The White Dog
by Becky Tailweaver
Chapter 8: He's All Mine
"Ohaiyo, Inuyasha-samaaa!"
"Yaaarrgh!"
The sudden loud voice, pouncing hug, and youki assaulting his senses startled Inuyasha badly, making him leap straight up from his sleep--and, as a result, fall off his branch. Flailing madly, he managed to right himself in midair to land on all fours in a deep crouch, bristled, snarling, and surging with adrenaline. Fangs bared, he pinpointed the source of the aura and looked up.
A wide, concerned pair of dark amber eyes stared down at him, surprised. "Inuyasha-sama, are you alright? Oh dear, I'm sorry!"
"K'so Ginnezu...!" Inuyasha growled, rising to his feet and trying to get his body down off of full-alarm status.
On the branch above her, Shirokiba yawned in annoyance, baring long white wolf-fangs. "My Lady," he said, oozing with forced politeness, "you should please recall that Inuyasha-sama has led a very feral lifestyle. Surprising him from his slumber is not the best course of action to choose when rousing him--especially if one is a youkai."
"You could have gotten yourself killed, idiot!" Inuyasha snarled from the ground, some twenty feet below. "When some youkai jumps me while I'm sleeping, I tend to shred first and ask questions later!"
Ginnezu clasped her hands and positively sparkled at him. "Ooooooh! How you must care for my well-being, to hold back your natural instincts for my sake!"
Shirokiba flopped back on his branch and muffled chuckles behind one hand, while Inuyasha turned bright red with anger. "You're just damn lucky I fell out of the tree!" he shouted, furious.
"And just how coordinated was that, oh mighty son of Seibunishi-sama?" Shirokiba leaned down to jeer.
"Shirokiba, for the last time..." Inuyasha growled and cracked his knuckles. "Just shut the hell up!"
"What's the matter now?"
Inuyasha flicked an ear and turned around, startled. "Kagome--am I glad to see you! At least there's one sane person around this morning. These two yarou seem to get their thrills by..." He blinked at her. "Are you listening?"
"You're...actually glad to see me?" Kagome asked, staring at him. "Are you okay?"
Inuyasha drew back and scowled, realizing he had just said he was glad to see her. "I'm fine!" he barked shortly. "And nothing's the matter. Ginnezu's scaring the holy hell out of me first thing in the morning, and Shirokiba's got an insane urge to taunt me about everything I say!" He raised his voice during the last half of his sentence to make sure his companion heard it.
"But you're such an easy target, little mutt!" called the wolf-dog.
"Ahou..." Inuyasha grumbled under his breath.
"So neither of them truly appreciate you, huh?" Kagome asked innocently. But he could see the hint of mischief in her eyes. "Well, I do. I came to invite you to breakfast, my dear Inuyasha-sama."
Inuyasha blinked at her in astonishment for a moment, then caught on to her hidden teasing. His previous temper hid quickly behind a facade of morning politeness. He knew full well both youkai above could hear him quite well. "Shall we be off, my Lady Kagome?" he asked, offering her his arm.
Kagome's eyes were suddenly the size of tennis balls. He--he called me Lady...his Lady! And he's offering... Numbly, she took his arm and followed him away from the tree, relishing the calm, pleasant look on his face he had directed at her.
But she felt Ginnezu's eyes burning into the back of her skull the whole time, until they were out of sight.
Once out of the forest, Inuyasha abruptly but gently dislodged her hand and walked ahead of her. "Just did that to piss off Ginnezu," he grumbled, catching a glance at her hurt, startled expression. "I wish she'd take the hint and get lost."
"Oh..." Kagome hugged her arms close to herself and followed him to Kaede's hut.
"You know, I don't think you'll have much success with him, Lady," Shirokiba commented while, Ginnezu sat staring in astonishment after the pair. "He's quite attached to the little human."
Ginnezu snorted. "Don't be ridiculous. She's just his toy."
"If she was, he would have played with her by now," Shirokiba stated, his voice firmer. "He hasn't touched her--she's more valuable to him than that. She's no plaything to him."
"Oh, really."
"I believe so." The wolf-dog leaned back against the trunk of the tree. "Actually, I think he's in love with the girl."
Ginnezu whirled on him, snarling. "Indeed! I'm sure he told you that during your dear little man-to-man talk last night!"
"He didn't say the words," Shirokiba replied, not yielding an inch before her wrath, meeting her amber eyes with his own blue-gold ones. "But he said enough. How else do you think she could walk right up behind him like that? She did the same thing as you, but his senses do not perceive her as a threat."
"He'll trust me soon enough," Ginnezu huffed, sitting down on her own branch.
"You are mistaken, Lady," Shirokiba retorted softly. "And you should not pressure him further. Go home and tell Ginpatsu-sama to wait until Inuyasha is ready. As for your own interest in him...I must say it is ill-advised for you to pursue a relationship with him."
"I will have what I want!" Ginnezu snarled, glaring at him.
"Is a puppet plaything what you want?" Shirokiba demanded, suddenly on her branch, all but nose-to-nose with her; his expression was so furious that she almost drew back from him, startled. "A pretty boyfriend to show off? A toy for your own enjoyment? Is that what you want to make of him?"
"I want him to be mine!" Ginnezu hissed. "No weakling, worthless human hussy deserves such a wonderful creature as him! Can't you see what he is? He's powerful as well--the half-human son of Seibunishi-sama is even more powerful than most full-blooded inu-youkai! I am the daughter of the Silver Daimyo--only I am worthy of a mate like him! Am I wrong to seek such a prize? I want him!"
"You were not supposed to fall in love with him, Ginnezu-sama," Shirokiba said, his voice calm and even once more.
"I haven't!" the Silver youkai snorted. "But I can appreciate a handsome young male as much as the next bitch! I don't want to make a lifemate of him, but no other has the blood-right to take him!"
"He isn't yours to take," the wolf-dog told her quietly, flatly. "He has accepted her, protected her, and chosen to go with her--"
"That doesn't matter! She's only a stupid human wench!"
"He will not choose you. What you're doing is wrong, Lady--even in the eyes of the Dogs, it is a sin. You seek to lay claim to a male who has already chosen his own mate, whether or not he has physical possession. You should go home before the situation becomes worse for you."
Ginnezu glared at him through eyes glazed with hatred and rage. "None of that matters--she's only a pathetic human miko! No claim on a human can be binding! Besides, he's just a pup--he didn't know what he was doing! He will choose me--my time is at hand and he won't resist! He'll be mine before the moon vanishes--I'll show you! I'll show all of you!"
With that, the female inu-youkai whirled and bounded away through the branches, in the opposite direction of the village.
Shirokiba watched her, almost sadly, until she vanished through the canopy. "What a spoiled, foolish child," he whispered, shaking his head. "Pity he'll have to kill her."
It wasn't until very late that afternoon that Ginnezu had composed herself enough to approach Inuyasha. But even so, she had to wait until Kagome had gone in to see Kaede--not wanting the stupid human involved--before hopping up to the old woman's roof beside him.
Inuyasha gave no sign of acknowledging her presence, other than a small twitch of one ear. He pointedly ignored her, not moving either to glare at her or ready himself for defense.
Cautiously, she came close to his side and sat down. "Inuyasha-sama...I'm so very sorry I startled you this morning," she began, her voice soft, sad, and contrite. "I had no idea you'd react so strongly. I'm not used to such responses in my own Clan. We..."
"You're all pampered house pets," Inuyasha growled, uknowingly echoing a sentiment she'd held a while back.
Ginnezu sighed, feigning wry acceptance. "Indeed--it seems that way at times. Which is precisely why I still want you to come back with me, whether you want me or not. Your people need a strong leader."
"Your father can do what's needed. Been doing it long enough anyway," the hanyou grumbled
"He keeps to the status quo, leaving things as they were when your father died," Ginnezu said, her voice gaining a bit of vehemence. "We need a more powerful Daimyo who can strengthen the bonds of the Clans and unify them--who can lead us into battle against encroaching youkai who invade almost daily, and help us drive the humans out of the many places that were once our lands. We need a leader to remind our enemies--both youkai and ningen--that our Clans are neither lenient, nor weak. We need a leader who can put fear into their hearts again!"
"How can you ask me to go to war against helpless ningen like that?" he demanded abruptly, whirling to face her with a shadow of a snarl. "My mother was human!"
"Don't you often regret your father's choice of a mate?" Ginnezu asked softly. "Seibunishi-sama choosing a human woman because there were not enough youkai females that pleased him--don't you want to prevent that disaster from befalling some other innocent young pup?"
"It wasn't what my father wanted!" Inuyasha growled. "Weak as they are, Oyaji still respected humans! They weren't just vermin to him!"
"Whoever told you that nonsense?" Ginnezu chuckled.
"Shirokiba."
"Ah." Damn, there goes that little white lie...better think of something else. "I suppose he knew Seibunishi-sama better than I..."
"Damn straight."
"Inuyasha-sama...I have a request of you."
"What now?"
"Will you come to the Howl-Gathering this coming full moon eve?"
"What's that?" he grumped, one eyebrow raising puzzledly.
"It's a gathering, a festival of the Dogs of the West. The Council of Clan Daimyos is held at the change of each season, and while they're in meeting all the Clans come together at the High Stone to hunt, meet family, choose mates, enjoy themselves, play in the woods...all manner of things."
"So what?"
"If you'd only come and intermingle with your own kind," Ginnezu pleaded earnestly, "you might see that we are not all as horrible as your half-brother. His mother...influences him, as he never spent much time with Seibunishi-sama."
"His mother...?" Inuyasha blinked at her. "I thought she was dead!"
"Yukishima-sama? Oh no--she's alive and well, though she's old. She resides at the High Stone, with what's left of the White Clan--a very respectable youkai, but she is quite vicious."
"Huh. If she's even half as vicious as Sesshomaru, I'm sorry for the White Clan." Inuyasha grunted and moved away from her. "I'm a hanyou, remember? I don't see why I should go hang out with a bunch of inu-youkai. I don't want to take the shit they're going to throw at me."
"What if you weren't?"
"If I weren't a hanyou, I wouldn't even be here. I'd be sitting pretty in my father's den with my big brother, slaughtering humans as a hobby and helping him run the Western Lands." He sounded as though he wasn't sure that was a good thing or a bad thing, but he shrugged and got up to leave.
Ginnezu rose as well. "What if you could be a true youkai at the Howl-Gathering?"
Inuyasha whirled on her, enraged. "Don't mock me! Unless you know where all the other pieces of the Shikon no Tama are and you can gather them in less than a month!"
"I think I'd only need one piece," Ginnezu responded smugly, reaching into her robe to take out a small golden chain. "This amulet is very special to my family," she explained. "It has the power to amplify the function of any magic centered upon it--almost like the Shikon no Tama itself, though never so powerful. For example, when I use this..." She held up a small blue jewel. "...I can amplify my youki enough to fly. Or this orange one--it helps me to concentrate my power more efficiently in a single strike, to destroy an enemy in one blow."
"Really?" Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow. "I think I've even heard of the kind of gold they use to make the amulets..."
"Good! Then you understand my Amplifier Amulet can help you!" Ginnezu tucked it back inside the folds of her pale silver-blue robe, smiling enigmatically. "If you were to use a piece of the Shikon no Tama in the place of an ordinary Enhancement Jewel, I think you might be able to amplify yourself, even briefly, into a full youkai."
Inuyasha stared at her, jaws agape for quite a while. Then, with a sharp grin, he jumped close to her. "Great! Then let's test it out!"
Ginnezu gasped and put a hand to her mouth. "Oh! I'm sorry, Inuyasha-sama--I don't think it would work quite that easily. You would have to do it during the time when your youkai blood is at its very strongest."
Inuyasha froze, eyes narrowed, looking at her coldly. "And how would you know about my blood?"
"Oh, everyone knows about hanyou and their peculiar little fluctuations," Ginnezu said, waving a hand with a sweet giggle. "So, when is the time that you turn human?"
Inuyasha gaped at her. "You actually expect me to just tell you?"
"Why, of course!" Actually, she didn't, but a cute little show of faith never hurt anything. "You don't think I'd abuse the information, do you?"
"That's exactly what I think!" Inuyasha snarled, turning away. "My life depends on it! It's a secret I don't tell to anyone!"
"But you told the little human girl--Kagome--didn't you?"
"I did not! She found out on her own!"
"I see," Ginnezu mourned. "You don't trust anyone, not even me..."
"Damn right."
"But then, you trust her, don't you? Or else you'd have killed her when she found out, right?" Ginnezu's voice, while innocent, was almost...pointed.
Inuyasha hunched his shoulders, unable to reply. It was halfway true; if he hadn't trusted her to keep the secret of his youkai blood's weak time... "Fine then. I trust her a hell of a lot more than I trust you."
Ginnezu sighed. "I understand that you won't tell me. But there's nothing you can do about it."
Inuyasha turned slowly to her, wide eyes betraying his dread. Did she...?
"It wouldn't happen to be the time of the New Moon, would it?" she asked, carefully hiding any trace of smugness.
No, no, no--how could she know? Shit, if she knows--I'm dead! "That's not...!"
"Inuyasha-sama, you can't deny it. It's the one night in the past few days I've been watching you that you completely disappeared without a trace." Ginnezu gazed at him earnestly. "That human girl did something to help you hide during the New Moon night, didn't she?"
Inuyasha was both frightened and enraged. He raised his claws, cracking his knuckles. "Youkai bitch," he hissed, "you just forfeited your life!"
"Please, Inuyasha-sama, hear me out! I won't tell anyone!" Ginnezu stumbled back, amber eyes wide with fear--real fear. "In fact, this works out perfectly! Since your youkai power is at its weakest during the eve of the New Moon, then it's at its strongest when the moon is full! You can become a youkai for the Howl-Gathering!"
Inuyasha paused, claws still raised. "'Zat so? And why wouldn't you tell anyone, huh? It's to your advantage if you do!"
Ginnezu dared to come close to him--within range of those deadly talons. If she wanted her plans to work, she would have to take a risk and be a little more...forceful with him. "Inuyasha-sama...I don't want anything to harm you. Please, listen to me. I...I haven't been completely honest with you..."
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Hn?"
"Inuyasha-sama...my original mission was to come here and bring you back to your people. I did offer myself in marriage, and I've tried to be affectionate to you so you would consider me, but I never thought..."
She sniffled and wiped a tear from her cheek. Inching a bit closer, she let the setting sun give full effect to the sparkle of her brimming eyes. Delicately, she touched his face; he remained frozen, not budging either forward or back, so she moved in with a little more confidence--going in for the kill. "My dearest Inuyasha-sama, I never thought I'd truly fall in love with you..."
Inuyasha gulped. "Agh...G-Ginnezu..."
She'd thrown him! He was off-balance, still as stone, so she took the opportunity to press herself close to him, enticing--telling him exactly what she thought his sentimental human heart wanted to hear. "Please, don't be angry with me! I tried to stop it, so that if you said no, I could go home and not suffer for it. But you're so good and strong and handsome...I couldn't help myself! Now I know I could never leave you. Inuyasha-sama, darling, I...I love you..."
Inuyasha swallowed again, his eyes wide and staring, rigid in shock. Ginnezu pressed her cheek to his chest and traced patterns with her fingers there, making him tremble ever so slightly. Slowly, she drew back a bit to look into his eyes. "My dearest Inuyasha-sama...can you ever forgive me? I've become...so caught up...in you..."
With each phrase, her face moved nearer to his, and she continued her tickling patterns on his chest. Her lips were bare millimeters from his, his short breaths tickling her nose. "Inuyasha...sama..."
There was a soft, feminine gasp from somewhere near ground level.
Ginnezu had no warning before she was suddenly thrown hard to the rooftop--where she landed roughly, with a short cry that was no act. When she looked up, Inuyasha was several feet back from his original position, his eyes wild and enraged, his teeth bared in a grimace that was terrible to behold. The human girl was on the ground below, staring at them, her mouth open in some sort of horror.
"Don't you ever do that again!" Inuyasha snarled, his voice low and rough. "Don't...don't ever!"
Ginnezu got shakily to her feet. "But...Inuyasha-sama--!"
"Shut up! Stay away from me!" Inuyasha whirled from her, his attention caught by Kagome's strange, sobbing sound. The human girl darted back into Kaede's house without a single word. "Kagome--!"
"Inuyasha-sama, please--"
"You bitch!" He turned on her, enraged. "Shut up and leave!"
Without another backward glance, he leaped from the roof and darted after Kagome.
Ginnezu hopped to the crown of the roof and sat there, thinking. Going over what had just happened--how close she'd gotten, the doubt she'd put into him. To her mind, the good done this evening outweighed the bad.
I am too good at this, she thought smugly. A little simpering here, a few tears there--and voila! He's clay in my hands. Too bad that stupid little miko had to ruin it all by spooking him. But...this will work wonders for my plans. If she thinks he likes me more, she'll give him up all the more easily. And if she's angry and turns him away, he'll come to me anyway. I am just so damn good!