Hiya everyone!
This chapter had me stopped and scratching my head a few times. I had a lot of fun with some parts so I hope you enjoy.
Anyway, FEED ME REVIEWS! RAARRRR!
Title: No Such Thing as Fate
Genres: Adventure, Action, Drama
Pairings Represented: Sesshomaru/Kagome, Sango/Miroku, Inuyasha/undecided
Rating R/Mature
Disclaimer: I'm broke right now...
Chapter 34: Curses of War: Melting
XXXXX
He sat in silence, tapping the arm rest of his current throne of choice. The room was lovely, the food good, the women nice.
Taking over another position of power for a greater end.
Blood spattered across screens, food made into frantic streaks and slippery safety deterrents, women darting back and forth like they couldn't decide which of the many exits would work better. Men screaming to summon power before they rushed forward and lost their lives…
A hum and he let his eyes roll in time with a decapitated head's inappropriate bouncing across his vision.
His eyes watched but his mind was on other things.
He'd heard the chatter before. He vaguely remembered where he'd heard it, but he knew exactly who he had heard it from. Information turned in his head slowly and he nodded, figuring this would explain it all.
Someone had stolen his TV.
Or broken it.
He still wasn't quite sure, but he knew it was useless and annoying now.
Boxes, some clever word used in lieu of stupid creatures, that could show you images from around the world. You could watch what you wanted, when you wanted. Then when bored, you could apply pressure to some specific point to make it stop, thus hiding your viewing preference.
He didn't have antennae but he could grow some or snatch some, without a doubt. He still didn't quite understand why he needed to have antenna to make this all work. There was a slight chance that the antennae helped information come to him faster.
It had only become clear to him in the last two days, that he hadn't been getting his appropriate dose of dropped information.
Apparently, the TV's there, and the TV's here, were similar in some way. It seemed that the hiccups and tantrums were the normal.
She went out of her way to make things difficult – for herself.
He watched, on and off, tuning in when he so pleased.
But she'd been a blank slate since his first realization that something was gone. He couldn't watch the accursed woman all the time, despite how women claimed the male sex should. Women did say such things on the regular, or was it the men? It didn't quite sit right in his head, feeling he was missing something in all of his ponderings.
But –
He sighed and waved a dismissive hand. The youkai rushed to a newly spawned portal by his side.
A swirl of noise and light then all was silent. He stood, pulling his white pelt over his head, once again becoming the entity that made all manner intelligent creatures shudder.
Well, it didn't matter.
It was time to go find and kick his TV from its disrepair.
In the meantime, he needed to find a moist hole for Sagisoto to use. He was a human, and a lord, in every way, so his tantrums weren't all that surprising. But now he had to cleanup, to convince Sagisoto to shut up.
A few smooth movements and he appeared outside of the castle, landing beside Kanna.
The nothing demon glanced to him without emotion.
"Have you sensed her?"
"No," Kanna whispered lightly, "I have not been able to locate her in any way."
Naraku exhaled and nodded, a turn and he was walking away.
"Move the search east of here and expand their search area."
"Yes" Kana whispered and faded away.
Naraku sighed. How annoying of his TV to break now of all times.
XXXXX
Things could be organized and handled by the officers under her. The unit was made to stay where they were. Kagome would leave on her mission for supplies.
She didn't realize how close she was to Jiji until she had looked at a map and 1 hour later, stepped into the cleared area around his home.
She heard giggling from inside the cave.
A smile and a nervous hunch to her shoulders, she slid in and snuck up to the counter.
Things were clean. Jiji had always put stuff where he could find it, whether it be in the middle of the floor or in some obscure hall of the caves.
Kagome would bet money the reorganization was all her mother's doing. She'd been horribly tempted to do it herself, but she hadn't had the extra dose of courage to move forward.
At that moment though, she remembered what Jiji had mentioned a while ago about her mother.
The older woman sat at a low table, an expression of extreme happiness on her face. She touched a hand to her cheek and put another bit of meat in her mouth.
Funaho nodded happily and sighed
Jiji had stopped his work to face the woman with a dry expression.
"Oh, so mama is eating you out of house and home?"
Funaho blinked and waved for her excitedly, "come sit and have some."
"Sorry" Kagome said, ducking her head with a sheepish grin.
Funaho sighed in disappointment.
"I'm happy to see you two getting along though."
"She's annoying" Jiji shot back, reminding her immediately of Sesshomaru.
"You're a nightmare" Funaho chirped happily, setting her utensils aside to hold both cheeks while she ate.
Kagome blinked at them both.
"You eat everything!"
"That's what happens when women get pregnant," she sang back.
"-and I am checking out" Kagome muttered, saluting as she started to turn away. Souta laughed from somewhere.
"Kagome" Jiji called.
"I just want to go. I don't want to hear about my parents' escapades."
Jiji frowned a bit, but amusement still touched his face.
"The poison mix should be up on the third shelf."
She gasped excitedly then, and turned, searching. She found the small container on the third shelf like he'd said, but it was painfully out of place next to large clay pots.
Kagome bounced excitedly, coming back around to the counter.
"Thank you" she hummed excitedly.
Jiji nodded, coming to lean on the counter before her.
He pet her head and she smiled.
"Do you all need anything? New clothes or something?"
"We are fine" he assured.
She hummed happily.
"Tell me how it works for you. Do not touch it with bare hands."
"Why would I do that? It's poison."
"Some people don't put one and one together unless you tell them directly."
Kagome blinked, "I didn't realize you thought I was stupid."
Jiji grinned, "let's talk 'stupid' after I give you a taste of the poison that wipes common sense away. I won't have to think about it at that point."
Kagome stuck her tongue out at him.
He chuckled and shoved her forehead lightly.
"You should keep up on your skills" he warned, walking away.
Kagome hummed, half listening.
Jiji stopped suddenly. Kagome looked up at him then paused seeing him frowning in her mother's direction.
"You're pregnant?"
Funaho hummed happily and fluttered away from her meal.
"Woman!" he snapped, stalking after her.
"How are you pregnant!? I don't understand!"
"Well, two people-"
"You know what I mean!" he barked after her.
She slid right back past him and he blinked, realizing what had happened.
"Souta, where is she?" Jiji demanded.
"-'t, sorry!" Souta laughed and ran from the cave.
"Kagome-"
"Bye Mom! Bye Dad!"
Jiji made a disgruntled sound.
Kagome was rushing from the cave when Jiji's growl rumbled through her chest.
"Funaho! Get back here!"
Kagome shook her head and came to stand at her brother's side while he snickered.
"They are a mess." She sighed.
"Yeah, but it's fun. It's like I'm meeting a new side of Mama."
Kagome grinned down at Souta slowly. He smiled at her in return.
"He met his match?"
Souta laughed, not needing to respond.
She reached over and ruffled his hair.
"Keep me up to date on what's happening?"
Souta frowned, "how?"
"Jiji has pigeons."
Souta gasped immediately. "Cool! He didn't say anything about it though."
She waved a hand, moving to her horse. "If you want something, ask. He's not going to give you anything for free."
"I don't have any money."
Kagome stuffed her gift away and climbed onto her horse. She pulled out a string of money and tossed it to him.
"He usually takes your efforts as a legit payment. He's not going to give you anything for nothing, though. He's very much a 'you give me this, I'll return it later or better', type of person. He'll skew the cost of something to get his way though, so be warned."
Souta laughed and she smiled.
"Can you bring Shippou the next time you come?" He asked, eyeing the money on the string.
Kagome smiled, "I'll let the castle know that Shippou can come here when he pleases, as long as a guard escorts him."
Souta hummed happily then sank a bit. "What about Kuro?"
"Do you think you can change his diaper?"
Souta paled.
Kagome snickered, "he can come too, as long as he has a servant. Jiji probably won't save him if he falls into the smelting oven."
Souta barked a laugh. "That's horrible. Kuro's just a baby."
Kagome shrugged, "this is how it is. Kuro is small, but he can get into some big trouble."
Souta frowned a bit, "maybe he shouldn't come over just yet."
"Wise choice. I'll still let them know should you change your mind."
Souta hummed and rushed at her. He hugged her waist and she leaned forward to offer an awkward hug in return.
"You doing okay here, brat?"
Souta lifted his head and nodded, "It was scary at first, but it's been really funny watching them irritate each other." He shook his head then, "is Mama really pregnant?"
"I have no idea." Kagome admitted sheepishly, "and I can't tell if mama is telling the truth, harassing him, or both."
Souta sighed, "we'll know in a little while."
Kagome hummed in agreement.
"Look out for them."
Souta nodded.
"And Jiji isn't above a prank" she warned. "Mama will blow his eardrums out if she catches him. I'd advise you to hide or run when that happens. You will wish you had just left for a bath or something."
Souta snickered and Kagome pulled her horse about, stuck her tongue out playfully at him, and rode off. Souta stuck his tongue out in return as her send-off.
"Whew" Kagome gasped, "they got together super fast." She shrugged, "could have been a fling." She glanced at fast passing greenery. "That doesn't sound like mama though, or Jiji. Either it happened, for a reason, or it didn't. She's very much like Sesshomaru that way."
Kagome exhaled.
She returned to her unit quickly enough. A meeting was held with the upper ranked officers. She informed them of Lord Sesshomaru's orders, and plans to switch places with another unit.
They moved only that afternoon, trudging through the forest quietly. Kagome sent a General ahead to give report to the other unit. They traded off without issue, and Kagome and hers were left in a raggedy little village on her counterpart's land.
It was at a nice little spot near the border with a convenient road that came though.
Kagome tried to figure out why the village wasn't bigger and figured it was bandits, hungry youkai, or both.
Then she stood looking over the little place.
She had a feeling that some bullshitery was afoot. Nothing was off or strange in the village, but something was off and strange in general, at the same time.
She rubbed her forehead with a moan, miserably took her loss, and decided to wait for the nonsense to rush up on them all. There was no clear target to mentally out dance.
Picking a brain or two, she found she'd been right, and that a mix of bandits and youkai had hit their village repeatedly.
The village residents were happy to have them there for protection.
Nobody gave enough of a damn to hide daughters away and give anything less than glowing hospitality. Her youkai soldiers had huddled in one area of the village and they were certainly left alone without protest. Kazi had reappeared, with report, and then had told her with a roll of her eyes that all of the youkai were very happy about the situation.
It was all going so smoothly. Apparently, word had made it around that an army was in the area – an army with humans and youkai together. Somehow, the forest hadn't been set ablaze in a hunt for Lady witches.
Kagome hummed quietly.
Strangely, Kagome didn't get the usual sweat film up her back when she dreaded a Naraku appearance.
Yes, it was hot, but not that hot, and she didn't like the new style of a sweat mustache either.
Kagome checked on her soldiers in their different friend-group locations. A back pet there, a shoulder pet here, catching a hand or two in her own – a thank you for good work.
About two hours later, Kagome noticed one of her men glance her way and step into the forest.
She arrived after a round about trip to the location.
She smiled seeing bewilderment and relief on the faces of a few people.
"So I wasn't crazy. You asked other people to see you too?"
Kagome chuckled and it relaxed them all.
"I have some orders."
"Milady, I am only a lowly soldier."
There were other squawks in the crowd shy of twenty, saying the same thing.
Kagome raised a hand to quiet them all.
"I need some information spread around. It's very suspicious if all the higher ranked soldiers start chattering with one another in quiet."
Kagome saw a few people mutter. 'oh.'
"Something is wrong in this village. We might have fallen into a trap."
"The people here did not lie about their issues."
"Yes, there's not a problem with the village, per say. It's a very lucrative area and they have no security or even a samurai?"
She saw a few people nod in realization.
"I want a few more people aware, working discreetly until the information makes it to every ear. It needs to be spread like a rumor. I want everyone in the know before sundown, but I also don't want everyone to suddenly strap up to fight frantically."
There were hums and nods.
"We have a battle tonight. Spread the info around. Leave the forest at different times and different areas, preferably where you entered the forest."
"Yes milady."
"Have everyone report to their team leader. That rumor has to make it around to them, so you are more than welcome to explain why they weren't all called themselves."
"Thank you, Milady."
"Alright head back. Everyone, do your best. I'll see you all in the morning."
She received deep bow and they broke huddle to start the game.
Despite her attempt to set up their own little trap, Kagome was horribly tired later in the day. She used a cleared area for her sleeping space. The soldiers had complained when she'd been offered a space in the village head's home. She had obeyed her soldiers, not wanting to make the anxiety worse for everyone.
Her eyes fluttered open as the last bits of blue sky faded to dark. She lay there a moment, thinking, working out scenarios.
The light was completely gone. There was darkness and a lot of people looking to settle down for the night. Things went quiet after a moment.
Kagome rose without light and dressed herself.
She'd gotten her pants up over her waist, only to hear a small shuffle.
She paused, hearing a telling squeak. Kagome did not like mice. She'd had an experience with the critters being in her home, her room for a short time, years ago.
She did not like mice.
Another shuffle and Kagome tipped to the left with a sharp exhale. She hissed as someone in the direction she had been facing, gave a shout of alarm.
A quick turn and she saw the cloth of her tent move strangely.
She awkwardly tightened her pants up. Everything else could wait till later.
Drawing her blade, she turned, ready to fight as a battle cry rose up and shut up just as fast.
The sounds of battle and pain started.
"Lady Kagome!"
"I'm here!" she called, striding from the tent. She felt fancy and super powered, when her sword immediately came up and blocked the sword of a human soldier.
He blinked. She smacked.
He did a startled double take at the abuse. Kagome shoved her sword through his stomach, smooth.
A startled pause, and she shoved him off her sword, then turned to her next charging opponent.
Kagome had a moment of fleeting time to look around at the chaos, people fighting in near complete darkness, moonlight a savior for many.
She could see an absurdly large force, twice over her own, running around. There were also a lot of demons putting incredible dents in said force, so Kagome supposed that she could say that the playing field was mostly level now.
Kagome stepped forward and danced. Her sword slid across the fronts of two thighs, a reactive scream, and she turned to pierce and kick.
She found another attacking soldier instantly. The battle went back and forth for a short while. Then two of his companions jumped in. She was wheezing, trying not to panic, her mind turning back in time.
She didn't know how this was worse. It was probably because her teachers hadn't ever attacked her as a team. They could double team much better, but she'd usually had one of them pulling grass out of their mouths before things ever got too far in their training.
She used her panic for a split second and shoved her way through them. They looked startled for a quick second then gave chase.
One missing. Two missing. The third soldier slowed and did a drunken turn, looking for the other two.
Kagome ignored him, turning to fight off another team.
She heard the young soldier scream. The gleeful smile probably tilted this new fight in her favor. The soldier who had screamed was being chewed up by a racoon.
Her current battle passed quickly. Kagome tore herself from the whole mess and stood up on a slope, hoping to see. There were soldiers on horses but there weren't a lot. Figuring she would make it to their lord eventually by fighting those above the rest, she rushed forward with a grin.
One, two, three-
She was jerked from her flow by a man thick with muscle. Her first thought was to make it fair. She kicked him off his horse and they battled.
Kagome wasn't some awesome legendary sword wielder. She caught herself messing up, doing things that a novice would do. It made her angry that her strength was the only reason she wasn't cut up. She could shove him as much as she wanted, every time they met. It kept him off balance and also seemed to make him angrier.
A pause and she ran.
He shouted angrily and gave chase.
A glanced back and she stared in alarm as he was pecked up from the ground, half his body missing.
Kagome turned to move on. She made it to the edge of their battlefield and bent to hold her knees and catch her breath.
She turned, picking her next target. It found her first, and a man with a spear on horse was charging toward her.
An exhale, and she shamelessly leapt into a thick spot of forest.
An angry grunt, and he turned to find another target with more honor to spare.
Kagome popped her head out of the greenery and rushed after him.
Two other soldiers got in her way.
The fight with them was ugly. She was that scary child that was willing to go the extra mile to win. They swung, she threw rocks, they tackled; Kagome had a nicely tucked away knife that she'd already used twice.
Then there was some strange standoff. Kagome holding her arm close, pressing a wound hard. She had another wound at her lower back, close to her hip, the other was across her own thigh, too close to her knee, and extremely close was anything higher than that, in her opinion.
Her two opponents boasted stab wounds that made them pant and snarl at her.
A step forward, a gasp, and she shot past them both, splitting one across the side. He spat up immediately and looked at her. She turned and met an angry attack.
She dodged wildly, screaming, suddenly against 5 human soldiers.
Kagome had not been trained in swordsmanship like they had. Her swings tended to be wilder, sometimes too wide or too much less. It was difficult, to fight standing right next to her own soldiers, and not cut them up with unpracticed swings
So, she didn't try. She ducked a wide swing that could have matched her own for lack of skill. The instant she dropped down, a youkai male came by and clothes-lined the whole lot of them.
Kagome peeked back with wide eyes then turned, running.
She found a space and scrambled up a tree like a frightened squirrel. Heaving a few times, she switched weapons and yet again, drew her bow.
There weren't any demons for her to shoot down. Purifying energy strangely didn't work on dirty humans.
She had 6 solid arrows and she used them without a lick of sympathy.
Her goal was to take out anybody who seemed like they could control the soldiers. Number one, dropping off his horse made the men near him duck nervously. Kagome drew her bow again, exhaled, and let it fly. It missed its target when the samurai ducked. Kagome had another arrow ready and she shot him off his horse just as fast as he'd moved.
Panting, she paused, her arm trembling and her stomach turning with nausea. She looked at the arm wound and held it for another moment. Catching her breath, she lifted her gaze and prepared another arrow. Spiritual power kicked in without prompting. It flickered like a dying bulb, but Kagome ignored it. She'd seen what that flickering energy could do.
A hand slapped down on her foot. She looked to see a Samurai had managed to get up in the tree and he was about to snatch her from her perch.
She hissed down at him and shifted her weapon around.
The samurai's eyed widened. A blink and he suddenly became a blur. There was a wet, nasty, vomiting sound.
She blinked down quickly at a demoness who stood over the soldier, his blood seeping across the grass quickly, carrying small bits of brain matter.
A snort and she went back to firing.
That, of all things, caused panic. Kagome cursed and tried to shoot more of their officers.
She caught one in the back and he kept on riding.
Kagome snatched her bow down with an angry suck of her teeth. More arrow fire rushed up from around her. The retreating army was thinned out a bit more as they departed.
She was very surprised when there was a cheer.
Things needed to happen though.
"Find the still breathing!" She bellowed, quieting everyone a bit. "If they are alive and you think they might survive for at least half an hour, bring them! We need some questions answered!"
Now instead of cheering, there were sinister chuckles.
Kagome exhaled and jumped from the tree. The humans looked a bit startled by her feat. She strode past, waving for Minakami.
"Take a group. Find where they stop. If you hear anything, can you confirm their leader?"
"Yes, Milady." A bow and he turned raising a hand for attention.
Kagome exhaled and looked around again.
"Kagome-sama."
She turned and again found Satoshi-sensei, looking ragged and exhausted.
"How."
She blinked, "we dragged you into another fight?"
He gave an angry smile, flashing teeth a bit. Kagome smiled nervously, "I swear we didn't chase you down on purpose."
He gave an impressive growl.
Kagome giggled fearfully, flashbacks rushing up on her again.
"Satoshi-san!"
Kagome blinked, finding a new arrival in familiar clothes. He looked like he'd just rolled out of a bed of hay that had been stomped on by angry horses.
"You got caught too?"
He frowned at Kagome in confusion.
"Yuu-san, do you think we can find the others quickly?"
"With the attacks on the temples? No."
"Attacks on the temples" Kagome sighed harshly. "I can't split my forces for it. I'm sorry." She waved to her lot of raggedy soldiers, "we are in no shape for it. That military unit will come back for a second battle. We came this way to actually recover from another fight."
Then she frowned at her teacher. "Satoshi-Sensei, you vanished the other day. I was worried for you."
Yuu blinked hard.
Satoshi sighed, "These battles are rough for you, I understand. But our Kami-sama has been killed."
Kagome paused and stared at him with wide eyes.
'Ugh oh.'
"I realize you cared deeply for him, Kagome-sama."
Kagome still stood there with a stupid expression, mistaken for shock.
"We will find him" Satoshi assured firmly.
Kagome blinked and pointed dumbly at the working soldiers around them.
Satoshi frowned, "I understand. You must lead your men. We will work quickly to locate him."
Kagome exhaled slowly.
"How did you end up a general?" Satoshi muttered, glancing around.
"I am their master" Kagome sighed, "and I ended up here by bad luck."
Both men stared at her a moment.
She heaved a sigh, "but right now, I would suggest you all stick with us. There are two wars raging on these lands right now. No matter where he is, he will die if we don't stop this."
"That is why we are searching the villages. For his protection."
"You will not find him," she began again, "trying to chase him in a wild fire."
Both men stood there, trying to work out how their change of method in finding their master, could possibly help them any better.
1+1 was turning out to be -1 somehow.
Kagome mentally cringed and hoped her butt scratch of a lure…
"Very well Kagome-sama." Satoshi sighed, "If we hear of any clues, that will take precedent."
Kagome nodded firmly, very okay with this.
Then her teacher took a deep cleansing breath, and turned to her soldiers.
"How." He said again.
Kagome smiled nervously. "We're all in danger from Naraku. We decided to work together."
"And the youkai agreed?" he muttered, watching a werewolf-esq creature rumble by. He looked to her with a blank expression.
"I won't say it again" she huffed defensively.
"Youkai are our enemies."
"Stupid youkai are our enemies. The one's I've worked with so far have been able to think just fine and make reasonable decisions on their own."
"And you believe they won't attack you?"
"I'm not stupid enough to think myself above a butt kicking from any creature on this planet. I respect them, they respect me appropriately. You make it all sound so difficult."
He heaved a sigh and cradled his forehead.
"Why does everyone have the same reaction to you?"
Kagome paused and Kazi draped her arms around Kagome's shoulders from behind.
"Hey Kazi" Kagome chirped.
"You fighting with people again?"
"I'm not fighting" Kagome complained. "I'm explaining why the youkai here are just fine. This is stupid" she complained. Satoshi stiffened up with a surge of anger.
"It's not" Kazi hummed, sobering a bit. Satoshi deflated slowly, blinking at Kazi.
"It is. We're working together right now. None of our own are attacking each other. That's what counts. We're all on the same page about stopping Naraku! Everybody in my unit has proven themselves to be decent people and excellent soldiers."
Kazi hummed, paused, and stuck her tongue out at Kagome.
Kagome laughed and leaned away. Kazi leaned in after her, threatening to lick her cheek.
"Eww! Kazi" Kagome whined, shoving the other woman away.
Kazi let her go and stepped back to glare at Kagome.
Kagome paused.
"I'm hungry!" she barked out of nowhere.
Kagome blinked quickly.
"You'll get fat eating so much? Are you pregnant?"
"Hell no!" Kazi shot back, drawing laughter from Kagome and a few people close by.
Kagome shrugged a shoulder. She snatched Kazi's hand then waved to the two monks staring dumbly at them.
"I'm going to find something to eat. Kazi, you ate my rations a few days ago so I should probably at least find some dried meat."
Kazi made a fool of herself when Kagome turned and was dragging her away.
"I don't want dried meat. I want it fresh."
"Kazi, we can't rush off and leave when you have random bubble-guts cravings."
Kazi barked a laugh, "that's wonderful! I love that."
"I used it wrong but I thought it would still work" Kagome chirped.
"What does it usually mean."
"You've eaten something bad or dangerous and you have bad diarrhea, making your stomach bubble."
Kazi howled in laughter.
"Where did that come from?"
Kagome shrugged, "back home." She turned them about, tugging at Kazi. "Seriously, lets see what our food situation looks like. That fight probably didn't help us or the village."
Kazi hummed and made a burden of herself as Kagome tugged her.
The demoness glanced back after a moment and threatened to murder them both with a vicious glare, and a lip lifted ready to snarl. With a jerk, she snapped her head around to look forward after a moment, her shoulders still visibly tight with anger.
"She is dangerous" Yuu muttered slowly.
"She is, and of course she is close with Kagome-sama."
"How can a miko or monk feel comfortable in all this; be calm about a demoness holding her from behind."
"You don't know Kagome-sama. I'm not as surprised as I thought I'd be." Satoshi sighed, rubbing his forehead again.
"The two of us are together" Yuu muttered, closing his eyes after a long silence between them. "We should probably track down Mataru."
"Maybe not. He can still keep looking despite all of this."
Yuu grumbled a bit, but didn't argue.
"Can he and I switch places."
Satoshi didn't reply and Yuu hadn't really expected him too. It was his own pouting and moping anyhow.
On the complete opposite side of the camp, Kagome strode past tied up soldiers, and over to their own food stores currently being moved about.
"How are things?" Kagome called, waving to the young man who had been unofficially given control over food management after the previous man he had been helping out, his father, had been killed.
"How are you doing?" she hummed gently, seeing dark shadows under his eyes. He smiled despite it.
"I'm fine milady. It's a busy job managing the food."
She hummed and nodded, "I'm glad you took over and are doing a good job with it."
His smile became a little brighter.
"Is there something we can do to help with this?"
He paused nervously, his mouth open like he wanted to speak.
"Go ahead" Kazi called obnoxiously, poking Kagome's side until the younger woman wiggled away, fighting a laugh but unable to hide her grin.
He smiled at them both, a bit different. "Can we get two more men to work with? Man or woman rather. I truly don't care. The work needs doing."
"Do you think you need Youkai assistance or will two humans work."
He paused again and looked out at his work.
"We are low on the demon food. Can we get more?"
Kagome nodded firmly. "We'll take care of it."
He nodded, "one human and one youkai would work fine then."
Kagome nodded again and glanced to Kazi. She stepped away and spoke to an officer.
"You'll get your help" Kagome assured. "Do we have any meat for the youkai, available right now?"
"No milady. They eat a lot more to keep their strength."
Kagome paused, her eyes widening. She hadn't even thought of that. She certainly ate a lot more than she had before meeting Jiji.
She smiled uncertainly, appreciating that the intake didn't change the visible result too much.
"We'll adjust some things. Can you come meet with me in a few hours. We'll talk it out."
"If they can feed themselves for even a day. We are expecting more food."
Kagome hummed, "that sounds great. I'll talk to them and see how they want to handle it."
"Thank you, milady." He sighed, "I wouldn't be able to speak with them without shaking in fear."
"You're doing a great job just managing their food decently. Many other people wouldn't tell me their food is low."
He hummed and looked down at the ground in thought. Then he nodded, "just summon me, milady. I will come."
She nodded approvingly.
"Kazi!"
Kazi frowned at her in confusion.
Kagome grinned slowly. Kazi grinned slowly.
"Any advice?"
"Make them eat rice and vegetables the same as everyone else. The meat is important for youkai, but not that much is necessary."
"Thank you" Kagome gushed, relief in the sound.
"I thought I was a little crazy about this. I knew it."
Kazi shrugged, "You didn't fix it."
"I am now." She looked at the young man, "you hear her."
He smiled in amusement and only gave a nod.
Kagome turned hearing a few growls. Kazi stood making rude gestures at the other youkai.
She slid up beside the other woman and started poking her in the side, the same way Kazi had done to her earlier.
Kazi curled into herself fiercely and stepped away.
Kagome paused, jaw hanging. "Are you ticklish there?"
Kazi growled.
Kagome squeaked happily and reached for her. Kazi danced away, hissing and dodging. Kagome did catch her a few times. Finally, Kazi crossed her arms, pouting.
Kagome snickered. Then she paused and clapped her hands together.
"I need to tell Lord Sesshomaru."
Kazi frowned a bit. "My lord will scold you. This is a little absurd, all things considered."
"We're alive" Kagome said with a shrug, "and at least this other army won't sneak up from the unknown and cause trouble."
Kazi hummed, "so you need a runner?"
"I need a nap" she complained, tilting her head back to the sky.
There were a few snickers around her.
XXX
Sesshomaru strode forward casually, focused on his goal and not much else.
The team of men with him followed quietly, but alert and nervous.
That tension drew a hiss of alarm from them all when power brushed over them.
"A miko?"
Sesshomaru didn't stop walking, so they didn't either.
"My lord?"
He grunted dismissively and soon they were approaching the source of the power.
Kikyou stood on the path, quiet with a strange expression. Sesshomaru grunted, laying eyes on her. She smiled quietly and bowed politely.
"Greetings, my lord."
"What do you want?" Sesshomaru muttered, walking right past her.
She turned quickly and rushed after him to match his stride.
"I have information that may help you, my lord."
"Oh, on what?"
"I know where Naraku is hiding."
Sesshomaru slowed but didn't stop.
"You have my attention."
She nodded quickly, "in exchange, I need help finding Inuyasha."
Sesshomaru stared ahead, still walking as he considered.
"The information has to be worth the work."
She visibly swallowed but nodded.
"I agree to your terms if you agree to mine."
"Yes, my lord."
He grunted and went silent.
She rushed after him quickly, trying to match the stride of much longer legs.
"Naraku has taken over a cave very close to running lava."
"And who did you hear this from?"
Her lips pressed tight in alarm.
"It comes from my mouth, doesn't it."
"The way you said it, reveals that it is word of mouth."
"I know where it is, my lord" she said sternly. "The shell caverns near Mt. Ontake"
He hummed.
"Will you help me find him?"
"The information is useless."
She blinked slowing. He kept going so she ran after him.
"What do you mean!" she hissed.
"He was near there about a week ago. He killed a lord and subjects over in that area, then vanished again."
Kikyou breathed out harshly.
"Then it is proof he was there. The information I offered was useful."
"It was not. We have no deal."
"So you swindle people now?"
Sesshomaru stopped hard but didn't look at her.
"Don't attach such rumors to my name and house, miko. I will send you back where you belong."
"You said you would help me find Inuyasha."
"If the information is useful. It is not. Naraku vacated that area immediately after slaughtering those people."
Kikyou stood there a moment. Sesshomaru turned and kept walking. His men followed, glancing at her strangely as they passed.
"My lord, have you been in touch with Kagome?"
Sesshomaru grunted dismissively.
She raced after him and caught his sleeve.
Red sparks flashed and shocked her. She yanked her hand back quickly.
"Do not touch me" he warned quietly. "now begone."
"My lord, the girl," Sesshomaru slowed again and glanced to her blankly. "She is in the southwest area of the west. She took over a village and is sitting in wait for you."
Sesshomaru didn't like the wording of her statement.
"In wait? Meaning she plans to attack me?"
"I don't know what she plans my lord. But in such a chaotic time, it's hard to suddenly twist control of a village away from another lord. I've heard rumors of a new power that can twist people to her will by just meeting her gaze."
Sesshomaru thought on this as he walked, noting how it could or couldn't be true.
"And?"
"My lord, I'd advise you to be careful of-"
"I am aware that she has strange powers. I have never heard of mind control. Be gone miko, you irritate me now."
"My lord!"
Sesshomaru stopped suddenly when she snatched his sleeve and held on.
"My lord! You underestimate her. Me and Inuyasha finished a battle against her recently. Her powers have grown exponentially."
"Release me" he said with quiet intensity.
A soldier stepped forward, ready to pull Kikyou away. Two other men block him and they all watched with wide eyes.
"She cast a spell and Inuyasha lost his mind. He ran into the forest and I haven't been able to find him yet."
Now Sesshomaru hadn't heard that twist of a lie yet.
"Miko, let me go." He said again.
"My lord-"
Sesshomaru lifted his hand and stuck his palm out toward her.
She inhaled sharply and Sesshomaru sprayed her down with a nice hearty dose of poison.
His men gasped and ahhed at the display.
Kikyou shrieked and cried, asking about his show of cruelty in a high pitch voice.
Sesshomaru grunted and kept walking. His men scrambled after him, peeking at Kikyou in fascination as her skin melted and stuck together strangely, revealing the make of something not human.
Kikyou continued to cry and scream after them, even as they vanished far down the path.
XXXXX
0_0 I broke something again, didn't I?