Kaori was her name, the girl from another era. She was another incarnation of Kagome, of Kikyo…. Of that one soul that it seemed, just wouldn't leave the hanyou in peace.
She awoke with a start, feeling that something was wrong. She groped for her bow and arrow in the darkness and knocked an arrow, wandering out into the dirt road of the village. Only when she was out did she realize what was wrong.
Shippou was missing. The little yokai was always very clingy towards her. She went back inside to double check, her heart sinking in her chest. Even though she'd just barely met the little yokai, she was quite attached to him. And scared or his safety. All the woods in this strange world seemed infested with demons thirty for human and yokai blood alike.
She didn't want him getting hurt.
She relaxed her grip on the arrow and let it hang at her side, arm trembling slightly. She still wasn't as good as Kagome had been, not yet.
Suddenly, Shippou popped out from the underbrush. He seemed… nervous, and a little twitchy.
She sighed with relief, "Shippou. What are you doing out here all by yourself?" crouching next to him and ruffling his hair as she always did. There was a slight change of expression on his face- something she couldn't quite name that was vaguely unfamiliar and… repelled her, somehow.
" Hey Kaori." He said cheerfully, looking up at her. Huh. Had his eyes always been that grey? Maybe they just looked a bit off, in the darkness.
" I was gonna go visit my yokai friends, and give Inuyasha this before I left." He said, holding up a little glass vial. In it looked like some very ordinary tea leaves. Shippou looked a little distressed and added, " I can't find him anywhere though. Do you know here he went?"
Kaori thought for a moment, "Well. I know he goes to that Foo-Dog Palace a lot. His brother Sesshomaru lives there with his mate. Does he need it right away, or can it wait a few days? I could just give it to him when he gets back, if you're going to be gone a long time."
The fox relaxed a little and nodded, " It can be a few days, it just helps him digest human food. It usually goes in his tea- the whole thing in one cup, kinda mixed in with the rest of the leaves and stuff. Do you think you could do it for me? I feel really bad that I forgot!" His tail gave a few agitated flicks.
She quickly took the vial from him and assured him, "Of course I will, no worries." And the slim kit nodded a few times, adding, "Just ah… don't let the others see it when you do, okay? He's a little embarrassed about the whole thing. Makes him feel left out."
She nodded and looked at the little pack slung over Shippou's shoulder. " Do you have everything that you need?" and he nodded, giving a little wave as he started off down the road. "I do. No worries. Sorry for sort of sneaking off like that. I was hoping I could do it on my own."
Kaori nodded and relaxed a bit, watching him round the corner before heading back inside.
As soon as the lanky fox kit rounded the corner, he glanced around quickly before making a run straight for the woods.
As he ran, his form stretched and morphed, fur becoming long and black.
A group of fox yokai was camped in the woods, and he joined them by the fire, stretching out pink-padded feet to the fire with a groan. Even his kimono had morphed- from green to a tattered greyish-blue.
"So? Did she take it?"
He smirked just a little. " Yeah. We're not gonna have any problems. We just gotta make sure we grab him before he makes it back to that damn Palace." He was not about to go up against that Sesshomaru or his bastard of a fox mate.
No, no job was worth going up against that monstrosity. There were terrible rumors about him- about how now, he was greater than his father had ever been, thanks to his alliance with that damn traitor, Diaozuan. Well, a few foxes still lived who remembered the old ways, and why the dogs should never be forgiven. Why a union between their houses was blasphemous and evil.
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Inuyasha was out killing the demons around the barrier. Of course, he didn't really need to be doing that- Sesshomaru's many Yokai guards kept the barrier up and strong. But it helped for those who wanted to pass in and out without being immediately assaulted once they reached the other side, like himself.
Besides that, it was a great mood-lifter. More than once it had managed to get him out of a bad mood. Now though, it seemed even the splattering of blood and chunks of yokai flesh couldn't lift the tangled mess of emotions that tugged at the hanyou.
He sprinted around the length of the barrier one more time, making sure that all demons had been cleared. Carcasses were piled just outside the glittering dome in neat piles. Waiting to be burned or picked apart by the various predators of the forests.
Inuyasha jumped into the nearest tree to catch his breath. His bare feet barely made a sound on the hard bark and he panted hard to catch his breath. Below him was a small moving stream. Occasionally, slivers of silver fish flicked by. Frogs plopped into the water, and the reeds swayed calmly in the afternoon breeze. Overall, it was far too damn peaceful. He jumped down quickly and grabbed a handful of pebbles off the shoreline before hopping back up to his branch.
Throwing them down one at a time in a petulant manner.
"My name's Kaori. I'm a stupid human. It's okay for me to come back into your life again right? I mean, it'd been like four years since Kagome-" He stiffened a bit and continued, " And, yeah, you should be over it by now right?"
He threw a few down , watching as some bounced and others sank to the bottom. He cleared his throat, making his next voice low and gravelly.
"My name's Diaozuan, and I'm so cool, with my stupid face and my stupid hair."
He threw the next few pebbles, and it bounced slightly off the riverbed.
"I'm too cool to admit I like you, so I'll just kiss you right before I leave for a year. That'll help clear up your feelings, won't it Inuyasha?"
Plop. Plop, plop!
"My name's Sesshomaru. I'm far too above your station. I'm going to tell a tale of the time you chopped my arm off to the pups so that you get a chance to reflect on the weirdness of us living together. And, I'm going to drape my stupid hair on your arm and press stupid kisses to your forehead and-" He was throwing them with quite some force, now. Unfortunately, one swing was a bit too much for the thin branch that he was on to handle.
Snap.
"Shi-!"
Sploosh. A very wet Inuyasha sat up and crawled onto the pebbled bank, coughing and spluttering. After drying himself off and squeezing some water out of his hair, he sat down quietly on a little grassy outcropping just above the river. Just low enough for him to stick his feet in the water. His ears went back with mild contentment at the sensation for a moment… before pinning back in frustration.
Damn it.
Kaori. Diaozuan. Sesshomaru. His mind felt full to bursting. For a brief bitter moment he wished he was back in the village with Kagome. Back when everything had been so much simpler. Back when the count of who he missed, who he owed, who he.. was attached to was countable on one hand.
Kaori. He needed to do something about her.
He'd noted that, the whole time he'd been gone, he hadn't thought too much about her. And that was an issue. With Kagome, she had always been on his mind. Her safety, her well-being. Where she was, if she was happy or not.
Alive.. or not.
A sinking began in his chest. He was forcing this, wasn't he? Hell, he'd felt more when he'd been kissed by that damn fox than by her. That was a telltale sign, wasn't it?
A sign that perhaps… she still wasn't Kagome. She wasn't Kikyo.
A sign that it was time for him to take matters into his own hands. He needed to make a decision, now. He glanced at his reflection. The jagged stripes on his cheeks. Yes… it was wrong of him to drag her along anymore when he felt this way. As if he was drowning merely thinking of her. As if she was just another thing on his plate to deal with, rather than something to be loved, protected.
She didn't deserve this.
He touched the mark on the back of his neck and then slowly covered it with one hand. Bowing his head a little so that the long silver strands curled gently in the grass below him.
Inuyasha for the first time, was comforted by the crescent moon. That patch of skin that was always faintly warmer than everywhere else.
Underneath, he could feel the tickle of Sesshomaru's consciousness far off in the palace. Something sharp and prickly, sort of like a case of the goosebumps. He wasn't sure what the Daiyokai was thinking about, only that he was doing so so rapidly Inuyasha couldn't pick up a single thought. That was probably for the best, though.
The grassy clearing that held Inuyasha filled slowly with the scent and heaviness of Sesshomaru's demonic aura. Wrapping around and comforting the hanyou like an invisible blanket. Heavy, yes. But soothing in it's thickness as it blocked out the anxiety that filled Inuyasha's mind.
His ears tilted back and trembled slightly. Damn it. Had he called out or something? Without meaning to?
It felt as if Sesshomaru was right there in the clearing with him. Leaning up against the hanyou's back, his long strands of hair tickling Inuyasha's bare palms and feet. He was sure that if he opened his eyes he would be there, his eyes glittering like sunlight off the water on a hot afternoon.
All will be well, Inuyasha.
A long sigh he didn't even know he was holding in left his body.
All at once, Sesshomaru's presence left. The birdsong started up again, and he heart the faint far off sounds of animals and yokai moving in the underbrush.
Inuyasha stood and shook himself out a bit, rolling his shoulders and then touching stretching his arms up and out.
Right. It was time to settle this.
Inuyasha took off in the direction of the human village.
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Sesshomaru was zoning out, just a little.
He certainly didn't mean to. The current discussion had little to do with his lands or interests though. The meetings between kingdoms went like that sometimes, and it chafed him a bit that he was expected to attend. He wasn't about to start doling out wisdom to every damn providence. Heck, the only reason he'd offered the Rat Tribe leader his advice was because her territories were entwined with his trade. He'd be annoyed if his Palace started to starve thanks to her incompetence.
The current discussion was about the samurai, the shogunate, and their current human government. Unsurprisingly, many demons didn't like the fact that despite the unrest, a few very stable human providences were cropping up. Humans were much easier to deal with scattered than prosperous. They didn't seem to understand or want to acknowledge that the Zodiac Yokai would eventually, have to work in tandem with the humans if they truly wanted to prosper. Sesshomaru had injured by many of the human's weapons over the years and every year, they were closer to creating weapons of real damage to Yokai hide and magic.
Inuyasha was distressed. Something to do with that stupid human woman, Diaozuan, and surprisingly himself as well. That hanyou's mind was a tangled mess. Sesshomaru frowned slightly as his mark ached, his yokai stirring just a little under lily skin. Hnph. He'd have to do something if he didn't want a roaring migraine for the rest of the day.
All at once, he was by the riverbank.
Not physically, of course- but his aura, his essence was there. He looked around mildly.
It had been a while since his Yokai let his essence move around like this. It was an unusual ability, and one he couldn't use often or for great lengths of time without harming himself. But, apparently it was needed.
Looks like Inuyasha was doing one of his barrier runs again. The hanyou was there, crouched in thought, and Sesshomaru could see that he was holding the back of his neck.
Hm. The first time you have called me unconsciously.
The Daiyokai thought curiously. He sat down gently, arranging his swords just so before pressing his back against Inuyasha's, for that was what his Yokai was insisting.
He felt Inuyasha's muscles tense at first. But after a moment or two, they relaxed. The fire-rat robes were warm from the sun and still stank slightly from fresh demon blood. Sesshomaru closed his own eyes for just a moment and allowed himself to enjoy the sights and sounds from Inuyasha's location.
The sunlight soaking through the canopy in cheerful chunks of light. The gurgle of the stream. The warmth of his brother's body.
And if he were being honest with himself, the company wasn't so bad. Inuyasha was only a pain anytime his mouth was open.
All will be well, Inuyasha.
At first he felt he hanyou tense again and wondered if he'd said the wrong thing. However this fear was alleviated when he felt the sigh escape from Inuyasha, and the aura around his brother cleared.
Lord Sesshomaru.
Sesshomaru jerked slightly, blinking a few times. He was back in the green room. That female tiger Yokai from yesterday was giving him a slightly worried look. She had black marks on her skin that striped up into her hair, along with white and orange, in a rather exotic display.
"My Lord?" Her voice was soft and gentle, but it was clear she was a little concerned with his behavior. Luckily, the others hadn't noticed his unresponsiveness yet.
He shook his head once and then assured her, " I am well. I just needed to comfort my ma-" He paused. " One of my marked ones."
The tiger nodded in relief, some amusement crossing her face when the Rat demon got into a rather heated debate with one of the Snake Yokai on the other side of the table. It gave her the opportunity to talk with him a little more.
" I know many Daiyokai have more than one. It must be nice to feel them with you, even when you're… perhaps somewhere you'd prefer not to be." She said, her voice dropping lower. Sesshomaru smirked just a little before getting a rather interesting expression on his face. Something akin to… annoyance? Exasperation? Confusion? Perhaps all at the same time. " Nice yes. But also, quite a bit of maintenance. One of mine requires quite a bit of attention sometimes." Ah, the expression of annoyance was back. Even though The Lord of the West's expressions were quite hard to read, she was getting better at them. A certain narrowing of the eye, clench of the jaw, curve of the lip. Contrary to most Yokai's assumptions, they weren't absent. They were just… subtle.
She smiled, "But that's a good thing right? It just means that he or she wants to be around you. Wants to be sure of your bond." She looked down, thinking of her own crush back home, a faint blush on her cheeks.
"Of course." Sesshomaru said, hesitantly.
The Lord of the West watched her expression with mild interest before looking across the table. But his attention was entirely focused inwards.
Maybe /that/ was Inuyasha's problem. He hadn't quite put their relationship into a box yet. Something easily labeled. And whatever had happened between Diaozuan and Inuyasha hadn't helped matters. They hadn't mated- Sesshomaru would have felt that- but there had been something. Some little touch or guesture, perhaps a kiss, that had left the hanyou all shaken up.
And then of course, there was that other thing.
You called almost called him your-
Your-
Are we going to talk about that?
No.
No. He wasn't going to talk about it, or think about it. Or even address it ever again. He was going to blame his yokai, and push it deep down where all the other bad things he didn't want to think about went.
Deep in the abyss of his heart.
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"Inuyasha!" She was happy to see him.
He hopped out of the tree with a huff. " Yeah, yeah, I'm here." Sango and Miroku seemed happy to see him, and he growled a bit as their two twin daughters ran from the hug, giving him a hug.
"Okay. All right. No, no ears!" He tossed his head a bit. Damn The taller they got, the easier it was for those little fingers to reach his ears.
Kaori noted though, that he gave each girl a little affectionate pat on the head as they went back into the hut to their mother and father. Inuyasha joined them, unsure when exactly to pull Kaori away and tell her. Of course, she was more than welcome to stay in this world, if that was what he wished.
But he had to make it clear they could never be more than friends.
There was.. something else. Well, a lot of other things really.
Eheheh… fuck.
His ears tucked down to his head tightly. Sango and Kaori set to work preparing some tea while Inuyasha and Miroku chatted, the girls sitting beside their father. A little fascinated by Inuyasha as they always were.
The weather. How Sango was doing. The girls. The samurai. Recent demon sightings and fights.
"Too bad you don't have the wind tunnel anymore eh? That was always a surefire way to win a fight. Now, all you've got is this lame staff." Inuyasha joked. Miroku huffed a bit, and gave the yokai a swift smack on the top of his head with the staff before setting it back in the corner of the room.
"Aooow!" Inuyasha rubbed his head as the girls giggled. " If it can defeat you, it can certainly help protect the village from a few lower demons." Miroku huffed, adding thoughtfully, " Though, Sango's been working on some weapons for the girls as well. And a few of the other villagers of the right age. Who knows? Maybe in a few more years, this will be a new demon slayer village, if we work hard enough."
Inuyasha huffed a bit. Hmm. Wouldn't be such a bad idea. Though, he was a bit worried that it would meet the same fate as the old village, if too many demons knew of its existence.
"Huh. Well, might not want to advertise that too much." Inuyasha said softly, and Miroku nodded.
"So, how's everything been in the demon world? How are the kids?"
Inuyasha crossed his arms and scoffed. " Fine. Katsu's still busting into chicken coops unless we hunt every day, Ame's a little angel with no faults, and Inukezi's insisting that he train with the pups even though we've already told him a million times he'll get his ass kicked. Toshi-" He paused. The little fox daiyokai was having a tough time.
Miroku smiled just a little. "Sounds like everything's going well." And looked Inuyasha over, tilting his head a bit.
" You look… different somehow. Less of a little punk, and more of a man."
Inuyasha bristled, "Little punk? I'll show you little punk, you pervert-" before Sango's voice interrupted, "No fighting in the house. If you want to go spar outside, that's fine." She set her hand lightly on Hiraikotsu to emphasize the point. Both men laughed nervously before settling back down.
" Besides, the new stripes are nice. The only other times I've seen those were when you were in those awful blood rages. I guess living with Sesshomaru and the others must have helped with that."
"Eheh, yeah…" Inuyasha's ears went out to either side, twitching a bit with nervousness. Kaori handed out tea, and Miroku and Inuyasha both took a cup. Kaori and Sango settled down with the two of them by the fire, tea in their hands as well.
Tell them the truth. They deserve to know. They're still your friends.
Inuyasha sighed. " Um. So. You know how some of the demons we fight have those bond-marking things?"
Miroku perked up a little. " Yeah? Why? Are there some around the village that you know of?" They were usually a bigger threat than the lower level ones. And exceptionally hard to kill- much easier to just drive away.
Inuyasha avoided the question. " So, basically, about a year ago I was helping Sesshomaru fight that big cat rebellion in the Fox Tribe territory. Maybe you remember it?"
Miroku's expression changed a bit. "I heard about it. He defeated an entire army. I knew Lord Sesshomaru's power was great, but he seems to have surpassed his father with that other Daiyokai at his side."
Inuyasha waved a hand, " Diaozuan's not so bad, once you get to know him." and took a breath.
"Basically I noticed Sesshomaru was acting weird around me. And that it had something to do with his fangs. So, I got mad and tried to pry his mouth open to see what the hell was going on-"
He ran a hand through his silver hair once, nervously. " Long story short, he nicked me with his damn venom. And if he didn't want me to die, he had to give me the mark. So basically, I've got one from Sesshomaru. So just… don't freak out about it, okay?"
He glanced around cautiously.
And was met with a mix of surprised and shocked stares. Sango broke the silence with, " I'm surprised he… wanted you to live, Inuyasha. Seems like it would have saved him the trouble."
"Yeah. Things have changed, a lot, with the pups and everything. But um. We aren't gonna kill each other anymore, so that's good I guess."
Miroku said softly, " I'm a little confused. I thought that was only for- uh, romantic partners." And Inuyasha flushed with embarrassment. " Ah- apparently, it can be familial too. It's just usually not used as often for that stuff. But apparently it's a little more common among the Daiyokai and other fancy upper-rank demons."
Sango nodded mutedly. " I remember a few demons that had a bond among the brothers or sisters. It's usually used if the mothers or fathers aren't present. Sort of extra protection. They can use it to communicate with each other over long distances, and sense if the other is in danger or in distress. And the longer you're marked, the easier it is to contact them. It was even said that some could read the thoughts of their marked one, but-"
Inuyasha tilted his head a bit in confusion. That… wasn't normal? That was the first thing that had happened between him and Sesshomaru, seconds after the damn bond had been slapped on his skin.
Sango saw his confusion, but simply added, "But Inuyasha… you do know if Sesshomaru is killed, you'll be effected too right? And because you're a half and half, I don't know what would happen." She sipped her tea, seeming lost in thought.
This seemed to remind everyone, and they all took a long swig. Inuyasha took some as well but wrinkled his nose. It tasted unusually bitter. He took the rest quickly and set the cup aside, a sour expression on his face. Usually Kaori was decent at tea, but that had been absolutely terrible. He didn't want to get yelled at though. Miroku looked amused, "Looks like you got all the dregs."
"Mmh."
'I don't think that's super likely." He said and turned to Kaori, " Come on. We need to talk." Motioning for her to follow and standing.
Only to stumble and grip the door frame, breathing fast. The room was reeling. What the hell was going on?
"Inuyasha!"Miroku and Sango helped him stand, and he glanced down the road.
Fox yokai , near the edge of the woods. A scout saw him, and made some sort of motion. A few more appeared among the underbrush, their yellow and green eyes glittering.
"Trouble." He said, squinting to focus. There wasn't an option. He had to make a run for it. It was the best option he had, as he wasn't about to bring the fight straight to Miroku's children.
"I'll go with you. Miroku, stay here. Kaori, help him-" She grabbed the bone boomerang and slung it over one shoulder.
As the two stepped out of the home, the fox yokai's made themselves known as well. The villagers screamed, the men grabbing swords or knives to protect themselves. But there was no need- they were only interested in Inuyasha.
There was a growl from the side of the hut. A great cat appeared with fierce black markings across her face.
"Kilala." Sango said in relief, giving Inuyasha a nod. " Go ahead, run. I'll cover you."
Inuyasha ran. His heart was pounding in his chest. He had to get back to the Palace, had to get to a damn healer and quick. His vision was already blurry.
Behind him he could hear the sounds of battle- Kilala screaming, the yowls of pain from the fox yokai. Their breathing and screaming. The thudding of footsteps behind him. Oh, close now.
How many are there? He thought with a little panic. Was Kaori in with them somehow?
His thoughts were broken when something tackled him from behind. He snarled, drawing his sword across foreign torso and being rewarded with a pained yelp as he was set free.
He gave the fox another kick for good measure before getting back to running.
Ugh…
His head throbbed with pain. Suddenly, the hanyou's foot hit a root. He stumbled, then fell head over heels onto the unforgiving ground. More shocked than hurt. He never tripped or fell. Never.
However, he didn't get the chance as something dropped onto him from above.
A net?
Inuyasha let out a surprised yelp of pain when he slashed at it with his claws. It burned! It was infused with some kind of purifying water. Worse still, it seemed to be getting tighter every minute.
"Sango-" He called out, but grabbed his throat in surprise. The yell had come out as nothing more than a whisper. A sort of hoarse squeak.
Sesshomaru-!
"Got 'im!" One of the foxes said triumphantly, slipping on a pair of shiny silver gloves before grabbing the net. Two more foxes joined him. Clearly, this was a larger operation. They watched Sango warily for a minute, but she hadn't yet noticed the capture.
The made sure to drag Inuyasha carefully out of her line of sight, behind trees and down a rocky outcropping.
"How come he's not yelling out for her?" Inuyasha heard a fox say as he twisted fiercely in the bag, pushing it away from his face and pushing the blade of the sword against it. He was so angry, furious actually.
"It's the potion. Didn't you know that's how it starts?" The second grey fox answered. He noticed that Inuyasha's sword was starting to work through the net. Quickly, he pinned Inuyasha's hand down with his foot and pressed his heel down hard on Inuyasha' wrist. Both seemed equally as surprised that he was able to disarm the hanyou that easily.
"Damn. I almost feel sorry for you." The fox said, and Inuyasha could see the glitter of white fangs. "Emphasis on the 'almost' part." Inuyasha bared his fangs in response and growled, trying to thrash free of his grip.
His strength was fading. It seemed like he could barely keep a decent grip on his sword, much less call the strength for a wind scar.
Suddenly, a little ball of light approached them. Almost like a moth, or firefly, only there were none of those in the middle of the day.
The fox yokai near him tensed, grabbing his sword, and Inuyasha chuckled and relaxed. This alarmed the yokai.
"What is that? One of your stupid friends?"
" I almost… I almost feel sorry for you." Inuyasha whispered as they were suddenly bathed in blinding light. Inuyasha of course had closed his eyes, but he heard the snap of Sesshomaru's whip, and the hissing of his poisonous claws. In fact, it was the last thing he heard. All of that thrashing had spread the potion quickly in his system and slipped him into a drugged sleep.
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Sesshomaru later, admitted to himself that he was in a bit of a frenzy.
Usually he didn't have to worry about Inuyasha on his little trips to the human villages. That was why it was so odd to feel that twinge of pain. And why it sent him reeling when he realized that it was much more than the average, intense demon fight.
The glowing neon rope snapped easily around the trees, through metal, through leather armor. Chunks of bodies flew, hitting the trees and streaking them with dark blue blood. Sesshomaru did not stop until he felt no movement, none except for Inuyasha of course, and those too far from his whip. Sango was just finishing up, and looking for Inuyasha.
Sesshomaru bent and his eyes narrowed when he saw how the net glittered. Green poison oozed in thin strips from his beautiful claws. In one violent movement, he slashed the net open and pulled his brother out, propping him against his bent leg.
Inuyasha was out cold. Still alive, but unconscious. His color was off, and his breathing was a bit labored. Some kind of poison.
"Lord Sesshomaru-"
Sesshomaru tensed when Sango approached, though of course he'd smelled and heard her coming. He was livid. No.. his hands were shaking slightly with rage. He'd left Inuyasha alone for all of two seconds, and this is what happened thanks to his stupid human friends.
He turned to Sango all of the sudden in one jerking movement.
She gasped, her grip on Hiraikotsu tightening. The sclera were a bright red, while the iris was a midnight blue. When she looked into them it was as if every demon she'd ever slain didn't matter. They were fodder, ants. Dirt. Compared to the one standing in front of her. And some terrible voice inside her told her that she would never be able to defeat what stood just feet from her, his knuckles giving a crack as poison continued to drip from clear claws.
And then all of the sudden, he was gone in a rush of wind.
And back in the human village.
In another burst of light, Sesshomaru appeared right beside the monk.
"Sesshomaru!" He said in surprise, his voice dying in his throat when he saw the man's eyes. Kaori was in the corner, and she tried her best to quiet the two girls who were quite frightened by Sesshomaru's appearance. Tucked away in his arms was Inuyasha, but he was hard to see under the thick red and white sleeves.
He cared not if he frightened them.
He snatched up the cup with his free hand, sniffing the contents with narrowed eyes.
Miroku suddenly found his voice- or perhaps recognized that, if he said nothing, the crime would be pinned on Kaori. She would be immediately killed.
" Kaori was tricked into giving Inuyasha something. One of the foxes transformed into our friend, Shippou, and tricked her." The Daiyokai considered this, tilting his head. He sensed no lie in the monk's voice.
Sesshomaru's terrible gaze turned to her, and she went to her knees.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean for this to happen!" In her hands, she held up the little vial that not-Shippou had given her. Sesshomaru snatched it up and slipped it into his sleeve with a flick of his wrist. Then, dragged his claws across her cheek.
Her blood splattered across the wall in red droplets.
She shrieked in pain and surprise. He leaned very close to her then, so close she could feel his warm breath on what was left of her cheek.
His eyes were great pools of hell and darkness as he promised, "If he dies, you die, wench." before suddenly disappearing from sight.
All in all, he'd been in the hut for a total of about two minutes.
Miroku caught his breath and started unrolling some gauze for Kaori. As he did so, he gestured for her to come close and said weakly, "Right. So. That's Sesshomaru so… now you've met pretty much everyone." His hands shaking just a bit as he wiped the marks with a kind of disinfectant, then wrapped them in gauze. Damn, they were deep. He wasn't even sure if he could get them to heal without causing scars.
He was a little impressed with Sesshomaru's restraint. Perhaps knowing that Inuyasha cared for her also helped stay his hand. But… telling Kaori probably wouldn't comfort her.
Kaori nodded numbly, totally overwhelmed. That was who Inuyasha was bonded to? They couldn't be more different.
He was absolutely terrifying. She was just glad she'd peed earlier, or she might have soiled herself.
"I'm sorry…" She whispered again weakly, thinking of Inuyasha. She'd seen him in Sesshomaru's arm, just barely. All her fault. How could I have been so stupid?
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Sesshomaru tapped out a pattern less rhythm with his claws as he waited. Tian , the snake healer, was busy examining both Inuyasha and the contents of the vial that Sesshomaru had gotten from that stupid human woman. The black scales on the back of his neck glittered faintly, traced with a deep purple pattern.
Finally, the snake healer sighed and sat down in the chair opposite Sesshomaru.
"I know what it is, but there isn't much I can do to reverse the process once it's started. All I can do is help with the pain."
The Daiyokai gave and impatient, " And? What exactly is occurring?" and the snake sighed, looking almost uncomfortable.
"Well.. to put it simply, it's basically an artificial version of what you, my Lord, went through a few years ago."
Seeing Sesshomaru's confusion, he clarified, "When you became female."
The Lord of the West blinked slowly. "Excuse me?"
Tian nodded, rummaging around in his bag and starting to mix some herbs for Inuyasha that might help with the pain… though, perhaps he'd just drown it in sake, as Sesshomaru had done.
" The plant he was given imitates the same hormones released to induce those transformations. In small doses, it's good for pregnant yokai, headaches, and the like. But such a large dose initiates the transformation from male to female."
Sesshomaru made an irritated noise. " Can it be reversed?" The snake paused. " To be perfectly honest… I'm not sure. In natural cases like yours, you transform back after six months, or after your young are nursed. Even if Inuyasha were to get pregnant, there's no guarantee he'd ever return to his male state because of his human blood."
The Lord almost laughed.
Pregnant? Inuyasha?
He was certain that the hanyou would rather die.
Sesshomaru's hand clenched into a fist on his thigh, the claws digging into his palm and dripping blue blood onto his kimono.
Tian startled a bit, "-My Lord, calm yourself. You couldn't have predicted this would happen. Or prevented it."
Oh yes, I could have. Diaozuan's brother… I should have kept Inuyasha on a shorter leash. It was foolish for met to let him roam the grounds alone. Some Daiyokai is targeting us.
Ryuu? No.. He wouldn't be so rash.
But Sesshomaru was going to find out who sent those foxes. He'd already sent some of his guards to investigate their bodies for clues. Sesshomaru wanted to send for Diaozuan, but that would be a move based only in emotion, not logic.
He'd have a long talk with Diaozuan later via their marks and see what the fox's opinion was.
In the meantime… He glanced back at Inuyasha. This was going to be extremely unpleasant for all of them.
"I'd best take my leave. Are you able to stay by his side? I don't want him unattended." Sesshomaru said quietly.
Tian sighed, " I have many others to attend to today. But I can keep my understudy by Inuyasha's side. He's competent enough." Sesshomaru nodded. The corn snake was the same one who had attended Diaozuan during the birth of the two fox pups. He was good at his work, though a bit shy.
But as the Lord was going to leave, his legs sort of… seized up. He stood in the doorway, perplexed, the red blooming in his eyes and the beast under his skin roaring in protest.
His yokai did not want to leave Inuyasha's side.
Tian walked over to his Lord with mild interest. This interest soon turned to amusement when he saw the red glint. " Ah. Perhaps you don't have to worry too much about Inuyasha being unattended after all, my Lord."
Sesshomaru jerked at his legs again but to no avail. "Accursed beast- I have business to attend to-"
Tian gently slid past Sesshomaru, all smirks now. " I shall let Tiao-Wen and the other servants know that that the Lord of the West will be unable to attend any of his meetings tonight. Oh, and I'll ask Wumei to attend the pups a little while longer after classes."
"Tian-" Sesshomaru began, but paused. During the course of that silence Tian added gently, " My Lord. With all due respect, one of your bonded ones is quite far away, and the other is injured. It may well be in your best interest to stay with Inuyasha as well. For the well-being of your yokai and his."
This was met with silence as Sesshomaru pondered. Tian felt relief when Sesshomaru finally turned on one heel, going back to Inuyasha's side.
"The two blue vials will be the best for the pain. Send for me if you need more." Tian said, and bowed, taking his leave.
Sesshomaru shut the door with his heel and eyed the little vials in distaste. Maybe Inuyasha would get lucky, and stay asleep through the whole transformation.
It was quiet, in this room. It was rarely used- it had just happened to be the one closest by where the infirmary was( in a separate building), and Sesshomaru didn't want Inuyasha in there. There was no need for others to see what was going to happen. This would be embarrassing and frightening enough for the hanyou already.
" Are you never going to stop causing trouble, little brother?" He said softly, though his voice held no malice. He studied his brother's face, trying to commit it to memory. After all, this would be the last time he'd see it exactly like this… perhaps, for some time. Perhaps forever.
It was hard to absorb.
A woman. Would he even be able to hold his sword? Would he even want to? What if this was a last blow to the long series of terrible things that had happened to him?
What if this was the thing that finally broke his spirit?
There was a terrible cracking sound, somewhere around Inuyasha's collarbones. He whimpered and curled up into a tight ball, sweat beading on his forehead. Sesshomaru used the washcloth that Tian had left behind, checking to make sure the water was still cold before wiping the sweat from Inuyasha's forehead.
Ugh. He'd been reduced to a handmaid.
He ignored the small voice in his mind that reminded him that he could just ignore his yokai as he usually did and force himself out the door.
He stretched his legs and propped himself up by his elbows on the high bed.
Sesshomaru's mind wandered. He attended Inuyasha well into the night, and even managed to get the hanyou to swallow one of the potions.
He meant to close his eyes for only a moment. It was around five in the morning, when it happened. The birds weren't even up yet, and a thin line of blue was the only sign that the end to the night had come.
It wasn't really 'Sesshomaru' who woke. It was the yokai that slept just under his skin. Him, yet unimpeded by decorum and pomp and the choking hands of the trauma Sesshomaru had endured. The trauma that kept him cold, expressionless.
A yokai was the purer form of their souls.
His sclera were red again, and that same glittering sapphire was in his iris. He sniffed long Inuyasha's skin, and heard him stir awake.
At first Inuyasha's eyes widened in surprise," Sesshoma-.." and then his voice stopped, his own eyes filling with the colors that reflected Sesshomaru's perfectly. All of the sudden his expressions were different as well- softer, more open. The 'tough guy' act was almost gone.
Trembling just a little, he touched foreheads with Sesshomaru. The Daiyokai leaned in, huffing softly and lifting an arm, yanking the yokai closer to him. Inuyasha pulled his arms and legs tight to his body, making himself as small as he could. He closed his eyes, pain clear in every fiber.
Then, the Lord of the West did something rather surprising.
He started to groom him. It was more like nuzzling at first, but soon Inuyasha felt the long, warm laps against his sweaty, hot skin. Sesshomaru's tongue was surprisingly rough, and not too wet. Just enough to leave Inuyasha's skin clean and slightly cool to the touch. He worked hardest on Inuyasha's forehead and face, working his way down to his neck and just a little of the collarbones.
Little by little, Inuyasha's trembling went from high strung, to low, to barely perceptible. He was still in an extraordinary amount of pain, but the attention was primitive and comforting to the little yokai.
He enjoyed it.
Sesshomaru indicated he was finished by a final nuzzle to Inuyasha's skin before pulling back. Looking the littler of the two over to make sure his trembling had stopped. The smaller one's mind raced. How did he show he was grateful? Perhaps…
Inuyasha scooted close to the edge of the bed, pressing his weight to Sesshomaru and his head against the Daiyokai's chest.
He then looked up , seeking approval.
Sesshomaru gave a snort of amusement. Good enough, for now. He settled an arm over Inuyasha's shoulder and moved his hair a bit, giving a low growl of contentment seeing the mark. He gave it a single lick and then tucked his chin into the hanyou's tanned neck, closing his eyes. Their breathing fell into sync and they both drifted to sleep.
You could well imagine Lord Sesshomaru's embarrassment, waking up to Inuyasha tangled in his arms.
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