A/N: Yay! I got lots of reviews! Thank you!… I'm very sorry this chapter took so long. I had a research paper and a few tests (which I think I did well on!) AND I had a play that I was crewing for. The end of the semester is so busy!
In other matters… I've been informed that my summary isn't exactly… good. Considering I've had this problem before, I've come the conclusion that I really suck at writing them. If anyone wants to rewrite it for me, I'd be eternally grateful.
The Broken Miko
Chapter 5: The Demon in the Human Village
The hum of the wood's insects and birds surrounded the three demons, like a gentle but insistent warning. The air was heavy with an approaching storm. Clouds blanketed the sky, making it seem as if it were evening instead of midday. It wasn't promising, but they ignored the signs of trouble.
Kagome fidgeted with the strap of her backpack, careful not to slice it with her claws. She'd done that several times in the first few weeks with the new sharp nails. She had been so clumsy that she once managed to slice out a good chunk of her hair while braiding it. It was only growing back now, six months after the fact.
Looking up, she saw her two companions, the rigid back of the taiyoukai and the demon child that flew lazily beside him. Washi had tried several times to engage the adults in conversation, but all attempts had fallen flat. Now, no matter how many times she had rebuffed the child's efforts, Kagome was starting to get bored by the silence.
"You get bored too easily," commented her love, although at the time, he was still chasing Kikyo."I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I guess I'm just used to the whole shard hunting thing."
"Feh. It's not my fault you haven't sensed any jewel shards in the past few days." He crossed his arms and looked away, although his nose still twitched at the smell of cooking ramen.
She stood up and stretched her arms above her head. "I guess so, but I'm still bored. What do you do when you're bored?"
"I ignore you, wench," he snapped. He was clearly in a foul mood that day.
"Love you too, Inuyasha," she huffed without thinking, but immediately freezing when she heard the words come from her mouth.
They looked at each other for a moment in shock. After a moment, Kagome's mind began to function again and she grinned.
"You look like you've seen a ghost," she said with a cheerful lilt to her voice.
"What… did you just say?" he croaked. She could see the white rings around his amber irises.
"That you've seen a ghost?" Kagome responded, knowing perfectly well that it was the wrong answer.
"Before that." He forgot to add an insulting name at the end to show his annoyance and she knew that his amazement had gone quite deep.
She smiled at him again, although she felt her heart plunge into ice water as she peered into his surprised eyes. Only surprise. He didn't return the feelings, obviously. Now wasn't the time anyway. Naraku was still out there and gaining power. "Don't be silly, Inuyasha. I love you as I love all my friends, even Miroku." She handed him the cup of ramen and some chopsticks.
"Okay," he muttered, although he looked unconvinced.
Kagome sighed and pushed the hair out of her face. That day had definitely ranked up there on the 'insert foot into mouth' moments. After that, even if she was bored to tears, she wouldn't mention it directly to Inuyasha.
She watched her feet crushing the grass on the ground and concentrated on avoiding the wildflowers that dotted the forest floor.
Ahead of her, Sesshoumaru frowned as the scent of humans thickened in the air. They were close to a human village, and a rather large one at that. Certainly, they would have a market where the wench could buy her supplies.
He stopped and the others paused with him. "You will go to the village nearby and return in a prompt manner."
Kagome lifted her nose, sniffed and recoiled slightly. "No way! Not here. I meant another village. Come on, we'll pass one eventually."
Sesshoumaru turned to face the hanyou, blocking her path and preventing her from moving any further. "Here," he said simply.
Washi's large green eyes flickered back and forth between the two adults. "What's wrong with the village? Why don't you want to go there, Kagome?"
"Because this village kills demons. If you had a sense of smell, you could tell that youkai blood has been spilt here hundreds of times. The only explanation is that it's an exterminator village. I'll be risking my life going in there."
"You wear the garb of an exterminator yourself," countered Sesshoumaru, although his smirk displayed his pleasure at the thought of the wench dying. "You will be safe. We are not stopping again." His eyes glinted with unadulterated malice as he seated himself beneath a tree.
Kagome held her breath, wondering that if she passed out, would he still make her go? Myoga had expressly warned her of a bloodthirsty village that killed anything with a touch of demon blood in their veins. Supposedly, children began to wear daggers at the age of three and could take down a weaker youkai by the age of seven. Not exactly the place she wanted to go for a visit, no matter how short. This was clearly that same village.
But he was determined, she could see that. She let her backpack fall to the ground with a dull thud, feeling the vibrations wave across the bottom of her feet. "Fine," she muttered, flipping open the yellow bag. Fishing around for a few moments, she finally extracted a sizeable red square of coarse cloth.
"What's that for, Kagome?"
"You ask too many questions, kid." She sighed and folded the square into a triangle and laid it on the grass. Once again diving into her bag, she grabbed several hair ties and clips. The hanyou twisted her hair up and pinned it to her scalp. Then, she flattened her ears against her head and used the cloth to cover them and her telltale crimson streaked hair.
The male demons watched this process with interest. Full demon females had no need of primping; they possessed a natural beauty that would be, in fact, dampened by any vanity. So this was a new experience, even if it was for the purpose of disguising her demon attributes.
At least, that was the taiyoukai's excuse.
As she reached up to tie the cloth around her head, his eyes traveled down to her chest and tiny waist, both encased in her tight leather slayer uniform. He watched as her silky hair was slowly and carefully tucked beneath the covering with her delicate fingers. For a moment, he even allowed himself to think of her as graceful. At this, the inuyoukai flinched and erased all his disturbing ideas from his mind. He concluded that that it was entirely the fault of her tight clothing and his extended incarceration.
'This Sesshoumaru has been without female companionship for too long, something that will be remedied when I return home,' he decided silently.
"How do I look?" Kagome asked as she pulled the knot tight at the nape of her neck.
"Ridiculous," answered Sesshoumaru, without missing a beat. He was still appalled at his brief physical attraction to the filthy half-breed.
Kagome rolled her eyes. "I'm aware of that. I'd imagine I look like…" She paused and frowned. "Well, I can't think of a good analogy, but I know I look weird. I was wondering if I look human."
Washi walked slowly around the cross-legged hanyou as if he were appraising a valuable piece of art.
"Hurry it up, will ya?" she snapped impatiently as he stopped in front of her.
The child shrugged. "It's better. But what about your eyebrows? And your claws? And your fangs?"
"No one will notice the eyebrows. I haven't cut my nails recently. And… I guess I just won't smile," she answered in a clipped manner, annoyed that she had missed so many details that could potentially end her life.
He stared at her for a moment, forgetting his earlier resolve to let her insults wash over him. "You never smile. Not really," Washi muttered under his breath, before he flew into the upper branches of Sesshoumaru's tree.
Under her makeshift head covering, her ears strained to twitch. She sighed and took out a small leather money pouch. Silence permeated the air around them, even the insects paused their strange hum. "Right. Well, I'm going now. We've wasted enough time."
Sesshoumaru let his eyes slide shut, the only sign that he had heard her.
The hanyou paused before leaving his stoic company. 'He almost looks nice when he's not staring at you with those cold fish eyes. I wonder if he ever has anything but hate and indifference in his expression.' She shrugged to herself and moved to leave the two youkai males. The oppressive atmosphere that always accompanies a storm was growing even heavier and she wanted to be back underneath the forest canopy before it began to rain.
The demon child hopped down a few branches until he was in sight again. Apparently, his unpleasant mood had disappeared in his brief time in the treetop. "Don't worry, Kagome. I can see the village from up there. If you get in trouble, me and Lord Sesshoumaru will come and help you!"
"We will not," growled the inuyoukai.
Kagome ignored the Western Lord and gave the eagle child a stern glance. "Just don't follow me. If you're worried about my eyebrows, I don't think we hide these too easily." She tapped the top joint of his left wing and then walked past him. "Be good, boys," she called over her shoulder.
When she didn't hear any response, she paused and, without turning around, said, "I'm going to get you back for making me do this, Sesshoumaru." She tried to keep her tone playful and light, but they both knew she was in earnest. The hanyou was not happy with the situation and she would be getting vengeance. After all, she was half animal now.
As she walked down the gentle slope of land towards the village, she tried to push her instincts down, back beneath her human emotions. Her hand tightened around Tetsusaiga's hilt. The action had become habit over the past six months. She felt the demon blood surging through her veins every minute of every day, but had no desire to let it free. Kagome had seen too many times what happened when a half-demon gave into his wilder side.
Truthfully, she didn't know if she had that particular weakness. Was Inuyasha the only one that had to have a seal on his blood? After all, no other hanyou had a Tetsusaiga to keep them in line. Perhaps she would ask Sesshoumaru about it sometime. She expected she wouldn't like the answer though.
The scent of freshly hewn grass filled her senses. Someone had just finished clearing a patch of land for a new crop. Or for a new battlefield.
Kagome shuddered. According to Myoga, a rogue exterminator had founded this village on a principle not shared by many of his former compatriots. That is, that all demons, good or bad, must die. That part wasn't so strange, but the rogue had also claimed that anyone helping or befriending a youkai has been contaminated and must die. Predictably, the other exterminators had thrown the rebel out of their town. Killing humans was not an option.
She just hoped that they didn't bear a grudge against the demon slayers that had exiled their founder. On the other hand, vicious people like this rarely got along with a miko and that was her only other outfit.
Her fingers finally released Tetsusaiga as she came in sight of the town and the villagers. They were milling about, completely oblivious that a creature that they abhorred was willingly walking into their midst.
A few straightened up from their work and conversations to watch the young girl approach. Every single one had a wary expression, suspicious of the newcomer.
One elderly man came forward, avoiding the small clusters of people that were beginning to gather at the stranger's arrival. Despite his simple peasants' clothing, the man obviously held some power in the town, since the others parted for him without question. He stopped about ten feet away from Kagome and bowed stiffly. "May we help you?"
The hanyou plastered a tight-lipped smile upon her face, hollow like all the others. Bowing deeply, she purred, "Yes, please. I'm travelling west and would like to buy some food for the journey, if that is alright with you."
The old man swept an appraising eye over her form, but failed to notice the few signs of her less-than-human blood. After completing this evaluation of her threat, he smiled and bowed again, this time with more grace. "Naturally, we could not turn away a traveler such as yourself. Especially one so distinguished as a taijiya. My name is Hikaru and I am the village headsman."
"I'm pleased to meet you. I'm Kagome." She nearly gagged at the sugar coating her tone.
Hikaru nodded and beckoned to her. "Come this way. I know that the Hama family just had an excellent harvest and will have extra rations to sell. I'm sorry you did not arrive on a market day when you could have had more choice."
"I'm sure that whatever your village has to offer will be more than enough for a simple traveler like myself." She followed him as he led her down the main avenue of the village. Several homes of the more prominent families lined the street, as well as a few shops and a geisha house.
Kagome began to sweat slightly. If she was to be discovered, she did not want to be in the center of the town. Her heart dropped further into her stomach when Hikaru stopped in front of the home next to the local watering hole. 'Great,' she mused in irony. 'That's just what I need. A bunch of drunk men with access to sharp, pointy objects.'
The headsman called out to the family and a young woman of about twenty-five immediately came out. She held a small baby boy in her arms. "Good day, Hikaru-san. If you're looking for my husband, he's gone out to the fields."
"I was actually looking for you, Kita-san. This young lady would like to buy some of your surplus rice and other foods," he answered, motioning to Kagome.
Kita turned to look at the hanyou, her eyes widening as if she had just noticed the stranger in her village. "Oh, hello. A taijiya, huh?" Her tone suggested that perhaps not everyone had forgotten the tale of the rogue exterminator and his persecutors.
"Yes. I strive to rid the world of demons, and knew I would find friends here, for rumor of your village's slaying abilities have traveled far and wide." She simply didn't mention whether the rumors flattered them or not.
"I'm sure," the mother huffed. "Well, come on in. I'll fix you some packets of food. How much do you have?" She looked pointedly at Kagome's money pouch tied to her sash.
"Enough," the hanyou reassured. She already didn't like this woman. Even the child seemed be giving her evil glares.
Kita nodded and jerked her head, silently telling Kagome to follow her inside. Hikaru bowed and mumbled an excuse about having work to do, leaving the half-demon alone.
"So, why are you travelling west?" asked the young mother, as she placed the baby on a blanket in the front room and went to gather supplies.
"I've heard of a great demon lord that kills without reason. I wish to slay him."
The human woman turned with rice paper in one hand. "Sesshoumaru?" Unlike most that spoke of the taiyoukai, her voice was calm and even. Either she was very stupid or very brave.
Kagome frowned. "How did you know?"
"Everyone knows about the Lord of the Western Lands. You're a fool to take him on. No one can kill him. They say he is immortal."
"That's ridiculous," countered the hanyou, deciding that Kita fit the 'very stupid' description. "There isn't a demon that can't be killed. I know that Sesshoumaru is not immortal. He bleeds like the rest of us."
Kita's eyes flashed in anger towards the taijiya leaning on the wall. "Demon blood is filthy. They do not bleed like the rest of us."
"Youkai say the same of humans."
Her expression hardened. "You should slay more demons and talk to them less, or you're doing something wrong."
"I'm alive, aren't I?"
The two females stared at each other for a moment, warning the other not to continue this subject. Their ideals about youkai were different, but they were still sisters in the demon exterminating occupation. Kagome still felt the urge to cut open Kita's throat however.
The human woman shrugged and turned away. She lay out the rice paper on a low, simple table and measured out rice from a burlap bag onto the slips of parchment. Before she finished the first one, she gave another sharp glance towards Kagome's money pouch, which the hanyou promptly threw onto the wood beside her. Kita poured out the coins and counted them deliberately, moving them one by one to her side of the table. After she finished, she filled more packets with rice and other staples of a life on the road.
Kagome found herself wishing for ramen. Anything except the food that Kita touched.
"It's unusual for a taijiya to travel alone," commented Kita, over the sounds of folding rice paper. Her tone demanded an explanation and Kagome realized with a jolt that the woman suspected her of deception.
"Didn't you hear? The entire demon exterminator village was slaughtered. No one survived except two, another girl and me. It happened about four years ago." She crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows.
"I did hear that, yes," the human responded with little feeling, although suspicion still flashed through her eyes. "But why do you not travel with the other survivor then?"
The hanyou really didn't want to talk about Sango, especially to this vindictive human. How could she tell her that Sango died? All she would receive would be another distrustful glance and another question. Kagome felt as if that would somehow dishonor Sango's memory, to not be mourned by one of her own people, no matter how twisted they were. Kita's village would have killed Sango if they knew she traveled with two demons and a hanyou for all those years.
They didn't deserve to even know that the greatest taijiya had fallen. Kita wasn't worthy to speak of her.
Kagome shifted her weight. The woman had never asked her to sit down, so she still leaned against the north wall. "She got married and had children," answered Kagome, thinking about what would have happened if Sango and Miroku had not died. "She has no time to travel and slay demons anymore. She has a home with her husband, a man she loves very much." Had Kita been a demon, she would smell Kagome's unshed tears.
"I see. Why aren't you married, then?"
Again, the hanyou felt the urge to slice Kita apart. Instead, she shrugged her answer. "I don't know and I don't care."
Kita's vicious mouth opened again, when two children, one girl and one boy, spilled into the room from the street. They both wore brown, coarse yukatas like their mother and appeared to be about seven or eight.
"Mama! Mama!" they cried, not taking note of the stranger in the corner. "We saw a demon!"
Kagome's heart skipped a beat as she straightened up and peered at the children. They were excited and didn't seem to be lying, but she doubted that Sesshoumaru would have allowed himself to get caught. 'It must have been that damn kid, Washi,' she observed in anger.
Their mother came up to them and patted them on their heads. "Yes, I know. Your father took you to the training field, didn't he?"
A tall man of about thirty stepped into the hut. "Yes, I did. Basho and Chie did well. They killed that small demon we caught a few days back near the river. Next time, the monster will be let out of the training pen and they'll be on a real hunt." He smiled at his wife and reached forward to touch her affectionately on her forearm.
Kagome shuddered at action, aware that the man was proud his children could slaughter a caged creature. Her small sigh captured everyone's attention and the man's dull brown eyes flared to life in suspicion, much like his wife's.
'Doesn't anyone trust anyone else these days?' lamented the hanyou.
"Good day."
Kagome bowed and smiled. "Yes, good day to you, sir. Your wife has been so kind as to sell me some of your excess supplies for my journey."
"She says that she's going after Sesshoumaru," mentioned Kita, disbelief lacing her voice. She ushered her children over to the table to help with the last bit of food preparations.
The husband raised an eyebrow, but smiled slightly. "I see. Well, I wish the best luck to you, but I have heard that he is a difficult foe."
"He is just another demon," Kagome answered, lying through her teeth. She knew that she could never take on Sesshoumaru and live. Only Inuyasha and a handful of other demons would have a prayer against the inuyoukai, even with one arm severed.
"Right. That he is," agreed the man. "All those monsters should die." He spared a glance towards his three children surrounding his wife. Kita was whispering softly to the boy, Basho.
Kagome's eyes narrowed a fraction. The cloth covering her ears prevented much of her demonic hearing, but her instincts were kicking in. She should get out before Kita had the whole town circling around her in suspicion, like buzzards.
The hanyou stepped forward and cleared her throat. "Well, I should really be going. I've stayed much too long as it is and I must get on the road again." Cursing herself for babbling, she leaned over the table to collect her purchases. Kita had made about ten neatly wrapped packages and Kagome could smell the delicious scent of rice and vegetables through the thick paper. A small sack lay next to everything and the hanyou delicately placed each meal into it.
As the last one disappeared into the bag, the hairs on the back of Kagome's neck stood up. Basho was no longer seated at the table and she felt the distinct sensation of her silky hair sliding over the nape of her neck and cheeks.
"Demon!" screeched Chie, pointing at Kagome's head.
The hanyou straightened up and glared at Kita, who had a mixture of triumph and fear lining her features. "Bitch," she hissed at the human, as her son sidled up to her with the red cloth in one hand.
The sing of a sword leaving its sheath reached her now released ears and Kagome spun to face the husband holding a sharp katana. All that could be seen in his face was pure rage.
Kagome moved quickly. She tied the top of the food sack around her sash and then crouched down. Keeping her eyes on all five of the hut's occupants she slowly crept towards the door. The man moved with her. She couldn't get past without risking her health. "Just let me leave and I won't have to hurt any of you," she warned.
"You're a monster! Why should we let you live?" yelled Kita, who was now holding a meat cleaver.
"Demon! Demon!" screeched the little girl, louder now. It was sure to bring the neighbors in a matter of moments.
The baby began to cry.
Kagome cursed under her breath. The noise was making her ears and head hurt. "Fine. Don't be reasonable," she growled. She pushed off the ground in a strong leap and crashed through the family's roof, freeing herself from the din of the hut. Outside, the cloudy skies seemed to have broken open and a gentle but persistent rain dampened her hair almost immediately.
Landing in the middle of the street, the hanyou could still hear Chie's screams of terror over the pattering droplets. Several villagers advanced upon her, already armed with farming implements and more conventional weapons like swords and daggers.
"They certainly mobilize fast," Kagome muttered. She briefly thought about unsheathing Tetsusaiga, but quickly dismissed the idea. Since she still didn't know how to use it, she could easily hurt some of these humans. No matter how much she might want to, Kagome could not harm humans. Besides the whole morality of it, she wasn't sure Tetsusaiga would still work for her if she no longer cared for human life.
A teenage boy with a scythe yelled a battle cry and rushed forward. Kagome easily sidestepped him and brought her arm out to hit him on the back, sending him flying into the circle of slayers that now surrounded her.
"Look! I didn't want trouble, okay? I just wanted some food," the hanyou yelled out to the crowd.
"Monster! Oni! Demon!" called out the crowd.
She spotted Hikaru in the perimeter. He was holding a glaive with a deadly point. "If I wanted to hurt your village, don't you think I would have done it already? Please! Just let me go!"
"What did you do, demon? Strip some poor dead exterminator of those clothes? Now you pretend to be a wandering slayer and devour the families that are kind enough to take you in?" he answered, his voice getting higher in the register as his anger seeped through.
"No!" protested Kagome. She had encountered humans' hatred before, but never to this scale. Most villagers simply skirted around her in the streets and hesitantly thanked her if she killed a troublesome demon. "I'm half-demon. I'm half-human!"
The declaration didn't produce the desired effect. Most of the slayers' eyes widened in disgust and a few even muttered further insults against humans that would mate with a demon. The word 'rape' echoed in her ears and Kagome found herself getting angry. Did they really think that a half-demon's youkai parent would rape a human? Inuyasha's parents loved each other and so did Jinenji's. How insulting to assume such lies.
Another young man moved forward, but before he could, his neighbor grabbed his arm and pointed to the sky.
"Demon! Demon!" the crowd chanted as their eyes moved to the horizon.
Kagome turned and saw a small form flying towards her. "Oh, no," she muttered, realizing who it was.
Two seconds later, an eagle demon child descended into the circle. He ignored the hundred or so villagers and turned to Kagome. "Are you okay?" he asked, concern etching his face.
For the first time in six months, the hanyou couldn't think of a scathing response to that frequently asked question. "Yeah… I'm fine for now," she whispered. "But I can't hurt these people and they're intent on hurting me. You shouldn't have come."
Washi frowned as he surveyed the crowd through the thickening rain. Several villagers were calling for their bows and arrows so they would be able to hit the newest menace to their home. "Don't do this!" he called. "She's a good person! She's helped so many people!"
"Including monsters!" screamed a man in the back. The others nodded their agreement.
The hanyou placed a clawed hand on Washi's shoulder, making him jump slightly in surprise. "Don't bother, kid. They're pig-headed and won't listen. They kill demons without question. I can't imagine how many kind, helpful youkai they have slaughtered over the years. Let's just concentrate on getting out."
The child nodded grimly, accepting that the crowd would not back down. "I don't think I can carry you out, Kagome."
"I know, kid. Don't worry about it. I can't even jump out of this. They'd just shoot us down anyway."
Kita emerged from the mob as the hanyou and demon watched helplessly. She still held the meat cleaver in one hand and her son's hand in the other. Her husband stood next to her, grasping his katana so tightly that his knuckles were white. He slowly advanced towards Kagome and Washi.
The hanyou pushed the demon child behind her and flexed her claws. "Please, I don't want to hurt you, but I will protect myself and the boy."
"You'll both die, you dirty youkai," the man snarled. He raised his sword and ran towards Kagome.
As he brought it down, the hanyou deflected his arm and kneed him in the stomach. Her claws left a deep scratch in his wrist where she had caught it. The blade fell to the ground as Kita's husband groaned in pain and rolled onto his back, curled into a fetal position.
"Danjuro!" yelled Kita.
Kagome glared at the human and leaned over the man now known as Danjuro. "I can do to the rest what I just did to you. And worse. Tell them to back off." She was lying of course. There was no way she could fight all these humans without killing a few and that remained unacceptable, despite the worsening situation.
The human male said nothing and crawled to the edge of the circle, dragging his sword across the dirty street. The other villagers leaned over him, checking to see if the man was all right. Some even congratulated him on attacking the 'monster'.
Washi tugged on the hanyou's sash. "Kagome, let's go."
"They'll kill us if we take to the air," argued the girl, keeping her eyes on the crowd that practically overflowed with anger. Many of them had bows slung over their shoulders. "Where is Sesshoumaru? He could scare them away."
"He said he didn't care about you," muttered Washi. "I tried to get him to come."
Kagome sighed, and immediately thought of a few choice words she would later deliver to Sesshoumaru. If she survived, of course. "I know you did. We'll just have to manage on our own."
Kita and Danjuro began another chant, encouraging the villagers to kill the hanyou and youkai.
The miko's hand danced over the hilt of Tetsusaiga. "I can't," she muttered to herself. She didn't want to provoke any further attacks, especially now that she was responsible for the safety of Washi.
As she decided this, the demon child yelped, causing Kagome to turn. A large stone lay beside the boy's feet and he held a hand over the right side of his forehead. Blood trickled down the side of his face. The coppery scent made the hanyou dizzy.
Looking up, Kagome saw a smug expression on the face of a young woman in the mob and undiluted fury welled up inside the miko's chest. "This is what you do? Throw rocks at innocent children? I should gut you!" Her indecision ceased and she unsheathed Tetsusaiga.
But it remained the battered, worn blade that Inuyasha had once cursed as useless.
"Damn," the hanyou murmured, realizing that the sword would not allow itself to be wielded against humans in anger. She replaced the katana in its scabbard and leaned over to pick up the rock that had hit Washi. Tossing it up and down a few times, Kagome bared her fangs. "Well, you want a demon? You'll get a demon." Leaning back, she hurled the stone at the woman who had attacked the child.
The human female shrieked as it found its mark on her left hip. She fell back into the supportive arms of the other villagers.
Kagome picked up another rock. Her crouched stature was more akin to that of an animal than a regal hanyou. "Trust me," she growled, "I have much better aim. That was just a warning. I will protect Shippo with my life."
The eagle child's breath hitched a moment in sadness. The mob and the rock had not bothered him, but he did not want to be remembered as the kitsune. Although he understood her pain over Shippo's death, Washi wanted to be cared for as a separate individual. He shook his head, clearing these thoughts. Now was not the time. He had to stop Kagome from hurting the villagers.
"You humans," seethed the hanyou. "I am ashamed to share even half of my blood with you! You are the real monsters!" She flexed her claws and prepared to advance upon the closest villager.
"Enough," spoke up a voice, sharp with displeasure. It stopped Kagome in her tracks. Her fury dissipated as the sobering tones of the Western Lord reached her ears. Only one homicidal youkai was needed for this little confrontation.
"Demon!" shrieked Chie, pointing up to the lithe, burgundy-clad taiyoukai on the roof of one of the huts. The now heavy rain seemed to not touch the demon lord. Every droplet bounced off his body without leaving a watermark on the silk or in his hair.
His golden eyes flashed to the little girl. "Be quiet, you insufferable human," he intoned.
Like Rin, Chie followed Sesshoumaru's orders, although Kagome knew it was out of fear and not love.
The inuyoukai gracefully leapt and landed next to the hanyou and the eagle child. Barely suppressed disgust etched his face as he glanced at the crowd, before turning to his female companion. As he did, the disgust became blatantly apparent. "I see you have gotten yourself into trouble," he said icily. "Understand that I am here to prevent further injury to Rin's present."
Kagome noticed Washi roll his eyes, and she smirked. "Fine. You're here. Before we break out the champagne, what do you intend to do with these fools?"
"Nothing. We are leaving," answered Sesshoumaru. Normally, he would raze the human settlement, but protecting Rin's new companion meant preventing injury to his mind as well as his body. So today, the taiyoukai turned to walk out of the village without even calling forth his poison claws.
That is, until a wall of villagers refused to part for him.
Kagome frowned. "You idiots! Get out of the way! He'll kill you without a thought!"
"We'll gladly sacrifice our lives to rid the world of you monsters!" yelled back one of the men.
Sesshoumaru arched an eyebrow. This whole situation irritated him greatly. First, the miko had caused trouble. Then, the child had announced that he saw the girl circled by a mob and flew to help her before the inuyoukai could speak two words. Now, the boy was wounded and these insignificant humans blocked his path. Not to mention that the wench had displayed her flagrant disregard for manners once again.
"If that is your wish," the taiyoukai responded, deciding the eagle demon could bear a little bloodshed. Not that he ever went halfway on his village slaughters.
He reached out with superhuman speed and knocked away the sickle in one of the townsmen's hands. In the next second, sharp poison points were digging themselves into the sensitive skin of the man's neck. The human clawed at the inuyoukai's hand in vain, trying to get air into his lungs.
"Sesshoumaru! No!" Kagome shot forward, splashing through the puddles, and wrapped her own small hands around the demon lord's muscular arm. The villagers exchanged uneasy glances when they heard the name of the attacking youkai. Like Kita, they had all heard rumor of the ruthless Sesshoumaru. "I know they probably deserve to die, but…"
"You let your human emotions interfere with instinct too much, wench," he responded with a voice of deadly calm, although he allowed his hand to loosen enough for the man to draw a breath.
"Just let them go. They're human."
"All the more reason to exterminate them." His grip tightened around the human's throat once again.
Kagome frowned and moved around Sesshoumaru until they were face to face, their chests nearly touching. They could only smell each other's scent now and only heard each other's breathing. A malevolent smile spread across the miko's face. "You know I would never beg, you arrogant youkai, but you also know that I will easily threaten. If you think last night's nightmare was bad, imagine what they will turn to if I have human blood on my hands."
Inwardly sighing, Sesshoumaru dropped the man and walked past the hanyou and through the crowd, which now parted readily for him and his two companions. They had realized they only had seen a mere fraction of the demon lord's power.
Only Kita and Danjuro tried to revive the crowd's killing lust. "What are you doing? Kill them! Shoot them! Monsters!"
Before she completely exited the circle, Kagome picked up a small pebble and turned in one smooth motion. "Just try to duck," she muttered, as she launched the stone at Kita's forehead, squarely hitting her target.
Kita yipped in pain and held a hand over what was sure to be a nasty red mark before long.
Kagome smiled triumphantly and walked out of the villagers' circle, trailing behind the eagle child and demon lord.
She caught up with them at the edge of town and fell into step beside Washi. For a few moments, she was silent, glancing at him once in awhile out of the corner of her eye. Finally, the hanyou breathed a deep sigh. "Um, look… thanks for sticking up for me back there. It might not have done much good… but I appreciate it."
Washi hid his wide grin. If he made too much of a fuss over the miko's apology, she'd never do it again. "No problem," he muttered, just loud enough for her to hear his sincerity.
Sesshoumaru glanced back over his shoulder. "You will regret the decision to let those villagers live."
The hanyou frowned. "Just because I didn't murder a hundred people? You're really depraved, you know that?"
"Evil may live in me, but I have control over it. That village has no control over their evil and they will ultimately die for that. But first, they will come after the only demons they have ever allowed to go free."
"Us…" muttered Kagome dejectedly, as her ears finally sagged under the weight of the rainwater.
She couldn't explain it, but she knew that Sesshoumaru was right. For once in her life, she should have extinguished human life.
A/N: Again, I'm SO sorry about this taking so long! Anyway, on to the review responses… Please review this chapter!
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