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Memoirs of a Miko
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From within the small hut where they'd all convened to watch the completely unknown effect of the beads, there was no sound except the whistling of the blizzard raging outside. Kagome spoke the word. One minute passed. Then two. Then around the fifth minute of that awkward heavy silence hanging so thick in the air it could be cut with a knife was suddenly broke by a fit of giggles and an exasperated snarl.
"Nothing happened you drunken assholes!" Inuyasha barked angrily as he turned to face them and bared this fangs, "You idiots forgot to put a stupid spell on this shit! What the literal fuck were you guys thinking?!"
"To be fair…" Miroku interjected calmly as he arched a single brow and sighed, "It did something."
"Like hell it did! I feel exactly the same!" Inuyasha hissed before huffing in frustration and turning on Sota, "You irresponsible little shit! You had one job! One! And you can't even…"
A derisive snort had him trailing off and turning an irate glare towards the offending party. Namely Ginta who was merely grinning at him like a Chesire Cat from his place against the wall with a very chagrined Shiori in his lap.
"You got some complaint?" Inuyasha growled as he set his jaw and bared his fangs when Ginta merely gave him a bemused smile, "Well?!"
"I mean, we could've had it slam you to the ground or make your dick fall off," the wolf demon pointed out in a far too amused tone for Inuyasha's liking, "Or could've given Kagome mind control powers over you. All I'm saying is could've been worse."
"Because you're a bunch of drunken assholes!" Inuyasha clipped back tersely as he whipped his gaze towards Sota once more, "Now you! Here we are trying to give you a fucking chance to prove yourself and all you've done is prove you're an irresponsible, untrustworthy little..."
"Your eye is a different color," Kagome interrupted with a soft gasp before walking over and cupped his face to make him look at her, "and you have a black streak in your hair."
As his mismatched eyes met hers, they widened in understanding as he realized she too had one amber eye and one blue. Upon further examination, he realized – far too slowly - that she had a white stripe in her hair that framed her face and in fact, her scent had shifted ever so slightly to mimic his own.
"What the hell," Inuyasha breathed anxiously as he furrowed his brow and turned his gaze upon Sota, "What is this?"
"So, uh, it appears…" the young man began nervously as he glanced at his accomplices in a silent plea for salvation, "That you, um, exchanged energy. She received some of your youkai and you received some of her spiritual power so you, um, are more balanced."
"And that does what exactly to fix this shit?!" Inuyasha barreled onward – his frustration blocking out reason as he continued, "Now I just look weird as hell and she…"
"Inuyasha, stop it," Kagome chided gently as she laid a single hand on his arm and squeezed, "It means that whenever you lose control, my energy will allow your usual self to take control again. Right now it does nothing except changing outward appearances because you're already in control."
"Exactly," Sota agreed with a soft sigh of relief as he gave his sister a tentative, sheepish smile before looking back at Inuyasha who still look mad enough to strike him, "So, um, there you go. Problem solved. It'll balance you if, uh, something happens."
"You drunk assholes are lucky that's all it does! For all you knew I could've been a mindless freak!" Inuyasha snarled as he turned an angry glare onto the quieter than normal Sango, "If I ever find your ass doing something that reckless again, I'll brain you."
"Again, why the hell are you turning this back on me?! It worked didn't it?" Sango clipped back tersely as she sent him back an equally venomous glare, "Besides, doesn't it…."
The entire ground shook angrily making all the occupants stumble to regain their footing as Kagome paled and turned wide, frightened eyes towards the door. A few moments later yet another unexpected tremor rocked the hard ground and a ferocious roar reverberated over the unforgiving storm that had all the demons in the vicinity openly gaping at one another in disbelief.
"So that bastard lived did he?" Inuyasha finally scoffed derisively as he scowled, "That idiot probably led them right to us too. He's gotta be in his true form and even in this storm that's something big enough to follow."
Another tremor rocked the ground and even over the storm, several screams of distress could be heard alongside the clanking of weapons.
"Oh god dammit, let me go see what the bastard wants," Inuyasha groaned before pausing and glancing back at Kagome, "Say the word again. Don't want to have him see me like this. Could be bad."
"Of course," the miko responded sheepishly as she gave him a reassuring smile and whispered the word. In an instant, the changes faded until both parties looked like their usual selves. Nodding once in affirmation, Inuyasha began to move again before he paused before the door once more and turned to face his love, "Don't follow me. Stay put. I don't know what he's gunna do."
"Like hell I'm letting you go face him alone!" Kagome clipped back angrily as she placed her hands firmly on her hip and stomped her foot, "For all you know he's wanting to take out his frustration on you!"
"I'll go," Sango offered as she placed a hand on her friend's shoulder and gave her an empathetic smile, "Besides, I doubt Sesshomaru would do anything that reckless. Not with this being the primary outpost."
"Well are you coming or not?" Inyasha snapped as he reached over and grabbed her sword, "He'll alert the entire fucking mountain if he keeps at it. Get a move on."
"Fuck you. I'm coming," Sango huffed as she rolled her eyes and moved to follow him, "Why are you always so reckless? For all you know, he's here to kill you."
"Fuck you right back. I'm not reckless, I use my brain and I know he's not stupid enough to try to kill me right now," Inuyasha bit back as he smirked and laughed outright as Sango snorted and quipped back, "You're full of shit. You're reckless and impulsive but I hope you're right so I don't have to tell you I told you so."
"You'd just love that wouldn't you? Well not all of us can be as full of shit as you. Your hair and eyes are brown from it leaking outta ya," Inuyasha responded as he bit back a grin. The sounds of their petty and half-hearted argument carried as they left the hut and ventured towards the edge of the village to confront the once powerful daiyoukai and see what the hell he was even doing there.
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They appeared to be human. Appeared being the operative word. Human they might have been at one time but now and forever more they were a veritable army of the undead created to obey orders for even the most unconscionable acts. Merely expendable weapons on legs, as robotized as it is possible for a human to be and still keep moving forward. It was their stench that gave them away and exposed what they truly were. An army of the undying.
Leading them was a grotesque figure with blood red eyes and skin that bubbled angrily. Footprints clearly marked with what could only be blood trailed behind it as it marched forward leading its army towards the fortress in the mountains. It was only due to his own inhuman speed that he was able to pass by them without incident – his precious cargo being none the wise as they remained secure in his mouth.
He had stopped once and only once on his journey. The scent of his injured ward drawing him off course. It had taken longer than he'd like to admit to track the baku who had her in his possession down. Those creatures moved faster than any mortal could blink and were experts at remaining hidden. If not for Rin's pleas, it might've been impossible to catch up to them at all.
"My Lord!" the girl had cried out upon seeing him – her struggles to escape becoming even more frantic and desperate much to the chagrin of her captor, "Kohaku put Rin down! Put Rin down this instant!"
"I can't," the young baku had breathed anxiously as he clutched her to his chest, "He might take you from me."
"Then come with us," Rin had snapped as she folded her arms best she could and glared, "You say you've imprinted on Rin and Rin wishes to rejoin her Lord. So either put Rin down or Rin will never speak to you again."
"I've protected you. I can protect you better than he can. I'd die before I let anything hurt you," Kohaku had pleaded desperately even as he slowed down to a full stop and cringed, "But…but if you want to go with him…I'll go too."
"You really need to work on your courting abilities," Rin teased with a relieved sigh, "Rin likes you but you are very strange sometimes."
"I get that a lot," Kohaku chuckled nervously as he placed her onto her feet and stood anxiously awaiting the giant dog demon barreling towards him, "It's the voices. They…they cause problems."
"Are they talking to you now?" Rin asked hesitantly before sighing when he shook his head. Giving him a sympathetic smile, she took his hand and squeezed, "Rin understands imprinting. Her Lord told her about it. Explained when Lord Inuyasha imprinted on Lady Kagome. That you imprinted on her is very serious and Rin will not leave you so do not fear."
"You know, you call me strange yet you speak about yourself in the third person," Kohaku chuckled nervously as he gripped her hand tightly when the dog demon skidded to a halt in front of him, "It seems we're both rather strange."
"Perhaps," Rin laughed softly before gasping when her Lord suddenly opened his mouth and deposited at least a dozen individuals onto the forest floor who all looked as confused and mildly disgusted as she felt, "What on earth!?"
As her Lord transformed back into his usual form, he quickly appraised the situation and his lips twitched downwards as the implications became blatantly obvious. Wrinkling his nose in disgust, Sesshomaru first address the baku with a disapproving glare, "You have imprinted on my ward. Are you not Lady Sango's brother?"
"Yes sir," Kohaku replied in a voice barely louder than a whisper as he subconsciously moved closer to Rin and cowered, "Who are they? I…I…"
"Do not speak. This Sesshomaru has heard of you young one. Of your ailments," the daiyoukai hissed as he set his jaw and turned his angry gaze on Rin, "This boy may not even have imprinted on you, Rin. It may be yet another of his delusions. Come. We're leaving."
"My Lord," Rin interrupted meekly as she cast a worried glance at Kohaku, "Rin does not think that he…"
"This Sesshomaru cares not about what you think Rin. This Sesshomaru knows infinitely more than a child and this boy suffers from violent tendencies. It is unacceptable," Sesshomaru hissed before paling slightly when he noticed the various half-demons littered on the floor staring incredulously up at him with their mouths hanging open – clearly not believing what they were seeing, "In any case, we must hurry. There is a war and an army approaching from the South."
"An army?" Kohaku piped up in a meek voice before his eyes widened and his jaw dropped, "My sister and the others. They're at our village in the mountains. They need to be warned."
"That is This Sesshomaru's goal," the daiyoukai sneered as he glided elegantly yet determinedly forward and gripped Rin's free hand, "Now we must make haste. You are to come with me, Rin."
"He's coming too," Rin protested stubbornly as she put on her most fearsome face which was not in the slightest fearsome, "Let Rin decide whether he loves her or not. Did my Lord not tell Rin that imprinting is the most powerful instinct known to demon-kind? Kohaku will love Rin whether Rin loves him one day or not. Rin is old enough to make her decisions and Rin wants to get to know him."
"He is a berserker," Sesshomaru huffed in exasperation yet his efforts to tug her away had ceased, "Such a union would be unacceptable and bring shame upon my house."
"Because Rin is human?" Rin challenged as she set her jaw and stared her father figure down, "Because if Rin mated a demon or baku, Rin would have half-demon children that would serve under my Lord? Because my Lord hates his half-demon brother?"
Amber eyes melting slightly, Sesshomaru sighed and in an unnerving manner ran his clawed fingers through his hair, "Rin, This Sesshomaru could never hate you or any children you may have. For all intents and purposes you are the closest This Sesshomaru has to a daughter. On my honor, were you to gain a demon's lifespan, all that I have will be yours. Indeed, I had hoped it to be so and would gladly give my blessing on any demon I deemed worthy of you as you would live long enough to inherit my kingdom. But there is no kingdom now. There is no fortune to be had and as it stands, it is in your best interest to leave this boy whose sanity is questionable at best and rejoin the human world. This Sesshomaru will gladly deliver you to a human village but he cannot give you his blessing to mate this boy given his condition."
Rin sighed and fidgeted for a moment before snorting when one of the half-demons finally came to his senses and began giggling like mad.
"Holy shit! The great Sesshomaru is out here acting like he gives a shit about…" the red haired boy cackled madly before one of his companions – fast as lightening – moved and slapped her hand over his mouth.
"Shut up moron," the turquoise haired girl hissed in her friend's ear as she stared up at the irate looking daiyoukai with fearful eyes. In reality, only a few seconds passed but it felt like a lifetime to the rescued as they anxiously waited for him to decide to strike them all down for their insolence and their witnessing such a strangely intimate and out of character moment.
Finally after the agonizingly tense moment, Sesshomaru turned to address the victims, "In one day, the West has fallen prey. In one day, thousands of our kind have been slaughtered. In one day, all that was had is now gone forever. So yes, This Sesshomaru shall protect the most precious thing to me that is still in my possession but if you dare speak out of turn again half-demon, This Sesshomaru will not hesitate to end your miserable life, understood? Now there is an army of the undead approaching. Let us make haste."
Nodding fervently, the gaggle of half-demons cowered in fear as the daiyoukai transformed back and snatched them once more in his mouth before motioning with his gigantic head for the baku and Rin to follow. This imprinting situation could be better dealt with in the confine of the sanctuary in the mountains.
And it would be dealt with to the fullest extent possible.
