. : Muichi Motsu : .
: . By Akikazu . :
. : Chapter Eighteen : .
"Ani, I hadn't expected you to come so soon…"
"Obviously," he growled, a hard glare centered on the redhead that was holding her.
Kagome jumped out of Kurama's embrace and rushed to Sesshomaru's side, hoping to prevent any major battles that seemed to be forthcoming. Out of all the times for Sesshomaru to show up, it would of course be when she and Kurama where hugging.
The attack on the house had been two days prior and Kurama had hardly left her side at all and they had grown to be much more comfortable in each other's presence. It was at the moment extremely early in the morning and Kurama had been comforting after a particularly vicious nightmare.
Of course thought he embrace had been one hundred percent innocent she imagined that it looked compromising. The fact that they had been on her bed and in their pajamas wasn't help.
She brushed her hand across his arms in a soothing manner and Sesshomaru's arm struck out and yanked her closer to his side.
"Leave," he barked, the command directed towards Kurama.
Kurama hesitated for a moment but seeing the red tint spark in the elder youkai's eyes he left the room reluctantly.
"Sesshomaru, stop this."
He glared at her for a second before pushing her onto her bed. He stood a foot or so away from her, still standing, towering over her.
"Explain yourself."
"I had a nightmare, Kurama came in to check up on me and ended up comforting me. I… I really like him nii-san."
"Kagome…"
"I know that my choice in guys isn't the greatest but there's just something about Kurama… I just want to get to know him."
Sesshomaru said nothing, is eyes darkened in deep thought. Then his eyes sparked and a creepy grin flashed on his face but only for a second.
"Very well, I shall test the fox. If he is found worthy then and only then shall he be allowed to approach you."
She felt a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach, she knew that this 'test' would be nearly impossible to pass. But there was no way out of it, she had always known that being adopted by Sesshomaru would make him an over protective big brother, but she somehow could help herself.
"Whatever," Kagome then changed the subject. "So what cause you to come to the Ningenkai so early, I thought you were going to be gone longer."
"I was but new of the attack on you reached me last night and so I decided to return earlier. Epsilon came in handed I trust?"
"Yeah. Did you know you were sending me away with a demon I had to seal?"
Sesshomaru took a seat next to her, figuring there was no point of standing till his feet ached when there was no present harm in sitting.
"You used yourself as the seal's anchor and by doing such Epsilon would have died if he had stayed in the Ningenkai with me. Despite my locking him into the mirror centuries ago, I have no wish for him to perish so needlessly."
"If he hadn't been around I might have been killed by some random demon. Later he wandered off somewhere but Kurama came and guarded us."
"I expected that, that girl, Botan, her aura has been erased from the living word."
Kagome vaguely remembered a girl with blue hair but shrugged it off. It didn't particularly matter to her if she could hardly remember her.
"Where is he?"
"He wanders the mansion during the night."
"Nh. How's Shippo doing?"
She smiled, though he didn't show it Kagome knew that he loved the kit, just as an uncle should.
"He sleeps next door. He's still very energetic and his power sometimes when he sleeps. The first night he thought he had wet the bed."
A light laugh escaped her at the memory and even Sesshomaru managed a small smile at the mental image.
"It's nice being able to talk with my imoto again."
"It has been a long time hasn't it," she snuck a peek at him from the corner of her eye. "Especially for you."
He stiffened and Kagome snickered in her mind. She was probably the only one that knew Sesshomaru was a bit touchy about his age.
"Don't worry Sesshomaru ani, I'll still be here for our little chats even if you go senile like my ojii-san."
He growled lowly.
"I am not old," he muttered.
She went in for the kill.
"Of course you're not old… It's more along the lines of ancient."
Sesshomaru pounced on her and Kagome gave a half laugh half shrink before finding herself pinned to the bed.
However before Sesshomaru could say anything there was a knock at the door.
"Kagome-chan, is anything wrong in there?"
The slightly vicious spark was back in Sesshomaru's eyes when he heard the voice calling from the other side of the door. He stood and started towards it only stopping when his hand was firmly on the knob. Sesshomaru turned to her, his face now a mask of impassiveness.
"Don't interfere."
She grinned, "certainly, my lord."
He growled and threw open the door, focusing his eyes on the red head waiting outside.
"You, come with me."
Sesshomaru stormed off down the hallway and Kurama cast a long glance back at her before following.
"Good luck," she whispered.
: Keiko :
"How are you faring today, my fair Keiko?"
She looked up from her bed sheets, at the man as he approached her, his dark eyes gleaming. After thinking her situation through last night she could bring herself to hate him. Perhaps she was just beyond caring.
"What do you want now Sensui?" Her voice was flat, none of her usual emotion shining through.
Sensui sat on the edge of her bed, unconcerned with her lack of welcome. He had kidnapped her after all.
"I bring good news Keiko, you are no longer to be Yusuke's murderer."
A small spark of hope lit in her eyes and she turned to him, focusing all her attention on the man who was code name was Dark Angel. She found it to be in good reason.
"May I now return to him?"
His dark eye locked with hers.
"No."
Her face fell and she looked away, blinking back tears. Her hopes were crushed but she knew that if she returned she would always be a hazard to Yusuke.
"Why?" She managed to choke out despite her inner reasoning.
"Your destinies are no longer entwined. Yusuke shall have his new love and you will have another as well."
She gasped. Her? Take another? How could she possibly do so when she had already found her soul mate in Yusuke?
"Yes Keiko and with that, I end my interference in Yusuke's future. You however are to remain here, until your new love is accepted into your heart."
Sensui stood and left, letting the door softly shut behind him. With his final words ringing in her ears Keiko collapsed back onto her pillow. Tears flowed heavily down her cheeks but no sobs sounded from her lips.
"Why can't I stay at the side of the one I love?"
She felt sick at the thought of loving another. No one would ever be able to replace Yusuke in her heart. Keiko wish with all her heart that she could see the love Yusuke once had for her in his eyes again.
"I know how you feel."
Keiko turned her head to face the speaker.
Itsuki.
: Yukina :
Yusuke had not woken up since he had fallen after the battle. However the many injured he had sustained while protecting Yukina all showed signs of healing and none of infection.
Yukina stayed by his bedside the whole time. Genkai periodically came in to check up on his progress but otherwise the two were left alone.
She felt so horrible and was nearly in tears. Yukina felt very responsible for having gotten Yusuke hurt again after he had yet again come to her aid.
"I'm sorry, Yusuke-kun," she whispered woefully, a tear leaking down her face and becoming a gem as it plinked to the floor.
"Don't sweat it."
Yukina jumped at the grumble. Peaking over at the bed she saw Yusuke attempting to raise himself into the sitting position. She hurried to his side and helped him up.
"Damn… Sometimes I swear…"
He continued like that for a few moments ranting so only the first part of each sentence could be heard before it trailed off in a mumble. Then Yusuke finally sighed and leaned back against the wall.
"You must think that I'm pathetic."
Yukina shook her head, "not at all Yusuke-kun."
"Well, I am."
"How so?"
Her head tilted curiously, all traces of sorrow gone.
"The girl I intended to marry dumps me and all I do is fight and get injured. I haven't even tried to think of a way to win her back, and I won't. Keiko deserves better than the likes of me."
To him the silence that followed was incriminating but Yukina's whisper soon softly broke it.
"I hope that one day I can find a man who will love me as much as you love Keiko. But there aren't many men out there that would, are there."
"Kuwabara cares for you," Yusuke said awkwardly.
"I know… He's just not a man I would see for myself."
"Yeah, I understand. Kuwabara is an ugly monkey face."
Yukina seemed horrified at his words but soon she burst into giggles and Yusuke soon joined her, though it pained his ribs to laugh as he was doing.
Genkai watched the pair from the doorway for a second and then turned away. She walked down the hall with a smile on her face. Yusuke had always been one to bounce back quickly.
: Epsilon :
He was curled up of the outside sill of some random window, letting the cool morning breeze ruffle his fur.
It was a fine day, one that saw the return of the demon lord and the end to the only death youkai that he could possibly consider a threat at the moment.
Yes the only one that could even attempt to claim his title had fallen and when he was not even at the top of his game.
A rumble that sounded nearly like a purr rose from his throat.
Death was content for the time being.
: Kurama :
Sesshomaru was glaring at him from across the large desk he had sat behind. And for those first few minutes there were no words, just a contest of wills, there eyes locking and hold for endless seconds.
"My sister is one of few people that I have ever held important in my life and she has been hurt far too many times when I was unable to protect her. And I will do anything to protect her. Why should I allow you that chance?" He paused, "but have a chance you shall."
A short man slipped into the room and came to a stop next to Sesshomaru's desk, ignoring Kurama to watch the elder youkai attentively.
"You shall be given two tasks. Jaken will brief you and will report your progress to me. Afterwards we will see where you stand," Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. "You are dismissed, fox."
Kurama rose stiffly and left the room, Jaken trailed after him.
"What is my first task?"
"Sesshomaru-sama wishes to see how you fare against an army of youkai while protecting someone," the imp sighed heavily. "Kagome-sama is constantly under attack and so if you wish to be her companion you must be capable of fending off enemies."
A portal opened up in front of them and they stepped through it and into the Makai. A massive horde was awaiting them and Kurama stepped in front of Jaken.
"Am I correct in assuming I am to protect you?"
"Hai. Feel free to kill them all, they're only shikigami."
Perfect. Kurama hated fighting shikigami, they just wouldn't die. It was his turn to sigh.
"Very well, Stay close Jaken-san."
He ran a hand through his hair and produced his signature rose. Drawing it through the air swiftly, it transformed and he twirled it easily. Kurama crouched slightly and touched his free hand to the grassy ground.
"Here we go."
The shikigami army charged forward, a battle cry sounding from their ranks. Jaken quivered slightly when Kurama didn't stir from his position.
Then plants of all sort burst from the ground as Kurama pumped some of his yoki into ground. Some of the plants impaled charging shikigami while others formed an impenetrable wall that limited the points the shikigami could attack from.
Kurama straightened and waited. His whip licked out to destroy any shikigami that came close enough. And before long the shikigami stopped coming and Kurama hadn't even broken out into a sweat.
"There, that's finished."
"Well played, Kurama-sama. Your technique must certainly be on par with none other than Sesshomaru-sama himself."
He nearly snorted at the imps praise. Another portal appeared before them and Jaken ceased his babbling.
"Shall we continue to your next task?"
Kurama nodded and they stepped through the portal back into the Ningenkai. He looked around curiously and his eye widened slightly.
"I'm sorry about this Kurama-sama," Jaken whimpered.
"SHUICHI-SAMA!"
The screams caused his ears to ring and the fox felt like running. The swarm was upon them immediately and Jaken looked up at Kurama.
"Your next task is to deal with them. And you have to tell them about Kagome-sama. You'll have to deal with them eventually if you want to ever be with Kagome-sama."
He now knew the meaning of torture.
: . End Chapter . :
. : Author's Note : .
I look at this story now and think, damn I didn't think it was going to be so long. By this time I thought the story might have been at least been winding down by now, but this will defiantly carry past the twenty chapter goal making this the longest story I've made yet.
So Keiko is defiantly out of the picture for Yusuke and to be slight strange and twisted I was thinking Itsuki, Sensui, or Koenma for her… Scary I know.
Well Sesshomaru has returned and I know some of you were waiting for his reaction to Kurama and here you have it.
This chapter was a little late but it was longer, in honor of my birthday which was last Tuesday, I am now fifteen. Though my presenting you with something for my birthday may sound a little strange, I just felt the need to do something.
: . Next Chapter . :
Chapter Nineteen will feature:
The reaction to Botan's timely demise
Kurama's second challenge
A man to man conversation with Sesshomaru and his prospective brother-in-law
Some more hyper Shippo
Keiko's encounter with Itsuki
Yusuke on his road to recovery with Yukina
and
Kuwabara and Hiei return
Ciao