" We can't just leave him! No, we have
to go back! He needs us! How can you be so cruel after all
we've been through together, you heartless bastard!"
That struck home. He had risked everything. His life.. his home.
"That is ENOUGH! Leave with me now or stay and die a meaningless death. It's your choice. Make it now! Or would you rather his sacrifice for you be in vain!"
She had gone to far, she knew, but even knowing this she felt no apology forthcoming. Kagome had come to know the youkai before her a little bit better over the years, and although he preferred his solitude she knew there was more to him than that. Now all she saw before her was the cold ruthless killer from past nightmares, an earlier chapter from her life, a demon in every sense of the word. He offered no quarter to those that had surrendered. To him they were just human fodder that deserved what they got, and it was given tenfold, but she knew he was right. Kagome knew there would be no hope for their lost companion, her former love. He had sacrificed himself so that they would escape, and now because of his selflessness he was gone.
"Damn him!"
The tears wouldn't stop,
and she made no move to stop them.
"Crying will not bring him back. He
died an honorable death. You should be happy he went down fighting
instead of growing withered and old like some prune. This is how every
warrior with any sense of honor and dignity should go."
"How DARE YOU, what would YOU know of HONOR or his WANTS! You conceited coldhearted.."
Her scathing reply was cutoff as they were both blasted to the ground from
an unseen source.
Slightly dazed, he quickly took in the situation. It wasn't good. "Son of a .. Kagome, are you still alive? Answer me!"
He wasn't given a chance to make sure as more blasts began
bursting forth from the hidden enemy. She seemed to be in one piece, only
unconscious. She was a lot better off than he was at least.
Wounds crisscrossed along his youkai form, it didn't seem
so bad to other peering eyes, but then the worse ones were usually the
unseen ones. He would live, that was not a statement, but a fact.
He would live, and they, oh they would pay.
Something began glowing in the field up ahead. It appeared to be some sort of luminescent light, he didn't want to take any chances and doubled back the other way, but somehow it caught up with him, encircling his form, painfully blinding his vision. Caught by surprise he dropped his precious bundle and darkness soon greeted him.
~Present day~
"Inuyasha, wait up! You're going to fast. Aww, c'mon please?"
It was another day in the feudal period. Another day of shard hunting. Nothing ever changed, the usual demon here and there. She would ask for a little excitement, as if there wasn't enough already, but knew that would most likely be a curse on them all. Did she dare?
"Feh, weak humans. I'm not going that fast you know. You're just to damn slow!"
"What! You WANT me to say it don't you!
"Listen here girl!
"SIT!"
"Oomph!"
"Humph, catch you later dog boy.. What in the.."
She dared.
A dark mass suddenly appeared in the sky and was headed directly to where she was currently- standing.
"Aaiiiiieeeee!"
*BOOM!*
"Kagome!"
He couldn't reach her in time, but whatever the falling mass was moved enough to avoid crushing the screaming girl below.
High-pitched mumbling could be heard from beneath the smoking bloody mass, which was now beginning to move and shift, albeit slowly, into a smaller humanoid shape.
"Ack! Get this thing off of me!"
"Kagome?! You're alive?"
"Gee, don't sound so sad."
"Feh, give me your hand."
This smell, he knew this smell. How could he ever forget it after all, death. It's body smelled of death. He had known it his entire life, but there was something else about it. Something that nagged him in the back of his mind, and as the form took its final shape, he had his answer.
"Sesshoumaru."
A heartbeat, so faint it was barely registering. Sesshoumaru was still alive, but death was knocking on his door, like someone who was close to it, but just far enough away; barely clinging to life.
Kagome noticed something different about him. Something about this wasn't right, something out of place. The cold nauseating feeling she usually received upon seeing him was not even registering. What she did feel was a warm tingly sensation at the base of her spine. Almost like the feeling she got from Inuyasha, but for some odd reason this one felt more welcoming. Why did his presence feel welcoming? It had taken months for Inuyasha to register with her the way he does now, yet this demon, her enemy, was causing her senses to react as though he were her best friend. How could this be?
"Feh, I'll put him out of his misery."
"Sit!"
"What the HELL was that for!"
"Inuyasha, this can't be him."
He looked at her as though she had grown a second head.
"I think you've finally cracked. Kagome, who else do you think it could be?"
Growing annoyed at his inability to see the obvious, she pulled on his kimono and dragged him over to show him the unconscious youkai's face.
"Now look closely. Do you notice anything strange about him?"
It took him a few moments, but then he saw what had her all excited.
"He's not wearing his usual make-up, but that's because he doesn't try to steal it from you anymore, the coward, gets caught then runs, typical."
"Err, that's not what I meant, look more closely."
Scratches and purple bruises littered his brothers tattered form. Saying he had been in a dogfight was an understatement. Especially since Inuyasha knew that Sesshoumaru could take on an entire pack, and get away unscathed. Other than that, he still couldn't see what had her so keyed up. There, he saw it, but he couldn't believe it. That wasn't possible.
"The crescent moon on his forehead, its, its gone! That's not possible. It's his birthright. He wouldn't try to cover that up. He's too proud for that."
Kagome sat quietly for a moment to digest this new information. "So, then where is it, and how come you don't have one?"
A pained expression crossed his face, but only for a moment. "It is given by your sire when you come of age."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to.."
"Forget it. It's all past."
Getting up to leave he was surprised when Kagome didn't follow.
"We should probably clean him up. His injuries need to be tended to."
"We, since when is it we? 'I'm' not doing anything. He can rot in a field for all I care. Let the crow demons have him."
"Fine then, I'll clean him up myself."
"And when he wakes up and skins your hide in thanks, don't say I didn't warn you."
"He won't."
"Eh, and how do YOU know he won't?! You've seen what he can do first hand! What, did you two become pen pals over night?!"
Staring at the couple fighting before him, he didn't know whether to laugh or re-visit unconsciousness. It was like old times again, but wait, this was wrong. On the other hand, did what happen not even an hour ago even occur? It did happen though, the pain he felt was not of his imagination, but then how is it he could see them now. Arguing together again as if the entire thing had not even transpired, it must be a dream then. If it was a dream, he had no desire to wake up. Things were so much simpler in a dream. Now if only the pain would leave him alone.
"He's awake!"
Kneeling down beside him, she cradled his head in her lap, staring at him in wonder.
"Who are you?"
Her scent filled him, putting him at ease. She never knew what he had felt for her. It was not his place to take this rose from its garden. She would, unfortunately, forever belong to his brother's heart, but at least in this dream he could, pretend couldn't he? Inuyasha played the game all the time, always playing the fool when it came to his love for this girl from another time.
"Yours.."
With that, darkness welcomed him once more into its familiar embrace.
"What did he say! Kagome, hello, get your mind out of the clouds girl!"
'Who are you?'
He looked like Sesshoumaru, but those words.. the words of his dream perhaps? Who was he referring to? Not her, couldn't be, they were enemies- weren't they?
"Hey, Kagome! You mind giving me a few answers!"
"Later, help me get him to Kaede's."
"Are you insane, you've finally cracked! I am not taking this bastard to the village!"
"Fine, then help me get him to the well."
"What! No. He's dangerous Kagome, what part of him nearly ripping us all to shreds in the past didn't you get?"
"He's wounded, and I'll take responsibility for him!"
"Kagome, I, Grrrr.. there's a river near here, you can clean him up there."
Hauling the limp form over his shoulders, the two made their way in silence. Taking no notice of the strange light now dimming away into nothingness.
"Thank you Inuyasha."
"Feh, thank me when he's dead."
'It was so strange, here she was standing up for her enemy no less, but something kept nagging her in the back of her mind. Something that should've clicked, but didn't. What was it?'
Pretty soon they reached the river, and for the first time Kagome noticed the job ahead of her, no band-aid was going to cover up these wounds, and Inuyasha refused to help, instead merely glaring at his brothers mangled form from a nearby tree.
"Inuyasha?"
"..."
"Humph, fine."
From time to time Sesshoumaru would awaken, and watch Kagome as she tended to him. 'Didn't she know that she was just wasting her time? After all, his wounds would heal in a matter of days, and then they could continue their quest. Wait, quest? He couldn't remember, it was something important, but what was it? He remembered Inuyasha dying at the claws of the seekers, and then Kagome; and darkness.'
"Sesshoumaru?"
"Hmm."
"You ARE Sesshoumaru right?"
"..."
'How was he supposed to respond to that? He knew who he was, but why did she act like he was someone else? Why the suspicion? Did she not remember? Was he still dreaming? He must be, otherwise he wouldn't be seeing his brothers younger self glaring down at him..'
Inuyasha continued watching in silence, he was just as confused as Kagome, but he still thought she should have let him kill the bastard when they had the chance. One thing kept nagging him though, whoever did this to Sesshoumaru could be lurking nearby, and sitting here was basically an invite to whatever demon had done this.
"Kagome, we need to get moving."
"Are you crazy?! If we move him now, his wounds will re-open!"
"Do I look like I really give a damn?! Whatever did this to him can still be in the area idiot. If we wait around we're basically rats in a trap!"
"So what do you suggest we do huh? We can't leave him here!"
"Watch me!"
"*sniff*"
It never failed.
"Kagome?"
Blue-gray eyes glimmered with unshed tears, like a river dam waiting to burst, but only sheer will held this river back.
"You insensitive, uncaring, domineering jack-ass!!"
A smart man would not dare go near her in this state, better to play the unknowing puppy while she spent her anger, then maybe the smart man would get lucky, but Inuyasha was not known for being the brightest bulb of the bunch. The puppy in him was a glutton for punishment.
"You idiot, don't you know that.."
"SIT!!"
"...bitch..."
"If any demon comes I'm so sure you'll be able to handle it, jerk!"
No demons would be arriving any time soon. There would be nothing to worry about, at least for the time being, at least not until the seekers come...
A/N: This has been re-worked,
re-vamped, and added to. ^_~ Second chapter soon to follow! Thanks for the
encouragement Wasurera!!