Hi!
Studying break!!! Xiaome sweatdrops. Too much studying make xiaome go crazy. Soooo, I've gone on a break and to have some fun writing my fic! ^_~
Note: Inuyasha and company doesn't belong to me. ;_;
Also, I just realized that I wasn't really thinking when I rated the story. I forgot about Inuyasha's propensity to swear. ^^;; So… I'm not too sure how this rating stuff works but I guess I would rate it PG-13 for language and mature situations? If anyone has a suggestion on the rating please do tell! ^_^
Onto the story...
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Chapter 4: DestinationsInuyasha followed the slight scent of Kagome all day, without any sign of her. Sesshoumaru had Kagome. That bastard! He better not have done anything to her or he'll be sorry. I would have thought Sesshoumaru would have came to me to get Tesusaiga already. Where can he be taking Kagome? Inuyasha growled and ran faster following Kagome's scent.
"Inuyasha! Did you talk to Kagome-sama yet? What happened?"
Inuyasha looked up to see the houshi and Sango on Kirara looking extremely worried. Well, they aren't going to be much happier knowing what I know. Inuyasha grimaced. The next thing he knew it was total darkness and something was gnawing on his head. Growling, he stopped running and pulled Shippou's hands away from his eyes. When that didn't stop the kitsune from chomping on his skull Inuyasha bopped him on the head and threw him at Miroku. Miroku held Shippo and whispered something to the kitsune that made the cub nod and stop struggling.
"Have you gotten the Shikon shards back from Kagome-sama, Inuyasha?"
"She isn't in her own time." Inuyasha's hair hid his eyes as he spoke. "She hasn't been home since she saw me and Kikyo in the forest that night, but I've just picked up her scent." Sango was about to say something when Inuyasha interrupted her. "And she is with Sesshoumaru." Sango gasped and Miroku's eyes widen in surprise. Shippo looked like he was holding back tears as the kitsune remembered the cold-blooded youkai that was Inuyasha's brother.
Sango got hold of her emotions and her eyes hardened. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go get Kagome back." Inuyasha nodded brusquely and quickly ran towards the quickly fading scent. Sango and Miroku, holding Shippou, hopped onto Kirara's back as they quickly followed Inuyasha. In various states of worry, the air seemed to weigh heavily upon each of them. The houshi seemed deep in thought and he absently stroked Shippo's back. Sango's body was tensed for action and her eyes showed determination. Shippo scrunched his eyes closed to keep tears from escaping as he wished that the person he considered his family would not be lost to him. I would rather she be back in her time than dead in ours.
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Kagome walked the rest of the way in a thoughtful silence, giggling occasionally at Rin's antics. Birds cheerfully sang their songs and the sun shone through the canopy of leaves above them. Rin was chasing butterflies as they flitted from flower to flower. Although they made a strange group, at the moment it seemed almost companionable. Kagome could almost forget that she was Sesshoumaru's captive as the youkai walked with animal grace before her. Watching Rin, she was reminded of another kid. Shippo. I wonder how he's doing. He's almost like a little brother to me. I hope he's okay. I know he thinks of me as family and he even misses me on those short trips I take to my word. But I know the others are watching out for him.
Tilting her face to the sun, Kagome let the warmth wash over her. Maybe it was because she had told her story with nothing withheld or maybe it was because someone had listened to her story and knew her pain. Either way, Kagome felt that somehow things were not as bad as she had thought they were. Sure, you've been kidnapped by a cold-blooded killer. But the good news is, it seems he isn't as cold-blooded as you thought and the little kid that he totes around is so kawaii! And now that you've told him your life's story and he knows almost all your secrets what's there to be scared of? Of course, he could decide to kill you at any moment…
Kagome turned to stare at Sesshoumaru wonderingly. I don't know what I was expecting from him, but he hasn't said a thing since I told him my story. Making a face at the youkai she felt slightly peeved. Mou! Tell him my life's story and I don't even get some kind of response from him. Not a single word, not even an "oh". He's even harder to understand than Inuyasha! Kagome continued staring at Sesshoumaru as she tried to figure out what the youkai could be thinking.
Sesshoumaru could feel the weight of the girl's stare and ignored her curiousity as he tried to make sense of his thoughts and feelings. He puzzled over what had happened to him when he had experienced the girl's feelings. Maybe it was because it had been so long since he had last used his power to feel what humans felt. Sesshoumaru had never considered their thoughts to be of any matter interesting enough for him to want to know. The last time I used this technique on a human… Sesshoumaru closed his eyes against the memories and brought his attention back to the issue at hand. I have no doubt that Inuyasha will soon come looking for Kagome. He wants those Shikon shards quite badly and since she's the only one who will help him get them at the moment, he will come. Ah, little brother, you still cannot see things that are right in front of you.
Sesshoumaru had a destination unbeknownst to Kagome. They were headed for the west, back to his kingdom, his home. Inuyasha would not be able to find their ancestral home without some help. Sesshoumaru led an unwitting Kagome to the one place that Inuyasha could not follow. Just as Inuyasha had had no idea that their father's grave was hidden in his own eye, Inuyasha would not know how to find the palace at which he used to live. It was a place enchanted by youkai's magic and could only be seen by youkais. Inuyasha, a hanyou, could not see their ancestral home with was meant for the eyes of youkais. It was the perfect place to keep Kagome while Sesshoumaru tried to discover her secrets. Satisfied with his decision he allowed his mind to linger on other matters, such as his experiencing Kagome's feelings. Never have I felt so many emotions in the span of time that she told her story. It was a dizzying swirl of emotions that surrounded her as she told her story and the strength of those emotions surprises me. Never before, not even THAT time, were the feelings as strong as those that flowed from this girl. Somehow, he had been drawn into her story from the beginning and curiousity had caused him to touch her feelings with his mind. Surprising, that contact had not been broken until the end when he had had to consciously break away from the intense wave of pain radiating from her ki. This girl is not just human, there is something different about her. And I, Sesshoumaru, will find out what it is.
The day wore on and the strange entourage made their way to the entrance of an eerie forest as night fell. Kagome shivered and looked around slowly, feeling creeped out. Something about the atmosphere seemed to make her uneasy but nobody else seemed to be bothered by it but her. Sesshoumaru was as unflappable as usual, but something told her that the youkai was never caught unawares. Although Rin did not seem to be anxious, Kagome noticed that the little girl did not wander far from Sesshoumaru's side. Instead, the kid seemed to be having a lot of fun running around Sesshoumaru as he calmly continued walking. Kagome turned to back of the group to see how Jaken was reacting but found the toad-like youkai glaring at her. Disturbed by his look, Kagome started getting mad. What was he staring at? Just as Kagome opened her mouth to tell off the ugly toad, Jaken suddenly had his face smashed into the ground as he fell. The teenager sweatdropped as an excited Rin stepped on the fallen youkai's head pressing his face further into the dirt. The girl turned to look back with a confused expression at the strange sensation. Looking down, she found Jaken muttering about "stupid humans" with this face still in the dirt. Rin giggled a cheery "gomen nasai" while turning and running to Kagome's side.
"Kagome onee-chan! Kagome onee-chan! Look what I caught." Kagome smiled at the proud little girl as Rin held out her cupped hands towards the teen. The child motioned for Kagome to come closer as she opened her ands just a little bit. Kagome looked into her hands curiously and saw a glow from within the cave made by the little girl's hands. A firefly.
"Kirei." Kagome marveled at the glow coming from the child's hands. The little girl giggled happily at the onee-chan's delighted expression. Kagome reached out slowly and put her hands on top of Rin's. Tilting her head thoughtfully, Kagome's questioning eyes looked into Rin's wide eyes. The child smiled and nodded. They both giggled in delight as the small light flew upwards slowly until it was another star in the clear night sky.
Unbeknownst to the two laughing girls, Sesshoumaru watched them, an unknown expression flickering momentarily in his eyes. Something about this girl... The youkai wondered what kind of being this girl, Kagome, was. Sesshoumaru had noticed her unease as they continued through the forest. What the human did not realize was that Sesshoumaru, himself, was the one casting the spell upon the forest. To actually walk to his home at the pace they were at would take at least a month and by then he had no doubt that Inuyasha would have caught up to them. Although he had no qualms about fighting Inuyasha, Rin was with him and his little brother had a habit of being impulsive. As soon as they passed through this forest area they would be approaching his ancestral home. Surprisingly, after being away for so long, Sesshoumaru felt a sense of homecoming in spite of all the dark memories he associated with the castle he saw in the distance.
Kagome felt a strange sensation as they finally passed through the thick forest. Shaking it off as her imagination Kagome looked ahead to find a castle in the distance. Strange. I don't remember there being a castle this close to the village. Then again I don't remember this weird forest being here either. Maybe we just never take this way... Shrugging, Kagome turned her attention back to the chattering Rin as she seemed to talk about nothing at all. "Didn't Jaken look funny with his face smooshed into the ground?" Giggling with the girl, Kagome wondered yet again about why this human child was traveling with Sesshoumaru.
"Rin is so happy now that there's someone to talk to. The first time I met Sesshoumaru-sama I couldn't speak. I don't really remember much about it, just that I couldn't talk to anyone after my parents died. But after Sesshoumaru-sama saved my life I could talk again."
Kagome looked at the little girl curiously. Why would Sesshoumaru save a human? "How did Sesshoumaru save your life?"
"Well, actually all Rin remembers is that Rin was attacked by a bunch of wolves and had blood all over her. Everything was black and Rin doesn't know what happened after that. Rin died. The next thing Rin knew, Rin didn't hurt anymore and Sesshoumaru-sama was standing over Rin." Rin said the youkai's name with such adoration that Kagome was in awe. He's her hero. Imagine that. Sesshoumaru being a human's idol. Suddenly, Kagome's smile froze on her face. Did she just said that she DIED?!? That can't be right, she can't have just said that she died!
"Ano, Rin-chan, did you just say that you died?"
"Hai."
"..."
"Kagome onee-chan! Are you alright?" The little girl was tugging on Kagome's hand franticly as the teen stood frozen with shock. Looking down at Rin, Kagome pulled herself together and continued walking with much difficulty. "Daijobu. Gomen, I was just thinking about something. Ano, how did Sesshoumaru bring you back to life Rin-chan?" Sesshoumaru had the power to bring back the dead. This was a bit hard to swallow. "What did Sesshoumaru use to bring you back to life? Did he use a spell, a magic wand, some kind of potion?" Kagome watched as Rin giggled. The little girl opened her mouth and had barely gotten a word out when Sesshoumaru stopped her.
"Rin." Rin immediately stopped talking and shrugged her shoulders helplessly at Kagome. Smiling, the little girl began talking about something else altogether. Kagome, shocked and disappointed at not getting an answer, was distracted as she listened to Rin's chatter with one ear. She was more confused than she was before. Not only can Sesshoumaru bring back the dead, he used this power of his to save the life of a human. Not too long ago, I thought I knew what was going on. I thought I knew who the good guys were and who the bad guys were. What's going to happen next? Naraku's gonna join the boyscouts?
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Ramblings from xiaome:
I know, I know, Inuyasha and the rest of the group haven't made much of a contribution in my story but I felt that it was necessary. I'm not quite sure how long my story will be but I definitely will not be giving it up before giving it an ending. Since I don't like stories that don't have endings I wouldn't do such a thing to anybody else!! ^_^
I'm trying to make my chapters longer, but they don't seem to be getting much longer!? ^^;;
C&C anyone? ^_~