Chapter Five:
Something's Missing
"Hey! Kagome!" InuYasha yelled, "Do you sense any jewel shards near by?"
She trailed along behind him on the path, pushing her bike with Shippo riding in the basket. "No. I don't sense any yet."
InuYasha doubled back and met up with Kagome. "We might as well stop for lunch," he looked up to where Sango and Miroku were gliding upon Kilala's back, "Lunch, you guys!" InuYasha hollered to them. The trio dove from the skies and landed as Kagome spread out a blanket for them to lounge on while they ate lunch.
Miroku and InuYasha went to get water to boil for ramen and to refill their water bottles while Kagome and Sango started a fire (with a little additional help from Kilala). They enjoyed a lunch of hot ramen on a chilly day in mid-March. The five of them sat around on the blanket slurping their noodles and sipping broth.
"We haven't come across any jewel shards in days," Sango said.
"Aye, it seems that the hunt is wearing thin. It seems to be that it's down between our shards, Koga's shards, and Naraku's shards," Miroku mused.
"Yeah, and we haven't been encountering nearly as many demons lately," Kagome said before sipping her ramen broth.
InuYasha and Shippo were inhaling their ramen at warp speed as usual. But even Shippo managed to voice a thought between his slurping and scarfing. "I've noticed that it has been over half a year since InuYasha's brother has come around to pick a fight over the Tetsusaiga."
Everyone stopped eating.
"You know," InuYasha said, setting down his chopsticks, "The little runt is right. We haven't crossed paths with Sesshomaru in quite a while. I almost forgot that he existed."
"We should probably keep our eyes peeled for him, then," Miroku said, lifting his chopsticks in unison with InuYasha.
"I agree," said Kagome, "It's not like Sesshomaru to lay low for this long."
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March brought violent winds, and Sesshomaru would pace until Madeline was home safe from class. Madeline came home late one night and was white as a ghost.
"Madeline! Where have you been?" Sesshomaru exclaimed vehemently, until he saw that she was shaking slightly, "What happened?"
Her trembling hands dropped her keys on the table in the hall. I don't want to tell him. I don't know why. But I just don't want to tell him . . . "N-nothing," she stammered and walked by him blindly. Sesshomaru arched his brow and watched her.
He followed her down the hall and he caught an unknown scent on her that made his eyes flash red. A mortal man has touched her! "Madeline," he said controlling the tone of his voice to appear indifferent, "I want you to tell me what happened?" And I will know if you are lying. . .
She sighed. I do not want to tell him, but I have to. I cannot lie to him . . . "One of my classmates talked to me after class tonight," she took a deep breath and spoke as fast as she could, "He asked me out on a date tomorrow night and I accepted."
"Oh, I see," Sesshomaru mused, "What is a 'date'?"
As she explained, he became more furious by the second. But why should I feel like this? She is only a mortal woman. Yet, she is my friend, and something about this unnerves me. She will not be completely alone with this man . . . "I see," he said with a mask of calm, "Where will he be taking you?"
The next evening Sesshomaru watched with contempt as Madeline prepared for her date. She looked radiant with her long hair swept up and curled with ringlets falling down her back. Madeline wore a dark green dress that came down to her knees and had one sleeve. She put on someelaborate highheels with stylish straps.
"You look beautiful," Sesshomaru said. Did I just say that out loud?
Madeline blushed almost as red as her hair, "Thank you."
There was a knock at the front door. "That will be for me," she said standing up, "Wish me luck," and she headed out of her bedroom.
Sesshomaru grasped her arm gently before she left, "Be careful, Madeline."
"I will," she looked up at him, "I'll see you when I get home."
He nodded. Madeline walked down the stairs and answered the door. She walked out the door and Sesshomaru walked to the window and pulled the curtain back to watch as she got into another man's car and left.
"I have a very ominous feeling about this," he said to himself.
Seconds later, he opened the window and took off in the air after the car. She is not safe. He flew along above the car, shielded from mortal eyes by his demonic powers. He followed them for almost an hour before the car stopped and they entered a restaurant. Sesshomaru landed quietly atop the building and sat there listening to everything that happened within: A waiter dropping his tray loaded with drinks, the cook complaining of lack of help, the Maitre'D seating Madeline and her date.
Hishaori and hair flew in the violent March winds as he sat there; Madeline's silent sentinel.
