"Inuyasha." The cool silken voice said.
Inuyasha sprung to his feet automatically.
"Sesshomaru." He growled.
Kagome rose to her feet and backed away.
"You know what I want." It was between a statement and a question.
"Of course I do. You're never gonna get over the fact Father thought you were unworthy of the Tetsaiga." Inuyasha grinned, drawing the sword in question as he spoke.
Kagome winced at that comment. It was like when one would call Inuyasha a 'half-breed' or what-not. But Sesshomaru hid the emotion he felt better. Anger? Hurt? Who would ever know.
She picked up her delicately made arrows and bow and backed up the hill.
"Fate will soon enough decide who was worthy of the sword." Sesshomaru said, stoic mask unfazed while you could practically see the steam coming out of Inuyasha's ears.
Then the battle begun.
Kagome mused for a second, almost tempted to laugh had this been another's life story.
Two brothers fighting over a sword, in the middle of the night, as usual right after the warm-up verbal spar. It was truly priceless. Had it been another's life story. But, as it was her friend clashing swords with an enemy theoretically twice as everything Inuyasha was, the last thing it could be called was funny.
She notched an arrow but didn't pull it taught, kept it pointed at the ground. It was a fight that had to be between them. It always would be. Why? Heaven knows.
Kagome scanned the area as far as her eyes and ears could reach, then an extra bit with her ever developing miko powers, and concluded that nothing that could interrupt them was within a few miles radius.
Sesshomaru had left Rin and Jaken at his home then? Perhaps that was why he had not slain her, Rin was there at the time.
But why would he care for a child? A human child no less?
She looked quizically at the older of the two brothers.
Or perhaps it was honor that bound him to his descision to leave. To slay a woman with no motive.
As many times as he had tryed to kill her, there might have been many excuses.
Say it was the adrenaline rush from fighting Inuyasha? But Sesshomaru hardly seemed the type to excite.
Maybe because she had gotten in the way every time? His main target was Inuyasha and Tetsaiga after all.
What reason had he to maim a mere woman that supported him from a distance?
Maybe he just would have nothing to do with her because of her human heritage. He turned and left because he was disgusted of her? But then what about Rin?
Kagome shook her head.
Wondering about the mystery that was Sesshomaru would not do while she was watching in deepest suspense (and zip attention) as her first 'friend' from the warring era fought (to the death?) with an older brother whom he spoke no reason to hate him for.
The over sized white shirt flapped in the wind and goosebumps appeared on her legs.
She suddenly wondered why she hadn't nabbed the blanket up here too? Where was Miroku looking? But surely he wouldn't act that way during a battle that might loose them a number of their party?
Kagome tossed her head as her hair fluttered about and spyed Sango and Miroku standing on a hill on the right of her, weapons drawn but not poised to attack.
The wind howled, and an eternity seemed to pass while Sango, Miroku and Kagome waited for some sign to join the fray.
But that moment never seemed to come.
As a matter of fact, time seemed to slow down considerably as a scream was heard not too far off.
Flecks of white swirled about a young girl who sobbed hysterically in the midst of them.
Rin.
Sesshomaru spun towards her voice, silvery hair whipping in the wind.
Inuyasha shot Kagome a surprised look that was just starting to glow with triumph, Kagome knew what he wanted her to do.
Two distractions were better then one.
She shook her head and pulled the arrow taught and aimed it at Sesshomaru, who turned sharply toward the wirey sound of a bow string being drawn, while Inuyasha charged at him with an extra spurt of speed, brandishing his weapon with an almost crazy grin on his face.
But Kagome hesitated for a split second. Like a fastforwarded movie, images shot through her mind quick as lightening, but with full, undeniable meaning.
*Flashback*
"Are you going to let me go back to him?" She asked, looking back up at him.
He looked at her and she couldn't read his eyes, except they looked calm as ever.
"Come Rin." He said finally and turned away.
*End Flashback*
Kagome suddenly came to a descision.
She looked over at Inuyasha's eyes, the golden fire burning in delight at the thought of finally felling his next to greatest enemy.
Kagome's eyes brimmed with sparkling tears as she shifted her stance and felt her heart clench in self punishment at what she was about to do.
But she owed him something, and she was ready to pay it off. Rather that than always be in debt to Sesshomaru, that would stand between them forever, her unable to fight him at all, and Inuyasha would never forgive her.
She shook the thoughts away and finally let her arrow fly.
She blinked away her tears even as she knew she was doing the right thing.
The blinding golden flash eliminated the darkness for a split second then cleared away.
Sesshomaru stared up at Kagome, she could only barely decipher his sun-colored orbs, the previous anger and desperate (though indescrete) worry had turned to a barely noticable light of gratitude. Though he would never admit to it, he felt gratitude towards her, because even while she saved his life, in a way she also saved Rin's. But it was a questionable sight to Kagome, thinking that probably to anyone who didn't know how to look they would see a cold stoic mask of indifference, like always, so was what she saw real?
Inuyasha stared in disbelief as time seemed to come to normal again (yes, all of this happened in a span of about ten seconds), looking at his hands where there rested the rusty version of Tetsaiga. He looked up again and Sesshomaru had vanished.
The ghostly white spots had dissapeared, the little girl's screams had fallen silent, and the same girl was nowhere in sight.
Next Inuyasha looked up with betrayal burning slightly in his eyes.
The beautiful arrow stuck dully out of the ground not ten feet from where Inuyasha stood.
Kagome slid down the hill again, head bowed, bangs covering her honey colored eyes.
She sensed Sango and Miroku come up beside her, as she stood now about five paces from Inuyasha's still form.
"Why?" He croaked. Disbelief fading away rapidly as fury and rage replaced it.
"Would you believe me if I told you the truth Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, regret hanging on each word.
"Baka. Baka." Inuyasha said, anger building.
"Inuyasha-" Kagome began, worried.
"NO! YOU LISTEN TO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY NOW! YOU HAVE BEEN HERE FOR ONE YEAR, YOU HAVE ALMOST BEEN KILLED COUNTLESS TIMES BY THAT HEARTLESS BAKA, YOU'VE GONE THROUGH SEVERAL HARDSHIPS WHICH WERE EVENTUALLY COMPLETED BY ME, TO SAVE YOUR HIDE, AND NEVER ONCE HAVE YOU TURNED YOUR ARROW UPON ME! NEVER ONCE HAVE YOU PROTECTED THE ONE THAT TRIED TO MURDER YOU EACH TIME YOU FINALLY THOUGHT YOU WERE SAFE IN BED! NEVER ONCE HAVE YOU BETRAYED THE LOT YOU SWORE TO JOIN TO GATHER THE JEWEL THAT YOU BROKE! SO ONE CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER WHAT'S CHANGED? WHY THE HELL DO YOU SIDE WITH HIM NOW? WHAT DID HE EVER DO FOR YOU!? THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO TEACH YOU HOW TO ACT SMART IN YOUR TIME NOT STUPID! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" Inuyasha roared.
"Would you really believe me if I told you the truth?" Kagome repeated, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Inuyasha glared daggers at her, no doubt thinking if only looks could kill. He then stepped forward, and slapped her, hard. Tears poured down her face as she stumbled to the ground before he bounded off, almost glowing red in anger.
She gave a heart felt sob as she turned into Sango's comforting embrace.
*~*
"Rin. Wake up Rin." Sesshomaru said.
"Wake up stupid human!" Jaken screamed brandishing the Staff Of Heads at the unconscious child.
"Jaken." Sesshomaru said stonily.
"H-hai M'Lord?" He asked nervously.
"Leave." He demanded.
Jaken looked about to protest then scuttled off with one more look from Sesshomaru that said if he did not leave, Sesshomaru would make sure that when he did leave it would be to a place he could never return from.
Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes as Jaken dissapeared into the hallway, remembering Kagome's flitting look of inner turmoil before she turned her arrow upon the one she had sworn her loyalty to.
He narrowed his eyes if possibly more.
'Stupid humans and their unfailing emotions." He decided finally in answer to the unheard of question of why she was driven to divert her loyalty in the name of honor.
He looked back down at Rin, who was pale and sick looking.
He blinked down at her again. Then looked away, stood up, and left her to be cared for by more experianced youkai.