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 Fifteen: Prelude to Disaster
Sango woke up the next morning to Jakken hopping around her, yelling at her to "get off her lazy butt and get this place cleaned up". Sango sighed and rolled over, her arm landing on something soft. She opened her eyes, not looking back when Jakken started on Kagome.
"You'd better leave her alone, Jakken. You know how she feels about you."
Jakken ignored her, so she returned her attention to whatever it was on the other side of her. Sango pulled the soft bundle in her lap and gasped. It was a new kimono, white with red flowers on the sleeves. The inside was a pale pink, with gold thread woven in the fabric. She ducked as Jakken whizzed past her and into a nearby tree.
"That will teach you to be so rude, jerk!" Kagome yelled, shaking her fist in his direction. She stood up and moved to sit by Sango.
"What's that?"
"A new kimono," Sango breathed, shaking out the fabric so Kagome could see it. A golden sash fell out of the inside.
"Wow. Where did it come from?"
Jakken's voice floated to them from a few yards away. "My lord Sesshoumaru gave it to you, you ungrateful human!"
Kagome and Sango gasped, total shock an understatement for the looks on their faces.
"Why would heā¦this is so strange."
Kagome nodded in agreement. "You said it. Maybe he did it for the same reason he did it for me." Kagome winked at her then. "Maybe he likes you."
Sango snorted. "Yeah right. You have one too."
"Huh?" {Not the most expansive vocabulary, ne?}
Kagome looked to her sleeping bag. A sparkling bundle shone in the early morning sunlight. Kagome picked it up, shaking it out. The fabric was the same as the kimono she had on now, but it was a white instead of iridescent blue. Little fans covered it and the sash matched Inuyasha's to a tee.
She studied Sango's. "Did you realize these look like theirs?" Sango looked at hers, then Kagome's and slapped her forehead lightly.
"Can you imagine the fit they'll have if we switch?"
Sango shook her head. "No, I don't think that's a good idea. I think I'll keep this."
Kagome sighed. "At least yours was meant to match. Inuyasha probably has no idea Sesshoumaru did this."
Jakken strolled to them, rubbing the knot on his head. "Lord Sesshoumaru didn't give you that! The worthless half breed did!" Kagome kicked him for his disrespectful comment before returning her attention to the kimonos in question.
Sango sighed. "Let's get dressed, Kagome."
They shot Jakken a death glare. "If we catch you peeking, we'll scream, and they'll beat you for us."
"Me! Peek at you! I'm not that lecher you travel with! As if I would want to peek at stinky humans anyway." Kagome kicked him again, sending him to the edge of the camp before getting dressed.
*******
"Where have you two been all day?" Inuyasha thundered at Miroku and Shippou. Miroku had a small hand print on his face and Shippou looked a little annoyed.
"I caught Miroku spying on Sango and Kagome as they took their bath."
Sesshoumaru caught him before Inuyasha could blink. "You did what, monk?"
Shippou jumped from Miroku's shoulder, to Sesshoumaru, and finally settled on Inuyasha's head.
Inuyasha grinned. "Go ahead, Sesshoumaru. I'm sure Sango wouldn't mind if you ripped him apart."
Sesshoumaru lifted his other hand to Miroku's neck, then dropped the man entirely as Sango and Kagome came into view. He tried desperately to cover up the look of admiration on his face, but his eyes gave him away. Inuyasha was having the same trouble with Kagome, but being around her so long gave him a sort of immunity to her charms. They approached slowly, watching their obvious attempts to hide their approval. Sango smiled and came to a stop in front of Sesshoumaru, Kagome coming to a halt beside her. She bowed deeply and Sesshoumaru returned the gesture. When he was low enough for her to reach him, Sango tied a red ribbon around his hair, directly under the one from Rin. Sesshoumaru blinked at her as she moved her hands away from his hair.
"Good luck and Godspeed, Sesshoumaru," she whispered before walking past him to the rail around the edge of the crater. Sesshoumaru straightened up and turned to follow her, not realizing Inuyasha was having the same conflict.
"Thank you, Inuyasha," Kagome whispered. Inuyasha snorted.
"Yeah, whatever."
Kagome shook her head, then stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. "It would be so very nice to hear you say something other than 'yeah whatever'. I'd probably die of a heart attack if you do." She walked away, leaving a blushing Inuyasha to face the wrath of Miroku and Shippo, who were howling with laughter. Myouga moved from Inuyasha's shoulder to Kagome's.
"How are you today, my lady?"
"Better, but I get the sneaking suspicion everything will be totally different after today."
Myouga nodded. "What about your dream? Remember anything else." Kagome shook her head as the gong sounded.
Sesshoumaru moved from Sango's side and Inuyasha stopped pounding Shippo. They moved together to the edge of the crater and stood, waiting for the signal to move to the bottom of the crater. Sango moved beside Kagome and the others, holding her shoulders.
"Why do I feel like a wife watching her husband go to war?"
Kagome shrugged her shoulders, her head resting on her arms crossed on the rail. "I don't know, but I feel the same way."
The gong sounded again and the brothers moved forward, every step the perfect mimic of the other. They stood in silence, waiting for their opponent as the crowd gathered for the last fight. Ryuukossei approached them, a small smile spread across his face.
"Well, well. At last we fight," he said, his gaze looking over Inuyasha with interest. "You were hiding the last time I came to visit you."
"Won't happen again, I assure you."
Ryuukossei looked up, ignoring him for his target gaze. "Your miko is very beautiful, especially since she glows with the power of the jewel. I think I'll keep her alive, but drink her blood once a month. After I rid myself of you two, of course."
"I've had enough. Start the fight," Sesshoumaru growled, his hand reaching to restrain Inuyasha before he could do some serious damage to him.
Inuyasha glowered at his hand. "I'm not going to bother him until the gong starts." Ryuukossei waved his hand and the gong sounded in the morning air.
"If you want to die so badly, then let's begin."
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SF: For ff screwing you guys over royally by locking me out, I'm going to post the next chapter. You can read the preview if you want. The responses are below.
Chapter Fifteen: Fight Club
"Stop the fight! Stop the fight! They give up!" she screamed.
Ryuukossei looked up at her, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Stop the fight? Why?"
He looked down at Inuyasha, who was helping Sesshoumaru to his feet. "You didn't tell the beauty that this was a fight to the death, did you?"
"What?" Kagome yelled, her eyes bulging. "No you didn't tell me that! You are so DEAD when this is over, Inuyasha!"
Ryuukossei looked back at her, his words for Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha only. "She has no idea how right she is, does she?"
Responses:
Some fan person: Thanks for the love! I feel a little sorry for Miroku too. Don't worry, by the end of the series he'll find love.
Sesshyangel: I SWEAR that wasn't the plan! I'm not trying to convert anyone to Inu/Kago! All of these are dreams, remember? I know I owe you, and I apologize. Its traumatic for me to see them like this too.
