Chp 26: The truth is ironic
Disclaimer: Don't own them. I hold no responsibility to what Rumiko Takahashi did to Sesshy-chan! She's the one who lopped off his arm! Not me! *points an accusing finger at Rumiko*
A/N: Well, the next chappy may just have a lemon in it. I might not be able to post it on ff.net due to their 'virgin' minds. I might have to post it on mediaminer. org. For those of you who don't want to wait, if I do put a lemon in here, I will e-mail it to you if you ask it of me. Now, about 'If love is blind' that will be out very shortly, a week at most. Please give me time to gather my scattered ideas and shovel them into my muse's offices. ^-^ Also, why hasn't anyone requested a music video? I will be posting a soundtrack for this story that will have all the songs that I use on it, the artist, and the album. For some reason I felt compelled to put a lot of songs in this chapter, heh, heh, just a request, I know most of you skip through songs when you see them in fics, but it would please me greatly if you would read through some of them, you don't have to of course. ^-^ I have the name of the song, artist, and album below them just in case. ^-^
Read now! Bye bye!
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The group soon found out that Kagome was a slave driver. Being the youkai that she was, she was used to traveling alone and going at a fast pace. But being with her friends, ever if one of them was hanyou, she was going much slower.
Kagome stopped next to a small brook in the forest. "We can rest here for a while, then we need to continue to the northern lands. That's what direction we're going in, so why not get the shards that are there?"
All of her friends sat down gratefully and accepted a strange type of dried meat.
Kagome pulled out another pouch of it and said, "It's dried clams and mussels. I dry them for traveling. They're really good if not a little bit salty." She said as she popped one into her mouth.
All at once, Kagome stopped moving and listened intently. She sniffed the air and felt a familiar aura approaching. She sighed, 'That guy has perfect timing doesn't he? Grr...The guys'll kill him on sight if they see him. Gotta go somewhere.' Kagome stood up and said, "I'm going to go scout out our surroundings."
They all nodded and Kagome vaulted off out of sight. Kagome jumped through the trees until she was in a very large clearing a couple of miles away from her friends. She stood and patiently awaited the arrival of 'him'.
Kagome switched her vision to that of auras. She looked to the sky and saw that there was a black aura approaching from the southeast. She sighed, the sound long and suffering. Then she growled while sitting against the base of a large pine tree. 'Why did he have to pick NOW of all times for a little visit? *sigh* Here old pink pelt comes now. Right on time.'
Naraku, pelt and all, materialized out of a cloud of miasma and stepped toward Kagome. "Hello Korekuta no reikons. It has been a while."
Kagome sighed and gave Naraku an annoyed look. "Will you quit it with the stupid 'names'? How would you like it if I called you "Baboon-boy" every time I saw you? Even though that is my title, I would prefer if you saved it for the times when we're around people? Whaddya want already?!"
Naraku grumbled something about touchy female soul stealers before saying, "I have come in askance, *cough* *grumble*, of your, *heavy sigh*, assistance...*eye twitch*"
Kagome just looked at him and said, "Yeeeeeesss, and what do you need my assistance with?"
Naraku, relieved she was not laughing at him, said, "Over the past several months, as I have recently discovered, there has been someone committing rather, large, felonies, in my name. They are obviously good at hiding it too, because I only found out after the entire southern lands were trying to fry my ass with every miko they could get their hands on. I have come in askance of you to help me find who is doing it so I may put an end to their life."
Kagome was contemplating what he said, "AHA! So I was right! It WASN'T you who tried to kill the lord and lady of the southern lands! And it wasn't you who killed my parents, wait, I knew that already."
Naraku, who had shed his pelt, knowing how much Kagome despised the garment, and not wanting to have it dyed pink again, was now confused. "Okay, rewind and freeze. What about your parents?"
Kagome stopped in her musings and looked at Naraku. "OH! When I was a baby my parents were killed by a hanyou, and I would be able to tell if it was you. Okay, so you say there is someone screwing with people all over Japan in your name and you want me to help find out who it is so you can kill them. Right?" 'Great, now NARAKU is starting to use modern expressions. *mental sigh*'
Naraku nodded and said, "Hai."
Kagome winced. "This is NOT going to work. *sigh*"
Naraku looked at her and said, "Why is that?"
Kagome sighed heavily and glared at the ground next to her like it had done something to offend her. "Well gee, ibesidesi the fact that I am now traveling with Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku, who all hate you by the way, and I can't exactly just go searching for this, human, hanyou, or youkai, whatever it is. Because, like you, Inuyasha is searching for the jewel shards and I am helping him with it! And I don't think you want to travel with us, now do you?!" Kagome groaned and keeled over onto her back. She gave a heavy sigh as she lay there.
Naraku leaned up against a tree. "*sigh* What do I have to do?"
Kagome looked at him, "Excuse me?"
Naraku flicked a leaf off of his shoulder and said, "What do I have to do to convince you to assist me?"
Kagome huffed and said, "It's not imei you have to convince. *sigh* Look, you're the one with the grudge against this character right? If I look for them and happen to find them, you are the one that wants to kill him, so, I can't exactly just go up and kill him for you!"
Naraku sighed and said, "I see your point."
Kagome nodded her head and said, "The only way this is going to work is for you to travel with us. This is bnotb going to be pretty."
Naraku sighed once again and said, "What do I have to do?"
Kagome thought for a moment. "Well, I have isomei things..."
Naraku eyed her for a moment and said, "Talk."
Kagome said, "Well, for one, I want you to remove the risk of Miroku getting sucked into the air rip. Keep it there, because it's a useful weapon, but reduce it to its original size and get rid of the risk of death."
Naraku waved his hand and said, "Done. Next?"
Kagome said, "Give Sango back her brother."
Naraku looked at her and said, "Not a simple request. The kid is dead, not to mention the little 'memory of killing his family' problem."
Kagome thought for a moment then smiled. "I can help with the memory problem, but I have something else that can help with the dead issue." She reached into her pouch and fished around for a bit before pulling out one of them and giving a triumphant, "Aha! I found it!" She held it in her palm and it started to glow, she tossed it in the air and out poofed a small, child like, demon. She had short blonde hair with blue ends that reached her pointed ears, a sky blue kimono with a white obi, piercing ice blue eyes, two thin blue stripes on each cheek, a mark on her forehead that was, a white cross like shape, but instead of the straight lines, the lines were wavy like her athemaes, and had a small red dot in the center.
The youkai blinked for a second before looking at Kagome and saying, with an Australian accent, "Oh! Hi Noyoroha-chan! Whaddye' need me for?"
Kagome smiled and said, "Hi Kimi-chan (kee-mee). After I get something from Naraku," She poked his shoulder because he was right next to her. "I'll need your help."
Kagome turned to Naraku and said, "Get Kohaku. *ahem* NOW."
Naraku sighed and sent a message to Kagura. 'Kagura. Bring me Kohaku. And hurry up!'
Kagome smiled and sat down next to Kimi, who was looking up and down at Naraku. (Also known as, she was checking him out. ^-~) She whispered to Kagome, "Who's the hottie?"
Kagome's eyes widened and she said, "Kimi!"
Kimi looked at her and said, "What? He is!"
Kagome sighed while shaking her head. "If you want Kimi, after this I can let you go."
Kimi looked deep in thought for a moment before smiling. "I would like that, but I would like to stay with you, even if I'm not, like, one of your souls."
Kagome smiled and said, "Sure! I'm sure I could use more company besides Kaze." She pointed to where the bird perched, forgotten, on her shoulder guard.
Naraku sighed and asked Kagome, "What is she?"
Kimi bounced up and shook Naraku's hand, well; more of shook three of his fingers. "Itokimi Awai the Necromancer at 'ya service mate!"
Naraku took one look at the small demon relentlessly shaking his hand and couldn't help but think she was cute.
Kimi stopped shaking his hand and looked behind him at Kagura approaching on her feather. "Who the hell is that?"
Kagome sighed. Even though Kimi looked about as old as Kanna, she was really about 450 years old. And she swore like a sailor.
Kagura landed with Kohaku and walked over to Naraku; she would have been scowling at him, but, seeing that Kagome was there, decided not to be in a bad mood. "Here's the kid Naraku. Anything else?"
Naraku shook his head as Kohaku stepped over to his side, his eyes blank and staring.
Kimi took one look at him and her eyes widened. "Damn! How longs this chap been dead?!"
Naraku shrugged and said, "About two years, maybe a little more."
Kimi shook her head and looked to Kagome, "Ye' want me to revive him don't ya'? *sigh* Well, this ain't gonna be easy. Seein as 'im bein dead so longs made 'is soul hide in the pit of 'is mind."
Kagome just nodded and sniffed the air, "Crap! Well, you're going to need to hurry a bit, Inuyasha just started looking for me."
Kimi snapped her fingers and he fell to the ground on his back. She snapped them again and the shard appeared in her palm, She flicked it to Naraku and then knelt next to Kohaku's limp form.
Kimi placed one hand over his face and the other over his chest. She sang a few words in a resounding voice that sounded like it was coming from everywhere, and echoing in a mountain canyon.
"Mes shi. Ki na ro sha nes, Mit ci no karem bak. Talle sha ren kiribuk. Nalesef. Nalesef! Nalesef!"
As she sang, a bright blue light gathered beneath her hands and snaked into Kohaku. Tendrils of blue light swirled from beneath her hands as she sang in a clear and beautiful voice. A look of concentration crossed Kimi's face as she searched for Kohaku's soul. Normally when she revived someone, dead for two years or not, all she had to do was fish their soul out of the river Styx. (A/N: In Greek mythology, the river Styx is the one that is flowing with all the souls of dead people. In this case, I'm just using the river as a place to keep the souls until they reincarnate. ^-^ Okay, you can go back to reading.) But in this case, the shard in his back had imprisoned his soul inside himself and the controlling of Naraku had made it retreat to the back of his mind.
When she finally found it, the blue light of the hand that was over his face latched onto it and pulled it from the dark recesses of his mind. She spoke in a soft voice to the soul, "Come on out mate. I won't 'urt you."
Slowly, the light from the hand over her face spread the soul into his body, and the light over his chest revived his deadened body. The once pale flesh regained a healthy peach color, his heart began beating at a steady pace, and his breathing registered.
Kagome smiled. Kimi lived up to her name. 'Life's light' suited her pretty well.
When Kimi removed her hands, Kagome pressed her palm to Kohaku's fore head, she immediately saw how much grief and guilt was there and told him that it wasn't his fault, that he had no control over his actions, that he was being controlled. She left out the rather BIG detail of Naraku, but she didn't exactly want both of the vengeful siblings to try and kill Naraku. It took quite a while, but eventually, she got Kohaku to the point where he wouldn't kill himself and he had the will to live. And the fact that he had Sango helped a lot.
Kagome removed her hand and stood up. She waved her arm at Kimi and she watched as the air shimmered around Kimi before stopping. Kimi hadn't been dead when Kagome had purified her soul. Kimi had been tricked into reviving a bunch of VERY dangerous demons, and if she had succeeded, then there would have been hell to pay. So Kagome, without thinking, had purified all of their souls.
Kagome stretched and said to Naraku, "Don't know exactly what you can do for Inuyasha, well, besides not try to kill Kikyou anymore, but, yeah, he pretty much hates you with a passion." She smiled and said, "I guess I'll either have to beat it into his head not to kill you, or I'll just have to pin his ass to another tree. But that wouldn't be as much fun."
Kimi bounced about happily. "Yay! Now I can annoy Inuyasha all the time! I've been idyingi to since you told me about him Noyoroha!"
Kagome sweatdropped and said, "Can you call me Kagome? That's the name I've gone by for the last 18 years." (It's almost Kag's b-day.^-^)
"Kay. Oooh! Here comes dog-boy now!"
Inuyasha jumped into the clearing brandishing the Tetsusaiga. He growled when he saw Naraku leaning against a tree and Kagome standing next to an unknown demon. "What the hell do you want Naraku!"
Kagome rolled her eyes and said, "Shut up Inuyasha! Go away! I'll be there in a minute! I'm sure Kimi would ilovei to keep you company."
Inuyasha blinked, and the next thing he knew he was being dragged back the way he came by a little girl throwing him random questions. He was pretty sure somewhere in the questions she asked if he would be her boyfriend, but he didn't know what the hell that was.
Kagome snickered at the unfortunate hanyou before turning to Naraku and the now standing Kohaku. "Well, I'm hoping they won't try and kill you itooi many times." She looked at Kohaku and said, "Hi! I'm Kagome and this is Naraku. The dog-eared hanyou who just got dragged off by my friend Kimi is Inuyasha, and this is Kazetaka," she pointed to the dozing bird on her shoulder guard. "Kaze for short."
Kohaku nodded. His memory of being in Naraku's service completely gone. Kagome started walking back toward camp, Kohaku following behind her, and Naraku at the rear.
When Kagome got back to camp she saw Miroku staring at his left hand curiously fingering the now much smaller indentation under the glove. Kagome smiled seeing that Naraku had done what she asked. Kagome called to Sango, "Hey Sango-chan! I believe there is someone, a very alive and in his right mind someone, here to see you!"
She took Kohaku's hand and pushed him toward Sango. Sango blinked a moment before tackling Kohaku in one of her famous death hugs.
Miroku had taken a liking to Kimi who was now ignoring Inuyasha and staring at Naraku with hearts in her eyes. Miroku walked over to her, ignoring her age, and said, "Why, fair lady, may I have the honor of knowing your name?"
Kimi looked at Miroku and, of course, she liked what she saw, "Kimi Awai the Necromancer at 'ye service mate!" She shook his hand and Miroku got on one knee while clasping her hand in both of his.
"Kimi-sama, would you give this humble monk the honor of bearing my child?"
Kimi's eyes lit up and she said, "Sure!"
Miroku's eyes widened and he had a blank look on his face, 'She said yes?'
Kagome could have died laughing at the look on Miroku's face. Sango was red from anger and then it all sort of dissipated when Kimi said yes. Sango voiced Miroku's thoughts, "She said yes? B-BUT SHE'S ONLY A LITTLE GIRL!!!" Sango sputtered
Kagome coughed, trying to hide her laughter and said, "Actually, Kimi is about 450 years old. She's a Necromancer with eternal youth. She'll only age until she's about 18. Right now she looks like she's about 10 years old. I can't believe the lech still asked her to bear his child. I knew she would say yes too! That girl has an eye for every bishounen in the vicinity. She's constantly checking out guys. *sigh* She's as bad as a future teenager."
Miroku's face had gone a bit pale, he had never really thought about what he would do after he pulled 'The question'. By now he just expected to get a 'slap' and a 'HENTAI!', but, 'Sure!' wasn't only his list of responses.
You weren't supposed to say 'YES' To THE question! Only Sango was!
Kimi had a mischievous glint in her eyes, "Soo," She scooted closer to the blank faced monk and winked at Kagome. She whispered something in Miroku's ear and he got a horrified look on his face. He jumped away from Kimi and hid behind Sango. "Ah! Save me from this vicious youkai!" He looked at the grinning Kimi like she was the devil incarnate.
Kim just had an innocent smile and bounced over to Kagome, the only one who had heard what she said besides Miroku. Kagome turned blue and then burst out laughing. Kagome noticed the looks everyone was sending towards Naraku stopped laughing. "Hi Naraku."
Naraku just gave her a look that said, 'what's so funny'.
Kagome pointed to the innocent looking Kimi.
Miroku, snapping out of his fear of the 'devil child', but stepping around her asked Kagome, "Kagome-sama, may I ask what Naraku is doing here?"
Kagome did not think this was going to turn out very well.
Sango was kind of, well, ignoring Naraku for the time being. She was too happy at the fact that Kohaku was back.
Kagome sighed while looking at the unfortunate hanyou who was on the receiving end of Kimi's endless questioning. Miroku had snapped out of his shock at someone saying yes to his, 'will you bear my child' question, and was looking at her expectantly.
Inuyasha was giving Naraku a glare that said, 'I damn you to the seventh level of hell and believe me there ain't no eighth'
Kagome coughed and said, "Well, *cough* I, um, well, first of all, Inuyasha, shut up and stop willing Naraku to burst into flame, Miroku, Kimi isn't going to bear your child so stop worrying about it, Sango, could you stop reuniting with Kohaku for a minute to hear me out?"
Everyone turned to her and she smiled, except Inuyasha "Well, um, I guess you are all wondering why Naraku and Kohaku are here, right?"
Nods.
"Well, um, about twenty minutes ago, Naraku sort of, came here and, told me a few things. He has someone impersonating him and needs help- *glare from Naraku*-iassistancei finding them. He most likely," *pointed look at Naraku* "Didn't know that I was with you guys. So, what I'm trying to say here is, Naraku will be traveling with us...temporarily."
The camp got very quiet.
"WHAT?!?!?!?" was Inuyasha's reply.
Kagome sighed. How did she know he as going to say that? "Well, I had him give Sango back Kohaku and reduce Miroku's Kazanna to its original size and remove the risk of him getting sucked into it before I agreed."
Miroku looked shocked. "Okay, so, Naraku just did those things because you iaskedi?"
Kagome nodded.
Sango looked at her incredulously, "And you AGREED?"
Inuyasha looked like he just got sat right out of a tree. "Kagome, are you serious?"
Kagome nodded and said, "Yup. Serious as a heart attack. And if you don't like it then, it sucks to be you."
Miroku out his hands in his sleeves and said, "I will not question your judgement Kagome-sama."
Sango sighed and gave Naraku a dirty look. "Well, no matter how much I idislikei the situation, I believe I can stand it."
Inuyasha just scowled and said, "Feh." Before jumping into a tree to sulk.
Kagome smiled and said, "Good. Now, Kimi, you do realize that Inuyasha isn't there anymore, right?"
Kimi blinked and then said, "Oh. Well, I'm going to sit down and get to know your friends, K' mate?"
Kagome rolled her eyes and said, "Whatever Kimi. *cough* Naraku, I need to talk to you. NOW."
Kagome dragged Naraku out of the camp and turned to him with blazing eyes. "1, no trying to kill anyone, no matter ihowi annoying they are. 2, if you must have one of your, incarnations, here, make sure they do not kill anyone. ESPECIALLY Juroumaru and Kageroumaru.(A/N: In my fic, they are still alive and never got killed.) 3, try not be a jackass. 4, I won't mention any more of your, little escapades, with me if you follow these rules."
Naraku nodded and as soon as she started walking away, what she said clicked in Naraku's brain. "What do you mean any imorei?! Kagome?!"
****Later****
After they had eaten, Kagome looked around at the awkward group. "Hey? Do you guys want me to play some music? It would bring the awkwardness down a bit."
She got murmurs of agreement and nods from everyone but Inuyasha, who was still sulking.
Kagome grinned evilly. "Naraku? Do you think I should introduce my friends to Linkin Park?"
Naraku smirked and thought, 'Whew, they are in for a surprise.'
Kagome took out her cd player, speakers, and cd. She put it in and pressed play.
Everyone jumped when the music started, it wasn't loud or anything, but it started so suddenly.
Kagome leaned against a tree and smiled. This was one of her favorite songs.
"When this began,
I had nothing to say,
And I'd get lost in the nothingness inside of me,
I was confused,
And I let it all out to find,
That I'm not the only person with these things in mind,
Inside of me,
But all the vacancy the words revealed,
Is the only real thing that I've got left to feel,
Nothing to lose,
Just stuck, hollow and alone,
And the fault is my own and the fault is my own.
I wanna heal,
I wanna feel,
What I thought was never real,
I wanna let go of the pain I've held so long,
(erase all the pain till it's gone)
I wanna heal,
I wanna feel,
Like I'm close to something real,
I wanna find something I've wanted all along,
Somewhere I belong...
And I've got nothing to say,
I can't believe I didn't fall right down on my face,
I was confused,
Looking everywhere, only to find,
That it's not the way I had imagined it all in my mind,
So what am I?
What do I have but negativity?
'Cause I can't justify the way everyone is looking at me,
Nothing lose,
Nothing to gain,
Hollow and alone,
And the fault is my own and the fault is my own.
I wanna heal,
I wanna feel,
What I thought was never real,
I wanna let go of the pain I've held so long,
(erase all the pain till it's gone)
I wanna heal,
I wanna feel,
Like I'm close to something real,
I wanna find something I've wanted all along,
Somewhere I belong,
I will never know,
Myself until I do this on my own,
And I will never feel,
Anything else,
Until my wounds are healed,
I will never be,
Anything till I break away from me,
I will break away,
I'll find my self today...
I wanna heal,
I wanna feel,
What I thought was never real,
I wanna let go of the pain I've held so long,
(erase all the pain till it's gone)
I wanna heal,
I wanna feel,
Like I'm close to something real,
I wanna find something I've wanted all along,
Somewhere I belong...
I wanna heal,
I wanna feel like I'm,
Somewhere I belong...
I wanna heal,
I wanna feel like I'm,
Somewhere I belong!
Somewhere I belong!"
['Somewhere I belong' by 'Linkin Park'/ Album: Meteora-Track 3]
When the song was over, everyone blinked.
Silence.
Kagome sighed. Damn, it was more awkward than before. "*cough* Would you guys like me to play something else? Oh! I know. Hey Naraku, what about P. Diddy, Nelly, and Murphy Lee?"
Naraku looked at her with an eyebrow raised. "You have got to be kidding me."
Kagome got out a CD that didn't have a label on it. Concluding from that, that it was bootleg music burned from other CDs or from the internet.
She pressed play, and 'Shake ya Tailfeather' came on.
About half way through, Kagome noticed the lecherous smile on Miroku's face, the astonished look on Sango's face, the bored look on Naraku's face, the pleased look on Kimi's face, and the horrified look on Inuyasha's.
Kagome pressed stop and sighed. "Scratch pathetic attempt at ridding ourselves of awkwardness." She grumbled under her breath.
Kimi smiled and said, "Nice song mate! Ain't like anythin' I've heard here before. But, you bein from the future, that would make sense."
Kagome glared at her and turned to Naraku. "Any song suggestions?"
Naraku thought for a moment. Kagome had had him listen to almost all of her cds. "Hmmm...Escape?"
Kagome shook her head. "Nah."
Naraku thought some more. "Points of Authority?"
Kagome smiled and said, "Alright! Linkin Park it is!"
Kagome switched cds and went to track 2.
Everyone jumped again at the loud music when it came on. Kagome smiled.
"Yo, yo,
Forfeit the game,
Before somebody else takes you outta the frame,
Puts your name to shame,
Cover up your face,
You can't run the race,
The pace is too fast,
You just won't last.
(Won't last, won't last, won't last, won't last, won't last, won't last.)
You love the way,
I look at you,
While taking pleasure in the awful things you put me through,
You take away,
If I give in,
My life,
My pride is broken.
You like to think you're never wrong (You like to think you're never wrong),
You have to act like you're someone (You have to act like you're someone),
You want someone to hurt like you (You want someone to hurt like you),
You want to share what you've been through,
You live what you you've learned.
You love the things,
I say I'll do,
The way I hurt myself again just to get back at you,
You take away,
When I give in,
My life my pride is broken,
You like to think you're never wrong,(you like to think you're never wrong)
You want to act like you're someone,( you have to act like you're someone)
You want someone to hurt like you (you want someone to hurt like you),
You want to share what you've been through!
You live what you you've learned.
Yo, yo,
Forfeit the game,
Before somebody else takes you outta the frame,
Puts your name to shame,
Cover up your face,
You can't run the race,
The pace is too fast,
You just won't last,
Forfeit the game,
Before somebody else takes you outta the frame (frame),
Puts your name to shame,
Cover up your face,
You can't run the race,
The pace is too fast,
You just won't last.
(Won't last, won't last, won't last, won't last, won't last, won't last...)
(You like to think you're never wrong, (you like to think you're never wrong)
You want to act like you're someone,( you have to act like you're someone)
You want someone to hurt like you (you want someone to hurt like you),
You want to share what you've been through!)
You like to think you're never wrong, (you like to think you're never wrong)
You want to act like you're someone,( you have to act like you're someone)
You want someone to hurt like you (you want someone to hurt like you),
You want to share what you've been through!
You live what you you've lear-er-er-erned.
['PTS.OF.ATHRTY' by 'Linkin Park' / Album: Reanimation-Track 2]
Kagome sighed and said, "Okay, no more music. It seems to be scaring you guys. Anyone up for sleep?"
She got nods and yawns of agreement. Inuyasha jumped to his usual perch in the nearest tree, and Sango, Miroku, Kohaku, and Kimi, stretched out by the fire. Kagome sat herself near a tree and leaned against one side of it, Naraku leaned against the other. They both closed their eyes, but neither went to sleep.
"Don't sleep much?" Kagome asked Naraku.
Naraku grunted in reply and said, "No. But when you have as many enemies as I do, not to mention a few children that would take pleasure in killing you, you don't sleep much."
Kagome let out a small sigh, "Since when did you start referring to Kagura as your 'child'?"
Naraku let out a low chuckle before saying. "I find it more convenient to call them that, and she hasn't been thinking as many death threats about me of late."
Kagome smiled, "Hmmm...Now I wonder who had a hand in that?"
Naraku opened an eye to look at Kagome out of the corner of it. She was smiling. "What did you do." He demanded.
Kagome just gave him an innocent look and said, "Oh nothing, just convinced her that you would let her go soon and that if she killed him her heart would never actually be in her body."
Naraku cracked both eyes open. "How did you know?"
Kagome rolled her eyes heavenwards and said, "Did you forget about the eye on my shoulder?"
Naraku growled at her. "You do know how much I hate it when you do that. Right?"
Kagome nodded and said, "Yup. That's why I do it. Plus the fact that I was bored."
Naraku closed his eyes again. "So, is there more than one reason why you decided to go to the northern lands for shard hunting?"
Kagome sighed. "How did you know."
Naraku smirked. "Did you forget that I also have telepathic powers?"
Kagome pouted and said, "So what if I want to visit my Uncle and my brother? They probably all think that I'm never coming back. Ugh...I feel so horrible for leaving them hanging like this. I closed off our telepathic bonds so they couldn't contact me."
Naraku just shrugged. "Do you think Sare will have any ideas on who is impersonating me?"
Kagome shrugged too. "Don't know. What I'm wondering is, how did he get Kohaku? I already know it was the real Kikyou."
Naraku thought for a minute. "Kohaku hadn't left my fortress at all for the past year and a half. I hadn't had any use for him and I didn't want to kill him. He must have made a copy of him, either that or it was a projection."
Kagome perked at the new term, "Projection?"
Naraku said, "It's an illusion. Like a person, but it's an illusion held by magic, by someone controlling it. Usually it's someone very powerful, or someone with access to a helluva lot of magic. If they had a projection and a mind control going at once, they have to have a lot of power not to mention skill and control. Projecting is a skill that takes years to master, and mind control only slightly easier to master. The last time I heard of someone using projections was, whew, about 17 years ago."
Kagome furrowed her eyebrows. 17 years ago, right around the time her parents died. Odd.
She sighed and shook her head. Things were happening way too fast for her taste. She glanced at Naraku and said, "I don't know about you, but I think I'm going to at least itryi to sleep. Oyasumi." Kagome leaned back against the tree and closed her eyes.
About five minutes and quite a few tosses and turns later, Kagome growled in frustration and whined. "Uhn! I can't sleep in this form! It's been so long and I just can't get used to it. Damn it to hell!"
Naraku cracked an eye open and glared at her. "Then go off into the clearing and sleep like a dragon. I won't tell. Besides, you are seriously annoying me with all of your fidgeting."
Kagome huffed and stood up, she stuck her nose up and walked to a clearing that was about 10 meters away. She pouted when she realized that it was too small to house her dragon form. She just shrugged and transformed into her true Inu-youkai form.
The majestic black dog gave a cute yawn with a small squeak to it, showing rows of gigantic pearly white teeth. Kagome settled herself onto the ground and curled up with her nose in her tail.
~~~~*~~~~Morning~~~~*~~~~
*slap* "Hentai!"
"Ow! It was worth the pain to feel your delicate skin my dearest Sango."
"Lech..."
"Shut up will you! Just kiss and make out already! The rest of the world is trying to sleep."
*blush*
*growl* "Grrrr...Shut up! Where's Kagome?"
Naraku cracked an eye open in amusement at the Inu-hanyou's obvious lack of authority. He sighed at the Inuyasha's stupidity and briefly wondered how he had been beaten so many times. Oh yeah, Kagome was with him. "Inuyasha. You have a nose, use it." He said like it was the most evident thing in the world. Which it was.
Inuyasha growled but sniffed the air anyway he blinked in confusion but bounded off into the trees into the clearing, closely followed by Sango, Miroku, Kimi, and Naraku.
When Inuyasha dropped into the clearing, his jaw dropped.
As did everyone else's.
Kagome, who was still asleep, was now stretched out across the clearing, with her hind paws on one side of her, while her right front paw was thrown over here eyes and half her muzzle. Her tail was swishing every so often and then falling back into place with a soft 'thud'.
Inuyasha covered his mouth as he snickered. Naraku just smirked, knowing he was in for the beating of a lifetime when Kagome woke up, while everyone else was going, 'Awww...'
Kagome shifted so she was on her back, her paws curled slightly in above her, she peeked open her eyes and gave a growl of annoyance when she had to close them immediately because of the sunlight, she tossed a paw over her eyes and sat up on her haunches, she yawned widely and then blinked. She sniffed the air and then turned her head to peer at the now rigid forms of her companions.
Kagome took stock of what had happened and turned her red-eyed gaze to Naraku, who then proceeded to inch away from the clearing. Kagome started to growl low in her chest as she rose to her feet and crouched.
Naraku bolted.
Kagome sprang after him and within minutes, they were back in the clearing; with a very pleased Kagome with a very annoyed Naraku hanging by the back of his Haori from her jaws.
Kagome proceeded to drop him onto the ground turn around, kick a paw- full of dirt at him and then turn back into her humanoid form. She glared at the now slobber and dirt covered Naraku and said, "I thought you said you wouldn't tell."
Naraku wiped dirt from his face and said, "I didn't. They just walked into the clearing."
Kagome huffed but then threw a giant bubble of water at him, cleaning him of all dirt and saliva. Then she blow-dried him.
Kagome turned and smiled at her friends who were now losing interest and heading back to the camp.
A while later, they were moving again.
Inuyasha bounded up beside Kagome and asked, "Where are we going in the northern lands?" He asked.
Kagome smiled and said, "To the fortress of the Lord of the Northern lands!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sesshoumaru growled as he glared at the letter he had just read, like it was to blame for all his nuisances. He resisted the urge to tear the parchment to pieces and let it fall to the top of his desk.
He supposed the letter was right. No matter how much he hated to admit it, he needed a mate. He may have had Rin for an heir to the western lands, but she was female, and he needed a male heir. And the Kitsune was out of the question. He growled as he then remembered that the annual peacekeeping ball was to be held in the western lands this year.
Another thing he needed a mate for, to take care of all of these blasted social events!
Just what he needed, every female youkai in Japan trying to seduce him into mating with them. He massaged his temples, trying to ward of the migraine he knew was coming. He stood up and made his way down to the gardens.
Shippou sat in a tree watching Rin weave flowers. She seemed to have lost all of her youthful energy after Kagome left. Where as she used to run around picking every flower she could find, and pounce on Shippou and play with his tail, she now walked from bush to bush and picked only the flowers in full bloom. The late autumn flowers were just starting to make themselves visible and Rin had a good pile of them next to her.
Shippou, who had never really been innocent, was now a bit more mature than he should be. He knew death, sorrow, loss; all of those. He had grown a bit and now came up to Rin's waist. He had also lost some of his childish nature, but where it had gone down, he was now a very mischievous kitsune. He would often play tricks on all of the servants, namely Jaken, and sometimes, though rarely, Sesshoumaru. Like one time, he had snuck into the room while Sesshoumaru was taking a bath, and taken all of his haoris hakamas, and bath robes; leaving him with only a hot pink woman's kimono. Shippou clearly remembered Sesshoumaru's words.
"Where the hell did my clothes go? *pause* *sniff sniff* *growl* Damn kit."
There had then been a brief pause in which Sesshoumaru had inspected the woman's kimono that had been put near the spring. There had been another growl and then, "Fuck it." Followed by the tearing of fabric.
And then he had walked down to his room, in his birthday suit, looking very pissed.
Shippou had then gotten beat over the head repeatedly by Sesshoumaru's fist, much like Inuyasha would have done.
Sesshoumaru stepped into the garden, clad in his normal attire, minus his armor and swords. He observed the kit sitting above Rin watching as she weaved more wreaths and chains to hang around his home. He mentally sighed. There was now not a single wall in his entire fortress that did not have some sort of flower wreath on it. Rin looked up when she hear him enter she peeked over at him and all at once her childish attitude came back with a vengeance. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin squealed as she threw herself at him and latched onto his leg with a death grip.
Shippou, still being small enough to do so, hopped onto Sesshoumaru's shoulder and said, "Hi Fluffy."
Sesshoumaru growled a warning and said, "Kit." That one word full of malice and promise was enough to shut Shippou up. After all, it had only been two nights ago that he had pulled the stunt with the kimonos.
Shippou hopped off his shoulder and pouted. He looked up at Sesshoumaru with a wicked twinkle in his eye, "So, when is it?"
Sesshoumaru gave barely audible sigh and said, "Three nights from tonight."
Shippou grinned evilly and rubbed his hands together in a purely evil way. Sesshoumaru glared at him fiercely. "I suggest you do not do anything harmful kit, for if you embarrass this Sesshoumaru, iagaini, you will not live to see yourself die."
Shippou looked confused. "That didn't make sense."
Sesshoumaru smirked slightly as he turned away, "I know."
Shippou blinked as he saw Sesshoumaru walk away, and then, as if just noticing the small Inu-youkai clinging to his leg like a teddy bear said, "Rin."
Rin let go reluctantly but followed him as he walked inside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kagome and the rest of the group emerged from the forest to be faced with about 20 meters and then a huge castle stood towering above them. Kagome sniffed and smiled.
"Guess who's back." She whispered.
Inuyasha walked up beside her and said, "Tell me, um, why are we at the fortress of the northern lord?"
Kagome grinned and said, "He's my uncle."
As if on queue, a head popped up from the battlements of the walls and screamed, "Kagome!"
In a flash of white, Souta had jumped from the top of the wall down to tackle Kagome to the ground in a hug. Kagome, who was a little bit winded, choked out, "Nice to see you too. Could you let me go?"
Souta let her go and then proceeded to yell into the gates, "SARE! Kagome's here!"
Another flash.
Kagome was once again in a hug.
She was once again let go.
She pulled herself away from her uncle and brother to go back to her companions. "Sare, this is, Sango, *point*, Miroku, *point*, Inuyasha, *point*, Kimi, *point*, Kaze, *points to her shoulder*, and Naraku. *point*"
Sare growled.
Kagome jumped in front of Naraku and said, "Wait! Before you kill him! Hear me out. Believe me, he's not a threat."
Sare stopped growling but that didn't make him any less tense.
After explaining that Naraku was an enemy, but a temporary ally, and he wouldn't kill anyone or hurt anything in general, Sare deemed it all right for him to stay.
Souta was dragging Kagome to the dojo so he could show her all of the stuff he had learned. "C'mon Kag! I wanna show you some of the stuff that I can do."
Kagome dragged her heels and whined, "Souta, can't you show Inuyasha? I'm sure he's VERY interested."
Souta perked up and said, "Cool! I'll show both of you! Where'd he go?"
Kagome sighed and said, "Why is it all of the demons around me forget that they have noses?"
Souta grumbled and sniffed the air, "Inuyasha! Come here!" He yelled.
Inuyasha fell out of the tree he had been sitting in while observing the grounds with an 'Ooof'. He jumped up and stomped over to Souta to glare at him, "Hey! What's the big idea with scaring me out of the tree like that ya igit!" He fumed.
Kagome poked him and said, "Nothing. Souta just wants to show you some things, now follow him!" She pushed Inuyasha in the direction of the dojo.
Souta showed both Inuyasha and Kagome all of the new stuff he had learned. He could control his wind abilities somewhat, and his power over plant life was impressive. He had learned how to channel his healing powers, but was still working on controlling them. Her had grown in his skill of the trident, and now wanted one of them to spar with him.
Kagome sat down firmly and refused. "No! I don't want to! Spar with Inuyasha, I'm sure he'd love to beat you."
Souta glared, "Ha, ha, very funny sis."
Inuyasha and souta sparred three times, each time Inuyasha coming out as the victor. Souta grumbled as they walked back to the castle. "Darn it! I lost all three times! Darn it! Darn it! Darn it!"
Inuyasha smirked arrogantly and put his hands behind his head. "Keh, you're still an amateur kid. You need more training before you can take me on."
Kagome swore she saw some of the plants near Inuyasha wilt. She held her breath and said, "Inuyasha. Go with Souta and take a bath. NOW."
Inuyasha put his arms down, for which Kagome was thankful, and growled, "I do not."
Kagome glared at him and said, "Yes. You do. Now go!"
"No!"
After about twenty minutes, Sare heard struggling near the bath chambers of his home he walked over to se Inuyasha clinging to the doorframe of the bathhouse as if it was the only thing between him and death, while Kagome, Souta, and Miroku were pulling by the back of his haori to get him into the room.
He snickered and watched the scene play out.
"Inuyasha! Get your dog-eared ass off of that door!" Growled Kagome.
"Never!" Yelled Inuyasha.
"Inuyasha, if you do not let go, I will be forced to take drastic measures." Said Miroku, losing some of his calm.
Souta pulled on his haori and said, "Inuyasha get off before I pull you by your ears!"
Miroku finally lost it and said, "Damnit Inuyasha! Get the fuck of the door frame now!"
Inuyasha gave out a yelp that sounded like a wounded dog and let go; promptly knocking himself, Kagome, Miroku, and Souta into the hot springs behind them.
Sat up in the water and Souta asked, "Are you okay sis?"
Kagome parted her curtain of dripping hair and said, "Yeah, but I can's say the same for Inuyasha tonight while he's sleeping." She growled.
After much laughing, washing, scrubbing, and pummeling of the head, Souta and Miroku managed to get Inuyasha cleaned. They sent his fire-rat kimono to be washed and gave him a different kimono to wear, much to his dislike.
After he was dressed, Kagome dragged him out of the bathhouse and grinned evilly. She called Sango and Kimi, and brought them all down to a room where there were many mirrors, men's kimonos (The hakama and haori and stuff.), and many other things.
Kagome sat Inuyasha down in a stool in front of a large mirror. When Kagome graded a comb and started brushing his hair he protested loudly. "Hey! What the hell are you doing wench?! Leave my hair alone!"
Kagome batted his hands away and continued her work while Sango and Kimi got her other necessities. She managed to get Inuyasha's hair brushed surprisingly easily and quickly. After she was done, she pulled it back in a low ponytail.
Kagome admired her work and 'awwed' when she saw how cutely his ears poked up from his hair.
Kagome forced Inuyasha to sit still while she picked out a kimono for him to wear. When she finally chose, it was one that was exactly the same in style as Sesshoumaru's, but instead of the flowers on the haori, it had a black and blue spiked geometric design that gave the illusion of sharp fangs, on the white fabric.
She, Kimi, and Sango left the room while he changed into it. Sounds of struggling and grunts of complaint and murmurs of 'stupid bitch' and 'goddamned wench' were heard from behind the door. When he was finished, Kagome walked in and stopped at the sight of him.
He had his arms folded with a, by now, familiar pout on his lips, with the new kimono, he looked a lot like Sesshoumaru.
Where as before Kagome could only see the resemblance in the Inu brothers in the eyes and hair, and even there they weren't very compatible, Inuyasha's eyes were golden honey color, where as Sesshoumaru's were a frozen amber color, and Inuyasha had hair that was more of a snow white, where Sesshoumaru's was a platinum sliver, she could now clearly see the resemblance.
Kagome smiled and said, "Okay, now we can go to dinner."
They all walked to the dining hall and as soon as they entered, Sare cast a worried look towards Kagome. He was holding a piece of parchment in his hand and he walked over to Kagome and handed it to her. HE said, "Kagome, I think you should read this."
As Kagome read, he pupils dilated and contracted again. When she finished reading, she gave a sort of half smile, and then burst out laughing.
As she was almost rolling on the floor with laughter, Sare gave her a peeved look. "Kagome! Did you not see what the letter said? Aren't you mad?"
Kagome got her giggles under control and said, "N-not really. I mean, this is like, the opportunity of a lifetime! I have got to go to this thing, by the way; maybe I got an invitation of my own. Just a sec."
She bolted out of the castle and peered into the sky and then gave a piercing flacon scream. Out of nowhere, Kaze shot like a blue lightning bolt onto Kagome's wrist, a letter rolled up and attached to his leg. She pulled it off and read it. She grinned in a positively evil way and ran back into the castle, still grinning.
Sare sighed, the sound long and suffering. "Judging by the grin on her face, she got one."
Inuyasha had just finished reading the letter and frowned, "Ya know, I might hate him, but I have to say I pity my brother."
He got incredulous looks from everyone but Kagome, who was still grinning and obviously thinking of evil ways to torment Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha glared at all of them, "What?! He's going to have every eligible, noble or partially noble, youkai female woman in Japan coming to try and mate him. Not only that, but they're going to actually be competing for it!"
Everyone frowned and Miroku said, "Lucky bastard."
Sango hit him on the head with Hiraikotsu, which she had pulled from nowhere, and said, "Inuyasha's right. I do pity him. But I'm worried about what Kagome is going to do to the females."
Kohaku nodded with his eyes wide, "Are they going to be like, fighting to the death?"
Sare shook his head, "No, only if the competitors will not cease fighting, will it be a fight to the death, also, there will be another form of elimination. Talent."
Souta smirked and said, "You mean, the other Lords and Ladies will be holding a, talent show? For who will be Sesshoumaru's mate? Oh my god, hahahahaha!" Souta burst out in a fit of giggles and laughter.
The grin on Kagome's face had gone from evil, to positively macabre.
Sare sighed. It was going to be a long couple of days.
Disclaimer: Don't own them. I hold no responsibility to what Rumiko Takahashi did to Sesshy-chan! She's the one who lopped off his arm! Not me! *points an accusing finger at Rumiko*
A/N: Well, the next chappy may just have a lemon in it. I might not be able to post it on ff.net due to their 'virgin' minds. I might have to post it on mediaminer. org. For those of you who don't want to wait, if I do put a lemon in here, I will e-mail it to you if you ask it of me. Now, about 'If love is blind' that will be out very shortly, a week at most. Please give me time to gather my scattered ideas and shovel them into my muse's offices. ^-^ Also, why hasn't anyone requested a music video? I will be posting a soundtrack for this story that will have all the songs that I use on it, the artist, and the album. For some reason I felt compelled to put a lot of songs in this chapter, heh, heh, just a request, I know most of you skip through songs when you see them in fics, but it would please me greatly if you would read through some of them, you don't have to of course. ^-^ I have the name of the song, artist, and album below them just in case. ^-^
Read now! Bye bye!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The group soon found out that Kagome was a slave driver. Being the youkai that she was, she was used to traveling alone and going at a fast pace. But being with her friends, ever if one of them was hanyou, she was going much slower.
Kagome stopped next to a small brook in the forest. "We can rest here for a while, then we need to continue to the northern lands. That's what direction we're going in, so why not get the shards that are there?"
All of her friends sat down gratefully and accepted a strange type of dried meat.
Kagome pulled out another pouch of it and said, "It's dried clams and mussels. I dry them for traveling. They're really good if not a little bit salty." She said as she popped one into her mouth.
All at once, Kagome stopped moving and listened intently. She sniffed the air and felt a familiar aura approaching. She sighed, 'That guy has perfect timing doesn't he? Grr...The guys'll kill him on sight if they see him. Gotta go somewhere.' Kagome stood up and said, "I'm going to go scout out our surroundings."
They all nodded and Kagome vaulted off out of sight. Kagome jumped through the trees until she was in a very large clearing a couple of miles away from her friends. She stood and patiently awaited the arrival of 'him'.
Kagome switched her vision to that of auras. She looked to the sky and saw that there was a black aura approaching from the southeast. She sighed, the sound long and suffering. Then she growled while sitting against the base of a large pine tree. 'Why did he have to pick NOW of all times for a little visit? *sigh* Here old pink pelt comes now. Right on time.'
Naraku, pelt and all, materialized out of a cloud of miasma and stepped toward Kagome. "Hello Korekuta no reikons. It has been a while."
Kagome sighed and gave Naraku an annoyed look. "Will you quit it with the stupid 'names'? How would you like it if I called you "Baboon-boy" every time I saw you? Even though that is my title, I would prefer if you saved it for the times when we're around people? Whaddya want already?!"
Naraku grumbled something about touchy female soul stealers before saying, "I have come in askance, *cough* *grumble*, of your, *heavy sigh*, assistance...*eye twitch*"
Kagome just looked at him and said, "Yeeeeeesss, and what do you need my assistance with?"
Naraku, relieved she was not laughing at him, said, "Over the past several months, as I have recently discovered, there has been someone committing rather, large, felonies, in my name. They are obviously good at hiding it too, because I only found out after the entire southern lands were trying to fry my ass with every miko they could get their hands on. I have come in askance of you to help me find who is doing it so I may put an end to their life."
Kagome was contemplating what he said, "AHA! So I was right! It WASN'T you who tried to kill the lord and lady of the southern lands! And it wasn't you who killed my parents, wait, I knew that already."
Naraku, who had shed his pelt, knowing how much Kagome despised the garment, and not wanting to have it dyed pink again, was now confused. "Okay, rewind and freeze. What about your parents?"
Kagome stopped in her musings and looked at Naraku. "OH! When I was a baby my parents were killed by a hanyou, and I would be able to tell if it was you. Okay, so you say there is someone screwing with people all over Japan in your name and you want me to help find out who it is so you can kill them. Right?" 'Great, now NARAKU is starting to use modern expressions. *mental sigh*'
Naraku nodded and said, "Hai."
Kagome winced. "This is NOT going to work. *sigh*"
Naraku looked at her and said, "Why is that?"
Kagome sighed heavily and glared at the ground next to her like it had done something to offend her. "Well gee, ibesidesi the fact that I am now traveling with Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku, who all hate you by the way, and I can't exactly just go searching for this, human, hanyou, or youkai, whatever it is. Because, like you, Inuyasha is searching for the jewel shards and I am helping him with it! And I don't think you want to travel with us, now do you?!" Kagome groaned and keeled over onto her back. She gave a heavy sigh as she lay there.
Naraku leaned up against a tree. "*sigh* What do I have to do?"
Kagome looked at him, "Excuse me?"
Naraku flicked a leaf off of his shoulder and said, "What do I have to do to convince you to assist me?"
Kagome huffed and said, "It's not imei you have to convince. *sigh* Look, you're the one with the grudge against this character right? If I look for them and happen to find them, you are the one that wants to kill him, so, I can't exactly just go up and kill him for you!"
Naraku sighed and said, "I see your point."
Kagome nodded her head and said, "The only way this is going to work is for you to travel with us. This is bnotb going to be pretty."
Naraku sighed once again and said, "What do I have to do?"
Kagome thought for a moment. "Well, I have isomei things..."
Naraku eyed her for a moment and said, "Talk."
Kagome said, "Well, for one, I want you to remove the risk of Miroku getting sucked into the air rip. Keep it there, because it's a useful weapon, but reduce it to its original size and get rid of the risk of death."
Naraku waved his hand and said, "Done. Next?"
Kagome said, "Give Sango back her brother."
Naraku looked at her and said, "Not a simple request. The kid is dead, not to mention the little 'memory of killing his family' problem."
Kagome thought for a moment then smiled. "I can help with the memory problem, but I have something else that can help with the dead issue." She reached into her pouch and fished around for a bit before pulling out one of them and giving a triumphant, "Aha! I found it!" She held it in her palm and it started to glow, she tossed it in the air and out poofed a small, child like, demon. She had short blonde hair with blue ends that reached her pointed ears, a sky blue kimono with a white obi, piercing ice blue eyes, two thin blue stripes on each cheek, a mark on her forehead that was, a white cross like shape, but instead of the straight lines, the lines were wavy like her athemaes, and had a small red dot in the center.
The youkai blinked for a second before looking at Kagome and saying, with an Australian accent, "Oh! Hi Noyoroha-chan! Whaddye' need me for?"
Kagome smiled and said, "Hi Kimi-chan (kee-mee). After I get something from Naraku," She poked his shoulder because he was right next to her. "I'll need your help."
Kagome turned to Naraku and said, "Get Kohaku. *ahem* NOW."
Naraku sighed and sent a message to Kagura. 'Kagura. Bring me Kohaku. And hurry up!'
Kagome smiled and sat down next to Kimi, who was looking up and down at Naraku. (Also known as, she was checking him out. ^-~) She whispered to Kagome, "Who's the hottie?"
Kagome's eyes widened and she said, "Kimi!"
Kimi looked at her and said, "What? He is!"
Kagome sighed while shaking her head. "If you want Kimi, after this I can let you go."
Kimi looked deep in thought for a moment before smiling. "I would like that, but I would like to stay with you, even if I'm not, like, one of your souls."
Kagome smiled and said, "Sure! I'm sure I could use more company besides Kaze." She pointed to where the bird perched, forgotten, on her shoulder guard.
Naraku sighed and asked Kagome, "What is she?"
Kimi bounced up and shook Naraku's hand, well; more of shook three of his fingers. "Itokimi Awai the Necromancer at 'ya service mate!"
Naraku took one look at the small demon relentlessly shaking his hand and couldn't help but think she was cute.
Kimi stopped shaking his hand and looked behind him at Kagura approaching on her feather. "Who the hell is that?"
Kagome sighed. Even though Kimi looked about as old as Kanna, she was really about 450 years old. And she swore like a sailor.
Kagura landed with Kohaku and walked over to Naraku; she would have been scowling at him, but, seeing that Kagome was there, decided not to be in a bad mood. "Here's the kid Naraku. Anything else?"
Naraku shook his head as Kohaku stepped over to his side, his eyes blank and staring.
Kimi took one look at him and her eyes widened. "Damn! How longs this chap been dead?!"
Naraku shrugged and said, "About two years, maybe a little more."
Kimi shook her head and looked to Kagome, "Ye' want me to revive him don't ya'? *sigh* Well, this ain't gonna be easy. Seein as 'im bein dead so longs made 'is soul hide in the pit of 'is mind."
Kagome just nodded and sniffed the air, "Crap! Well, you're going to need to hurry a bit, Inuyasha just started looking for me."
Kimi snapped her fingers and he fell to the ground on his back. She snapped them again and the shard appeared in her palm, She flicked it to Naraku and then knelt next to Kohaku's limp form.
Kimi placed one hand over his face and the other over his chest. She sang a few words in a resounding voice that sounded like it was coming from everywhere, and echoing in a mountain canyon.
"Mes shi. Ki na ro sha nes, Mit ci no karem bak. Talle sha ren kiribuk. Nalesef. Nalesef! Nalesef!"
As she sang, a bright blue light gathered beneath her hands and snaked into Kohaku. Tendrils of blue light swirled from beneath her hands as she sang in a clear and beautiful voice. A look of concentration crossed Kimi's face as she searched for Kohaku's soul. Normally when she revived someone, dead for two years or not, all she had to do was fish their soul out of the river Styx. (A/N: In Greek mythology, the river Styx is the one that is flowing with all the souls of dead people. In this case, I'm just using the river as a place to keep the souls until they reincarnate. ^-^ Okay, you can go back to reading.) But in this case, the shard in his back had imprisoned his soul inside himself and the controlling of Naraku had made it retreat to the back of his mind.
When she finally found it, the blue light of the hand that was over his face latched onto it and pulled it from the dark recesses of his mind. She spoke in a soft voice to the soul, "Come on out mate. I won't 'urt you."
Slowly, the light from the hand over her face spread the soul into his body, and the light over his chest revived his deadened body. The once pale flesh regained a healthy peach color, his heart began beating at a steady pace, and his breathing registered.
Kagome smiled. Kimi lived up to her name. 'Life's light' suited her pretty well.
When Kimi removed her hands, Kagome pressed her palm to Kohaku's fore head, she immediately saw how much grief and guilt was there and told him that it wasn't his fault, that he had no control over his actions, that he was being controlled. She left out the rather BIG detail of Naraku, but she didn't exactly want both of the vengeful siblings to try and kill Naraku. It took quite a while, but eventually, she got Kohaku to the point where he wouldn't kill himself and he had the will to live. And the fact that he had Sango helped a lot.
Kagome removed her hand and stood up. She waved her arm at Kimi and she watched as the air shimmered around Kimi before stopping. Kimi hadn't been dead when Kagome had purified her soul. Kimi had been tricked into reviving a bunch of VERY dangerous demons, and if she had succeeded, then there would have been hell to pay. So Kagome, without thinking, had purified all of their souls.
Kagome stretched and said to Naraku, "Don't know exactly what you can do for Inuyasha, well, besides not try to kill Kikyou anymore, but, yeah, he pretty much hates you with a passion." She smiled and said, "I guess I'll either have to beat it into his head not to kill you, or I'll just have to pin his ass to another tree. But that wouldn't be as much fun."
Kimi bounced about happily. "Yay! Now I can annoy Inuyasha all the time! I've been idyingi to since you told me about him Noyoroha!"
Kagome sweatdropped and said, "Can you call me Kagome? That's the name I've gone by for the last 18 years." (It's almost Kag's b-day.^-^)
"Kay. Oooh! Here comes dog-boy now!"
Inuyasha jumped into the clearing brandishing the Tetsusaiga. He growled when he saw Naraku leaning against a tree and Kagome standing next to an unknown demon. "What the hell do you want Naraku!"
Kagome rolled her eyes and said, "Shut up Inuyasha! Go away! I'll be there in a minute! I'm sure Kimi would ilovei to keep you company."
Inuyasha blinked, and the next thing he knew he was being dragged back the way he came by a little girl throwing him random questions. He was pretty sure somewhere in the questions she asked if he would be her boyfriend, but he didn't know what the hell that was.
Kagome snickered at the unfortunate hanyou before turning to Naraku and the now standing Kohaku. "Well, I'm hoping they won't try and kill you itooi many times." She looked at Kohaku and said, "Hi! I'm Kagome and this is Naraku. The dog-eared hanyou who just got dragged off by my friend Kimi is Inuyasha, and this is Kazetaka," she pointed to the dozing bird on her shoulder guard. "Kaze for short."
Kohaku nodded. His memory of being in Naraku's service completely gone. Kagome started walking back toward camp, Kohaku following behind her, and Naraku at the rear.
When Kagome got back to camp she saw Miroku staring at his left hand curiously fingering the now much smaller indentation under the glove. Kagome smiled seeing that Naraku had done what she asked. Kagome called to Sango, "Hey Sango-chan! I believe there is someone, a very alive and in his right mind someone, here to see you!"
She took Kohaku's hand and pushed him toward Sango. Sango blinked a moment before tackling Kohaku in one of her famous death hugs.
Miroku had taken a liking to Kimi who was now ignoring Inuyasha and staring at Naraku with hearts in her eyes. Miroku walked over to her, ignoring her age, and said, "Why, fair lady, may I have the honor of knowing your name?"
Kimi looked at Miroku and, of course, she liked what she saw, "Kimi Awai the Necromancer at 'ye service mate!" She shook his hand and Miroku got on one knee while clasping her hand in both of his.
"Kimi-sama, would you give this humble monk the honor of bearing my child?"
Kimi's eyes lit up and she said, "Sure!"
Miroku's eyes widened and he had a blank look on his face, 'She said yes?'
Kagome could have died laughing at the look on Miroku's face. Sango was red from anger and then it all sort of dissipated when Kimi said yes. Sango voiced Miroku's thoughts, "She said yes? B-BUT SHE'S ONLY A LITTLE GIRL!!!" Sango sputtered
Kagome coughed, trying to hide her laughter and said, "Actually, Kimi is about 450 years old. She's a Necromancer with eternal youth. She'll only age until she's about 18. Right now she looks like she's about 10 years old. I can't believe the lech still asked her to bear his child. I knew she would say yes too! That girl has an eye for every bishounen in the vicinity. She's constantly checking out guys. *sigh* She's as bad as a future teenager."
Miroku's face had gone a bit pale, he had never really thought about what he would do after he pulled 'The question'. By now he just expected to get a 'slap' and a 'HENTAI!', but, 'Sure!' wasn't only his list of responses.
You weren't supposed to say 'YES' To THE question! Only Sango was!
Kimi had a mischievous glint in her eyes, "Soo," She scooted closer to the blank faced monk and winked at Kagome. She whispered something in Miroku's ear and he got a horrified look on his face. He jumped away from Kimi and hid behind Sango. "Ah! Save me from this vicious youkai!" He looked at the grinning Kimi like she was the devil incarnate.
Kim just had an innocent smile and bounced over to Kagome, the only one who had heard what she said besides Miroku. Kagome turned blue and then burst out laughing. Kagome noticed the looks everyone was sending towards Naraku stopped laughing. "Hi Naraku."
Naraku just gave her a look that said, 'what's so funny'.
Kagome pointed to the innocent looking Kimi.
Miroku, snapping out of his fear of the 'devil child', but stepping around her asked Kagome, "Kagome-sama, may I ask what Naraku is doing here?"
Kagome did not think this was going to turn out very well.
Sango was kind of, well, ignoring Naraku for the time being. She was too happy at the fact that Kohaku was back.
Kagome sighed while looking at the unfortunate hanyou who was on the receiving end of Kimi's endless questioning. Miroku had snapped out of his shock at someone saying yes to his, 'will you bear my child' question, and was looking at her expectantly.
Inuyasha was giving Naraku a glare that said, 'I damn you to the seventh level of hell and believe me there ain't no eighth'
Kagome coughed and said, "Well, *cough* I, um, well, first of all, Inuyasha, shut up and stop willing Naraku to burst into flame, Miroku, Kimi isn't going to bear your child so stop worrying about it, Sango, could you stop reuniting with Kohaku for a minute to hear me out?"
Everyone turned to her and she smiled, except Inuyasha "Well, um, I guess you are all wondering why Naraku and Kohaku are here, right?"
Nods.
"Well, um, about twenty minutes ago, Naraku sort of, came here and, told me a few things. He has someone impersonating him and needs help- *glare from Naraku*-iassistancei finding them. He most likely," *pointed look at Naraku* "Didn't know that I was with you guys. So, what I'm trying to say here is, Naraku will be traveling with us...temporarily."
The camp got very quiet.
"WHAT?!?!?!?" was Inuyasha's reply.
Kagome sighed. How did she know he as going to say that? "Well, I had him give Sango back Kohaku and reduce Miroku's Kazanna to its original size and remove the risk of him getting sucked into it before I agreed."
Miroku looked shocked. "Okay, so, Naraku just did those things because you iaskedi?"
Kagome nodded.
Sango looked at her incredulously, "And you AGREED?"
Inuyasha looked like he just got sat right out of a tree. "Kagome, are you serious?"
Kagome nodded and said, "Yup. Serious as a heart attack. And if you don't like it then, it sucks to be you."
Miroku out his hands in his sleeves and said, "I will not question your judgement Kagome-sama."
Sango sighed and gave Naraku a dirty look. "Well, no matter how much I idislikei the situation, I believe I can stand it."
Inuyasha just scowled and said, "Feh." Before jumping into a tree to sulk.
Kagome smiled and said, "Good. Now, Kimi, you do realize that Inuyasha isn't there anymore, right?"
Kimi blinked and then said, "Oh. Well, I'm going to sit down and get to know your friends, K' mate?"
Kagome rolled her eyes and said, "Whatever Kimi. *cough* Naraku, I need to talk to you. NOW."
Kagome dragged Naraku out of the camp and turned to him with blazing eyes. "1, no trying to kill anyone, no matter ihowi annoying they are. 2, if you must have one of your, incarnations, here, make sure they do not kill anyone. ESPECIALLY Juroumaru and Kageroumaru.(A/N: In my fic, they are still alive and never got killed.) 3, try not be a jackass. 4, I won't mention any more of your, little escapades, with me if you follow these rules."
Naraku nodded and as soon as she started walking away, what she said clicked in Naraku's brain. "What do you mean any imorei?! Kagome?!"
****Later****
After they had eaten, Kagome looked around at the awkward group. "Hey? Do you guys want me to play some music? It would bring the awkwardness down a bit."
She got murmurs of agreement and nods from everyone but Inuyasha, who was still sulking.
Kagome grinned evilly. "Naraku? Do you think I should introduce my friends to Linkin Park?"
Naraku smirked and thought, 'Whew, they are in for a surprise.'
Kagome took out her cd player, speakers, and cd. She put it in and pressed play.
Everyone jumped when the music started, it wasn't loud or anything, but it started so suddenly.
Kagome leaned against a tree and smiled. This was one of her favorite songs.
"When this began,
I had nothing to say,
And I'd get lost in the nothingness inside of me,
I was confused,
And I let it all out to find,
That I'm not the only person with these things in mind,
Inside of me,
But all the vacancy the words revealed,
Is the only real thing that I've got left to feel,
Nothing to lose,
Just stuck, hollow and alone,
And the fault is my own and the fault is my own.
I wanna heal,
I wanna feel,
What I thought was never real,
I wanna let go of the pain I've held so long,
(erase all the pain till it's gone)
I wanna heal,
I wanna feel,
Like I'm close to something real,
I wanna find something I've wanted all along,
Somewhere I belong...
And I've got nothing to say,
I can't believe I didn't fall right down on my face,
I was confused,
Looking everywhere, only to find,
That it's not the way I had imagined it all in my mind,
So what am I?
What do I have but negativity?
'Cause I can't justify the way everyone is looking at me,
Nothing lose,
Nothing to gain,
Hollow and alone,
And the fault is my own and the fault is my own.
I wanna heal,
I wanna feel,
What I thought was never real,
I wanna let go of the pain I've held so long,
(erase all the pain till it's gone)
I wanna heal,
I wanna feel,
Like I'm close to something real,
I wanna find something I've wanted all along,
Somewhere I belong,
I will never know,
Myself until I do this on my own,
And I will never feel,
Anything else,
Until my wounds are healed,
I will never be,
Anything till I break away from me,
I will break away,
I'll find my self today...
I wanna heal,
I wanna feel,
What I thought was never real,
I wanna let go of the pain I've held so long,
(erase all the pain till it's gone)
I wanna heal,
I wanna feel,
Like I'm close to something real,
I wanna find something I've wanted all along,
Somewhere I belong...
I wanna heal,
I wanna feel like I'm,
Somewhere I belong...
I wanna heal,
I wanna feel like I'm,
Somewhere I belong!
Somewhere I belong!"
['Somewhere I belong' by 'Linkin Park'/ Album: Meteora-Track 3]
When the song was over, everyone blinked.
Silence.
Kagome sighed. Damn, it was more awkward than before. "*cough* Would you guys like me to play something else? Oh! I know. Hey Naraku, what about P. Diddy, Nelly, and Murphy Lee?"
Naraku looked at her with an eyebrow raised. "You have got to be kidding me."
Kagome got out a CD that didn't have a label on it. Concluding from that, that it was bootleg music burned from other CDs or from the internet.
She pressed play, and 'Shake ya Tailfeather' came on.
About half way through, Kagome noticed the lecherous smile on Miroku's face, the astonished look on Sango's face, the bored look on Naraku's face, the pleased look on Kimi's face, and the horrified look on Inuyasha's.
Kagome pressed stop and sighed. "Scratch pathetic attempt at ridding ourselves of awkwardness." She grumbled under her breath.
Kimi smiled and said, "Nice song mate! Ain't like anythin' I've heard here before. But, you bein from the future, that would make sense."
Kagome glared at her and turned to Naraku. "Any song suggestions?"
Naraku thought for a moment. Kagome had had him listen to almost all of her cds. "Hmmm...Escape?"
Kagome shook her head. "Nah."
Naraku thought some more. "Points of Authority?"
Kagome smiled and said, "Alright! Linkin Park it is!"
Kagome switched cds and went to track 2.
Everyone jumped again at the loud music when it came on. Kagome smiled.
"Yo, yo,
Forfeit the game,
Before somebody else takes you outta the frame,
Puts your name to shame,
Cover up your face,
You can't run the race,
The pace is too fast,
You just won't last.
(Won't last, won't last, won't last, won't last, won't last, won't last.)
You love the way,
I look at you,
While taking pleasure in the awful things you put me through,
You take away,
If I give in,
My life,
My pride is broken.
You like to think you're never wrong (You like to think you're never wrong),
You have to act like you're someone (You have to act like you're someone),
You want someone to hurt like you (You want someone to hurt like you),
You want to share what you've been through,
You live what you you've learned.
You love the things,
I say I'll do,
The way I hurt myself again just to get back at you,
You take away,
When I give in,
My life my pride is broken,
You like to think you're never wrong,(you like to think you're never wrong)
You want to act like you're someone,( you have to act like you're someone)
You want someone to hurt like you (you want someone to hurt like you),
You want to share what you've been through!
You live what you you've learned.
Yo, yo,
Forfeit the game,
Before somebody else takes you outta the frame,
Puts your name to shame,
Cover up your face,
You can't run the race,
The pace is too fast,
You just won't last,
Forfeit the game,
Before somebody else takes you outta the frame (frame),
Puts your name to shame,
Cover up your face,
You can't run the race,
The pace is too fast,
You just won't last.
(Won't last, won't last, won't last, won't last, won't last, won't last...)
(You like to think you're never wrong, (you like to think you're never wrong)
You want to act like you're someone,( you have to act like you're someone)
You want someone to hurt like you (you want someone to hurt like you),
You want to share what you've been through!)
You like to think you're never wrong, (you like to think you're never wrong)
You want to act like you're someone,( you have to act like you're someone)
You want someone to hurt like you (you want someone to hurt like you),
You want to share what you've been through!
You live what you you've lear-er-er-erned.
['PTS.OF.ATHRTY' by 'Linkin Park' / Album: Reanimation-Track 2]
Kagome sighed and said, "Okay, no more music. It seems to be scaring you guys. Anyone up for sleep?"
She got nods and yawns of agreement. Inuyasha jumped to his usual perch in the nearest tree, and Sango, Miroku, Kohaku, and Kimi, stretched out by the fire. Kagome sat herself near a tree and leaned against one side of it, Naraku leaned against the other. They both closed their eyes, but neither went to sleep.
"Don't sleep much?" Kagome asked Naraku.
Naraku grunted in reply and said, "No. But when you have as many enemies as I do, not to mention a few children that would take pleasure in killing you, you don't sleep much."
Kagome let out a small sigh, "Since when did you start referring to Kagura as your 'child'?"
Naraku let out a low chuckle before saying. "I find it more convenient to call them that, and she hasn't been thinking as many death threats about me of late."
Kagome smiled, "Hmmm...Now I wonder who had a hand in that?"
Naraku opened an eye to look at Kagome out of the corner of it. She was smiling. "What did you do." He demanded.
Kagome just gave him an innocent look and said, "Oh nothing, just convinced her that you would let her go soon and that if she killed him her heart would never actually be in her body."
Naraku cracked both eyes open. "How did you know?"
Kagome rolled her eyes heavenwards and said, "Did you forget about the eye on my shoulder?"
Naraku growled at her. "You do know how much I hate it when you do that. Right?"
Kagome nodded and said, "Yup. That's why I do it. Plus the fact that I was bored."
Naraku closed his eyes again. "So, is there more than one reason why you decided to go to the northern lands for shard hunting?"
Kagome sighed. "How did you know."
Naraku smirked. "Did you forget that I also have telepathic powers?"
Kagome pouted and said, "So what if I want to visit my Uncle and my brother? They probably all think that I'm never coming back. Ugh...I feel so horrible for leaving them hanging like this. I closed off our telepathic bonds so they couldn't contact me."
Naraku just shrugged. "Do you think Sare will have any ideas on who is impersonating me?"
Kagome shrugged too. "Don't know. What I'm wondering is, how did he get Kohaku? I already know it was the real Kikyou."
Naraku thought for a minute. "Kohaku hadn't left my fortress at all for the past year and a half. I hadn't had any use for him and I didn't want to kill him. He must have made a copy of him, either that or it was a projection."
Kagome perked at the new term, "Projection?"
Naraku said, "It's an illusion. Like a person, but it's an illusion held by magic, by someone controlling it. Usually it's someone very powerful, or someone with access to a helluva lot of magic. If they had a projection and a mind control going at once, they have to have a lot of power not to mention skill and control. Projecting is a skill that takes years to master, and mind control only slightly easier to master. The last time I heard of someone using projections was, whew, about 17 years ago."
Kagome furrowed her eyebrows. 17 years ago, right around the time her parents died. Odd.
She sighed and shook her head. Things were happening way too fast for her taste. She glanced at Naraku and said, "I don't know about you, but I think I'm going to at least itryi to sleep. Oyasumi." Kagome leaned back against the tree and closed her eyes.
About five minutes and quite a few tosses and turns later, Kagome growled in frustration and whined. "Uhn! I can't sleep in this form! It's been so long and I just can't get used to it. Damn it to hell!"
Naraku cracked an eye open and glared at her. "Then go off into the clearing and sleep like a dragon. I won't tell. Besides, you are seriously annoying me with all of your fidgeting."
Kagome huffed and stood up, she stuck her nose up and walked to a clearing that was about 10 meters away. She pouted when she realized that it was too small to house her dragon form. She just shrugged and transformed into her true Inu-youkai form.
The majestic black dog gave a cute yawn with a small squeak to it, showing rows of gigantic pearly white teeth. Kagome settled herself onto the ground and curled up with her nose in her tail.
~~~~*~~~~Morning~~~~*~~~~
*slap* "Hentai!"
"Ow! It was worth the pain to feel your delicate skin my dearest Sango."
"Lech..."
"Shut up will you! Just kiss and make out already! The rest of the world is trying to sleep."
*blush*
*growl* "Grrrr...Shut up! Where's Kagome?"
Naraku cracked an eye open in amusement at the Inu-hanyou's obvious lack of authority. He sighed at the Inuyasha's stupidity and briefly wondered how he had been beaten so many times. Oh yeah, Kagome was with him. "Inuyasha. You have a nose, use it." He said like it was the most evident thing in the world. Which it was.
Inuyasha growled but sniffed the air anyway he blinked in confusion but bounded off into the trees into the clearing, closely followed by Sango, Miroku, Kimi, and Naraku.
When Inuyasha dropped into the clearing, his jaw dropped.
As did everyone else's.
Kagome, who was still asleep, was now stretched out across the clearing, with her hind paws on one side of her, while her right front paw was thrown over here eyes and half her muzzle. Her tail was swishing every so often and then falling back into place with a soft 'thud'.
Inuyasha covered his mouth as he snickered. Naraku just smirked, knowing he was in for the beating of a lifetime when Kagome woke up, while everyone else was going, 'Awww...'
Kagome shifted so she was on her back, her paws curled slightly in above her, she peeked open her eyes and gave a growl of annoyance when she had to close them immediately because of the sunlight, she tossed a paw over her eyes and sat up on her haunches, she yawned widely and then blinked. She sniffed the air and then turned her head to peer at the now rigid forms of her companions.
Kagome took stock of what had happened and turned her red-eyed gaze to Naraku, who then proceeded to inch away from the clearing. Kagome started to growl low in her chest as she rose to her feet and crouched.
Naraku bolted.
Kagome sprang after him and within minutes, they were back in the clearing; with a very pleased Kagome with a very annoyed Naraku hanging by the back of his Haori from her jaws.
Kagome proceeded to drop him onto the ground turn around, kick a paw- full of dirt at him and then turn back into her humanoid form. She glared at the now slobber and dirt covered Naraku and said, "I thought you said you wouldn't tell."
Naraku wiped dirt from his face and said, "I didn't. They just walked into the clearing."
Kagome huffed but then threw a giant bubble of water at him, cleaning him of all dirt and saliva. Then she blow-dried him.
Kagome turned and smiled at her friends who were now losing interest and heading back to the camp.
A while later, they were moving again.
Inuyasha bounded up beside Kagome and asked, "Where are we going in the northern lands?" He asked.
Kagome smiled and said, "To the fortress of the Lord of the Northern lands!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sesshoumaru growled as he glared at the letter he had just read, like it was to blame for all his nuisances. He resisted the urge to tear the parchment to pieces and let it fall to the top of his desk.
He supposed the letter was right. No matter how much he hated to admit it, he needed a mate. He may have had Rin for an heir to the western lands, but she was female, and he needed a male heir. And the Kitsune was out of the question. He growled as he then remembered that the annual peacekeeping ball was to be held in the western lands this year.
Another thing he needed a mate for, to take care of all of these blasted social events!
Just what he needed, every female youkai in Japan trying to seduce him into mating with them. He massaged his temples, trying to ward of the migraine he knew was coming. He stood up and made his way down to the gardens.
Shippou sat in a tree watching Rin weave flowers. She seemed to have lost all of her youthful energy after Kagome left. Where as she used to run around picking every flower she could find, and pounce on Shippou and play with his tail, she now walked from bush to bush and picked only the flowers in full bloom. The late autumn flowers were just starting to make themselves visible and Rin had a good pile of them next to her.
Shippou, who had never really been innocent, was now a bit more mature than he should be. He knew death, sorrow, loss; all of those. He had grown a bit and now came up to Rin's waist. He had also lost some of his childish nature, but where it had gone down, he was now a very mischievous kitsune. He would often play tricks on all of the servants, namely Jaken, and sometimes, though rarely, Sesshoumaru. Like one time, he had snuck into the room while Sesshoumaru was taking a bath, and taken all of his haoris hakamas, and bath robes; leaving him with only a hot pink woman's kimono. Shippou clearly remembered Sesshoumaru's words.
"Where the hell did my clothes go? *pause* *sniff sniff* *growl* Damn kit."
There had then been a brief pause in which Sesshoumaru had inspected the woman's kimono that had been put near the spring. There had been another growl and then, "Fuck it." Followed by the tearing of fabric.
And then he had walked down to his room, in his birthday suit, looking very pissed.
Shippou had then gotten beat over the head repeatedly by Sesshoumaru's fist, much like Inuyasha would have done.
Sesshoumaru stepped into the garden, clad in his normal attire, minus his armor and swords. He observed the kit sitting above Rin watching as she weaved more wreaths and chains to hang around his home. He mentally sighed. There was now not a single wall in his entire fortress that did not have some sort of flower wreath on it. Rin looked up when she hear him enter she peeked over at him and all at once her childish attitude came back with a vengeance. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin squealed as she threw herself at him and latched onto his leg with a death grip.
Shippou, still being small enough to do so, hopped onto Sesshoumaru's shoulder and said, "Hi Fluffy."
Sesshoumaru growled a warning and said, "Kit." That one word full of malice and promise was enough to shut Shippou up. After all, it had only been two nights ago that he had pulled the stunt with the kimonos.
Shippou hopped off his shoulder and pouted. He looked up at Sesshoumaru with a wicked twinkle in his eye, "So, when is it?"
Sesshoumaru gave barely audible sigh and said, "Three nights from tonight."
Shippou grinned evilly and rubbed his hands together in a purely evil way. Sesshoumaru glared at him fiercely. "I suggest you do not do anything harmful kit, for if you embarrass this Sesshoumaru, iagaini, you will not live to see yourself die."
Shippou looked confused. "That didn't make sense."
Sesshoumaru smirked slightly as he turned away, "I know."
Shippou blinked as he saw Sesshoumaru walk away, and then, as if just noticing the small Inu-youkai clinging to his leg like a teddy bear said, "Rin."
Rin let go reluctantly but followed him as he walked inside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kagome and the rest of the group emerged from the forest to be faced with about 20 meters and then a huge castle stood towering above them. Kagome sniffed and smiled.
"Guess who's back." She whispered.
Inuyasha walked up beside her and said, "Tell me, um, why are we at the fortress of the northern lord?"
Kagome grinned and said, "He's my uncle."
As if on queue, a head popped up from the battlements of the walls and screamed, "Kagome!"
In a flash of white, Souta had jumped from the top of the wall down to tackle Kagome to the ground in a hug. Kagome, who was a little bit winded, choked out, "Nice to see you too. Could you let me go?"
Souta let her go and then proceeded to yell into the gates, "SARE! Kagome's here!"
Another flash.
Kagome was once again in a hug.
She was once again let go.
She pulled herself away from her uncle and brother to go back to her companions. "Sare, this is, Sango, *point*, Miroku, *point*, Inuyasha, *point*, Kimi, *point*, Kaze, *points to her shoulder*, and Naraku. *point*"
Sare growled.
Kagome jumped in front of Naraku and said, "Wait! Before you kill him! Hear me out. Believe me, he's not a threat."
Sare stopped growling but that didn't make him any less tense.
After explaining that Naraku was an enemy, but a temporary ally, and he wouldn't kill anyone or hurt anything in general, Sare deemed it all right for him to stay.
Souta was dragging Kagome to the dojo so he could show her all of the stuff he had learned. "C'mon Kag! I wanna show you some of the stuff that I can do."
Kagome dragged her heels and whined, "Souta, can't you show Inuyasha? I'm sure he's VERY interested."
Souta perked up and said, "Cool! I'll show both of you! Where'd he go?"
Kagome sighed and said, "Why is it all of the demons around me forget that they have noses?"
Souta grumbled and sniffed the air, "Inuyasha! Come here!" He yelled.
Inuyasha fell out of the tree he had been sitting in while observing the grounds with an 'Ooof'. He jumped up and stomped over to Souta to glare at him, "Hey! What's the big idea with scaring me out of the tree like that ya igit!" He fumed.
Kagome poked him and said, "Nothing. Souta just wants to show you some things, now follow him!" She pushed Inuyasha in the direction of the dojo.
Souta showed both Inuyasha and Kagome all of the new stuff he had learned. He could control his wind abilities somewhat, and his power over plant life was impressive. He had learned how to channel his healing powers, but was still working on controlling them. Her had grown in his skill of the trident, and now wanted one of them to spar with him.
Kagome sat down firmly and refused. "No! I don't want to! Spar with Inuyasha, I'm sure he'd love to beat you."
Souta glared, "Ha, ha, very funny sis."
Inuyasha and souta sparred three times, each time Inuyasha coming out as the victor. Souta grumbled as they walked back to the castle. "Darn it! I lost all three times! Darn it! Darn it! Darn it!"
Inuyasha smirked arrogantly and put his hands behind his head. "Keh, you're still an amateur kid. You need more training before you can take me on."
Kagome swore she saw some of the plants near Inuyasha wilt. She held her breath and said, "Inuyasha. Go with Souta and take a bath. NOW."
Inuyasha put his arms down, for which Kagome was thankful, and growled, "I do not."
Kagome glared at him and said, "Yes. You do. Now go!"
"No!"
After about twenty minutes, Sare heard struggling near the bath chambers of his home he walked over to se Inuyasha clinging to the doorframe of the bathhouse as if it was the only thing between him and death, while Kagome, Souta, and Miroku were pulling by the back of his haori to get him into the room.
He snickered and watched the scene play out.
"Inuyasha! Get your dog-eared ass off of that door!" Growled Kagome.
"Never!" Yelled Inuyasha.
"Inuyasha, if you do not let go, I will be forced to take drastic measures." Said Miroku, losing some of his calm.
Souta pulled on his haori and said, "Inuyasha get off before I pull you by your ears!"
Miroku finally lost it and said, "Damnit Inuyasha! Get the fuck of the door frame now!"
Inuyasha gave out a yelp that sounded like a wounded dog and let go; promptly knocking himself, Kagome, Miroku, and Souta into the hot springs behind them.
Sat up in the water and Souta asked, "Are you okay sis?"
Kagome parted her curtain of dripping hair and said, "Yeah, but I can's say the same for Inuyasha tonight while he's sleeping." She growled.
After much laughing, washing, scrubbing, and pummeling of the head, Souta and Miroku managed to get Inuyasha cleaned. They sent his fire-rat kimono to be washed and gave him a different kimono to wear, much to his dislike.
After he was dressed, Kagome dragged him out of the bathhouse and grinned evilly. She called Sango and Kimi, and brought them all down to a room where there were many mirrors, men's kimonos (The hakama and haori and stuff.), and many other things.
Kagome sat Inuyasha down in a stool in front of a large mirror. When Kagome graded a comb and started brushing his hair he protested loudly. "Hey! What the hell are you doing wench?! Leave my hair alone!"
Kagome batted his hands away and continued her work while Sango and Kimi got her other necessities. She managed to get Inuyasha's hair brushed surprisingly easily and quickly. After she was done, she pulled it back in a low ponytail.
Kagome admired her work and 'awwed' when she saw how cutely his ears poked up from his hair.
Kagome forced Inuyasha to sit still while she picked out a kimono for him to wear. When she finally chose, it was one that was exactly the same in style as Sesshoumaru's, but instead of the flowers on the haori, it had a black and blue spiked geometric design that gave the illusion of sharp fangs, on the white fabric.
She, Kimi, and Sango left the room while he changed into it. Sounds of struggling and grunts of complaint and murmurs of 'stupid bitch' and 'goddamned wench' were heard from behind the door. When he was finished, Kagome walked in and stopped at the sight of him.
He had his arms folded with a, by now, familiar pout on his lips, with the new kimono, he looked a lot like Sesshoumaru.
Where as before Kagome could only see the resemblance in the Inu brothers in the eyes and hair, and even there they weren't very compatible, Inuyasha's eyes were golden honey color, where as Sesshoumaru's were a frozen amber color, and Inuyasha had hair that was more of a snow white, where Sesshoumaru's was a platinum sliver, she could now clearly see the resemblance.
Kagome smiled and said, "Okay, now we can go to dinner."
They all walked to the dining hall and as soon as they entered, Sare cast a worried look towards Kagome. He was holding a piece of parchment in his hand and he walked over to Kagome and handed it to her. HE said, "Kagome, I think you should read this."
As Kagome read, he pupils dilated and contracted again. When she finished reading, she gave a sort of half smile, and then burst out laughing.
As she was almost rolling on the floor with laughter, Sare gave her a peeved look. "Kagome! Did you not see what the letter said? Aren't you mad?"
Kagome got her giggles under control and said, "N-not really. I mean, this is like, the opportunity of a lifetime! I have got to go to this thing, by the way; maybe I got an invitation of my own. Just a sec."
She bolted out of the castle and peered into the sky and then gave a piercing flacon scream. Out of nowhere, Kaze shot like a blue lightning bolt onto Kagome's wrist, a letter rolled up and attached to his leg. She pulled it off and read it. She grinned in a positively evil way and ran back into the castle, still grinning.
Sare sighed, the sound long and suffering. "Judging by the grin on her face, she got one."
Inuyasha had just finished reading the letter and frowned, "Ya know, I might hate him, but I have to say I pity my brother."
He got incredulous looks from everyone but Kagome, who was still grinning and obviously thinking of evil ways to torment Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha glared at all of them, "What?! He's going to have every eligible, noble or partially noble, youkai female woman in Japan coming to try and mate him. Not only that, but they're going to actually be competing for it!"
Everyone frowned and Miroku said, "Lucky bastard."
Sango hit him on the head with Hiraikotsu, which she had pulled from nowhere, and said, "Inuyasha's right. I do pity him. But I'm worried about what Kagome is going to do to the females."
Kohaku nodded with his eyes wide, "Are they going to be like, fighting to the death?"
Sare shook his head, "No, only if the competitors will not cease fighting, will it be a fight to the death, also, there will be another form of elimination. Talent."
Souta smirked and said, "You mean, the other Lords and Ladies will be holding a, talent show? For who will be Sesshoumaru's mate? Oh my god, hahahahaha!" Souta burst out in a fit of giggles and laughter.
The grin on Kagome's face had gone from evil, to positively macabre.
Sare sighed. It was going to be a long couple of days.