Chapter Ten left Sesshomaru reeling from the revelation that Kagome didn't feel the same way he did. Miroku begins to suspect that there is more to Kikyou than meets the eye. And Jaken informed Sesshomaru of Inuyasha's transgressions on his lands.
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 is used forthwith. The following story is solely based on the ramblings of a college student at a boring job and is 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 Eleven – Familial Ties
Kagome had been wandering throughout these halls for about twenty minutes now, and was beginning to give up hope of ever getting out of here. After walking quickly but purposefully past her hallway and turned at the entrance to Sesshomaru's wing, her eyes became too blinded by tears to see straight. And she was sure that she had doubled back at least once. She stopped and tried to compose herself. Take a deep breath, Kagome. You can do this. Just walk out of here and get your life back together.
She felt a song in the air. The hairs on the back of her head stood on end at the languorous, eerie melody that seemed to be coming from her head. Kagome did not understand what it meant, but it seemed to pull her through the remainder of the halls to the final door leading to the outside world and freedom. A heavy door composed of dark wood and wrought iron, laced with jade and obsidian figurines was now all that stood between her and freedom. Freedom. She put a hand up to the heavy door, still unable to shake the eerie music from her mind. What is that music, pulling me to go outside? I have heard this before, I know it. And I was afraid.
"Kagome." She had thought that she had imagined the voice behind her. It can't be. He wouldn't dare try to keep me here now. Not after what he's done. "Kagome."
She turned around and saw Sesshomaru, in his full regalia, standing at the entrance to the west wing, the miko wing as he called it. He looked so imposing, so far away. And so impossible to reach. She had to concentrate to keep the tears from flowing free again. I have been crying too much lately, and I will not cry again. Not in front of him.
He stepped forward, but not close enough to touch her. "You cannot leave."
A heavy sigh broke from her lips. "You cannot be serious. I cannot stay here. It will kill me. Why can't you understand that."
Sesshomaru heard the conflict in his voice. But he also knew that there was nothing he could do at this moment to stop it. "We had an arrangement, you and I."
A laugh. "I think that the 'arrangement' has been altered."
A shadow of a smile danced across his face at her words. "Nothing has changed. If you don't stay here, there is no reason for Rin to stay."
She rose her hands in sheer frustration above her head, pleading for the strength not to start hitting him again. "You can't do this to me. I know you love her. It is obvious in the way you treat her. Even if you never found a trainer for her, she would still live."
He stepped slightly to the side, revealing a very bleary-eyed Rin. She rubbed her eyes and looked at Kagome. She smiled for a moment, then changed it to a frown when she realized what Kagome was doing. "Where are you going?"
He never took his eyes off of Kagome. "Can you be so sure, Kagome? Would you be willing to take that kind of risk on her life?" Kagome kept her eyes on Rin, and he could see all kinds of emotions wash over her face. Love was definitely among them. His breath caught when he realized that he suddenly felt very jealous that she would love Rin so easily and unconditionally. For a moment, just a moment, he felt the basest demon form in him want to rise up and kill Rin, and Inuyasha, just because she loved them. And not me.
Her words were barely a whisper. "You cannot be serious?" He said nothing. "You wouldn't kill Rin... you couldn't..." She immediately stopped as Rin began to understand what they were talking about. Rin looked from Sesshomaru to Kagome and back again, wanting someone to tell her that it was just a silly game between the two of them. When no one did, she began to run to Kagome, the one that wanted to save her, out of pure instinct.
Sesshomaru's pride was now mortally wounded, as both mikos seemed to want to escape him. A clawed hand quickly snaked out and grabbed Rin's shoulder, keeping her near him. She released a choked sob, but did not try to run again. Kagome didn't know what to think anymore. Sometimes he is the most stubborn, cruel man I have ever met. And yet, there are glimpses of a kind soul in there somewhere. I know it. But I can't take a chance that he might be angry enough at my leaving to hurt the girl. She idolizes him like a father.
His claws gently but firmly turned Rin around and let her run down the hallway to her room. He stepped closer to Kagome, knowing that she was trapped again under the impression that he would kill his ward. "We have lots to discuss, you and I. But I must leave on business temporarily. Raiders on my land have killed many vassals, which demand justice. You will stay here until I return, and we will discuss this further then." He watched her shoulders go limp in defeat before adding out of spite. "Perhaps by then you will have come up with a plausible reason why you might be able to leave with your life."
Before she could retort to that cutting remark, he took to the skies and went out of sight, following the trail of some not-too-distant raiders. And Kagome sunk to the floor of the main courtyard, too exhausted from all that went on today to even cry anymore.
"The path is over here!" Shippo yelled. He found the little rocky path that Kikyou swore was out here. This is the only way across the mountain? It looks almost like we're going to go through it. He waited until the others turned the corner and found him before bouncing back on Kirara's back.
"I still don't understand why I don't just run up there first. He's had her there for almost a week! There is no telling what he's done to her."
Kikyou smiled to herself. I know what he has done to Kagome. Tsk tsk, girl. But she quickly hid her smile when Miroku turned towards her. "I can feel her aura, and it is as strong as ever. Whatever has gone on up there, he has not hurt her."
"Besides," Sango chimed in, "we can't let you go up there alone. You risk becoming full demon again. And you will not be able to control yourself again. You would also tire out to quickly, because your urges then are to fight until you die."
"Uh, guys..."
Miroku ignored the kitsune and agreed with Sango. "She is right. We will go together and we will fight together. That is the only way we have a chance against Sesshomaru." He turned to Kikyou. "Is that not right, Lady Kikyou?"
"Yes, of course," she said, but her face was dour, as if she had swallowed something bitter. Insipid monk.
"Guys..."
"Well, I still think it would be better if you and I went up there as fast as we could. We could fight him, Miroku, and then Sango, Kirara and Kikyou would come in after we tire him out and help finish him off."
"INUYASHA!" Shippo finally managed to get their attention. He was stiff as a board, looking up at the mountain's path. Sesshomaru stood there, listening to all that had transgressed.
Stupid little brother. Impatient as always. "Inuyasha. I believe you wanted to fight me quickly? You will never learn, little brother, that your impatience will be your downfall." He made no move towards his brother, but the hand hanging at his side gleamed with the eerie green of his poison whip, ready and itching to hurt something.
Inuyasha smiled, his fangs gleaming in the evening sun. "Fine by me. I'll fight you anywhere, anytime." He stood still as well, but it was obvious to everyone that he was propping his legs to jump at Sesshomaru. "Why did you take Kagome? What have you done to her?"
To everyone's astonishment, a brief smile passed his lips before returning to his usual, stoic self. "I have done nothing to her." Nothing that you need to worry about, anyway. "I took her because she is too powerful to be left in your care. Little boys tend to break their toys."
This jibe seemed to make Inuyasha mad, and he jumped at Sesshomaru, drawing his Tetsusaiga. "Wind scar!" He yelled, hurtling his blade in Sesshomaru's direction. Sesshomaru easily jumped out of the way, and the power of the sword was instead focused on the path, which quickly collapsed under the onslaught.
In retaliation, Sesshomaru quickly flicked his first two fingers back and forth, lashing Inuyasha on his back with his poisonous whip. He then moved out of the way as Inuyasha yelled and brought the Tetsusaiga again down to hit him. This time he managed to dislodge a few heavy boulders and send them hurtling down towards Sango and Kikyou. Miroku quickly pushed the girls out of the way, barely managing to save himself as well.
"Come now, brother. Your anger seems to have made you sloppy. That Tetsusaiga is still too heavy for you to bear. You can barely hold it over your head."
"Oh yeah? Watch this. Yah!" He brought the blade down a little faster this time, managing to catch the tip of Sesshomaru's ruff and searing it off. Inuyasha smiled at this. He is slowing down already. This isn't going to take long at all. "Bring her back! She doesn't belong to you, Sesshomaru!"
His anger at the truth behind those words made his flick of the whip especially harsh as it cracked on Inuyasha's shoulder, splitting open the red cloth and bathing his arm in blood. "Neither does she belong to you. She is a free girl, as she has often reminded me. She can stay or not. I left the choice up to her."
This caught the monk's attention. "Kagome stayed of her own free will? What did you tell her? That if she didn't stay you would kill her?"
Sesshomaru artfully dodged another of Inuyasha's attacks before answering that question. I think the monk is a little too perceptive for his own good. "I merely told her that if she would not train up Rin, then I would no longer have any reason to keep her around."
Shippo was the one to pick up on that twist of words. "You said you would kill the little girl if she did not teach Rin? How awful!"
Sango questioned the truth of what Sesshomaru said. "Train her for what? Kagome is not a teacher."
"She is a miko. And Rin also has these abilities. That is why she is with me."
"You are a coward to force Kagome by holding a girl's life over her head. What, were you not able to keep her there otherwise?" Inuyasha snarled as he said this, knowing that he had struck a blow to his pride. And it worked. Even though no emotion crossed his face, Sesshomaru was now attacking instead of defending. Now he is playing on my field. He is always telling me not to attack blindly. And now, if I didn't know better, I would say that he was attacking out of rage. Pure rage. I can see it in his eyes.
It was true. Sesshomaru's eyes were starting to change from his beautiful gold to a scarlet red, meaning that his baser nature was beginning to take hold of him. I will not let this puppy take from me what I have worked hard for. I saw her first and she is now mine. I will not let her go back to him! The force of these thoughts were beginning to take over his more rational, strategic thinking.
Sango and Miroku both noticed the almost immediate change in Sesshomaru. "Don't you think we should help Inuyasha? I mean, he has made Sesshomaru loose his temper, which he never does." Sango was beginning to get genuinely worried.
Miroku nodded, brandishing his normally peaceful staff as a weapon. "I agree. Sesshomaru seems to be fighting more like Inuyasha, out of anger and without preamble. This makes Inuyasha more predictable, but I believe it will make Lord Sesshomaru more dangerous."
Kikyou had been stepping back little by little as the battle progressed. She had no intention of actually fighting to save the miko. I never said I would help them get her back. Just that I would help them find her. The rest is their battle and none of my concern. She backed herself to the corner that they had come from, so she could make an escape, should the battle turn against Inuyasha and his troupe.
She heard a slight rustle of leaves behind her. Turning, she saw a figure that she knew well from previous encounters. A spy? Or an assassin?
"What are you doing here?"
The form backed up a little, but gave a short bow. "Forgive me for spying, Lady Kikyou. But my master has heard of Inuyasha's rampage on his brother's lands. I was sent to see if the rumors are true." Looking to the battle between the two brothers, the spy countered "I see that they are. Brother against brother again."
Kikyou smiled. "Yes. And I fear that this time it may be a battle to the death."
A cocked eyebrow. "How do you figure that?"
"Because they are fighting for the oldest reason in the world. They are both fighting over a girl."
They both stood in silence for a moment. "You don't seem to be too troubled about that. I though you had feelings for the hanyou?"
Kikyou digested the words for a moment before replying, a little more harshly than she wanted. "That was before he let me die. That was before he decided that he didn't want me anymore." She calmed down before continuing. "Anyway, it is a moot subject. The girl will not be there much longer."
"Oh?"
"Yes. But I cannot say more. Not now. And not here. That damned monk seems to know that I am up to something and will not leave me alone for more than three minutes."
"I will return again at a more opportune time. We can discuss the matter further. I have some news on the miko that you may need to know." The form in the shadow bowed again to Kikyou before disappearing into the shadows of the forest.
Kikyou turned around to face the battle again. Inuyasha's right arm was slashed three times by the poisonous whip, and he was barely able to bring the Tetsusaiga over his head. Sango and Miroku were double teaming the demon in an effort to let Inuyasha catch his breath. Shippo just sat there watching, as usual, not knowing quite where to go.
And the demon at the center of the commotion was very close to becoming more like his brother... and completely losing control. Over a silly girl.
Coming Soon – Chapter Twelve – Enter Minions
While Sesshomaru and Inuyasha are embroiled in a vicious battle, Kikyou slips away to find Kagome and her own reasons. She is waylaid by a bearer of bitter news, who helps her formulate a better plan.