Guess what? Yep that's right they still don't belong to me! Big flippin' surprise ne?
Once In A Blue Moon
An Inu Yasha Fanfic by Hika-chan
Chapter 12: Dead Eyes
Hikaru grinned as they heard the dog youkai out in the larger cave yell and shout as they tried to figure out where the sudden twister came from. "They shouldn't be able to hear us with all the wind whipping around in there," Kagome grinned back, "So have we got a something?"
"Shouldn't Inu Yasha and Kirara be able to track us?" Sango asked, "Can't we just wait it out?"
Hikaru shook her head, "I have studied some magics. My father told me about a spell once that masks scents. They probably won't find us that way."
The hunter got another idea, "Magic? Do you know how we can contact the others?"
Kagome bit her lip, she had a way to talk to Sesshoumaru, but she had to wait until night because she highly doubted he took naps (though the sudden image did strike her as cute). She didn't really want to say anything either, she felt the dreams were theirs alone. While she pondered that Hikaru seemed to be thinking as well. "I can reach someone outside, but not anyone you know."
"Then who?" Kagome queried.
"I can only use the winds long distance, and only someone else who can use them would be able to hear it. He should also be able to track the wind back to us. My brother."
The miko laughed a bit, "Does anyone who comes along ever manage to not involve their families in our business?" Sango gave a small smile and Hikaru leveled her gaze at the girl. "heh heh.. tough crowd."
"So is that what we are doing?"
Kagome nodded, "For now at least, until we can come up with something else."
***
He was in the garden, looking around but not really seeing what surrounded him. He only registered his surroundings enough to know it was different from his own garden. Otherwise his mind was busy, barely controlling the part of him that wanted to rage and tear apart those who had stolen Kagome. While at the same time he was trying to come up with an excuse that the council would accept for him to leave. If he could not come up with a good enough reason it could give the council reason to take away his rightful title. He closed his eyes thinking, Kami I hate politics.
"Sesshoumaru-sama?"
"As quiet and as swift as a cat, ne Makumba?"
She grinned, "Well cheetahs are cats Sesshoumaru-sama."
He turned to her, "Is there something you wanted to tell me?"
"I was wondering if you were alright, you seem a bit on edge."
"It is nothing."
"Had I not grown up along side you Sesshoumaru," she said dropping the honorific, "I might believe that. Besides, I have a bad feeling. Something doesn't smell right."
"You sense it to then?"
She nodded, "Though not as keenly as you I would guess. But I do not like nor do I trust that youkai your uncle keeps as an advisor."
"Yes, Kuroinu and I are not fond of each other."
The cheetah raised a brow, "When did I miss this turn of events?"
Sesshoumaru, tilted his head slightly, "We may be almost the same age Makumba, but that does not mean that you would know of all the most important details of my life."
The cat grinned, "Yeah, but I can try."
***
"Nataku..."
The hanyou stopped mid air, "Sis?"
The one-way message came through a moment later, "Oniisan it seems Sesshoumaru-sama has some people who don't like him and for whatever reason, me and two of his other guests were kidnapped by three youkai. You need to follow the wind back to us then bring Yuki-sama and the others at Sesshoumaru-sama's castle back to help us."
Nataku shook his head. He opened his ice blue eyes and grinned, "Just can't keep yourself out of trouble ne, Hikaru?" he muttered to himself. Flying off on red-tipped wings the hanyou follwed the winds to his little sister, Hopefully she was captured with some women more charming than she is.
***
"Hey! Are you gonna feed us or what!? I'm starving over here!" Kagome shouted.
One of the three dog youkai growled, "Why can't we just kill them?"
"You know Kuroinu will kill us if we do," another said, "They're the bait remember?"
"Yes but only one of them is, and I'm sure it's not the one with the wings so why don't we just kill her?"
"Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall~" The purposely off key voice echoed into the main part of the cave.
"It wouldn't matter," the other said.
"Ninety-nine bottles of beer~"
"She's not the one making all the noise!"
"Take one down, pass it around~"
"Can we at least knock her out?"
"Ninety-eight bottles of beer on the wall~"
"I'll take care of it," the brown one said.
"Ninety-eight bottles of beer on the wall~"
"Hello"
"Ninety-eight bottles of beer~"
"What will it take to get you to shut up?"
"I'll keep singing till ya bring us some food~" she sang in the tune of that part of the song. "Ninety-seven bottles of beer on the wall~"
"Alright," he said, "You shut up now and I'll bring you something."
"Really?"
"Yes," he said with a smile Kagome did not feel she could trust. "Now you be quiet until I get back."
"Ok!" Kagome smiled way to cheerfully. For a moment Sango thought the miko may have taken some lessons from Yuki.
"You're not really going to bring them food are you?" One of the dog's companions asked.
"I am," He grinned, "but whether or not they'll eat it is another story."
***
"Kuroinu-sama," she began slowly.
"Yes?"
"The mission was successful, the girl is in your possession."
"Ahh yes very good. In a matter of days I will be the one to rule the Western Lands, not that undeserving brat."
"You must be wary Kuroinu-sama," she said, stepping up behind him, "Sesshoumaru is quick to reap his vengeance. He will attack you as soon as he finds out."
"No," he said taking a hold of the hand that landed on his shoulder. The hand that belonged to his love-blinded pawn. "He will not, because if I die, his little woman will be dead before my body has cooled."
Her arms went around him, hands resting on his chest as her head rested against his back. "I fear for your life, love, I do not wish your death. Sesshoumaru is strong, you know this."
His placed a clawed hand over hers, "Yes that I do, but he is also smart. Smart enough to ask where his beloved is before trying to kill me. Smart enough to realized that he would ask about whether or not she is in danger." He turned to her, soothing her with his gaze. "Don't worry Youtei, everything is going according to plan."
The hawk smiled lightly and placed a small kiss upon his lips. "Thank you my love... for setting my fears to rest."
***
It was about an hour or so later when Kagome and Hikaru sensed the missing youkai guards return. Not long after their sensing could they, as well as Sango hear it. The mutterings and strangled cries of a man had interrupted their idle conversation. The miko's face paled as she saw the youkai dragging the man in by his top knot. He was perhaps in his mid-twenties. and it looked as though his arm was broken, complementing his split lip.
"Well here you are ladies. I even brought you a fresh one."
"What do you mean?" Kagome asked hoping against hope that he was not going to do what she thought. "You said you'd bring us some food." "Yes exactly," the dog said as he forced the human's face against the bars with a loud clang. "Food. What's the matter, you don't like the choice set before you? You don't like... what was your name again?" there was an almost unintelligible moan-gurgle that escaped his lips. "Ah yes you don't like Mikans? They're so good this season."
"That's.. h.. he's not what I meant."
"Well I'm sorry," he grinned maniacally, "But I'm not going out again." he pulled the man's head back again, giving the captives a good look at his bloodied visage. His face deformed by dirt and wounds, the most recent a likely broken nose inflicted by the bars of their prison. His half-lidded glazed eyes directed at the girls, begging for their help. At the same time though, those eyes held the knowledge of what would come. "It's a shame too, putting this good meal to waste."
"No.. please don't." Kagome pleaded, "I'll be quiet.. I.. I promise."
The youkai showed her his sharp teeth again, "Oh I know you will, because if you don't, I'll go out again." Then he put his hands on either side of the human's head as Kagome began to scream her protest. Her voice had barely escaped the confines of her throat as the man's neck was snapped. Kagome's hands hand barely reached the bar when his body fell bonelessly to the cold stone floor, one hand desperately outstretched as though to prevent what had already happened.
Up until this moment the youkai had ignored the cell's other occupants, but he turned to them now. Sango's eyes burned with unshed tears and anger. Hikaru's eyes glowed bright crimson with only outrage as the wind picked up slightly outside the cave, she had to be careful, her powers were one of their few trump cards and she could not let them know they had it. "Let this be a warning to all of you," he grinned as he knelt by the body lifting it so that the dead eyes stared in Kagome's direction with him. "Know this girl I did not just take this man's life, but I took the time to cripple his child before him and his wife as well. I snuffed out his life and ruined his family's life. Bother us again and I will widow another woman, make another child fatherless, and ruin more lives by taking just one. Now I imagine you will no longer be so insolent."
Kagome only stared at the dead eyes, wet hot tears streaming down her cheeks. The youkai put the body down then, making sure that it remain facing her, empty eyes staring into the cell.
***
"My fault..." the school-girl whispered again. "My fault he killed him. My fault Mikan's dead."
"Kagome-chan, please don't blame yourself," Sango said quietly, she tried to give a reassuring squeeze of her friend's shoulders. "It's not your fault." She had been trying to comfort her friend since she moved to the back wall of their prison some hours ago. But the young Miko only stared into the lifeless eyes that sat just outside of arms reach, so that neither of her fellow captives could close the man's eyes.
"God why does he keep looking at me?" Kagome asked before burying her face against Sango. "I can't stand it!"
Hikaru at the mean time was wondering if the girl had never seen death before. She hadn't been this bad at first, but after the first hour or so of the corpse staring into their cell Kagome had begun to crack. Hikaru had told her, repeatedly at first, that dead eyes cannot see. To try to ignore them, but the miko could not find it in herself to do so. Instead she kept obsessing over the fact. Of course the hanyou had to admit, if it wasn't for the miko's current state to distract her she would not be too comfortable with the dead eyes looking in her direction either.
"I'm so sorry Mikan," Kagome muttered, peeking a look at the bloodied face before turning away again. The hanyou's lips twisted in disgust. Their captor had purposefully told them the man's name, just to add to the innocent miko's torture. She stood and walked over to the miko and the huntress. "You should go to sleep," Hikaru said, "Night has long since fallen by now I am sure. Your exhaustion would only make you more hysterical."
She knelt before them, a hand before Kagome's mouth. Sango watched, seeing no effects other than Hikaru's eyes glowing faintly. Hikaru was careful, this was a trick she had perfected over time. Thinning the air around the person's face so that the lack of a sufficient amount air caused them to loose consciousness. "I am not hyster-" In those few seconds Kagome had passed out against her friend's shoulder. Sango was too busy making sure her unconcious friend was comfortable to notice Hikaru took a little longer to relinquished her grip on the element.
"What in the seven hells is making her react like this?" Hikaru asked.
"It is not so often humans are killed in front of us," Sango said, "And this is the first time Kagome has seen it as her fault."
Hikaru held her tongue, she wanted to say that it was her fault, but that was not completely true. Kagome, it seems, had not often seen first hand how cruel youkai could really be. The "nicer" ones, such as her father and even Sesshoumaru it seemed, were in the minority among their kind. While admittedly there was a decent amount of them few would know it by their fearsome reputations.
***
Nataku was just outside Sesshoumaru's castle, he had already been to the outside of the cave, not landing so he would not leave his scent behind on the ground. He sensed his sisters use of the air, taking only a moment to whisper to her. Whispering back she answered that she had only forced her one cellmate to sleep. That explained he told her he was going to retrieve the others.
Now he stood there, still trying to figure out what he would say when he landed. He had to hope he would not be killed before he had a chance to explain. Just as he passed below the level of the wall, still on the outside, a red clad form jumped over the gates, a clawed hand grabbing his shoulder and a massive sword pulled back. Nataku flipped over in the air, flinging his attacker off, and turning himself upright again. The feathered hanyou had his own katana drawn before his feet touched the ground. "Who are you and why do you attack me without cause?"
The white haired youkai snarled, "First who the hell are you and why did you arrive here unannounced!?"
"Now Inu-Yasha please, you needn't be so rude." Both hanyous stopped and turned to the voice. Nataku simply stared at the most pale and beautiful youkai he had yet to lay eyes on. "I mean really I thought you would use your nose more often." She turned and smiled at the new arrival, "You are Hikaru's brother are you not?"
Nataku blinked a moment, then smiled dashingly, "Yes I am, and you must be Yuki, for I have never seen one as snow white as you."
She grinned, "Yes but it's a real bitch to keep clean. But tell us why are you here?"
***
Sesshoumaru had not been asleep long when he finally noticed Kagome's presence on the dreamscape. What confused him was that she was "stationary" so to speak. She did not move to be towards him, so that their dreams overlapped into one. Why isn't she coming for me? He wondered as he moved himself towards her. She knows I will come for her, at least she should. Is something wrong perhaps? If it was possible in this type of travel he sped up.
The youkai lord stared for less than a second when he found her, curled up in a corner of the dreamscape, rocking back and forth, red covered hands covering her head. "Stop looking at me," she murmured as he approached. He paused for only a moment as he realized she wasn't talking to him. A body made itself present in his view, sitting up against a wall, eyes staring in her direction. "I didn't mean to.. I didn't know... I'm sorry"
"Kagome..."
"Just please... stop staring at me."
He knelt beside her, pain wrenching his heart at her obvious torture. "Kagome... blue... look at me."
"Stop it!" She screamed, her arms flailed about and he reacted quickly catching her wrists to stop her from hurting herself, forgetting for the moment that they were asleep. It was then he noticed that the red coating her hands was blood. "Mikan.. please stop it."
She doesn't realize I'm here. He moved himself directly in front of her face placing his hands on either side of her face. Taking a moment to take enough control of the world around him to banish the body. Her eyes were squeezed shut. "Kagome look at me."
"No," she whimpered.
He said her name more sternly, almost a command "Kagome."
Slowly she began to open them, he felt another stab as she even held fear in this motion. Afraid to see what may before her. "Se- Sesshou?"
"Yes my love. It's me," He kissed her forehead. Slowly, with snake-like tendrils the inky blackness that surrounded them gave way to a lush green field and a clear twilight sky. "I do not know what happened but you must think clearly. Whatever happened was not your fault." A cloth appeared from nowhere and he began to wipe off her hands.
"But-"
"No," he said again, his eyes not leaving hers, "Do not torture yourself. You need to keep yourself together ok?" He took a moment to look down at her now spotless clean hands. "See?"
She stared, "But what happened to all the blood?"
He held up the white cloth, it was as spotless as her hands, "There is none my blue moon. Never was." She looked at the cloth then up at him, unable to find words she threw her arms around him and sobbed against his chest. He held her close, as though to protect her from everything, whispering mindless reassurances into her ear. "Come now koishii, don't cry. You know I hate it when you cry." A half-sob half-laugh escaped her and he smiled. "Now as much as I would love to hold you all night there are more pressing matters. Where are you? Kagome."
"We... we're in a cave somewhere."
"Show me." The lush setting then faded into the one Kagome had not long ago left behind in the waking world. "Who are the others here? Can you show me your captors?"
She nodded, "We've only seen one." The image of the youkai then appeared, holding up the body that Sesshoumaru had recognized from earlier in the dream. A growl made itself known in Sesshoumaru's chest. This one tried to torture his beloved. Oh he would pay dearly for it he would be sure."
"Oh Sesshie!"
As the voice pierced the scene Kagome's control over their surroundings wavered and Sesshoumaru took a moment to change them, creating the field around them again. "Yuki?"
"Oh there you are!" She piped, her semi translucent form before them. Kagome thought she looked like she had bad reception with too much static. "No wonder I couldn't find you, your mind's not exactly with your body."
"Y... Yuki-sama?"
"Oh hello Kagome-chan, I'm so sorry I didn't mean to be a dream crasher but I just thought Sesshie would like to know we found out where you were." She looked around casually, "I must say I never anticipated this kind of side effect."
"Where are they Yuki? And how did you find out?"
Yuki grinned, "Well it seems that Hikaru has some sort of link with her brother and led him to her and told him to get us for help. You should meet him Kagome, he is SUCH a charmer, nothing like his little sister at all."
"Where are they Yuki? I want to rip them apart myself."
"Sesshou!"
"Sesshie!"
The youkai winced slightly at the dual assault from the two women. Both were quite surprised at the amount of emotion his voice actually had here (well at least Yuki was, Kagome was kinda used to it). And he looked at Kagome as if to say "You know what I meant."
"I know the spot, it's about a day on foot due south of your castle and a day-and-a-half on foot north-east of where you are now."
"So that would be in human measurements then?"
"Yep!"
"In that case I'll see you in an hour." Sesshoumaru turned to Kagome, "I'll be there soon koishii. Don't worry, you'll be safe again before the night is over." He leaned over to kiss her when-
"oohhh, That's so sweet! You have no idea how much it warms my heart to see you like this Sesshie!"
The youkai lord growled while Kagome giggled in his arms, "Aren't you gone yet?"
The youkai bit her lip to hide her laughter then waved, her expression one of false embarrassment, "I'm going, I'm going!" That said the visage of the pale youkai faded from sight.
"As I was saying..." he began somewhat haltingly, as Kagome realized he was embarrassed. "I will be with you again shortly." He brushed some of her hair aside, kissing the mark on her forehead. Times like this she forgot there was a separate world that had more then just the two of them in it.
"Before you go I wanna tell you something."
He tilted his head at her somewhat curiously, an eyebrow raised.
"You look really cute when you're embarrassed."
"I do not," he said sternly, though he could feel his rebellious cheeks begin to warm.
"Do too!"
"I, Sesshoumaru, am not 'cute'."
"Oh, you're cheeks are all red, how kawaii!!"
"I..." he began kissing one cheek, "-am not-" he kissed the other,"-'kawaii.' I-" He kissed her lightly yet somewhat slowly on the lips, then pressed his forhead to hers, staring into her eyes, "Am in a hurry to rescue you koishii. Remember?"
"Alright, alright. We'll finish this later." He began to disentangle himself from her when she pulled him against her again, "But first one more kiss for good luck." After a few seconds Sesshoumaru blinked out of the dreamscape, giving her no warning and not even breaking the kiss before he left. "I hate it when he does that," Kagome muttered before trying to force herself back into the waking world.
-------------------------------
1/8/2003
Hika-chan: Yep Sesshie crashed Kagome's nightmare, and yeah it's easier for him to alter things because he's always so in control. Obviously more so than Kagome in this instance where she was mentally scattered, besides he has a way of making things seem all better.
Yuki: awww.. that's so sweet!
Nataku: (sarcastically) yeah from what I hear he's quite the charmer.
Yuki: Oh don't worry about it sweetie! You're cute too!
Nataku: *blushes* Hey Hika, hurry up with the next chapter will ya? I wanna see my sister again. *turns to Yuki* And spend some more time with you as well my darling.
Hika-chan: Hey don't rush me! I'm trying to find a job dammit! And I really don't wanna but I gotta do -nya!- *sticks out her tongue*
Next Chapter: A rescue and umm... ok haven't thought through much else other than that yet... might just be a rescue....
An Inu Yasha Fanfic by Hika-chan
Chapter 12: Dead Eyes
Hikaru grinned as they heard the dog youkai out in the larger cave yell and shout as they tried to figure out where the sudden twister came from. "They shouldn't be able to hear us with all the wind whipping around in there," Kagome grinned back, "So have we got a something?"
"Shouldn't Inu Yasha and Kirara be able to track us?" Sango asked, "Can't we just wait it out?"
Hikaru shook her head, "I have studied some magics. My father told me about a spell once that masks scents. They probably won't find us that way."
The hunter got another idea, "Magic? Do you know how we can contact the others?"
Kagome bit her lip, she had a way to talk to Sesshoumaru, but she had to wait until night because she highly doubted he took naps (though the sudden image did strike her as cute). She didn't really want to say anything either, she felt the dreams were theirs alone. While she pondered that Hikaru seemed to be thinking as well. "I can reach someone outside, but not anyone you know."
"Then who?" Kagome queried.
"I can only use the winds long distance, and only someone else who can use them would be able to hear it. He should also be able to track the wind back to us. My brother."
The miko laughed a bit, "Does anyone who comes along ever manage to not involve their families in our business?" Sango gave a small smile and Hikaru leveled her gaze at the girl. "heh heh.. tough crowd."
"So is that what we are doing?"
Kagome nodded, "For now at least, until we can come up with something else."
He was in the garden, looking around but not really seeing what surrounded him. He only registered his surroundings enough to know it was different from his own garden. Otherwise his mind was busy, barely controlling the part of him that wanted to rage and tear apart those who had stolen Kagome. While at the same time he was trying to come up with an excuse that the council would accept for him to leave. If he could not come up with a good enough reason it could give the council reason to take away his rightful title. He closed his eyes thinking, Kami I hate politics.
"Sesshoumaru-sama?"
"As quiet and as swift as a cat, ne Makumba?"
She grinned, "Well cheetahs are cats Sesshoumaru-sama."
He turned to her, "Is there something you wanted to tell me?"
"I was wondering if you were alright, you seem a bit on edge."
"It is nothing."
"Had I not grown up along side you Sesshoumaru," she said dropping the honorific, "I might believe that. Besides, I have a bad feeling. Something doesn't smell right."
"You sense it to then?"
She nodded, "Though not as keenly as you I would guess. But I do not like nor do I trust that youkai your uncle keeps as an advisor."
"Yes, Kuroinu and I are not fond of each other."
The cheetah raised a brow, "When did I miss this turn of events?"
Sesshoumaru, tilted his head slightly, "We may be almost the same age Makumba, but that does not mean that you would know of all the most important details of my life."
The cat grinned, "Yeah, but I can try."
"Nataku..."
The hanyou stopped mid air, "Sis?"
The one-way message came through a moment later, "Oniisan it seems Sesshoumaru-sama has some people who don't like him and for whatever reason, me and two of his other guests were kidnapped by three youkai. You need to follow the wind back to us then bring Yuki-sama and the others at Sesshoumaru-sama's castle back to help us."
Nataku shook his head. He opened his ice blue eyes and grinned, "Just can't keep yourself out of trouble ne, Hikaru?" he muttered to himself. Flying off on red-tipped wings the hanyou follwed the winds to his little sister, Hopefully she was captured with some women more charming than she is.
"Hey! Are you gonna feed us or what!? I'm starving over here!" Kagome shouted.
One of the three dog youkai growled, "Why can't we just kill them?"
"You know Kuroinu will kill us if we do," another said, "They're the bait remember?"
"Yes but only one of them is, and I'm sure it's not the one with the wings so why don't we just kill her?"
"Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall~" The purposely off key voice echoed into the main part of the cave.
"It wouldn't matter," the other said.
"Ninety-nine bottles of beer~"
"She's not the one making all the noise!"
"Take one down, pass it around~"
"Can we at least knock her out?"
"Ninety-eight bottles of beer on the wall~"
"I'll take care of it," the brown one said.
"Ninety-eight bottles of beer on the wall~"
"Hello"
"Ninety-eight bottles of beer~"
"What will it take to get you to shut up?"
"I'll keep singing till ya bring us some food~" she sang in the tune of that part of the song. "Ninety-seven bottles of beer on the wall~"
"Alright," he said, "You shut up now and I'll bring you something."
"Really?"
"Yes," he said with a smile Kagome did not feel she could trust. "Now you be quiet until I get back."
"Ok!" Kagome smiled way to cheerfully. For a moment Sango thought the miko may have taken some lessons from Yuki.
"You're not really going to bring them food are you?" One of the dog's companions asked.
"I am," He grinned, "but whether or not they'll eat it is another story."
"Kuroinu-sama," she began slowly.
"Yes?"
"The mission was successful, the girl is in your possession."
"Ahh yes very good. In a matter of days I will be the one to rule the Western Lands, not that undeserving brat."
"You must be wary Kuroinu-sama," she said, stepping up behind him, "Sesshoumaru is quick to reap his vengeance. He will attack you as soon as he finds out."
"No," he said taking a hold of the hand that landed on his shoulder. The hand that belonged to his love-blinded pawn. "He will not, because if I die, his little woman will be dead before my body has cooled."
Her arms went around him, hands resting on his chest as her head rested against his back. "I fear for your life, love, I do not wish your death. Sesshoumaru is strong, you know this."
His placed a clawed hand over hers, "Yes that I do, but he is also smart. Smart enough to ask where his beloved is before trying to kill me. Smart enough to realized that he would ask about whether or not she is in danger." He turned to her, soothing her with his gaze. "Don't worry Youtei, everything is going according to plan."
The hawk smiled lightly and placed a small kiss upon his lips. "Thank you my love... for setting my fears to rest."
It was about an hour or so later when Kagome and Hikaru sensed the missing youkai guards return. Not long after their sensing could they, as well as Sango hear it. The mutterings and strangled cries of a man had interrupted their idle conversation. The miko's face paled as she saw the youkai dragging the man in by his top knot. He was perhaps in his mid-twenties. and it looked as though his arm was broken, complementing his split lip.
"Well here you are ladies. I even brought you a fresh one."
"What do you mean?" Kagome asked hoping against hope that he was not going to do what she thought. "You said you'd bring us some food." "Yes exactly," the dog said as he forced the human's face against the bars with a loud clang. "Food. What's the matter, you don't like the choice set before you? You don't like... what was your name again?" there was an almost unintelligible moan-gurgle that escaped his lips. "Ah yes you don't like Mikans? They're so good this season."
"That's.. h.. he's not what I meant."
"Well I'm sorry," he grinned maniacally, "But I'm not going out again." he pulled the man's head back again, giving the captives a good look at his bloodied visage. His face deformed by dirt and wounds, the most recent a likely broken nose inflicted by the bars of their prison. His half-lidded glazed eyes directed at the girls, begging for their help. At the same time though, those eyes held the knowledge of what would come. "It's a shame too, putting this good meal to waste."
"No.. please don't." Kagome pleaded, "I'll be quiet.. I.. I promise."
The youkai showed her his sharp teeth again, "Oh I know you will, because if you don't, I'll go out again." Then he put his hands on either side of the human's head as Kagome began to scream her protest. Her voice had barely escaped the confines of her throat as the man's neck was snapped. Kagome's hands hand barely reached the bar when his body fell bonelessly to the cold stone floor, one hand desperately outstretched as though to prevent what had already happened.
Up until this moment the youkai had ignored the cell's other occupants, but he turned to them now. Sango's eyes burned with unshed tears and anger. Hikaru's eyes glowed bright crimson with only outrage as the wind picked up slightly outside the cave, she had to be careful, her powers were one of their few trump cards and she could not let them know they had it. "Let this be a warning to all of you," he grinned as he knelt by the body lifting it so that the dead eyes stared in Kagome's direction with him. "Know this girl I did not just take this man's life, but I took the time to cripple his child before him and his wife as well. I snuffed out his life and ruined his family's life. Bother us again and I will widow another woman, make another child fatherless, and ruin more lives by taking just one. Now I imagine you will no longer be so insolent."
Kagome only stared at the dead eyes, wet hot tears streaming down her cheeks. The youkai put the body down then, making sure that it remain facing her, empty eyes staring into the cell.
"My fault..." the school-girl whispered again. "My fault he killed him. My fault Mikan's dead."
"Kagome-chan, please don't blame yourself," Sango said quietly, she tried to give a reassuring squeeze of her friend's shoulders. "It's not your fault." She had been trying to comfort her friend since she moved to the back wall of their prison some hours ago. But the young Miko only stared into the lifeless eyes that sat just outside of arms reach, so that neither of her fellow captives could close the man's eyes.
"God why does he keep looking at me?" Kagome asked before burying her face against Sango. "I can't stand it!"
Hikaru at the mean time was wondering if the girl had never seen death before. She hadn't been this bad at first, but after the first hour or so of the corpse staring into their cell Kagome had begun to crack. Hikaru had told her, repeatedly at first, that dead eyes cannot see. To try to ignore them, but the miko could not find it in herself to do so. Instead she kept obsessing over the fact. Of course the hanyou had to admit, if it wasn't for the miko's current state to distract her she would not be too comfortable with the dead eyes looking in her direction either.
"I'm so sorry Mikan," Kagome muttered, peeking a look at the bloodied face before turning away again. The hanyou's lips twisted in disgust. Their captor had purposefully told them the man's name, just to add to the innocent miko's torture. She stood and walked over to the miko and the huntress. "You should go to sleep," Hikaru said, "Night has long since fallen by now I am sure. Your exhaustion would only make you more hysterical."
She knelt before them, a hand before Kagome's mouth. Sango watched, seeing no effects other than Hikaru's eyes glowing faintly. Hikaru was careful, this was a trick she had perfected over time. Thinning the air around the person's face so that the lack of a sufficient amount air caused them to loose consciousness. "I am not hyster-" In those few seconds Kagome had passed out against her friend's shoulder. Sango was too busy making sure her unconcious friend was comfortable to notice Hikaru took a little longer to relinquished her grip on the element.
"What in the seven hells is making her react like this?" Hikaru asked.
"It is not so often humans are killed in front of us," Sango said, "And this is the first time Kagome has seen it as her fault."
Hikaru held her tongue, she wanted to say that it was her fault, but that was not completely true. Kagome, it seems, had not often seen first hand how cruel youkai could really be. The "nicer" ones, such as her father and even Sesshoumaru it seemed, were in the minority among their kind. While admittedly there was a decent amount of them few would know it by their fearsome reputations.
Nataku was just outside Sesshoumaru's castle, he had already been to the outside of the cave, not landing so he would not leave his scent behind on the ground. He sensed his sisters use of the air, taking only a moment to whisper to her. Whispering back she answered that she had only forced her one cellmate to sleep. That explained he told her he was going to retrieve the others.
Now he stood there, still trying to figure out what he would say when he landed. He had to hope he would not be killed before he had a chance to explain. Just as he passed below the level of the wall, still on the outside, a red clad form jumped over the gates, a clawed hand grabbing his shoulder and a massive sword pulled back. Nataku flipped over in the air, flinging his attacker off, and turning himself upright again. The feathered hanyou had his own katana drawn before his feet touched the ground. "Who are you and why do you attack me without cause?"
The white haired youkai snarled, "First who the hell are you and why did you arrive here unannounced!?"
"Now Inu-Yasha please, you needn't be so rude." Both hanyous stopped and turned to the voice. Nataku simply stared at the most pale and beautiful youkai he had yet to lay eyes on. "I mean really I thought you would use your nose more often." She turned and smiled at the new arrival, "You are Hikaru's brother are you not?"
Nataku blinked a moment, then smiled dashingly, "Yes I am, and you must be Yuki, for I have never seen one as snow white as you."
She grinned, "Yes but it's a real bitch to keep clean. But tell us why are you here?"
Sesshoumaru had not been asleep long when he finally noticed Kagome's presence on the dreamscape. What confused him was that she was "stationary" so to speak. She did not move to be towards him, so that their dreams overlapped into one. Why isn't she coming for me? He wondered as he moved himself towards her. She knows I will come for her, at least she should. Is something wrong perhaps? If it was possible in this type of travel he sped up.
The youkai lord stared for less than a second when he found her, curled up in a corner of the dreamscape, rocking back and forth, red covered hands covering her head. "Stop looking at me," she murmured as he approached. He paused for only a moment as he realized she wasn't talking to him. A body made itself present in his view, sitting up against a wall, eyes staring in her direction. "I didn't mean to.. I didn't know... I'm sorry"
"Kagome..."
"Just please... stop staring at me."
He knelt beside her, pain wrenching his heart at her obvious torture. "Kagome... blue... look at me."
"Stop it!" She screamed, her arms flailed about and he reacted quickly catching her wrists to stop her from hurting herself, forgetting for the moment that they were asleep. It was then he noticed that the red coating her hands was blood. "Mikan.. please stop it."
She doesn't realize I'm here. He moved himself directly in front of her face placing his hands on either side of her face. Taking a moment to take enough control of the world around him to banish the body. Her eyes were squeezed shut. "Kagome look at me."
"No," she whimpered.
He said her name more sternly, almost a command "Kagome."
Slowly she began to open them, he felt another stab as she even held fear in this motion. Afraid to see what may before her. "Se- Sesshou?"
"Yes my love. It's me," He kissed her forehead. Slowly, with snake-like tendrils the inky blackness that surrounded them gave way to a lush green field and a clear twilight sky. "I do not know what happened but you must think clearly. Whatever happened was not your fault." A cloth appeared from nowhere and he began to wipe off her hands.
"But-"
"No," he said again, his eyes not leaving hers, "Do not torture yourself. You need to keep yourself together ok?" He took a moment to look down at her now spotless clean hands. "See?"
She stared, "But what happened to all the blood?"
He held up the white cloth, it was as spotless as her hands, "There is none my blue moon. Never was." She looked at the cloth then up at him, unable to find words she threw her arms around him and sobbed against his chest. He held her close, as though to protect her from everything, whispering mindless reassurances into her ear. "Come now koishii, don't cry. You know I hate it when you cry." A half-sob half-laugh escaped her and he smiled. "Now as much as I would love to hold you all night there are more pressing matters. Where are you? Kagome."
"We... we're in a cave somewhere."
"Show me." The lush setting then faded into the one Kagome had not long ago left behind in the waking world. "Who are the others here? Can you show me your captors?"
She nodded, "We've only seen one." The image of the youkai then appeared, holding up the body that Sesshoumaru had recognized from earlier in the dream. A growl made itself known in Sesshoumaru's chest. This one tried to torture his beloved. Oh he would pay dearly for it he would be sure."
"Oh Sesshie!"
As the voice pierced the scene Kagome's control over their surroundings wavered and Sesshoumaru took a moment to change them, creating the field around them again. "Yuki?"
"Oh there you are!" She piped, her semi translucent form before them. Kagome thought she looked like she had bad reception with too much static. "No wonder I couldn't find you, your mind's not exactly with your body."
"Y... Yuki-sama?"
"Oh hello Kagome-chan, I'm so sorry I didn't mean to be a dream crasher but I just thought Sesshie would like to know we found out where you were." She looked around casually, "I must say I never anticipated this kind of side effect."
"Where are they Yuki? And how did you find out?"
Yuki grinned, "Well it seems that Hikaru has some sort of link with her brother and led him to her and told him to get us for help. You should meet him Kagome, he is SUCH a charmer, nothing like his little sister at all."
"Where are they Yuki? I want to rip them apart myself."
"Sesshou!"
"Sesshie!"
The youkai winced slightly at the dual assault from the two women. Both were quite surprised at the amount of emotion his voice actually had here (well at least Yuki was, Kagome was kinda used to it). And he looked at Kagome as if to say "You know what I meant."
"I know the spot, it's about a day on foot due south of your castle and a day-and-a-half on foot north-east of where you are now."
"So that would be in human measurements then?"
"Yep!"
"In that case I'll see you in an hour." Sesshoumaru turned to Kagome, "I'll be there soon koishii. Don't worry, you'll be safe again before the night is over." He leaned over to kiss her when-
"oohhh, That's so sweet! You have no idea how much it warms my heart to see you like this Sesshie!"
The youkai lord growled while Kagome giggled in his arms, "Aren't you gone yet?"
The youkai bit her lip to hide her laughter then waved, her expression one of false embarrassment, "I'm going, I'm going!" That said the visage of the pale youkai faded from sight.
"As I was saying..." he began somewhat haltingly, as Kagome realized he was embarrassed. "I will be with you again shortly." He brushed some of her hair aside, kissing the mark on her forehead. Times like this she forgot there was a separate world that had more then just the two of them in it.
"Before you go I wanna tell you something."
He tilted his head at her somewhat curiously, an eyebrow raised.
"You look really cute when you're embarrassed."
"I do not," he said sternly, though he could feel his rebellious cheeks begin to warm.
"Do too!"
"I, Sesshoumaru, am not 'cute'."
"Oh, you're cheeks are all red, how kawaii!!"
"I..." he began kissing one cheek, "-am not-" he kissed the other,"-'kawaii.' I-" He kissed her lightly yet somewhat slowly on the lips, then pressed his forhead to hers, staring into her eyes, "Am in a hurry to rescue you koishii. Remember?"
"Alright, alright. We'll finish this later." He began to disentangle himself from her when she pulled him against her again, "But first one more kiss for good luck." After a few seconds Sesshoumaru blinked out of the dreamscape, giving her no warning and not even breaking the kiss before he left. "I hate it when he does that," Kagome muttered before trying to force herself back into the waking world.
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1/8/2003
Hika-chan: Yep Sesshie crashed Kagome's nightmare, and yeah it's easier for him to alter things because he's always so in control. Obviously more so than Kagome in this instance where she was mentally scattered, besides he has a way of making things seem all better.
Yuki: awww.. that's so sweet!
Nataku: (sarcastically) yeah from what I hear he's quite the charmer.
Yuki: Oh don't worry about it sweetie! You're cute too!
Nataku: *blushes* Hey Hika, hurry up with the next chapter will ya? I wanna see my sister again. *turns to Yuki* And spend some more time with you as well my darling.
Hika-chan: Hey don't rush me! I'm trying to find a job dammit! And I really don't wanna but I gotta do -nya!- *sticks out her tongue*
Next Chapter: A rescue and umm... ok haven't thought through much else other than that yet... might just be a rescue....