AN: This fic is a tad more difficult than I thought it would be to pull
off. Ah, well. I'll try and keep on with it and do the best I can. Let
me know what you think of it so far and thanks, as always, for reading.
(^^)
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CHAPTER 4: Making Discoveries
Sesshoumaru glided through the night air effortlessly, having left Jaken behind and knowing full well his intended destination, face impassive though his mind raced with thoughts that had been plaguing him for days since his recent discoveries: that bastard Naraku, his hanyou half- brother's newest companions, the power of that girl. Of them all, she was the one that bothered him the most.
He had thought he'd blocked her and the odd way his emotions fluctuated when thinking about her from his mind ever since the run-in with that low- level snake youkai that had irritated him unreasonably with the worthless news it had imparted about Inuyasha's battle with those lightning youkai. He had acted so unlike his usual controlled self, letting his temper get the best of him, that he deemed it best to forgo anything further to deal with that bitch of Inuyasha's. So he had forgotten about her, or believed he had, and concentrated on finding a new replacement arm to no avail until that bastard Naraku had appeared and thrust him in the way of her and his half-brother once again.
Obtain the Tetsusaiga, kill them all and then leave without a backwards glance.
That had been his plan but nothing had worked out as he thought it would. For one thing, his half-brother had been more cunning than anticipated to sacrifice his body like that in order to rip off the borrowed human arm given by Naraku. But it was the girl that had surprised him most of all with those powerful arrows of hers that had undone the Tetsusaiga's transformation and shattered his armor. She was much more powerful than he had imagined from his first encounter with her that seemed so long ago now.
Perhaps that would explain the odd way he felt.
For it was certain now that the girl did possess some mystical ability, not only with her arrows but the way she'd been the first among Inuyasha's group to notice his arm, detecting the Shikon shard embedded within it despite the way it had been concealed by cloth. He never could have imagined she'd be such interference in his battle with the hanyou but she'd gotten in his way more than he'd thought possible.
It infuriated him even now to think about it.
The way she continuously risked herself to protect his worthless half- brother, the way that hanyou seemed to become even more powerful when she got involved; all of it enraged him unreasonably and furiously as he threw himself into battle and tried to eradicate the ones responsible for making him feel this way. But he had failed, the hanyou getting the best of him as he showed himself to be possibly more dangerous even in his near to passing out state than Sesshoumaru had previously believed. So he had left on the pretext that further battling would be a waste of time without being able to obtain the Tetsusaiga as the prize, he and Jaken departing the scene of battle while he had glimpsed the girl still alive as they had floated away in the distance.
It was discomfiting to remember the unusual sense of relief that he'd felt upon seeing her walking about which was ridiculous since he had tried in earnest to kill her. Hadn't he? He shook off the vexing idea. Still, it was odd how, after the heat of battle had faded and he'd been able to think more calmly, he had felt something close to what he imagined regret would be over the thought of killing her, vanquishing off the face of the earth to never be seen again. Of course, that was impossible since there was no possible reason why he should feel such things because of a mere human.
But she wasn't just a mere human.
Her newly demonstrated power illustrated the point and that was the thought he kept returning to, wondering if that was the key to explaining why he felt so oddly when it came to her and if there was a way to make it stop. For certainly there must be something about her the way she seemed to empower his half-brother and obtained a powerful ally in that houshi and that little one that his keen nose had made out to be a full-blooded youkai, a kitsune no less.
She was attracting males of power and, if there was a secret behind it, then he, Sesshoumaru, was determined to discover it.
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"Are you feeling better, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked.
In Kaede's small hut, Kagome kneeled beside Inuyasha's prostrate form, which was bared to the waist as he lay on his stomach while Kaede took a look at his back. Kagome's heart shuddered at the fading mark that marred his back where Sesshoumaru had rammed his claw through several days ago, wincing when she recollected how much blood had spilled forth from the wound and pooled beneath him when he had collapsed on the ground after the youkai lord had left.
Seeing the look on her face, Inuyasha snorted. "I'm fine. It was just a scratch and I'm almost completely over it. So stop worrying about it so stupidly."
"Hey!" She was irritated now. "Don't call me stupid for caring about what happens to you!"
Inuyasha flushed a little, eyes a little wider. "I didn't say you were stupid, stupid! I said-"
"Now, now," Kaede broke in exasperated, tired of witnessing these little squabbles between them that she knew stemmed from concern for each other's welfare. She turned to Kagome and spoke reassuringly. "He's healing nicely so there really is no need to worry. Another day or so and he'll be good as new." She turned a chiding eye on Inuyasha. "Of course, you might be healing quicker if you hadn't overdone it earlier and giving your body more time to recover instead of immediately struggling to go after that Royakan and Naraku."
"Feh," Inuyasha snorted again as he sat up and tugged his clothing back over his chest. He refrained from wincing as the muscles tugged painfully; not wanting to show weakness before the two who he knew would just start fussing over him again. Although it was a pleasant feeling to be cared over, it was also embarrassing. "Stop your squawking, old woman. It worked out fine in the end."
"Yes, it did, didn't it?" Kagome's tone was saccharine sweet, a definite warning sign that had Inuyasha glancing at her warily. "Of course," Kagome continued, "it would have gone faster if I had been here in the first place and Royakan could have been dealt with much quicker since I seem to be the only one who figured out where the Shikon shard was."
He turned away from her pointed glare. "I don't want to talk about this again."
He'd heard her views on it a dozen times over already and didn't want to discuss it anymore because then he'd have to talk about his feelings again which confusing and embarrassing. It still troubled him to recall how relieved and happy he'd been to see her again after he'd gone to such lengths to send her back to her own time and seal the well. And it also bothered him to remember how moved he'd been when she had thrown herself at him when they'd been reunited, saying how much she'd wanted to see him, making his heart skip a beat. It reminded him of what he'd felt for Kikyo only it was somehow different.
Kikyo.
The revelations Naraku had made about that time fifty years ago continued to eat at him as well. He grew angry every time he remembered how he and Kikyo had been tricked and felt guilty remembering how he'd hated her unnecessarily for so long because he'd fallen into Naraku's trap and hadn't trusted in Kikyo enough to rise above it. All of these recent revelations swirled in his mind, adding to his confusion and giving him no relief, making him feel even more exhausted.
"Inuyasha."
Startled, he jerked to find Kagome regarding him with concern. "What?" he asked irritably.
"You should lie down and get some rest," Kagome told him.
"Don't order me around," he growled.
"The child's right," Kaede interjected. "If you want to hurry and continue the hunt for the Shikon shards, which will no doubt eventually have your path crossing Naraku's once more, then you should let your body heal fully." She gave him a stern glare. "That requires rest."
"You stop ordering me around, too!" he snapped. "I'm fine."
"Well, on second thought, maybe Inuyasha's right." Kagome leaned in closer, eyeing his body. "You're body does seem well enough."
"What are you talking about?" He didn't like that glint in her eyes and leaned away from her warily.
"We could always test it out." She smiled sweetly. "It's been a while since I used that word, after all."
Inuyasha stiffened. "You wouldn't dare."
Kagome stared him down. "Get some rest," was all she said.
Inuyasha grunted as he laid down, muttering a low 'bitch' beneath his breath so that she wouldn't hear and be tempted to 'sit him, turning so his back was to them both. "I'm not doing this because you told me to," he bit out. "I only want to hurry and hunt down the rest of the Shikon shards. That's all."
"Of course," Kagome said, exchanging an amused glance with Kaede. She'd caught his muttered curse but decided to ignore it.
Kagome knew that if Shippou or Miroku had been there, this would never have worked and Inuyasha would have fought to his last breath before settling down, something to do with male testosterone perhaps. It didn't really make sense to her though she understood it to be true so that was why she'd maneuvered it so that only Inuyasha, Kaede and herself had been the ones in the hut. Miroku, she was sure, was probably checking out the women in the village while Shippou was most likely somewhere nearby. True to her hunch, Shippou was right outside the entrance when she stepped out once she was sure that Inuyasha had fallen into an exhausted slumber.
"Kagome," Shippou greeted happily in a whisper so as not to be picked up by Inuyasha's sensitive hearing.
"Shippou-chan," Kagome greeted back just as softly. She looked around. "Where's Miroku-sama?"
Shippou rolled his eyes and pointed. She followed the direction and caught sight of him in the distance talking to a couple of pretty young girls with his most charming expression. She sighed, shaking her head at having been proved right. She ignored him and turned back to Shippou with a smile.
"Shippou-chan, could you do me a favor?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"Could you go inside," she made a motion towards Kaede's hut with her head, "and watch over Inuyasha for me?"
Shippou frowned, a hint of fear in his gaze. "Kagome, are you going home again?"
"No." She shook her head and patted his head reassuringly, knowing he'd been scared that he'd never see her again when Inuyasha had sent her home and sealed the well. She'd gone back already once before when the fighting was over because she'd left home so suddenly without telling anyone she was going. But when she'd come back, backpack bursting with goodies once again, Shippou had immediately thrown himself into her arms when she'd cleared the well, telling her how worried he'd been. So she smiled down at the kitsune, trying to comfort him. "I've been sitting down too long. I just want to walk around and stretch my legs a bit, okay? I'll be back soon."
"Okay." There was definite relief in his gaze. "Don't worry." He puffed himself up. "I'll take good care of him."
"I'm sure you will," she said gently as he disappeared into the hut.
Her walk took her to the pond that she'd chased Inuyasha to before, waving her tattered math book at him. She stretched out on the grass next to the water and sighed, thinking that it had been a long time since she'd come here. And so it had been because the first time she'd come here had also been the last time. There hadn't been enough time what with traveling back home, studying, gaining new traveling companions, and encountering new enemies as they journeyed across the land searching for more Shikon shards. So much had happened and not enough time to process it all, which was why she had come here in order to buy some space to think without anyone else around.
She opened her mind and felt her heart ache as she remembered how afraid she'd been while trapped in her own time, going crazy thinking about the possibilities that were keeping her and Inuyasha apart. She couldn't remember ever feeling such relief as when she had finally found herself back here and Inuyasha alive. She felt a bit embarrassed now at the way her feelings had overwhelmed her and led her to throwing herself into his arms like that. And she wondered if her friends from school had been right, saying that she was in love even though they had no idea who Inuyasha was. Certainly, she had never felt the rush of emotions he'd inspired within her when he'd embraced her that first time before he'd pushed her into the well. Even now, thinking about it, it made her heart beat unsteadily and she wondered if he felt the same.
But she was certain that there was some part of him that did care. After all, he'd worried about her enough to send her away even though she was his best chance for gathering the Shikon shards he was so obsessed over. And he had admitted when they were alone that he'd wanted her here.
Could Inuyasha fall in love with her?
She blushed, shaking her head. It was best not to think about it now, especially since her own emotions were unsettled as well. There was plenty of time to ponder it later since she had a sinking feeling there quest was going to be very long and dangerous with that new character, Naraku, showing himself. He worried her, the evilness of his plot involving Inuyasha and Kikyo fifty years ago revealing him to be very dangerous and cunning. Then there was his part in the curse that was plaguing Miroku, threatening to take his life one day, and also the way Naraku had somehow managed to drag Sesshoumaru into his schemes as well.
Sesshoumaru.
The name sent cold chills shivering down her spine as she recalled how close the youkai lord had come to killing her and the others. She'd been shocked to see him again after so long as he had suddenly come into her life once more riding that humongous youkai and sporting a new arm. But that shock had quickly turned to anger, fear, and guilt as the battle between Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha that had raged on painfully was partly, she felt, her fault because, if not for her aid, perhaps the youkai lord wouldn't have lived to fight the hanyou.
She shivered again then stiffened, sitting up warily and glancing around uneasily as she realized that it wasn't just the thought of the youkai lord that was making her cold. No, she was being watched, felt the presence of a youkai nearby. What was worse was that the presence was disturbingly familiar.
"Who's there?" she asked though she had a sinking feeling that she already knew.
Still, she couldn't help but let out a startled gasp when he suddenly stepped out from behind a leafy tree and into view, the moonlight falling across his pale features. Feeling he was there was a far cry from actually knowing for certain, seeing him in reality, and fear washed over her at the suddenness with which he appeared as memories of their last encounter just days ago flooded through her. She silently cursed her stupidity for drawing him out; she could have just pretended there was no one there and perhaps have left if he had believed himself undetected. But it was too late now, she feared as her eyes widened and her body trembled as he stepped even closer.
"You'll be dead before you can scream."
Kagome blinked at the coolly voiced words, experiencing a sense of déjà vu as she recalled him saying the exact same thing in the same tone long ago. Oddly enough, the words had her relaxing slightly though she still regarded him warily. It wasn't as if she could do anything to him, after all, since she'd left her bow and arrows back at Kaede's and Sesshoumaru could definitely kill her before Inuyasha arrived at the scene if he were of a mind to. No, the fact that he was here and hadn't immediately done anything to her, had actually warned her against screaming, meant he wanted something that, hopefully, was not going to bring her pain and she found herself curious as to just what that might be. So she regarded him quietly but when the silence drew on too long, she broke it.
"Why are you here?" she asked.
For a long moment, he merely looked at her impassively. Then he countered with a question of his own. "Who are you?"
An eyebrow arched. Of the possible things she had imagined he'd say, that wasn't one of them. Nevertheless, she answered simply. "Kagome."
Kagome? Was that her name? His unfathomable expression flickered. He meant to ask her what she was, not who she was. Still, he supposed it was a start to uncovering the mystery around this human girl that only seemed to deepen with the passing of time. Even now, it was puzzling to him how she had apparently sensed his presence when he was an expert at concealment and how she could sit there calmly after his threat to kill her, when he had nearly succeeded in accomplishing that very action just a few days before. She was human and knew he was full youkai and what he was capable of. So why, like on the day she had helped him, did she not show the great fear that other humans who encountered him revealed? He decided to be straightforward and ask her and drew himself up to his most intimidating height and he looked down upon her.
"Why," he said commandingly, "are you not afraid of I, Sesshoumaru?"
Kagome's eyes widened comically. "You think I'm not afraid?"
"Then you are?"
He barely restrained himself from frowning as he studied her with impassive golden eyes, taking in the way she looked boldly back at him without making an attempt to either flee or fight. She certainly didn't act like other humans who shrieked and cried noisily and irritatingly when they were afraid of him. Even though she seemed to admit that she was scared, at the moment her scent indicated a low level of fear. Did that mean he wasn't intimidating enough? It was an irritating thought, but the next one that followed it that didn't like the idea of her being afraid of him was equally as frustrating and made him confused.
"Of course I'm scared." Her voice captured his attention again. "I'm not an idiot." She sent him a frown. "But a lot's happened since the last time we met and, frankly, unless you're going to hurt me, I'm just too tired to keep being frightened all the time." She reached up to massage her temple where a headache was taking shape as a result of all the worries she'd experienced in the past few days. "And," she continued, thinking of Naraku, "I somehow have the feeling it's going to get worse from here on out."
Sesshoumaru's senses sharpened. "You have the ability to predict the future?"
"Huh?" Confusion was written all over her face. "What are you talking about?"
"Your 'feeling,'" Sesshoumaru stated, wanting to know if this was one of her mystical abilities as well. "Do you not have the power of premonition?"
For a heartbeat, she stared at him with wide eyes. Then she burst out laughing. It was an unsettling, though not unpleasant, sound even while the reason for it mystified and also annoyed him to think that she was laughing at him. But it was oddly different from what he knew, devoid of the tone derision that others who had laughed at him had held before they knew better, before they fully understood who he was and what he was capable of, before he had killed them. The sound issuing from this female's throat was utterly devoid of meanness, something he was unused to encountering and was intrigued to know why this was. As he watched, her laughter slowly subsided though there was humor in her eyes and a slight curve to her lips when she looked up at him.
"Sorry," she said, waving a hand apologetically. "I'm sure you asked that with all seriousness and I didn't really mean to laugh." She shrugged half- heartedly. "It just took me by surprise and I couldn't help it."
Reluctantly, curiosity getting the best of him, he asked, "Was it that amusing?"
"No." She shook her head. "Not really." She sighed heavily. "But I always thought I was just a normal girl, pretty much like anyone else. Until recently, that is." She looked down at her hand, opening and closing a fist, remembering the things she'd done. "I still can't really believe I have any special powers even though evidence keeps mounting up in that direction. But it still takes me by surprise when someone asks about it." She laughed again, softly and briefly, not sounding really happy this time. "I never know how to answer because I'm just not sure myself about what I'm capable of, if what I've got now is all there is or if there's more to come. The not knowing, especially when it concerns myself, is kind of scary." She looked up at him suddenly, frowning a bit, puzzlement in her eyes. "I wonder why I'm telling you this." Her expression turned suspicious. "Did you put a spell on me?"
He merely gazed back at her coolly, silently.
"No, huh?" She grimaced, getting the impression somehow that he was insulted. "Sorry." A hint of tempter flickered in her eyes. "I'm just not used to opening up and talking so freely to someone who so recently tried to kill me."
"You were told of such a possibility were you to get in the way." Though he kept his face impassive, his tone neutral, inwardly he frowned at how the words seemed to him like an excuse for his actions. It was ridiculous for why would one such as he need such a thing? "You were in the way," he added. "And I, Sesshoumaru, owe you nothing and will do the same if such a thing were to occur again."
"Fine," she said heatedly, standing up. "Then if that's all, I'll just be going."
In an eye blink, he was standing before her and she couldn't quite bite back the startled gasp that escaped as she unconsciously took a step back from the surprise of having him suddenly so close. She looked up with wide eyes, pulse quickening as he stared down at her with cold eyes.
"You were not given permission to leave."
There was an edge of anger in his tone, the result of how her almost flippant dismissal affected him. He didn't like it and would have killed her right there except he saw that as the utmost loss of control that would signify his loss to her. And he had no intentions of losing. So he restrained himself, taking pains to conceal his inner turmoil from her eyes as he looked upon her coolly, convinced of his superiority. Unfortunately, her startled fear had abated a little, enough for her to glare back as temper over being so surprised flashed in her gaze.
"Listen up," she snapped, a part of her screaming at her to stop, that it was too dangerous. But it was overridden by her sudden anger, which seemed to have risen unreasonably and uncontrollably. "Maybe you are the Great Lord of the Western Lands but that doesn't mean you're the lord of me. I've got people waiting for me so unless you're going to kill me, then get out of my way."
Gold eyes flashed with a temper of their own. "You presume to give I, Sesshoumaru, orders?" His self-control slipping, a low growl threaded through his tone. "What right does a human bitch have to such a thing?"
"Oh, please!" She rolled her eyes, anger suddenly leaking away. It would do no good she knew. She could threaten him all she wanted about what she would do to him if he tried to harm her or her friends again but she didn't think she had the ability to carry it out, especially not at the moment when she was defenseless. She settled for looking at him in annoyance. "You really are a lot like Inuyasha, right down to the way you call me names."
"You dare to compare I, Sesshoumaru, with that hanyou?" he practically spat at the words, irritated at having his half-brother brought up.
"There's a definite resemblance," she said dryly. "What do you have against him anyway? Siblings shouldn't be this hostile towards each other."
Sesshoumaru regained his slipping control and gazed back at her aloofly.
"None of my business, huh?" She shrugged. "In case you're interested, Inuyasha's recovering nicely. No thanks to you." She glared at him, temper flashing in her eyes again at remembering what he'd done to Inuyasha. "What you did to him was terrible. And if you do it again, you can definitely expect me to interfere."
Though her words prickled, Sesshoumaru deemed it beneath him to respond so he remained silent.
She suddenly gave a disgusted sigh. "But as bad as you are, that Naraku's even worse."
Sesshoumaru's attention was caught. "Naraku."
"Yeah. He might be even more dangerous that you." She suppressed a grin when his eyes narrowed fractionally, obviously taking it as an insult. Then her face grew serious. "You're better off not taking anything from him again. He really is dangerous and, from what I understand, he's been around a while. He was responsible for getting Inuyasha sealed away fifty years ago and he's not done with his plots yet." She regarded him quietly. "He even managed to get you involved somehow, which I didn't think possible."
Sesshoumaru concealed his surprise. "You are worried about I, Sesshoumaru?"
"Well," she paused, frowning and feeling a bit unsettled, "maybe." Her face reflected her confusion and she shifted uncomfortably, feeling the strong urge to leave. "I'm leaving," she stated, shuffling nervously around him when he made no resistance to her departure. But she hesitated on the outskirts of the clearing. "I'm sorry about your arm, again."
Then, with those words said, Kagome rushed away, leaving the youkai lord staring after her with turbulence swirling in the depths of golden eyes.
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CHAPTER 4: Making Discoveries
Sesshoumaru glided through the night air effortlessly, having left Jaken behind and knowing full well his intended destination, face impassive though his mind raced with thoughts that had been plaguing him for days since his recent discoveries: that bastard Naraku, his hanyou half- brother's newest companions, the power of that girl. Of them all, she was the one that bothered him the most.
He had thought he'd blocked her and the odd way his emotions fluctuated when thinking about her from his mind ever since the run-in with that low- level snake youkai that had irritated him unreasonably with the worthless news it had imparted about Inuyasha's battle with those lightning youkai. He had acted so unlike his usual controlled self, letting his temper get the best of him, that he deemed it best to forgo anything further to deal with that bitch of Inuyasha's. So he had forgotten about her, or believed he had, and concentrated on finding a new replacement arm to no avail until that bastard Naraku had appeared and thrust him in the way of her and his half-brother once again.
Obtain the Tetsusaiga, kill them all and then leave without a backwards glance.
That had been his plan but nothing had worked out as he thought it would. For one thing, his half-brother had been more cunning than anticipated to sacrifice his body like that in order to rip off the borrowed human arm given by Naraku. But it was the girl that had surprised him most of all with those powerful arrows of hers that had undone the Tetsusaiga's transformation and shattered his armor. She was much more powerful than he had imagined from his first encounter with her that seemed so long ago now.
Perhaps that would explain the odd way he felt.
For it was certain now that the girl did possess some mystical ability, not only with her arrows but the way she'd been the first among Inuyasha's group to notice his arm, detecting the Shikon shard embedded within it despite the way it had been concealed by cloth. He never could have imagined she'd be such interference in his battle with the hanyou but she'd gotten in his way more than he'd thought possible.
It infuriated him even now to think about it.
The way she continuously risked herself to protect his worthless half- brother, the way that hanyou seemed to become even more powerful when she got involved; all of it enraged him unreasonably and furiously as he threw himself into battle and tried to eradicate the ones responsible for making him feel this way. But he had failed, the hanyou getting the best of him as he showed himself to be possibly more dangerous even in his near to passing out state than Sesshoumaru had previously believed. So he had left on the pretext that further battling would be a waste of time without being able to obtain the Tetsusaiga as the prize, he and Jaken departing the scene of battle while he had glimpsed the girl still alive as they had floated away in the distance.
It was discomfiting to remember the unusual sense of relief that he'd felt upon seeing her walking about which was ridiculous since he had tried in earnest to kill her. Hadn't he? He shook off the vexing idea. Still, it was odd how, after the heat of battle had faded and he'd been able to think more calmly, he had felt something close to what he imagined regret would be over the thought of killing her, vanquishing off the face of the earth to never be seen again. Of course, that was impossible since there was no possible reason why he should feel such things because of a mere human.
But she wasn't just a mere human.
Her newly demonstrated power illustrated the point and that was the thought he kept returning to, wondering if that was the key to explaining why he felt so oddly when it came to her and if there was a way to make it stop. For certainly there must be something about her the way she seemed to empower his half-brother and obtained a powerful ally in that houshi and that little one that his keen nose had made out to be a full-blooded youkai, a kitsune no less.
She was attracting males of power and, if there was a secret behind it, then he, Sesshoumaru, was determined to discover it.
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"Are you feeling better, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked.
In Kaede's small hut, Kagome kneeled beside Inuyasha's prostrate form, which was bared to the waist as he lay on his stomach while Kaede took a look at his back. Kagome's heart shuddered at the fading mark that marred his back where Sesshoumaru had rammed his claw through several days ago, wincing when she recollected how much blood had spilled forth from the wound and pooled beneath him when he had collapsed on the ground after the youkai lord had left.
Seeing the look on her face, Inuyasha snorted. "I'm fine. It was just a scratch and I'm almost completely over it. So stop worrying about it so stupidly."
"Hey!" She was irritated now. "Don't call me stupid for caring about what happens to you!"
Inuyasha flushed a little, eyes a little wider. "I didn't say you were stupid, stupid! I said-"
"Now, now," Kaede broke in exasperated, tired of witnessing these little squabbles between them that she knew stemmed from concern for each other's welfare. She turned to Kagome and spoke reassuringly. "He's healing nicely so there really is no need to worry. Another day or so and he'll be good as new." She turned a chiding eye on Inuyasha. "Of course, you might be healing quicker if you hadn't overdone it earlier and giving your body more time to recover instead of immediately struggling to go after that Royakan and Naraku."
"Feh," Inuyasha snorted again as he sat up and tugged his clothing back over his chest. He refrained from wincing as the muscles tugged painfully; not wanting to show weakness before the two who he knew would just start fussing over him again. Although it was a pleasant feeling to be cared over, it was also embarrassing. "Stop your squawking, old woman. It worked out fine in the end."
"Yes, it did, didn't it?" Kagome's tone was saccharine sweet, a definite warning sign that had Inuyasha glancing at her warily. "Of course," Kagome continued, "it would have gone faster if I had been here in the first place and Royakan could have been dealt with much quicker since I seem to be the only one who figured out where the Shikon shard was."
He turned away from her pointed glare. "I don't want to talk about this again."
He'd heard her views on it a dozen times over already and didn't want to discuss it anymore because then he'd have to talk about his feelings again which confusing and embarrassing. It still troubled him to recall how relieved and happy he'd been to see her again after he'd gone to such lengths to send her back to her own time and seal the well. And it also bothered him to remember how moved he'd been when she had thrown herself at him when they'd been reunited, saying how much she'd wanted to see him, making his heart skip a beat. It reminded him of what he'd felt for Kikyo only it was somehow different.
Kikyo.
The revelations Naraku had made about that time fifty years ago continued to eat at him as well. He grew angry every time he remembered how he and Kikyo had been tricked and felt guilty remembering how he'd hated her unnecessarily for so long because he'd fallen into Naraku's trap and hadn't trusted in Kikyo enough to rise above it. All of these recent revelations swirled in his mind, adding to his confusion and giving him no relief, making him feel even more exhausted.
"Inuyasha."
Startled, he jerked to find Kagome regarding him with concern. "What?" he asked irritably.
"You should lie down and get some rest," Kagome told him.
"Don't order me around," he growled.
"The child's right," Kaede interjected. "If you want to hurry and continue the hunt for the Shikon shards, which will no doubt eventually have your path crossing Naraku's once more, then you should let your body heal fully." She gave him a stern glare. "That requires rest."
"You stop ordering me around, too!" he snapped. "I'm fine."
"Well, on second thought, maybe Inuyasha's right." Kagome leaned in closer, eyeing his body. "You're body does seem well enough."
"What are you talking about?" He didn't like that glint in her eyes and leaned away from her warily.
"We could always test it out." She smiled sweetly. "It's been a while since I used that word, after all."
Inuyasha stiffened. "You wouldn't dare."
Kagome stared him down. "Get some rest," was all she said.
Inuyasha grunted as he laid down, muttering a low 'bitch' beneath his breath so that she wouldn't hear and be tempted to 'sit him, turning so his back was to them both. "I'm not doing this because you told me to," he bit out. "I only want to hurry and hunt down the rest of the Shikon shards. That's all."
"Of course," Kagome said, exchanging an amused glance with Kaede. She'd caught his muttered curse but decided to ignore it.
Kagome knew that if Shippou or Miroku had been there, this would never have worked and Inuyasha would have fought to his last breath before settling down, something to do with male testosterone perhaps. It didn't really make sense to her though she understood it to be true so that was why she'd maneuvered it so that only Inuyasha, Kaede and herself had been the ones in the hut. Miroku, she was sure, was probably checking out the women in the village while Shippou was most likely somewhere nearby. True to her hunch, Shippou was right outside the entrance when she stepped out once she was sure that Inuyasha had fallen into an exhausted slumber.
"Kagome," Shippou greeted happily in a whisper so as not to be picked up by Inuyasha's sensitive hearing.
"Shippou-chan," Kagome greeted back just as softly. She looked around. "Where's Miroku-sama?"
Shippou rolled his eyes and pointed. She followed the direction and caught sight of him in the distance talking to a couple of pretty young girls with his most charming expression. She sighed, shaking her head at having been proved right. She ignored him and turned back to Shippou with a smile.
"Shippou-chan, could you do me a favor?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"Could you go inside," she made a motion towards Kaede's hut with her head, "and watch over Inuyasha for me?"
Shippou frowned, a hint of fear in his gaze. "Kagome, are you going home again?"
"No." She shook her head and patted his head reassuringly, knowing he'd been scared that he'd never see her again when Inuyasha had sent her home and sealed the well. She'd gone back already once before when the fighting was over because she'd left home so suddenly without telling anyone she was going. But when she'd come back, backpack bursting with goodies once again, Shippou had immediately thrown himself into her arms when she'd cleared the well, telling her how worried he'd been. So she smiled down at the kitsune, trying to comfort him. "I've been sitting down too long. I just want to walk around and stretch my legs a bit, okay? I'll be back soon."
"Okay." There was definite relief in his gaze. "Don't worry." He puffed himself up. "I'll take good care of him."
"I'm sure you will," she said gently as he disappeared into the hut.
Her walk took her to the pond that she'd chased Inuyasha to before, waving her tattered math book at him. She stretched out on the grass next to the water and sighed, thinking that it had been a long time since she'd come here. And so it had been because the first time she'd come here had also been the last time. There hadn't been enough time what with traveling back home, studying, gaining new traveling companions, and encountering new enemies as they journeyed across the land searching for more Shikon shards. So much had happened and not enough time to process it all, which was why she had come here in order to buy some space to think without anyone else around.
She opened her mind and felt her heart ache as she remembered how afraid she'd been while trapped in her own time, going crazy thinking about the possibilities that were keeping her and Inuyasha apart. She couldn't remember ever feeling such relief as when she had finally found herself back here and Inuyasha alive. She felt a bit embarrassed now at the way her feelings had overwhelmed her and led her to throwing herself into his arms like that. And she wondered if her friends from school had been right, saying that she was in love even though they had no idea who Inuyasha was. Certainly, she had never felt the rush of emotions he'd inspired within her when he'd embraced her that first time before he'd pushed her into the well. Even now, thinking about it, it made her heart beat unsteadily and she wondered if he felt the same.
But she was certain that there was some part of him that did care. After all, he'd worried about her enough to send her away even though she was his best chance for gathering the Shikon shards he was so obsessed over. And he had admitted when they were alone that he'd wanted her here.
Could Inuyasha fall in love with her?
She blushed, shaking her head. It was best not to think about it now, especially since her own emotions were unsettled as well. There was plenty of time to ponder it later since she had a sinking feeling there quest was going to be very long and dangerous with that new character, Naraku, showing himself. He worried her, the evilness of his plot involving Inuyasha and Kikyo fifty years ago revealing him to be very dangerous and cunning. Then there was his part in the curse that was plaguing Miroku, threatening to take his life one day, and also the way Naraku had somehow managed to drag Sesshoumaru into his schemes as well.
Sesshoumaru.
The name sent cold chills shivering down her spine as she recalled how close the youkai lord had come to killing her and the others. She'd been shocked to see him again after so long as he had suddenly come into her life once more riding that humongous youkai and sporting a new arm. But that shock had quickly turned to anger, fear, and guilt as the battle between Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha that had raged on painfully was partly, she felt, her fault because, if not for her aid, perhaps the youkai lord wouldn't have lived to fight the hanyou.
She shivered again then stiffened, sitting up warily and glancing around uneasily as she realized that it wasn't just the thought of the youkai lord that was making her cold. No, she was being watched, felt the presence of a youkai nearby. What was worse was that the presence was disturbingly familiar.
"Who's there?" she asked though she had a sinking feeling that she already knew.
Still, she couldn't help but let out a startled gasp when he suddenly stepped out from behind a leafy tree and into view, the moonlight falling across his pale features. Feeling he was there was a far cry from actually knowing for certain, seeing him in reality, and fear washed over her at the suddenness with which he appeared as memories of their last encounter just days ago flooded through her. She silently cursed her stupidity for drawing him out; she could have just pretended there was no one there and perhaps have left if he had believed himself undetected. But it was too late now, she feared as her eyes widened and her body trembled as he stepped even closer.
"You'll be dead before you can scream."
Kagome blinked at the coolly voiced words, experiencing a sense of déjà vu as she recalled him saying the exact same thing in the same tone long ago. Oddly enough, the words had her relaxing slightly though she still regarded him warily. It wasn't as if she could do anything to him, after all, since she'd left her bow and arrows back at Kaede's and Sesshoumaru could definitely kill her before Inuyasha arrived at the scene if he were of a mind to. No, the fact that he was here and hadn't immediately done anything to her, had actually warned her against screaming, meant he wanted something that, hopefully, was not going to bring her pain and she found herself curious as to just what that might be. So she regarded him quietly but when the silence drew on too long, she broke it.
"Why are you here?" she asked.
For a long moment, he merely looked at her impassively. Then he countered with a question of his own. "Who are you?"
An eyebrow arched. Of the possible things she had imagined he'd say, that wasn't one of them. Nevertheless, she answered simply. "Kagome."
Kagome? Was that her name? His unfathomable expression flickered. He meant to ask her what she was, not who she was. Still, he supposed it was a start to uncovering the mystery around this human girl that only seemed to deepen with the passing of time. Even now, it was puzzling to him how she had apparently sensed his presence when he was an expert at concealment and how she could sit there calmly after his threat to kill her, when he had nearly succeeded in accomplishing that very action just a few days before. She was human and knew he was full youkai and what he was capable of. So why, like on the day she had helped him, did she not show the great fear that other humans who encountered him revealed? He decided to be straightforward and ask her and drew himself up to his most intimidating height and he looked down upon her.
"Why," he said commandingly, "are you not afraid of I, Sesshoumaru?"
Kagome's eyes widened comically. "You think I'm not afraid?"
"Then you are?"
He barely restrained himself from frowning as he studied her with impassive golden eyes, taking in the way she looked boldly back at him without making an attempt to either flee or fight. She certainly didn't act like other humans who shrieked and cried noisily and irritatingly when they were afraid of him. Even though she seemed to admit that she was scared, at the moment her scent indicated a low level of fear. Did that mean he wasn't intimidating enough? It was an irritating thought, but the next one that followed it that didn't like the idea of her being afraid of him was equally as frustrating and made him confused.
"Of course I'm scared." Her voice captured his attention again. "I'm not an idiot." She sent him a frown. "But a lot's happened since the last time we met and, frankly, unless you're going to hurt me, I'm just too tired to keep being frightened all the time." She reached up to massage her temple where a headache was taking shape as a result of all the worries she'd experienced in the past few days. "And," she continued, thinking of Naraku, "I somehow have the feeling it's going to get worse from here on out."
Sesshoumaru's senses sharpened. "You have the ability to predict the future?"
"Huh?" Confusion was written all over her face. "What are you talking about?"
"Your 'feeling,'" Sesshoumaru stated, wanting to know if this was one of her mystical abilities as well. "Do you not have the power of premonition?"
For a heartbeat, she stared at him with wide eyes. Then she burst out laughing. It was an unsettling, though not unpleasant, sound even while the reason for it mystified and also annoyed him to think that she was laughing at him. But it was oddly different from what he knew, devoid of the tone derision that others who had laughed at him had held before they knew better, before they fully understood who he was and what he was capable of, before he had killed them. The sound issuing from this female's throat was utterly devoid of meanness, something he was unused to encountering and was intrigued to know why this was. As he watched, her laughter slowly subsided though there was humor in her eyes and a slight curve to her lips when she looked up at him.
"Sorry," she said, waving a hand apologetically. "I'm sure you asked that with all seriousness and I didn't really mean to laugh." She shrugged half- heartedly. "It just took me by surprise and I couldn't help it."
Reluctantly, curiosity getting the best of him, he asked, "Was it that amusing?"
"No." She shook her head. "Not really." She sighed heavily. "But I always thought I was just a normal girl, pretty much like anyone else. Until recently, that is." She looked down at her hand, opening and closing a fist, remembering the things she'd done. "I still can't really believe I have any special powers even though evidence keeps mounting up in that direction. But it still takes me by surprise when someone asks about it." She laughed again, softly and briefly, not sounding really happy this time. "I never know how to answer because I'm just not sure myself about what I'm capable of, if what I've got now is all there is or if there's more to come. The not knowing, especially when it concerns myself, is kind of scary." She looked up at him suddenly, frowning a bit, puzzlement in her eyes. "I wonder why I'm telling you this." Her expression turned suspicious. "Did you put a spell on me?"
He merely gazed back at her coolly, silently.
"No, huh?" She grimaced, getting the impression somehow that he was insulted. "Sorry." A hint of tempter flickered in her eyes. "I'm just not used to opening up and talking so freely to someone who so recently tried to kill me."
"You were told of such a possibility were you to get in the way." Though he kept his face impassive, his tone neutral, inwardly he frowned at how the words seemed to him like an excuse for his actions. It was ridiculous for why would one such as he need such a thing? "You were in the way," he added. "And I, Sesshoumaru, owe you nothing and will do the same if such a thing were to occur again."
"Fine," she said heatedly, standing up. "Then if that's all, I'll just be going."
In an eye blink, he was standing before her and she couldn't quite bite back the startled gasp that escaped as she unconsciously took a step back from the surprise of having him suddenly so close. She looked up with wide eyes, pulse quickening as he stared down at her with cold eyes.
"You were not given permission to leave."
There was an edge of anger in his tone, the result of how her almost flippant dismissal affected him. He didn't like it and would have killed her right there except he saw that as the utmost loss of control that would signify his loss to her. And he had no intentions of losing. So he restrained himself, taking pains to conceal his inner turmoil from her eyes as he looked upon her coolly, convinced of his superiority. Unfortunately, her startled fear had abated a little, enough for her to glare back as temper over being so surprised flashed in her gaze.
"Listen up," she snapped, a part of her screaming at her to stop, that it was too dangerous. But it was overridden by her sudden anger, which seemed to have risen unreasonably and uncontrollably. "Maybe you are the Great Lord of the Western Lands but that doesn't mean you're the lord of me. I've got people waiting for me so unless you're going to kill me, then get out of my way."
Gold eyes flashed with a temper of their own. "You presume to give I, Sesshoumaru, orders?" His self-control slipping, a low growl threaded through his tone. "What right does a human bitch have to such a thing?"
"Oh, please!" She rolled her eyes, anger suddenly leaking away. It would do no good she knew. She could threaten him all she wanted about what she would do to him if he tried to harm her or her friends again but she didn't think she had the ability to carry it out, especially not at the moment when she was defenseless. She settled for looking at him in annoyance. "You really are a lot like Inuyasha, right down to the way you call me names."
"You dare to compare I, Sesshoumaru, with that hanyou?" he practically spat at the words, irritated at having his half-brother brought up.
"There's a definite resemblance," she said dryly. "What do you have against him anyway? Siblings shouldn't be this hostile towards each other."
Sesshoumaru regained his slipping control and gazed back at her aloofly.
"None of my business, huh?" She shrugged. "In case you're interested, Inuyasha's recovering nicely. No thanks to you." She glared at him, temper flashing in her eyes again at remembering what he'd done to Inuyasha. "What you did to him was terrible. And if you do it again, you can definitely expect me to interfere."
Though her words prickled, Sesshoumaru deemed it beneath him to respond so he remained silent.
She suddenly gave a disgusted sigh. "But as bad as you are, that Naraku's even worse."
Sesshoumaru's attention was caught. "Naraku."
"Yeah. He might be even more dangerous that you." She suppressed a grin when his eyes narrowed fractionally, obviously taking it as an insult. Then her face grew serious. "You're better off not taking anything from him again. He really is dangerous and, from what I understand, he's been around a while. He was responsible for getting Inuyasha sealed away fifty years ago and he's not done with his plots yet." She regarded him quietly. "He even managed to get you involved somehow, which I didn't think possible."
Sesshoumaru concealed his surprise. "You are worried about I, Sesshoumaru?"
"Well," she paused, frowning and feeling a bit unsettled, "maybe." Her face reflected her confusion and she shifted uncomfortably, feeling the strong urge to leave. "I'm leaving," she stated, shuffling nervously around him when he made no resistance to her departure. But she hesitated on the outskirts of the clearing. "I'm sorry about your arm, again."
Then, with those words said, Kagome rushed away, leaving the youkai lord staring after her with turbulence swirling in the depths of golden eyes.