Disclaimer: I don't own anything on this except my thoughts… And I don't think you'd want them either.
Thank you:
Chibi Hanyou - You'll have to take an IOU on the ten thousand yen cos I've used it to bribe a few people to get a hold of Sess. As for making him Sess yet still cute and fluffy, I just amaze myself sometimes.
Rhymsie - Wow! One of *my* favourite writers dropping a comment or two! Thanks for the compliment! I do try to keep it as believable as possible and it does get difficult at times, truth be told. But then again, there's just too much to write about.
Stacerue - Well, this looks to be a long story. I just realised that there's three parts to it at current standing. Not including the Side Story [still in the works]. Well, as long as it grabs the readers' interest, I'll continue to post it. And yeah, I do like the SessKag pairing a lot.
Amreld - Well, there's a plot now. After abruptly ending it after the next chapter, I realised that I could possibly continue if I wanted to, just need the inspiration and story plot to come together. Well, let's see where it goes after this.
wackoramaco87 - I'm glad you like the heavy action going on here. After all, as I've said earlier, you must have a little violence when in the IY universe. Plus, I can't write the 'other kind of action' so I do what I can. *lol* SessKag moments are really nice to write about when the inspiration and mood strikes. Otherwise, it's just more plot or action. But keep reading!
And thank you to Sesshie lover, Devidoo, Toki Mirage, Suki1, narXie-marie, Saria4, vy ngo, shelli_224 and Lastly for your kind encouragement!
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Chapter 11: A Meeting Between Youkai and Human
Naraku's castle in the far north
Naraku watched in horrified fascination as his latest creation was destroyed with a single strike from Sesshoumaru's transformed blade. Watching it as if in slow motion, he saw the sword's blade lengthen and broaden, glowing with a blazing light as the taiyoukai lord brought it down in the killing blow. As the blade cleaved through the spider youkai's flesh, Naraku himself could almost feel the sword piercing his own body. His breath hitched in his throat and he was forced to turn away from the scene in Kanna's mirror.
Steadying his breathing, he dismissed the pale girl and leaned heavily against the wooden wall behind him. This event had seriously set his plans back and he was at a loss to think of countering it. A part of him was thankful that Kagura was out and he was spared the bitch's smirking face. Most likely, he would have crushed her heart as a means of relieving his frustrations. But he knew that Kagura would have witnessed the battle herself. He had, after all, ordered her to spy on the youkai lord and his human pet.
"Damn it! What in the darkest hell is that sword?" Naraku hissed in anger. His eyes suddenly widened as he realised that the girl could have possibly aided the youkai lord in the blade's transformation. Could that be part of her power? Could she truly possess the Shikon itself and thereby wield its power in such a way?
Narrowing his eyes in dark contemplation, Naraku pondered upon the turn in events since the girl's mysterious arrival. After all, Sesshoumaru had suddenly decide to 'adopt' a human female at about the same time Naraku had felt the Shikon's power being broadcast throughout the lands. And if he had felt it even as far away as he was, then the Lord of the Western Lands would have easily picked up on it. And being the powerful master of his domain, it would be but a simple matter to claim the girl as his property. Naraku unconsciously bared his teeth at the thought.
However, the most important thing now was to find out about that sword before challenging the youkai lord. Once that was done, the girl and the Shikon she carried would be within his grasp.
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Battleground of the spider youkai,
Early morning
Kagome had given up on trying to shift Sesshoumaru's unconscious frame. As she had tried to seek some form of leverage to roll him off her, the youkai lord had simply tightened his hold about her. His breathing was now rhythmic and it comforted Kagome as to his well being. The blood from his wounds had stopped flowing and she was grateful for it. The top she wore was now slightly sticky and she grimaced at the thought of having to wash it later. Blood was never wash-friendly.
Squirming under his weight, she managed to half-slide out from under him. She was lucky that his armour had been destroyed in the fight, if it hadn't, she would have had a lot of very angry bruises upon her. Thinking about this, she suddenly wondered how she managed to avoid being impaled when he had tossed her over his shoulder. Mentally shaking her head to brush aside that embarrassing thought, she continued to wriggle herself free. Sighing in relief once she managed to escape, Kagome realised that it would be rather unfair to leave the injured youkai lord alone and sprawled upon the ground.
Nibbling her lower lip in thought, she then decided to prop his head upon her lap and wait for Jaken to eventually make an appearance. She could not help but wonder what was taking the little toad so long. It just did not seem right considering the near mindless devotion the little youkai showed his master. Surely he had not been attacked and was currently being digested in some indiscriminate youkai's belly? The thought made Kagome almost sick. As much as she disliked the retainer, Jaken did not deserve such a cruel fate. He had tried to get her away from the fight earlier but she had stubbornly remained.
As Kagome was pondering the fate of Sesshoumaru's retainer, she was not aware of her hand stroking through the pale silky strands that flowed over her lap. She continued to sit and stare at the sky wondering, when Sesshoumaru's eyes eventually fluttered open. He had felt the soft touch and his body had instinctively relaxed in the comfort it gave. Sesshoumaru was familiar with Kagome's handling of his person and he allowed himself the luxury of indulging in it. His senses detected nothing except the early dawn activities of the local wildlife and Kagome.
He could feel his body healing from its wounds but the poison had weakened him considerably. By his estimates, it would take another hour or so before he would be strong enough to walk. Thankfully, the calmness in the air and the soothing presence of the human girl lulled him into a restful state. Leaving the girl to her private musings, Sesshoumaru was unaware of the small group that was approaching them from the south. His eyes only flew open when he felt Kagome stiffening in surprise and worry. Growling low, he pushed himself up to glare at the intruders.
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Miroku and Sango gaped at the strange scene before them as Kirara came to land at the outskirts of the wood. Sango remembered her as the girl who had been crouching at the youkai lord's feet as they had flown overhead over two weeks before. Miroku was simply shocked that the said youkai had taste in women, considering the muttered speculations he had heard on his journey throughout the lands. Whatever the reason, the said youkai was now awake and in a very unpleasant mood. The girl simply stared at them, her mouth slightly open as though about to say something.
Kirara broke the stand-off by brushing past the two humans and bowing low before the stern-faced taiyoukai. A moment later, she transformed into her kitten form as a gesture of peace. The girl gasped in surprise and looked almost delighted at the little cat, her fingers twitching as if eager to stroke and cuddle it. Taking this a sign to present themselves to the true lord of the land, the two humans bowed low in greeting. Sango made certain not to place her hands anywhere near her weapons and Miroku affected a priestly stance with his hands politely clasped.
The taiyoukai scrutinised them for a long moment before giving them a slight nod. He remained impassive although still alert for any trickery or ambush the newcomers might plan. As weak as he was, Sesshoumaru had decided on a swift course of action to take out the cat youkai before it could fully transform. The humans would be easy enough to handle then. But even as they approached a little closer, Sesshoumaru was forced to revise his strategy. The female was dressed in the garbs of a youkai exterminator while the priest held a potency to his ki that made the youkai lord wary.
Kagome was a little unsure about the situation. A part of her was delighted to see other humans, but another part of her was wondering at their intentions. Kagome knew that Sesshoumaru was still recovering and would probably be unable to survive if the trio made an attempt on their lives. But looking at them, Kagome felt that she could trust them. Pushing herself to stand, she caught Sesshoumaru's scowl and inwardly winced at the anger behind it. By standing, she had effectively announced the youkai lord's current condition. But it was done. Sesshoumaru's hand tightened on Tessaiga's hilt ready for any attack.
"Um, hi," Kagome began, frantically trying to think of something to say. "I'm Kagome and this is Sesshoumaru…" At the mention of his name, Kagome swore she could feel the heat of his anger rise several hundred degrees. She began to sweat in worry.
"I'm Miroku," came the priest's smooth masculine voice, "and this is Sango. The adorable little cat is Kirara. We are honoured to have your acquaintance. Please excuse our poor manners, Sesshoumaru-sama."
Kagome was rather taken aback by Miroku's diplomacy but was grateful as Sesshoumaru's ire subsided a little. Sango kept her eyes downcast in respect but she was apparently observing the scene intently. She knew that the priest was more than capable with his silver tongue and gave him the floor. The taiyoukai's unnerving gaze continued to train on them but the threat was now muted.
Kirara however, made her way to the girl Kagome and gave a small mewl of greeting. Sango watched as the girl kneeled down and offered her hand to the little youkai to sniff. Purring in acceptance, Kirara butted her head against the hand and was rewarded with a scratch behind the ears. Mewling a little more, the kitten got its wish and was soon being cuddled and petted by the delighted girl. Sango was surprised at both Kirara's and Kagome's quick acceptance of each other. Watching the little youkai purring contentedly in the girl's lap, the two males could not help the envy that suddenly sprang up. Finally deciding to take the situation into his hands, Sesshoumaru broke the silence.
"Why are you here, humans?" came the terse question.
"We are searching for the youkai that destroyed Tamura village, Sesshoumaru-sama," was the straightforward reply. "We've traced its trail to this section of the forest before coming upon your lordship."
Sesshoumaru's impassive face hid the frown he had. So this youkai had destroyed an entire village before facing him in battle. He knew that some of the more aggressive youkai would attack villages but that would only guarantee their destruction at either the hands of trained human exterminators like the female Sango, or eliminated by a taiyoukai employed at keeping the lands relatively safe.
Sesshoumaru may not care about humans in general, but they served their purpose in ensuring his basic comforts. In return, they were largely spared from the more dangerous youkai by his active presence in the Western Lands. Something was not right here. As far as Sesshoumaru knew, there were very few youkai that could challenge him. Most of them had been killed by either him or his father in the past, and the few that remained chose to hide in the more remote mountains or move further north and east.
Miroku observed the youkai lord and guessed at the thoughts passing through his mind. The priest was more than familiar with the Western Lord's patrol of his territories and for a deadly youkai to suddenly materialise and attempt to beat the crap out of him was cause for question. He could see that the taiyoukai was still recovering from the serious wounds inflicted upon his person and Miroku had to admire the youkai lord's stamina. But he also had a feeling that the girl with him had subtly restrained the taiyoukai's more instinctive response to attack first and ask questions later. His curiosity began to wonder about Kagome and soon led his thoughts to other unrelated matters.
Sesshoumaru came out of his thoughts only to see the priest eyeing Kagome in a way that made him growl deeply in warning. It had the desired effect and everybody turned their attention to him. Kagome looked up surprised, then a little worried as she continued to stare at him. The priest, youkai exterminator and cat youkai had instinctively stepped backwards. Sesshoumaru levelled a dangerous look at the now sweating priest when Kagome crouched beside him and pressed a gentle hand against his uninjured shoulder.
"Sesshoumaru, are you okay? Does it still hurt? Maybe we should get the wounds cleaned up before they become infected," Kagome said, her voice edged with concern and worry. "I'm sorry I didn't think of it sooner."
The youkai lord was taken aback at the girl's concern for his well-being and briefly enjoyed the attention before brushing it away when he remembered they had company.
"I'm fine," he replied flatly as he shrugged her hand off his shoulder. He caught the hurt look in her eyes and felt a sudden pang of guilt at the cold treatment he gave her. But now was not the time for coddling, he wanted answers to his questions and was determined to get it out of the monk and exterminator. Turning away from the now silent girl, he decided to interrogate the other two humans. However, the priest beat him to it.
"Sesshoumaru-sama," Miroku began forcing his voice to remain steady. He was still recovering from the brief crimson-eyed glare the taiyoukai had given him earlier. Miroku guessed that Sesshoumaru had known what he was thinking with regards to Kagome and had been generous enough to warn him. It looked like Kagome would be the only female Miroku would not have the pleasure of asking her to bear his child. His life was short, but not that short. "Have you heard of the one named Naraku?"
When he heard that name, Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes in anger and understanding. He remembered that name from over fifty years ago when the miko Kikyo had sacrificed her life in guarding the Shikon from that foul hanyou. He had been too late in destroying the bastard but managed to prevent him from claiming the accursed jewel. When Kikyo had insisted that it be cremated with her, Sesshoumaru had attended the funeral to make sure that nothing would go wrong. The Shikon no Tama had vanished in the pyre's blaze and all that remained were the miko's ashes and her memory.
Now, it seemed that the past was returning with a vengeance. And Sesshoumaru had every intention on making sure he did a satisfactory job in eliminating the repugnant creature once and for all. He regretted not pursuing the matter then and there but seeing as how the Shikon no Tama had vanished, he had let the matter rest. After all, Naraku was a pathetic excuse of a hanyou; a man who had perverted himself for the supposed power of the youkai. But fifty years could be considered time enough for even someone like Naraku to harness and control the usurped power of low grade youkai. And Naraku was manipulative enough to get what he wanted.
"We believe that the youkai that destroyed Tamura village was the product of Naraku's attempts to begin his quest for control of the lands. He has been suspected of having orchestrated several other attacks including the one on the exterminators' village. He himself has cursed me with the Kazaana and until he is defeated, I will eventually be sucked into the vortex itself," Miroku spoke with a quiet authority. He held up his sealed hand to indicate the said curse
"That creature will die by my hands once I find his foul carcass," Sesshoumaru replied, his voice low and deadly. His hand had tightened on Tessaiga's hilt and his battle aura flared briefly. The others flinched at the powerful display and had little doubt that Naraku's days were severely numbered. Both Miroku and Sango now knew why he was one of the most feared youkai to ever walk the Four Lands.
Kagome watched quietly, her normal curiosity muted by the show of force but she was still smarting from the cold brush-off earlier. As much as she tried to tell herself it should not matter because that was just the way he was, she could not help but remember the small gestures that proved he was more than just a cold-hearted youkai. Thinking a little more on this as the informal meeting continued, Kagome came to the conclusion that Sesshoumaru had difficulty in accepting help from anyone deemed less worthy than him. Despite her concern over his injuries, Kagome could not suppress the surge of anger towards the arrogant youkai lord.
Miroku's explanation drifted off when he felt the strange power from before pushing through his sixth sense. Sesshoumaru had also tensed, sensing the disturbance in Kagome's ki. Glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes, he recalled that she was at her quietest since their first tempestuous meeting. He heard alarm bells go off in his head and he wondered at what could have set her off. Sango looked from one male to the other, uncertain of their sudden silence. Kirara had left the girl's side and was now crouched close by her side in anticipation of some attack. She then realised that they were all watching the silent girl whose head was bowed.
'Could she be the one who possesses that incredible power?' Miroku wondered, his eyes widening in surprise. 'The power is too alike to be otherwise…'
'What in the seven hells is she mad about this time?' Sesshoumaru wondered as he felt the rise in her ki. If she were to vent her frustrations, she would most likely take out half the surrounding area. And this time, Sesshoumaru knew he would not survive it. That left him with only one option and while a large part of him was disgusted for even thinking about it, a small part of him felt a strange thrill. Besides, he reasoned it may just throw her off long enough for the two humans to remind her of their presence. The thought that he denied was that of his curiosity since that first night of her arrival and the breaking of the barrier in wanting to know what it would be like.
"Kagome," Sesshoumaru said as he turned to look the frowning girl in the eye. "You need to control your temper."
Kagome's eyes widened at the statement and she opened her mouth to scream at the insolent youkai when she felt his tail wind around her waist and tighten. A moment later, she was on his lap and looked up to see his mouth coming down on hers. Before she knew it, Kagome was experiencing her first kiss and it was nothing like she had ever imagined – it simply blew her mind.
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Somewhere deep in the forest
Jaken cursed and swore as he finally caught up to the now calm pack animal. After the silly girl had run off to get herself killed, the pack animal had shied and bolted off. Torn between worrying for his lord's safety and the likely wrath he faced from the loss of their sole travelling rations, the retainer opted for the latter. Besides, his lord held the legendary Tessaiga and would no doubt make quick work of the spider youkai. And after the fight, he would probably set up a brief stop to change if his clothes were dirty. And a lost pack animal carrying his clothing would not improve his mood further.
"Why in the Great Youkai's name did you run off? You know I would look out for you and lead you away from the fight, you silly thing!" Jaken ranted as he grabbed hold of the trailing reigns. "Now Sesshoumaru-sama will knock me over the head for letting you run off," he continued to complain as he climbed up for the ride back. "And since that silly wench decided to get herself killed, poor Jaken would probably have his worthless throat ripped out as well," he moaned pathetically as the pack animal made its leisurely way back to its master.
Jaken was not unduly worried about Sesshoumaru's safety although he did keep his senses alert for any approaching predator. Although he could look after himself with the Nintoujou, he preferred to avoid any combat situation. A part of him resented his small stature but he was honest enough to admit to his physical shortcomings. In a way, that was one of the reasons he served Lord Sesshoumaru. With a powerful taiyoukai as his protector, the toad youkai's safety was assured. The only problem with it was the head thumping for his occasional failure in carrying out his lord's demands. But it was a very small price to pay for the indirect glory in serving the Lord of the Western Lands.
The sun was rising and Jaken began to wonder if his lord would be waiting at the site of the attack instead of making his way towards them. As time passed and the pack animal lumbered its way to the scene of carnage, Jaken found his thoughts wandering to the human girl that accompanied them. Jaken hated humans with a passion as they had often bullied and killed his kind simply because they could. Youkai of Jaken's calibre were considered low grade youkai and given their diminutive size, made it relatively easy to capture and destroy them. But the girl had been different, she had actually tolerated his presence and had never started any of the fights.
He remembered Toki's constant praise of the girl's kind and polite nature and had scoffed at it. He remembered their first meeting and the unpleasant memory grated at his pride. She did not have to laugh at him. True, he could have let it pass but he felt confident in challenging her with his lord's presence nearby. Unfortunately, all he got for his effort was a hard kick in the rear and a mouthful of brambles. The small comfort he received was when his lord warned her not to harm him. But it was after the incident in the study that Jaken began to wonder at the girl's hidden abilities. Seeing his master humbled in such a manner had been a traumatic experience. He had kept his distance but watched her closely in case she threatened his lord.
Unfortunately, the incident had appeared to intrigue the Western lord and instead of killing her, had chosen to embarrass her by helping him in the bath. Toki had giggled and speculated if Kagome was to be a little more than just the youkai lord's property and Jaken had balked at the very thought. He knew of the problems that the previous Lady had caused and damned if he were to let history repeat itself. His lord needed a strong youkai mate to produce strong youkai pups to help rule the Western Lands, not a strange and dangerous human female with a possible hidden agenda. Shaking his head, he then glanced up through the trees to see a dark-haired woman fly off in a feather boat. Curious, he tracked her northward bound journey until the trees blocked his view.
'Odd, it seems that she was near the site where the youkai attacked,' Jaken frowned. 'I don't recall seeing her before. Could she have something to do with that spider youkai?'
His worry grew and he urged the pack beast into a run. The trees thinned out and Jaken took in with relief the carcass of the spider youkai. He then realised that there were two additional humans and a small cat youkai sitting with his master and the girl. As he approached, he could see why the small group paid him scant attention. His eyes bulged and almost popped out of his skull and his mouth gaped opened widely. A strangled cry escaped but it went unheeded. There, sitting casually in his master's lap with his tail draped about her, the girl was kissing Sesshoumaru like there was no tomorrow. For the shell-shocked Jaken, it seemed that his worst nightmare had finally come to pass.
The little toad youkai's eyes rolled up into his head as he passed out and he keeled over to tumble into the grass at the group's feet.
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Author's Notes: Finally done! Seems like a long-winded chapter to me but then I felt like I had a lot to say. Personally, I didn't plan to drag out the Sess meets gang scene but it just waffled out. Got to be a more strict in the editing process. But on the interesting stuff, eh?
So Sess kissed Kag… Why did I do that? Maybe because I'm a little frustrated from the earlier chapter. Yeah, I wanted the 'romance' factor to take a more active role so I cheated. I'm no Barbara Cartland so I decided to go ahead with it. Plus, I have a feeling a lot of people were bummed out by the 'near miss' at the end of the previous chapter. Well guys, how's this for ya? *lol* [Pardon the lack of description, it is supposed to be PG-13 after all!]
You know, I'm seriously starting to like the little toadie Jaken. I know that the anime is not exactly canon material but seeing how Takahashi-sensei has a fairly large say in things, I utilised it in my story. I think the little guy gets a bum rap in over 99% of the fics and I wanted to be different. And seeing how I've mapped out a large part of the story in my notebook, the little guy's going to get his chance in the spotlight. Hey… could it be that I'm trying to gun for the "Best Portrayal of That Toadie Whom Everybody Loves to Hate But is Actually Greatly Misunderstood" award? Oh, seems like I'm the only contender…
I'll stop blabbering seeing as how I must have stunned most of my readers with that earth-shattering revelation. ::tries to pry off a certain stumpy green teary-eyed youkai off her leg with a crowbar:: Oh, and don't forget to tell me how this went! "For Sess' sake, Jaken! You're cutting off my blood circulation!"