Betrayal
Author's note- I'm sorry about the wait, minna. ::narrows eyes in Kenshin-gumi's way:: Anyway, hope you like this chapter, cuz I worked hard on it.
Disclaimer- Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Comics, Sunrise, and Shonen Sunday.
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Chapter 12
Disclosure
Sesshoumaru continued through the forests. He had lost Naraku's and the pups' scents awhile ago, he knew it, but that wasn't the only thing he was looking for. He sniffed, and found it. He smirked, and flew in that direction. His little brother was back. Time for a family reunion, ne? He followed the scent, until another scent reached his nose. Sesshoumaru looked around, and saw Kagura. She had a scowl on her face.
"Miroku and the taiji-ya left," She informed him. "They left on a neko youkai."
"...and?"
"And I know where they went," Kagura said. "They went to fight Naraku like you should be doing!" Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. "You told the houshi and me that you were going to kill him!"
"I was, until I lost his scent."
"That's why you should've asked me to come along. I know where Naraku's palace is," Kagura told him.
"I don't need help from you. Go back to the palace," Sesshoumaru ordered.
"Hell no," Kagura said. "I had enough being ordered around by Naraku, and I'm not gonna be ordered around by you. Now suck up that pride you have and ask me where Naraku's palace is."
"..." Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the wind youkai. "Where is Naraku's palace?" Kagura's eyes widened, slightly, as one thought passed through her mind: I didn't actually think he'd do it...
"Well?" Sesshoumaru asked, impatiently. Kagura cleared her mind for a minute, before she started off. Sesshoumaru followed, until they reached the palace.
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Inuyasha and the group continued to look at Chikara, wearily, as they trudged out of the castle. She wasn't the bubbly little girl she used to be. Now she seemed... solemn. Almost like she died on the inside. Inuyasha was fully scared of his little girl. Chikara walked up to him, and put her hand in his.
"Papa, are you all right?" She asked. Inuyasha looked down at her, and nodded. "You sure?"
"Hai, I'm fine, Chika-chan," Inuyasha responded, picking her up. Instead of hearing laughter from her, he heard a distinct, "Papa, let me down!" He looked at her, confused, and let her down.
"Is Chikara all right?" Miroku asked Sango, as they followed the rest.
"I really don't know," Sango answered, looking at Chikara. "She's never been like this, I'm afraid." Miroku continued on, without responding. "Are you all right?"
"... I do not know," Miroku answered. "I don't know whether to run or to stay."
"What do you mean?" Sango asked.
"I mean, what makes you think Naraku won't come back?"
"Chikara did purify him," Sango noted.
"Hai, but would that help?" Miroku asked.
"It could. There wasn't even dust left."
"..." Miroku sighed.
"Don't worry, houshi-sama," Sango said, returning to her normal formalities. "We'll protect you."
Miroku looked at her, through the corner of his eyes, as they walked over a bridge. "Back to houshi-sama? I guess this means I'll have to call you Sango-sama again."
"Iie," Sango said. "I guess it was just a slip of the tongue," Sango said, shaking her head. She saw the look on Miroku's face, "NOT in that way, hentai!"
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Sesshoumaru smirked when he smelled his brother's scent.
"Yamete," He ordered the wind youkai. Kagura looked at him as if he was crazy.
"Nani?" She asked.
"Yamete," He repeated. "The houshi and the taiji-ya are coming this way. They look like they won something."
"They already killed him?" Kagura asked, confused. She followed the taiyoukai, so that they walked right in front of the group.
Inuyasha immediately became hostile the moment he saw Sesshoumaru, who merely smirked.
"I knew those pups were yours," Sesshoumaru said. "The male resembles you, ne?"
"Who are you?" Yukito asked, stepping forward.
"I am Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands," Sesshoumaru asked. Inuyasha rolled his eyes, Show off.
"I bet you're still wanting the Tetsusaiga," Inuyasha said, narrowing his eyes.
"Hai, demo I just wanted to warn you," Sesshoumaru said. "Teach that son of yours how to use it, or else I will take it from him." Yukito looked at his father, confused.
"Otou-san, who's this?" Yukito asked.
"I'm your uncle, Sesshoumaru." Sesshoumaru smirked at the four year old.
"Oh," Yukito said.
"Uncle Sesshoumaru?" Chikara's voice asked. It seemed... foreign on her tongue. Inuyasha looked at Chikara for a minute. Her face contorted to confusion as she looked at the tai-youkai. "Who's the lady?"
"I'm Kagura," Kagura answered. Chikara squinted to look at the wind youkai.
"You're free," Chikara whispered.
"Nani? What are you talking about?" Kagura asked.
"The mean man... I killed him... you're free," Chikara said.
"Honto? But... how?" Kagura asked.
"She purified him," Miroku said. "She's really a strong quarter youkai."
"Arigatou," Kagura told the young girl. "You do not know how much I am in your debt."
"Iie," Chikara said, raising her hand. "You're free."
Kagura looked at Chikara one last time, and said to the group, "Then, I must be going. Arigatou, minna." She took off through the forest.
"I must be taking my leave, as well," Sesshoumaru said, before warning Inuyasha about the Tetsusaiga again. "If he doesn't learn to control that sword, do not hold me in contempt for taking what's rightfully mine." With that, he left.
Sango was the only one to realize he went in the same direction as Kagura.
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Kagura was over a mile away from the group within minutes. She felt complete. She was finally free! Her face broke into a rare, but brilliant smile, as she looked up into the sky. She was so in tune with nature, that she didn't notice the tai-youkai land next to her.
"I'm guessing you would like to leave the fortress," Sesshoumaru whispered, watching Kagura in the corner of his eyes. Kagura snapped out of her reverie, and looked at Sesshoumaru.
"I... don't know, actually. I want to travel around for awhile," Kagura admitted
"There's space at the fortress. When you want to stay there, go ahead. Just don't do it every night," Sesshoumaru said, before lifting off. Kagura watched him leave, and smiled again.
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a/n- I can't make sesshoumaru-sama all bad! ^_^ I would've uploaded this about 20 minutes ago, but my stupid computer froze and I had to rewrite half of it! _ grr... anyway, ja ne!