-:- -:- -:-
-:- -:- -:-
-:- -:- -:-
Chapter Three: Something Gained
Golden eyes narrowed at the concession of the tale. Was he truly expected to believe such nonsense? A girl from the future, vanishing before the eyes of her friends. It was ludicrous. Yet, he did believe it, completely. Kagome was that strange of a creature. She was innocent, alluring, yet overall, a puzzling creature. He would never figure her out in her entirety, and this story simply added to her mystique.
The former taijiya had readily yielded the tale once she had lain eyes on the youkai beside him. Sesshoumaru refused to entitle the youkai as his child until Kagome returned to him. The pup was simply not…right. Ten years had not been enough time to acquaint him with the demon, so he simply treated him as another, though highly valued, youkai.
It seemed that the former taijiya had sensed immediately the wrongness of the pup. Her eyes had widened in fear? Was it fear? No, it was more like pain. A strange mix of emotions had revealed themselves in her eyes. She seemed to have understood something.
-:- -:- -:-
Sango stared at Shin with wide eyes. She exhaled sharply as the realization dawned on her. It wasn't that Kagome had taken her humanity from him, it was that she had fully stripped him of all his humanity. She had created a lifeless automaton out of her son.
It was a price Inuyasha would never have paid for becoming a youkai. But she also saw how it would protect the boy. No matter how harshly Sesshoumaru would treat the boy, he would never know heartache. At the same time, he would never know life. Her eyes flashed angrily at the Taiyoukai, silently wondering what he had done to her to have caused her dear friend and sister to resort to such drastic action.
"Your ire is wasted on me, taijiya." Sesshoumaru clipped. "Becoming angry at me will not bring her back, nor will it heal her."
Sango's lips pressed into a thin line. He was right, but she would still be angry at him. She needed something to be mad at.
"So, I must wait five hundred years to see her again." Sesshoumaru mused to himself, ignoring those around him. "Give me the location of the well she used." He snapped his attention back to the former taijiya.
Gritting her teeth, Sango glared at the youkai. Her eyes flickered briefly to Shin, her expression saddening instantly. "It won't open for you. It only ever worked for Kagome and Inuyasha. Even still, Kagome had to have a Shikon shard with her."
"I can still try. Where is the well." He demanded.
Sango shook her head. Sesshoumaru didn't know what he was asking her. She would never intentionally endanger her friend. She wouldn't allow the youkai to hurt her again. Kagome would be safe, in the future, unaware of what would happen here. There was no way she would let Sesshoumaru get her. He had already done enough.
Sesshoumaru was growing impatient. The girl had been cooperative when she had seen Shin, but she had hardened once more against him. His hands curled at his sides, desirous of squeezing the answers from her throat. He held himself back though, they were only trying to protect their friend. Did they not understand that she should not be protected from her own mate?
"Ningen." He said coldly. "I will not ask again."
Sango remained resolute.
Just as Sesshoumaru was about ready to wreck havoc on their happy little home, Shin leapt from the house.
Sesshoumaru growled in annoyance. The pesky creature. Glancing the ningen a farewell glare, promising retribution in the future, he followed the pup.
The pup was leading him back to the West, back home.
-:- -:- -:-
Sango released a sigh of relief, sliding to the floor bonelessly. She had never been so frightened before. The Taiyoukai of the West could be a more intimidating creature than even he ever thought possible. A cold sweat broke out on her skin.
Sango would never be more relieved that Miroku had taken their son out on an unexpected meditation escapade that day. Her husband would not have had to face the cold-blooded youkai. At the same time, Sango knew that she would have to inform him of the events that had happened. A door torn off its hinges would be hard to hide. They would be able to worry for their friend, together.
-:- -:- -:-
Damned pup. Even with his superior tracking skills and speed, Sesshoumaru was struggling. He was actually struggling with keeping up with his own offspring. It was pathetic. It irritated him. Sometimes he had desired tearing out the pup's throat with his own claws. He never went that far though. He knew that if he had, the pup would never make a sound. No, Shin's eyes would remain as dull and lifeless even while dying. Not only that, but Kagome…then she would truly hate him.
Shin was her pup as well, though it no longer showed. She had tried to protect him. She loved Shin. She had done something terrible to try and save Shin from the harm that he, himself, would have, without doubt, put the pup through without the supervision of the mother. It was his nature though. All males would be rough with the upbringing of their spawn. It was how to make them strong. The females would watch out for the well-being of the young, to protect them from the male, if need be. Kagome had done so, even without being present.
A corner of his mouth twisted downward. It was unnatural. Their whole brood was unnatural. And it was his fault. Now, he would do whatever it took to correct it.
-:- -:- -:-
Shin scented the air. Something was calling him. A sweet warm scent. It was an addictive scent that had been with him for as long as he could remember. He always followed the scent when it came to him. He wanted to be wrapped in the embrace of that scent. It was the only thing that ever made him feel whole…
He knew that his father hated him for some reason. He didn't quite understand the elder demon, but he was sure that the inu was insane. He had overheard from the braver servants' gossip that it was because of the disappearance of his mate. The other demon's mate would be his mother. Shin wanted to meet her. He was sure that she was around. The comforting scent assured him of that since he was certain that the scent belonged to her. Sometimes, rarely, he would even smell the familiar fragrance wafting through windows.
In fact, once a year, in a particular room, at one hour, he could smell her. The scent would stay with him through the morning. He wished it would stay longer. The scent was the only thing that was…soft around him. Everything else was cold, hard, and numb. He simply didn't care about anything else. Shin excelled at everything he touched, but it wasn't enough. He wanted to be good enough for his mother to return. He missed her presence.
He retained too few, and yet precious, memories of her. She was soft. He remembered. She was also very sad. But the main thing he remembered was a gentle voice saying that she loved him and he would find her. He would go to where she waited. So, he always followed her scent blindly, knowing that she looked out for him. It was the only thing he could trust.
"Okaa-san."
-:- -:- -:-
One word, ghosted through the wind, reaching the inu-youkai's sensitive ears, speeding his steps. Sesshoumaru was behind Shin in an instant, the pair matching speeds. His eyes bored holes into the back of the pup. Why speak of her now?
Before, the only time the pup would utter a sound would be on the anniversary of her disappearance. He spoke of her now, as if she were close.
-:- -:- -:-
Shin could sense it. He was close to her! Just ahead, he could barely see a break in the trees, but he knew that something was there.
He sped through the forest, barely realizing when he had entered it. Branches and leaves whipped past him, shattering if they were in his way. His father fell behind him as he quickened his pace. The treeline broke. A clearing!
He paused, hesitating. An old, dried well was in the center. Perched on the edge was a woman. She looked up, smiling briefly. Her scent surrounded him. So familiar…he took a step forward.
She blinked once, smiling warmly at Shin. She held out one hand toward him. There was something in it; a gray sliver, looking like a splintered rock.
He could trust her. His whole belief in his life was that he could trust this scent, and now, he could see the bearer of it. "Okaa-san." He whispered, his hand closing about hers.
The cold object in her hand flared. Heat poured into him. Startled, he looked up. He had never felt such a sensation before.
Kagome smiled. "I'm sorry, Shin. I never meant for it to take this long, but I had no choice. He was taking too long, I had to do it myself."
He stared at her confusion barely discernable in his blank gaze.
She giggled, planting a soft kiss on his forehead, a feeling he scarcely remembered from his puphood. "Don't worry. It won't be long now. Find me again. I'll always be waiting for you. I love you, baby." She wrapped her arms around him, enshrouding him in that scent he adored and the warmth he craved. She was the only one who could make him feel.
"You've grown so much, but you're still my baby, even if I haven't been there for you. It's for the best though. You'll be strong."
She leaned forward, placing one more feather light kiss on his forehead. "I'll see you soon, baby." She murmured.
"Kagome!" The shout startled the both of them.
Kagome looked up, her embrace around her son tightening. She relaxed after a moment, a soft smile on her lips. "Goodbye." She whispered, her eyes trained on Sesshoumaru's. She faded from sight.
-:- -:- -:-
Angry, Sesshoumaru snatched Shin up by the collar of his haori. "Where did she go?" He demanded.
Shin merely gazed at him blankly, his even gaze unchanging.
Disgusted, Sesshoumaru released the boy. He would never speak, never make a sound, never change his cold façade. The boy had no weaknesses. He was perfect! Sesshoumaru hated it. He wanted the weaknesses! Even if it made his son hanyou. Even if his mate was human. Even if he opened himself up to the enemies, he still wanted those weaknesses. It would bring Kagome back.
He glared at the well. Something wasn't right. Though the taijiya had informed him that she had passed from one era into the next through the well, it didn't look as if she was using it. He couldn't sense a shred of magic from the well. Not only that, but he couldn't scent her anywhere, but he was sure that he had seen her. She had been here. But…his expression tightened.
Imprints.
She had imprinted herself here, using powers he didn't even know she possessed. Then again, he wasn't aware that she would have been able to transform their son into a full youkai. He eyed the pup out of the corner of his eye. The pup was doing something, staring at something in his hand.
"Show it to me." He ordered.
Shin hesitated a moment. He extended his hand, palm upward. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened. A shikon shard!
"Give it to me."
Instead of wordlessly obeying him as he was accustomed, Shin instead closed his fingers around the shard and held it close to himself, shaking his head. He wouldn't relinquish it to Sesshoumaru.
A corner of his mouth curled downward. "Give me the shard." He ordered once more.
Again, Shin refused. He took off suddenly, fleeing from his father with his prize. Shin wouldn't give it up. The shard was his to keep! His mother gave it to him. His steps light and quick, he ran back to the Western castle. His hand remained tightly closed around the shard. It was warm. It was the only warmth he could feel.
-:- -:- -:-
-:- -:- -:-
-:- -:- -:-
SM: Lots of work. School and work eating up my life. I have one four hour whole in my schedule on Tuesdays. It's my only time I can write. Updates and everything will be slow and crawling, but I'm still alive and kicking...twitching at least...snooze