Chapter 2! Woohoo, hammered this baby out pretty quickly.
Okey dokey. Let us continue. For summaries, disclaimers, and ratings please
look for reference on the first page. And all that other stuff. Here... we...
GO!
Chapter Two: A Piece of Jagged Memory
Sesshoumaru pushed through the crowds, either unaware or uncaring of the whispers and stares that he left in his wake. Lifting his chin so he could see above the crowds, he scanned for black hair. Which didn't particularly help much, but there was a consistency to her hair that differed from any other.
Failing miserably at the task of finding her hair, he centered his magic so as to sense her Miko blood. Ah, there. Shouldering roughly through a group of drunken Youkai, he walked briskly towards where he knew she was. He caught sight of her, being hassled by a Youkai Officer.
She shifted her stance so subtly Sesshoumaru almost didn't catch it. She was preparing for combat, which was to be expected. She didn't have the papers that were needed because she was not involved with the-
"Of course I have papers," she said sweetly, digging into her pocket, then showing with a flourish a license and a few crumpled papers. The cop's eyes scanned them.
"These are fraud." He ripped them apart, and Kagome's eyes narrowed in alarm. "We made a new design for the licenses this past year, girl," he growled.
Kagome slipped her left foot back a foot or so, ready. But instead of attacking her directly, he pressed a button on his wrist.
"Shit," she whispered, and tried to disappear into the crowds again. She was cut off by a Youkai officer, flanked by a few friends. She flipped open a communicator, sending a message to Miroku. "Miroku, I'm caught. Code Blue. You know what to do." She sent it before the Youkai could knock it from her hand.
As the three in front of her reached for her, she put her right foot on the middle one's chest, and, so quickly that the most drunk could only see a blur, ran her boot savagely across the three faces in one swift kick. Pushing off the middle man's chest, she flipped over mid-air and landed deftly on her feet before making a run for it. After many turns and a few good combat moves, she was circled in, completely surrounded by Officers.
She ran her gaze across all her surroundings as the Youkai closed in. Right as one made a leap for her, she jumped up with more strength than a normal human possessed (she had intensive training by a very special teacher.) she grabbed hold of a light fixture coming off the pole. Dropping onto the guy's back, she dodged a few dives and kicked the absolute shit out of another.
Then, suddenly, four of them dove for her at once. And succeeded in grabbing her. Pulling her wrists together sharply behind her back, another Officer yanked her hair so her neck was exposed. Holding a claw to a main vein, they led her behind the stage.
Sesshoumaru was impressed by the display of obvious fighting ability. She had changed, greatly. Then the impact of what happened hit him and his eyes widened in alarm. He looked at the stage. They were going to sell her.
Kagome couldn't believe they got her that easily. Had she been more prepared, she would have picked them all off easily. Now she was shackled at the wrists behind her back and attached to a burly Youkai auctioneer. Her feet were also chained together, so she could only step so far. A collar was fastened about her neck, which was accompanied by a remote with which to shock her should she turn outrageously disobedient. She closed her eyes briefly.
She had never been caught before. Ever.
The auction had been going on for about half an hour. Finally, the auctioneer tugged on her chain.
"C'mon, Beautiful, fetch me a pretty penny, ne?" He leered at her.
She spat in his face. And was rewarded with a shock. She gritted her teeth. Her instructors had done this to her before to get her used to it should something like this happen, and after about a month of that she didn't even flinch. She didn't now either, just glared at him.
Glaring, he pulled her to the stage. He could unchain her now. What Kagome didn't know was that they had added a new feature to the collar, enabling it to render its wearer immobile by issuing such intense pain that even the sturdiest of slaves fell to their knees and gasped.
He unchained her. She couldn't believe it. But it's just as well. If they were going to give her freedom to kick their asses, then that's their problem.
"This is a pretty little firecracker we caught right there in the crowds," the auctioneer started. "She has great fighting abilities, for those of you in need of a body guard. Not a virgin, blue eyes, black hair, wonderful muscle tone. Now, pretty thing, why don't you demonstrate to these fine people what a great fighter you are?" At the invitation, a Youkai with many muscles stepped out. The crowds went wild.
"Eto! Eto! ETO!" they chanted.
Kagome narrowed her eyes and shifted into a fighting position. She was ready now. She was half-crouched, leaning on her back leg with her foreleg stretched out a bit. One arm was in front of her in defensive position and the other slightly behind her for balance and to strike with speed.
Nobody expected her to make the first move, least of all Eto. She was in front of him in the air suddenly, punched his face from side to side, and, not touching the ground since her initial leap, she swung her leg and kicked him with such force he almost stumbled off the stage. Kagome dropped quickly and swung her leg to trip him. He tripped.
Falling back into her position a few feet away, Kagome readied herself. She had only done so much damage because he hadn't expected it.
The crowd watched, rapt.
Slowly Eto stood, red with anger. He came at her with astonishing speed, but Kagome was quicker, both in eyesight and body. When she ceased to be there, Eto stumbled forward when he tried to stop. It takes twice as much energy to swing and miss than to hit. As he was stumbling, Kagome materialized behind him and kicked him at the back of the neck, both knocking him out and sending him off the stage. (she did not really materialize, she's just quick.)
Kagome turned to the auctioneer. Right when she landed a kick to his stomach, he staggered back and hit the purple button, holding the remote so the button could be seen by the audience as he pressed it. Kagome dropped to one knee and struggled to maintain balance.
Standing, the auctioneer continued, "Only the purple button will effect her, she's so strong. The red one is useless! Great body guard, folks! The bidding will start at, oh, say, 21,000 Emani?"
There was a faint whisper among the crowd. You could get up to three fairly decent slaves with that much money. And one who was so headstrong would be a hassle to keep.
"I bid 21,000 Emani!" a voice called out.
The auctioneer snapped his fingers and called out, "We got 21,000! Do I hear 21,000 Emani Seventy Zamu? There we go? Do I hear 22,000? We have 40,000! 40,000 going once, twice OH! 65,000!" A dark figure from the back stood. Kagome couldn't make out his face.
"500,000 Emani," he said. He didn't have to raise his voice, for upon his rising the audience had fallen deathly silent. Three other dark figures in the back turned as if to stare at him.
The auctioneer caught his breath. "Going once, twice... Sold. To our Lord."
Kagome felt her heart sink. Somehow, it hadn't seemed real until she had actually been purchased. She lowered her head and felt a single tear emerge from her eyelashes and splatter on the hard wood of the stage. She would wait, bide her time. Escape.
"We are required to break her in before sending her to your home, m'Lord." The auctioneer bowed low. Beside him, Kagome seemed to be having trouble breathing.
The figure sat. "Hm. Yes, of course. I want her immediately afterwards."
"Yes, m'Lord."
Backstage, Kagome was left alone, chained to a wall. After the latest auction started up, she dug through her utility belt.
After getting that wretched collar off about twenty minutes later, Kagome started towards the nearest building. She walked about it until she reached an escape ladder.
Here we go, she thought, gymnastics all over again. She leapt up, barely managing to grab ahold of the bottom rung with her gloves. Grunting slightly, she hoisted herself up and put a knee on the rung. Having the obstacle over and done with, the climb to the top was easy.
She clicked open her wrist unit. "Commander Kagome here. I'm out and free. On my way home, over and out." She snapped it shut, then ran, jumping from building to building until she reached the edge of the forest.
She set up the path at a slower pace than had been set that morning, a relieved pace. What she would give for some decent company right now... she sighed and stretched, putting her hands behind her head and keeping them there as she walked.
A blur of red jumped from the trees above and landed directly in front of her.
Unable to keep ahold of herself, Kagome dropped her hands and staggered back, both of them automatically reaching for the daggers strapped about her forearms. She growled with recognition and grabbed her swords. Holding them in front of her in and X position, she set her shoulders and spoke in a deadly calm voice.
"Do not come near me, you horrid thing. I will slice your skull open like a cantaloupe."
InuYasha managed to look mildly offended in spite of his good spirits. "Thing? That wasn't very nice. And if you had been nicer to me this morning, maybe I might've helped you out there."
"As you can see, I didn't need your help. Now get out of my way." Sheathing her swords, she pushed him roughly from her path and started up the mountain. He followed her at a good pace, eventually catching up and falling into step with her.
"It was embarrassing to see you up there, being paraded about the stage like a slut. Were you terribly embarrassed?" He asked, hoping his words would bite her. They did.
She turned on her heel to face him, her eyes flaming with the promise to make his death a nice, slow one. "Look, you half-welp, I'm getting awfully tired of your rude remarks. A simple X-motion with my swords and your head will be gone. But I'm feeling more creative tonight. How about poison- dipped daggers? Or..."
She was cut short by the sound of marching further up on the path. She stared up it in disbelief.
A band of Troops, headed by Miroku, were slowly making their way down the mountain. Miroku jumped off his horse and ran to Kagome. "Kagome! Kagome, you're alright! Are you hurt? What happened?"
Kagome rolled her eyes as he embraced her. "I told you on the wrist unit that I was fine, Miroku. What's with the Search Party?"
Miroku looked offended. "I thought you might like a ride up the mountain, is all! I brought Hohori." He gestured towards a tall black stallion, who flared his nostrils and bit at the unfortunate person handling it. Kagome's horse.
Kagome smiled softly at Hohori. "Thanks, Miroku." She patted him on the shoulder and mounted her stallion, who quieted immediately at her touch and nickered softly at her knee, turning his elegant head so that his neck arched beautifully.
Kagome patted Hohori's fetlock lovingly. "I'm okay, Sweets. Let's go home." She nudged her horse, which turned and started up the mountain.
Miroku sighed. "Sometimes I think she loves the horse more than me," he muttered.
InuYasha chose this time to make his presence known. "She loves you?"
Miroku started and whirled about. "Oh. A hanyou? I didn't know they existed...." Miroku looked forlornly at the stallion's glossy tail, which matched its riders hair. "No, I'm not sure she loves me at all." He sighed and mounted his buckskin mare. He looked at InuYasha inquiringly. "Do you need food or lodgings?"
InuYasha almost snorted. He didn't need either, but he did need to see Kagome again. He swallowed his pride and nodded.
Miroku offered him a spare horse cheerfully. "So how do you know Kagome?"
Kagome sank into the bath gratefully, unaware of amber eyes watching her through the balcony. The door to the bathroom was open, and the man on the balcony stared as she sighed and stretched.
Sesshoumaru was, at the least, unsatisfied as a client of the unfortunate auctioneer. News came just shortly after the purchase that Kagome had escaped, leaving the collar and an overturned water barrel as souvenirs.
Sesshoumaru sat quietly in his study and stared blankly at the charcoal drawing. After being thoroughly questioned by the other leaders of Japan, he was exhausted. And, in a way, sad. He had been looking forward to seeing her again, having her smile at him so happily.
But I don't think she will... will she? Sesshoumaru thought forlornly. Her innocence... there's no longer a trace of it. She has grown up wonderfully, but without a smile.
He wondered what had happened to her to make her so.
A knock sounded at the door. Sesshoumaru started as his dilated pupils returned to normal. He cleared his throat and sat up a bit straighter in his chair.
"Come in," he said in a dignified manner.
The door opened and the child kitsune, Shippou, poked his head in peevishly. "Guess what, Sesshy?" he crowed.
"Do not call me that."
Shippou ignored him and continued on cheerfully. "Y'know that slave you bought today?"
Sesshoumaru felt the blood in his veins pick up the pace a bit, but he swallowed nonchalantly and pretended to return most of his attention to the paperwork on his desk. "I recall, yes."
Shippou hopped in completely, slamming the door and causing Sesshoumaru to wince and shoot him and irritated glare. "Well, it turns out that she is one of the two Commanders of the leading Human Forces! Didja know that?"
Shocked, Sesshoumaru leaned back slightly in his chair and regarded the kitsune as Shippou basked in the glow of having the great Lord's full attention. "Really," the dog demon murmured thoughtfully.
"Yep! A few of the Youkai Police saw her escape to the forest in front of the mountain. They investigated and found a well-hidden dirt path. We think that it leads up to where the Forces are training, high up on the mountain in a long-forgotten human Abbey!" Shippou looked highly excited. "This is the famed Human Forces we've been hearing about! The ones that some say will be our downfall! The few men we captured from that area have confessed completely." Shippou slid his gaze slyly over to Sesshoumaru. "It seems that your little slave is one of the leading human commanders in the world, and is the sole intensive trainer of the troops. The other Commander, a male called Miroku-" Sesshoumaru remembered that, from when Kagome had yelled into her communicator "-specializes more specifically in breaking into heavily-guarded areas and spy-work.
"We have Youkai troops waiting for your command, Sesshy! All we need is the go-ahead, and those humans are squashed!" Shippou finished triumphantly, oblivious to the disquiet that had settled over the elder Lord.
Sesshoumaru gazed at the charcoal drawing again. "I will... I will think on it."
Shippou, expecting praise rather than a thoughtful dismissal, sighed and moped his way back to the corridor, shutting the door quietly.
To his dismay, Sesshoumaru was a slave to his eyes as they inevitably led them back to the charcoal picture of the enchanting little girl with a smile in her eyes.
Finally saturated with water, Kagome yawned and stretched not unlike a cat, then got out of the tub. As she leaned over to get the towel from the floor, a strong pair of arms circled her waist and a face nuzzled itself affectionately into her hair. Kagome groaned.
"Miroku! I've just barely gotten over that stupid ordeal at the cit---"
She was cut off by a strangled choking sound, somewhat like crying, and the face said, muffled, "Kikyo..."
Kagome felt her insides freeze completely, and she whirled, the towel clutched protectively over her chest. And she did something that she never did---she considered it childish and immature---she screamed. She screamed bloody murder.
Feeling around, her hand closed around a soap bar, and she hurled it at InuYasha. His eyes had turned red where the white should have been, his mouth parted slightly. The soap hit him, but he kept moving forward. Feeling like she was drowning, Kagome shrieked, with every ounce of energy she had,
"MIROKUUUUU!!!" The cry itself was so anguished, so full of fear, that a few men in the dining hall actually froze, silenced. They knew to whom the voice belonged, but did not believe it.
A chair clattered to the floor, overturned in haste, and Miroku disappeared at bullet speed out of the hall.
He turned swiftly to avoid colliding with the wall opposite, slid to his knees, and scrambled up again. He heard again the gut-wrenching scream... the terror echoed along the halls, made the shadows grow and swallow up his sight. The gargoyles looked at him beseechingly and mockingly at the same time; both hoping he would get there in time and glad for the despair that fed them life.
Miroku raced up the stairs, only torches lighting them, and he cursed at Kagome's choice of the highest room in the Abbey. The flames of the torches waved drastically and flickered, irritated, as he rushed past. Every step was seeping him of his strength, and he could not run fast enough. He wouldn't make it, he wouldn't make it... dear God, what was happening to her?
He felt so tired. Her voice sounded again, raised to a banshee's chorus, a desperate, tear-choked cry of his name.
His eyes filled with the promise of tears, he couldn't help, he ran faster. "Kagome!" He choked out, cherub carvings sending him pitying looks as he raced, seemingly, for his life.
Finally, the steps ended. Part of him knew that the steps weren't long at all, and that he had only spent, at the most, thirty to forty seconds climbing them, but already they seemed like a distant memory, and he couldn't even remember what he had for dinner.
He shouldered the door open just as another screech echoed around the room. It came from the bathroom. He slid on a bar of soap and stopped in the doorway.
Kagome huddled, naked, the towel in shreds and cuts on her shoulders and collar bone, at the far end of the bathroom, and the newcomer InuYasha advanced on her. He was stripped to the waist, his movements stalking.
Miroku released and unintelligible cry of rage and flew at the hanyou, startled to see that InuYasha's eyes were a bright, glowing red. His fist connected straight and true, and InuYasha flew into the bathtub, cracking it. Water spilled out and onto the floor.
The hanyou seemed to have lost consciousness, and he bled from the scalp where he had hit the wall.
Breathing hard, tears slipping down his cheeks, Miroku kneeled next to the screaming, cowering Kagome and cradled her in his arms. She leaned fully against him, babbling, her words streaming in with one another. She was shaking.
Miroku stroked her hair. "Shh... shh... it's over, love. It's done," he whispered lowly, his voice slightly raspy from the bile that had risen and fell in his throat at the first scream he had heard.
He had never seen her like this; so broken, so terrified, trembling violently and unable to speak comprehensively. It tore at an area below his ribcage, and his stomach dropped to his knees.
Her hands groped, as if she didn't quite believe he was there. They touched, slid, all over his chest and face, making sure it was him and he was fully there. "Miroku, Miroku, he came at me, in the bath. He came and said I was Kikyo and I'm not Kikyo and he was going to rape me, he kept touching me. He scratched me, he touched me, he said... he said..." Kagome's voice choked and she tucked her head into the crook of his neck, hunching her shoulders protectively. She sobbed, "Miroku..."
Rage boiled inside of him. She had been untouched only three months before-- -all she had ever had was him. She didn't know... she was as good as innocent, almost. He suddenly hated this hanyou with every fiber of his being.
"Mir-Miroku... I can't be up here anymore. I can't. I can't, don't make me," she choked into his neck.
He remembered when he had first gotten here, a month after she did, seven months earlier. They had fought over this room and she had won, as only a woman could. She had refused to share a room with him, even though everyone knew that they were together. "Of course not, you can do whatever you like, my love, my sweet. Don't worry." His voice calmed her visibly.
"Can... can I sleep in your room tonight, Miroku? Please?"
Miroku laid his cheek on her head, hugging him to her tightly. "Of course. Let's get you dressed, okay?"
Kagome nodded and stood shakily, but with Miroku's help, and collected a few belongings and Miroku carried her bride-style to his room, where all the troops crowded in the hallway to hear about what happened.
Miroku said curtly, "Kagome was attacked sexually in her quarters. Tian, Dirapo, will you please go up to Lady Kagome's room and escort the hanyou out?"
The two soldiers nodded, eyes darkening perceptibly with untamed anger. All the troops held affection for their leaders, even when training with Kagome became brutal, because no matter what she was the nicest, kindest person other than Miroku that they had ever known. They were terribly protective of her, both verbally and physically, when guests came to the Abbey to critique her work.
"We're on it, sir," Dirapo nodded jerkily and walked up the steps with his hand on his hilt.
Tian paused next to Kagome and looked at her sadly, as she slept fitfully in Miroku's arms. The T-shirt she wore to bed had come down over one shoulder and the claw marks were visible. Tian hurried up the stairs after Dirapo.
InuYasha awoke in... a bathtub?
He struggled for consciousness, trying to remember what had happened. He had been on the balcony, had had plans to talk to Kagome a bit. He had watched her in the bath, and felt something he had not felt in some time: Lust.
Suddenly, out of the void of no memory, came bits and pieces. He had gone crazy, his demon side erupting upon seeing her naked. He had scratched her, ripped her towel, promised to fuck her until her insides were raw...
Remembering the things he said made him sick to his stomach. He had smelled her fear and had been excited by it. Oh, God. Oh dear God. Kagome... How could he to... Kagome... FUCK.
Guilt ripped at his insides, and anguished despair washed over him as he realized that Kagome had been saved from him by Miroku. She must hate him now. As is to be expected. InuYasha certainly hated himself.
Two men stepped into the bathroom. One drew his sword and pointed it at InuYasha.
"You, filth," he said, almost amicably, "Deserve to die a horrible, slow, agony-filled death."
The other had tears in his eyes, looking into memory. "I saw her scratches-- -they bleed. She tosses in her sleep. That's the first time I've ever seen her cry." He turned his teary, hating gaze at InuYasha. "I hate you."
The first one that spoke, swiped his sword back and forth, leaving the hanyou with a long, bleeding line on each cheek, deep enough to scar permanently. "We are not allowed to kill you. We are only to escort your slimy ass out of the castle. Get up. Now."
Kagome clutched at Miroku all through that night, nightmarish terrors making her scream and cry. Miroku could only shut his eyes helplessly, hold his tears at bay. He was glad, in a selfish way, that he did not know what happened to her in her dreams as she slept.
He never wanted to know what happened in the wasteland of Kagome's sleep, where terror and fear resided and lurked, where pain was waiting around every corner. Despair tore at her eyelids; stark terror made marks in his shoulders where her fingernails dug in.
She lay thrashing in the throes of a nightmare that she would not escape for a long, long time. Even in the haven of the sunlight, she was forced to see her almost-rape every time the blackness encased her during the eternity of every blink.
And, for the first time in her life, she had memories of amber eyes and white waterfalls of hair, silky soft, but the eyes were lusty and hurting, not kind and gently. The hair turned coarse like the inside of her mouth, bone-dry. The claws, once so gentle in the bowels of her mind, tore at her towel and dug deep into her skin, ripping, tearing, hurting, pain.
Author's Note: Oh my God... I didn't see THAT coming, didn't know it was happening till I wrote it. Freaky. InuYasha is not a dream any more. But what happens when Sesshoumaru takes back what he bought? I know Hojo and Kouga were supposed to come in, but they didn't, so they will at some point. I dunno. Happy Reading!
Chapter Two: A Piece of Jagged Memory
Sesshoumaru pushed through the crowds, either unaware or uncaring of the whispers and stares that he left in his wake. Lifting his chin so he could see above the crowds, he scanned for black hair. Which didn't particularly help much, but there was a consistency to her hair that differed from any other.
Failing miserably at the task of finding her hair, he centered his magic so as to sense her Miko blood. Ah, there. Shouldering roughly through a group of drunken Youkai, he walked briskly towards where he knew she was. He caught sight of her, being hassled by a Youkai Officer.
She shifted her stance so subtly Sesshoumaru almost didn't catch it. She was preparing for combat, which was to be expected. She didn't have the papers that were needed because she was not involved with the-
"Of course I have papers," she said sweetly, digging into her pocket, then showing with a flourish a license and a few crumpled papers. The cop's eyes scanned them.
"These are fraud." He ripped them apart, and Kagome's eyes narrowed in alarm. "We made a new design for the licenses this past year, girl," he growled.
Kagome slipped her left foot back a foot or so, ready. But instead of attacking her directly, he pressed a button on his wrist.
"Shit," she whispered, and tried to disappear into the crowds again. She was cut off by a Youkai officer, flanked by a few friends. She flipped open a communicator, sending a message to Miroku. "Miroku, I'm caught. Code Blue. You know what to do." She sent it before the Youkai could knock it from her hand.
As the three in front of her reached for her, she put her right foot on the middle one's chest, and, so quickly that the most drunk could only see a blur, ran her boot savagely across the three faces in one swift kick. Pushing off the middle man's chest, she flipped over mid-air and landed deftly on her feet before making a run for it. After many turns and a few good combat moves, she was circled in, completely surrounded by Officers.
She ran her gaze across all her surroundings as the Youkai closed in. Right as one made a leap for her, she jumped up with more strength than a normal human possessed (she had intensive training by a very special teacher.) she grabbed hold of a light fixture coming off the pole. Dropping onto the guy's back, she dodged a few dives and kicked the absolute shit out of another.
Then, suddenly, four of them dove for her at once. And succeeded in grabbing her. Pulling her wrists together sharply behind her back, another Officer yanked her hair so her neck was exposed. Holding a claw to a main vein, they led her behind the stage.
Sesshoumaru was impressed by the display of obvious fighting ability. She had changed, greatly. Then the impact of what happened hit him and his eyes widened in alarm. He looked at the stage. They were going to sell her.
Kagome couldn't believe they got her that easily. Had she been more prepared, she would have picked them all off easily. Now she was shackled at the wrists behind her back and attached to a burly Youkai auctioneer. Her feet were also chained together, so she could only step so far. A collar was fastened about her neck, which was accompanied by a remote with which to shock her should she turn outrageously disobedient. She closed her eyes briefly.
She had never been caught before. Ever.
The auction had been going on for about half an hour. Finally, the auctioneer tugged on her chain.
"C'mon, Beautiful, fetch me a pretty penny, ne?" He leered at her.
She spat in his face. And was rewarded with a shock. She gritted her teeth. Her instructors had done this to her before to get her used to it should something like this happen, and after about a month of that she didn't even flinch. She didn't now either, just glared at him.
Glaring, he pulled her to the stage. He could unchain her now. What Kagome didn't know was that they had added a new feature to the collar, enabling it to render its wearer immobile by issuing such intense pain that even the sturdiest of slaves fell to their knees and gasped.
He unchained her. She couldn't believe it. But it's just as well. If they were going to give her freedom to kick their asses, then that's their problem.
"This is a pretty little firecracker we caught right there in the crowds," the auctioneer started. "She has great fighting abilities, for those of you in need of a body guard. Not a virgin, blue eyes, black hair, wonderful muscle tone. Now, pretty thing, why don't you demonstrate to these fine people what a great fighter you are?" At the invitation, a Youkai with many muscles stepped out. The crowds went wild.
"Eto! Eto! ETO!" they chanted.
Kagome narrowed her eyes and shifted into a fighting position. She was ready now. She was half-crouched, leaning on her back leg with her foreleg stretched out a bit. One arm was in front of her in defensive position and the other slightly behind her for balance and to strike with speed.
Nobody expected her to make the first move, least of all Eto. She was in front of him in the air suddenly, punched his face from side to side, and, not touching the ground since her initial leap, she swung her leg and kicked him with such force he almost stumbled off the stage. Kagome dropped quickly and swung her leg to trip him. He tripped.
Falling back into her position a few feet away, Kagome readied herself. She had only done so much damage because he hadn't expected it.
The crowd watched, rapt.
Slowly Eto stood, red with anger. He came at her with astonishing speed, but Kagome was quicker, both in eyesight and body. When she ceased to be there, Eto stumbled forward when he tried to stop. It takes twice as much energy to swing and miss than to hit. As he was stumbling, Kagome materialized behind him and kicked him at the back of the neck, both knocking him out and sending him off the stage. (she did not really materialize, she's just quick.)
Kagome turned to the auctioneer. Right when she landed a kick to his stomach, he staggered back and hit the purple button, holding the remote so the button could be seen by the audience as he pressed it. Kagome dropped to one knee and struggled to maintain balance.
Standing, the auctioneer continued, "Only the purple button will effect her, she's so strong. The red one is useless! Great body guard, folks! The bidding will start at, oh, say, 21,000 Emani?"
There was a faint whisper among the crowd. You could get up to three fairly decent slaves with that much money. And one who was so headstrong would be a hassle to keep.
"I bid 21,000 Emani!" a voice called out.
The auctioneer snapped his fingers and called out, "We got 21,000! Do I hear 21,000 Emani Seventy Zamu? There we go? Do I hear 22,000? We have 40,000! 40,000 going once, twice OH! 65,000!" A dark figure from the back stood. Kagome couldn't make out his face.
"500,000 Emani," he said. He didn't have to raise his voice, for upon his rising the audience had fallen deathly silent. Three other dark figures in the back turned as if to stare at him.
The auctioneer caught his breath. "Going once, twice... Sold. To our Lord."
Kagome felt her heart sink. Somehow, it hadn't seemed real until she had actually been purchased. She lowered her head and felt a single tear emerge from her eyelashes and splatter on the hard wood of the stage. She would wait, bide her time. Escape.
"We are required to break her in before sending her to your home, m'Lord." The auctioneer bowed low. Beside him, Kagome seemed to be having trouble breathing.
The figure sat. "Hm. Yes, of course. I want her immediately afterwards."
"Yes, m'Lord."
Backstage, Kagome was left alone, chained to a wall. After the latest auction started up, she dug through her utility belt.
After getting that wretched collar off about twenty minutes later, Kagome started towards the nearest building. She walked about it until she reached an escape ladder.
Here we go, she thought, gymnastics all over again. She leapt up, barely managing to grab ahold of the bottom rung with her gloves. Grunting slightly, she hoisted herself up and put a knee on the rung. Having the obstacle over and done with, the climb to the top was easy.
She clicked open her wrist unit. "Commander Kagome here. I'm out and free. On my way home, over and out." She snapped it shut, then ran, jumping from building to building until she reached the edge of the forest.
She set up the path at a slower pace than had been set that morning, a relieved pace. What she would give for some decent company right now... she sighed and stretched, putting her hands behind her head and keeping them there as she walked.
A blur of red jumped from the trees above and landed directly in front of her.
Unable to keep ahold of herself, Kagome dropped her hands and staggered back, both of them automatically reaching for the daggers strapped about her forearms. She growled with recognition and grabbed her swords. Holding them in front of her in and X position, she set her shoulders and spoke in a deadly calm voice.
"Do not come near me, you horrid thing. I will slice your skull open like a cantaloupe."
InuYasha managed to look mildly offended in spite of his good spirits. "Thing? That wasn't very nice. And if you had been nicer to me this morning, maybe I might've helped you out there."
"As you can see, I didn't need your help. Now get out of my way." Sheathing her swords, she pushed him roughly from her path and started up the mountain. He followed her at a good pace, eventually catching up and falling into step with her.
"It was embarrassing to see you up there, being paraded about the stage like a slut. Were you terribly embarrassed?" He asked, hoping his words would bite her. They did.
She turned on her heel to face him, her eyes flaming with the promise to make his death a nice, slow one. "Look, you half-welp, I'm getting awfully tired of your rude remarks. A simple X-motion with my swords and your head will be gone. But I'm feeling more creative tonight. How about poison- dipped daggers? Or..."
She was cut short by the sound of marching further up on the path. She stared up it in disbelief.
A band of Troops, headed by Miroku, were slowly making their way down the mountain. Miroku jumped off his horse and ran to Kagome. "Kagome! Kagome, you're alright! Are you hurt? What happened?"
Kagome rolled her eyes as he embraced her. "I told you on the wrist unit that I was fine, Miroku. What's with the Search Party?"
Miroku looked offended. "I thought you might like a ride up the mountain, is all! I brought Hohori." He gestured towards a tall black stallion, who flared his nostrils and bit at the unfortunate person handling it. Kagome's horse.
Kagome smiled softly at Hohori. "Thanks, Miroku." She patted him on the shoulder and mounted her stallion, who quieted immediately at her touch and nickered softly at her knee, turning his elegant head so that his neck arched beautifully.
Kagome patted Hohori's fetlock lovingly. "I'm okay, Sweets. Let's go home." She nudged her horse, which turned and started up the mountain.
Miroku sighed. "Sometimes I think she loves the horse more than me," he muttered.
InuYasha chose this time to make his presence known. "She loves you?"
Miroku started and whirled about. "Oh. A hanyou? I didn't know they existed...." Miroku looked forlornly at the stallion's glossy tail, which matched its riders hair. "No, I'm not sure she loves me at all." He sighed and mounted his buckskin mare. He looked at InuYasha inquiringly. "Do you need food or lodgings?"
InuYasha almost snorted. He didn't need either, but he did need to see Kagome again. He swallowed his pride and nodded.
Miroku offered him a spare horse cheerfully. "So how do you know Kagome?"
Kagome sank into the bath gratefully, unaware of amber eyes watching her through the balcony. The door to the bathroom was open, and the man on the balcony stared as she sighed and stretched.
Sesshoumaru was, at the least, unsatisfied as a client of the unfortunate auctioneer. News came just shortly after the purchase that Kagome had escaped, leaving the collar and an overturned water barrel as souvenirs.
Sesshoumaru sat quietly in his study and stared blankly at the charcoal drawing. After being thoroughly questioned by the other leaders of Japan, he was exhausted. And, in a way, sad. He had been looking forward to seeing her again, having her smile at him so happily.
But I don't think she will... will she? Sesshoumaru thought forlornly. Her innocence... there's no longer a trace of it. She has grown up wonderfully, but without a smile.
He wondered what had happened to her to make her so.
A knock sounded at the door. Sesshoumaru started as his dilated pupils returned to normal. He cleared his throat and sat up a bit straighter in his chair.
"Come in," he said in a dignified manner.
The door opened and the child kitsune, Shippou, poked his head in peevishly. "Guess what, Sesshy?" he crowed.
"Do not call me that."
Shippou ignored him and continued on cheerfully. "Y'know that slave you bought today?"
Sesshoumaru felt the blood in his veins pick up the pace a bit, but he swallowed nonchalantly and pretended to return most of his attention to the paperwork on his desk. "I recall, yes."
Shippou hopped in completely, slamming the door and causing Sesshoumaru to wince and shoot him and irritated glare. "Well, it turns out that she is one of the two Commanders of the leading Human Forces! Didja know that?"
Shocked, Sesshoumaru leaned back slightly in his chair and regarded the kitsune as Shippou basked in the glow of having the great Lord's full attention. "Really," the dog demon murmured thoughtfully.
"Yep! A few of the Youkai Police saw her escape to the forest in front of the mountain. They investigated and found a well-hidden dirt path. We think that it leads up to where the Forces are training, high up on the mountain in a long-forgotten human Abbey!" Shippou looked highly excited. "This is the famed Human Forces we've been hearing about! The ones that some say will be our downfall! The few men we captured from that area have confessed completely." Shippou slid his gaze slyly over to Sesshoumaru. "It seems that your little slave is one of the leading human commanders in the world, and is the sole intensive trainer of the troops. The other Commander, a male called Miroku-" Sesshoumaru remembered that, from when Kagome had yelled into her communicator "-specializes more specifically in breaking into heavily-guarded areas and spy-work.
"We have Youkai troops waiting for your command, Sesshy! All we need is the go-ahead, and those humans are squashed!" Shippou finished triumphantly, oblivious to the disquiet that had settled over the elder Lord.
Sesshoumaru gazed at the charcoal drawing again. "I will... I will think on it."
Shippou, expecting praise rather than a thoughtful dismissal, sighed and moped his way back to the corridor, shutting the door quietly.
To his dismay, Sesshoumaru was a slave to his eyes as they inevitably led them back to the charcoal picture of the enchanting little girl with a smile in her eyes.
Finally saturated with water, Kagome yawned and stretched not unlike a cat, then got out of the tub. As she leaned over to get the towel from the floor, a strong pair of arms circled her waist and a face nuzzled itself affectionately into her hair. Kagome groaned.
"Miroku! I've just barely gotten over that stupid ordeal at the cit---"
She was cut off by a strangled choking sound, somewhat like crying, and the face said, muffled, "Kikyo..."
Kagome felt her insides freeze completely, and she whirled, the towel clutched protectively over her chest. And she did something that she never did---she considered it childish and immature---she screamed. She screamed bloody murder.
Feeling around, her hand closed around a soap bar, and she hurled it at InuYasha. His eyes had turned red where the white should have been, his mouth parted slightly. The soap hit him, but he kept moving forward. Feeling like she was drowning, Kagome shrieked, with every ounce of energy she had,
"MIROKUUUUU!!!" The cry itself was so anguished, so full of fear, that a few men in the dining hall actually froze, silenced. They knew to whom the voice belonged, but did not believe it.
A chair clattered to the floor, overturned in haste, and Miroku disappeared at bullet speed out of the hall.
He turned swiftly to avoid colliding with the wall opposite, slid to his knees, and scrambled up again. He heard again the gut-wrenching scream... the terror echoed along the halls, made the shadows grow and swallow up his sight. The gargoyles looked at him beseechingly and mockingly at the same time; both hoping he would get there in time and glad for the despair that fed them life.
Miroku raced up the stairs, only torches lighting them, and he cursed at Kagome's choice of the highest room in the Abbey. The flames of the torches waved drastically and flickered, irritated, as he rushed past. Every step was seeping him of his strength, and he could not run fast enough. He wouldn't make it, he wouldn't make it... dear God, what was happening to her?
He felt so tired. Her voice sounded again, raised to a banshee's chorus, a desperate, tear-choked cry of his name.
His eyes filled with the promise of tears, he couldn't help, he ran faster. "Kagome!" He choked out, cherub carvings sending him pitying looks as he raced, seemingly, for his life.
Finally, the steps ended. Part of him knew that the steps weren't long at all, and that he had only spent, at the most, thirty to forty seconds climbing them, but already they seemed like a distant memory, and he couldn't even remember what he had for dinner.
He shouldered the door open just as another screech echoed around the room. It came from the bathroom. He slid on a bar of soap and stopped in the doorway.
Kagome huddled, naked, the towel in shreds and cuts on her shoulders and collar bone, at the far end of the bathroom, and the newcomer InuYasha advanced on her. He was stripped to the waist, his movements stalking.
Miroku released and unintelligible cry of rage and flew at the hanyou, startled to see that InuYasha's eyes were a bright, glowing red. His fist connected straight and true, and InuYasha flew into the bathtub, cracking it. Water spilled out and onto the floor.
The hanyou seemed to have lost consciousness, and he bled from the scalp where he had hit the wall.
Breathing hard, tears slipping down his cheeks, Miroku kneeled next to the screaming, cowering Kagome and cradled her in his arms. She leaned fully against him, babbling, her words streaming in with one another. She was shaking.
Miroku stroked her hair. "Shh... shh... it's over, love. It's done," he whispered lowly, his voice slightly raspy from the bile that had risen and fell in his throat at the first scream he had heard.
He had never seen her like this; so broken, so terrified, trembling violently and unable to speak comprehensively. It tore at an area below his ribcage, and his stomach dropped to his knees.
Her hands groped, as if she didn't quite believe he was there. They touched, slid, all over his chest and face, making sure it was him and he was fully there. "Miroku, Miroku, he came at me, in the bath. He came and said I was Kikyo and I'm not Kikyo and he was going to rape me, he kept touching me. He scratched me, he touched me, he said... he said..." Kagome's voice choked and she tucked her head into the crook of his neck, hunching her shoulders protectively. She sobbed, "Miroku..."
Rage boiled inside of him. She had been untouched only three months before-- -all she had ever had was him. She didn't know... she was as good as innocent, almost. He suddenly hated this hanyou with every fiber of his being.
"Mir-Miroku... I can't be up here anymore. I can't. I can't, don't make me," she choked into his neck.
He remembered when he had first gotten here, a month after she did, seven months earlier. They had fought over this room and she had won, as only a woman could. She had refused to share a room with him, even though everyone knew that they were together. "Of course not, you can do whatever you like, my love, my sweet. Don't worry." His voice calmed her visibly.
"Can... can I sleep in your room tonight, Miroku? Please?"
Miroku laid his cheek on her head, hugging him to her tightly. "Of course. Let's get you dressed, okay?"
Kagome nodded and stood shakily, but with Miroku's help, and collected a few belongings and Miroku carried her bride-style to his room, where all the troops crowded in the hallway to hear about what happened.
Miroku said curtly, "Kagome was attacked sexually in her quarters. Tian, Dirapo, will you please go up to Lady Kagome's room and escort the hanyou out?"
The two soldiers nodded, eyes darkening perceptibly with untamed anger. All the troops held affection for their leaders, even when training with Kagome became brutal, because no matter what she was the nicest, kindest person other than Miroku that they had ever known. They were terribly protective of her, both verbally and physically, when guests came to the Abbey to critique her work.
"We're on it, sir," Dirapo nodded jerkily and walked up the steps with his hand on his hilt.
Tian paused next to Kagome and looked at her sadly, as she slept fitfully in Miroku's arms. The T-shirt she wore to bed had come down over one shoulder and the claw marks were visible. Tian hurried up the stairs after Dirapo.
InuYasha awoke in... a bathtub?
He struggled for consciousness, trying to remember what had happened. He had been on the balcony, had had plans to talk to Kagome a bit. He had watched her in the bath, and felt something he had not felt in some time: Lust.
Suddenly, out of the void of no memory, came bits and pieces. He had gone crazy, his demon side erupting upon seeing her naked. He had scratched her, ripped her towel, promised to fuck her until her insides were raw...
Remembering the things he said made him sick to his stomach. He had smelled her fear and had been excited by it. Oh, God. Oh dear God. Kagome... How could he to... Kagome... FUCK.
Guilt ripped at his insides, and anguished despair washed over him as he realized that Kagome had been saved from him by Miroku. She must hate him now. As is to be expected. InuYasha certainly hated himself.
Two men stepped into the bathroom. One drew his sword and pointed it at InuYasha.
"You, filth," he said, almost amicably, "Deserve to die a horrible, slow, agony-filled death."
The other had tears in his eyes, looking into memory. "I saw her scratches-- -they bleed. She tosses in her sleep. That's the first time I've ever seen her cry." He turned his teary, hating gaze at InuYasha. "I hate you."
The first one that spoke, swiped his sword back and forth, leaving the hanyou with a long, bleeding line on each cheek, deep enough to scar permanently. "We are not allowed to kill you. We are only to escort your slimy ass out of the castle. Get up. Now."
Kagome clutched at Miroku all through that night, nightmarish terrors making her scream and cry. Miroku could only shut his eyes helplessly, hold his tears at bay. He was glad, in a selfish way, that he did not know what happened to her in her dreams as she slept.
He never wanted to know what happened in the wasteland of Kagome's sleep, where terror and fear resided and lurked, where pain was waiting around every corner. Despair tore at her eyelids; stark terror made marks in his shoulders where her fingernails dug in.
She lay thrashing in the throes of a nightmare that she would not escape for a long, long time. Even in the haven of the sunlight, she was forced to see her almost-rape every time the blackness encased her during the eternity of every blink.
And, for the first time in her life, she had memories of amber eyes and white waterfalls of hair, silky soft, but the eyes were lusty and hurting, not kind and gently. The hair turned coarse like the inside of her mouth, bone-dry. The claws, once so gentle in the bowels of her mind, tore at her towel and dug deep into her skin, ripping, tearing, hurting, pain.
Author's Note: Oh my God... I didn't see THAT coming, didn't know it was happening till I wrote it. Freaky. InuYasha is not a dream any more. But what happens when Sesshoumaru takes back what he bought? I know Hojo and Kouga were supposed to come in, but they didn't, so they will at some point. I dunno. Happy Reading!