{Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, so don't sue me. College has a strict hold on my wallet anyway.}

Vengeance

By Striking Falcon

Chapter Seven: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

"Alright, Myouga. Start explaining." Kagome said. They left the village earlier in the day, and Kagome wanted to know exactly what some things were. Especially where Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were going.

"Where are they headed?"

Myouga shook his head violently, trying to escape her fingers as they held on to his shirt.

"My lady, Lord Inuyasha forbid me to tell you!"

"Ok. You don't have to tell me if he told you not to."

Myouga stopped mid struggle and stared at the others. Sango and Miroku were still ahead of them, but Shippou heard her and was also sharing his look of disbelief.

"You're not letting him off that easy, are you Kagome?" Shippo asked. A sudden grin spread across her face, reminding him of Inuyasha when he was about to…

Kagome promptly squashed Myouga, but held on to him before he could float away. She shook him savagely.

"I said you didn't have to tell me. But you WILL take me to him."

Myouga struggled to recover under her assault. "But Lady Kagome, if I do, Lord Inuyasha will certainly hurt me!"

Shippo studied the flea a moment. 'Why is he calling her 'Lady Kagome'?' he thought. Her voice broke through his thoughts.

"I'll give you a choice: Fear me today and live to fear him tomorrow, or fear him today and never fear anything again."

Kagome pressed down on his head.

"Catch my meaning?"

Myouga squeaked a yes and Kagome released him. He hid behind Shippou's ear.

Shippou used this opportunity to get a question answered.

"Myouga, why are you calling her Lady Kagome?"

Myouga shuddered. "That is my lord's business," he replied sharply. Shippou didn't like the sound of that.

"Tell me why and it'll stay his business, or I'll tell Kagome of your sudden addition to her name and we'll learn together."

Myouga sighed. Caught between a rock and a hard place twice in one day. Not good for his health at all. He leaned in closer to Shippou's ear so he could talk without worrying about Kagome hearing.

"The scratch around her neck is more than a ward against demons. To dog demons like Lord Inuyasha, the mixing of blood in any way signals to other demons that she is a mate. However, since the cut is not deep and is healing so fast, it was only used to warn of her being a potential mate and for others to stay away. I'm sure his blood mixing with her magic created enough of a force field around her to prevent any harm from coming to her."

Shippou quit listening on the words 'potential mate'. "Are you saying Kagome's Inuyasha's potential mate?" he hissed. Kagome looked down at them.

"Are you two alright?" she asked. Myouga and Shippou nodded and she returned her gaze to the road Myouga suggested. She had already informed Sango and Miroku during Shippou's little conversation. Myouga cleared his throat, then continued:

"Be quiet Shippou! Master Inuyasha didn't tell her what it means, so you shouldn't either."

"I already told her that he did it to protect her."

Myouga patted his ear. "Good. That's fine. Just make sure you don't tell her anything else."

Shippo nodded. He wanted to hear Inuyasha tell her anyway.

********

Inuyasha sat at the banquet table beside Sesshoumaru. They arrived at the Demon Tournaments hours ago and the festivities began at nightfall. Sesshoumaru watched Inuyasha eat with mild approval.

"Good, Inuyasha. I told you our training would come in handy."

Inuyasha snorted softly and continued his meal. The host of the Tournaments hadn't arrived yet, but he was due any moment. A sudden horn blast to the left of the table caught his attention. A figure sauntered into the clearing between the crater and the feast. He raised his hands to get the fighters attention. Sesshoumaru looked up and dropped his chopsticks into his food. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at him curiously.

"What is it, Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru stared at him, aghast. "Don't you recognize him?"

Inuyasha shook his head.

"I forgot. You were in hiding when he attacked your mother. That is Ryuukossei, your mother's killer."

Ryuukossei scanned the demons thoughtfully, taking note of the brothers with a small nod. He turned away, his attention on what he came to say.

"Welcome. I am Ryuukossei. This year's Demon Tournaments have a lot of new blood. First, the ruler of the Higher Mountains."

A wolf demon in the back stood and bowed. "Thank you for you acknowledgment, Lord Ryuukossei."

Inuyasha spun around. 'That sounds like…' He snickered low enough for Sesshoumaru to hear. He turned around as well, curious as to what caused such a sound. "Who is that?" he asked Inuyasha.

"Kouga. Man, this is my lucky day."

Ryuukossei bowed back to Kouga and resumed his speech, continuing to introduce the new rulers of each land. Seems a lot of the old demons were falling due to unusual circumstances.

"Last are The Western Lands."

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru stood and glanced over the crowd. Inuyasha caught the look on Kouga's face and fought to keep his face as expressionless as Sesshoumaru's. Sesshoumaru's gaze returned to Ryuukossei.

"Thank you for the invitation. We will use it well."

"I'm sure you will." Ryuukossei nodded as they sat down. "That is the last of the new rulers. You are aware of the rules of the Tournaments. To the death fights are allowed, but it is fine if you chose to spare your opponent. At the end of the Tournament, the last fighter," he glanced at Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, "or fighters will fight me for control over the other lands and the right to call the next tournament. Enjoy the feast, because tomorrow the competition begins." He walked away, casting an amused glance at the brothers. Sesshoumaru stood up.

"I'm going to set up camp." He turned to Jakken, who stood beside the table. "Jakken, you will have to be vassal to the both of us. Your loyalty includes Inuyasha for the time being. I will not hear different."

Jakken nodded and Sesshoumaru left. When he was sure Sesshoumaru wasn't in hearing range, he cursed. "Why do I have to stay with you?" he complained. "I would rather have stayed with Rin."

Inuyasha scowled. "If you keep complaining, you'll be back at the castle with Rin before you know it."

Jakken gulped and fell silent. Inuyasha's amused glance went from Jakken to Kouga, who kept staring at him. Inuyasha winked and Kouga turned away. Inuyasha grinned. 'No Kagome means that I can actually kill the stupid wolf. And he doesn't know about my new power. That could come in handy.' He shook his head. This week with Sesshoumaru was causing him to think like him too. 'Well, this new attitude should come in handy in battle, but I'll have to remember to do something stupid to piss Sesshoumaru off.' He waited in silence for Sesshoumaru to return.

*******

"The Western Lands are here," Ryuukossei muttered to himself. "Good. Time to clear some unfinished business." He walked into his castle courtyard, not realizing he was being followed. Sesshoumaru settled himself into a nearby tree, staying below wind. He watched his father's enemy walk into the castle itself before returning to his campsite.

****

Jakken was currently screaming for his life. Inuyasha had tired of the little toad's complaining and decided to silence him by lifting him by the throat.

"Really, Jakken. What would Fluffy say if he heard you complaining so?" he asked, his grip on the toad tightening.

"Like you care," Jakken squeaked out, trying in vain to free himself. Inuyasha chuckled.

"Actually, I wouldn't give a damn if your grumbling wasn't disturbing me. Can't you do it somewhere else?"

Jakken muttered something not fit to repeat and Inuyasha sighed. "I was just trying to help you, but since you want to be that way."

He tossed Jakken into the air and watched him land on the other side of the campfire. Inuyasha shook his head and turned to where Sesshoumaru was standing.

"How much of that did you hear?"

"Enough."

Sesshoumaru stepped into the firelight. Jakken gave out a frightened squeal and scurried away before Sesshoumaru could reach him. Sesshoumaru sat down beside the fire.

"So what did you find out?" Inuyasha asked, seated on the other side.

"Ryuukossei has a small castle east of here. It is unguarded."

Inuyasha groaned. No guards meant this guy didn't fear anyone. Sesshoumaru tilted his head suddenly, looking at Inuyasha with a kind of curious amusement. Inuyasha stood under the intense gaze for a moment before becoming totally creeped out.

"What?" he yelled, his composure coming undone for the first time in a week.

Sesshoumaru laughed softly. "What is so special about the wolf?"

Inuyasha eyebrows knitted in confusion, then raised as he remembered who he was talking about.

"You mean Kouga? He's a pain in my ass. He constantly bothers Kagome every time we see him, and he continues to call me…" the last part Sesshoumaru didn't exactly hear, Inuyasha said it so low.

Sesshoumaru leaned in closer to him. "Say again?"

Inuyasha turned red. "He calls me 'dog-turd'. There, happy now?"

Sesshoumaru observed his expression before bursting into laughter. Inuyasha stammered a moment, then fell into an uncomfortable silence. Sesshoumaru continued his loud he-haws, totally unaware of Inuyasha's astonished stare. He finally settled down, wiping a tear from his eye.

He shook his head. "Dog-turd, huh?"

Inuyasha nodded. Sesshoumaru shook his head again, a rare smile across his face.

"Why haven't you killed him yet?"

"Kagome won't let me."

This nearly started another set of hysterical chuckles from the otherwise somber demon, but Jakken came up from behind him.

"My Lord," he gasped. Sesshoumaru quickly regained his composure and turned to the more than shocked toad.

"Yes Jakken."

Jakken came closer to him, whispering so Inuyasha couldn't hear. "There are rumors that a particularly tasty-looking human is coming toward the Tournament grounds."

"So?"

Jakken faltered at the un-Sesshoumaru-like comment. "They say it's a miko, followed by a monk and a demon exterminator. There's also a fox child with them."

Sesshoumaru cursed darkly and stole a glance at Inuyasha. He was already asleep.

"Jakken, this is not good."

"It gets worse, my lord. The rumors say she flows with the energy of the Shikon Jewel. Almost as if she WAS the jewel. The others are starting to wonder about her."

"Has the wolf demon Kouga heard about this?"

Jakken thought a moment about the strange request. "No, he hasn't."

"See that he doesn't. And go tell the miko to turn around before she gets killed."

Jakken turned and left. Sesshoumaru sighed. 'Inuyasha is more trouble than its worth, but as long as we are fighting together, I will make sure to protect his interests.' He returned his gaze to the fire, watching the ears on his brother's head twitch in his sleep.

"Besides, it's more interesting to have him as an ally anyway.'

--------

SF: Wow, long chapter. I didn't think I had it in me. Well, I've bought a new t. .v Let's see if it works.

{Turns on t. v. It flicks on, then something inside goes pop. Smoke rises out of the back.}

SF: Great! {Kicks t. v.} $300 gone! Oh well, where's the other t. v.? {Its rolled out. SF cuts it on. It flickers, then the picture appears on screen}

SF: Good. Here is the preview to chapter eight

Chapter Eight: Orders, Orders

"Afraid to talk, young one? Afraid to fight?"

Sesshoumaru turned to look at him, his expression never changing as he dragged Inuyasha down the road.

"We will fight when the time comes. Then we will see who is afraid."

Reviewer Responses:

Sorrow: I'm coming, I swear!

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