Hitukiri Batosai no Kikyo
7
The next day Inuyasha got Kikyo to go to the Tokugawa palace to try to get help from the shoguns. Despite her dedication and determination, she was still quite gullable, and as soon as she had left Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha went to begin their part.
Long story short: within a few days they had completely stopped every crime organi-zation in Edo. Sesshoumaru "requested" that the leading officer sign a contract stating that they had done such a thing for Kaede's approval. If they didn't- Let's just say they're underlings no longer had a boss to take orders from.
That left only Yokohama. They went to get Kikyo.
"Hey, Inu. Yokohama's not really that far away. Why don't we just leave her. She'd never know the difference."
"She has to come with us," Inuyasha told him.
"But she'll get in our way," Sesshoumaru complained. "There's no where in Yokohama to leave her, unless you wanted to try to ditch her at a shrine or something."
"We don't know that she'll get in our way! And if your worried about her finding out about your criminal history or something then don't. She's a more wanted person than both of us put together! Why don't we just let her come along!"
Sesshoumaru was shocked. "I guess so.. If you think it'd be okay then we'll let her stay with us."
Inuyasha was very relieved. He knew he'd never have been able to forgive himself if he left her all alone. He couldn't figure out why he had so much guilt over his former rival, then also wondered why he had just thought "former", but he decided not to think about it.
"Hey, Inu!" Sesshoumaru said suddenly. Inuyasha was a bit startled, but he quickly recovered.
"Yeah, what is it?" he asked.
"I just thought of something."
"What's that, Sesshoumaru?" Kikyo asked.
"This doesn't concern you! What is it, Sesshou?"
"Actually, it does." Kikyo was interested now. I don't see how Kikyo's been able to put up with you, Inuyoukai."
"Inu-youkai?" Kikyo asked.
"Shut up.." Inuyasha moaned. Sesshoumaru laughed. "It's just an old nickname. Don't worry about it Kikyo."
"Dog-"
"I said don't think about it!" he said before she could finish. She was confused.
'Why would his best friend call him a dog-like demon?' she thought. 'It seems I still have much to learn about Inuyasha's past.' "But what did you have to say, Sesshoumaru?" she asked.
He just laughed. "I was going to ask how you put up with him for this long," he said.
"Oh," she sighed. 'I was hoping it'd be something a little more romantic,' she thought, remembering how nice he had been when they'd met. 'Oh well..'
Other than that, not much was said on the way to Yokohama. Kikyo wondered why the two friends weren't as talkitive as usual, but she couldn't think of any particular reason. She felt bad about them having to do all of the work so far while she tried hopelessly to get someone to assist them. Maybe they were mad at her. She didn't speak. They traveled for another day in almost complete silence.
Yokohama was by far the easiest city of their mission. It was (at this point in time) considerably larger than Edo, but it wasn't the amount of people that made it easy. Most people in Heian Kyo knew Sesshoumaru quite well. He was almost like a Japanese mafia leader. But in these cities- so far from his home town- it had been harder for him to get many richer people to agree to his terms. He had bribed a few people in Edo with a hundred ryu- but a small portion of the amount he planned to get from the emperor when this was over- but he didn't want to give up too much. That's where Kikyo came in.
She was well-known throughout the country, and many low-life criminals such as thieves and vandals had permanately given up their occupation in order to be spared by Hitukiri Batosai. Even holding a reverse-blade sword she looked deadly. This is what made the job go by so quickly in Yokohama, and when they had completed their task there, it was time to go back to Heian Kyo.
The returning trip to the country's capital seemed strange to Inuyasha and Kikyo both. No one seemed to say anything. Kikyo still felt bad about not being able to help. She really wished she could have done more.
Inuyasha could tell Kikyo was upset, but he didn't know over what. This just added to his feelings about leaving her in Heian Kyo and Edo. He couldn't take the guilt anymore. "Kikyo."
"Hmm?" She was surprised he was talking to her, and his tone made her wonder what he wanted to say. "Wha- What is it Inu?"
Sesshoumaru wondered what he could possibly want to say that made him hesitate for so long. "Spit it out!"
"About our trip so far..." he started.
"I'm sorry," she said near tears. "I wish I could've helped more." He couldn't believe the emotions he felt seeing her like that.
"It's not your fault!" he said quickly.
"Huh?"
"Inu, what are you doing?" Sesshoumaru yelled.
He hesitated. He really was upset. "Sesshoumaru and I had no intention of getting help from anyone. We sorta just ditched you before."
"What?!" she exclaimed. Inuyasha could see her holding back her tears. "You guys are such jerks!!"
"Inuyasha! Why did you tell her that!!" Sesshoumaru yelled.
He already regreted saying anything, but he was still glad, right? 'Maybe I should learn to keep my mouth shut,' he thought. 'Besides, how bad could it be?... Strange, I've killed innocent people for fun and she makes me feel guilty. Whatever..'
Kikyo didn't talk to him for weeks (the whole trip back to Heian Kyo). Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, didn't shut up. It seemed like he looked for things to gripe about. Inuyasha knew he was mad at him, but he took it a little out of context. He seemed to settle down as time went by though, and by the time they arrived at the capital, the two were good friends again.
Inuyasha hoped Kikyo would forgive him as well. He couldn't explain it, but her anger hurt him.
"But Inu, Yuki probably really misses me..." Sesshoumaru whined to Inuyasha.
"Look, we just have to go to the emperor's palace and get what we came here for in the first place."
"You mean what you came here for," he mumbled.
"Does the word, 'ryoo', ring a bell?"
"Let's go to the palace!" he said grinning. Inuyasha laughed with both pity and humor. He was about to say something to Kikyo, but she turned away before he could even fully make eye contact.
"Oh yeah..." he mumbled, slightly blushing "Forgot.."
Within no time they were outside the emperor's gates. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru no more had to unsheathe their swords before the guards recognized them and ran off for backup.
"Well," Inuyasha said, "That was easy enough." He started to go in, then stopped and turned back around. "You comin' Kikyo?"
She turned her back to him. "Hmph!"
"Well, at least she made some sort of reply," he said sarcastically. "You ask her."
Sesshoumaru turned to Kikyo. "Are you coming with us, Kikyo-san?"
Of course she didn't really want to talk to him either, but she was a bit more leniant. "No thank you. I'll take my chances out here."
"Naturally," Inuyasha sneered. "Come on Sesshou." So the two entered the palace grounds.
Aimi:Okay.. Running out of stuff to put in the author's note.. So bored... I originally typed this in a NORMAL format, but the stupid site messes it all up, so I have to go back, fix all the spacing, and save it chapter by chapter to my stupid floppy disk so I can upload it correctly... Now I've been working on this all day. It's already ten thiry!! Ugh.. sigh So bored.. So tired.. Must keep typing...
7
The next day Inuyasha got Kikyo to go to the Tokugawa palace to try to get help from the shoguns. Despite her dedication and determination, she was still quite gullable, and as soon as she had left Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha went to begin their part.
Long story short: within a few days they had completely stopped every crime organi-zation in Edo. Sesshoumaru "requested" that the leading officer sign a contract stating that they had done such a thing for Kaede's approval. If they didn't- Let's just say they're underlings no longer had a boss to take orders from.
That left only Yokohama. They went to get Kikyo.
"Hey, Inu. Yokohama's not really that far away. Why don't we just leave her. She'd never know the difference."
"She has to come with us," Inuyasha told him.
"But she'll get in our way," Sesshoumaru complained. "There's no where in Yokohama to leave her, unless you wanted to try to ditch her at a shrine or something."
"We don't know that she'll get in our way! And if your worried about her finding out about your criminal history or something then don't. She's a more wanted person than both of us put together! Why don't we just let her come along!"
Sesshoumaru was shocked. "I guess so.. If you think it'd be okay then we'll let her stay with us."
Inuyasha was very relieved. He knew he'd never have been able to forgive himself if he left her all alone. He couldn't figure out why he had so much guilt over his former rival, then also wondered why he had just thought "former", but he decided not to think about it.
"Hey, Inu!" Sesshoumaru said suddenly. Inuyasha was a bit startled, but he quickly recovered.
"Yeah, what is it?" he asked.
"I just thought of something."
"What's that, Sesshoumaru?" Kikyo asked.
"This doesn't concern you! What is it, Sesshou?"
"Actually, it does." Kikyo was interested now. I don't see how Kikyo's been able to put up with you, Inuyoukai."
"Inu-youkai?" Kikyo asked.
"Shut up.." Inuyasha moaned. Sesshoumaru laughed. "It's just an old nickname. Don't worry about it Kikyo."
"Dog-"
"I said don't think about it!" he said before she could finish. She was confused.
'Why would his best friend call him a dog-like demon?' she thought. 'It seems I still have much to learn about Inuyasha's past.' "But what did you have to say, Sesshoumaru?" she asked.
He just laughed. "I was going to ask how you put up with him for this long," he said.
"Oh," she sighed. 'I was hoping it'd be something a little more romantic,' she thought, remembering how nice he had been when they'd met. 'Oh well..'
Other than that, not much was said on the way to Yokohama. Kikyo wondered why the two friends weren't as talkitive as usual, but she couldn't think of any particular reason. She felt bad about them having to do all of the work so far while she tried hopelessly to get someone to assist them. Maybe they were mad at her. She didn't speak. They traveled for another day in almost complete silence.
Yokohama was by far the easiest city of their mission. It was (at this point in time) considerably larger than Edo, but it wasn't the amount of people that made it easy. Most people in Heian Kyo knew Sesshoumaru quite well. He was almost like a Japanese mafia leader. But in these cities- so far from his home town- it had been harder for him to get many richer people to agree to his terms. He had bribed a few people in Edo with a hundred ryu- but a small portion of the amount he planned to get from the emperor when this was over- but he didn't want to give up too much. That's where Kikyo came in.
She was well-known throughout the country, and many low-life criminals such as thieves and vandals had permanately given up their occupation in order to be spared by Hitukiri Batosai. Even holding a reverse-blade sword she looked deadly. This is what made the job go by so quickly in Yokohama, and when they had completed their task there, it was time to go back to Heian Kyo.
The returning trip to the country's capital seemed strange to Inuyasha and Kikyo both. No one seemed to say anything. Kikyo still felt bad about not being able to help. She really wished she could have done more.
Inuyasha could tell Kikyo was upset, but he didn't know over what. This just added to his feelings about leaving her in Heian Kyo and Edo. He couldn't take the guilt anymore. "Kikyo."
"Hmm?" She was surprised he was talking to her, and his tone made her wonder what he wanted to say. "Wha- What is it Inu?"
Sesshoumaru wondered what he could possibly want to say that made him hesitate for so long. "Spit it out!"
"About our trip so far..." he started.
"I'm sorry," she said near tears. "I wish I could've helped more." He couldn't believe the emotions he felt seeing her like that.
"It's not your fault!" he said quickly.
"Huh?"
"Inu, what are you doing?" Sesshoumaru yelled.
He hesitated. He really was upset. "Sesshoumaru and I had no intention of getting help from anyone. We sorta just ditched you before."
"What?!" she exclaimed. Inuyasha could see her holding back her tears. "You guys are such jerks!!"
"Inuyasha! Why did you tell her that!!" Sesshoumaru yelled.
He already regreted saying anything, but he was still glad, right? 'Maybe I should learn to keep my mouth shut,' he thought. 'Besides, how bad could it be?... Strange, I've killed innocent people for fun and she makes me feel guilty. Whatever..'
Kikyo didn't talk to him for weeks (the whole trip back to Heian Kyo). Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, didn't shut up. It seemed like he looked for things to gripe about. Inuyasha knew he was mad at him, but he took it a little out of context. He seemed to settle down as time went by though, and by the time they arrived at the capital, the two were good friends again.
Inuyasha hoped Kikyo would forgive him as well. He couldn't explain it, but her anger hurt him.
"But Inu, Yuki probably really misses me..." Sesshoumaru whined to Inuyasha.
"Look, we just have to go to the emperor's palace and get what we came here for in the first place."
"You mean what you came here for," he mumbled.
"Does the word, 'ryoo', ring a bell?"
"Let's go to the palace!" he said grinning. Inuyasha laughed with both pity and humor. He was about to say something to Kikyo, but she turned away before he could even fully make eye contact.
"Oh yeah..." he mumbled, slightly blushing "Forgot.."
Within no time they were outside the emperor's gates. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru no more had to unsheathe their swords before the guards recognized them and ran off for backup.
"Well," Inuyasha said, "That was easy enough." He started to go in, then stopped and turned back around. "You comin' Kikyo?"
She turned her back to him. "Hmph!"
"Well, at least she made some sort of reply," he said sarcastically. "You ask her."
Sesshoumaru turned to Kikyo. "Are you coming with us, Kikyo-san?"
Of course she didn't really want to talk to him either, but she was a bit more leniant. "No thank you. I'll take my chances out here."
"Naturally," Inuyasha sneered. "Come on Sesshou." So the two entered the palace grounds.
Aimi:Okay.. Running out of stuff to put in the author's note.. So bored... I originally typed this in a NORMAL format, but the stupid site messes it all up, so I have to go back, fix all the spacing, and save it chapter by chapter to my stupid floppy disk so I can upload it correctly... Now I've been working on this all day. It's already ten thiry!! Ugh.. sigh So bored.. So tired.. Must keep typing...