Author: Nefertili
Fandom: Inuyasha
Rating: PG13
Pairing(s): Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/OC
Genre(s): Romance, Angst, Adventure, AU
Warning(s): Battle scenes, betrayal, over-anger (if there is such a word), fluff... What more can I say?
Disclaimer: None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi.
Summary: Kikyou, being saved from peril by Sesshoumaru, joins him in a quest against Naraku and one of his allies, who happened to share a past one-sided relationship with the Demon Lord. SesshKik!
A/N: Okay, so Kikumo kidnapped Rin, eh? I can see that my reviewers have mixed feelings about this Deer youkai. Some pity her, some wish to kill her...well, let us see what she'll do to Rin.
You must probably have an inkling that the next chapters are adapted from Episodes 80 and 81. If you do, you are right. So, come on and let's see what our fave couple will do to save poor little Rin. ;)
...o0o...
"Kikumo has got Rin?" Kikyou said, her eyes wide with shock and anger. She slowly turned to look at Sesshoumaru. The expression on his pensive face was still the same, and it unconsciously stirred up Kikyou's temper. "Had you allowed me to come with her instead of this...this toad," she glared at Jaken, who recoiled back at her furious gaze, "this wouldn't have happened."
"Blaming me, Kikyou?" Sesshoumaru replied coldly, his eyes becoming so steely that he would have frozen the air around them effortlessly.
Kikyou's mahogany orbs were temporarily taken aback by the hard look he gave her, but the surprise immediately gave way to an equally steely frown. Jaken retreated behind Ah-Un's heads, feeling as though he was caught right in the middle of clashing thunderstorms.
"You were warned, Sesshoumaru," Kikyou said slowly and deliberately, so as to let the words linger in his ears and somehow penetrate his hard-headed brain. "Yet did you let your instincts guide you? If you indeed had sense and wisdom, Rin wouldn't have been in the clutches of some Demoness who's foolish enough to side with Naraku."
"Then look at it this way, woman," Sesshoumaru replied, his aura flaring at his annoyance. "Had you not learned enough from your previous encounters with Kikumo? If you think you can tackle her single-handedly, then it would be your undoing. Even if you were with Rin, she would have gotten her from you after yet another bloody duel that might end in your defeat."
Kikyou was becoming truly angry now. How dare he underestimate her spiritual powers! "Well demon, don't think you've seen enough of my powers to know that I cannot defeat that wild deer of a youkai. Maybe I was wrong after all to think that you actually cared for Rin. You were just going to abandon her to die in our enemies' hands!"
Sesshoumaru inwardly flinched at her harsh words, but his indifferent outer facade betrayed the true emotions inside. For a long while they just stood there glaring at each other, but Jaken had said in a squeaky voice, "What about Rin, Lord Sesshoumaru?"
With a grunt, he turned away from the furious miko and began to walk out of the trees into the moonlit plains, with the peculiar scent of the wind guiding his nose.
The Undead Priestess watched in silence as Jaken steered Ah-Un to follow Sesshoumaru. Where is he going now?
"And where do you think are you going, Sesshoumaru?" Kikyou asked as she took after the figure of the Demon Lord with her weapons at hand.
"Towards Naraku's scent," Sesshoumaru answered in the least words as possible, not even sparing her a glance as he said so. Kikyou's temper was still at its heights that she didn't quite see the rather offended look in his amber orbs.
"So, you are now taking in his bait and allow ourselves to be manipulated by that half-demon?" she further interrogated him, her fist further tightening its hold on her bow.
"I, Sesshoumaru, shall never be manipulated by anyone, especially by that spineless hanyou," was his reply. A strong breeze had cloaked the light of the gibbous moon in a veil of dark clouds.
"Then I suggest that you ought to go after Kikumo and leave Naraku to me," Kikyou said, her eyes blazing.
Sesshoumaru was silent. But when he spoke once more in a little bit more than a whisper, Kikyou felt her temper shatter with the weight of emotions his next words caused her heart.
"Are you with me, Kikyou?"
Kikyou gradually turned her head, and she saw him looking at her with amber orbs thick with emotion. He had asked the same question to her after their first kiss, and once more, her heart relived all the love they felt back then. Realization dawned inside her that it was the enemy's will that they be divided because of hate. No, that should not happen. Never. Kikyou will not allow herself to be swayed from Sesshoumaru the way Naraku tore her and Inuyasha apart in the past.
"I am with you to the end," Kikyou replied, all the previous traces of anger leaving her beautiful face as her lips smiled slightly to make up for their previous argument.
Slightly behind them, Jaken tilted his head in utter confusion to see the two previous storms abruptly give way to a peaceful silence. What was it in Sesshoumaru-sama's words that appeased the miko? He must now probably know her temperament enough to have successfully prevented her from sealing them out of anger. Furthermore, his eyes became as round as saucers to see his Lord reach out with his remaining hand to gently tuck a lock of Kikyou's raven hair behind her ear in a gesture both assuring and disturbing before he resumed his previous regal stance.
...o0o...
The usual peace of the night was disturbed by a company running through the dark springtime forest. And not just an ordinary company. A hanyou boy with silvery hair and dog ears was at the very front, amber eyes wide and alert as his keen nose picked up the scent of their enemy. As he ran on bare feet, a raven-haired girl clad in a school uniform with a bow and a quiver of arrows on her back followed close behind. On her shoulders was a little fox demon who clutched on to her collar so as to quell his rising anxiety.
At their very rear were two other humans, a monk clad in dark shades of blues and grays with his right hand tightly wrapped in a bluish cloth running beside a young woman in a demon exterminator's armor with a huge boomerang slung across her back. On her shoulder was a little black and white cat demon that had loyally accompanied her from the very start.
"How much farther, Inuyasha?" Miroku called out to Sesshoumaru's half-brother. They had been wakened from their uneasy sleep by Kagome and the silver-haired half-demon, claiming that the scent of Naraku was in the air.
"We're nearing him!" Inuyasha shouted back. "His smell becomes stronger every minute!"
"Isn't it peculiar?" Sango remarked as she ran, holding on tightly to her Hiraikotsu with one hand while giving Kirara a reassuring pat with the other. "We haven't heard from Naraku for a good while, have we?"
"Indeed," Miroku added, "but no matter, something had made him - or caused him - to be active again."
...o0o...
Rin blinked for a moment or two, trying to regain her sense of time. What had happened? She couldn't quite remember what happened that made her end up in this...this...what is this place?
She struggled to sit up from the reed mat she was lying on, but she immediately lay down again as the mere act of sitting up caused her vision to spin. The child closed her eyes so as to drive away the spinning sensation on her head. Oh, if this kept up, she is sure to throw up...
"Are you awake?" a soft voice reached Rin's ears. Opening her eyes reluctantly, she beheld a willowy figure in an earth-colored kimono entering the room, which was completely dark save for an oil lamp burning in a solitary corner. Rin simply stared at the woman, and recognized her as the Demoness she last saw before she lost consciousness.
Not minding her lack of answer, the brown-haired woman knelt by her side. Rin saw that she carried a little lacquered tray that had a pot of steaming fragrant tea of some sort and also a little bowl of freshly sliced peaches and apricots. To how she was able to procure such fruits at the earliest touches of spring, Rin did not know, but her stomach rumbling clouded her thoughts.
The Demoness' doe ears twitched at hearing the sound, and let out a good-hearted laugh before saying, "You must be famished, my child. Come; let me help you sit up."
"It makes Rin feel dizzy to do so..." Rin said groggily. At this, the woman put down the tray next to her and reassuringly placed a cool hand behind her head to support her and she gently took hold of one of Rin's hand to motivate her.
"Don't worry, Rin," said she, hearing the child address herself in third person. "After you drink the tea, it will all go away."
Obligingly, Rin let the youkai woman assist her. Though she felt as though what little food her stomach housed threatened to come out of her mouth, the emerald-eyed woman had quickly poured some warm tea on a light blue teacup and handed it to her. Rin looked uncertainly at the blackish, opaque liquid. It almost looked like ink to her.
The Demoness smiled and said, "Drink. It will help."
Rin nodded once (making her head spin once more), and took a sip of the bittersweet tea. Though the taste was rather strange, the little girl had to admit that the dizziness disappeared from her senses at once, and its fragrant aroma was a delight to her nose. She drank some more, and soon there was none left in the cup.
"I am sorry about what happened," Kikumo said as Rin thankfully handed the teacup back to her. "The herb infusion I soaked my hand into seemed too strong for your young senses, but we'll get to that later. At least you now have something to eat." She carefully placed the ceramic bowl of fruits and a pair of chopsticks on Rin's hand and she gracefully poured some tea for herself on a spare cup.
Rin eagerly ate the sweet fruits, for it had been a long time since she tasted apricots and peaches that she had almost forgotten how they taste like. Her curious chocolate brown eyes then made their way to the Demoness, who was delicately sipping the tea more gracefully than anyone she had seen before. What did she mean by the 'infusion she soaked her hand into'? Her eyes widened to recall that the woman had actually passed her hand before her eyes, and she had drifted into unconsciousness at once. Why did she do that? And where were Lord Sesshoumaru and Kikyou-sama?
Rin paused for a while from her munching and implored the Demoness, "Please, Rin must get back to Sesshoumaru-sama and Kikyou-sama or they will be angry."
"They will come for you," the lady replied, pausing for a moment before she continued sipping her tea. "You just have to wait."
Rin diverted her gaze from the woman and she picked up a fresh peach slice with the chopsticks. She sucked succulent juices before chewing at the fruit. After swallowing, the little girl spoke up again.
"What's you're name, lady?"
She put down the empty cup on the tray and she replied, "Kikumo."
"Kikumo," Rin muttered to herself, letting the name roll on her tongue. That name...it sounds rather familiar. Though her memory was hazy, Rin recalled the time they talked about the mysterious koto player when Kikyou first came with them.
Kikumo apparently read the recognition in the child's eyes, and she smiled to herself. So, Rin knew her name but not her face? Sesshoumaru must have talked about her openly among his companions, Kikyou among them...
A frown crossed the Demoness' face at the mere thought of the Priestess. Though the wounds Kikyou had given her had healed long ago, the gashes she made at her pride were still fresh.
'The time will come when you will regret that you have ever betrayed him!"
That statement, that enraging statement...though Kikumo refused to admit it openly, she knew that the Undead Miko was correct, and she hated her for that; she hated Kikyou for making her see that she was wrong; she hated her for stealing Sesshoumaru's heart...
"Kikumo-sama," Rin's little voice echoed in the chamber. Kikumo looked with surprise at the child, rather surprised at the respectful way she called her. It had been a long time since she was addressed like that; it was back in the Western Lands when she last heard others calling her Princess Kikumo or Kikumo-hime as they are bound to say. And she left her home all because of Sesshoumaru...the Lord of the Western Lands she had loved and was certainly capable of loving her back, had only she waited, had only she forgiven...
Rin gave the now-empty bowl to her and bowed low to express her thanks. Kikumo placed the bowl on the tray and said, "Are you still hungry? I can get you more, if you wish."
"Rin is full already," Rin replied politely, running a hand over her belly.
"It's not surprising that you're hungry," Kikumo said. Rin could hear there was a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Sesshoumaru ought to pay more attention to what you eat. Did he ever help you get your food?"
"No, but he instructs Jaken-sama to help Rin," Rin answered quickly. "Now even Priestess Kikyou comes to help. You seem to know a lot about Sesshoumaru-sama, Kikumo-sama."
"Yes, I do know a lot about him," Kikumo whispered silently. Her delicate hands ever so slightly clutched at the skirt of her fawn-colored kimono. "I knew him as he was back in the Western Lands."
Rin seemed enthusiastic now that their subject was focused on Sesshoumaru-sama.
"He's such a kind person, Kikumo-sama!" the little girl piped up. "He saved Rin from the Wolves! And he also saved Kikyou-sama when..." Rin broke off. She recalled Sesshoumaru telling her and Jaken that Kikyou was injured because someone called Kikumo attacked her. Kikumo? Kikumo-sama?
"When I attacked her?" Kikumo finished the sentence for her, attacking herself directly. Rin could only stare at the Demoness with fear and shock mixed in her eyes. Kikyou-sama was so sick that time!
Kikumo noticed Rin's uneasiness, and she assured her, "I won't hurt you, Rin." To prove her sincerity, she reached out and patted the child's raven locks.
Rin eased a bit, but she now became more wary of Kikumo. "Why did you hurt Kikyou-sama?"
"I am only giving her what she deserves. Do you not know who this Kikyou really is?"
"What do you mean, Kikumo-sama?" Rin queried of Kikumo, looking at her with confused eyes. Kikumo's deep green eyes seemed to darken as she narrated.
"Kikyou, dear little Rin, is an Undead Miko. She is not living; she is already dead. That body which she inhabits now is a fake; it is only made out of clay and bones. Furthermore, she has no soul, for her soul had already been reincarnated in another person. She uses her shinidamachuu, or her pet Soul-snatching Demons, to steal the souls of the newly-deceased or even some of the living, to keep her clay body going."
Rin's eyes were wide open, obviously shocked at what she was hearing. Kikumo smirked to herself. She'd foil the miko's relationship with Sesshoumaru indirectly.
"Now, isn't that a selfish thing to do, little Rin? Kikyou, that seemingly sweet Kikyou, is actually a traitor in her own way. Isn't a miko trained to free the souls of the living into the Next World? Kikyou, instead, takes souls for herself because she lives on hate. And there is one person she hates above the others."
"Who is this person, Kikumo-sama?" Rin muttered, torn between doubt and loyalty to the miko.
"Why, no other than Sesshoumaru's half-brother, Inuyasha!" Kikumo answered, her tone becoming more intense. "In her first life, Kikyou was killed by someone posing as Inuyasha long ago, and she had died thinking that Inuyasha, who was then her lover, betrayed her. Now that she's resurrected, the prime purpose of her existence is to kill him. And who says that she won't do the same to your Lord Sesshoumaru?"
"Sesshoumaru-sama was never Inuyasha-san," Rin said, trying to come to the defense of Kikyou. "Kikyou-sama won't do that to him."
Kikumo's lips broke into an evil smile. "And what makes you so sure? You are very young, Rin. You could be easily swayed by Kikyou's malicious ways. In case you don't know, my child, Sesshoumaru actually loves Kikyou, and she knows it. I love Sesshoumaru, and that evil miko knows it." Rin slightly recoiled from Kikumo, whose eyes were now taking on the angry shade of red.
"Kikyou intends to use Sesshoumaru to do her evil ways, Rin. She knows that he would do anything for her, and for this moment, she pretends to return his feelings. But it's all an act! She's just fooling your Lord Sesshoumaru, m' girl! After Sesshoumaru finishes killing his half-brother for her, she would banish him to hell!"
"Kikyou-sama seems to care for Sesshoumaru-sama. She wouldn't do such a thing!"
"I do not care if you choose to believe or not," Kikumo replied. She gently cupped the little girl's cheeks with one hand and let her other hand pat Rin's hair, trying to sound that she cared. "But I am only telling you what you need to know. I have tried to protect Sesshoumaru from her, but she survived. She had twisted his mind into thinking that I am evil, my dear. But in truth, she is the evil one. Take heed, Rin. Be more wary around Kikyou. If you really care for Sesshoumaru-sama, you wouldn't allow her to banish him to hell."
Having done so, Kikumo's hands left Rin's cheek and hair to wrap her ochre shawl around her arms. She stood up and stood beside the one door of the room, looking out and leaving Rin in her thoughts.
Rin, meanwhile, had lain down once more on the reed cot, tears welling up on her childlike eyes. She was so confused. Was she to believe in Kikumo's tale? Was Kikyou really hiding a dark conspiracy throughout all the times she played and hunted with her? Did she really wish to betray Sesshoumaru-sama?
Finally, drowned in questions, doubts and confusion, Rin once more fell asleep. Kikumo looked on and smiled contentedly to herself. Her face then became serious as she fixed her gaze on the dark castle looming in the distance. She felt the auras of Sesshoumaru and Kikyou; they were near.
'Do what you have to do, Naraku.'
...o0o...
Kikyou's mahogany orbs scanned the dark fortress as they neared it. Sesshoumaru's senses were acute, and they had tracked down Naraku's evil energy and scent successfully.
"Naraku," Sesshoumaru muttered, extreme loathing in his voice. The wind had died down, and an eerie stillness covered every inch of the dead landscape.
"He'll reach his end soon enough," Kikyou replied, pulling a finely crafted arrow from her quiver and fixing it to her bow, ready for whatever assault that might come.
...o0o...
/Tsk, tsk/ Jealousy works wonders, indeed. Kikumo is now bent on destroying whatever affection Kikyou has with Sesshoumaru, eh? And she hopes Rin will heed her? Not good, not good at all...