Chapter Five gave Sesshomaru the upper hand over Inuyasha again, snatching Kagome without even breaking a sweat. And Inuyasha is sure that Sesshomaru is after him. Now that she is gone, how is he supposed to get her back, weak as he is?
For the record (ahem): I do not own, in whole or in part, any part of the Inuyasha franchise. Nor do I own any of the characters from said franchise that are used forthwith. The following story is solely based on the ramblings of a college student at a boring job and are not to be taken or believed as part of the true Inuyasha saga. That being said, please enjoy my first attempt at fan fiction. Feel free to critique ad nauseum. (whew!)
Chapter Six – Searchers of the Truth
Miroku walked silently beside Sango on the dirt path, anxiously watching her profile as she stared straight ahead. I can't take it anymore! "Look. I said I was sorry."
Sango neither looked at him nor asked what he was sorry for. "Yes you did. Several times." Kirara wisely decided to move out of earshot for this conversation and took of down the path, completely unnoticed.
"I didn't know that she was going to take it that seriously. I mean... You know how I am."
"Yes, I know exactly how you are."
She was really starting to sound perturbed. He watched the flush creep up her neck and creep along her cheeks. "How was I supposed to know that she would take a little hand gesture as a proposal of marriage?"
Sango stopped in the middle of the dirt path and faced Miroku. You pig! She wanted to yell at him so badly it hurt her throat not to. But, she didn't want him to know how much his manhandling of every woman he sees hurt her. She pulled every ounce of nerve she had together just to say her next few words at a dull roar. "What did you expect her to do when you rubbed her butt? Say 'monk, stop it.' Of course she was going to think you were in love with her. Did she look old enough to have known better?" The last of her rant came out almost at a scream.
He just shrugged and gave her that half-smile he usually gave. "Aaaaah!" She yelled, releasing much of her pent-up frustration, but not quite enough. She resumed walking, but Miroku stayed put, digesting her words for a moment.
Suddenly, a light dawned on his countenance. He ran to catch up to her, grabbing her arm to halt her march. "You aren't jealous, are you?"
She couldn't look him in the face. Because if I do, he will know that I'm jealous, and he will never, ever let me live it down. He put a finger under her chin and brought her eyes up to his laughing ones. She was so embarrassed at his seeing her like this that she wrenched her arm away and started walking again. "Of course not! But your dallying almost cost us a jewel shard! I had to battle that damn demon all by self. We are supposed to be a team, Miroku. If I can't count on you..."
Again he caught up to her. He stood in front of her to block her path. She just stood there, staring at him, willing him to deny that he was with that girl. "I got there eventually. And I'll have you know that his tentacles were where no tentacles ought to be..."
She pushed past him. "I don't care..."
He turned, now behind her, watching her leave. He said very quietly, "Yes, you do."
Sango stopped, only about a foot away from him. Her shoulders drooped in defeat as she dropped all her gear. He knows. Damn him, he knows. He came up behind her, putting his arms around his waist. She did notice that for once, his hands were in a perfectly respectable place, around her waist. But his chin set on he shoulder, his breath on her throat. "I know you do. I'm glad you care."
"If you're glad I care, then why do you do those things?" She barely breathed the words. She stared ahead, afraid to break the spell he was casting on the moment. Here they were, filthy with claw marks on their clothes, in the middle of a dusty road in the heat of the day, and she thought it was the most romantic place she had ever been. How does he do it? Every time. He has me wrapped around his fingers.
Miroku's lips were so close to her ears, she could feel them as they replied softly, "To get your attention. When I hold you, you push me away. But when I hold them, you drag me closer." He lightly kissed her ear. If he hadn't been holding her, she probably would have dropped to the ground right there.
She turned into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. This is what I have been trying for for so long. Right now.
They had barely touched each other's lips in an intimate kiss when they both heard him. "Sango, thank goodness!" Muttering a string of curses no monk should know, Miroku let go of Sango as a tired Shippo flew at them from the direction of the village. "Sesshomaru has Kagome, and Kaede and I had to sedate Inuyasha with herbs and tie him down to keep him from going after him as a human! Hurry!" Miroku helped Sango pick her things up, and they all ran to Kaede's hut.
When they got there, they found Inuyasha, now human, tied to a chair which was overturned on the floor. Kirara was in her large form, standing on him with two paws and growling menacingly. "Inuyasha, what are you doing? Do you want your brother to know that you grow weaker every new moon?" Miroku just stood over his friend, letting Kirara stay where she was. It is easier for her to do that than for me to. Especially in the state he is in.
"That bastard has Kagome! God knows what he plans to do to her to get to me."
Sango looked over at Miroku when Inuyasha stated this. "Do you really think that Sesshomaru would hurt Kagome just to get Inuyasha to come to him? Is that why he is after her?"
Miroku put one hand to his chin, as if in prayer, before answering in the sagest voice he could muster "If it was his intention to use her as bait, then no. I do not think he will hurt her. At least, he would not hurt her until we can see her. If she is alive, we must be careful in our dealings with Sesshomaru. If she were to die, then there would be no need to be careful, we would just kill him." He straightened up, as if that answered everything. "No, he will not hurt her, Inuyasha. She is more useful to him alive."
Shippo was crying in a corner, scared of Inuyasha's behavior. "Yeah, Inuyasha. He won't hurt her. Please calm down."
Inuyasha stopped struggling, mainly because tired much quicker as a human and there was a giant cat on his chest. "You don't know my brother. He could have killed her already and simply not tell us until we go to retrieve her. We need to go now."
Kaede interceded here. "You are going nowhere, Inuyasha. If I have to sedate you again, I will. You will not reveal your weakness to your brother. He already knows Kagome is one of your weaknesses. Do not let him know the new moon is another."
Sango and Miroku placed their things on the floor and sat down at the fire. "Now that this is settled, we have plenty of time for you to tell us the whole story," Miroku said to Kaede. The old miko nodded to the monk, and began to unravel the past few days they had missed.
When Kagome could finally stand on her own two feet, she had no idea where they were. It is well past midnight, so I know we traveled a long way. I wonder if this is the edge of his lands.
As if in answer to her thoughts, Sesshomaru released her waist, only to grab her arm and turn them in the direction of a magnificent estate. A traditional, sprawling castle came from the mist like a spider, sitting not 15 yards in front of them, and yet she would never have seen it a moment ago. This must be where he lives. It looks just like him.
The outside of the house gleamed with polished mahogany and silver trimmed doors, large archways leading into expansive courtyards enshrouded in the mist that hid it completely. Here and there, lights shone through the papered walls, giving Kagome the impression of someone walking through the halls of the estate with a lantern, watching them enter. But, she wasn't given much time to take more notice of who it might be, or of her surroundings. He was herding her into the main courtyard and through one set of doors after another. She lost count of how many doors and passages they had gone through, with Rin and Jaken close on their heels.
Finally, they came to what seemed to be the very end of the castle. Or the middle of a maze. He wants to make sure that I couldn't find my way out of here, even if I wanted to. Huh? Why did I think that? Maybe he'll leave me alone with Rin, and she can get me out of here. Of course I want to get out of here. Strangely enough, Kagome didn't feel as threatened here as she did at the well. But, before she could put a finger on that feeling, Sesshomaru let go of her arm and she looked into his eyes. Cold and calculating. And menacing. So much for not feeling threatened. Everything about this guy screams threatening.
"You will stay here. Should you require anything, Jaken will get it for you. Until you have answered me, he will be your only company."
Kagome frowned at this. "The toad? I thought you wanted me to teach Rin how to be a miko?" The little girl took a couple of steps towards Kagome at the mention of her name, thinking she was a part of the conversation.
But, Sesshomaru put his hand on her shoulder, keeping Rin beside him and not taking his eyes off of Kagome. "Did you hope that I would leave her with you, so you could get her to lead you out of here?" He let out a little laugh that did nothing to make Kagome feel more comfortable. "Jaken, take Rin to her room. And make sure she cannot find her way back here alone."
Jaken took the little girl out of the room, smiling and murmuring something about stupid mikos and their big mouths. "I can't stand that sniveling little toad!"
Again he smiled. "Am I supposed to make your stay here pleasurable? I was not aware I had hinted at that when I gave you an ultimatum." He took a step closer to her. "Which you still have not answered, may I remind you."
She remembered that conversation. Remembered, hell. The fear I felt at that moment has etched it into my brain. "Keh! You said we would discuss my future. Not lock me in a dungeon and set your toad on me."
He took another step closer to her at those words. "You will be respectful and watch your mouth around me, miko." He was only inches from her, and she had to crane her neck back to still look into his eyes.
His repeated refusal to use her name perked up her courage again. His brother used to do the exact same thing! What's wrong with my name? "My name is Ka-go-me!"
Again he took a step towards her. This time she had to step back or he would have been on top of her. She put her hands up in defense. A pretty weak defense, but it is all I got at the moment. "I will use your name when you show respect!"
"Fine," she muttered. Maybe a concession here will get him to back off a little. He is too intimidating by half. He did not move back, but at least he had stopped his advance. "But, I do not want to stay here. I want to go home."
"I cannot allow you to go home."
"Why? I am of no use to Inuyasha if I am home."
"Because eventually you would come back to him. Your problem is that you are too useful a weapon. He needs you with him. I cannot allow it."
Her eyebrows rose at this. "You cannot allow him to be happy with me?"
He shook his head. "I cannot allow him to be happy he has you. He knows you are a powerful miko. Or you will be. Your powers are like the depths of an ocean no one has yet explored."
He caught her off guard with that remark. Poetic? Kagome shook her head at the picture she got in her mind of Sesshomaru, perched in his tree, reading Byron and sighing at the flowery words. Or just trying to throw me off. "He does not think of me as a weapon. Inuyasha is not like you."
Sesshomaru noticed how his description of her powers left marks on her cheeks. Has this girl never been told of her powers before? Or is she not used to praise? He tried another vein. "Very well, let us discuss your staying here. You cannot go back home, and I will not let you return to Inuyasha," he forestalled her argument again by adding "for whatever reason he wants you back. But, I will let you make up your mind if you want to stay?"
She let out a little laugh at that. "How? You just told me I couldn't leave. That means stay or die. I get it. But I won't help you." Kagome knew something was coming up behind his words, and wasn't sure that she wanted to hear them.
"You are forgetting about your little pupil."
"What about Rin," she whispered, eyeing him suspiciously.
"I have looked extensively for someone to train her. Your other miko is too old to stay here very long and train her. And no other miko I have met has the strength to stand up to me." When she again blushed at his words, he let a slight smile curve his lips for just an instant. "Yes, miko, I think that your courage, even if it is fruitless against me, is very commendable. But, if you decide I should kill you rather than let you stay, Rin will be left without a teacher. Without a purpose..."
Kagome took another step away from him at his insinuation. "You wouldn't kill Rin, would you?" He said nothing, not even moved a muscle. "I thought you liked her. She is never very far away from you. You would kill her just because I don't want to stay with you?"
He lifted his shoulder slightly in reply. But, the abject repulsion in her eyes made him change the subject. "I will let you think on it and give me your answer after Jaken has given you your breakfast. In the meantime, you will tell me about the area where you are from."
His quick change left Kagome without words. He continued to stare at her, and the boldness in his eyes caused her stomach to flutter. This is a guy who is totally used to getting what he wanted. Right now, no questions asked. Hold it together, Kagome. Don't tell him anything. "There isn't really anything to tell."
The look in his eyes as he searched her from head to toe told her he thought otherwise. "It must be far, if you must use your powers to get there. And by the state of your dress, I would say it does not get too very cold there in the wintertime."
Flustered, Kagome fumbled for something to say. Anything. He doesn't know your are from the future, so just make someplace up. "It gets cold, but hardly ever snows. But it is a long way from here." She could not look him in the face as she lied, sure he could see it in her eyes.
His eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out a way to get the information out of her. She had shown no such shyness earlier. Perhaps she is ashamed of where she comes from. A poorer province. That would explain her lack of clothing. "Where is it? Perhaps I already know of it."
A giggle escaped her lips at that thought. If he only knew how close it actually was. "I don't think so. There are no demons there."
He let out a short growl, perceiving what she said as a threat. Or a slight. Does this girl actually think herself better than a demon? He took another step towards her. In response, Kagome's hands shot back in between them and she took another step backwards. "Tell me where you are from, miko."
"No, really. You have never heard of it. I promise." Another step for both of them, and Kagome felt the mahogany and paper wall at her back. Damn, no place left to go.
"It was not a request, miko. The name."
Kagome let out an exasperated sigh. "My name is..."
"Kagome, tell me now!"
"Tokyo!" She blurted in response to her name. Why did I say that? Just because the guy uses my name? Surely I am not that easy to get information out of.
He smiled. He then also noticed that she was backed into a corner, and his smile reached his eyes. She was truly afraid of me, even if she did not show it. Let's see how much more information I can scare out of her. If she is scared of me merely by being close...
"Now, you will tell me what the new moon means to Inuyasha." She shook her head, too scared of his nearness to speak. "It was not another request, girl. Answer me."
"Another? When have you ever made a request?"
Sesshomaru leaned closer to Kagome, so his next words were very quiet and a mere breath from her face. "Why must you insist on resisting everything I say? You cannot help him by staying quiet." He leaned closer, so that his cheek was almost pressed against hers as he whispered in her ear. "If you do not tell me, there are other ways to find out. Now that I know it is important to him, I could simply go to him and find out for myself."
His words caressed her ear, sending butterflies to her stomach. But the menace behind them also sent chills down her spine. She said the first thing that came to her mind. "I don't know. I am not there, am I? I only know that he needed to do something during the new moon. I swear."
He knew she was lying, but also knew there was a grain of truth to the words Kagome spoke. He inhaled no desperation in her scent as he lingered so close, only determination and healthy doses of fear and strength. Powerful indeed. If she can control her fear enough to lie to me, she may be the right one to train Rin.
Sesshomaru decided that he had pushed her enough for tonight and backed away. He straightened up, feeling that he had lost something as soon as he had let the moment pass by, but he didn't stop to figure out what. "Perhaps you have had enough for one evening. It is late and you are tired from the night's events. I will leave you to your thoughts." He turned to leave and opened the door, revealing Jaken standing guard on the other side. He stopped, facing the door as he said "Just remember what you need to tell me in the morning, miko."
As he closed the door, he gave a small smile to himself as he heard her softly mutter to herself, "Kagome."
Inuyasha sat calmly, tied to his chair in the corner of Kaede's hut. The fire in the pit had dimmed, and almost everyone was asleep. It was almost morning, but still quite dark outside. He had struggled for control of himself for most of the night. He knew in the recesses of his mind that he still had a few hours until he returned to his hanyou self. It would be best to wait until I am back to full strength before finding Kagome. That was his human half, the one voice in his head that always echoed Kagome's sentiments. He should wait; she would be fine until then. He repeated this mantra to himself for the next hour, waiting for dawn. She was strong enough to hold out against his brother. Sesshomaru had no reason to hurt her, and never acted without reason.
But Inuyasha did. As the daylight stretched the miniscule first fingers of light through the break between land and sky, his human reasoning started to give way to another rationale. Although he still looked completely human, his thoughts were becoming more hanyou. Sesshomaru stole her right out from under my nose. He is daring me to come after him. And he knows I will.
His fingernails started to return to their claw shape, and Inuyasha quickly tore them through the bindings lashing him to his chair. He watched his comrades sleep, working as quietly as he could. Something in him demanded that he do this alone. This is a slight against me. He took what is mine, and I am the only one that can get it back.
Inuyasha slipped quietly from the hut, the last thing he did with someone else's consideration in mind. As soon as he stepped outside, he felt the rays of dawn in the air, and his hair glowed silver in the sleepy sunshine. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, waiting for the transformation to be completed.
With his demon half firmly entrenched back in his body, he opened his eyes to the orange morning. His red eyes sparkled, mixed with sunlight and the hunger for revenge. "Time to get back what belongs to me." He began to run faster than he had ever run before, following the scent of his brother, Sesshomaru.
Coming Soon – Chapter Seven – A Plague on the Western Lands
Kagome inadvertently lets important information fall into Sesshomaru's hands, which alters their strained relationship. His demeanor towards her changes as he decides whether she will live or die. Inuyasha tears a vicious swath through the Western Lands looking for Kagome.