A/N: Thanks you guys, for all the reviews! Honestly, I have been really worried because I hadn't gotten very many on the first chapter.. but it seems like things are beginning to roll. Please continue to review! It's very encouraging when you do, and very discouraging when you don't…
Yami Bara- thanks for stopping by! No one talks on the list anymore, so I was wondering if anyone got it…
Kari konoko- Hmm.. I am a pretty big fan of the traditional pairings, although someone once said that these fanfictions are just a way of playing with possible switch-a-roos. I thought that was interesting, which is why I added some sess/kag stuff later..
LucretiaDecoy- thanks a lot for your encouragement. Heh, heh, and I don't know anyone that likes Jaken. I see his little plush dolls in a huge pile at the store, because no one wants to buy them.. unless I guess, if they'd wanna drop-kick him..
heh, which is a perfect segue…
Please enjoy my next chapter! I don't own inu Yasha, and I'm not Rumiko Takahashi—though, she is one brilliant lady!
CHAPTER 3: the drop-kick
"Kagome, be safe," Inu Yasha said to himself for the millionth time as he leapt from tree to tree. The others were, by now, much further behind. "Hmph, I should have just told them to stay where they are- the bigger the pack, the slower they move." He said, glancing behind him, but finding no one.
There was no trace of Kagome. And if he knew his brother, Sesshoumaru had most likely erected some kind of a barrier to hide her, as well. It was late now, almost morning, and there was no telling how far his brother had gone. Realizing the futility of the chase, Inu Yasha stopped and waited for the others to arrive.
"Have you found her, Inu Yasha?" Miroku asked when they had finally caught up with him.
"No," Inu Yasha let out, in an exasperated sigh. "But, it's pointless to run around without knowing the destination. I have an idea as to where they might have gone, but other than that, we'll have to pinpoint their location when we get there."
"Which means he hasn't got a clue," Shippou whispered to Kohaku, who just looked back at the kitsune youkai.
"Very well, let's set up camp and start again in the late morning," Miroku looked at Sango and continued, "after we've had some rest." Sango blushed a little; her husband still knew how to make a woman feel special. He, however, moved in closer to his wife so suddenly, that it seemed like he just appeared there out of thin air. The next thing she knew, he was bending over, putting one ear on her stomach, and patting the tiny bulge of her tummy with his right hand, saying "ne? ne?" It was kind of embarrasing for Sango, but entertaining for the houshi nonetheless.
Kagome awoke to the feeling of sunshine on her face, and the sound of birds chirping. Hoping what she remembered was all just a dream, she opened her eyes. Disappointed, she looked around to find herself in the large bedroom. A wave of loneliness swept over her. This was the first time she spent a night in Feudal Japan without knowing that her hanyou guardian was around to protect her. Well, she was definitely protected, but not by the youkai of her choice. She let out a sigh and sat up, wondering what it was exactly that Sesshoumaru wanted her to teach Rin. As she was about to stand, she noticed what looked like a person out of the corner of her eye, sitting on a chair in the corner of the room. Startled, she turned to face the intruder. Kagome was shocked to find Sesshoumaru sitting in her room, with his eyes closed. He looked almost like he was asleep, but the young miko knew better.
"You're finally awake," he said coolly.
'He sounds like he's been waiting there forever!' She thought, more than slightly annoyed at the fact that Sesshoumaru was in her room without her permission. Of course, it was his castle, but still… Kidnapped, given every luxury anyone in this age could possibly hope for, but treated without too much respect- she felt as though she was something like an honored slave. "What is it that you want me to teach Rin?" she asked, straight to the point, some aggravation still present in her tone of voice.
"I see you've found the incantation scrolls," he said, observing the open scroll on the desk.
"Mm," Kagome replied in the affirmative.
"She will need to learn that later. For now, teach her to read and write. You will also inform her of the changes her body will face in the near future." The youkai stood up from his seat in the corner. "Is everything here to your liking?" he asked.
"Fine. But- if you wouldn't mind, I have some supplies in my yellow bag that I would like to have. I didn't get a chance to get them before you kidnapped me," she told him. Sesshoumaru seemed to ignore the girl's petty request.
"I'd like to see Inu Yasha." Sesshoumaru made no answer, but did look over his shoulder at Kagome when she said this. After a few moments, he looked forward once more.
"Like I said, my desire is not to keep you here forever; only until Rin is sufficiently trained." He turned to face the door. "Breakfast is outside on the back patio. Make your way down when you are finished dressing. Then you will begin to train Rin. She is waiting for you." And with that, he left the room, shutting the door behind him.
'He sure is to the point,' Kagome thought to herself. But already, a plan was forming in her mind of a possible way to escape this regal prison.
(...later, at breakfast...)
"Kagome, is that you?" Rin asked her new tutor. Kagome nodded in response. Though she didn't like Sesshoumaru, she was fond of the young girl because of their many run-ins together. Somehow, they seemed to click together at every one of their hostage situations. It surprised Kagome that she would stay with such a cold youkai like Sesshoumaru, but it was also just as shocking that he hadn't killed or abandoned her yet. And the fact that he wanted to get her a tutor- it almost seemed like Sesshoumaru was trying to cultivate the young girl to become a more refined woman, rather than a hapless girl who happened to follow him around for six years. Kagome was torn from her thoughts by the sound of laughter.
"Sesshoumaru-sama told Rin that she would have a teacher, but Rin is even happier that it's you, Kagome!" Rin clasped Kagome's hands for a brief second before she returned to eating her breakfast.
"After breakfast, I'll begin to teach you how to read and write. How does that sound, Rin-chan?"
"Will it take long?" Kagome remembered what Sesshoumaru had said, about keeping her there until Rin was past the first stages of womanhood.
"I hope not, Rin-chan," she replied, sounding more melancholy than she had hoped she would. As soon as the girls finished their meal, Jaken arrived at the table.
"Sesshoumaru-sama instructed me to take you to the classroom once you are finished with breakfast." Without waiting, the little toady-looking minion began to walk inside, expecting them to follow him post-haste.
The room was fairly large, with a big portion of it dedicated to scrolls. There was a stack of paper, and several brushes along with enough ink for Kagome to start her lessons. She and Rin sat on the floor and Kagome began to teach. Kagome was slightly worried about teaching Rin, because of the difference in the Japanese language between that era and her own, but she figured that any kind of writing should be sufficient. Besides, if Sesshoumaru wanted her to teach Rin, that was the best he was going to get. After a few hours, she decided she would give Rin a break, and go outside to play. This would be a good opportunity to test the extent of the barrier that was erected outside the castle walls.
"Let's go," Inu Yasha said impatiently, as he slung Kagome's backpack over his shoulders. Sango, Miroku, and Kohaku mounted Kirara, while Shippou and Inu Yasha waited. Shippou, though not as fast as Inu Yasha just yet, was faster than all the human members of the group. He had grown considerably since the first time he had met Inu Yasha and Kagome, and was now fairly capable of handling himself. Of course, he still needed Kagome's protection against Inu Yasha every now and then, but he had also been training to fight with the hanyou. After everyone was ready, they headed westward.
"Where exactly are we going, Inu Yasha?" Shippou asked Inu Yasha as they ran side by side.
"To the castle where my father stayed. I'm not sure that Sesshoumaru is there, but it is definitely a start," he said, hopefully. Meanwhile, Miroku and Sango were discussing the situation.
"This is an extremely unusual situation," Miroku had said softly to himself. Sango, however, had impeccable auditory senses when it came to her husband, and heard every word.
"It doesn't seem like we're as frantic as we should be, does it, houshi-sama?" she asked.
"No, it doesn't. But then again, it didn't seem like Sesshoumaru wanted us to feel like Kagome was in danger. He left no clues for us to follow, and isn't planning to hold her hostage in order to get at InuYasha. What could be his intentions?" Kohaku remembered some of his encounters with the brother of Inu Yasha.
"Maybe-- maybe it has something to do with that human girl he has around him?"the boysuggested.
"That's it!" Sango exclaimed. "I'll bet she's about… thirteen now… and…"
"She'll be able to bear children very soon," Miroku finished her sentence. Sango turned and glared at Miroku. Although she was the only one bearing his children, she still had a bit of a jealous streak when she thought about Miroku thinking of other women in such a way. Of course, since they married, she had been trying to keep herself in check against slapping him when his hands wandered on her, but she still slipped every now and again. And she could definitely feel the twitch in her hand (also in sync with her right eyebrow), itching to release itself on the houshi's face.
Kirara flew faster in order to catch up with Inu Yasha. "Inu Yasha," Miroku began, "we think we've discovered Sesshoumaru's intentions for kidnapping Kagome-sama," he reported. Inu Yasha slowed down to a stop. They had been running since mid-morning, and it was now the afternoon; everyone needed a little rest, and now seemed like a perfect time.
They sat around in a circle, feeding on some of the ramen that Kagome had packed for the boys during her visit to the onsen with Sango. "So," Inu Yasha began after hearing the newest theory on Kagome's kidnapping, "you think that Sesshoumaru took Kagome to be a nanny for that human girl he's been toting around?"
"That's about right," Sango replied. "I'm not sure any of us know why he even has a human girl with him in the first place, but… it's the only explanation that makes any sense, especially with the way that she was abducted."
"Hmm," Inu Yasha let this theory sink in.
"She may not be in danger, but she is probably scared," Miroku added to the conversation. Shippou was the last to finish his share of the ramen. As soon as he did, Inu Yasha stood up.
"Let's get going," was all he said, before he ran off. True, there didn't seem to be as much urgency in finding Kagome, but Inu Yasha was still annoyed that Sesshoumaru would have the nerve to steal Kagome. He didn't even like humans, so why did he even have a human girl with him to begin with? All these questions only fed Inu Yasha's frustration, and drove him to an even harder pace than what he had been using earlier that morning. Inu Yasha was determined to find Kagome and show Sesshoumaru that he couldn't just do what he wanted when it came other people's business… and his woman.
"Rin-chan, let's pass the ball by kicking it to each other," Kagome said, finding a ball in the classroom and leading the young teenager outside.
"'kay!" was her pupil's enthusiastic response. When they arrived outside, Kagome set the ball down and kicked it toward Rin. With each kick, Kagome led Rin further and further away from the castle walls. She wanted to see where the barrier ended, exactly, and how strong it was. After a few minutes, and no change in the atmosphere, Kagome decided to try something new.
"This is called a drop-kick. Are you ready?" The girl nodded. "You might want to back up a little more, Rin-chan, just in case- it's been awhile since the last time I was in P.E…" After Rin had backed up sufficiently, Kagome prepared to drop-kick the ball like she was taught in soccer so many years ago. "Here… goes…." she was about to make the most valiant effort in popping the ball up as high as it could go (again, to see if she could locate the barrier around the castle, and how high it might be), when suddenly a tall figure appeared before her. "H--heh, Sesshoumaru, what brings you out here?" she asked nervously. She flashed him one of her fake, bright smiles, but her eyebrow was twitching erratically. 'Crap… he's found me out… !'
"Hi, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin waved from some thirty feet away. Sesshoumaru turned his head to catch a glimpse of the girl. Saying nothing, he turned back to look coldly at Kagome.
"What are your intentions with this?" he asked calmly, looking at the ball and then back at Kagome. In fact, he was so calm that it was creeping Kagome out.
"What do you mean? Rin-chan needed a break. Humans don't have as high stamina as you youkai," she said, fighting back her nervousness about possibly being caught trying to figure out the location of the barrier.
"Rin, go back to the castle," he commanded, still staring at Kagome with his deep amber eyes.
"Ha--ai, Sesshoumaru-samaaa!" she responded, and ran back to the castle.
"Again, what are your intentions with this?" It seemed he already knew. Kagome, looking into his eyes, realized the treachery that would befall her if she continued to pretend like she didn't know what he was talking about- especially since apparently, he knew exactly what she was up to.
"I-- wantedtocheckthebarrier," she said quickly, and then winced, preparing for some kind of a blow from the taiyoukai. Surprisingly, nothing came.
"Futile. Do not try this again, and do not trick Rin into playing a part in your scheme. Should you do this again, you will not be returned to Inu Yasha." Kagome opened her eyes wide and stared at the youkai. She was expecting something like a death threat; however, it seemed she was too important for him to dispose of so easily. He continued, "I expected you to act like a lady- or was I mistaken?" Kagome's surprise at not being hit quickly changed winds into being offended. She clenched her fists and her arms went rigid at her sides.
"Wait just a minute, Sesshoumaru! What do you mean, I'm not acting like a lady?" She placed one foot behind her to strengthen her stance. Looking over her posture, Sesshoumaru smirked.
"Exactly." He turned and began to head toward the castle, himself. "Now, continue Rin's instruction. Jaken will lead you to our location for dinner." Kagome's posture weakened, and she stood up, her shoulders slumping slightly from defeat. "Wear a silk kimono," he instructed.
Kagome made a face. 'Who does he think he is, telling me what to wear? And some nerve he has, telling me I'm not a lady! Mou… The nerve of this guy!' She huffed back toward the castle, wishing that she had some kind of subduing command on this brother, as well.
A/N: So, how did you like it? Oh, I've been wondering... I usually like pretty long chapters, but I read someone's author note where a person complained that the chapters were too long.. Are these ones a good length? I've also been working really hard keeping everyone pretty in-character.. if you see some ooc-ness, please let me know! Thanks for reading, you guys!