Well, here I am all, back with another update! I am sorry, but I don't have enough time or energy to type out a response to all the wonderful reviews that you people gave me, but thank you so much! It is so nice to come home, and check the great reviews! I'm trying to update as fast as I can, but again, it's taking some time. Thanks for all of the condolences for my grandparents, and hope your families are doing good toooooooo. Thanks for staying with me through all this crap…irk…
"What in the hell…?" Inuyasha groaned under his breath, as Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, inspecting both the wide-eyed monk, and the little girl. "Hey squirt, ya might wanna back off or-"
"Why you impudent brat…" Sango tried to pounce on the small girl who squealed and ran away. "Get back here you little-!"
"Language, human…" Sesshoumaru warned softly, eyes glinting. He let Kagome go and stepped forward to collect his small charge. "Rin, what did you say?"
"Rin loves the tall one!" Rin looked up at Sesshoumaru, a cheery smile on her lips. Sango advanced forward, a scowl on her face, but was stopped by one cold look by Sesshoumaru, who then turned his attention back to the small girl. "He's really pretty!"
Inuyasha choked on his laughter at the remark of Miroku being 'really pretty'. "I do not know what happened, but I do expect one of you to explain it to me, now, and then we shall see what happens." Sesshoumaru spat venomously, and then placed a hand on Rin's shoulder to keep her from moving anywhere.
"Stupid over there," A rude gesture over to Miroku, and then he continued talking. "Got himself cursed, so that every female that meets him falls in love with him. Little whelp probably got hit with the same damn spell." Inuyasha stated all of this information in one solid breath, and then surveyed the effect his information had on his normally stoic sister…er…brother. Sesshoumaru looked less then pleased with the new developments, and then for the icing on the cake Inuyasha couldn't help adding, "Do ya wanna know who did it?"
"If it would help then yes, this Sesshoumaru would." Sesshoumaru tightened his grip on the young girl who was squirming to get away as they talked.
"It was the-" The hanyou stopped when he was interrupted by Kagome stomping her foot and complaining. Good…I don't really know…but it sure woulda pissed Sesshoumaru off, no doubt.
"Great, now we have a little girl competing…I'm still going to get him, and it just means that one more will be getting their heart broken…" Kagome's voice cut through the conversation as the rest of them realized that she was standing there. "Humph…"
"All right! This is enough." Miroku called out. "We need to get all of the girls…" He sighed before moving on. "Away from me…there is no telling how far this spell will go. Already, both of them have fought each other, and I don't want to see if it will escalate to…"
There was a pregnant pause, in which both girls shared venomous glares, and Rin stuck her tongue out at all. Sesshoumaru cocked his head, and with his tawny eyes dark, he asked, "Who won?" Sesshoumaru let a bit of amusement enter his voice. All of the group froze, and Inuyasha asked, in a perfectly serious voice.
"Did you just make a joke?"
*
After a few minutes of discussion, Sesshoumaru agreed (somewhat doubtfully) to try out Inuyasha's theory that distance could be a way to get the curse to stop. Gathering up Kagome's supplies in her huge yellow bag, and trying to get the miko to come with them with out getting fried by her powers proved to be difficult. "Let me…go!" Kagome kicked Inuyasha hard in the shin as he dragged her off, and in to the woods. Rin was asleep in Sesshoumaru's arms, and it seemed as if nothing would wake her.
"Ow you stupid wench, stop…OW! You bit me!" Inuyasha yelped for the tenth time that night, as Kagome's teeth clicked solidly together as she tried to bite him again- but missed as he quickly drew back. "Sesshoumaru- you bastard, help me!"
Sesshoumaru rolled his amber eyes, (for the last hour and a half she had been at it, biting, kicking, and all manner of things) and kept on walking steadily. "I will not help you. Did you mark her yet? That would teach her submission."
"Huh? Did I -what- her yet?" Inuyasha stopped grappling with the young girl as he waited for an explanation.
"Father did not tell you of marking…" Sesshoumaru mused, shifting Rin to his other arm. "I wonder why…Did he not see it fit to tell you until a later time, but then was killed, or -"
"Who the-KAGOME! WILL YOU STOP BITING ME?" Inuyasha yelled as Kagome bit his wrist. "It does hurt ya know!"
"We shall stop here for the night, since you are so uneducated that you do not know the most simple of the youkai rules." Sesshoumaru set Rin down, and Inuyasha pushed Kagome forward, where she sprawled out on the ground with a 'oomph.' "Set up what you need human, and do not try to escape, or I will kill you."
"Was that necessary?!" Inuyasha demanded, jerking his half brother away. "She is gonna stay, or at least she'd better."
"As I was saying brother, you never were informed of what a marking was?" Sesshoumaru inspected his claws, waiting for an answer.
"No- it I was, I wouldn't be askin' now would I?" The hanyou asked scaldingly, making a face, as he sat down on the ground, keeping one ear trained on the girls. "Now what in the hell is 'marking'?"
Sesshoumaru crossed his arms, and lay a hand on the Tenseiga, unconsciously fiddling with it. "A marking is used by both the male and the female youkai, as a sign of claim. If there is a dispute between two males on who the female belongs to, then there is a battle, in which the victor is allowed to mark the female, and the loser is not allowed to further challenge the mates."
"Yeah, but ya still haven't told me what a mark is, Fluffy." Inuyasha glanced back at the girls, who had fallen asleep, inside of Kagome's sleeping bag.
"Do not call me by that despicable name. A mark, as I said, simply put is a way of claim. The male is usually the one that places it on the female, but sometimes the female also does it in exchange. When mating, the male will place the mark on the female, usually on the neck." Sesshoumaru paused for a moment. "But it is more then just a simple bite mark. It is a binding of sorts, keeping the two souls forever intertwined. Father did it with my mother, but when she died, the mark disappeared. The female can also resist the marking, as the male can revoke his."
So if I was to mark Kagome, then that bastard Kouga…Inuyasha nearly jumped up in joy. He won't be able to say that Kagome's his woman anymore! She will be mine for good!
Sesshoumaru watched as a myriad of emotions crossed over his half brother's face. Surprise, jealousy, and then pure male arrogance. "I take it that you are…pleased with the information…?"
Inuyasha grinned broadly, his fangs flashing in the moonlight, as he nodded once, sharply. "So… if I was to mark Kagome…then that idiot wolf wouldn't be able to say that she was his?" A nod and then Inuyasha's face suddenly fell. W-what if she don't want to be my mate? I mean…my permanent mate- what if she rejects me?
"You are worried that the girl will reject you…are you not?" Sesshoumaru pushed himself up gracefully off of the grass, and glanced at the sleeping girls. "You need not answer me, it is rather obvious. If she loves you as much as I have seen, then you have nothing to worry about. Now head back, I am going to scout around to make sure there are none who would try to do us harm while we rest."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes, and then realized something, "HEY!! If you-" The yell stopped when he heard Kagome sigh in her sleep, and when he realized that his half brother had gotten out of range of his hearing. "Bastard…"
*
The next morning found Kagome grumbling softly. Sesshoumaru was walking ahead of the group, with Rin perched on his shoulder, while Inuyasha was behind, Kagome still in her sleeping bag, her face dark with anger and frustration. "Stupid hanyou…of all the…can't believe that you…" The grumbles continued, as she gave up and rested her head on Inuyasha's shoulder. Ever since early in the morning, they had been traveling, and to save trouble, (and bruises) Inuyasha had zipped up her sleeping bag, and decided to carry her in it, until they could find out what to do. She had fought for a bit, but he had only held her tighter.
"Quit whinin', you ain't as light as ya look…" Shifting his grip so she wouldn't slip he looked down when he didn't receive a response. Up ahead of him, he heard a soft 'thump', and his amber eyes widened. Rin had fallen off the shoulder of Sesshoumaru, and was lying sprawled on the ground. Kagome was barely breathing, her heart beating frighteningly slow. "K-Kagome? Kagome!!" Inuyasha set her down, and bent over her. "Kagome! Sesshoumaru-"
Sesshoumaru was having his own problems, his small charge in almost the same condition. "Rin- Rin!" Flickering from cold to worried, his eyes remained fixed upon the child.
"Oh Kami- Kagome- wake up…" Inuyasha pulled her unresponsive body in to his arms, and shook her gently. "C'mon…wake up!"
Alright, I'm back with cliffies…*dodges the tomatoes thrown* HEY! Back off!!
A quick note, the pairings will be- Inuyasha/Kagome and Miroku/Sango
At the end of Sesshoumaru's curse, the kiss was merely a 'thank you' and a way for Sesshoumaru to piss off his younger brother. Confused? Hope not, bye all!!