Chapter Seven,
Sesshomaru woke up slowly, hearing loud voices and blasts. He didn't bother to ask what was happening or look to see what it was. He knew it was his idiot brother and Koga. It was expected; after all, Koga had kissed Inu Yasha's second-hand-lover. Sesshomaru almost chuckled at the name he had given Kagome – but he refrained from doing so. It was Inu Yasha's own fault: he shouldn't have been gloating over Kikyo, he shouldn't have been ignoring Kagome, and he shouldn't have allowed Kagome's second-hand-lover to travel along with them. Therefore, Sesshomaru knew, it was his brother's fault and he should have known that it would end up that way eventually. Though, Sesshomaru reflected, as far as I know, when Naraku faked his death and Kaguya's curse was broken, Kagome and he did share an intimate moment...Disgusting, that priestess. I wouldn't be caught even brushing against her.
As he thought on it, he was going as low as his father and Inu Yasha. His father had taken Inu Yasha's mother and Inu Yasha took Kikyo – and Kagome, for all this demon knew. And now, Sesshomaru, the great Demon Lord, was thinking awful thoughts of taking Rin as his own. Of course, he had more dignity than that. He would wait until she was of age and then take her. Pedophile. The word had an odd, gruesome clang to it. He wasn't a pedophile. He didn't think so at any rate. After all, what sort of pedophilic thing has he done? Absolutely nothing. I'm in denial, am I not? He thought to himself sulkily.
Shaking off the Sandman's dust of sleep, he stood up, his head whirling briefly from the quick movement. His amber eyes searched for Jaken and he moved forward towards the stream where the noises were. Sesshomaru found his servant looking amused as Koga and Inu Yasha lashed at each other with angry sweeps – mostly it was Inu Yasha whom was angry. The demon stood beside Jaken, who acknowledged him with a look, and eyed his brother's and the wolf demon's moves. Inu Yasha's were sloppy from rage, while Koga's were more graceful.
It will probably be a draw, Sesshomaru decided. Even though Inu Yasha's moves aren't quite as efficient as they could be, anger often fuels anyone with demon blood running in their veins; because of that, Inu Yasha will be able to do more damage on Koga. However, the wolf demon will be able to make more, less damaging hits on Inu Yasha...Intriguing.
Though Sesshomaru's theory was accurate, Inu Yasha went on for longer than the full-demon had anticipated and he was becoming weary of the fight. It was getting no where it seemed. Hit Koga, hit Inu Yasha, run here, run there – it was ridiculous in Sesshomaru's opinion.
"Enough," he said, grabbing Inu Yasha by the arm and holding him tightly. He didn't expect his brother to just say, Oh, all right, big brother, I'll do whatever you say. Hell, Sesshomaru didn't even expect Inu Yasha to say a mere 'thank you' if he saved his life. That was why he kept an iron grip on the half-demon's arm, not wanting him to escape. If he did let him escape, when was he going to get a chance with Inu Yasha bouncing around like a frickin' young, hopped-up-on-sugar-and-other-things, demon?
"Let go of me," his brother roared in disobedience, "that bastard deserves to die!" The rage was riding Inu Yasha's veins and Sesshomaru knew that if he gave the younger one a chance, he would rip him to shreds, just because of Koga – just because Koga had kissed that stupid mortal priestess. Resenting her for making his brother go wild, he grabbed Inu Yasha and slammed him in to the ground. The air was knocked out of the half-demon, but he wasn't injured. In fact, his pulse had finally begun to reduce speed and every tense muscle that had been wound like a spring in his body had eased, even though he was practically eating dirt.
"Inu Yasha..." Kagome began, "please, will you let me explain now?" In response, the male glared at her as though she had been the one that slammed him into the ground. Warily, Sesshomaru removed his foot from the silver-haired head, his eyes pinning Inu Yasha in place. His brother stood up slowly, bracing himself against the Tetsuseiga. He gave a snort and turned back towards the campsite.
"Let's go," he told the others, "it's time to move on towards the mountains of Yokohama." Sesshomaru watched as one by one, the others moved after Inu Yasha, only Jaken staying behind with his master. The demon was mildly impressed with his brother's coldness towards the female. He hadn't thought that Inu Yasha could harden his heart like that. It surprised Sesshomaru, but he concluded that the bit of demon blood that run through his bloodstream was probably the cause...Or a disease someone had yet to find out.
Then something hit him: he couldn't allow Koga to kill Inu Yasha or injure him too bad or Naraku wouldn't release Rin. What was more, when they arrived in the very heart of the Yokohama mountains, there would be demons lurking in every crevice, corner, and shadow. If Inu Yasha were to be devoured by one of them, what would that leave Sesshomaru to present to Naraku? Absolutely nothing, which meant one thing. One thing that Sesshomaru loathed...He would have to be defend his brother, the brother he so hated. Could this certain demon do it? Could he protect his brother whom he resented so much? Time would only tell...
X
Crawling up the wall had proven to be harder than it had appeared only minutes ago. Her feet couldn't grip the bricks right and her fingernails kept breaking off and because of that, she kept falling. Rin was at a loss of what to do. She fell for the last time and she sucked on her fingers, the taste of salty blood soaking on her tongue. What was she supposed to do? Her fingers were bleeding, her knees scraped, her bottom searing with pain from the multiple falls and her feet scratched up from the cement of the wall.
"What have you done to yourself?" A voice asked from behind her. Rin jumped, turning around. Kagura was staring down at the little girl with a scowl on her face. The girl had been sent from the room by Naraku so the two could be alone and Rin was almost certain that Naraku had been punishing Kagura. She wasn't particularly pleased with that, but she didn't know Kagura that well, either, so there wasn't much she could do. Rin could hardly feel pity for anyone else but herself.
"...I fell," she lied lamely. It was a stupid attempt at lying – something she could never do right. It was one of the reasons she had always been beaten by the villagers that had taken her in. She had been careful not to lie to Lord Sesshomaru, but if she did, he knew – and sometimes even before she did it!
"If you're trying to escape," Kagura told her, descending the steps and taking out a kerchief, "then it's going to be your own death." Rin winced as the older female rubbed dirt from her scraps, cuts, and scratches, before moving to her fingers and rubbing them. "You're safer in here with Naraku and us, than in the mountains with foreign demons. Now come on, let's get you cleaned up."
Rin did as told, following her to the hot springs. She wasn't accustomed to having Kagura help her with getting cleaned or even coming near her for that matter. She had always isolated herself from everyone, even Naraku. Kagura hadn't even taken any interest in Sesshomaru's ward until then.
"Rin, that's your name, isn't it?" Kagura asked, helping the girl into the hot water, ignoring the flinching and wincing. "Why are you so enamored of the Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin tilted her head back to meet the demon spawn's eyes. It seemed strange that Kagura of the Wind should ask such a personal question. She was just a prisoner, so what did it matter?
"He took me in," she replied slowly. "The villagers took me in when my parents died and then the village was attacked by wolves...I thought I died, but Lord Sesshomaru brought me back to life! And he even let me travel with him." Kagura said nothing for a long while, her eyes fixed on Rin, before she nodded, turning her back to Rin and laying the girl's clothes out on a rock.
"I'll go get you some fresh clothes for when you're done," Kagura told her. "I wouldn't try escaping again. Remember what I told you and heed my warning, girl. You're better off in here than out there." At those last words, she left with light steps towards the castle and all Rin could do was sit in the hot, bubbling water, feeling the sting of her injuries beginning to fade. Maybe Kagura wasn't all that bad? But then again, that's what she thought of Naraku, and look at where her judgment had gotten her...
X
Kikyo had known the true location of Naraku all along, but she would have been an idiot to tell Inu Yasha and his "buddies". Her plan had failed because of that accursed demon, Sesshomaru. She barely knew him and suddenly she was his target for elimination. It made her sick to the stomach – nearly literally.
She passed through the mountains, her arrows striking demons a plenty. They never seemed to learn their lesson and it made the very core of her shake with anger and suspicion. Why would so many demons be surrounding this area? Surely Naraku had not grown stronger? Or was there a different reason? Certainly maybe seventy-five percent of the amount of the demons was adequate, but there were so many more this time!
A sigh escaped her lips as her arrow struck yet another demon. It almost seemed there was no end to the length of these demons. She glanced around her and wondered if it would be long until Inu Yasha and his companions arrived. It made her wonder whether her ex-lover knew the truth of Sesshomaru and why he was traveling with him. Did he know that he was to be delivered to Naraku by the hands of his brother just for some little, immature girl? Surely not or he would not have allowed Sesshomaru to follow him.
I should have uncovered him, she thought to herself, but I cannot leave that girl at the hands of Naraku. God knows what he'd do to her...Torture her...Eat her for dinner... Kikyo shuddered at the thought, hoping that the young girl, Rin, was well and fine in health. If she had even a mere paper cut, she would take it out on Naraku. No young girl deserved to be stuck with Naraku...Not even the ward of the Lord Sesshomaru.
X
The path had become bumpy and rigged, making Kagome's bike near to useless. She would be better off walking on her feet. Abandoning all thought of riding the pink bike, she hopped off and brought it with her as she jogged ahead, hoping to talk with Inu Yasha alone. She wanted to catch him in one of his better moods, but if he was still feeling angry and bitter...Well, she was intent on talking to him, even if he was still angry.
"Inu Yasha," she gasped out as she came to his side. He glanced at her, but said nothing. "Listen, I'm sorry about the thing between Koga and I, but if it makes you feel any better...He was a really good kisser!" An anime vein popped out on Inu Yasha's forehead at her words. What was she, a blonde in disguise?
"Kagome, how is that supposed to make me feel any better?" Inu Yasha snapped, glaring at her, his fury burning like a wildfire once again. Sometimes he wondered if Kagome was admittedly trying to piss him off. Oh the things one could wonder...
"Look," Miroku called. "That's it!" He pointed to the tall, rugged mountains that seemed to stare them down with their shadow.
It's time, Sesshomaru thought, anxiety, for the first time, swelling up in him. The Yokohama mountains were standing strong and tall in his sight, challenging him and the others. In the very depths of them was where Naraku lied, along with Rin. At long last, we're here. Trust me, Naraku, you're not going to slip out of my clutches. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed and he stormed forward, rage fueling him. Because once you destroy Inu Yasha, I'll be the one to destroy you.
X
DIS: Meh, that was shorter than I would have liked...Hell, this fic is shorter than I'd had liked, but (sighs) it is time for it to come to an end...Maybe one or two chapters left and it's over! Like I said, this is just a short fic for me to get the feel and obsession of Inu Yasha, ha, ha. I think I've done pretty well, eh? Well, on the 30th, it's time for me to go back to school! I'm so excited, I'll be in highschool! Though, I still need to finish up my shopping. Anyway, enough rambling! I hope you liked the short (sob, sob) chapter. Please review, ciao!