A/N: Thanx to all the reviews as usual and I just have to say that it has been fun writing all of these fan fictions. Though I got to say that I'm starting to get really bored with having to write them. Any ways I'd like to quote my friends famous words, "Is it that small?"
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or that dam clay pot of his which will be making an appearance somewhere in the story later on.
Chappie # 11 Shard huntingKagome woke up yawning loudly as the sun peeped through the blinds. The room that she now occupied was empty of any person that she had sensed before she woke up. It must have been Merodi in her room for there is a fresh set of clothing for Kagome to put on for the morning meal and then her training. Kagome quickly took her bath and dressed calling Merodi in to tie the difficult obi.
Kagome went through her daily routine of sitting by Sesshomaru and finishing her meal then heading of to training. But today she decided to lag behind a little. Only until Rin leave did she bring up her question about the jewel shards.
"Sesshomaru sama, when will I be leaving to gather the jewel shards again?"\
"Miko, you are not to gather the jewel shards, it much to dangerous for you miko." Sesshomaru said bluntly. He was about to get up went Kagome came out with another question with a bit of ice in her tone, which made Sesshomaru arch his perfect brow.
"And what make you think that you can make me stay!" she shouted.
"This Sesshomaru doesn't think, this Sesshomaru knows."
"You don't know anything! It is my responsibility to gather the shards back together and you nor will any one else stop me!" Kagome jumped up and ran out the door. She headed towards her chamber and changed into her training kimono. After she gathered her bow and arrows she headed towards the courtyard. As she neared the gate something gripped her shoulder harshly. She turned around to see that it was Sesshomaru.
"What do you think you are doing? Lets me go!' Kagome demanded. Wrong move…
"No one miko will ever order this Sesshomaru!" he growled.
Kagome yanked her shoulder away from his grip and turned to walk away. As she took a few steps forward something appeared in front of her and blocked her path. Just her luck, it was Sesshomaru, she thought that she had gotten her point across.
"Leave me alone Sesshomaru, I'm not in the mood! I'm going to hunt those shards down, it's my duty."
Sesshomaru liked the idea that she was responsible but he was angry that she would defy him. He wanted to strangle her but balled his claw into a fist and tried his best to keep it at his side instead. Kagome tried to step to the side of him but was blocked by his arm. She smacked him out of anger and stood there glaring him the face.
How dare this ningen women's hand touch this Sesshomaru's face! She will pay.
Sesshomaru's eyes started to bleed a red color. Kagome stared at him until she realized what she did. She watched as his eyes glowed that dangerous color of blood. She was terrified. How could she do that? Now because of her mistake she was going to die for it.
Sesshomaru raised his claw quickly and brought down his backhand across Kagome's left cheek with so much force that he sent her twisting through the air and into a tree. After he heard her back hit the trunk of the tree with a sickening crack he went back to normal. He looked at where Kagome landed and secretly regretted what he did. He headed over to her limp body and picked her up into his arms and headed back into the castle to seek out help for her injury.
Hhhhhhmmmmm… so it seems the youkai and miko aren't exactly as friendly as I thought they were. Oh well, at least she won't be bothering me for a while. She and that youkai are such a nuisance to me. First she steals my shards and now my throne has been stolen.
The little glow in the mirror disappeared and the only thing left was the reflection on the essence of a demon named Naraku. He didn't truly have a physical body yet but he is still strong enough to reincarnate himself.
"Kanna! Go get Kagura!" Naraku demanded.
The pale-fleshed girl with deathly white hair nodded absent-mindedly and drifted into the darkness. She came back a minute later with a wind demon sorceress. The sorceress was lean and graceful with her movements as if the wind carried her feet. She had short black hair that was tied into a high ponytail with feathers that hung off at the ends. He eyes were red with a look that almost always looked like it smirked at you.
"Kagura, I want you to follow the miko who will eventually get away from Sesshomaru, when she does get away from Sesshomaru I want for you to report to me everything she does and everywhere she goes and tell me whether she has been in contact with that youkai. Do understand Kagura?"
"Why must I follow a worthless human miko? She is of no use to us." Kagura explained.
"You must follow her because I have this…" Naraku smirked as his essence revealed a beating organ with in its grasp. He squeezed it slightly and watched as Kagura fell to her knees while clutching at her chest.
"Now little wench, will you listen or must I teach you how to obey again?"
"Fine! I'll go, I'll go, just stop hurting me…" said Kagura as she gasped for air.
Naraku relished the pain that he could inflict upon her. She was a wind sorceress. She longed to be free like the wind it self, to run about on open terrain and know no boundaries. To be carefree. To Naraku it was fun to take all this away from her. It was fun to see her squirm from his grasp. She could have anything she wished for by taking it by force but she still couldn't have her heart.
Kagome woke up with a start; she felt a pain on her left cheek. All she remembered was her smacking Sesshomaru and after that everything went black. Kagome tried to sit up but felt an enormous amount of pain jolt up her back like fire. It burned her spine and forced her to lie back down. She cried out in pain as she lay down, the touch of the futon on her back also hurt her.
Sesshomaru heard Kagome's pain filled cries from out side o her room. He had been pacing back and forth there for about 5 hours now since the morning when he brought her in. He can't believe that he had lost control of himself. Now he has injured Kagome and wasn't sure if he should apologize or just to go about as if nothing had happened at all.
He rushed in at the sound of her cry. Her face was scrunched together in pain as her hand reached down to touch her back. She hadn't noticed her she was pretty much nude and had a cloth wrap around her lower back where a bruise appeared. Her bear chest was open to his view and he almost enjoyed the view until he remembered that he had gotten her hurt. He immediately rushed over and pulled the covers over her.
Kagome looked up to see Sesshomaru. He sat beside her and pulled the covers up to her shoulders. Until she realized the covers were not just on her for warmth she blushed at being nude out in the open and not able to move.
"What happened?" inquired Kagome.
"I hurt you." Sesshomaru answered flatly.
"Yeah I kinda figured that out, but really happened, did you hit me?"
Sesshomaru didn't answer that question. He figured that she would know if he kept silent. He didn't wish to speak of this subject, it embarrassed him that he hit her out of rage and not out of his own rational minded will.
He turned away from Kagome's gaze and felt a small slender soft hand rest upon his.
"Sesshomaru, I want an answer." Kagome whispered.
"…"
Sesshomaru,"
"…"
"Sesshomaru, I don't like to repeat myself more than once, did you or did you not hit me?"
"Yes I did."
"Oh, okay then, I forgive you."
Sesshomaru couldn't believe his ears. Did his hearing deceive him? She said that she forgave him. Why would she forgive him knowing that he wished to and did hurt her? She was a strange woman indeed.
"Why do you forgive?"
"Because…"
"Because?"
"Because we are friends Sesshomaru, and friends forgive each other whether or not their mistakes were purposeful or not."
What Kagome said intrigued him. She amazed him to no end. She forgave so much and called him friend.
How foolish she can be. Why should she forgive so much if she received nothing in return? She does not benefit from it, why does she even bother? This is something extremely new.
Sesshomaru nodded and stood up to leave. As he left through the door Kagome summoned her miko powers to heal herself faster. Just as a youkai would she healed herself completely with in the hour. She stood up and pulled on her training Kimono and quietly opened a window. She climb out and jumped, she landed on her feet and started to run. All the while Sesshomaru smiled at how she thought that he would just leave her alone. He slowly went after her knowing that he could catch her anytime. Unknowingly to both, there was a red pair of eyes trailing them.
They're on the move Naraku, it seems that the youkai is following her at a slow pace and has fallen behind her by at least a mile or so…
Good Kagura… now go up ahead and follow the miko only, but keep your scent concealed and your senses open. If you sense the taiyoukai near then retreat or else he will kill you.
Yes Naraku.
Kagura… remember if you mess up then your heart will suffer for it, I won't tolerate failure from you.
Yes Naraku.
Kagome ran as fast as she can and used her powers as a boost of speed. She sensed that Sesshomaru might be following her so she had to get as far away as possible. She ran into a nearby forest and rested a bit just to catch her breath. After she was done she began to walk again. It was about an hour or more before she was sure that she had put enough distance between her and Sesshomaru. She found a spring and took a quick bath. She couldn't let her guard down in Sesshomaru's forest. It seems like the forest was void of any life, as if Sesshomaru had everything eliminated. Where was everybody?
Kagome was thinking so hard that she tripped over a rock and fell to her knees. The she heard a cold laugh come from a tree. Who the hell…
"Who are you, show yourself!" Kagome demanded. Out from behind the tree that stood directly in front of her stepped a replica of herself, only older.
"Who the hell are you?" asked a confused Kagome.
"The question is why do you have my soul reincarnate?" retorted the mysterious woman who looked like Kagome.
"What do you mean I have your soul, I would never take some ones soul!"
"Ah but you do have mines."
"No I don't! You have your own soul and I have mine now leave before I have to force myself to kill you!"
"You can't kill what is already dead…"
And with a swift movement the woman pulled out her bow and shot an arrow at Kagome's shoulder. What is it with every one hurting me today!
Kagome shouted out in pain and clutched her bleeding shoulder.
"Cheap shot!" Kagome shouted.
"I did not know that I have to pay a price, how much will it be if I aim at your heart, you have my soul after all and I intend to reclaim it!' this woman smirked a cold smile that made Kagome shiver. She could have found more warmth in Sesshomaru's icy gazes of death!
"How does it feel Kagome? How does it feel to know that your soul belongs to someone else?"
Kagome cursed meeting this woman. She knew that Sesshomaru wasn't that far behind and that she should shout her lungs out for him but first she wanted some answers.
"Who are you!" Kagome growled loudly. She perfectly knew that she wasn't going to die so she could flirt with death if she wanted to.
"I'm Kikyou, you're my reincarnation and you have taken my soul, and I want it back!"
"That is all I needed to know," Kagome said, "SESSHOMARU!"
Sesshomaru heard Kagome's scream and in a flash was by her side. He looked down at Kagome and then at her opponent. It almost made him choke to see another cold older Kagome standing near a tree in a miko uniform. But that Kagome was different other then her older look. She smelled of graveyard soil, bones and clay. It was a disgusting smell. Sesshomaru helped Kagome up and sneered at the one in front of them.
"Ah, needed a filthy youkai to save you Kagome?" Kikyou taunted.
"Shut up! He's not filthy!" Kagome yelled.
Sesshomaru winced and growled at the dead ningen woman who insulted him.
"What is the meaning of this!" Sesshomaru shouted angrily. Some one has hurt his poor Kagome. He wouldn't stand for this.
"It is none of your business, you shouldn't involve yourself in a miko's affairs youkai…" Kikyou explained.
