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Simple Lies
Chapter Thirteen: Drums of War
Inuyasha sat at the edge of the balcony above his own room watching as the sun slowly began to bleed over the horizon, taunting him with it's exceedingly slow procession. When the sun left the sky in exchange for complete darkness would he transform; he would become human.
Oddly enough, though, as time passed his thoughts changed drastically from ones of hatred for this time of the month to other idle musings. Normally he was consumed by thoughts of discovery, thoughts of his betrayal, thoughts of his weakness, but as of now all of his thoughts centered around one raven haired maid and the upcoming war. It had been nearly a week since the girl had arrived and already his demon side was attached, considering her his property; his to protect, his to comfort, and his to do with as he wished. He didn't understand it! He was not supposed to get so attached, how was he going to fallow through now? How was he to become her friend -not that he needed to act that part out- and then turn around and betray her!
He was torn, Inuyasha's heart was literally torn in two directions. One wishing to do his loves bidding, while the other wanted to say "forget this," and pretend as if nothing of said plan even existed. As he watched the sun slowly bleed away to darkness Inuyasha let his hand hover above his heart as he felt it pull, tugging one way and then another, threatening to split in two and leave him wanting for death.
Kikyou was the first to love him, albeit she did try to kill him a couple of times, but none of that mattered now. What did, what truly did, was that she loved him as a hanyou. Something Inuyasha thought would never happen as he always believed he would die alone.
Then there's Kagome… Inuyasha felt his train of thought trail off aimlessly as the hint of a smile played upon the corners of his lips. Kagome did not fear him when she had first lain eyes upon him, she did not fear his touch, his anger, his demon side and appearance, nor did she seem to fear his hanyou strength. She did not seem to think him a freak for any of it, and she willingly became his friend. Kagome had allowed an orphaned fox demon and inu-hanyou to call her mother, and cared for them as if they were born of her very womb. Kagome was so strong and fearless, she was brave and selfless, willing to risk her very life for a kingdom that she held no claim to…
Kagome, whom was stupidly planning on allowing herself to be captured by some wind sorceress named Kagura in order to see her brother. Kagome whom risked death to save her family, and that very same girl whom kept secrets hidden beneath a façade she wore daily. He did not know what those secrets were, but he could see them haunting her within the depths of her gray-blue eyes.
Inuyasha was rushing through the halls, trying to reach the room above his own before dusk arrived. He did not wish to be seen in human form, and since the girl and those runts would be sleeping within his own quarters he needed another place of residency and thus chose the room in which he now rushed towards. For some reason his demon blood, even though it recedes this day, would not allow him to be without of shouting distance of the girl and her brats.
As he walked, passing servants without so much as a word or nod of acknowledgment; all he would receive is a dirty glare and mumbled curse. As if he couldn't hear them. If he so wished it, he could have every single one of them executed for the garbage they spewed. It was lucky for them that he was actually nice despite how hard he tried for others to think differently.
"Inuyasha!"
Stopping and turning slowly, the named hanyou's eyes widened in surprise as he saw both Sango and Miroku running towards him. "What do you want?" He questioned slightly harsher then he meant to, although everything about him right before he transformed was hostile. The only way he would apologies would be if she were to cry, and sense he saw no tears the words weren't coming from his mouth. Actually, they seemed to not even notice his tone.
After catching his breath, Miroku looked him in the eyes seriously, and by the looks of them Inuyasha decided that whatever they wished to discuss was pretty important; or to them at lest. "You and Kagome are both going to be stationed at the targeted village, are you not?" The monk asked, all usual humor gone from his countenance as he held his staff before him, the young Tajiya stood beside him in much the same manner.
He shrugged seemingly nonchalant about the whole subject when in all actuality he was immensely curious of it. Then, he was usually curious of anything that dealt with Kagome in hopes that it would help him to unravel the mystery that is her. "Yeah, so, what of it?"
Miroku sighed, shoulders slumping sadly. Sango took notice and placed comforting hand upon his shoulder, while seeking her own type of comfort from his sturdy frame. It was not entirely the body that she meant, but more of Miroku himself. He was so strong and seemed as if nothing could shake him as if nothing could bring him down, knowing that somehow gave her strength as well. "You do know what it is that Kagome plans to do, correct?"
"Fight Kagura, you told me this already so why are you asking?"
"Sango and I talked, we decided that you should know a bit more of the story." At his confused look, Miroku motioned for the hanyou to fallow him into the nearest empty room. Leaning against the wall, staff resting against him, the monk waited for his audience to get comfortable before speaking. "Kagome would do anything for her family, anything, and when she thought that she could free them she took it."
"We were in Draki," Sango picked up, "or was it Izumo?"
Miroku shook his head. "It was Draki."
"Yeah that's right, thanks Hoshi-sama." He nodded his head once in answer, and Sango went on to continue with the story. "Kagome and I were posing as tavern-maids, and we happened to over hear from some of Naraku's men that he was planning on taking Draki like all the others in a weeks time, like always. They didn't elaborate further so we weren't sure exactly when this would take place, as you do know it does take time for news to travel.
"I believe it was three days latter that Naraku actually showed, and when we were preparing for a fight, the demon made her an offer… one she could not very well refuse. Naraku had said to her that if she came with him willingly she would get to see her brother and her mother, it had been four years since she had last seen them and as I said before she couldn't very well refuse him…
"So she answered him yes." It was then that Sango fell silent, tears making her eyes glisten from her own refusal to let them fall. Seeing this, Miroku took the liberty to finish the tale, while Inuyasha stood there stock still taking it all in without so much of word or expression upon his face. It seemed as if they were conversing with a rock.
"Kagome-sama went and disappeared with him in the black miasma, and we could do nothing as a barrier had been placed around us to keep us from so much as lifting a finger to help her. Placed by whom I am not sure, but I do have my suspicions.
"It had been days since we last saw lady Kagome, and to say we were beginning to worry was an understatement. Sango had to be locked in a hut to keep her from searching out Naraku," the said demon exterminator blushed at that while glaring rather heatedly at the monk, "and I, myself nearly left to do the same. It was then that Kagome came stumbling into the hut. How she even made that far I haven't a clue, by all rights she should have been dead before she even made it back to the village. She was so horribly beaten, and after she passed out from blood loss refusing to wake for the next few days we had feared her to be dead.
"Luckily it was not to be so and she did wake, but when she did all she could do was tell us that she was sorry. When asked about it she would become mute. She refused to speak about what went on while she was there. The only thing we could get out of her was the fact that her baby brother had grown quite a bit with out her." Miroku became silent, before meeting the hanyou's gaze with his own which held a carefully concealed threat with in their intensity.
"All I ask of you, Inuyasha, is that you do not let her go, no matter what. Kagome-chan is the only family that we have left, we can not lose her, and especially not to Naraku. We've lost so much to him already."
As that seen played out in his mind, he couldn't help but to clench his fists. How could anyone do that to her? How could she deserve to have such pain… to have her feelings toyed with and exploited for Naraku's enjoyment? Better yet how could she even think of doing the same once more, of going back into that apes hands? Yeah she might get to see her family, but at what price? Would her remaining family really want her to die, Inuyasha shook his head already knowing the answer, of course they wouldn't. She had to know that, she had to, and if so then why did she constantly put herself in this type of danger.
It didn't matter, he had promised the monk and demon exterminator to watch over her during the battle and he intended to do just that. If Kagome even tried to leave, if she even opened her mouth in utterance of an acceptance, he would be on her so fast she would not know what hit her. He would not let her go so easily and the fierceness that came with such a thought was quickly blamed on his demon side. Being part dog demon meant possessiveness to those he thought himself close to, or those he felt an attachment to, Kagome definitely being the latter. He wasn't worried about it though, his demon side may be, but he himself was not, and in his mind those to were worlds apart.
He was definitely worried, though, about the battle that is. His brother, Sesshoumaru, and the others would be holding up the borders while he and Kagome along with a selected few by the taiyoukai would be waiting and ready in Jehei to ambush the demon party that sought to destroy that very village. There were only a few of them and no telling how many demons against them as they try to defend Jehei, and confident in his power, though he may be, he was not quite sure about the human, herself. He had promised the monk and exterminator he'd let no harm come to her, even if he hadn't made the promise his demon instincts would have no less of him. Inuyasha would do just that least he wanted to become hunted and exterminated, or have his instincts drive him insane for the failure.
Oh, he knew that she could fight, that much was proven a few days ago when they had spared against one another. In that match up it had been wooden swords, bokkens, made for practice and were very light weight when in comparison to Tetsusaiga. In that match up he had used none of his demon strength, speed, or other abilities as dog demon would use in fight for a battle and not a friendly spar with a human. In that match up the girl proved to him that she would be a match to him in human form, but what he wanted to know, and what would make him feel worlds better, were if she was able to hold her own against multiple youkai because he knew for a fact that it would be more then a few that attacked the next day.
Those weren't his only worries. Near the border his brother would be fighting, not that he doubted his abilities, but even the strongest of youkai could succumb to a few legions of lesser youkai, which Inuyasha had no doubt made up Naraku's armies.
As Inuyasha eyes focused once more and were no longer glazed over in deep thought, he was completely startled to find it pitch black. The sun had long since been gone, and he had been so immersed in his own thoughts that his mind was blank to his own transformation. He did not feel it like he normally would. The itching sensation that would drive him to the edge and back as his body changed in shape, and his claws retracted to normal human nails.
He stared at his human hands a moment in awe, before grabbing strands of his raven black hair for examination. Inuyasha was beyond speech right about then. He had thought away his transformation, and now he was human. Just how long had he been staring at the dark sky, just how late was it exactly. Was it late enough that he could sneak back within his own bedroom with out the notice of a certain miko woman? If the moon were in the sky he would have an idea, Inuyasha huffed, that was another reason why the no moon night was such a dreadful one.
Now human hands gripped the cement of the balcony wall as now human eyes looked down, gauging the distance from his quarters balcony to the one he now stood upon. Then without further adieu Inuyasha skillfully jumped over the side, hanging from the edge. Looking down once more he gauged the distance and strength it would take to swing himself towards the solid ground of his wanted destination.
He landed softly, and stood swiftly; no sound made. He walked carefully, especially now that he was human, towards the three layered curtains; glad for them once. Pressing his back soundly to the edged of the wall loosing himself in the cloth, he was especially grateful the material reached the floor therefore covering his feet from view. Inuyasha strained his human ears as well as he could to listen for sounds on the inside, and was slightly disappointed to have voices make there way to him. Inuyasha stood tense waiting for discovery, for surely the kitsune would smell him out.
"Come on you two, the sun has long since past onto darkness so it's time for bed, besides Shiro sense it's your human night your going to need an extra few hours of sleep." He heard Kagome's voice coax gently.
"Where are we suppose to sleep?" He heard the Kitsune questioned, as he calmed his breathing and stood stock still. He was lucky the night chose to be still, for if the wind had decided to weave its gentle, or even strong, gusts of wind his scent would have traveled to young kits nose. It is well known that a kitsune's nose is only second to an inu-youkai's.
"Inuyasha said," his voice cut off due to a strenuous yawn, "he said that we could have his bed because he'd sleep somewhere else tonight." Shiro informed his brother and mother by adoption.
"Are you sure he said that?" Kagome questioned. "I wasn't aware he was capable of such kindness." Inuyasha scowled at that, of course he could be nice! Sometimes. Who did she think she was… Keh, if I weren't so damn nice all the time I'd make her sleep outside my room by the door ready and willing to abide by my every command, but since I'm not so nice I let her sleep on a futon to the side of my bed. Feh, ungrateful wench…
"Don't you remember?" Shiro inquired softly, his voice slightly altered due to his human changes. "He said so before he came up here, must've forgotten, huh?"
Her voice replied absentmindedly, like she were somewhere else besides his quarters at the moment. "Oh. I must have." He could hear some shuffling, and what sounded to be cloth and silk rubbing up against one another. "Well, hurry up and get in then. I know both of you traveled a long ways, even if you mostly rode on Jen'enji, you must be tired."
The room suddenly became much darker, like the outside world, and it was then that Inuyasha knew she had blown out the candles. Once the hanyou now turned human heard "Good night, haha-ue," from both pups, then her reply of "Good night," did Inuyasha begin to count the minutes to when he would be able to sneak inside without notice.
Inuyasha had been standing in the archway of the entrance into his quarters from his balcony for nearly half an hour and his human legs were tired of holding his weight in one spot for so long. Not to mention his human flesh was chilled from the night air long ago. That was it, he would give it a few more moments before going in. He knew they were asleep, but the noises of movement in sleep was what kept him from entering. If they were that restless in silence, what would happen, say, if he were to trip. With it being pitch black and him without his demonic senses, he would night be able to say his way through the room as well as he normally would.
Taking in a breath, Inuyasha slide against the wall trying desperately to not disturb the occupants of the room, mainly the young raven haired girl. If the hanyou child saw him, he would say nothing, if the youkai child saw this he was likely not to remember in the morning, not that he particularly wished to find this out.
Once on the inside, Inuyasha mapped out the room in his mind from the last time he had seen it. Remembering that Kagome had taken up a futon on the right side of his bed, and that near the balcony entrance up against the wall closest to the bed was a chest of his personal belongings from his child hood days.
He got no more then a foot from the entrance, before he was tackled to the ground; knife poised at the main pulse point of his throat. Any quick movements and he would be dead before he could even think about blinking. Holding as still a possible in his human body, Inuyasha tried to slide his eyes to his assailant's figure.
"Who the hell are you!" He whispered fiercely in an askance, not really expecting an answer, but hoping his attacker was in the mood for gloating to buy him some time. Time to do what, exactly, hadn't crossed his mind yet, but at least it gave him time to think up that something.
The blade bit into his skin slightly, and he flinched; berating himself for showing weakness to the enemy he tried once again to glare at the dark figure as that was all he could make out in the darkness. "I think I should be asking that question." The deadly tone of the voice made him shiver, and he could hardly believe his ears as recognition dawned upon them. "Who are you, and who sent you? Was it Naraku, did he send you to try and kidnap Shiro again?" This question came out even harsher, the blade biting slightly into his human skin, but not enough to cause any real damage. "Well then, you can just return to your boss and explain to him that it's not going to happen, that is if I don't kill you first for trying."
Taking in a shallow breath, for fear that any more would be his undoing Inuyasha bit out in an equally harsh whisper. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about girl, but I can sure as hell tell you that I don't work for Naraku!"
That just caused her to add more pressure. "Sure, try again."
"Damn it Kagome, its me! Inuyasha! Now let me up!" He caved, deciding he liked his throat and life intact; he didn't much like that thought of his funeral at such a young age in his life. If he were going to go early it would be out on the battle field in a war much like the one his father fought all those centuries ago.
She narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Prove it, you're name means nothing to me! Naraku could have easily supplied you with that information." He could feel her move up slightly, and then again feel her hand move about his head. "Besides, your missing a couple fury appendages, I hate to tell you but since it seems Naraku didn't… Inuyasha isn't exactly human. Try again."
Trying to think of proof fast, Inuyasha shut his eyes in concentration while trying to lose the feeling of steel at the base of his neck. It wasn't easy to concentrate in such a situation. Oh how he wished the new moon night wasn't this night, he would've never been in this position otherwise. She can't even see through this and that stupid girl is suppose to be a miko. Inuyasha would be shaking his head right now if it didn't mean he'd be giving up his throat in end.
"Sesshoumaru is my older half-brother." He supplied.
"Could've easily found that out too, try again."
After a seconds pause, "You plan to have Kagura take you to see your brother." Not if I can help it, though. He thought possessively. Stupid possessive demon blood, never mind that it's receded for the night.
"Nope, after all the years we've faced off… if I can predict his movements, he's bound to predict some of mine. Besides I've done it once before, lucky guess on Naraku's part." She shrugged it off nonchalantly, the blade never giving up on it's pressure.
"Alright, damn it!" Inuyasha finally yelled, or at lest it sounded so, but was really no more then a fierce whisper. "I turn human once a month every new moon, just like Shiro! That's why I don't look the same, tonight is my human night, alright!" Before he could even finish yelling the knife had dropped with a clatter to the floor when the name Shiro left his lips. He awkwardly got up from his stomach into a crouched position upon the ground.
Kagome sat still awhile, head bowed. Slowly she lifted her sleeping kimono clothed arm to his neck and wiped the blood away before throwing her arms around him and hiding her face within the crock of his neck mumbling over and over again. "I'm sorry, so sorry, so very sorry." He could feel the wetness of tears trailing down his now human flesh. She was crying, and the hanyou now human was stunned.
Inuyasha lifted both of his arms to hover around her awkwardly, not quite knowing what he should do. He had never been in a situation quite like this before, thus knew nothing of how to quiet a sobbing woman. He needed the monk, he seemed to have a way with the species. "Eh? It's alright, you just were protecting your pups… no hard feelings." He laughed, not because he found the situation funny, but the fact that it was completely nerve wracking. "It wasn't like you knew that I'd be human." He may not have noticed it, but his words were dripping with the bitterness he tried to keep in tact. He hated becoming human, hated the weaknesses that it gave to him.
He must've said something right because the girls tears seemed to have stopped. Very slowly Kagome moved from his awkward embrace, and Inuyasha didn't know what hit him.
One minute he was trying to figure out what to do or say to get her to stop crying, and the next he was on the ground from a hard blow to the head wondering were the heck it came from. It was obviously from the girl before him with her hand in a fist and arm outstretched. "What the hell was that for?"
"You idiot! Why didn't you tell me! I could have killed you!" She was practically shaking, now whether this was from anger, tears, or the cold he did not know. One thing was for sure though, it definitely wasn't the latter, the room was way to warm for that. "Don't you trust me, I could have protected you too, just like Shiro, but no… you have to be stupid and sneak around so that I nearly kill you!"
"Feh, like you could kill me, besides it's not like you trust me either! Going around warding my room and telling me the only reason for it is so you could feel safe and we all know that's a load of bull!"
"Yeah, well your human right now aren't you! Besides I do trust you, its you whom doesn't trust me! If I had told you about Shiro then how could he ever believe me again, huh? I promised I wouldn't speak of his secret, it wasn't mine to tell, it was his! He chose to tell you! He trusts you, it's you who doesn't trust us!" Her fists were clenched at her sides, her breathing deep and slow long breathes trying to calm her rising anger. Tears once again were coursing down her cheeks, she was so angry, frustrated, and perhaps a little sad. What could she expect, though, they hadn't known each other that long. How could he have known he was able to trust her?
More importantly, why did it hurt her so much to know that he did not trust her?
Inuyasha himself was in a state of shock and turmoil. He shouldn't have her trust, he was going to betray her in the end; though he didn't want to. He felt his heart constrict in his chest, and suddenly it was very hard to breathe at the moment. She shouldn't give her trust to him so easily and Inuyasha decided to ignore her comment and remain ignorant to this fact. He would still act the way he normally would, trying to find ways to gain her trust even though he already had it. In his mind, for now, he did not have it and thus needed to gain it in order to finish the plans Kikyou wished for him to accomplish.
He didn't know why, but he just couldn't betray her this way. "You shouldn't trust so easily." He whispered. "It's very stupid to do so."
"I don't trust easily." She returned. "Your just… I don't know what it is about you, perhaps its something in the aura of your soul, but I feel as though I can trust you… but that doesn't mean I'll tell you everything. Some things are meant to be left unsaid."
Something in the aura of my soul? "It's not that I don't trust you, just that I've been betrayed before." He didn't know why he was telling her this, it just felt right. He shouldn't be telling her this, shouldn't be placing his trust in her, and he certainly should not be letting her have a place in his heart; none of them should have a place. What have they done to earn it? "When I was about Shiro's age, perhaps younger," he began nodding in the direction of his bed. He was quite surprised that none of the runts had awoken during their little skirmish, well that he knew of. If he had his demonic senses he would have known the moment they began to even arouse to the waking world. "The discrimination was pretty new and there were no laws like there are now. No one, well half-demons anyway, was safe from the persecution. I may have been the prince, but I was still beaten and teased." Inuyasha looked away, not wanting to see her pitiful expression. Even if she did not have one, he did not want to see the shadowy outline of her face as he would imagine one there.
"My father had to send my mother and myself away; everyone wanted me dead." He laughed bitterly. "Who wants a hanyou as a ruling prince, especially when father announced that I, myself, had just as good as a chance at becoming the next king as my brother did. It was then that the attempted assassinations began and I was sent away. I only had one friend while growing up, and had begged and pleaded that he be able to come with me… it was a mistake that I even asked.
"Turns out he was a kitsune in disguise, here I thought he was only a couple years older then me, but it turns out he was a couple hundred years older. He tried to kill me, and if my brother hadn't have come and taken his life I my not be here today." He stood and began to walk towards the balcony. "So forgive me if I don't seem to trust you, but that incident and a few others pretty much made me who I am today." A hand on his shoulder stopped him from going any further.
How could anyone be so cruel to such a small child, how could anyone think to even kill someone so small and helpless, even if they were part demon? Though one could see it, unless they were very close, she had tears in her eyes and down her cheeks. How could anyone be so cruel? She wondered once again, and bowed her head, before lifting it up with a cheery smile. "Well we should be getting to sleep now, ne?" She asked. "We have a battle to fight tomorrow and it wont win itself."
Inuyasha sighed, he was grateful that she made no move to speak of his past, he was very grateful that she did not ask for more on the subject. He hadn't a clue as to why he spoke of it in the first place, maybe he just needed to get it off of his chest and she was the closest ear at the moment. "If you haven't forgotten the runts have taken over my bed." He rose a brow, though she could not see it, in question.
She brought her pointer finger to rest at the edge of her lips, her eyes rolling skyward in deep thought. Kagome then clapped her hands together quietly, mindful of the two young ones sleeping not to far from her. "Well… okay, okay," she waved her hands in front of her. "I know your not going to like this, but there's no way I'm sleeping on the floor! So why don't we just share the futon?" She asked, a full blown blush staining her cheeks. She was very much grateful for the darkness right about then. Why had she suggested that! She should've just made the temperamental hanyou sleep on the floor. Why did she have to be cursed with bearing a good heart?
"Eh?" He stuttered out, hopping he had heard wrong.
"We should sleep together… in the futon…" As soon as those words left her mouth, Kagome immediately slapped her hands over her mouth, before waving her hands around frantically in front of her once more. "Oh, no, no, no! I did not mean it that way, I meant that we should share the futon, sleeping in it and nothing more! Get your head out of that gutter!" She demanded, reaching over and pulling on his now raven locks.
Inuyasha too, was glad for the darkness as if hid his very brightly red colored cheeks. To cover up his embarrassment Inuyasha opened his mouth, not always a good thing. "Let go of my hair wench, my mind wasn't in the gutter! Who would ever have those kind of thoughts about you!" He greatly regretted his harsh words as soon as he caught the hurt look that crossed her features. Her face immediately darkened, and she fell oddly silent.
He reached out his hand, devoid of his demon features, towards her and stopped in mid air when her eyes pinned him with a glare. He let his arm drop. Inside, though she was a little hurt by the comment, she was laughing. Her mind working up a mischievous plot, she wanted to see how true his words were. Kagome new that the hanyou desired her sister, but that did not mean he held no desire for her what so ever. Not that she intended to sway his heart away from Kikyou, she had already refused to what she was mainly hired for and would not start it now. Kagome did not work that way. All she wanted to do was to conduct a small harmless experiment with the hanyou, temporarily human for the night.
She place a fake pout upon her lips, and fixed him with an intense gaze. He gulped. "Do you really not find me desirable, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked in a voice she has had the un-pleasantries in hearing her sister use to seduce the men she intended to use. Personally she had always thought the tone had too much of a babyish sound to it. Kagome slowly began to stride towards him, her hips moving from side to side in a sensual dance that had been used by women in seducing men from since the dawn of time. She then wrapped her arms around his neck.
Inuyasha on the other hand was at a loss for words as he watched her come towards him like that. He had never imagined her doing something quite like this before, it was very unlike her. Or so he thought, considering he barely knew her. He had hardly heard the question when she asked it and thus he found himself having a hard time in answering. His mouth had gone dry and he didn't think there was anything he could do to remedy that. "I-I, um that is I, er, I…" He stuttered, before trailing at the feel of her arms wrapped around his neck her eyes staring deeply into his own. It was then that he knew she was playing with him, he could tell by the way her gray-blue eyes were alit with mischievousness, they were practically dancing with the emotion.
She was playing a dangerous game indeed, for if his demon blood had been present he would not have been responsible for his actions that her own would have pulled from him. When and how had this normally shy girl warmed up to him enough that she was pulling such behavior that seemed so not her? For some reason the thought of her not seeing him as a stranger made him feel oddly warm.
He decided to have some fun of his own, and play her game, while remembering to not let anything go to far. Inuyasha did not know how the young miko felt, but he was in love with her sister, not that she knew that he knew it, and did not want to betray his love with anyone. Especially her own twin sister.
Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer to his body, pulling a surprised gasp from the girl. She was not expecting that, as he lowered his lips to her ear, making sure his warm breath caressed the bare skin of her neck. "Whether I desire you or not is irrelevant right now, but was does matter is sleep before we go to war. I suggest we get to that." He then pulled her down to the futon with him, an easy feat to accomplish with the socked stiff girl. "You stay on your side, and I'll stay on mine." He got under the thin blankets and rolled over to the left, letting himself fall into deep slumber. Had he been more awake, and had he given it any thought, Inuyasha would have found it slightly disturbing that he felt safe enough in her presence to sleep on his human night let alone succumbed to the pull before the girl herself did so.
Kagome fell asleep not long after that, still some what stunned at what happened only moments ago.
Sesshoumaru sat in the chair before the desk of his father's study, while Inutashio sat behind the said desk watching his son expectantly. He had just explained to his son in full detail of the events that lead to the attack of the youkai from Naraku's army to the fight itself and the use of the fake Shikon no Tama. Though he did emit some things, like what he and his mate had been doing right before it. Inutashio did not think his son would be too privy to hear such talk about his stepmother, some one he considered to be his true mother. He never understood it, and just past it off as a child parent thing. Although he wouldn't mind hearing about his son's extrusions, not that he had any at the moment, either of them, but it filed him with pride to know that he, their stud of a father, had taught them well in how to please their women.
He remembered when he first had the talk with both of his boys, they were both so red, but now was not the time for such reminiscing; maybe at a latter time. "Well," he began. "What do you think?"
His son remained silent for a moment longer; the silence was really grating on the older demon's nerves. "It seems to me that the jewel Kagome had made works somewhat like the original. How she was able to accomplish such a feat I do not know, but my guess is that she had to have seen the real thing sometime in her life." Sesshoumaru did not like lying to his father, but he had promised the young miko to say nothing about the information he forced her to trust him with.
"I already figured that, but you've spent more time with the girl then I have. I want to know if you've noticed anything strange about her. I get the feeling that there is more going on here then I was fist aware of and I don't much like it." He announced slamming his fist upon his desk in a show much like Inuyasha would produce. The act showed anyone whom was watching, basically only Sesshoumaru, where the younger of the brother's got his temper and impatiens. "So have you noticed anything."
Shaking his head, he answered. "Other then her vast knowledge of Naraku, nothing out of the ordinary." He hated lying!
"You don't think she's a spy for the over pompous bas, do you?"
Sesshoumaru snorted in amusement. "Highly unlikely." He replied. "The man killed her father while she watched, kidnapped her mother and brother and holds this fact over her head every time she tries for revenge; holding her back from it. I doubt that she would be a spy for him, as I do believe her words on this." At lest he wasn't lying there, just omitting a few truths. Changing the subject on him, while hopping his father did not notice the deliberateness in the change, he said. "The majority of our armies will be stationed at the border, along with myself, the monk and tajiya that came with the girl, Kagome.
"The basic plan of attack is to try and hold off his army while trying not to lose too many of our men. According to Kagome, it seems Naraku likes an ego boast before he takes over a region. He wants to prove to us how strong he is, he wants us to fear him. Naraku thinks that by sending his weakest to decimate our armies will send us into a fear frenzy, and I for one can not wait to prove the pound scum wrong." He snarled.
Inutashio noticed the quick change in subject, but decided to let it go until later. As it stands now, he was very much interested in this topic and intended to find out more. Never go into battle without knowing all the details. It was a very good motto his own father had explained to him. "I'm with you on that one boy, but finish with the plan before we go into such talk."
"Of course father." He replied, tones respectful. "The second half of the plan is a little more complicated, with a bit more detail then the last...
Inuyasha woke the moment he felt his demon side return and nearly had a panic attack; he had fallen a sleep! Never once during his human transformation had he ever succumb to his human body's needs. Well, he ate, but that was beside the point! The point was that he fell a sleep, with a start his eyes traversed towards the warm body deep in slumber next to his own, with Kagome near to him. The girl whom his demon side was attached to and not his human, the girl whom was the exact replica of his lover, and the girl whom he should not allow himself to trust just yet.
The hanyou's eyes bored into the sleep peaceful face of Kagome; unseeing. His mind was miles away, berating himself for getting attached. He then sighed and let his shoulders slump, he had been doing this a lot lately. I've been letting my mind yell and insult me for falling for the twin of Kikyou... He let his thoughts trail as his eyes did the contours of her face, never really paying any mind to his actual thoughts for is he had the hanyou would be more then a little alarmed right about then.
He pushed the blankets from himself and stood as he remembered the promise he made to himself the night before. Well it really wasn't much a promise but more of a thought or realization. He could not betray her the way he was betrayed so many years ago, and thus he would forget the promise he made. Not entirely, though, he was a man of his word and until Kikyou returned he would think about this no longer. Once his love returned, then he could dwell upon such matters.
Resolute in this thinking, Inuyasha left towards the shoji screens set off to the left side of his room right across from the placement of his bed. He needed to be dressed for the day, dressed for war. Deftly he pulled his court Kimono from his body, only leaving the white one underneath, and snatched his red fire rat haori that hung from the shoji at the side. Deftly, once more, he grabbed his red hakama, pulled them up and tied them tight around the waist; he double checked his work. It would not do to lose his pants while fighting, it would mean his death, unless he tripped over them missing the blade. Personally he did not want to find out, nor did he wish to die in such an embarrassing way. No. If he were to die it would be down on the battle field to an enemy that was his better in every way, else wise he would not succumb himself to death.
With a satisfied nod of his head, Inuyasha walked out from behind the shoji screen only to stop short. Just a few feet away from him, Kagome sat upon the very futon they shared not moments ago looking around; disoriented from sleep. Her hair fell over her shoulders, slightly messed up from sleep while her sleeping kimono was very much wrinkled and parted slightly down the middle showing a modest amount of cleavage. Not that he looked. His eyes adverted to the side as if something of great importance had caught them. "You should hurry and prepare, you do realize that we leave in a few hours and that we are the first to go." He voiced to her, and smirked when he caught her slight jump from the corner of his eye. Kagome's eyes turned to his figure, widening as if seeing him for the first time. She must not have realized he was in the room with her when she awoke. "We have the most to prepare."
She yawned. "Right," and then stood from her spot upon the futon letting her blankets fall from her with the action. Still in her sleep haze she did not think about Inuyasha's presence as she began to untie the belt of her sleeping kimono, pulling it free she began to slide the robe from her shoulders.
"What the hell are you doing!"
Kagome's head shot up at the high pitched shout, her gray blue eyes landing on the hanyou who's face was a red at the robes he wore. "What's wrong with you?" She asked, confused while continuing to remove her sleeping Kimono.
"What's wrong with me, I'm in the room and your removing your clothing!" He shouted, the panic evident in his voice and eyes that had shot so wide that the tops had disappeared beneath his brow. She laughed and hard. Kagome forgot that he did not travel with her, he did not know of the precautions she took because of the perverted monk in their group. "What pray tell is so funny?" He grouched, crossing his arms over his chest, face reddening even more if at all possible.
"I had forgotten for a moment." She replied, a smile splitting her face.
"Forgotten, what?" He inquired, his face twisting into a pout and his voice gruff.
She giggled again behind her slender hand at his antics. "Miroku and I were traveling partners a short while before meeting up with Sango and even though he and I are like brother and sister, we still have had accidents. It has to deal with a curse of his, or at lest that is what he says, I don't think his lechery is a part of that." She pulled the kimono around her, and sat back down while Inuyasha chose to remain standing. "When Sango came along he focused all of his attentions upon her, and in instances like these when we needed to change or bath, she usually beat him a few times with Hiraikotsu. I don't usually wear my clothing underneath my sleeping kimono any longer because of this, but there are some instances like these were we must fight and so I wear my armor underneath." A few weeks after Sango had joined their group, she had made Kagome another armor suit much like her own as an apology for nearly killing them. Kagome of course had said it was not necessary, but the exterminator had insisted and said as well it would be the mark of there long friendship. Kagome always wore it in battle now.
Inuyasha's brow wrinkled in confusion. "Why, you would have had plenty of time to change, isn't sleeping in your armor uncomfortable?" He had slept in his before, but youkai armor is made from the hair of the fire rat while humans had their steel and leather. It did not seem as though she wore any of that, but then again it could have been made thin and not bulky on the account of her being female. She would not have the muscle needed to move around in the stuff.
Kagome stood once more and began removing her kimono and once it fell from her shoulders sleeping kimono pooled to the floor. Deftly she began to pull the top over her wrapped chest, doing up the ties all the while paying no mind to the cherry red hanyou. "It is made from the hide of youkai, but I do not know what kind. If you wish to know then ask Sango, she had made it for me, and it is very comfortable to sleep in." She reached over the side of her futon and pulled for a cloth and place a mask within it before wrapping the said cloth around her waist. "This is the longest we have ever stayed in one place -well besides that village that we found Shiro at- and I think that it is because we are staying here with you. We have never associated with those of whom we helped for long. I think if we had not come here we would have been moving from village to village of this province gathering information from drunken solders and villagers of where and when Naraku was said to attack. We would just appear, fight him off, and then start over again because he was not present. He is never present, but we do not know where he reside otherwise we would just go there.
"As I was saying, though, since we've never stayed in one stop for long and have certainly never know a while before hand the time Naraku planned to attack we always had to be ready for it." She finished, pulling her hair back from her face and tying it with a ribbon.
Inuyasha was silent awhile, watching her as she prepared her self, and watching her still as she made the futon. Briefly, as his thoughts wondered of course a bit, he wondered how the pups could sleep through all of this. Kagome on the other hand thought of nothing, keeping her mind blank. She refused to think about leaving this place at the moment, for she had done something she should not have. She became attached. Kagome had grown fond of Sesshoumaru and Rin, and even Inuyasha as well as the King and Queen though she had not seen much of them. This was the reason that they had kept to themselves, this was the reason they pushed everyone away, so why now did she become friendly? She thought sadly, even though she had been before keeping the thoughts out.
Finally the uncomfortable silence, full of tension one would mistake for the war was broken. "When the battle is won and over you will leave?" He inquired slowly, his voice monotone.
She nodded. "Yes, if Naraku leaves this place alone and goes elsewhere, I will. I have to." She added firmly, more to herself then to Inuyasha.
"What if Naraku was there, would you stay?" Kagome looked at him confused. "And if not, and you beat him elsewhere, where would you go then?"
Kagome contemplated her answer, before looking up to met his amber ones still confused. "I would go home along with Miroku, Sango and the rest of my family if my home would have me. I'm not so sure if they will with what happened." She wrung her hands in a fit a fear. Fear for the future, she had never thought about this, only what she would do when she got to Naraku. Where would she go? "If then, we will find somewhere else to live."
"Then, if you beat Naraku, and your home does not accept you, I will." With that he turned and walked from the room before Kagome could even blink.
The court yard of the castle was filled with men of all sorts, but most were of the dog-demon species, arming themselves with their choice weapons. The noise was almost to much for those of the canine breed, though they dealt with it. If they let this noise level get to them how would they be out one the battle field? Thus they ignored it and went on fallowing formation behind there generals and liege. Both Kouga and Ginta, stood near their own group of men observing their movements with keen eyes, making sure they suited up right. The simplest mistakes were always the ones that cost you when it comes down to it. They would not be brought down by a simple mistake, it would take the enemy to find more then that to bring them down. They would nod curtly when a man came to them for examination before moving into formation behind Sesshoumaru. It was not long before everyone was strapped down with weapons, standing stiff straight, eyes ahead and waiting for their next command. It did both generals proud that their men were so well trained, but now it was time to see once again- for it had been awhile since their last fight- how well they could stand against the enemy.
When the two wolf demon's caught sight of Kagome walking down towards them, Inuyasha not far behind did they tell gather up their small assigned team. Kagome eyed them as they lined up before her as Kouga and Ginta had before, stopping at the end were the two archers stood staring ahead emotionlessly.
It all went by in an instant.
First Kagome was standing, hands clasped behind her back, looking every bit the generals son -not daughter, for no lady of court breeding such as herself should know or have seen the things that she has- that she claimed to be. Inuyasha knew this to be a lie. Then her blade met that of the last archer, while a long knife slide from the sleeve of her armor to counter the other archers katana before it met her neck. They stood in this stand off for a stiff few minutes, before sheathing their blades. The hanyou sighed in relief, his heart had nearly lodged in his own throat when the standoff had engaged. Just what was she thinking?
Kagome smiled. "I had to make sure you knew how to use your katanas, not many can do both very well. Its either one or the other." She explained. "I am Kagome." She held out her hand in a friendly manner.
The first archer shook it. "I am Kiyro, it is a pleasure to meet you." His voice had a ruff edge to it, but his hold on her hand belittled it. "Lady Kagome." He then brought his lips to the back of her hand before bowing and then backing off back into the line and reassuming posture.
The second archer took her hand. "I as well had to test you, lady Kagome. It is not every day you see a lady such as your self with a weapon, you may have been able to draw it, but could you counter an attack from the side?" His eyes twinkled with amusement, and were alit with laughter. "I am in awe of the answer I have found, most would have lost their heads from that. I am Kojo by the way." Kagome's eyes widened slightly. "Is something wrong my lady?" He asked, ever the smooth one. Unlike his brother, Kiyro, he did have a way with women.
"The famed, "Brothers of Destruction," am I right?"
Kojo grinned madly. "Ah, so our reputation has proceeded us, I see."
Kagome shook her head. "No." She replied, looking on in awe at her new found information. "My family has passed on the story of your part in Midoriko's war for centuries." She explained, using the human term name for the war. As his eyes narrowed in confusion Kagome rushed on to elaborate. "My great, great, aunt fought with the youkai that fought along side the humans, her name was Amaya. Stories of how you saved my aunt, and other adventures and antics that you...." She trailed at his look, she tilted her head to the side and wrinkled her nose in confusion. "Is something wrong?"
In a flash Kojo was before her, her head held gently in his hands as his eyes studied her. Inuyasha glowered at the pair, and had to hold back the instinctive growl. He was not jealous, damnit, no matter how much the voice in the back of his head whispered liar constantly. "You look like her, and now I know why." He whispered painfully, Kiyro stood from line and place a comforting hand upon the armor plates dressed upon his back for it was all he could touch. "If she had not died all those years ago, we would be mated with pups of our own."
A tear slipped passed, running down the side of her cheek. Kojo wiped it away. "I am sorry to bring up painful memories, I did not know that part of the story, had I, I would not have brought it up." She reached her hands up to slip his own from her face. "Do not save me." She whispered s that he could only hear. "Kagura will take me, and I will go with her, if only to see my brother. I do not want you hurt because you tried to save me."
With that she stepped away from him and continued down the line, introducing herself to her comrades and in turn learning of their names. When this task was completed, she ordered them to move out with her and Inuyasha leading at the head, the men fallowing at a few paces behind.
As they walked Kagome allowed herself to be consumed by her thoughts, once they got to the village it would need to be evacuated; though that was not the problem. Her worries lied in the battle itself. If Kagura were in fact there, she would make Kagome fight her first as well as the others fight Naraku's minions. Once they had left the castle gates, Inuyasha bent down enough for her to climb upon his back, and Kagome did as he bade with out thought as they were currently elsewhere. Then, once boarded, the wind user would give the option of her going with to see Naraku in exchange for the lives of the others, of those whom fought beside her. She was just not so sure if they would back down and let Kagura take her.
Kagome let her hand travel to the base of her neck and felt the usual chain that resided there... and froze. She should not have the shikon with her right now, she thought as she let her hand travel down and grasp the jewel that hung beneath her armor just above her breast. Kagome closed her eyes and let lose a pained sigh, she was supposed to have met Miroku and Sango before the battle begun and give them the jewel to hold, but she had not for fear that they would try once more to talk her from going with Kagura; and that this time she would listen. For some reason the two were always able to persuade her in the end, after much coaxing though. That is why she had distanced herself as much as she could from their sights. If it were not for her fear she would not have had this problem now.
Kagome clenched her hand in a fist, but relaxed as a thought occurred to her. There was still a chance that she could resolve this and still be able to see her only remaining family; but the question was did she dare risk it? She had her answer before she could even blink.
Yes.
For the last family that she had left, she could sacrifice this secret to Inuyasha. Leaning forward a bit, she whispered to the hanyou's closest ear. "Inuyasha, I have to tell you something, but you have to promise on your honor that you will not speak of this to another living soul, nor will you give away or use what I am about to ask you to hold for me."
Inuyasha was silent a moment, contemplating if he really wished to hear what she seemed to want to tell him. Finally he nodded. "Yes, I give you my word on my honor that I will not." Inuyasha concentrated once more on the land before him, landing upon the branch of a tree before springing off again to land upon the ground. When he did so he sprinted off at full speed, the world around them looking to be a blend of greens and browns with few other colors. Now that she had a look around she was surprised at how fast they were going, and is what she needed to say was not so important she would have enjoyed this ride. Who knew when she would get another.
Satisfied, she began her half true tale that she spun on the moment. She could not bring herself to tell everything, at lest any of the parts that linked Kikyou and herself together. She would not ruin their happiness, she wanted her sister to be happy and she would not take that chance away. "I am not a general's daughter."
Inuyasha nearly fell in mid leap when that sentence past her lips. Was she going to give him the whole truth now? "Go on," he urged. He landed once more, his nose telling him that they would be at this the village in less then half an hour, then wind carrying the stench of the village to his nose.
Kagome nodded against his back, knowing that he could not see it but would feel it. She went on, albeit a little apprehensive. Sensing this Inuyasha, unknown to himself, had began to growl softly in his chest in an effort to comfort her like he had done once before after a nightmare she had woken from. "I am the daughter of a lord -that is all you'll get from me on that- and I had trained to become a miko instead of the heir to throne. My other sibling was who trained for this... I had a friend whom was a miko, I thought she was my friend, but she was jealous of me I guess." She held on tighter to Inuyasha for comfort, and his growls became more soothing. "I heard a noise and went to investigate it and found Naraku and my friend holding my father with a blade to his throat, she slit it and watched him bleed dry laughing all the way and then had Kagura take my remaining family away." She took a deep breath, while Inuyasha questioned why Kikyou never spoke of this too him, and then again his thoughts traveled to where she had been when this all took place. "This was all over a jewel that had been in my protection at the time."
Inuyasha stilled, she was telling him. His heart was in anguish, why did she have to tell him now? Why did she have to trust him now, of all times? She wasn't suppose to ever, and then he would not have to feel obligated to fallow Kikyou's ridiculous plan. Yes, he decided, her plan was very stupid indeed. He did not want to fallow through with it. "Why are you telling me this?" He questioned, hopping to all that was holy that she could not detect the pain in his voice. It would seem she did not.
"I forgot to give it to Sango, and I have it with me now." She responded. "If Kagura takes me, then Naraku would have the jewel and I can't have that. He would destroy the world as we know it with that thing, so I need you to hold it for me. They would not think to look for it on you, nor would they try and abduct you for you have done nothing to take their notice. At lest not as of yet." She took it from around her neck and replaced it around Inuyasha's own.
Inuyasha brought a clawed hand up to his, and felt it's smooth surface against his palm. "I can't take this."
"You have to." Kagome pleaded. "And remember you gave your word on your honor, so you can't give it to anyone else and you can't use it."
Inuyasha smiled slightly at that, felling a tad bit better at those words. Surely Kikyou would not make him go against a promise and his own word made upon his honor. "Alright, but you owe me one."
Once Kagome and Inuyasha had both stepped foot upon the village soil, the young miko looked around in awe. It wasn't that the village was the most affluent she had ever seen, as she had seen better; that was in human ruled regions. Not demon. So to see a human village on demon ruled land with sturdy huts, some of the finest rice fields and such along with a wonderfully mapped out irrigation was a great shocker. Inuyasha catching her look grinned as he announced, "My father may be a demon, but he did fight along side humans. He wouldn't put his life on the line to save them, then turn around and treat them poorly. It's not how he works."
Kagome nodded absentmindedly, as she watched the workers in the rice field harvest their crops while the children danced around through the streets, moving through bystanders, playing games. Mother's were shooing their children inside the house for dinner, while other women of their houses chatted outside them of the latest gossip. Men doing exactly the same not to far from them. She could hear, from her place upon the hill, the faint calls from merchants for their wares and the faint sounds of life. The village was relatively small, and quiet. It was nice, and somewhat reminded her of her own village. She may have been born into royalty, but spent most of her time in Kaede's village, were she trained her miko powers. She love the simple life they had, and the quiet. Around the castle something was always happening, there was always yelling, always fighting because Kikyou did not want to train as heir, because another ruler was upset with father and other such things. The most being the sentencing of a criminal, they always made such a fuss as they were being dragged away.
She could remember a time when her father came to the village with her, just she and him. He had, had some free time and chose to spend it with her in the place she spoke so much of. Her father had walked with her, watched her as she preformed her priestess duties and then afterwards accompanied her to her favorite spot. He had promised her that when she had finished her training he and she would come back this village and remain there for a few weeks. He could only give her a few weeks as that was as long as he could stay away from the castle without being missed too much. Kagome's vision blurred with tears at the direction her thoughts were taking, he was dead now. He could not keep that promise or any other. She gripped the bow so tightly in her hand that the wooden shaft threatened to snap in two. Even if he did not die, the village and all its inhabitants were destroyed by Naraku's hand and she could do nothing. Then she was by herself against a good two legions of youkai, and by the time she was able to take out one line they reappeared once again as if she had done nothing to it at all. Naraku had left her alive purposely so that she was able to see the dead bodies of her friends, and the children she had come to adore. The people she had promised to protect with her life. The were all dead, and she did not lose her life. Some how it did not seem fair to her.
Kagome snapped from her melancholy thoughts at the touch of a clawed hand upon her arm. Startled, her eyes found amber watching her with an emotion akin to worry, or perhaps it was concern. She narrowed her eyes in confusion. "Are you alright? Why were you crying?" His voice was soft, and belittled the personality he seemed to show most of the time, the tough front he seemed to wear like a second skin.
Startled once again by his revelation, Kagome placed two fingers upon her cheek and slid them down bringing them to her line of vision. Her eyes grew slightly at the wetness there; she had been crying. Her face reddened slightly at all of the eyes focused on her, eyes of the men that fallowed her here and the eyes of the villagers. They had all been waiting for her to speak for sometime, and then the girl started to cry for no reason at all, all the while looking straight ahead, eyes dulled in thought. Taking a deep breath to gather her nerves together, she answered. "I'm fine, this village just reminds me of my second home." She whispered so that only Inuyasha and few other demons whom were near by could hear. In a much louder voice she said to the villagers. "I'm not sure how fast word travels around here, but if you have not hear it yet then I shall tell you now. Naraku is planning on destroying this peaceful village and unless you go with..." She paused her eyes searching the ranks of her men. "These two youkai right here, Karc and Jun'jou. They will lead you to safety and protect you from harm. I suggest you all form a line the old being first, children and their mothers, and then the village men and whomever is left."
She turned away from them as they began to do just as she said. Kagome looked to Karc and Jun'jou, noticing their chaste-fallen faces. They wished to be in the fight, not escort villagers to safety. She smiled slightly, they did not know Naraku to think that they would not be needed to fight with this task, and with that thought her smile turned into a grimace. "You two, please be careful when you escort them away, Naraku will be sure to send demons to cut you off. They will be strong ones too, he does not like it when he tries to destroy a village and some manage to survive. I doubt he would stand for it, if all of them did." The two nodded, checking their equipment before starting off towards the masses that were already assembled and waiting to leave.
Sesshoumaru let the corners of his mouth twitch up ward, but no more then that showed upon his stoic face as he begun to tell of the plan Kagome had formulated. "When they get there they are going to have two of them escort the humans to a cave just west of the village, the exact opposite of where Naraku's men will come in. Though Kagome says Naraku will not stand for them to escape unharmed, I just hope that two men will be enough to hold of his attempts. Kagome seems to think so, and as it stands she know more of then enemy then I myself or another in this kingdom, unless of course this person happened to work for the cretin. The cave before hand was set up to receive them with provisions ready, as we have no idea how long this should last. Humans need so much to survive." He put in the last part as an after thought.
Inutashio glared slightly at his son, but chose to ignore the remark knowing already that it was not directed as his step-mother, his mate-to-be, nor Inuyasha's maid and hopefully mate-to-be. Taking up the goblet of punch wine to his right, he began to drink it slowly. A father could only dream though, what father in their right mind would not want a girl such as her in the family and in their son's life? Obviously one not in their right mind. "That was very well thought out of her, I am truly amazed at her skills as a traction, especially the preparations. Not many would think of such things, most would wish to have the humans out of the way so that they may get rid of the enemy."
Sesshoumaru shook his head, a smile definitely present this time. "Believe it or not father, but that part in the plan came form your younger, ill-temper son, Inuyasha."
The older taiyoukai nearly dropped the glass in his hand, his brows disappearing beneath his bangs. The old man nearly had a heart-attack, he was so shocked. Well maybe that was not the quite the word for it, but more in a state of complete disbelief. Grabbing at his heart he whispered the words out fiercely as is to say them any louder would make them untrue. "You that brat of mine, the one whom always says, 'lets just me and Sess go in an take care of them. I mean with Tetsusaiga's power and Tokijin's combined we should be no match for them.' Oh, and lets not for get the personal favorite. 'Let's just storm them and kick their arses.'"
Sesshoumaru nodded. "That'd be the one."
"Well I'll be damned." He rubbed his chin. "Maybe that girl is rubbing off on him, well continue on I'd like to hear more about this plan, oh, and warn me next time if any more surprise that might send me to my grave of shock come up." Sesshoumaru nodded, with an 'as you wish father,' rolling off his tongue.
Kagome now stood in the center of the village with Inuyasha at her side, directing the men through the next piece of the plan. She had already sent some one to fetch all the hay that they could, another for water and another for dirt. They were a bit confused by her orders, by they would understand shortly, even now she could see the light of realization dawn in the eyes of some while other's looked completely lost. She laughed slightly to her self. Stepping forward, she decided they had enough to being. "This is going to be a bit dirty, but in order to hide your...
"...to hide their scents, Kagome planned on having the men 'cover themselves from head to toes in mud', were her exact words. It would seen that this wind-sorceress was a master at gathering the scent in the wind no matter how small, and the mud would cover their own scent enough to go undetected by her. Kagome wishes for this Kagura to not know of their existents yet, she, after they have cover in mud, will have them hide under hay. The archers on the roof, the swordsmen near the front in hay piles, while the fighters were more to the back. The Kagome-sama says she wishes to have-"
"Lady Kagome," Inutashio interjected. "I see this human seems to have your respects, is she that good?"
"Hai, father. Even I can not deny that the young miko has a talent for the battle field, and neither can I deny the fact that she has Inuyasha as a love-stricken fool though he does not realize it. There are times that I catch him banging his head and damning her name."
"Ah, I see. So he's in the denial stage then, I take it." Sesshoumaru nodded. "Alright then, continue."
"As I was saying, she wishes to have 'one up on Kagura,' were her words. She wants to fight Kagura alone, and want none to interfere." When his father opened his mouth, he quickly interjected. "There was nothing that we could do to stop such a decision from her, but Inuyasha is there to insure that she does not let Kagura abduct her for Naraku."
"What! She wants this, and you let her go! The girl obviously doesn't know what hell she gotten herself into!"
"No father, she knows exactly what it is, and she will be able to handle this." He cut into his father's ranting.
Inutashio turned glaring eyes upon his oldest. "You know something, that I do not, and I don't like it. So you either tell me now, or I tell Rin what's been happening to all of her suitors."
Sesshoumaru's eyes widened in horror, his mouth dropping open as a gasp fell from his lips, the most emotion ever shown upon his face, at the older youkai's threat.
Kagome surveyed her surroundings, her eyes turning over every inch of land. She needed to be sure of all possible exits, all possible sides of attack as well as that all of Inuyasha's men were well hidden. Her search showed her that even though there was the main attack point -the eastern rice fields- from which Kagura would come from, there were also the western rice fields right behind them. Not to mention, if the demons chose to, there were several different ways they could be surprised by traveling in between the paths around the huts and as long as the demons stay grounded it would be easy to lose them there as well. That is if the demon did not have too great of smell. Her eyes then went back to the direction of the eastern rice fields as the wind picked up in intensity. Her raven strands flying about widely and mixing in with the silver of the hanyou, of whom, instantly moved closer to her side when the unnatural winds began.
In a flurry of dirt, leaves and other such natural durbes of the forest floors appeared Kagura standing with the arrogant pride of one assured of victory. Kagome narrowed her eyes, determined for the wind sorceress not to leave the victory of this fight. She moved forward a step opening her mouth to make some witty comment as usual; she froze. A figure moved out from behind the incarnation, small in stature with a sickle in his right hand while his lifeless eyes looked on ahead of him with no intended direction. His dark brown hair swayed in the wind created by Kagura, while his arm sickle and all moved backwards as if preparing to throw, but went no further.
Kagome narrowed her eyes at the sight of him, then turned those eyes with much more heat onto Kagura. "I see now, Naraku knew that we would be here, did he?"
Kagura laughed that throaty laugh of hers, flipping open her fan before her face to hid her features from view. "Yes, of course Naraku knew, he knows everything you do in your pitiful life Kagome. You'll never win."
"No, It would seem your informant told you wrong. Sango is not here, she is at the front and thus you will not be able to torment her with her lifeless brother." The young miko spat. "It's pitiful really, I would have suspected the all knowing Naraku would have figured that one out! Actually, I would think he would found a new means of torture for us, using Sango's brother is starting to get old."
Kagura's smile became frozen in place as her eyes narrowed in furry at each word spoken. Slowly her lips curled that the ends, in what most would call a devious smirk. "Oh I don't know about that." Kagura began. "Would you like to hear about what she has told you brother, what he believes?" She inquired sweetly, if she could not make the life of one a miserable existence then why not try for the other. Besides the little miko had it coming to her, the girl always seemed to spoil everything.
"You be quite about Souta!" She shouted.
"Why, where would the fun in that be." Kagura laughed. "He doesn't think you are coming for him and he hates you for it." Kagome's hand trembled as she reached behind her for an arrow. "He thinks that you don't care for him anymore because she tells him so. She tells him that you would rather he die then give up some worthless jewel." Kagome took aim trying to block her ears from the sound of her voice, while Kagura kept on enjoying herself immensely. "You do know that he wishes for your death, I have heard him scream it as he is being tortured by Ki-" She never had the chance to finish for she was much to busy trying to dodge the arrow heading towards her heart. The missed by breaths inch of her shoulder and hit the ground causing a massive explosion.
"Urasi!" Inuyasha finally intervened, not liking the pain coming from Kagome's scent. The demon in him demanded that he ride the girl of it, the slight coppery scent with an sharp edge to it irritated his sensitive nose causing him to sneeze largely in an attempt to clear it. "I have heard enough of your voice." He proclaimed as he unsheathed his Tetsusaiga. It was clear from the unimpressed look that crossed the wind sorceress's features that she felt she need not fear his blade, and Inuyasha had to hid a smirk of arrogant pride. She would not feel that way for long. With the flick of his wrist the katana became a large fang, drawing it up he brought it down with a mighty swing with a shout of. "Kaze no Kizu!" Inuyasha watched in satisfaction as the blast ran over half of her left side, and held no disappointment at all that she managed to escape it. He knew that she would. This attack was only made as a warning; he wanted to shut her up.
Kagura gazed down at her bloodied left arm that hung uselessly at her side before glaring at the hanyou. "How dare you!" She screeched. "If that is how you want to play, then fine!" Drawing up her fan she brought it down, and with it a horde of lower level demons fell from the sky like the rains of hell for the attack.
Kagome whistled once, and the archers made themselves known picking off demons from the sky one at a time in rapid procession. With another two whistles the demons Sesshoumaru sent with them that hide upon the ground popped up and began to fight and destroy the demons that had made it to ground level. Kagome reveled sweetly in the shocked expression that crossed Kagura's painted features, as she took up fighting with one eye on Kohaku whom stood watching everything passively. She would let no harm come to him, and if things went down to it Kagome would fight the boy herself.
As her eyes traversed the battle field after her arrow purified a demon from existence, one thought crossed her mind.
The war has begun now; Sango, Miroku, be safe...
A/N: Wow, I've been gone a really long time O0 , but it won't happen again, this I can assure you. I only ever move once a year and sometimes after a six month period, for some reason my parents are never satisfied to stay in one place for so long. I would have gotten this out a long time ago, but it took a while to get the phone lines working and then the computers hooked up.
Anyways, I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter, I made it extra long for you cause of the long wait. I think this one here is about 13,000 when normally I write about 8,000 per chapter; at the most.
I also want to say thank you very much to all of my reviewers out there, I would not have been able to get this chapter out as fast as I had without your support egging me on. Especially with the support of my sis, cold-heritage which now goes by the name of Devour The Flame. So I say thank you so very much to all of you wonderful peoples out there, this chapter is dedicated to you!!!!!!!!!!!
I personally think that this is one of my best chapters.
Story recommendation: If you haven't yet read this fic then you really gotta, it's hilarious!! Hojou falls through the well into the feudal era, and with a promise made by Inuyasha not to kill him and to make sure that he is not killed they have to figure out why he can't return. With Hojou charming all the women and the men wishing for nothing more then to take his head will the boy from the future be able to make it out of this all alive? If you want to find out, then you have to read This Can't Be Good and trust me you are sorely missing out on a truly wonderful fic. If one of those hard-to-make-you-laugh- people and the story doesn't tickle your stomach then the commenter between the author and Kurama will surely have you clutching your stomach and fighting to breath through the laughter.