To Protect the Alpha Female
Summary: Kagome had no idea she had been claimed from the very beginning, nor the depth of the request she made of Inuyasha. How could a human ever grasp the intricacies of pack politics and the reason why Sesshomaru was so intent on obtaining Tessaiga? The off-limits girl knew not of her situation, but soon, she would.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
(A/N: The notification system was glitched last week, so for those people that follow all my stories, "Love's Consequences," Chapter 49 was posted last week but notifications did not go out. Check it out if you missed it.)
Previously:
"Kagome, I'd jump at the chance to marry you!" Akitoki blurted out, causing a vibrant blush to overtake Kagome's fair face. "N-nevermind, forget that, it's nothing!"
The air remained thick with tension, as conflicting thoughts swirled, but soon human frailty won out, and when Kagome finally turned to speak, Akitoki was already asleep. Only once he would not notice the crack in her facade, did she let her thoughts return to that distressing night, 'Why would Sesshomaru react that strongly to my feelings? He didn't need to just leave me like that. Where are you; why haven't you come back?' Hojo slumped sideways, falling into Kagome's lap. She startled, but calmed when she realized he hadn't done it on purpose. 'He must be exhausted.' The sight of her name, written on the Hojo family scroll, flashed into her mind's eyes, 'Wait a minute! What am I thinking about that for? But then again… I tried to get Sesshomaru to talk to me, to tell me what I did wrong… He wouldn't even look at me.' Her head turned up to the sky, searching out the visual reminder of the one her heart pined for, but the clouds hid it away. 'Maybe there is a deep rift between demons and humans, one thats so big, it simply can't be crossed.'
—-
Chapter 38: To Be Exposed
The stillness of the night did not last long before the demon ninjas caught up to Kagome and Hojo, resulting in Kagome being kidnapped and taken to the shrine. One moment she was being pulled towards the sky, and the next she awoke looking up into the saddest eyes she'd ever seen. She found it impossible to be mad at this demon even if she tried; he was clearly in so much pain.
"You've awoken," he stated softly, looking down upon the dais she laid on. "Young lady, explain something. Why does a human like you, carry the scent of a full demon, yet travel with one who is half? What are you to him?"
'He must smell Sesshomaru's scent mark,' Kagome realized, turning her face away dismissively. "Why do you ask me that?" she countered. "Because it's none of your business."
"Humans and demons have no love for each other, there can never be a lasting bond between humans and demons," he stated coldly.
'Sesshomaru!' Kagome's eyes widened and her breath hitched painfully, 'Is what this demon says true?'
"That is because, humans always end up betraying demons," he continued. "You too will betray that demon."
"No! That'll never happen!" she exclaimed, sitting up on the dais. Her kiss was no a betrayal, and neither was his walking away. It was just a misunderstanding; she could still fix this.
"Humans are weak creatures; they are weak in body and soul. Even though they are weak they try to live proudly, that's why humans betray, in order to protect themselves," the disdain continued leaking from his tone.
"You obviously don't understand humans," Kagome countered calmly, when it dawned on her. "Do you have something against humans? That must be it; that's why you can say things like that." His eyes narrow and he looked away, up towards a massive painting. "Huh? A female Samurai, who is that in the painting?"
"Tsukiyomi," his eyes glazed over, as if his sight was no longer focused on the here and now. When he continued, his tone was far softer than before. "I was sealed in here by Tsukiyomi. As for the Naginata of KenKon, the Ken blade was taken to Mount Fuji to the Hojo family, and the Kon blade was taken to Mount Hakurei. Then Mount Hakurei collapsed, and that's when I took back this Kon blade."
'That's why Kaede said the blade could be purified here,' Kagome realized.
"Tsukiyomi betrayed me," the gentle tone he one held turned sharp; biting like venom and laced with despair. "She had promised to live with me."
"I'm sure she had a reason for what she did," Kagome tried to defend the woman. She couldn't explain it, but something in her gut told her Tsukiyomi was not disloyal.
"Humans are weak," the demon scoffed, his voice losing all semblance of emotion once again, "and because of that they struggle and betray others; anything in order to survive." When he turned around, the sad look had been repressed, replaced with a cold glare. "And so my desire is to save humans from that struggle."
"Save humans?" Kagome repeated. Something about that statement had her feeling very uneasy. "How do you mean?"
"I will resurrect the Naginata of KenKon which was created from the corpses of 222 demons," he paused, "and kill every human."
"You think that killing humans is saving them!?" Kagome shot right back at his twisted form of logic.
"Humans are beyond saving, except by death. So death is the only way to save all of human-kind," he spoke in a way that clearly told her there would be no negotiating with this demon.
"You're wrong!" her power flared with the outburst and extinguished the candles lining the room.
"Exactly as I suspected," the demon grinned at the display. "When I first saw you, I felt a spiritual power similar in strength to that of Tsukiyomi."
'Similar in strength?' Kagome ran the words over in her mind. 'Don't tell me she was a-'
"So you see, that's why I did not take the Ken blade back then, but brought you here instead," malevolence bled from ever word. "I am going to use your spiritual power in the ritual to restore the Naginata of KenKon."
"You can't," Kagome's voice wavered, but he overwhelmed her human side and caused her to faint. "My… strength…"
He did just as he claimed, and once the blade was made whole, he lowered the barrier keeping Inuyasha and the rest of her companions away from the shrine. He would demonstrate his "righteous" aims, and save the humans, starting with those that stood against him. They proved to be little more than flies to be swatted away. "You want this girl returned to you so badly. You love her that much, do you?"
"Yes, it's true! I love Kagome," Akitoki Hojo spoke up. "I would gladly give you my life in exchange for hers. Please return Kagome." He continued his speech, professing how love is the one thing that lasts forever and that human frailty was not a weakness but a strength; allowing humans to understand the pain of others and show compassion.
"Feelings, you say," he couldn't help but relive that moment, the moment of Tsukiyomi's betrayal. The moment when his own hopes and dreams were crushed. "What humans did to me, I will repay with death; so die knowing how I feel!" No sooner had he raised the Naginata, did a powerful and far too familiar light threaten to engulf him. It came from the girl, but he had already absorbed her power into the blade. "What is this?" he jumped back, wary of the purity that emanated from her limp frame. When his eyes adjusted, the sight before him was unbelievable. "Impossible."
The Naginata was wrenched from his grasp, and the flickering image of Kagome and Tsukiyomi spoke, "Hoshiyomi, we are finally able to meet once again."
"Tsukiyomi, what do you want with me now?"
"I wanted you to think back, and remember something…" using her powers over the blade, she conjured a vision of the past. Showing him how they used to fight together, how he protected her, and eventually, how he had the Naginata forged to protect her. His good intentions however, had disastrous results; the Naginata of KenKon began possessing him. If she did not act, she would lose him to the evil within the blade. She sealed him away, only long enough to seal the blade and release him, however… her strength did not last; she died trying to save him.
"T-that's ridiculous. Are you telling me the truth?" he stuttered out, not sure what to believe. Had she really loved him all along?
"I wanted to save you!" Tsukiyomi's visage professed. "I wanted to release you from the spell of the Naginata of KenKon; that's why I did it."
'Was it all because of my own weakness?' he struggled with his perception. 'Was it because my heart did not have faith in Tsukiyomi, that this darkness was born?'
"Hoshiyomi, my body may no longer exist, but feelings for you will last for all eternity," Tsukiyomi declared. "I leave behind no regrets in my passing."
It was all to much to take in, "Ridiculous. Ridiculous!" He took back the blade, which wasted no time if overtaking him once again. "It's too late, it's all far too late. The Naginata of KenKon has finally been returned to this world, and it thirsts for blood even now!"
Tsukiyomi released her hold on kagome, who she had been using as a medium to convey her message, just in time for the blade to miss her. Inuyasha caught her in mid air, saying her name over and over to make sure she was alright. 'She's alright, the blade didn't touch her,' he reassured himself. "Kagome!"
"Inuyasha! Let me down, I'm alright," her voice sounded tired, but he did as she asked either way.
Kagome knew now. Sesshomaru's book mentioned a demon named Hoshi that had changed his name to resemble the Tenshi No Ko he loved. Hoshiyomi practically told her himself that Tsukiyomi was a Tenshi No Ko when he remarked on their similar strength. There was no other explanation; these were the same people she read about, and now she knew the full story. She may have looked to be unconscious, but she shared the same vision Tsukiyomi conjured; Kagome saw everything.
"I now possess absolute power; I have no regrets whatsoever," Hoshiyomi professed, far above the Inutachi. "I shall rid the world of humans with the Naginata of KenKon!"
"Are you still going on about that?!" Kagome hollered up at the possessed demon. "Tsukiyomi died for your sake; she gave her own life for you. How can you totally ignore her sacrifice? Tsukiyomi was half human alright, but she wasn't weak by any standards; she had a much stronger heart than you ever did."
'Half human?' Inuyasha wondered, as her speech seemed to bring the Tessaiga back to life. 'She didn't appear to be a half-demon, what does Kagome mean by that?'
Kagome did not let up, "You're the one who betrayed yourself, Hoshiyomi; you became bewitched by the Naginata of KenKon's terrible power because your own heart was weak."
"Silence, Tenshi No Ko; what would you know about it?!" Hoshiyomi dove for her, Naginata aimed for her heart. "Die!"
Metal clashed. "Don't you dare lay a hand on her!" Inuyasha blocked the attack. "Stay away from her; I protect Kagome!" Inuyasha knocked him back and leashed a Windscar, but nothing, not even Kagome's arrow could hurt him. Her power had not yet returned after Hoshiyomi stole it.
Knocked to the ground, Kagome said a short prayer her her arrow, "Help me out here, Tsukiyomi." When he charged once again, her arrow stopped his onslaught. "Awesome, my power has returned!"
"Now what do you say we put an end to this guy?" Inuyasha stood at her side.
"What's that?" an image of fighting alongside Tsukiyomi flashed before Hoshiyomi's vision, replacing the forms of Kagome and Inuyasha. "What can you possibly accomplish?" He wasn't able to save Tsukiyomi before; this half-demon would fair no better. "Everyone is powerless against the invincible Naginata of KenKon!" Powers swirled, condensing into an orb of destruction.
"Here it comes," Inuyasha warned.
"Yeah," they were ready.
"Be Gone!" the possessed Hoshiyomi unleashed the attack, only to have it sent back at him by the combined powers of Kagome's arrow and Inuyasha's Backlash wave. The blade shattered, and Hoshiyomi had a brief moment of clarity before being dissolved in the blast. "It's better this way; this is for the best. Right, Tsukiyomi?" This way, he wouldn't have to live without her.
Shippo and Myoga popped out of nowhere to congratulate their joint efforts, but there was still something about the whole thing that was bothering Inuyasha, "You said that priestess was only half human."
"Yeah?" Kagome hesitated. "Why do you ask?"
"She didn't look like a half-demon," Inuyasha stated his observation. Sure, she had no scent, being just an illusion, but she looked completely human.
"She wasn't," Kagome said slowly.
"Then, what was she?" Sango asked as she helped Miroku over.
"She, uhh, was a Tenshi No Ko," Kagome said quietly.
"Lady Kagome," Miroku broached, "that demon, he called you a Tenshi No Ko; what is that exactly?"
"Umm, well, you see," Kagome stalled, "a Tenshi No Ko, is the child of a human… and an angel."
"I see, so it was a figure of speech then?" Miroku concluded, and it seemed like the conversation was dropped.
Kagome paused, debating on whether to let them believe that or not. Only telling half the truth, however, was the same thing as lying, "Actually, it's literal."
"What, you mean an actual Tenshi flew on down to earth and knocked up a human?" Inuyasha remarked crudely.
"Yes, Inuyasha," Kagome counted evenly, "and I would appreciate it if you didn't speak of my parents in such a disrespectful way." His ears flattened immediately.
"Kagome, does that mean you're a…" Shippo asked tentatively.
"I'm still the same person Shippo," she turned and scooped him up, "but yes, I am."
"Why didn't you tell us?" Inuyasha accused, ears still drooped.
"It was already hard enough trying to live up to your expectations when you thought I was Kikyo's reincarnation. I didn't want to add on my angel heritage to that as well," she explained and Sango and Miroku nodded from behind Inuyasha. They had seen just how he treated her before.
Inuyasha looked chastised, "I'm sorry Kagome, I-I didn't mean to-"
"It's okay, Inuyasha," she halted his guilt. "I'm not mad."
"How did you learn about this?" Sango asked. It had never been mentioned before.
"Umm, well, remember that book?" Kagome asked.
"The one that bastar-" Inuyasha corrected himself, "I mean, Sesshomaru gave you?"
"I'll let that one slip," Kagome mumbled half to herself, gentling her features. "Yes, that one. Sesshomaru told me about it, and then my mother verified his suspicions."
"I knew it, I knew there had to be some reason why he would want you; you're some kind of Tenshi," Inuyasha blurted out.
"Inuyasha, sit boy!" Kagome scolded him; the last thing she needed was that reminder.
Akitoki Hojo heard the whole thing. Kagome, the beautiful Kagome, he always knew there was something more to her, but an actual angel. She was far too good for him; she deserved someone better. He knew this, and therefore, would move on. No one even noticed as he slipped away, they were too busy arguing amongst themselves.
"The pieces are falling into place; it will not be long now," Naraku presaged into the darkness. "You know what to do." His incarnations dispersed once given their cue, leaving Naraku to his dark thoughts once again, 'Sesshomaru, I never expected you to make yourself such a target; pursuing the Tenshi No Ko will be your downfall.'
(A/N: I get frequent reviews asking to "update soon." Just as a reminder, my schedule is every other Sunday for this story, and every other Friday for my other one, "Love's Consequences." The two stories alternate weeks. That is all my schedule can allow for at this time; I'm writing as much and as fast as I can.
Next chapter we get into what Naraku is really up to.)