AN: Wow! I spend a couple days in Japan and I come back with more reviews for a chapter than I ever had! You guys are great! Thanks to those that still read this fic and for those that are just now reading it, I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for all your reviews! How could I say no to that! Anywho, on to the next chapter!!! Be warned! Peace and Pocky! Yummm…
A TWIST OF FATE*~CHAPTER 18
It is truly amazing how much one can learn of another only by being in their presence. It is also amazing, the bonds formed between one and another just by being in their presence.
Kagome knew that people weren't what they seemed. After all, who could tell that she periodically jumped into another time period and played super miko, just by looking at her? So why was she so surprised that Sesshoumaru's soft side was showing? Well, she wasn't. Not really. Those who are around people are the last to notice changes in those people. Yeah right. She wasn't dense.
She had gone on, collecting shards with Sesshoumaru. The shikon no tama was actually nearly completed. The only pieces now missing were in the hands of the person who least deserved them.
Kagome had improved greatly in her skills. Her healing powers were advancing rapidly and her accuracy with the bow and arrow was twenty fold of that when she had started out. She was growing more powerful, even if she did now know it herself.
"Come.." Sesshoumaru eyed Kagome who was now, despite her strengthened powers, hobbling like an old woman. He had to admit, he was amazed she had kept up with him, but it was obviously taking its toll on her after four days. Kagome looked at him warily but did not object.
"Ok." she walked over to him and he took her in his arms, rising into the air, headed towards Inu Yasha's forest.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It had been a month and a half. They had collected two more shards. Kagome had remained, staying with Sesshoumaru. After the night he had kissed her, he had not shown any more affection for a week, but Kagome often caught him glancing at her out of the corner of his eye or unconsciously doing small things like running a hand through her hair, which she had never imagined Inu Yasha's lethal half brother doing. Especially to her. Well, it was a start. But otherwise, he completely ignored her.
One day, Kagome sat in her room, rummaging through her yellow pack. Through some mysterious luck, Sesshoumaru had allowed her to go home for supplies, and a good thing too. She couldn't stand the idea of not being equipped with the proper feminine products. Nobody had been home, but she had left a thorough note explaining that she was ok and that she would try to come back as soon as she could. Of course, a few details were omitted…
The door slid open and Kagome told the person to 'please come back later, I'm not hungry, but thank you' without even looking up from her things.
"As I recall, you can not dismiss the lord of the house." Sesshoumaru stood, looking at her, face completely blank, but a small smirk teasing at the edges of his mouth.
"Oh. Sorry. Thought you were Jaken or something." Kagome waved a hand dismissedly.
"Do I appear to be wearing a woman's kimono?" he asked with a air.
Kagome looked at him quickly, but took a few seconds to respond. "Uh…no."
"Then how is it that you would mistake me for Jaken?"
Kagome laughed bitterly.
"Well, good point. Even Jaken acknowledges my presence." she kept sifting through her pack. "You on the other hand, hardly know I exist. Or you chose not to think that." she snapped, grabbing something from the dilapidated yellow pack, then shoving it out of her way. "Now, if you would only get back to forgetting I exist, I could read my book." Kagome opened to the middle of the book, as if to emphasize her point.
"Indeed." a raised eyebrow.
Kagome felt warm breath on her neck. She straightened up, focusing again on the book she held. She could feel Sesshoumaru sitting beside her, but decided to ignore him.
"Tell me, Kagome," he said lowly, just so she could hear, as if someone else was listening. "do you always read upside down?"
Kagome looked harder at the words. He was right. Pink spread across her cheeks as she slammed it shut, turning to glare at him.
"Listen, Fluffy-"
But as soon as her blue eyes locked with his golden, she froze. No matter how many times he looked at her, she always got the feeling that he could see right through her.
Sesshoumaru, locked his gaze on her, studying every detail of her beautiful eyes, the ones that could change so rapidly and revealed her feelings at any given time.
Again, Kagome found her heart beating at least fifty times her normal heart rate. That can't be healthy.. Sesshoumaru had a way of making her feel like she was the only thing on earth besides him. It could make one feel small and vulnerable, or largely important.
Sesshoumaru reached up, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.
"How many pieces of the jewel remain?" he questioned, his eyes never leaving hers.
Kagome swallowed then shrugged it off. "Just those that are with Naraku and those with Inu Yasha." she blinked back. Why was he asking that? Of course, Kagome! He just wants to know how long it will be before he can dump you off. "Why do you ask?"
"My reasons are my own. I believe it is time we talked the matters of tetsusaiga."
Kagome was visibly shaken. How could she have forgotten. She had just been living her little merry life, collecting shards and playing with Shippo and Rin. How could she have forgotten. Kagome bowed her head, turning away from him. "I-Yeah…you're right." Kagome sat, looking contemplating. Sesshoumaru could easily tell she was in deep thought and could very easily guess what it was about.
"As I said before. Forget Inu Yasha. He is hung up on the past, do not follow him, or you, like he, will not be able to separate the past from the present. Or more importantly, the past from the future."
Kagome sat still for a minute, nodded once, and sighed deeply.
"You know, for a psycho demon lord who scares everyone who's ever met him, you give pretty good advice. Have you ever thought about giving up this lifestyle and becoming a philosopher instead?"
"My philosophy differs much from others' similar to me. So does my lifestyle."
Obviously. Kagome thought.
Sesshoumaru leaned close to her, stroking her cheek with a striped hand.
"Why do you love him, Kagome?" The question was simple enough. Or not.
"Why do I love?" Kagome looked shocked then pensive. She turned and looked at him. "Why do I breathe. Why do I live?"
Sesshoumaru gazed at her with..respect? She believed what she believed, even if it was not true. He drew her close to him.
"Sesshoumaru.." Kagome's voice shook slightly. "I'll get you tetsusaiga as I promised.." but she stopped short as Sesshoumaru had lifted a finger to trace her lips. Kagome's eyes filled with wonder and confusion. Painful confusion. He had bent down to deliver a kiss to her lips then.
She did not say 'why do I love him' when answering, but 'why do I love'
Had she finally given up on the hanyou? He had left her room then, triumph and something else written under his stoic mask.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kagome still hadn't completely gotten over the whole flying thing. When she used to ride on Inu Yasha's back, she had something to hold onto. But flying with Sesshoumaru, she was merely standing on some cloud youki thingy that didn't look as if it would hold two Styrofoam cups. But, slowly, she was getting used to it.
After we have defeated Naraku and gather all the shards, I'll make him fly slower and I'll get over this fear of heights thing. Kagome promised herself, although it wasn't nearly as bad as it used to be. She just kinda…clung to whatever she could, namely Sesshoumaru. He mentioned something about her impaling herself on his armor, but he didn't threaten her or pry her off; nobody was strong enough to do the latter.
Kagome was nervous. And she had the right to be. First of all, she was supposed to steal tetsusaiga from a powerful hanyou who was very temperamental. Second, that meant seeing the temperamental hanyou, something she had dread for months now. Third, she hadn't finished thinking of a plan on just how to steal the damned thing. Well, really, she hadn't even started thinking of a plan.
"Sesshoumaru…" Kagome released her grip around his arm slightly to look up at him.
"It is as you said before. Trusting people are easily manipulated."
Kagome looked back down, tightening her grasp on him again. Those weren't her exact words, she was sure of it. "Manipulated" just sounded too harsh. She didn't want to manipulate her friends. Even Inu Yasha. Not now.
Sesshoumaru recognized her silence for what it was.
"Kagome."
"No. It's alright. I have a plan." The imprecise quote of hers had sparked an idea. "It'll be easy, but I'll need your help. And patience."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was half a day more before they landed, five miles away from Inu Yasha's forest. They walked two miles, silently, toward the area she knew so well. Quite far enough to stay out of the reach of Inu Yasha's nose. Kagome learned, from Sesshoumaru, that Inu Yasha was currently around fourteen or fifteen miles west and coming in their direction.
The two stopped and Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru.
"Sesshoumaru, I need to smell like you."
Sesshoumaru stared at her. "You have been in my presence for two days straight."
"Yeah, I know, but it needs to be convincing…"
"I see. That is done easily enough." With that, he took a step forward, encircling her in his arms, his mouth covering hers.
Kagome reveled in the moment, but pulled away after a short while, looking up at him with big blue eyes.
"Sesshoumaru…I need you to rough me up a bit."
Sesshoumaru thought the woman to be playing one of her jokes, but she said it earnestly and it made perfect sense. He understood her plan.
As much as her pain now hurt him, he nodded silently. Letting one arm drop from its position around her waist.
"This will hurt."
She nodded. "Just make it look convincing.."
He couldn't stand it. He drew her closer, hugging her body to his. He bent down, kissing her lips softly, hand cupping her cheek. He ran his thumb over the soft skin slowly for a few minutes then, without warning, made a small, quick slice. Kagome let out a gasp, but he captured it with his mouth. After a moment, he went to lick away the blood that was now dripping down her cheek, but she stopped him.
"Convincing." she whispered, giving him her arm where he repeated the act carefully. Then one of her legs and a spot on her back. Kagome cringed each time, but didn't let out a cry or say anything. Instead, after Sesshoumaru had finished, she bent down on the ground, rubbing dirt into her clothing and on her face.
"Sesshoumaru.." Kagome looked down at her clothing. The youkai lord understood, cutting the clothes raggedly in two spots. Kagome ripped another spot.
She definitely was a sight. She was bloody and ravaged-looking, but somehow managed to remain beautiful. Sesshoumaru looked at her solemnly.
"He is coming, Kagome. Are you ready?"
"Kagome looked down at herself, then up at him, smiling."
"It's now or never. Will you meet me hear tonight?"
Sesshoumaru nodded.
Kagome stood up, taking his hand, and, since he didn't pull away, muttered an "I'll be fine." and managed to pull off another smile before saying "You shouldn't be here when he comes."
He nodded, squeezing her hand once, and left, rising into the air. Kagome watched him leave and took a big breath preparing herself. Now or never… She headed in the direction of Inu Yasha's forest, once catching a glimpse of white out of the corner of her eye. Sesshoumaru.. she thought, about to yell at him, but it disappeared quickly and smiled sadly to herself, continuing on.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kagome was stumbling towards the forest when Inu Yasha saw her. She was torn up and bleeding from a number of spots. Not a lot of blood, but enough. Inu Yasha stopped quickly, ten feet behind her, not believing his eyes.
"Kagome.." he called uncertainly.
Kagome stopped, slowly turning around. "Inu..Yasha..?"
It wasn't a dream. Kagome. His Kagome was there. There, alive.
"Kagome.." Inu Yasha rushed over to her, wrapping his arms around her. He couldn't believe it. Kagome was back.
"Inu Yasha…" Kagome stood straight then crumpled in his arms, crying. It was Inu Yasha. He was holding her. Parts of them were fake, she realized. He didn't love her. He just had his friend the jewel hunter back, and she was only pretending to cry. Wasn't she?
As soon as Kagome had settled down, Inu Yasha pulled back looking at her.
"Kagome, are you alright? Where were you?" even though he knew perfectly well that she wasn't alright and he knew where she had been. With his half brother.
"Sesshoumaru…he..he kidnapped me to trade for the tetsusaiga. When I didn't know where you were..he.." at this, tears rolled down her cheeks once more. "he said he was going to kill me. Then he left me with that toad, Jaken, and I shot him with an arrow…and I ran away." she sobbed into his shoulder. "It took me so long to find you, and he was fallowing me at first. I thought I'd never get away…Inu Yasha.."
"Shh." he said calmingly. "It's ok. You're here with me now." he stoked her hair, holding her tightly. "Kagome…I…I never.."
But Kagome didn't want to hear his words, his words that might be lies.
"Inu Yasha, I understand." she sniffed, a tear staining his kimono. "Where are Sango and Miroku?"
Inu Yasha straightened up, pulling her away from him, to look at her more closely. "They were behind me. I'm taking you to Kaede's so she can help you." he took her gingerly up in his arms. That bastard Sesshoumaru will pay." he thought resolutely. He positioned her carefully and took off in the direction of the village.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kaede had bandaged Kagome carefully, not saying anything excepting a single remark on how she healed quickly and would be fine, which she repeated to a pacing, very silent Inu Yasha. Kagome was thankful that the old woman hadn't questioned her about the wounds.
Sango and Miroku had shown up on Kirara moments later and there had been a tearful reunion. Kagome was wracked with guilt upon seeing Sango and Miroku again. It wasn't as bad, deceiving Inu Yasha, but to lie to Sango and Miroku was ten times worse. Sango had had tears in her eyes and Miroku had hugged her, for once without feeling her up, remarking on how great it was to see her again.
They were sitting around a fire, eating dinner silently when Miroku spoke.
"Kagome..after your departure, Shippo left. We searched for him, but were unable to find him. I'm sorry." The monk looked down at his bowl, shame written on his face.
Kagome was shocked. Really. She had totally forgotten about Shippo. She overcame her shock, a tear coming to her eye.
"Inu Yasha.." she turned to the hanyou who had not stopped watching her all dinner. "Can we search for him tomorrow.?" she begged him. Inu Yasha nodded, much to the others' astonishment, without protest.
"Kagome," Sango spoke shakily. "It's so great, having you back."
"Yes." Miroku agreed. "A miracle you came back to us alive."
Kagome then had to relay the story for them. Afterwards, she said that she was very tired and wished to go to sleep. The others all agreed that she should rest, and had followed after her. Kagome was relieved to see that Inu Yasha chose to sleep close to her in Kaede's hut that night, rather than out in a tree.
The others settled down and Kagome pretended to fall asleep, her ears in tune to everything going on around her. Inu Yasha had sat down, back against the wall, not more than three feet from her. After a painfully long two hours, his breathing slowed and he appeared to be asleep.
Kagome, deftly as she could, rose up, barely moving her blanket. She kneeled down in front of Inu Yasha. She could see that his grip on the sword had loosened during his sleep, but he still held it in his crossed arms.
Kagome's breath caught in her throat, and it felt as if her heart had stopped beating, but she swallowed slowly and reached out to the hanyou. His ears twitched slightly and Kagome felt a jolt of panic run up her spine. She watched, horrified, as his eyes opened, looking at her questioningly.
"Kagome..?" he murmered groggily.
"Inu Yasha..I'm sorry." she whispered.
"What are you-"
"Inu Yasha…osuwari.osuwari.osuwari."
Inu Yasha slammed into the wooden floor. Kagome took her chance and grabbed tetsusaiga, running towards the door, snatching a quiver full of arrows and a bow as she went.
"I'm sorry." she said quietly, but loud enough. With that, she ran, sword in hand, westwards, away from the village. I'm sorry Sango, Miroku, Kaede.. A tear ran down her face as she ran, but she quickly wiped it away. "Osuwari." she said one last time, not stopping once until she was at least two miles away. That's when she felt it. A jewel shard. And an ominous aura. And Sesshoumaru. Where was Sesshoumaru?
The howl of a huge beast came from her right. She ran towards it, towards the pull of the jewel shard. This can't be right.. she thought. Besides me, Naraku is the only one left with jewel shards. Oh no! She ran as fast as she could. It seemed like an hour, but she found herself bursting out of the trees into a large clearing in the middle of the forest. Kagome gasped, drawing an arrow quickly out of the quiver and stringing it up, tucking the tetsusaiga into the band of her clothing.
A giant oni turned to stand before her, even larger than the one that Sesshoumaru and she had encountered at the slaughtered village, but it held no jewel shard. Then a yellow light sliced though part of the lower stomach of the ogre from behind it. Kagome thought she recognized the attack, but the oni did not fall, so she pulled the arrow taught, ready to let go when a hand in white grabbed her from behind.
Sesshoumaru? Sesshoumaru! It had to be him. But something was wrong. Another strong hand quickly came up, covering her mouth, just as the ogre was obliterated from an attack from behind. It fell to pieces and Kagome watched as Sesshoumaru appeared behind where the ogre had towered. Kagome was overcome with sick realization and tried to scream but the hand muffled each sound. She struggled violently but the person pressed her against their body, subduing all her movement. Kagome watched as Sesshoumaru looked up to see her.
A flash of red entered Sesshoumaru's eyes and his face contorted, growling violently at Kagome's captor.
"Ah. Do I have something of yours, Sesshoumaru-sama?" The cold voice chuckled wickedly and Kagome recognized it at once. There was only one thing on that world that had a voice like that.
Sesshoumaru's claws seemed to grow and he lunged towards Kagome and her captor, drawing toukijin, but black and purple youki and vapors poured out from around Kagome, and Sesshoumaru was lost from her sight as she felt herself rise in the air and saw the forest disappear. She struggled violently to free an arm and reach for am arrow, but she was held fast and felt Naraku's noxious aura surround her, paralyzing her.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
AN: Am I evil, or what?! Poor Kagome! First I make her encounter Inu Yasha again and steal tetsusaiga, then she gets kidnapped by Naraku! Talk about angst. This is not a Kagome-friendly story, in case you haven't noticed. Don't get me wrong, I love Kagome. She just happens to have a habit of being in the wrong place the wrong time. Kinda like me… oh well, I hope you liked that chapter. I actually had to plan it out! I wrote in two nights! WOW! Well, please reivew! We get closer and closer to the end. I'm think anywhere between three and six more chapters..hmmm
Well, until next time! Bye byes! BTW, I don't know when the next chapter will be, 'cause my exchange student is coming on Saturday for ten days and I have waaay too much homework still, so please be patient. I will write when I can. Thanks you!!! Peace and pickled, salted plums. Eew.