A/N: Well, I honestly don't have the complete disregard of my self-preservation instincts it would require to leave ye faithful reviewers hanging any longer...So, here you have it, the next installment of WWT.
Disclaimer: I don't own Inu and Co., but I do own any OCs such as Keagan and two more characters in this chappie!
"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero." Horace, Odes
Walking With TITANS
Chapter Nine: 'Silver and Cold'
By: ScoobyKat
Sesshoumarufelt the familiar fire begin to pulse in his blood as he watched Kouga shift into an offensive position. Cracking the knuckles of his left hand, he allowed the toxin his body produced to flow to his finger tips, ready at any given moment. He watched with a lazy sort of confidence as the Wolf not so subtly shifted his weight and lunged at him, his right fist en route to his cheekbone. He simply ducked and extended his poison filled claws, allowing them to scratch the length of Kouga's forearm. Said wolf howled his pain and cradled his injured appendage into his side, realizing that he would have a tough time keeping a defensive stance with only one arm to work with.
Amber fire crackled in the Taiyouki's molten gaze as he prepared to knock his opponent unconscious.His more primal side screamed for him to kill the man for his dishonor, but the more rational side of his mind told him that Kouga was a reasonable Co-Leader, and it would be tiresome to replace him. That decided, the Inu Taiyouki moved with God-like speed, his fist connecting with the hybrid's jaw and causing a jarring crack. In the blink of an eye, he had prepared to throw a final blow, when he felt the familiar tingle of the Miko's aura escape the limits of his awareness. The only thing left behind was the scent of his brother and the torii. His eyes flashed garnet and he bellowed after his half-sibling, informing him of just what he would do to him if he didn't return the girl withing the next ten seconds. This moment's distraction was not wasted on Kouga, who spun with his left leg in a lightning-fast kick that caught the distracted man in the side.
'He hit me,' flitted across Sesshoumaru's mind, though he did not flinch even as he felt at least two ribs crack from the force behind the strike. He turned his now red-flecked gaze at his opponent once more and was a breath away from putting an end to the Wolf despite his former inhibitions, when a sight met his eyes that made his very blood run cold. Kagome was standing not four feet in front of him; Kouga's knife on a direct path for her heart. Precious milliseconds ticked by as helplessness filtered through his veins for the first time in a very , very long time. Something low in his gut twisted harshly when he saw her petite frame lurch with the force of impact. His heart skipped a beat entirely when he saw the first droplet of blood trickle from her slightly gaping mouth. Rational thought ceased as he caught and cradled her, watching the sparkle fade from her rapidly dulling stare.
"MEDIC," the call tore from his throat as if the hounds of hell were at its heels. He just had to get her to Keade. Everything would be fine, the old Miko would heal her. And she would be perfectly fine, and...
"S-sesshou-ma...ru?"
Another beat was forgotten, as he turned his guilt-ridden stare to the tiny woman in his arms. "I am here." He cursed himself for knowing nothing of comfort, but even in such a critical state Kagome seemed understanding as she simply smiled and closed her eyes. Not good. "Mik-Kagome? No! Stay awake! Open your eyes! Kagome?"
Hours later Sesshoumaru sat, waiting for news in the bleak waiting room. He stared at the blank wall across from him, internally contemplating just what made his chest feel like it was weighed down by a ton of brick or what on Earth told him that the knife that may well end her life was meant for him. That the fault was his own.
After a small eternity, a stern Kane emerged and looked directly into his eyes as he told him, "In her human state she will never come out of the coma she has fallen into. However, if we go through with the Augmentation at this point in time, her demon blood will cure her within twenty-four hours, tops...But there is a 75 likelihood she won't survive the process. In the coma however, she may last an hour, a week, or a year...but she will never be coherent. In light of these odds, I have decided to go through with the Augmentation process within the hour...There is no other way, Sesshoumaru."
Troubled gold morphed into suspicious amber as Sesshoumaru spoke, "There is something you are not informing me of." An underlying edge laced his words as his eyes hardened.
"It is not of consequence at this time," Kane cut off the younger male before he could speak agin, continuing caustically, "Every moment wasted here arguing with you, Kagome slips further from this realm."
The burnished gold hue was back in his gaze as he growled out, "I will not forget. We will speak at a later date. When does the procedure begin?"
"Immediately."
The Augmentation Room's walls were made completely of glass, floor to ceiling. Sesshoumaru stood outside, watching as Kagome was placed on the single table in the center of the extensive room. Everything was a sterile white, from the tiled floor to even the walls beyond the glass. His eyes wondered from the IVs and other lengths of tubing to the many, many stainless steel tools that contrasted so strongly with the blank theme.
Within moments, the sheets that had been placed over Kagome, as to obscure her lack of clothing, were adjusted to hang lengthwise off the table, covering only her chest and lower body from just below her navel down to mid-thigh. Endless IVs, ports and electrodes were attached to monitor her vitals, and to inject her with any needed medications. In the next moment, the head surgeon began typing furiously on a central keyboard. Soon, the large monitor that hung just above and to the left of Kagome's resting place swivelled into position and flickered to life. A wire-from and abstract human form appeared and spun slowly as various headings appeared next to it.
And suddenly, a feminine but obviously computer-generated voice projected through the room: "Procedure 119: TITAN Augmentation, Version 2.0. Begin. Stage one. Searching...X Genome identified. Please wait...X Genome isolated." The human form on the monitor blinked, then a point on the left arm was highlighted and a caption box appeared in conjunction with it. "Stage two. Begin. Please insert IV to primary vein in left wrist." With a practiced ease, one of the nurses flicked the wrist in question to draw the vein to the surface, then inserted a butterfly needle. After a moment, the thick, crimson liquid began to flow from the patient and through the monitor. "Searching...Thank You. Stage Three. Begin. Blood sample acquired. Loading...Upload complete. Searching...Heritage lines found. Principal findings displayed on central monitor. " With that announcement the prior text box disappeared and was replaced with one headed: HERITAGE FINDINGS. The list read: Kitsune, Elemental, and Celestial.
"Continue," the disembodied voice questioned. In response the lead technician began typing again, verifying the continuance of the Augmentation. "Very well. Stage four. Begin. Gene 1 isolated...Gene 1 Activated to 100. 'Blood-Rage' component active. Genes 2-6 isolated...Genes 2-6 activated to 100. 'Demonic Senses' component active...Genes 7-16 isolated...Genes 7-16 activated to 100. "Demonic Appearances" component active. Genes 17-21 isolated...Gen-ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! CODE 475. INTERFERENCE WITH PROGRAM. ABORT IMMANENT. TOTAL SYSTEM SHUT-DOWN IN: 10...9..." The monitor background began flashing red as the disembodied voice shouted and a siren wailed.
Sesshoumaru spun to face Kane, fury lining his every feature and rage in his every movement. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!"
Kane eyes were worried though he kept his face mild as he replied, "All that we knew was that Naraku implanted something beneath her skin during her captivity at Necromancer Inc. We had no idea what its capabilities might have been, or if it was even active."
This time when he spoke, Sesshoumaru's voice was but a whisper, but his emotions were not belied. "Is this proof enough," he asked gesturing toward the room where doctors were working frantically to keep Kagome in stable condition.
Now it was Kane's turn to be indignant, "I care for the girl far more deeply than you ever can. She is like a daughter to me! This was the only way, Sesshoumaru!"
"This was the only way," he mocked, gesturing again to Kagome.
"Perhaps she would not be in this situation had I entrusted her guardianship to another," Kane retorted, his dark eyes flashing. But, as soon as the words left his mouth, he knew he had gone too far. The man before him went completely rigid, his pale hair and skin lit eerily by the flashing red lighting.
The Elder's words were not lost on Sesshoumaru, in fact they perfectly mirrored his previous thoughts. However, that did not stop his demonic tendencies from uprising in outrage. Kane had told him that he could not protect what was his...that could not go unpunished.
Though Kane was much older than the man he stood before, he could not stop a sliver of ice cold fear from coursing down his spine when he saw that blood red gaze meet his own.
Then Sesshoumaru spoke, his voice starting as a whisper, "Get..out of my SIGHT," but ending in a bellow. The older man opened his mouth to speak again, when Sesshoumaru cut him off,
"NOW!"
Once the older man had disappeared around the corner, Sesshoumaru stepped up to the glass. He watched as the flashing scarlet lights washed over the Miko's diminutive form and painted the white clothing of the medical staff crimson. Placing the fingertips of one large hand lightly on the glass, he whispered in his mind, 'I am sorry Kagome.'
"She's in cardiac arrest!..."
"...and give me fifty Ccs..."
"...where is that adrenaline injection...?"
"...that should..."
Voices scrambled to be heard above one and other as the many doctors, surgeons, and nurses tried to revive their patient. Her heart had stopped...she had lost too much blood from her stab wound already...her system just couldn't take the shock. But, if they could jump-start her heart, she would have a fighting chance...The head cardiologist finally located the defibrillator, shouted, "Three...two...one...Clear," and proceeded to send a jolt of electricity into his patient via two paddles he placed on her chest once everyone was out of range. Only a second later, Kagome bowed sharply away from the hospital table when the current hit her, falling back to her resting place the next second. He watched the monitor grimly as it stayed defiantly flat-lined, before he rubbed the paddles together and again called, "Three...two...one...CLEAR!" Once more, the patient arced. This time he waited, watching the line for five seconds, when a tiny 'beep...bleep...bleep..beep' pierced the thick silence that had permeated the air, as Kagome's heart began to fall back into rhythm. The cardiologist let a huge sigh of relief flow out of him as a collective cheer went up before everyone went about making sure the girl remained secure.
An hour later, the head surgeon stepped out of the sliding glass door behind the rest of his colleges. They had done all they could, and now all he had to do was speak to the man standing outside. Once he reached Sesshoumaru, he began, "Hello, sir. I was the head surgeon for Ms. Higurashi's procedure today. For 90 of the process, all was well, until something fried the computer program. This stopped the life-support that was monitoring her breathing. Her heart couldn't take the sudden shock...and it stopped. Luckily, we were able to revive her, and she is in stable condition at this time. Her demon blood should be taking over soon. However; we aren't sure exactly what was not activated before the...error occurred, only time will tell. It could be her appearances such as ears or a tail, or it might be an ability she might have had if all had gone well. As I said only time will tell. You are free to go and sit with her, the entrance code is 893215. She will be free to go once she is checked over in the morning. By that time, her black blood should be running strong."
Sesshoumaru merely nodded and made his way toward the key pad that would gain him entrance to the room. Once inside, he pulled a rolling chair to her bedside, noting that a few of the female nurses had changed her into a set of comfortable sleeping attire and fitted her with a pillow and blanket. He stared shamefully at the few monitors still surrounding her. All of the tubing and electrodes had been removed thankfully, that would only make her think back to her time spent in captivity. Sesshoumaru sighed and decided that he should probably at least attempt to sleep, so he crossed his arms and lowered his head, dropping off almost instantly. After all, it had been a long day...and the jasmine scent permeating the air did wonders for his frayed nerves.
It could only have been around two o'clock in the morning when Sesshoumaru was startled out of the light doze he had fallen into by an unearthly wail. The girl had shot straight up into a sitting position and begun screaming. Thinking quickly he stood and tentatively wrapped an arm around her shoulder. He was emboldened when she abruptly stooped howling and turned into his arms, burrowing into his shoulder and whimpering pitifully. 'She is in such pain.' He remembered waking up after his Augmentation...his mother had been there, his real mother...He was brought back to reality when he heard a tiny voice floating from the onna in his embrace.
"Why does every thing hurt? Why don't I remember anything?...What's wrong with me...?"
The guilt that had temporarily subsided rushed back in full force as he ran his fingers trough her hair awkwardly, "Shh...this Sesshoumaru will explain later. Sleep for now, so the pain will pass more quickly." After a moment of thought, he added what his own mother had told him in the same situation so long ago. Rocking her softly as his okaa had done for him, he told her softly, "Everything will be fine. I am here now."
A ghost of a smile flickered across the Taiyouki's visage as he heard her breathing level out, signifying that she had passed into the land of the dreaming. He lowered her as if she were made of glass, setting her back into the sheets and tucking the blanket around her once more. Gazing at her now he could see the changes that the procedure was causing already.
'She should have had a say in all of this...What if this was not what she wanted? There was no way to reverse it now...If she has regrets, she will have to bear them for the rest of her now immortal life. Kane, this was wrong! Were you lying once more when you said this was the only way!' Thought such as these swirled around Sesshoumaru's mind for the rest of the night, and though he never attempted it, he knew that sleep would have eluded him had he tried.
Kagome felt herself floating in a gauzy lavender haze. A slightly scented fog, that smelled softly of pine and thunderstorms...it was very relaxing. It definitely wasn't the violent vortex of before, but instead a peaceful, more content existence that she was perfectly inclined to remain in before a voice broke into her thoughts.
"Hello, Kagome dear," came a sweet, motherly voice.
Turning as well as she could (as she was unaccustomed to weighing literally nothing), the startled girl found what had to be the most beautiful woman she had ever seen staring back at her. The lady was tall and graceful, with pale golden hair that fell in thick, curling waves a little past her shoulder blades. She had delicate high cheekbones and bright golden eyes. What had to have been her most awe-inspiring feature though, was her glossy white wings affixed to her back. She even had flowing white robes to complete her heavenly look. 'I must have died...at least I went to heaven then...'
A high , tinkling laugh that reminded Kagome very strongly of bells sounded just after she finished her thought.
"No, dear, you are very much alive..."
"Then who are you?"
"I am Tsukiko, and you are merely dreaming. I am your Guide, and I have been watching over you from the day you were born...you are a very special girl Kagome."
In that moment, another, slightly shorter figure appeared next to Tsukiko. She was, to Kagome's amazement, equally as beautiful. 'No fair,' she pouted in her mind. She wasn't all that jealous per say...just awed. The tinkling laugh was back, joined this time with one of a slightly lower timbre, yet still utterly feminine one that reminded her instead of free-flowing water. The new arrival was dressed in a beautiful, flowing lavender kimono that was enhanced with baby blue swirls and silver embroidery. She had long, straight pale blue hair that bordered on silver and blue-violet eyes. Her porcelain skin held no demonic markings, but the aura she exuded screamed of power and lethality.
"Kagome-san, I would like you to meet Kasumi. She is the partial embodiment of your youki. After a bit of training, you will be able to summon her to aid you in battle."
"What do you mean? I am human..."
At this, Tsukiko's highly expressive face saddened, "Kagome, they didn't have a choice...You were injured, and they had to...They went through with the Augmentation..."
The news went through Kagome and left her feeling breathless...'I wasn't even sure if this was what I wanted...Eternity is a very long time...But, there will be time to think later.' She decided firmly and erasing the dreadful traces from her face. "I understand...I will think upon it later."
Both Kasumi and Tsukiko smiled back at the troubled girl. A billion megawatt smile illuminated Tsukiko's features as she asked, "Would you like to see what you will look like?"
Evidently, the woman's bubbly disposition was contagious, because before Kagome knew it, she was grinning and nodding enthusiastically.
Her smile widening even more, Tsukiko snapped her fingers and a gilded mirror appeared out of the haze. "Just ask what you would like to see, dear."
Nodding, Kagome asked, "Ano...myself with the changes?"
The reflective surface of the mirror swirled opaquely for a moment then cleared. Kagome gasped a she saw...a completely different girl staring back at her. She had grown to at least 5' 7" and her hair had lightened to a shadowed navy that shone violet. Turning, she saw that it stayed straight to about elbow length, then began curling and tapered to a point at the back of her knees. Her eyes were still the ever-changing blue she remembered, but the inner ring of her iris had turned to a pale lavender that gave her a piercing gaze. Lavender-silver markings had appeared on her cheeks, wrists, and ankles. It was the thin, delicate markings near her eyes that fascinated her. They started at the outermost corner, and curled inward into a lazy spiral where they met her cheekbone. But...where was that tail?
A voice behind her, Kasumi, she realized, cut in, "You should and would have possessed one, however; an...error occurred during the Augmentation. The Kitsune abilities of you father's lineage were disrupted. Only your Celestial and Elemental abilities were fully awakened. You may still have a few fox tricks, but they will be few and far between."
"Oh...Well, what kind of Elemental am I then?"
"Storm-Bringer," Tsukiko beamed, honestly, nothing could keep her Kags down!
"A Storm, what?"
"Storm-Bringer, dear. You control the weather."
"Oh," and after a few minutes of silence, Kagome asked, "So do all new TITANS get this...experience?"
A mischievous and lopsided grin came over Tsukiko's face this time when she replied, "Only those lucky enough to have a former TITAN as their Guide..."
Tune in next week for exactly what THAT one means...MUWAHAHA! Three cheers for awkward fluff! Hip-hip hooray!
P.S. Tsukiko 'moon child', Kasumi 'mist'
P.P.S. Someone asked me at one point if I was in the Military! I was totally flattered! You guys really think its that realistic? Anyway, I was letting you guys know that I'm not...but I do play a ton of those kind of video games and read a lot of that sort of books. As for the medical lingo, I have two nurses and a Cardiologist in my immediate family alone, so yeah.
Later days! Kat...out!