees at level with his chest, the other leg he extended to its full length.

"Thank you." Were Kikyou's only words to him, closing her eyes in fatigue. It wasn't long before Sesshoumaru could hear her calm, deep breathing, signifying her transition into sleep. Sesshoumaru idly thought that he had never seen her do something so human ever before. Sure, she was human, but she always made it seem like she was a new type of being altogether – the way she conducted herself never pointed out to being either demon nor human. She was a strange one, he thought. Even in sleep, the priestess was by human (and demon) standards quite beautiful, with her long, dark lashes against porcelain skin and her silk straight hair fanning around her head like a dark halo. It was truly a shame she was human, Sesshoumaru mused.

He had the irksome urge to touch her.

And he reached out against his better judgment to play with a stray piece of silken black hair.

Irksome? No. Not at all.

XXX

"Good morning, sirs." Kaede greeted the demon slayers at the entrance to the shrine that held the Shikon Jewel, her dog friend right behind her. Although Kikyou hadn't specified being near the jewel as her duties, the little girl thought that she'd go ahead and stand watch for a while anyway. It was very early in the morning and she didn't have any assigned duties until later. The men nodded at her in recognition and smiled as she passed by them and went into the shrine. She had never truly paid much heed to the shiny pink pearl that hung from its compartment, but now that it was there, without its protector, she truly realized how precious and strange it truly was. "Why does such a thing exist? Weird."

She and Taro sat in the dim light of morning for about an hour, about to leave, when a sudden commotion interrupted. Kaede could hear the concerned voices of the demon slayers, asking if someone was alright. And then she heard her sister.

"Kikyou! You're back!" Kaede shouted in glee as her sister opened the door to the shrine. The glee didn't last long when she realized that her sister's white haori stuck to her skin, drenched in blood. "Sister, what in the world happened to you?" The child asked in absolute terror. "Kikyou, you must tend to your wounds..." But the elder woman just rushed past her sister, grabbing the Shikon jewel by the necklace that held it. "Sister, please!" Kaede screamed in horror. All the while Taro barked cautiously at the unstable priestess.

"Leave me be, Kaede!" Was Kikyou's harsh rebuttal when the child tried to hold her hand. Too shocked and hurt to respond, Kaede stood glued to her spot in awe of Kikyou's admonishment.

"Sister Kikyou...?"

XXX

Inuyasha walked in solitude, still pondering on whether he should leave Kikyou forever or follow Myoga's advice and continue to persist. He felt it was all for naught – so much preoccupation over the same damn thing, but he couldn't help it. He longed to be with the petite priestess. She made him feel... like he belonged. She made him feel right. She didn't mock him, look down on him, or even fear him. She was different, and for that, he appreciated her, longed for her friendship, her... well, he wouldn't let himself complete that thought.

He snapped out of his reverie when he caught a whiff of her scent and her light footsteps.

"Kikyou...?" He wasted no time in scurrying over towards her direction, meeting her in no time at all. Her blood-drenched appearance; however, made him take a step back in disbelief. "What in the hell...? Kikyou! Who did this to you?" He closed the distance between them.

"Inuyasha! I'm going to die..." She spat out blood as she stumbled over herself and fell into Inuyasha's sturdy physique. He wrapped his arms around her frame to support the crimson-stained priestess.

"Kikyou, tell me! Who did this to you? I'll kill them! I swear it!" He vowed, watching her cough up more blood; he was utterly mortified.

"It was he..." She began after a hacking fit. "He who shares your blood! He, who betrayed me!" She sobbed, letting tears spill, "Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha swore he saw red. Red, like the color of the blood that languidly oozed over her clothes; that drenched her virgin white haori the same color as her hakama. Crimson. He saw crimson. Blistering, red hot rage. "Help me, Inuyasha. Help me take my revenge," and she put the Shikon Jewel in his hand, looking up at him with sorrowful chestnut eyes. It broke his heart.

"Kikyou, you don't mean...?" He gasped.

"It's the only way. The only way to end that demon's reign... Kill him, Inuyasha! Avenge me! If you truly love me!" She screamed in desperation; her tears mixing with the thick red blood on her face.

"I..."

"Inuyasha, no!" He heard Myoga call out to him, but all that mattered, all that ever did since he met her, was the life that was now dwindling away; that now hung by a thread, and for hurting this woman – the woman who was all compassion and caring and kindness and strength and intelligence and loveliness all combined – he swore, that the person who hurt her, he would kill.

Even if it was his only family.

XXX

C. Mushroom says: Okay, well, this was unusually long. I hope, dear reader, that you enjoyed it. Things will only get more intense. What will Inuyasha do? Will he succeed in killing Sesshoumaru? Will he heed Myoga's warning? Will Kikyou die? Where is Sesshoumaru? And where in the world is Naraku and Tsubaki? FIND OUT IN THE NEXT CHAPTER OF UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTERS!

Please review! Teehee.