Title: The Jigsaw Puzzle
A/N: Oh wow…sorry for keeping you guys waiting. It's been like…forever since I updated. Jeez. Well, school's really annoying and the load of work is just immense so I haven't had much time. Besides, I have this "agreement" thing that I'm only allowed 2 hours a day on the computer. Sucks. Oh well. Anyway, I also decided to write another 'experimental' story called Deep Within. It's not going to be under any category, just in general. Basically it's about the life of a teenager going through her everyday life (in first person narrative). Okay, that's all I'm going to say about that. Moving on. I didn't expect to get that many feedbacks from the previous chapter… (not that I'm complaining or anything, but I'm just saying.) Thanks you guys! It means so much to me :teary-eyed: lol. I love you all! (Again, honorable mentions will be at the bottom of the chapter) Enjoy!
Disclaimer: me-no-own-Inuyasha. You-no-sue-me. Me-say-you-leave-me-be.
Chapter 5
It was dark. Youkais of all sorts come out of their hiding and venture through the forest in search of food. Whether it'd be from vermin to human flesh, many carnivorous creatures rummage around their premises ferociously. Howls could be heard from the distance joined by the night crickets making sounds. Fireflies danced around the clearing whist illuminating the dark surroundings with its sparks of light. It was a magnificent sight, on the contrary, a dangerous one as well, especially if one were to trek out here alone.
As the darkness completely blanketed the sky and the stars came out sparkling brightly, so were many posing threats that could attack at any moment. This, and many other things, was the main reason why a certain hanyou was distressed.
Inuyasha paced back and forth. He was getting extremely worried. It was nighttime and Kagome was still missing in action. He didn't know where she went off to and for what reason exactly. He did, however, speculated that she might have spotted a hot spring nearby and decided to take a relaxing bath. Kagome tends to do that quite often.
'Kagome's okay. She's probably with Sango taking her stupid bath someplace.' Inuyasha reassured himself. 'Feh, girls and their precious baths...' He added while snorting in the process. As much as he hated waiting, especially if it was because of Kagome's excessively time consuming baths, he couldn't deny the fact that he enjoyed her scent even more after she finished. It made her scent stronger and sweeter than it already was. He then became lost within his thoughts that he almost failed to notice the all-too familiar soul stealers that flew around the spot where Inuyasha was. He knew all too well what those ghostly snake-like creatures were which would mean his beloved was around. Excitement and anticipation quickly bubbled up within him as he took off in the direction where her scent was strongest.
Kikyo.
Inuyasha stopped in the middle of the forest. Enormous trees surrounded the area which served as a blanket of protection from outsiders' views. Rows of camellias were situated here and there along with a few mints scattered along. Fireflies flew around along with the soul stealers therefore it gave the area a mystified atmosphere. Moonlight shone upon the vicinity which added to the already serene environment. However, it wasn't the breathtaking surrounding that caught Inuyasha's attention, but rather the form of a woman wearing a priestess outfit in shades of red and white who stood a few feet from him. Her midnight black hair was tied in a low ponytail secured by a white ribbon. Her glossy, straight mane went down below her tiny waist while a few strands were left to hang by her shoulder. She also had ivory skin, but somehow it had a ghostly pale look to it. Despite all these attributes, there was still one thing that confirmed the abnormal aura around this woman. What gave it all off were her eyes—brown irises that were void of all emotion. Her eyes were lifeless, dull, and had a look of agony and longing in them. It was as if she had a traumatic ordeal that had left her scarred for life. The woman before Inuyasha was none other than Kikyo, the previous guardian of the Shikon no Tama and the woman who stole his heart away.
Kikyo was the one. She was the epitome of Inuyasha's existence. Those taunting eyes of hers along with the rest of her attributes made her look intimidating and strong which is what Inuyasha admired most, yet, the irony was that this woman was, indeed, dead. Those snake-like demons are actually her soul stealers; those conniving demons took the souls of those who have just departed from their mortal bodies and give it to her. The reason being is that because she is no longer living, her current existence is sustained by these souls that keep her mobile. These souls then get trapped within her, yet it is not enough. She has to continue feeding her body with new souls to keep herself 'alive' since she only possesses half a soul—Kagome's soul. In order for this girl to cease her theft of the souls of others, she must also acquire the other part of Kagome's soul which simply means that Kagome would have to perish.
"Kikyo" Inuyasha spoke with such delight.
"Inuyasha, my love." Kikyo said with a dead tone as she ran toward the hanyou, who was doing the same.
There they were. The couple embraced each other and shared a kiss filled with passion and longing under the moonlight. To anyone passing by, one would've thought that the couple was about to be wed or they were just lovers sharing their dire love for each other on a clear, night sky. The soul stealers circled around them, making them look more like an enchanting couple.
After several moments, both pulled away, gasping for air. Oh how Inuyasha loved the feel of her lips against his. He had missed Kikyo dearly. He pulled her in once more in a bone-crushing hug.
"Kikyo, I'vemissed you so much" Inuyasha said whilst nuzzling his sensitive nose on the crook of her neck. He grimaced at her foul scent, but chose to ignore it. What mattered more was the fact that she was here, in his arms, without a care with the rest of the world.
As Inuyasha cuddled her, Kikyo looked out to where the woods are and saw a baboon pelt half-hiding behind the trees. The figure behind the baboon outfit sent Kikyo a mental reminder as he nodded.
'Remember your task, Kikyo. Bring both the Shikon shards and Kagome to me. You fail to do that and I shall take your soul away from you.'
Kikyo shivered at that mental link that Naraku sent. She despised him to no end, but the only reason why she complied to his wishes was because of the fact that he now held the line between her and hell. If she wasn't going to end up murdering Kagome for her other half of her soul, then she will either have Inuyasha do it for her or just take him down to hell with her.
Inuyasha felt Kikyo shiver. Concern was etched all across his face as he kept her warm by snuggling her closer to him. He didn't want any harm coming towards his Kikyo, his precious, his only true love.
Kikyo took this cue to speak. She knew that Inuyasha was under her spell since he would do anything for her. However, rumor has it that he's been a bit too close with her reincarnate, Kagome. She had to confirm that she still held all of his heart and no one else.
"Inuyasha, do you love me?" Kikyo asked in a voice that no human ears could comprehend. However, Inuyasha heard every single word loud and clear.
"Yes, of course, Kikyo. I would do anything for you" Inuyasha replied. He didn't know why she was asking such a stupid question when she already knew that he would do anything for her, even if it means going to hell with her.
Kikyo cried in his arms. She clutched to him as if there was no tomorrow and buried her face in his red haori. Inuyasha, on the other hand, was alarmed at the sudden outburst of his beloved. He wanted to ease her pain and suffering. He placed his forefinger underneath her chin and lifted her face up. He looked down upon her cold, brown eyes with loving golden orbs that showed concern and worry.
"What's the matter, my love? Is something bothering you?" Inuyasha asked.
"It's just that—" Kikyo spoke in between sobs "It's just that sometimes I feel like you're slipping before my fingers and into someone else's…I just feel that I've been so horrible to you that I might be driving you away" Kikyo said, tears now running down her face. Who would've thought she was a great actress?
Inuyasha felt a pang within his chest. So he was the cause of her tears and her pain. He cradled her close to his chest and stroked her hair affectionately.
"No, Kikyo. I haven't been slipping under your fingers, my love. You're still my one and only and nothing will ever change that. You have been the only one who showed great love and care to me and I am forever yours." Inuyasha said whilst kissing her tears away.
"Then what would be of my reincarnate, Kagome? Don't you have feelings for her too?"
Inuyasha stopped. What about Kagome? Did he really love her? If he did, then was it stronger than what he felt for Kikyo? It wasn't but a few days ago when he nearly confessed his love to her and here he was, in front of the girl who stole his heart, telling her the same. He didn't know what to do.
Kikyo took this hint as a 'yes' thus pulling away from him with such great force. Betrayal was etched all over her face.
"I knew it. You do feel something for that worthless reincarnate of mine, am I right, Inuyasha?" she asked demandingly.
"No! Kikyo, that's not how it is!" Inuyasha reasoned out.
"Then explain yourself, Inuyasha" Kikyo insisted with anger.
Inuyasha sighed, but continued explaining. He was too worried about Kikyo leaving him that he wasn't thinking properly. He was too caught in the moment that he failed to think through what he said, but went along anyway. Right now, the only thing that mattered was to assure Kikyo that she was the only one.
"Kagome is merely my shard detector. The only reason why I keep her with me was because of the fact that she can sense and purify shards. Once the jewel is complete, I will get rid of her once and for all that way you and I will be together once more." Inuyasha explained with great detail. Those words just flowed down his lips like running water. It was too late to take back what he said and those words fell down on Kikyo like cool rain on a summer's day. It was refreshing and wonderful.
'Just what I was looking for. Good, Inuyasha' Kikyo mentally told herself. She had him good.
Inuyasha was about to continue when something like an explosion echoed through the forest. This noise was soon followed by a rush of wind toward the south. Both Inuyasha and Kikyo did not know what was going on and what the blue light meant. They both decided to continue their confrontation another time and instead focus their attention on the explosion south of their current location.
"Get on my back, Kikyo. It will take us there faster." Inuyasha suggested. Kikyo, complying with his suggestion, hitched herself onto Inuyasha's back and snuggled close to him. She rubbed her cheek against his and placed a loving kiss on it.
"I love you, Inuyasha"
"I love you too, Kikyo"
Inuyasha soon leapt in the air and headed towards the place where the commotion was coming from.
…--0oo&oo0--…
Sesshoumaru grabbed on to a protruding rock on his left. He dug his claws into the solid rock in order to serve as a stabilizing force. The portal vacuum's power was increasing by the minute and it was getting harder and harder to see due to the debris flying all over the place. He was too concerned about his well being that he almost forgot the other figure lying a few feet away from him. His golden eyes shifted from the surroundings to the girl that lay unconscious on the forest floor. Blood seeped its way out of the side of her head and was now traveling down the side of her face. She looked peaceful, yet the several scratches as well as the reddening mark on her neck soon mislead that thought. Sesshoumaru couldn't take his eyes off her. He was contemplating whether to grab her from getting pulled into the portal or just leave her to die.
'You idiot! Go and get her! You can't let her slip out like that!' Hiroshi pleaded with Sesshoumaru.
'Why should I? Of what use would she be to this Sesshoumaru?' Sesshoumaru answered back.
'Uh, if you're forgetting, Lord Sesshoumaru. This girl holds the key to your fate and the fate of your land.'
'Why must you remind me so?'
'It's my duty to do so'
Sesshoumaru saw the girl's body inching closer to the portal. Without second thought, he used his white, fluffy tail to grab her. Luckily, his tail was able to get hold of her wrist, yet it pained him so. Soon, Sesshoumaru felt himself getting weak due to the excessive use of his power in order to keep both himself and Kagome from being sucked into the portal. It was moments later when he scented his half-brother and the clay pot quickly approaching. This was the least he expected and cursed the gods for putting him in such a situation. Not only was he trying to get himself to stay on this earth along with the girl, but now he also had to deal with the bastard. For one, Sesshoumaru knew that Inuyasha would mock him and scrutinize him for looking so weak and fallible in the eyes of everyone—humans, hanyous, and demons of all kind. Lord Sesshoumaru was struggling—struggling to stay intact and slowly fading. He knew it would be a nightmare and he hated looking feeble in front of his brother or anyone.
He spotted Inuyasha and his dead lover at the edge of the clearing and saw him trying to hold on to a tree bark whilst supporting the dead priestess by her waist. Indeed, he was having difficulty just like Sesshoumaru which brought some amusement to the stoic lord. However, he still heard the hanyou utter accusations and such about the unconscious girl just meters from him. How dense could his half-brother get?
"You bastard, what the hell did you do to Kagome?" yelled an infuriated Inuyasha.
"I did nothing to her, idiot." Sesshoumaru replied coolly despite the fact that he was anything but cool at the moment.
"Then let her go. Give her to me. Right now." Inuyasha said threateningly. He took hold of Tetsusaiga's hilt as he prepared himself to fight with Sesshoumaru. No one was to touch Kagome like that, not to mention hurt her in any way. Kagome's life was in grave danger and the fact that she was unconscious was a bad sign. She must've injured her head and was now bleeding profusely. "Don't touch my Kagome" Inuyasha uttered as he let go of both the tree branch and Kikyo and let himself be dragged to where Sesshoumaru and Kagome were, Tetsusaiga now in its transformed form.
"You fool." Sesshoumaru said. "It is evident that you are with that claypot dead corpse of a lover, yet you claim the miko as your own. If she were yours, she wouldn't be here lying unconscious right now. You are a disgrace." Sesshoumaru was going to continue, but was soon cut short when the once tough rock dislodged itself free from the ground and cracked into pieces. Both Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha's eyes widened at what just transpired. They both knew what was coming. Inuyasha pushed himself harder to get to Kagome with all his might before they were pulled. Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, was suspended in the air for a second until he gave in to exhaustion and was sucked into the portal with the unconscious Kagome trailing behind. However, before Sesshoumaru made his exit, he managed to get hold of the yellow bag that flew into the gaping portal.
Once both parties were within the hodgepodge of the darker-than-black craze, the vacuum-like portal diminished into thin air, leaving behind shreds of once sturdy trunks and rocks. The whole clearing looked as if a tornado swept by followed by a hurricane. The trees were disheveled, debris of all sorts were scattered all over the place, and all that was left of the clearing were the earth, some smoke, and two figures standing in the distance. Inuyasha feel limp to his knees with shock, horror and disbelief dominating his features. Kagome was gone. Gone with Sesshoumaru. He promised to protect her. He failed. She's in grave danger. He's going to kill her. Broken thoughts entered his mind which was left unanswered and unfinished. He was just too disorientated to think straight and evaluate the current events. It was as if the whole world just flashed before his eyes without him neither realizing nor acting upon it. Inuyasha gazed at the spot where both Sesshoumaru and Kagome were just seconds ago and tried to process what his brother had said before he vanished into the black hole.
"If she were yours, she wouldn't be here lying unconscious right now."
His words echoed like huge gongs ringing so loud and clear. Sesshoumaru was right. Kagome would still be conscious and go about her happy self trying to meet the needs of everyone in camp or preparing their meals right now. He had failed her. He had failed to save her. He had failed to protect her and make sure she was alright. He had failed. He had broken his promise. He was a disgrace.
After moments of hypnosis, Inuyasha silently broke down. He let his silver mane fall upon his face to hide his tears from the rest of the world. He hung his head down in shame and discomfiture for what he had done. He let the darkness and the still surrounding engulf him as he grieved for his lost one. Because of his overwhelming emotions, he had failed to notice that Kikyo also left the clearing. Right now, however, he did not care whatsoever.
Kikyo, on the other hand, had a frown upon her face as she watched Inuyasha from a nearby tree not too far off.
"So much for that shard detector, eh Inuyasha?"
And with that, she too, left him to the comforts of darkness.
…--0oo&oo0--…
It was morning…or so it seemed. The area was engulfed with a light that came down from the heavens above. The sound of running water could be heard nearby. There were gushes of wind every once in a while that seemed to be brushing up against surrounding trees. Smooth little pebbles the size of marbles were scattered along the banks of the now visible stream that carried water. Alongside the stream, a few carnations sprouted out and gave color to the area. The multi-faceted hybrids gave off a luminescent aura of blue, yellow, and gold around its edges as well as silver all throughout the stems and leaves. Aside from the strange-looking plants were the creatures that walked its earth as well. The firefly-looking insects were twice the size of a regular firefly and it also gave out different colors of light, varying from green, to red, to orange, to burgundy, and to white in what seemed to be approximately a 5-second interval. The butterflies had long ribbon-like tails that gave off little sparkles as they fluttered by from one flower to another. The ground consisted of different shades of green, depending on its location and exposure to the "sun". Up in the heavens above was not one sun present, but rather 2 brightly shining stars slightly bigger than the Earth's sun along with five or six moons on an elliptical orbit around the two suns. The sky was splashed with shades of yellow and orange as well as little hints of red. On the right of the stream were two figures, one with ebony hair and a green-like outfit and the other with silver, white and red aspects. One would say they were lovers basking under the suns for they were at such close proximity and looked so calm, so serene. The figure underneath had his hand on the other's waist, whilst the other hand was laced with the black-haired figure's fingers. Both seem to be in a sleep trance and nothing could disturb the heavenly couple.
… Until a rabbit stepped on a protruding twig nearby.
Sesshoumaru woke up with a start. His golden orbs adjusted to the surroundings and tried to gain focus. He felt something warm on top of him and also felt something in his grasp. In all truth and honesty, he was comfortable as can be and did not want to break hold of whatever was causing it, yet, his subconscious mind told him that there were other things at hand and something was way off. Having had time to recollect the turn of events, Sesshoumaru's eyes widened by mere millimeters when he remember just who was on top of him and whose hand he was holding.
"Inuyasha's wench…" he said to himself.
Just like quick lightning, he bolted straight up, knocking the sleeping girl to the ground. He tried to pry his fingers off of hers, and let go of his grasp around her waist. Sesshoumaru remembered everything; the confrontation, the portal, and how Inuyasha went after him with Tetsusaiga in its transformed form. How did this all happen?
However, the main question in his mind was…
'Where on heaven's name am I?'
By default, his question was answered all too quickly.
'Ahh…it's good to see you awake again, Lord Sesshoumaru'
'Hiroshi, I don't need you to annoy me right now.'
'Oh, but you do. You have no idea where you are right now. Am I correct?'
Sesshoumaru's eyes widened. 'How did you acquire such information?'
Hiroshi replied smugly 'Don't tell me you forgot already that I know whatever it is that you think of. I'm in your mind, duh.'
Sesshoumaru raised a brow 'Duh? What kind of absurd word is that?'
Hiroshi chuckled 'Why, it's something that I've picked up from your lady, my lord.' He knew this was going to pull at his nerves.
Sesshoumaru frowned. 'She . is . not . my . lady.'
'I don't know, Sesshoumaru…not yet, at least.'
'Not yet? Do you mean to imply something to this Sesshoumaru?'
Hiroshi shut his mouth and declined to respond.
'Answer me.'
'I can't.'
'And why not?'
'My orders are strictly enforced. I cannot and will not speak of it any longer…of course with the exception of the fact that I get to taunt you mercilessly.' Hiroshi added slyly.
Sesshoumaru sighed with annoyance. He hated this by the minute.
'I shall look unto this matter in the future; however, do you have the slightest idea as to where I am right now?'
After a short pause, Hiroshi spoke.'You are at the planet Mioar. It is similarly like the land where you came from, yet it has its different elements too, as you can see. The inhabitants of this planet are not humans or youkais alike, but are called Miuurx. They are highly possessive and territorial when threatened, and in some cases they are all too deadly. They value the artifacts of their different clans and negotiate through trading. That's all I know about them.'
'Alright, that will do for now. So they are like youkai clans, are they not?'
'Yes they are, but are different in several ways as well. You see, Miuurx clans are strict and rigid. They show no mercy to their fellow clansmen when challenged and devour the other in a gruesome way either as a form of unworthiness, punishment, or just sheer pleasure.'
'Hmm….' Sesshoumaru pondered. He tried to let the information sink in within his mind. 'So they are cannibalistic.'
'Yes.'
Sesshoumaru was silent. Now how was he to know where one of the jigsaw puzzles was in this place? Even with his youkai speed, there's no possible way that he can acquire that little item within a matter of hours. Not to mention that these…things…seem to be uncivilized and completely nomadic to even deal with.
His train of thought was soon broken when he heard a groan of some sort coming out from his side. He saw the girl known as Kagome stir and finally open her eyes within a matter of seconds, revealing two azure eyes staring blankly at the sky.
Sesshoumaru stared at her. He was going to have to ask her how she acquired such translucent blue eyes with darker shades of blue and gray later. He pushed that thought into the back of his mind and thought about where he should begin his hunt.
…--0oo&oo0--…
After several attempts to blink out the light and the blurriness that clouded her vision, Kagome finally gained focus and clutched her head. She had a massive headache and it was making her vision worse and her head spinning.
"Ugh, where am I?" she asked herself.
Kagome was startled to hear a smooth, rich voice answer her question.
"You are in Mioar, planet of Miuurx."
Kagome blinked. Mioar? Miuurx? What were those? She's never heard of such names before. On top of that, why was she there, and who was with her? Wanting to find answers, she did an about-face and stopped dead in her tracks. Right in front of her was none other than Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands and Inuyasha's older half-brother. Kagome's mouth hung ajar at the sight of him and her breath hitched in her throat. What was she doing in a place like this with him out of all people?
"You should close your mouth before flies take a liking and decide to turn the insides of your mouth into their haven." Sesshoumaru said unperturbedly. He made sure he had his stoic face on the outside, but inside, he was rather amused.
Kagome blinked a few more times until finally, realization dawned on her. Her eyes went about the size of saucers as her expression turned from confusion into horrification. Her cheeks also took in a shade of red at his statement. She must've looked stupid and dumb with her mouth hanging open like that. However, she didn't care at the moment about what he thought of her. She wanted answers and she wanted then now.
With a big gulp of air, Kagome began her attack of questions. "Alright, what the hell are you doing here? Why am I here? Why am I here with you? Who gave you the right to bring me to a place like this? Where are my friends? Where's Inuyasha? Where are my things? How am I supposed to get the hell away from you and from this place and why are you just standing there looking like you couldn't give two shits about what's going on?" Kagome let out in one breath. Her throat hurt, most likely from saying a string of questions all in one shot in a tone much higher than her usual volume. She crossed her arms across her chest and tapped her foot, waiting for an answer. She looked like a teacher waiting for an explanation from a student caught doing something he wasn't supposed to do. Sesshoumaru on the other hand, continued to stare at her nonchalantly and dared not move a muscle as he scanner her. Kagome felt uneasy at the ever-growing silence. She didn't like being looked over like she was vermin of some sort. After moments passed by and still no answer from Sesshoumaru, Kagome decided to take the initiative. He was going to be difficult, eh?
"Um, hello? Sesshoumaru, are you there?" Kagome inched toward him, whilst waving an open palm across his face. "You know, it's rude to doze out whenever someone's asking you a question." She emphasized.
"For your information, you did not ask just one question." Sesshoumaru finally spoke.
Bringing her hands together to form a clap, Kagome replied."Oh kami, you're alive! Wow, I thought you turned into a living statue."
"Your sarcasm bores me." Sesshoumaru replied in a bored tone.
"Well, excuse me, Mister I'm-too-holier-than-you-so-I'll-shut-up. At least I'm making an effort to ease the tension in here, unlike you and your pompous self." Kagome huffed, placing her hands on her waist in a defying manner.
Within less of a second, Kagome was suspended in thin air. "You listen to this Sesshoumaru and listen well, wench. You dare speak to me in such a manner and I will not hesitate to twist your head upside down and break every last bone in your body so if I were you, I'd learn my place and keep my tiny mouth shut." Sesshoumaru said menacingly, tightening his hold on her neck.
"My, my, doesn't this seem all too familiar?" Kagome replied, looking down at him while at the same time trying to ease the tension building around her neck by prying his fingers off.
Sesshoumaru smiled. "In fact, it is. Thank the gods for they have saved you that time, but this time your luck's ran out, miko." The youkai lord made sure he'd emphasized the 'miko' part strongly.
"And as you know, I can purify your sorry ass if you dare hurt me in any way" Kagome tried to sound stern, but to no avail. Inside, she was shaking violently out of fear and anxiety. Five minutes with this arrogant bastard and already, he knew her weak points. Was she easily read like an open book?
"Oh really? I'd like to see you try." Sesshoumaru put on an evil smirk as he squeezed her neck, preventing any oxygen from traveling into her lungs. He loved torturing people, especially weaklings.
Kagome, on the other hand, tried to summon her powers, but was failing miserably for she was at the brink of unconsciousness from the loss of air.
And as if by lightning, the once tight grasp upon Kagome's neck was suddenly released when Sesshoumaru dropped to his knees clutching his head. Kagome, on the other hand, tried to regain her balance and watched with perplexity as Sesshoumaru battled whatever he was battling inside his mind. It seemed to be giving Sesshoumaru much pain and he was really having a hard time. Kagome moved closer to Sesshoumaru to ease his pain when he growled loudly, warning her to stay away.
"Sesshoumaru, what's the matter?"
Sesshoumaru tried to reply without hinting the fact that he was in pain. "Nothing. Don't. Concern. Yourself. With. My. Well. Being—"
However, Kagome did not comply. She didn't care about the fact that he just tried to end her life moments ago. She was concerned about him and went her way to find something—anything—to relieve him of his pain. Once that's done, then she'll deal with his arrogant, proud self later. Scanning her premises for some type of herb or anything she could use, she was all too glad to spot her yellow oversized book bag lying just a few feet away. Quickly, she got to her feet and went to her first aid kit, taking out a pill and a cup to collect water from the stream.
"The water looks clean enough…" Kagome said to herself. She stooped low to fill the empty cup with water. Kagome took a small sip as she was heading back towards Sesshoumaru, who was now on bended knees with his head drooped low. She approached him carefully, not to alarm him and worsen his condition.
"Here, take this. It should help." Kagome offered the white round pill to him.
"I don't need your help, ningen." Sesshoumaru bit out.
Kagome sighed. "Look, you don't like me, and I don't particularly like you either, but right now just swallow that damn pride of yours and take this and later on you can berate me or whatever it is that you do to make you feel superior and crap." she reasoned out. He was proving to be more difficult than she thought.
Sesshoumaru was not convinced. He was still wary of her actions. How could someone shift positions that quickly? It was clearly sporadic. "How is this Sesshoumaru supposed to know that you are not poisoning me with that thing in your hand?" Sesshoumaru pointed out.
"Goddammit, Sesshoumaru. Just take the pill and shut up! I'm not gonna poison you because that's just wrong on my part. You don't take somebody down when they are in no state to fight." Kagome said, aggravated.
'At least she has honor' Sesshoumaru thought. 'What is this cursed headache?'
'It's Naomi's way of punishing you for inflicting pain upon Kagome. She knew you had every intention to kill her and she put this upon you to stop you from doing such an act.' Hiroshi clarified.
'So not only is this Sesshoumaru stuck with a human wench, but now I also cannot kill her?' Sesshoumaru mentally said, exasperated.
'Correct.' Hiroshi replied.
Having had no choice, Sesshoumaru felt defeated. He finally came to terms that he had to be with the most annoying human girl that ever existed in all creation as his punishment on top of all the others. Surely this was another step deeper into hell. However, Sesshoumaru decided not to completely put his guard down, for he had other plans in mind. But, for right now, he will just temporarily comply, which would mean taking in that object in the girl's hand. He still had his suspicions about the so-called 'pill', as she referred to it. What might it do to him? Right now he just wanted this headache out. Now.
Sesshoumaru finally took his clawed hand and grabbed the round pill. He brought it up to his sensitive nose to sniff any impurities or black magic and found none. Having decided that there were no spells or anything binding him to her or anyone else present, he swallowed it whole. The proud demon lord felt the medicinal item move its way down his throat and into his esophagus. On the contrary, the 'pill' itself was void of any savoring taste and had a bitter taste to it. He tried to keep himself from vomiting the disgusting remedy.
Kagome was surprised. Was she seeing things? Her mind better not be playing tricks on her…or maybe it was. Maybe she was just being delusional when he just swallowed the Tylenol in whole. She was brought out of her trance when she felt the cup being taken away from her hold. She saw Sesshoumaru trying to pry her fingers off the plastic utensil. Having realized what he wanted to do, she brought the cup to his lips and let him drink in cold water. When he was finished, she went back to her school bag and put back everything. Once she was done, she found the taiyoukai gazing upon the horizon with his back facing her. She wanted to converse or something interesting since she was bored out of her mind, but decided to go with remaining quiet for fear of having the same scenario reoccur once more. Kagome shifted from one foot to another and went to her backpack every once in a while to occupy her mind with something.
After hours of nonproductive activity, Kagome finally gave up. He had been standing around for four hours now! Sometimes she wondered whether he really was alive or maybe he was some type of robot under layers of silicon material intended to serve as legitimate skin, just like in that American movie she saw weeks before.
'What was it called? Bicentennial Man? Yeah, that one, with that American actor…something Williams.' Kagome questioned herself mentally. 'Maybe he's a robot….I mean, he's gorgeous and breathtak—' Kagome stopped herself from continuing her mental statement. She did not just think of Sesshoumaru as hot.
'Ugh! What's wrong with me! Clearly he's an egocentric, proud, bloodthirsty, pompous jerk who tried to take my life multiple times every time we encounter each another, and not to mention he's cold, uncaring, a smartass, and has the nicest hair in all of history.' Kagome stopped herself once more. She was becoming frustrated. Can there be any time when she would not think of him with outstanding features?
'Damn him and his beautiful self. I envy him.' Kagome told herself. 'Why can't I beautiful like him?' She then started giggling at the fact that she just referred to Sesshoumaru as being beautiful. Soon, she was having mental images of Sesshoumaru in dresses and how it would be like if he were to visit her era. Boys would be after him asking him for a date and probably feeling him up in places where their hands shouldn't be. Her soft giggles then turned into explosive fits of laughter at the thought of Sesshoumaru killing those boys viciously while the others were screaming home for their mothers. Soon she was on the floor holding her stomach from laughing so hard while she wiped the tears from her eyes.
Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, was brought out of his thoughts at the sound of someone laughing. He turned around to see the once fiery girl down on the ground laughing like a maniac. He did not know what caused her to just express complete amusement out of the blue when clearly there was nothing in sight to make her amused. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her and watched as she rolled around the grass, laughing harder and harder by the minute. He wanted to know what was causing her to have such a hard laugh over pretty much—nothing.
Raising a perfectly shaped brow at her, Sesshoumaru asked away. "What is so amusing?" He asked inquisitively. He expected her to answer right away and stop her musings since she distracted him from his thoughts. No one dared to interrupt him during his quiet moments.
Kagome, on the other hand, was now gasping for air as she tried to collect herself and answer his question.
"Nothing…it's just…you…dress…boys…running…screaming…mothers…hahahaha!" Kagome said in-between gasps. Soon, she started her involuntary laughter once more.
Sesshoumaru was confused. She spoke in broken words. What was she trying to say? "What?" he asked dully. She was putting him in a state of perplexity. He failed to see the connection with screaming mothers and him with boys or whatever she said. Surely there was something he missed along the way.
'Something about me, a dress, boys, running, screaming…and mothers?' Sesshoumaru asked himself mentally.
As if by default, Hiroshi decided to butt in. He supported the demon lord's position wholeheartedly. 'Hmm…I don't know.' Hiroshi replied. He too was confused as well.
Clearing his thoughts, he decided to state the obvious instead. "You are out of your mind, girl." Sesshoumaru said. He did not comprehend what she was trying to point out. Her arm movements and the way she moved about did not give away anything as well. Sesshoumaru rubbed his temples. He needed to get away from here...and her.
Kagome was oblivious to the youkai's words thus continued to laugh hysterically.
Sighing, Sesshoumaru turned around. "Suit yourself, wench. This Sesshoumaru is leaving." the bothered dog demon lord stated before walking away into the forest.
Having realized what just transpired, Kagome, after taking in deep breaths, finally calmed down a little. When she saw that Sesshoumaru was leaving, she called out to him.
"Hey! Where are you going?" Kagome cried out, struggling to swing her bag onto her shoulder in the process.
"Far away from you." Sesshoumaru stopped his movements and faced the opposite direction.
"Why didn't you tell me we were leaving?" Kagome asked, coming closer to where he stood.
"You were clearly in your insane state. How was this Sesshoumaru able to communicate with someone who was not capable of dealing with their mental issues?" Sesshoumaru replied with ease.
"Excuse you, but I was amusing myself since I was bored out of my mind! If only someone didn't take hours to stand around and stare at trees then I would've been fine!" Kagome stomped her foot on the ground as if trying to prove a point.
Sesshoumaru just stared. Was he expected to care about her interests? He didn't think so. Plastering an uninterested look upon his face, the taiyoukai spoke. "That does not concern this Sesshoumaru." the proud demon replied, this time facing her.
Kagome was getting irritated. What's with him? The Prince of all Shitness was once again being oblivious about the welfare of others and was instead focused on his own. She pointed a shaky finger at him, as if he was to be blamed for a hideous crime."Uh, yes it does. Unfortunately I have to be trapped with you in god-knows-what-planet and the fact that you're being difficult to deal with is not solving anything. Besides, you have an explanation to make, you…you…you…demon!" Kagome accused boldly, dropping her bag onto to the grassy ground.
"Oh and what explanation do I owe this to?" Sesshoumaru asked. He made several mental notes about her rising temper and was quite interested in seeing how she would react. He was going to try and have some fun pulling at her string's end. Eventually, that wasn't a smart move and he will later regret thinking such a way to bring about amusement to himself.
Kagome was winded up. She could clearly see a similarity with Inuyasha. Then again, they are related. 'Hmm…it must be some type of family trait: arrogance. Why me, kami, why?' She concluded.
"Well? I'm waiting." Sesshoumaru implied. He has never, in his entire life, acted in such a way that would degrade him down to acting at the mindset of an eight-year-old.
"Oh quit your whining. You have to tell me what the hell I'm doing in some creepy place with you." Kagome stated, crossing her arms in the process.
"Now why should I tell you?" Sesshoumaru retorted. He kept a steady gaze at her.
"Because I said so." Kagome replied back demandingly, flinging her arms and resting it upon her waist.
"Who gave you the right to declare whether something should be said according to your own wishes?" Sesshoumaru implied, whilst raising a brow at her.
"Oh look who's talking," Kagome began, aggravation noted in her expression "—and who gave you the right to be so downright arrogant and not tell me what is going on?" she continued; her arms now folded across her chest once more. She was not going to back down so easily, not until she got what she wanted.
"That, is not important." Sesshoumaru stated factually.
Kagome had enough. This guy was worse than Inuyasha, Kouga, and Hojo combined. First, she almost gets killed twice, then she's victimized by his lack of social skills, and now she won't be given an explanation as to what connection she has with him and this place. What had she done to deserve such a fate?
"Arrrggghhh…" Kagome squealed in vexation. "You jerk!"
Surprised, Sesshoumaru blinked at her usage of words, especially in reference to him.
"I beg your pardon?" Sesshoumaru asked coolly, but in a low and deadly tone of voice.
By this point, Kagome just lost it. She didn't care whether she insulted him in any way or whatnot. She was beyond the threat of having her carcasses scattered all over just because she called him a jerk. Pointing her forefinger at him, Kagome shrieked. "You heard me, goddammit!" She was now seething with anger. "First you tried to kill me, then you yell at me 'coz I only want to help and now you don't want to give me a reason why I'm here in some hellhole with a jerk like you who clearly doesn't know jack shit about what you're doing!"
Sesshoumaru went rigid. He felt his jaw clench and his fingers twitched involuntarily. This wench was getting on his nerves. Tremendously.
As if that wasn't enough, Kagome continued to rant on. "Why did you drag me—Kagome—out of all the bitches who would've loved to get stuck with you in some unknown land? I know there's something that you're not telling me and it involves my assistance because if it didn't then I wouldn't be right here right now. Listen, if you don't speak up, then I'm not moving from this spot!" Kagome stomped her foot down on the ground like a spoiled child.
Sesshoumaru stared blankly at her. Where was she getting at? Does she think such action would have an effect on him? If so, then she's dreaming. "Alright, suit yourself, woman." The demon lord stood straighter and looked at her rebellious form. Having had his eardrums most likely busted, he decided to do an about face once more and began to walk away from the insufferable child.
Kagome's finger flew up and pointed at his retreating form. "Come back here! HEY! You can't leave me like this!" she cried.
Sesshoumaru decided to ignore her livid screams and continued to head to somewhere. Where exactly? He didn't know. But, if it meant that it would start his long journey to finding one of the many lost puzzle pieces and getting away from the annoying wench, then so be it. He tuned her out as he approached the end of the clearing.
Kagome sighed in frustration. "Kami, I'm gonna have a heart attack by the time I'm 20! Stupid demons and their bastard selves. Just because he's the lord of one section of Japan doesn't mean he can control the entire universe and do it according to his will. It's so unfair! I swear, next time, I'll purify his ass down to hell and back up ten fold…UGH! Stupid jerk!" she mumbled to herself as she took hold of her backpack and swung it across her shoulder. "He's even worse than Inuyasha! I mean, if I only had prayer beads with me I would've attached a hundred on his neck already and subdued him until he made a crater the size of the moon!" She continued to grumble upon herself as she took pursuit after the demon lord. Unbeknownst to her was the fact that he heard every single word she uttered which both amused and irked the demon lord at the same time.
'Great' Sesshoumaru inwardly sighed. 'Now I'm gonna have her follow me.'
'Relax, Sesshoumaru. It can't be that bad' Hiroshi tried to "reassure" him.
'Your words do not comfort me, you pest. I know you are just amusing yourself.' Inwardly sighing, Sesshoumaru was frustrated. Now he had two incompetent fools to deal with; one in his mind and one following him.
'Yadi…Yadi…Yah…' Hiroshi hummed. Boy, was Sesshoumaru clever for a demon.
Sesshoumaru just rolled his eyes and continued on his way with Kagome trailing behind.
…--0oo&oo0--…
Kagome was having a difficult time with her backpack. It was heavier than she thought! She glared at the demon lord's back with the dire urge to just swing this oversized bag onto his head from behind. However, knowing the fact that he was faster than a blink of an eye, she would just be wasting her energy and her time. On top of that, her headache was growing by the minute.
'Aw man, I should've taken Tylenol while I had the chance.' Kagome pouted. She was such a dope. Was her day going to get worse? She couldn't help but put all of the blame on Sesshoumaru for delaying her said schedule…which in this case would be taking the medicine. Who would've thought American medicine worked more effectively than Japanese remedies? As she kept walking, she was lost within her thoughts that she failed to realize that Sesshomaru had come to an abrupt stop and was now gazing at the surrounding forest. Just as she was about to release her heavy sigh, she walked right into the demon lord's back. Kagome blinked a few times before realizing that she was now head on with Sesshoumaru's tail.
Sesshoumaru threw a side glance at her. 'Could this girl get any denser than she already was?' he mentally asked himself. He then raised his hand to brush the imaginary lint that supposedly clung to his pristine fluffy tail. "You should watch where you're going." he said monotonously. He prayed to the gods that she would not scream her head off once more. Apparently, none of the gods listened to his plea as he was now in a situation where he would lose his mind once again.
Kagome stuck her tongue out at him and clenched her fists at her sides. "Well, sor-ry, your Almighty One."
Sesshoumaru smiled. Now that's what he wanted to hear. "Hmm...I like that." He placed his finger under his chin as he examined her facial features go from sarcasm to plain disgust.
Kagome scrunched up her nose. "Hah, you wished!"
"Indeed."
"Jerk."
Sesshoumaru narrowed his golden orbs down at her. "Wench…" he bit out.
Azure eyes mocked his facial expression and narrowed her eyes dangerously back at him as well. "Jackass…"
"You really are pushing your boundaries beyond its limits, miko."
"And you are doing the same with this miko's patience, demon."
Both Sesshoumaru and Kagome were in a long, heated staring contest. Golden orbs against blue ones, they stood in silence and let their eyes do all the battling. After minutes passed by, Kagome's eyes gave up in defeat as her eyelids cascaded down her eyes, cutting off the sight of her fiery blue orbs from the intense golden gaze. Long eyelashes brushed along her cheekbone as it swayed in an up and downward motion. Kagome sighed in defeat.
"Alright, alright. You win." Kagome declared whilst crossing her arms in defeat.
"Indeed." came the smug reply from the victor, Sesshoumaru.
This time it was Kagome's turn to raise a brow. This guy was peculiar indeed. 'Ahh! Great. He's rubbing off on me with that stupid "indeed" of his! I'm really losing my mind. Kami, help my brain!' Kagome pleaded inwardly. She then took this opportunity to question him. "Oh what, is 'indeed' your favorite phrase of all time or something? Can't you say something else like a 'yes' or 'possibly' or 'true'...you know, the normal words?"
Sesshoumaru was blank. This wench even had the nerve to correct his speech! He was utterly surprised to find that he had a little bit more patience left with her nonsense behavior. For one, she was an odd creature. He himself wasn't sure whether she really was human or not. Humans did not act this way back in the Sengoku Jidai. Was it possible that humans acted the way she did in the place that she came from? If so, that would be a traumatic travesty. In the end, he decided to add his interest on her origin on his list of things that was held on queue right now.
After moments of complete silence, Sesshoumaru finally decided to say something to answer the miko's question. "Possibly" the demon lord pronounced, mocking Kagome. He was about to make a snide remark when all of a sudden his senses picked up scents those different from both his and Kagome's. He also felt their auras as they surrounded him all around the forest. Sesshoumaru cursed himself mentally. Why had he not sensed them before? Either he let his guard down, or these creatures were following suit all this time. Whatever the reason was, it was all too late to ponder upon such thoughts. He whispered menacingly low so that only Kagome could hear as he prepared himself in his fighting stance.
"We have company."
Kagome heard his words loud and clear. She was about to respond in a not-so-inviting way when she felt another aura to her left. Within a matter of seconds, there were many more that surrounded them, which put both her and surprisingly enough, Sesshoumaru on guard. She then heard him say that there were others surrounding them, which confirmed her thoughts. How did they get here so fast? Why so many all at once? She too prepared herself to fight as she called upon her miko powers and held them at bay. Silence hung around the area as the afternoon sun took its hold, dominating the other two suns high in the heavens above. All that could be heard were the rustling of foliage here and there, and breathing. Sesshoumaru had his fighting face on, which had a look that could freeze someone at the spot as if a bucket of ice-cold water were poured upon them. He had all of his senses active and keen to detect any slight movement whatsoever. He positioned himself back-to-back with Kagome as he heard footsteps coming closer to their spot. Wielding Tokijin in his hand, Sesshoumaru prepared himself for what was about to come.
"Get ready." He warned Kagome. He knew they were going to spring out of their hiding spot and attack all at once. He felt Kagome nod and felt her power increase as she narrowed her eyes.
Within a matter of seconds, a shrill cry was heard, echoing all throughout the forest. All that could be seen was a rush of black coming from all directions, which headed for both Sesshoumaru and Kagome's direction.
…--0oo&oo0--…
Back in the Sengoku Jidai, Inuyasha didn't know how to tell the others that Kagome was gone. He thought it was too soon to tell them of what just happened and how she was with the most cold-hearted bastard in all of Japan. He still blamed himself for failing to protect her, and felt completely horrible.
He was about to get back into camp when he smelled a scent he knew all too well.
"Kikyo. What are you doing here?" The words spilled out of his mouth so softly, yet demandingly. He felt somewhat relieved at her presence, but still had that heavy burden that was heaved in his chest like a ton of weight.
Kikyo emerged from behind a tree trunk. She approached him from behind and placed her cold hands on his shoulders. She felt him tense up, but then he relaxed at his touch, while he still had his back to her.
"I failed her, Kikyo. I failed to protect Kagome." Inuyasha said as he hung his head low.
Kikyo, on the other hand, frowned at what Inuyasha just said. Yet, despite the bitterness that she felt deep inside her, she continued to comfort him.
"You did your best, Inuyasha." Kikyo reassured him.
"No, I didn't." Inuyasha defied her. "I promised to protect her and I failed. She was my friend." He reminisced on the times that he spent with Kagome the minute she pulled the arrow off the Goshinboku fifty years after Kikyo had sealed him. The fights, the adventures, the drama, the numerous amounts of "osuwaris" or "sit, boys", all flooded his mind as he traced the outline of the prayer beads with his clawed finger.
"What do I do now, Kikyo? Kagome's not here to sense the jewel shards." Inuyasha asked out of the blue.
As if by cue, Kikyo's smiled darkly, making her appearance wicked than it already was. She stroked his shoulder once more and entwined her fingers with his.
"I can sense the jewel shards for you, my love."
Inuyasha thought for a moment. Kikyo's proposal did make sense. Since Kagome isn't here at the moment, Kikyo is the only alternative that could also see shards. To purify the shards was another question, but for now, he wasn't too concerned about the shards' purification. Not only would Inuyasha have his love by his side at all times, but now she would also help him find the remaining of the shards before it fell on Naraku's hands. Having decided to go with the suggestion, Inuyasha complied. He then brought his deceased lover into a tight hug and shared a passionate kiss with her. It was settled. Kikyo would take Kagome's place.
Kikyo pulled away to catch air. She leaned her head on Inuyasha's well-built torso. "Inuyasha, what about the others? How will they deal with the news?" she asked.
Inuyasha stopped caressing her back and thought about the others' reaction for a moment. Shippo would be devastated and would probably hate him for driving Kagome away, Sango would be disappointed, and so will Miroku. They really had no choice but to go along with his plan since Kagome wasn't around to be of much help so they will eventually have to accept Kikyo.
"Don't worry about them. I'll deal with that matter when it comes." Inuyasha reassured Kikyo. He then captured her lips in his for another round of their sweet, deep kiss under the moonlight.
…--0oo&oo0--…
…--0oo&oo0--…
Yeah yeah, whack chapter, but oh well. The REAL adventure's soon to follow, just chill, and be patient. So far, I don't think this story's THAT interesting so yeah…I might drop it…I don't know. But anyway, I'd like to thank special people who were kind enough to leave reviews. I love you all again.
One more thing...I've noticed that my chapters are like...in the thousands when it came to word count. Jeez, like this one had like..9456 or something like that. I don't know. Oh well, that was random, but oh well. You think I should cut down on the word count?
Anyway, honorable mentions. :AHEM:
Jade: Thanks for pointing that out. I knew something was fishy with my story, but at least you pointed out one. That really helped me. Then again, I don't know much about this stuff and I'm still learning! People like you help lots! Thanks again! Oh, and I'm glad you like it so far. :)
Hikaritenshi2000: It's good to know I have someone to turn to in case I ever run into problems. Thanks a bunch. I appreciate it dearly.
PlayingWithDemons: Thanks for all the reviews. Thanks for understanding my situation too! I hope it's not boring you. If it does or something's up with it, then feel free to make any suggestions and whatnots. Thankiez!
Blueyesangel1186: OMG OMG OMG! I LOVE YOU! (lol) I'll try to update more now that I have Christmas Break coming up and stuff. I'll try to make the story more interesting as well to make you happy. Thanks for liking it so far. I'm flattered, yo! ;D
SexySesshoumaru: Thanks a bunch! I'll try as much as I can:)
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XoXo --- x.Jess.x