(AN)---Thanks for all the reviews! I get the impression that most of you were very happy to finally see Sesshoumaru!? ^_^ I know I was. Stay tuned after the chapter...I'll try to answer a few questions.
Thanks!
Juxtaposition
Chapter Seven:
The Price of Compassion
Sesshoumaru's arm shot out, a blur of motion that caught her around the waist, jarring her off-balance. Kagome screamed in pain, then realized there was no pain. A sudden burst of air whipped her long, dark hair in her face, stinging her eyes. Oh gods! Had he thrown her?! Was she falling?!
Everything stopped all at once and she struck the ground hard, landing on her tailbone and catching herself against her forearm. Sesshoumaru was standing over her, glaring down at her with cold, hateful eyes. The arrow was still gripped tightly in her fist, and she wondered distantly what kind of defense it would be in her bare hands.
Then she noticed the complete absence of buildings and screaming people. Her head swung around, taking in the lush green of a small valley. Trees could be seen in the distance, and beyond them...a small ribbon of smoke. Her hand uncurled from the arrow.
The youkai lord turned silently, and walked away, dismissing her. He moved in the direction of the smoke.
"Wait," she called, shakily pushing to her feet. He kept walking. He's going back to the village. He won't stop! With his youkai powers unrestrained and flowing through him once more, he was free to resume his attack. They're going to die, she thought, not just the ones that get in his way or accidentally cross his path, but...all of them.
She raised her bow, the same arrow pointing at him. Its head dripped blood. His blood. It seemed a waste after what she had done, but she couldn't let him go back. He couldn't be allowed to kill them.
That decision in her mind, she fired.
Without turning around Sesshoumaru caught the arrow out of the air, just inches before it hit him. He paused at the edge of the trees and said, "If you insist, miko, I will kill you." He resumed his intent pace, tossing the shaft aside.
"Don't," she said, another arrow notched. This time her power glowed around it in hot crackling lashes. She poured her purifying magic into the wood, using it as a focus, enough to wound him, to seal him again. This time she would leave him that way. A fate worse than death in his eyes.
He stopped, undoubtedly feeling the strength of the magic gathering around her. He looked back, and for one moment she saw something tired in his eyes, a physical exhaustion. But when she blinked his eyes showed nothing. Gold, empty of hate, empty of anger, or anything that could even be remotely connected to concern for her or her threats. He purposefully turned his back on her and walked on.
What is it? What is so important at that village that he won't let it go?
"A treasure," she whispered, her bow dropping yet again, though the action escaped her notice. What could Sesshoumaru covet so much? I thought all his desires were for possessing or destroying Tetsusaiga.
"Sesshoumaru," she said, quiet though she knew his ears had caught it. "If there is a treasure you seek, and a miko warding it...I can find it."
He did not react to her words, but she wasn't ready to give up yet. She ran to catch up with him, though the movements were slower with the exhaustion that was creeping subtly into her muscles.
"I said, I can find it. I can bring it to you." She swallowed back her pride, knowing her next words would speak directly to his. "Allow me to do this for you! A great youkai lord, such as yourself, should not have to dirty his hands with work better left to—to...subordinate creatures. Like me!" she finished with more gusto than she felt. She forced eagerness into her words, blind adoration. See, you spared my life, you're so powerful! Serving you would make my meaningless life complete! Gods...I hope I sound like that toad of his, because if this doesn't work I'm going to...
"Drop your act, miko."
She sighed, her shoulders slumping forward. "I'll get your treasure for you. Just don't go back, don't kill anymore villagers."
He kept walking.
"Please!" She grabbed his arm, or more, his empty sleeve. Her eyes widened at how out-of-place the sensation was. She stared at the sleeve of his kimono as it lay flat across her palm. It wasn't as if she didn't know he only had one arm, she just forgot.
He didn't. He glared at her until she released the cloth.
Her mouth wanted to stutter an apology, but she knew better. He would only take it as an insult. Treat it like it doesn't matter! Like you don't notice!
Clearing the surprise from her face, she begged, "Please! Please, don't kill them! I'll get it for you! Whatever it is, I don't care! I'll get it!"
Kirara landed and slashed at Sesshoumaru with her claws, mistaking his proximity to the miko as a threat. Sesshoumaru side-stepped the attack and drew Toukijin.
Kagome flung herself at the cat-demon, wrapping her arms around her neck in a placating fashion. "It's okay, Kirara-chan! He's not hurting me!" Though I'm pretty sure he wants to.
Kagome smoothed her hands over the neko's bristling fur, and came away with sticky wetness. She stared down as blood dripped from her fingers. "Kirara," she gasped, "You're hurt!"
The cat glanced at her wearily, her breath coming in sudden pants. The miko quickly settled her to the ground, completely forgetting about her argument with the youkai lord. Kirara quietly shrank into her normal form, closing her wide crimson eyes in a moment of pain.
Kagome's fingers moved through the yellow fur, gently searching for the source of the blood. Lower on Kirara's left shoulder was a gash, not too deep, but deep enough to make the girl frown in concentration.
Sitting back on her heels beside the fallen beast, Kagome swung her daypack down, smearing jagged lines of blood on one of its sides. She ripped through the sack with an air of familiarity and emerged with a bottle of water, disinfectant, a handful of sterilized bandages, and a roll of gauze.
She then set about the delicate task of cleaning and bandaging the wound. Care made her thorough, practice made her quick and efficient. When she was done she poured water from the bottle onto her own hands and rinsed them of blood, drying them off on some napkins she had brought just for that purpose. Her clean fingers stroked lovingly over the cat's muzzle, down her jaw and over her ears. Soothing, the affection of a mother and a friend. Kirara purred, licking at the edge of the gauze.
Sesshoumaru spoke then, reminding the miko of his presence, "She is a youkai. Her own body should heal the wound within a few hours."
Kagome knelt beside Kirara and looked up at the demon lord, her eyes oddly calm. "I know. But this will help the process along, and maybe take out some of the sting."
Sesshoumaru stared at her.
"What?"
"You have until dawn."
Confusion chased into some of the calm warmth of her eyes, then disappeared on the tails of understanding. She nodded.
"I won't fail."
TBC...
For me, this was the next logical step. Yep, Kagome tends to be very compassionate in my stories, mainly because I see that as one of her defining characteristics. I believe she wouldn't leave Sesshoumaru to die in such a way, especially since she was the one to put him in that situation.
Okay, how many people think Sesshoumaru would have just killed her and carried on his merry, murdering way? I was a little hesitant about this chapter. Personally, I think Sesshoumaru is still in character, but I can see where a few of you might disagree. We're moving into areas of his personality that are largely unexplored in the series. Which is what fanfics are about, ne? :-)
Also, maybe I should have said this before, but I think most of you have guessed already! ^_^ This story takes place before Rin's presence is known by the Inuyasha-tachi. (spoiler!) Before she was kidnapped by Kagura. It, basically, has gone into A/U territory, and won't be returning to the canon. Most of my stories usually take a canon idea and go A/U with it, but I should really remember to warn people of that!
What did everybody think of this chapter? A little deviation in character is always expected, but you'll tell me if I start taking it too far, right? ^_^ Right.
Thanks!