Author's Note: Thank you for the wonderful reviews! I have replied to some of them via email, to not clutter author's notes. If you'd like a personal reply, have questions, suggestions, etc, just drop me a line! I do realize I haven't given much thought to Sango and Miroku, but will do better in the sequel. This story will more or less set up another story.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha!
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Chapter Seven: Unexpected Meetings
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Kikyou knew he was close. She could feel his aura. The malevolence flowed through the small village she now lived in. She had sensed it for the past two days, and knew she needed to confront him. She wasn't ready to put her plan to the test; she knew he wasn't ready to eliminate her.
'Inuyasha, where are you? Why haven't you come back yet?' She thought for the hundredth time in the past week. It had been over two weeks since those men had been slaughtered. When she heard of the attack, she left the temple immediately. She hadn't been surprised of his actions. She knew he had been at his limit, and given the nature of most of the soldiers in the endless wars, there was no doubt what set him off.
She stayed busy, as always, tending to the sick and injured, working with the children, helping the old and the widows. This morning she had her sleeves pulled back, helping a young widowed mother by doing laundry. One of the young children had been sick, and Kikyou was called to help. She paused in her work to wipe her brow, and push her hair back from her face. She quickly scanned the immediate area, and felt nothing change.
One of the young ones came out to watch her. The young girl child, too old for her age, stood solemnly by her side. Kikyou smiled for the girl, and dried her hands on the apron she wore.
"Aikan, would you like to go with me to pick flowers for the graves when I'm finished here?" She asked softly. The girl smiled shyly and nodded her head. Kikyou gave her another gentle smile, before turning back to her wash. 'Too many sad children; too many war orphans. These wars have got to end. This evilness must stop. If I were alive …' She stopped those thoughts before she could form them. She wasn't, and thinking like that could cause her plan to fail. That was not an option.
A hour later, Kikyou and the girl, Aikan, walked along the river's edge, finding patches of flowers on its loamy banks. They both held several handfuls when Kikyou decided to turn back. Her eyes narrowed. He was still there. He had followed them away from the village. She would go meet him after sundown when most people had settled for the evening.
Kikyou stood over the girl as she lay small bundles of flowers over the freshly dug graves. They said a little prayer over each grave as the flowers were laid. The girl pointed out one grave; her father's. He had been a young man, conscripted into his lord's army. Without fighting skills, he soon became prey to the other feudal lords soldiers. Mortally wounded, the man had made it back to the village, only to die on his doorstep. Kikyou placed a calming hand on the girl's shoulder, hoping to ease her grief and pain.
When finally her daily duties at end, she walked with quick determined steps deeper into the forest. His presence was nearby, and she refused to show any hint of weakness to him; any hint of fear. She held her bow ready in her hand, her arrows in the quiver on her back. She strode forth, her face expressionless and cold. "Nararku, show yourself." She commanded.
"Kukukuku ..." His evil laughter rang out. "Kikyou. I see you are as determined as ever." The crouching figure, shrouded in his usual baboon pelt and mask, sat on a tree branch above her head.
"Why are you here, Naraku? What do you hope to gain by watching me?" Kikyou demanded angrily.
"I don't see your precious hanyou hanging about. In fact, I don't smell him at all." The face seemed to grin. "Has he returned to that little girl again and left you, ne?"
Her eyes narrowed. No matter what she thought, he would not talk to her about Inuyasha. "Answer me now, or suffer my arrow."
"hmmrph." He made a clucking sound. "I wanted to see how you were getting on with your ... protector."
Kikyou let loose her arrow. It shot through the air, and pierce the pelt with a sizzling sound. There was a flash, and the head and fur dropped to the ground. Kikyou kicked at it with her foot. "A Kugutsu. Naraku, you send me puppets again." She smashed the clay spindle and scattered the hair wrapped around it. Staring at the remains, she became thoughtful. 'What was his real reason for coming? To taunt me into acting too quickly? Naraku and his tricks and traps. This needs to end soon.' As she walked from the forest, she looked up at the night's sky, and thought yet again, 'Inuyasha, where are you? Why haven't you come back?'
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Inuyasha rushed out of the hut, Kagome on his heels. "Inuyasha!" She cried. Knowing his propensity for plunging into a fight where his brother was concern, she had to stop him before he went too far. "Inuyasha wait!"
Sesshoumaru stopped a few feet in front of the hut, watching Inuyasha with icy eyes. He hadn't expected his half brother to be there, but refused to show his surprise. He smirked. 'Maybe the girl is that good after all. Unusual for a human.' He looked past his brother to the girl. A frightened expression appeared on her face. He had an idea she wasn't frightened for herself, but of what he might do to the bothersome pest in front of him.
"Sesshoumaru! What the hell are you doing here?" Inuyasha demanded, placing himself between his brother and Kagome.
Kagome sensed Miroku and Sango coming out of the hut to stand behind her. Shippou already clung to her shoulder. She bit her lip and extended a hand out to Inuyasha. "Inuyasha, I don't think he means any harm." She said quietly, hoping he would listen.
Sesshoumaru heard, and watched her futile gesture. "I, Sesshoumaru, did not come here to fight you, brother. Please stand aside." He made as if to pass by him. Inuyasha placed himself in front of him again.
"Your opponent is me!" He cried, powering up Tetsusaiga. The blade flamed to life, and Inuyasha held it in front of him, ready for his brother's next move.
Sesshoumaru closed his eyes. 'Now is not the time for this.' he thought resisting the temptation to attack. "Move. I, Sesshoumaru do not wish to fight you." He glared at his brother. "I will speak with your woman, the human."
Taken aback by his acknowledgement of their unvoiced relationship, Inuyasha stared dumbly. Suddenly, he felt Kagome's aura wash over him, infused with her calm. She stood next to him, and placing a hand on his arm, she smiled up at him. "I feel nothing from him for us to be concern with. Let me speak to him."
"Kagome." He began. His every instinct warring with what she asked, and what he knew of his brother. There was no way he'd let her walk into danger. The girl had already moved away, heading towards Sesshoumaru.
Knowing Inuyasha wouldn't let his brother near her without a fight, Kagome had handed Shippou to Sango, and walked forward. Sesshoumaru had told her last time to have her aura recognize his. She extended a small thread out towards him as she walked. She could feel his aura, strong, cold, and powerful. His acknowledged hers, barely touching, giving her just enough for her to know he meant no harm during this visit. Feeling Inuyasha's hand clasping the back of her shirt, she waved a hand back in his direction, saying distractedly, "Inuyasha, sit."
Inuyasha heard her command, and braced himself for the slam to the ground. Nothing happened. Cringing slightly, he remembered. He cast a look back at his friends to see if they had noticed. Relieved, their attention centered on the girl and his very dangerous brother. He turned his attention to the scene in front of him.
Sesshoumaru glanced at his brother and smirked again. Swiftly he placed himself at the girl's side, and reached out a hand to grab her. He barely had time to register Inuyasha springing forward when a blinding flash, and loud crackling sound occurred. He removed his hand and it stopped. His smirk grew larger. "Your bitch can protect herself. Unless I want to do serious damage to myself, she is safe." His eyes stayed on the girl, but his senses monitored his brother. He knew he was pushing him, but he knew of no other way in making the fool understand.
Her four companions gasped. "Kagome-sama." Miroku whispered in awe. Shippou and Sango stared in shock. She had repelled Sesshoumaru, and what's more, he had known she would.
Inuyasha eyes looked from his brother to Kagome. "Kagome ..." His voice uncertain. Miroku had told him she was getting stronger, but he never expected this.
"I will be all right. Let Sesshoumaru say what he's come to say. He'll leave quicker that way." She told him, without taking her eyes from Sesshoumaru.
The two faced each other. Sesshoumaru's eyes watching the girl before him. He noted she had changed from the first time he'd seen her. She no longer wore the strange clothes, but more traditional miko clothing. Not the red favored by most miko's but blue. 'Strange how much she's changed, and yet has remained unchanged. That first meeting, her strengths unknown, her courage undaunted. Now, while it seems she knows danger, sadness, and fear, she is much stronger for it.' He wrapped his aura around hers, lightly, testing its strength, her ability. 'She has learned. She will do.'
Kagome felt his aura skimming the surface of hers, surrounding her. She strengthened her barriers. Worried about what he might do, she pierced through his aura to shield Inuyasha as well. Her lips twitched in the barest of smiles, noting the shock his aura flashed before he suppressed it.
"Good." He said, his eyes narrowing. "You've been practicing, wench." He continued to watch her, waiting for the next surprising move. It was not long in coming. As if she knew what he wanted, she pushed out with her aura, moving his away from her, and shielding her friends behind her as well. She continued to push out with her shield until it was a hair's breath from him, crackling with energy. 'She has gotten stronger. Impressive.' He didn't move, but watched the girl intently. "Enough." He said tapping on her shield once with a finger.
Instantly Kagome drew her aura back around her, still covering her friends. She wanted to smile, to show her happiness in what she could do. She risked a glance over her shoulder to Inuyasha. 'Did he know what I've done? Was he aware?' He looked at her in astonishment, and gave her a slight smile before turning back to his brother. 'I guess he is.' Smiling herself, she turned her attention back to Sesshoumaru.
'So the girl didn't know what she could do, ne.' He smirked at her. "Your services will do, wench."
Inuyasha bristled. His astonishment pushed aside at his brother's choice of names. "Sesshoumaru! Do not speak so familiarly to Kagome!:" He took a step forward to stand in front of her again.
She looked at him surprised. 'After all the names he's called me over the years? Wench is pretty mild for him to get so defensive.'
Sesshoumaru looked at his brother without speaking. He turned his head slightly, looking into the woods. "Rin, come here." He called.
The companions looked with astonishment as a little girl, no more than 7 or 8, walked from the woods to demon lord. "Sesshoumaru-sama" She called, her face happy and smiling. "Look what I found." She opened her hand to show him her prize. The rose quartz rock shone brightly from the light of the moon.
As surprised as they were at her appearance, their shock increased as the Lord of the Western Lands bend to examine the little girl's rock. He picked it up, looked it over seriously, and handed it back. "It is a good find, Rin." He told her. Only those most familiar with him would notice the warmth in his tone. He rose to his feet and faced Inuyasha and Kagome. "I, Sesshoumaru, need you to protect this girl." He offered no more of an explanation, but stood watching their reactions.
Kagome was surprised. She looked from the girl to Sesshoumaru and back. The girl looked very happy and healthy. She seemed totally unafraid of the man Kagome had come to fear as being one of the most dangerous youkai she'd ever heard of, including Naraku. The girl was clean, wore a pretty kimono, and even had a ribbon in her hair. Kagome's expression softened. She dropped to her knees and called out softly to the girl, "Rin? Do you want to stay with me for awhile?"
The girl looked from Kagome to Sesshoumaru. She smiled up at the dog demon. "Sesshoumaru-sama?" She asked hesitantly.
He looked down at her. "It's all right, Rin. You may go to her." His eyes seemed to soften slightly.
Inuyasha had thought he must be dreaming. 'Sesshoumaru? With a human girl? And being ... nice?' He watched as the girl walked to Kagome, her face happy and smiling. 'What does he want with Kagome? Why does he want her to protect the girl?' He turned back to his brother. "Sesshoumaru. What ... ? Why ...?" He wasn't exactly sure what to ask.
Expressionless, his eyes never leaving the girl, he stated "I have business and cannot be distracted. Naraku has targeted Rin before, and she must not fall prey to his tricks again. Jaken has proven to be inadequate in this duty." He turned his gaze to Inuyasha. "Between you and your wench, she should be well protected. Despite your clumsiness, you are too stubborn to let any harm come to a human in your protection." His eyes flicked to the two humans behind him, and back to the woman at his side.
Rin showed Kagome her rock. " ... he said it was a stupid rock and to leave it, but I wanted to keep it." She hid her face behind her hand and giggled. "I bopped him on the head. He can be very annoying."
Kagome chuckled with her. "Yes, he can be." She remembered the many times she had come in contact with the toad man, and flattening him as well. She looked up from the girl to ask, "How long do you want me to keep her, Sesshoumaru-san?" She could feel Inuyasha look at her, surprised.
His face still expressionless, Sesshoumaru began, "I, Sesshoumaru, do not expect to be gone longer than a week, 10 days at the most." He watched the girl miko as she stood, holding Rin's hand. "If something happens, find my aura." He turned to walk away.
Inuyasha rushed forward. "Sesshoumaru wait!" When his brother turned towards him, he asked, "Are you going after Naraku?" Sesshoumaru remained quiet. Inuyasha shouted angrily "Dammit! Tell me! I'll go with you."
Sesshoumaru looked from Inuyasha, to Kagome. "Keep him here. Remember what I told you. It is more so now than before." Kagome nodded, while Inuyasha continued to protest.
Rin waved her hand and cried out, "Goodbye Sesshoumaru-sama!" He didn't stop walking nor did he turn around.
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Kagome rose from her bed later that night. She had no problems laying Rin down for bed, and found the young girl a wonderful addition to their family. She couldn't sleep, and went to find the reason for her restlessness. She smiled as she stepped around the screen divider. Inuyasha was still leaning against the wall where he sat after Sesshoumaru's departure; Tetsusaiga resting against his shoulder.
He lifted his head in her direction as she walked closer. His eyes brightened, and a smile lit his lips. "Can I join you?" She asked quietly. At his nod, she sat next to him, her shoulder resting against his. She looked up at him and said, "I've been thinking of what Sesshoumaru said. About you staying with me and not going back to Kikyou." She fell silent, and looked away. "Do you ... does he know what he's talking about?" She looked back up at him. "Should you stay here and not go back?"
Inuyasha snorted. "Feh." He looked down at her and his expression softened. "I don't know what kind of game he's up to, but I doubt he's doing it for my good. Even if I do not join Kikyou, I will go look for Naraku."
Kagome looked towards the dying fire, her hand sought his and held it. "I ... I'm not so sure he was playing a game." She bit her lip. "His aura showed concern. I get the feeling there's something more than what he's said." She looked back up at him. "I'm worried for you, Inuyasha."
He smiled gently down to her. "Don't worry, Kagome. Nothing will happen to me. It'll be fine. You'll see."
She rested her head against his shoulder and said quietly, "I'm sure you're right, but I can't help but worry."
They sat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the pleasure of the other's company. Kagome stirred and asked softly, a little shyly, "Inuyasha?" As he looked down at her, she continued, "Could I ... may I give you a ... kiss?" Her lips trembled slightly.
He blinked and then his lips stretched into a wide smile. He released her hand and set Tetsusaiga to the side. Taking up her hand again, he pulled her gently into his lap, and wrapped his arms around her back. Looking into her eyes, he replied just as softly, "Anytime."
Kagome smiled and let her fingers stroke his cheeks as her eyes watched the expressions play on his face. She leaned forward and brushed her lips against his, keeping her eyes open, watching his amber orbs. His arms tighten, and he pulled her closer. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips to his again. His lips responded, parting slightly as the kiss deepened. He drew his knees up, pushing her body closer into his.
Inuyasha held her head in one hand, fingers intertwined in her hair. His other hand slid down her back, and rubbed her thigh. His mind wondered briefly that though he loved the way she looked in her miko outfit, he wished she was wearing a skirt from her time. He wanted to feel her bare skin under his hand. This thought caused him to groan, imagining how it would feel.
Suddenly he sat up straight, and pulled away from her. He looked at her with stifled longing in his eyes before sliding her off his lap and setting her down next to him as before.
Confused, she looked up at him uncertainly. "Inuyasha?" She asked softly. "What's wrong?"
He shook his head, and tried to clear his thoughts. "Nothing... it's just that ..." He looked down at her, his eyes melting into hers. "You're very beautiful." He blushed slightly, but did not look away.
She smiled at his compliment, before understanding where it might have come from. Once she understood his actions, she exclaimed softly, "Oh!" and hid her face against his shoulder, cheeks flaming. He wrapped his arm around her back, his hand resting on her waist. He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. She curled her body against his, and snuggled closer. "Goodnight Inuyasha." She murmured against his chest. His warmth began to make her feel drowsy, and bring the sleep that eluded her earlier. Her eyes drifted closed.
"Goodnight Kagome." He whispered in return as he watched her sleep. He felt content being here with her, and didn't want to think of leaving. He knew that he would have to give it thought before long. He needed to find Kikyou and finish this so their lives could continue. Resting his head against hers, he allowed himself to drift off in sleep.
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Sesshoumaru found her unexpectedly. He had been chasing the elusive scent of Naraku, and stumbled upon the village she was currently living in. He watched her as she wandered through the forest, calling her Shini-dama-chuu youkai to her, filling her body with the souls they captured. His eyes narrowed. He stepped forward, into her line of sight, and waited.
She turned and looked at him. Her eyes went wide with shock and then narrowed. "You are ... Sesshoumaru?" It was more a statement than a question.
He nodded his head briefly, his eyes never leaving hers. "You are that witch, the one who sealed Inuyasha."
Kikyou started and recovering, smiled slightly. "I am." Dropping her smile, she demanded, "What are you doing here?"
He continued to watch her, noting she stood confident and unafraid. He smirked. "Humph. I, Sesshoumaru owe you no explanations."
She said nothing, her face as expressionless as always. Finally she stated, "He was here last evening." She turned from him, and began to walk back to the village.
"Miko," He called out to her. When she stopped, he continued, "Leave Inuyasha alone."
Her shoulders tensed. Relaxing them, she said, "He is no longer with me."
"He will return to you. As long as Naraku is alive, he will return to you."
She shrugged her shoulder, "Then he will return. It's none of your concern." She kept her back to him, looking straight ahead.
He stared at her back, keeping his emotions under control. He wanted to kill this insolent woman. No matter what his instincts told him of her, he still felt she had some role to play yet in Naraku's destruction. As she began to walk away, he called out to her again, "Make no mistake, witch, if you get in my way, I Sesshoumaru will destroy you."
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