Shikon no Miko

By: Karisutaru-chan

Author's note: I do not own any of the characters in this story and it was written just for fun.

RATED R for language and future adult situations. Reader discretion is advised.
Please send reviews to karisutaruchan@yahoo.com. Thanks! Enjoy!

Chapter 10: The Gateway

She wasn't even supposed to be there, but noticing Sesshoumaru, she decided to take a detour and drop in to see what he was doing at the former nest of Tekkei and her daughter. Upon seeing the graves of Tekkei and Abie, a small smile graced her face. 'I knew you wouldn't have much longer to live. Serves you right for under estimating me.' However, when turned her a attention to the cause of her initial detour, what she saw put her at a loss for words. Sesshoumaru was actually with his brother Inuyasha and they were on there way to the gateway....together. She was sure the last person who would ally with Inuyasha would be his brother considering she knew of his negative feelings toward his kin.

Kagura was pulled out of her state of shock when she noticed Sesshoumaru pause briefly before leaving. 'I wonder if he noticed my presence?' she thought as she watched the Great Demon Lord ascend to the skies on a cloud in pursuit of Inuyasha and his band of travelers. She had been extra careful in hiding her presence from them. Inuyasha, was no real threat when it came to her, so she was sure he didn't notice her; but Sesshoumaru was another story. Even with her control of the winds, she wasn't sure whether or not her presence was successfully hidden from his senses.

She decided to not worry about it when Sesshoumaru left after his brother towards the gateway. It was of no consequence anyway. Hell, he didn't even look once in her general direction, plus even if he did notice her presence, he was preoccupied with another task; trying to get past the boundary between this world and the next to retrieve the final Shikon shard. She recalled what happened the last time she was at the gateway. Two large stone guards kept Inuyasha preoccupied while she tried to pass the gateway herself. However, she could not due to the fact that any living thing that made it past to two guards would instantly be turned to stone if they attempted to go through the gateway. As far as she knew, the only way to get past the gateway without being turned to stone would be to die, and that option was totally out of the question. 'But, if anyone would be able to get past the gateway,' she mused to herself, 'Sesshoumaru could. He is also probably the only person powerful enough to defeat Naraku as well. And when he does, I'll finally be free of him.' That thought put another small smile to her face as turned to continue her journey back to Naraku.

* * * * * * *

It was two day's travel to the gateway, but they finally made there in one piece....meaning, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha weren't at each other's throats fighting or worse, trying to kill each other. That was mainly because Sesshoumaru left them half way to retrieve Jaken and Rin and since then had been following his brother's trail at a slight distance. The nine travelers now entered the clearing just outside the cave where the entrance to the gateway was hidden and Inuyasha turned to his brother.


"We're here." he said, as Kagome slid off her familiar traveling position on his back. Kirara landed to his right, but Sango, Miroku and Shippo did not dismount right away. They all regarded Sesshoumaru and his companions who were slightly behind them and awaited his next move.


"Stay here with these people." Sesshoumaru said as he turned to Jaken and Rin would were slightly behind him.


"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama." both Jaken and Rin said in unison and watched as Sesshoumaru advanced towards his brother and the girl Kagome. Usually, Sesshoumaru would have left them behind, but for some strange reason he brought them along, and both were more than happy about that. As long as they were present, they wouldn't ask him why they were here. Little did they know that he was being cautious in regards to their safety considering Naraku's close proximity. Even Sesshoumaru himself would not openly admit consciously that this was the reason for them being here. Instead he convinced himself that the reason they were here was because of Jaken's incompetence, and decided to bring them along.


Sesshoumaru walked slightly past Inuyasha and Kagome looking into the cave entrance. He noticed the gateway's guards and regarded them with little interest. He then turned to Kagome, "Tell me about this place. Why weren't you able to pass those guards? Even Inuyasha should have been able to kill them." he stated with a hint of disgust in his voice.


As usual, anything that came out of Sesshoumaru's mouth struck a nerve with Inuyasha, and he quickly placed a hand on Tetsuaiga's hilt signaling his irritation with Sesshoumaru's comment. Kagome put a hand on his, her eyes slightly pleading with him to disregard Sesshoumaru and focus on the task at hand. Although she was more than certain he was capable to stuffing a clawed foot up Sesshoumaru's well deserving backside, now was not the time and place for it. "Don't...it's not worth it." she told him, and before Inuyasha could respond, she turned toward Sesshoumaru and answered his question.


"Those youkai said they are not of this world and therefore could not be cut by Inuyasha's sword. Besides, even if one of us was to make it past the guards while Inuyasha kept them occupied the light from the gateway would turn us to stone."


Although he continued to look at them with his familiar cold, blank expression, Sesshoumaru regarded the information just as he felt Tenseiga begin to pulse with power at his side. He looked down to the sword as the realization hit him.


'Sou iu koto ka...Tenseiga de kire to...'

If you looked hard enough, you would have seen a small curve begin to form at the edge of his lips as he looked back up to Kagome.


"Onna..." he began, "you will come with me."


"NANI!!!" Inuyasha said fuming.


There was no way in SEVEN HELLS was he about to let SESSHOUMARU of all people take Kagome ANYWHERE without HIM.


Sesshoumaru looked at his brother, "Inuyasha," he began in a calm but more irritated tone, "she will come with me, or else you will not retrieve the shard. However," he said as turned to look at Kagome, "I will only do this on a condition. I will provide passage through the gateway, however, you will do something for me, the details of which will be revealed at a later time."


"NO FUCKIN'..." Inuyasha began.


"Osuwari."


*THUD*


She hated to do it at a time like this, but she had to do something to calm Inuyasha down enough for them to consider Sesshoumaru's proposal. Although she felt the same way as he did as far as his brother was concerned and was more than apprehensive about owing Sesshoumaru a favor, unlike Inuyasha, she was willing to go through with it if it meant getting a Shikon shard before Naraku.


"BITCH, WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO THAT FOR!!" Inuyasha began, the subduing spell wearing off some allowing him to lift his head out of the dirt.


"Inuyasha," Kagome calmly began "you can yell at me all you want to after this, but I want that shard, even if it means accepting help from Sesshoumaru." 'We need to get that shard...I just feel it.' she continued to herself. She turned to Miroku and Sango, to gauge their feelings on the situation.


"Kagome-chan is right Inuyasha..." Sango said. She also felt uncomfortable accepting the terms of Sesshoumaru's help, but she was willing to push aside her pride if it would bring her closer to defeating Naraku and reuniting with her brother Kohaku.


"So, watashi wa douchou Kagome-sama desu ne." Miroku said. "If we can get the last shard before Naraku, I believe it is worth accepting Sesshoumaru's help."


Kagome knelt in front of Inuyasha who was just now able to sit up. "Onegai...Inuyasha." she said, her eyes gazing into his asking him to submit, just this once, for her.


'Damn, why does she have to look at me like that.' Inuyasha said to himself. He knew Sesshoumaru's offer was too good to pass up even if they did have to do something for him later, but his emotions got the best of him and he automatically said no. But looking into Kagome's eyes; eyes that were pleading with him to be reasonable just once; eyes that he himself had gotten lost in more times than he would ever admit to remembering, he couldn't help but finally agree.


"Keh." he said as he looked away, closing his eyes and crossing his arms.


At that Kagome flung herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck. She knew all to well that was his way of agreeing with her and she was so happy that he did, she felt the need to physically show him just how happy he made her. Needless to say, this display of affection surprised Inuyasha and he ended up trying hard to suppress the blush that graced his cheeks. Sango and Miroku both had small smiles on their faces as they regarded the touching scene before them. Sesshoumaru just looked at them with his usual disinterest while he, albeit, not so patiently anymore, awaited the conclusion of this little 'discussion' they were having.


"Arigato." she said before she pulled herself away from him and rose to join Sesshoumaru. "You have a deal." she told him and with that, Sesshoumaru lead her into the cave to confront the guards of the gateway.



A/N: Translations of Japanese used in this chapter:
Sou iu koto ka...Tenseiga de kire to... - So that's it...Tenseiga can cut them...
So, watashi wa douchou Kagome-sama desu ne. - Yes, I agree with Kagome as well.
Onegai.....Inuyasha. - Please.....Inuyasha.
Arigato - Thank you