A/N: Woah, that took a while.
Read and enjoy.
Cut Through Nothing
"I didn't plan on doing it, you know," Kagome said, knowing that despite the wind stealing her words, Inuyasha's keen ears could hear her.
"Keh!" the forest spirit scoffed, running down the road in great leaps.
"Don't mind him, he's just huffy, because he fell for your bluff," Shippou grinned. "Dogs are just too naive, you know. They will assume you speak the truth, unless they can catch a whiff of a lie on you!"
Kagome bit her lip. Shippou's explanation didn't help her feel less guilty. Inuyasha trusted her and she probably shouldn't have used the threat of the kotodama to make him let her go with him.
But she'd had to, it was her mother who was in danger. She couldn't stay back and twirl her thumbs. She knew once he was done sulking, he would be fine, but she decided she could speed this up by explaining herself and maybe making something tasty to eat later.
Kagome pressed her face in Inuyasha's hair, partially to hide it from the wind pressure. The hanyou's grip on her legs tightened just a fraction.
"We're out of the forest soon," he warned. "I do the fighting, you two grab the old bat and move out of the way."
"I will do my best to help," she assured him.
"It didn't sound like a 'yes', wench," she almost giggled at his growl.
They didn't have time to argue, because soon after the hanyou ran out of the forest and in an area full of small lakes. There was a strong youki coming from the direction of a manor located on the other side of the field and Inuyasha turned that way, following Kaede's scent.
Kagome did her best to calm her pounding heart. They were going to save her mom. They were going to fight and she prayed they could win without any injury. She hoped Kaede was safe.
Soon they approached the open gate of the manor, voices could be heard from inside. As soon as Inuyasha knelt down to let her on the ground, Kagome prepared her bow and arrow. Shippou leaped to the ground, so he wouldn't be in the way of both the forest spirit and the miko.
"I meant the other miko," they heard from the yard that separated thee gate and the main building. It was feminine and Kagome had heard it before. "This one is a regular miko, no offense, not the special one I wanted."
Kagome gasped. There was no doubt that the female meant her - she was the other miko of the village up until not too long ago. Inuyasha scowled as they approached the gate..
"I demand a second chance! Now I will bring the right miko!" exclaimed a male voice. It belonged to a bulky boar youkai in dark clothing. He stood under the porch wrapped around the second story of the main building. Kaede stood near him on one side, a pair of smaller youkai on his other side. On the engawa stood a woman Kagome recognized as Inuyasha's aunt, a group of various youkai behind her.
"I think you will not," the forest spirit growled, catching everyone's attention.
During the short exchange of words between the lady, the boar and the hanyou, Kagome observed the gathering - they stayed behind, not attacking or focusing their youki, following Lady Kimiko's order to not intervene. Her mother seemed unharmed, which made a wave of relief wash over Kagome. Still, she remained focused, ready to fire her arrow at any moment.
"I will fight for you, lady! I will defeat the hanyou and give you the right miko as my wedding gift!"
Kagome snapped her eyes to the boar, who raised a hand and summoned a weapon akin to a spear. He twirled it over his head and charged at them...
...Just to be met halfway through the yard, his blade coming to contact with the transformed sword in Inuyasha's hand.
"Tessaiga!" Kagome heard many voices whisper the name of the katana. There was awe and shock audible in their voices, many youkai staring at Inuyasha in disbelief as he threw the boar's spear to the side and punched his face. With a yell they jumped back, the hanyou leaping in the air to avoid a horizontal swipe of the longer weapon. Tessaiga coming down in an arc. The boar side stepped the cut and thrust with his spear, which went a bit too close to Inuyasha's side. The hanyou swiped his claws at the boar's eyes before running to his left, intending to get behind him. A clang of steel hitting steel resounded in the yard as the boar parried the katana.
"Kagome," she flinched when she realized that for a moment she was merely staring at the fight in daze. It was Shippou who tugged at her sleeve. "We gotta get Kaede outta here."
"Right," Kagome nodded and spared a glance towards the youkai audience. They all were watching the fight, seemingly mesmerized by the fluid, fast and furious attacks of the hanyou, that danced around the much bigger youkai with a weapon with longer reach.
The miko started slowly creeping towards her mother, not wanting to draw attention to herself and Shippou. Kaede noticed that and started to move towards them, keeping to the walls that surrounded the yard, away from the clashing blades, growling hanyou and grunting youkai.
They met near the middle point of the wall, Kagome hugging her mother and sighing.
"Are you alright?" she asked. It was the first time she talked to her since the festival, but at this moment it didn't matter. Kaede was her mother and they were together.
"Aye, child. I am glad you are alright as well," Kaede stroked Kagome's cheek with a hand. "You are always welcome to visit me, with or without the forest spirit. And you too, Shippou. We will talk later."
Kagome bit her bottom lip and nodded. She could see warmth and love in her mother's eye and knew that she didn't have to fear rejection from the old miko.
"Sure," Shippou giggled and leaped to Kaede's shoulder to hug her. "We will come."
A weight was lifted from Kagome's heart, knowing that her mother didn't turn away from her, that she still loved and accepted her as she was. She held Kaede's old, rough hand in hers, returning her mother's smile.
That was a moment of weakness that shouldn't have happened.
"Kagome!"
There was urgency in Inuyasha's voice. Kagome grabbed her bow and arrow properly, stepping away from her mother to aim at any attacker that could try to ambush them.
She swept her eyes over Inuyasha standing on the far side of the yard, the boar pressing his weapon against Tessaiga's blade with one hand, the other outstretched above his head as he looked towards them, a wide smile on his face.
At the same time the image registered, Kagome spotted a glimpse of sunlight reflected off of something gold.
A cool pressure wrapped around her head. It was not painful, but a fog rose around her mind, her thoughts scattering. She blinked a few times, her grip on the arrow loosening.
"M-master?" she uttered, confused. The master was fighting someone - someone she felt she should know - and she wasn't sure what to do. That person pushed the master's spear away and master leaped back and cackled.
It was such a melodious sound.
"Kagome!" the other combatant yelled, his voice distressed. She didn't react, looking to the master for guidance.
"Shoot the half-breed." the master ordered and she gripped her weapon tighter. There was no hesitation in her moves as she lifted her left arm, feathers of the arrow brushing her cheek as she drew the bowstring back, taking aim at the chest of the red-clad man. Something fluttered in her mind, a distant thought, a distressed scream she couldn't focus on, bound by the order of her master. The golden eyes of the man in red held a wealth of emotions she couldn't read. Their eyes met for a brief moment before she let the arrow loose.
"No!" screamed a pair of voices from behind her, echoed by the voice lost in her fogged mind.
The arrow flew in a graceful arc, hissing through the air.
"Aaarrgh! What was that supposed to be!?" the master yelled and almost dropped his weapon, gripping at the arrow sticking out of his hip.
"Oh, I am so terribly sorry, master!" she gasped. How could she miss so much? She'd been aiming straight for the hanyou's chest before she looked into his eyes, she was sure of it.. "I'll..."
"Quick, Shippou, remove it!" Before she could say anything, the woman standing close to her gripped her arms and the kitsune leaped onto her shoulders, gripping at the circlet on her head.
"On it!" She winced at the surprisingly firm hold of the old woman's hands and the discomfort caused by the kit in his haste pulling her hair while trying to take off her circlet. She looked to the master for directions, but he was busy tugging the arrow out of his flesh and cursing as he threw it on the ground
The lady standing on the porch of the manor, her silver hair glimmering in the sunlight, waved a hand.
"Fight!" she ordered. "Cut through the nothingness and bring your foe down!
"My lady..." gasped a tanuki that stood near her, but she ignored him.
"Sure! It's just a flesh wound!" the master yelled to the lady and leaped towards the hanyou, who moved to block him, moving for the first time since Kagome had gotten her order to shoot him. Something inside Kagome wailed as she watched the battle continue, the arrow wound not even slowing down the master.
In her dazed, unfocused state she'd forgotten about the pair holding her until the kit finally managed to pull the circlet off.
The world came to focus, the mist dissipating, the voice wailing in the back of her head spilling out of her mouth.
"Inuyasha!" she gasped, dropping her bow as the realization of what she had done hit her. She had aimed her arrow at him, she had been planning to kill him, obeying an order from a youkai who had kidnapped her mother.
She betrayed him.
Kagome sank to her knees, overcome by her distress and the relief that - somehow - she'd missed the target. Shippou hugged her, nuzzling her hair. Kaede laid her hands on her shoulder, rubbing gently.
"Be at ease child. The spell is no more," she assured. Kagome hid her face in her hands, sobbing. The spell was no more, but what about Inuyasha's trust?
Was she now like 'that bitch', as he used to call Kikyou?
"Oi, old hag! Is she okay?!" Kagome gasped and looked up, surprised at the rough voice barking the question. It was full of concern and anger. Inuyasha leaped away from the boar's attack, and glanced towards them.
"She's alright!" Kaede called back. Kagome bit her bottom lip, trying to control herself. He still cared if she was fine, so maybe there was a chance he'd trust her?
"Of course she's alright! My lovely bride wants her as her pet, I will give her to her after I'm done with you!" the boar yelled. "Now be a good mutt and die already!"
"Just look at him and tear him to shreds already!" Lady Kimiko exclaimed, hitting her fist against the railing of the engawa. Kagome looked up to her, shocked by the sudden outburst. The dog youkai lady was watching the fight with a strange, predatory fire in her eyes, She looked as if she was waiting for something to happen and was growing impatient.
"Shut up!" Inuyasha barked back at her and charged at the boar. The fight was not losing any momentum, both fighters trying to land a decisive blow, each time missing by a hair or being blocked. Inuyasha was too fast for the boar and the hanyou couldn't wound him more than a small cut here and there because his spear was keeping him at a distance.
It was a matter of who tires first.
Kagome felt Shippou's hold on her tighten, the boy was biting his lower lip, anxious as much as she was about the outcome of the fight. Inuyasha should finish it before the youkai from Lady Kimiko's entourage get bored and decide to join the party.
"Gah!" Inuyasha didn't dodge in time and was sent flying and then tumbling across the yard. He stopped and rose to a crouch mere meters in front of Kagome. She could see the side of his kimono getting damp with blood from the wound he got.
"Inuyasha!" she gasped. One ear cocked her way as he put his sword in front of himself. The boar lifted his spear high above his head and charged, his eyes focused on the hanyou, a wide triumphant smile on his face.
"Stay back!" the forest spirit barked, raising his own blade and clashing at the rapidly approaching youkai.
The Tessaiga didn't touch the youkai, but it cut straight where Kagome could see the two youki collide.
"Ah!" she cried out, shielding her eyes from the blast of energy that surged from the sword and towards the boar. The scream that resounded afterwards was cut short and an eerie silence filled the place.
In this silence Kagome heard a few beams collapsing, which caused her to look around.
The boar was no more. The ground in front of Inuyasha was plowed and smoking with fading light. The part of the manor in front of them was now in ruin, remaining beams falling in the wreckage.
"What the hell?" Inuyasha breathed out.
"Ah! Calamity!" exclaimed Lady Kimiko, descending to the ground where the boar's spear was, split in two. She picked the two pieces of the weapon in her hands. "How many great warriors fell under his feet only for him to be destroyed while fighting for my favor. I am truly drowning in sorrow."
"My lady..." the tanuki followed the silver inu, glancing towards the hanyou and the priestesses. "What are your orders?"
"Where are his aides?" Lady Kimiko looked around and spotted the two smaller youkai where they stepped out from behind a corner. "Come, faithful friends of my fallen suitor. Take this to his noble ancestor and tell the tale of his honorable death."
The two youkai approached anxiously and took the split weapon in their tiny hands. Lady Kimiko gasped and turned around, covering her face with her hands. Her shoulders shook and Kagome felt a pang of pity for her, was she in love with the boar? But if she was, why she had make him kidnap Kaede?
"Leave now. When I look at you I can't stop thinking about the fallen one and the great burden of grief that clouds my heart!" Lady Kimiko's voice shook and a handful of her court ladies hurried to surround her, whispering words of soothing encouragement.
The two youkai looked at each other before they bowed and left the manor through the miraculously still standing gate. A moment passed before the tanuki cleared his throat, standing stoic next to the mourning lady.
"We should go," Kaede whispered and Kagome rose to her feet. Together they approached Inuyasha, who was still staring at the katana in his hand.
"Inuyasha..." Kagome breathed out, his ears cocking her way. "Let's go home."
The forest spirit nodded and they all started walking towards the exit, trying not to draw attention, which was easy with the youkai focusing on their lady.
The group made it halfway to the gate when they heard an amused, pleased voice.
"And where do you think you,re going, Izayoi's pup?"
Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's sleeve. As she looked back she saw Lady Kimiko, her grief gone, looking at them with a wide grin on her face. The youkai around her looked at the hanyou in confusion.
"We're going home! And you ain't stopping me, you cray bitch!" Inuyasha barked, standing so he could shield his friends. "And if you try sending one more of your weak underlings, I'm gonna wipe the floor with them too!"
The tanuki stepped forward, a look of irritation on his face. "How dare you speak to our lady like this, hanyou?" he said sternly.
"Fuck off, old fart!"
The tanuki gasped in shock.
"Inuyasha we shouldn't anger them," Kagome tried to soothe the forest spirit. Lady Kimiko waved a hand in dismissal.
"Don't mind him. He's Touga's pup and we all know Touga didn't pay mind to protocol too," she said casually. Then she approached the growling hanyou, not paying attention to her staring entourage. She offered a small frown. "You brought down half of my manor, pup. You should learn to aim the Kaze no Kizu better."
"Next time I'll aim it at your ass," the forest spirit grumbled. Lady Kimiko giggled and hid her mouth behind her sleeve.
"It was centuries since this fang left a bite on my body." she said teasingly.
The growling stopped and red crept onto Inuyasha's face at that revelation. Kagome's eyes widened and she immediately looked away, blushing herself. How could one so casually speak of such things in public? The lady seemed to be very amused by their reactions.
"K-keh!" Inuyasha sheathed the sword and crossed his arms, hiding his hands in his sleeves. "You ain't sending more youkai into my forest."
Lady Kimiko ignored his demand and looked over his shoulder to where Kagome and Kaede stood, Shippou clinging to Kagome's shoulder. Kagome felt her golden gaze on herself and bit her bottom lip, feeling as if the inu lady was sizing her up. She knew she was not impressive, her reiki so faint.
"Good," Lady Kimiko said finally and glanced to Kaede. "Apologies for the misunderstanding. I wanted for the pig to try and bring your daughter, since I knew Inuyasha would slay the arrogant idiot. I and mine have no ill will towards you and yours."
"Well, it's alright now," Kaede replied with a small bow. "I just hope it won't happen again."
"It won't I will make sure it won't," Inuyasha grumbled. Lady Kimiko smirked.
"Sure thing, pup. You killed an annoying nuisance for me. I led you to Kaze no Kizu. We're allies, right?" she said lightly and in a blink of an eye her body language changed from the relaxed amusement to alert and focused. "Listen, boy. we're the last three silver inu left in this world. You are the weakest of us. Kill the hell wasps and keep your intended close."
Inuyasha growled at her, but she was not intimidated by the fierce noise..
"And congratulations on your impending mating," the inu lady smiled cheerfully again. "I'll be sure to come around to see your puppies."
Inuyasha scoffed while Kagome blushed and tried to utter a thank you, but the lady didn't wait for whatever they had to say. She turned on her heel and walked to her companions, loudly complaining about the destruction and ordering everyone to leave the manor, since it was no longer up to her standards.
Some of the youkai cast last curious and confused glanced at the group led by the hanyou, that the lady had spoken to, but no one tried to argue or attack the outnumbered company.