Hey guys! I've been trying this new thing where I don't say anything at the beginning of a chapter, but I've been reading the reviews for this story and some of the pairing ideas had me cracking up! You guys are funny::ahem: Anyway! Onto the story!
Counterbalance
Chapter 7
By Kaguya's Chaos
Kagome let out a groan of frustration. For almost a week now she had been trying to get along with Nuriko, going through her backpack and taking stock of everything, studying her school books, trying to get along with Nuriko, keeping Sesshoumaru from killing everyone, trying to avoid Tamahome's weird predicaments and did she mention trying to get along with Nuriko?
She let out a sigh as she tried to keep her mind off the obstinate female she was trying to please. She turned over from her position of laying on her stomach on her bed, to stare up at the ceiling. Her eyes wandered over the strange patterns as she tried to remember the weird way Sesshoumaru acted whenever Nuriko came near him.
She giggled a little as she remembered his stiffened posture and narrowed eyes. 'Nope. He does not like that woman...I wonder why?' Little did she realize she was just about to get an answer to her question.
Kagome leapt off of her bed as her door burst open and for a wild moment she thought it was Tamahome again, trying to escape from an insane Nuriko. Instead her blue gaze rested on that of cold amber eyes and silver hair. Her posture relaxed and she sagged back onto her bed. "Oh, It's just you, Sesshoumaru."
The hilarity of the situation hit her as she realized that if Sesshoumaru had burst into her room in the past, she would have screamed for Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at the strange look on the girl's face and shut her door behind him. Kagome raised her own eyebrow and pointedly stared at the closed door.
"Can I help you?" She asked as she tried to keep the sudden nervousness out of her voice. Sesshoumaru approached her bed and sat down, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Kagome watched his stiff back for a minute then lay back down, her body turned once again to face the ceiling.
"Nuriko is not a woman." He said after a while and Kagome blinked in confusion.
"I beg your pardon?" She whispered and Sesshoumaru turned to her, his eyes showing a sick sort of amusement. Kagome opened her mouth to ask just what the hell he was talking about when the taiyoukai stiffened even further and turned to stare at the door expectantly.
Kagome stood up slowly and made her way to the door as quietly as she could. With a quick motion, she tore the door open and in fell the object of her talk with Sesshoumaru. Kagome raised an eyebrow and stared into the shocked and sheepish eyes of Nuriko.
Nuriko, for his part, quickly stood and brushed off the front of his kimono. Sesshoumaru snorted and Kagome turned to glance his way in askance. He nodded and Kagome shut the door again, this time with Nuriko inside.
"So, you are sure you are correct, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked as she felt Nuriko's slight fear. Sesshoumaru kept a stoic face and nodded. Kagome turned to the cross-dresser and a smirk filtered over her face. 'Time for payback...' She thought and Nuriko shuddered at the gleam in her eye.
"So you're a man, huh? Why are you pretending to be a woman?" She asked and Nuriko stiffened.
"I don't know what you are talking about." He said and Kagome had to admit he didn't sound like a guy. More like a haughty princess. She slowly approached the wary warrior and pounced on him. With a rather quick and vicious motion, she tore down the front of the kimono to stare down into a flat muscular chest.
Sesshoumaru watched the miko jump the warrior with something close to amusement. His amusement changed slightly when she tore the front of the kimono off and stared down on the surprisingly muscular chest of the cross-dresser. Jealousy sparked briefly when he realized Kagome had not removed herself from the man's body and instead just stared at his chest as if in a trance.
Nuriko blushed and tried to hide the slight arousal he was experiencing from having the miko on top of him. Sesshoumaru smelled the slight arousal and growled. He stood and yanked the dazed Kagome off of Nuriko.
Kagome woke from her daze and blinked a few times. "Holy shit! You really are a man!" She exclaimed and both males winced at her choice of words and loud voice. Nuriko sighed and stood up as well. He looked both in the eye before answering.
"Yes, I am a man...got a problem with that!" He asked sourly and Kagome blushed.
"Um...no, not really, but I have to ask...WHY are you dressed as a woman? And pretending to be a concubine at that!"
Sesshoumaru watched the suzaku warrior with a raised eyebrow, the whole time keeping his hand on Kagome's shoulder. Nuriko watched the one armed youkai and the miko and smirked at their closeness. He looked back into the miko's eyes and knew he couldn't lie to her. So he sighed and sat back down on the ground and told her of his infatuation with the emperor.
Sesshoumaru felt his lip curl at the emotion's the man expressed and tried to keep the nausea back. ((Folks, I am not homophobic, I'm just trying to make this a little realistic, after all, these type of feelings weren't allowed in the past and so weren't excepted. Not like they are somewhat today.)) He looked away from Nuriko and ignored the rest of the conversation, that is, until Kagome suddenly shrieked and leapt at Nuriko.
"Oh, Nuriko! That's so sweet!" She said, not minding that the guy was gay, or so she thought he was gay. Determination set into her eyes as she looked Nuriko in the face. "I'll talk to Hotohori for you!" She said and Nuriko blanched.
"I don't think that would be such a good-"
"I won't tell him you're a guy! I promise! I'll just talk to him for you...get him to pay attention to you or something..." She went on and both Sesshoumaru and Nuriko had a bad feeling abut this. Their eyes met over the scheming girls' and sighed audibly, stopping Kagome's plans mid-rant.
"Oh, come on! It'll be fun!"
:A little later:
Kagome sat on Hotohori's bed trying to get him to see that he had all these woman in his palace in love with him and that he should give them a chance, especially a certain fellow warrior. The yukata she had borrowed hung off her frame and showed a bit of her cleavage. Her legs were crossed at her ankle in front of her as she watched Hotohori pace back and forth, as if in deep thought.
"All I'm saying is you should give all those girls a chance! You never know...you might fall for one!" She said and smiled cheerily. Hotohori didn't respond, instead he slowly approached the bed and sat beside her. His long hair cascaded over his face as he looked to the ground.
"What if I am already in love with someone else?" He asked and Kagome faltered for a bit. He turned his head and looked at her with a strange look on his face. Kagome's smile melted from her face and opened her mouth to say something, only to close it again.
"Oh..." She said lamely and looked to the ground as well.
"What about you? Do you love someone, Kagome?" He asked and Kagome's eyes widened. Her immediate thought had been Inuyasha, but for some reason Sesshoumaru, Tamahome and Hotohori washed him out of her mind. She blushed and shook her head, turning to smile at the emperor with an overly-bright expression.
"Heh... this isn't about me! This is about-" She let out a squeak as she suddenly found herself underneath the body of Hotohori. She felt her face burn, completely sure it was a bright crimson, and her blue eyes stared into his own chocolate orbs. Hotohori leaned down and rested his face in her hair just beside her neck, his warm breath ghosted across her ear and his cheek gently brushed her own.
"Since I was little, I have had an image of who I wanted." He whispered and Kagome shivered. Slight excitement raced through her system and she held back a low moan. Hotohori shifted again and looked down into her eyes. Kagome held back a gasp as she recognized the warm glint in his eyes as well as the lust. 'Oh...Kami...' She gulped as she tried to convince herself that this wasn't real. "And it has always been you, Kagome."
His face came nearer to her own and Kagome suddenly became aware of the fact that he was going to take her first kiss. She found that she really didn't mind if he did take it and leaned closer as well. Just before their lips could meet, Hotohori narrowed his eyes and grabbed the sword he always kept at his headboard. Without a comment to the flushed girl, he stood from the bed and approached the wall near the door.
Kagome blinked when she felt that Hotohori had gotten up and watched in shock as he made swiping motions with his sword at the wall. Pieces of plaster and block fell and before the hole stood three figures. Tamahome, Nuriko and Sesshoumaru.
Tamahome and Nuriko instantly flushed and began dancing around idiotically, as if they hadn't been trying to spy on them. Sesshoumaru simply stood there with his hand resting on Tokijin. His golden eyes were narrowed into Hotohori's and his posture was stiff. Hotohori's voice was cold as he admonished them for spying and told them to leave. Sesshoumaru's lip curled and he let out a growl. Kagome stood from the bed and watched as Tamahome and Nuriko bowed and left. She turned her eyes to Sesshoumaru to see that he and Hotohori were having a staring contest.
'Ugh...this has been a weird night, I am so going to go to bed.' She thought as she let out a sigh and tried to make her way to the door. 'Tried' was the operative word.
Hotohori grasped her arm and jerked her back to himself. Ignoring the increasingly loud growl from the taiyoukai, Hotohori leaned down and whispered into her ear. "Make no mistake, Kagome. I will make you my empress."
Kagome turned her head to stare at him in shock. He smiled slightly, not a happy smile, but a seductive one that made her knees weak and her face reheat. "Of course, I won't force you. By the end of our quest, I will make sure you love me as much as I love you." He said in a "that's final" type of voice and Kagome felt herself jerked away from him.
Sesshoumaru held Kagome's wrist and stood beside her, snarling. Hotohori glared at the youkai, and before anything could be said, Sesshoumaru had Kagome over his shoulder and was halfway to her room. 'What the HELL-' Kagome thought as she watched the wooden planks on the floor pass by in a quick fashion.
"Sesshoumaru! Put me down!" She yelled and immediately she was released. Her feet touched the ground and she turned to glare up at the stoic male before her. She briefly realized that they were in front of her room as she put her hands on her hips in a sign of anger and slight confusion. Her glare changed and she took a step back as she realized he had grit his teeth and his eyes were slightly pink.
Before Kagome could say anything about his appearance and his anger, the taiyoukai was gone, once again leaving at a fast pace. 'Gah! That's it! I am going to bed and I am going to forget all about this crazy night!' She thought bitterly as she made her way into her room and got into her bed.
'This is what I get for trying to help a friend!'
:With the Inu gang:
Inuyasha was positively livid. His eyes were hidden in his hair and his fists were clenched. His breath was rapid and his body was tensed. Sango was watching the hanyou with something like trepidation and was slowly inching toward Miroku. Miroku was watching the hanyou with a grim continence, holding his staff and the book tightly.
Inuyasha took a step toward the book and Miroku acted instantly. He raised his staff and knocked the rabid hanyou out. Sango shot to her feet and sat on his back, pinning his arms behind him. Shippo had rushed forward and sat on his legs, just in case. Kaede had run into another part of the hut and brought out a coil of rope.
Working fast, they had Inuyasha trussed up like a thanksgiving turkey. Kaede quickly called upon her dwindling power to make the ropes strong enough to hold the hanyou. Sango slowly slid off of Inuyasha's back and stood staring at the unconscious half-breed. Shippo had stood and quickly jumped onto Miroku's shoulder.
"Keep going, Miroku!" The kit demanded as he hopped up and down slightly. Miroku glanced out the window at the high sun and sighed. "I guess I could read a little more..." He said out loud and nearly groaned at the eager faces before him. 'Kami help me...I won't have a voice after this.' He thought as he once again opened the book, not noticing the stirring hanyou at his feet or the intense golden eyes he had trained on the book with a murderous intent.
:Back inside the book:
Kagome awoke to the overly-happy chirps from the birds and the bright sunshine that was intent on burning her eyes out of her sockets. 'WHY was morning created again!' She thought as she rolled off the bed and onto the hard floor with a grunt. Her body ached and her mind demanded an answer as to why she felt so bad this morning.
As if to confirm her fears, her body shook with slight coughs and her nose decided to show it's many good sides, due to the red coloring and snot trailing down onto her upper lip. 'Ugh, great!' She thought as she rubbed at her nose with her yukata sleeve and stifled the next round of coughs. 'Just what I need...a cold!'
Kagome grumbled about 'damn colds' and 'how she wished she could sit Inuyasha right now!', when it hit her. She remember, with startling clarity, exactly WHAT had happened last night to make her feel so horrible. 'Damn emperor's and taiyoukai's with their freaky mood swings!' She grumbled as well as she pulled out her ragged pair of jeans and a strange shirt one of the palace seamstresses had made for her.
She made sure she carried the dagger at her side, and kept the shirt over it. Her slightly dulled sapphire eyes rolled over her reflection, critically looking for any flaws to her appearance. She looked...
Like she had the flu. Kagome sighed and ran her fingers through her disheveled hair. 'Well, this is as good as its going to get...' She ran her hand over her hair one last time and stumbled out of her door, starting her search for the dining hall. 'Breakfast...all I need is breakfast...and maybe a nice hot bath...'
Kagome reached the dining hall in only ten minutes, a new record. Only running into three dead ends and back-tracking twice when she knew she made a wrong turn. No one was within sight and, the minute she sat down, a servant came out with a plate of food Kagome was too tired to identify at the moment.
Kagome smiled at the servant and voiced her thanks in a slightly hoarse tone. The woman cast the priestess a sympathetic look and then looked back down at the floor, shuffling slightly. Kagome went to take a bite of her food, but stopped when she realized the servant still stood there.
"What can I help you with?" Kagome managed to croak out and the woman jumped a foot in the air.
"Oh, uh...your holiness..."
"Please, call me Kagome." Kagome said and the servant glanced up in shock then quickly looked to the floor again.
"Oh, uh...ok, Lady Kagome. I was wondering...if you w-would like to have some tea...? For your throat I mean!" Kagome watched as the woman floundered around and stammered out her words, as if afraid she would be beaten.
"Sure! That would be great! Thank you!" Kagome chirped in her slightly scratchy voice and watched as the servant's face lit up and she scurried away. 'How...strange. Why was she afraid of me? Am I that scary looking?' She asked herself as she again turned to the food she could hardly taste.
'Where is everyone? She asked herself as she realized she was about halfway through her meal. 'I'll ask the servant lady when she comes back with some tea.' She had decided when the doors burst open and in stormed Nuriko.
Kagome's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in horror at the death promised in his violet eyes. 'Oh, shit!' She thought as she leapt from her chair and tried to placate the fuming cross-dresser.
"H-hey, Nuriko. How are you?" She squeaked out and her rough voice turned husky in quality. Nuriko froze at her deepened voice and fought the blush that threatened to rise over his cheeks. 'No. I am MAD at her! Besides, I like the emperor!' He thought as he continued his pursuit of the miko.
"Ah! No! It wasn't my fault!" Kagome said as she backed away as quickly as he approached. "I tried, Nuriko! I really did!" She ducked as the feminine man leapt for her. She silently shrieked as she ran around the large table, waiting for him to get back up.
Just as Nuriko was getting ready for another attack, Sesshoumaru and Tamahome, both from different doors, entered the room. The youkai and human first took in the others appearance with dislike and surprise, then their eyes worked their way to the pair around the table. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed as he took in the situation and Tamahome stared at the two in confusion.
"What's going on?" Tamahome asked as he walked over to Kagome's half-eaten plate. It was at this moment that the missing servant with the tea came bustling in. Her brown eyes rested on the others in the room, and she restrained a surprised squeak. 'Why are they here!' She thought in confusion. 'They had declined to eat this morning and now they are hungry?'
The servant headed to the table, careful with the tea and stammered out her apology at taking so long. Kagome cheered as she approached the tea and took a small sip, reveling in the tangy-sweet taste it seemed to have. "Mmm. Thank you." Her voice was once again raspy as she smiled at the nervous servant.
"Are you alright, Kagome?" Tamahome asked and Kagome smiled at him, softly.
"Yeah, just a slight cold." She said as she placed her now empty tea cup down and started toward the doors. Just as she was leaving, the servants entered with more plates of food. "Sorry I can't stay!" She called behind her as the three men were roped into eating with only their own company to enjoy. The three of them looked to the other and then walked out of the doors, leaving a couple of miffed servants and rapidly cooling food behind.
Kagome strode down the hall as fast as her tired body could go. She glanced behind her, sure that Nuriko would soon be in hot pursuit, looking to finish the earlier interlude. 'Oooo. He is so going to hurt me!' She thought and picked up her pace.
She entered the courtyard and grinned in relief. She reached the front gates and a sudden thought struck her. 'I haven't explored outside the gates yet...maybe I should go out there...' She saw a sudden flash of Nuriko's angry face and shuddered. 'Yeah, he won't think to look out there...'
Grinning at her clever plan, Kagome headed toward her room for something warmer to wear and to tell Hotohori where she was going. She picked up her cloak and made sure her dagger was still in place. Looking one last time in the mirror, she walked out of the room and headed down the hall, looking for the study, where Hotohori was sure to be.
Just as she reached the study doors, a thought suddenly hit her like a ton of bricks. 'He sort of proposed to me last night...How do you talk to someone after THAT!' She stood there, thinking of this with her hand still outstretched for the handle, small sweat-droplets dripping down her face.
'Maybe I should just go without telling him? I mean, I'm sure he won't notice I am gone...After all, he is busy with other things. And it'll just be for a few hours...what could it hurt?' With her mind made up, Kagome let her hand lower and turned on her heel, heading for the gates. Her hood came up and she strolled out, along with some of the servants also leaving.
Kagome's eyes slid over the common hues of brown and tan that littered the area. The occasional light blue, purple and black also flashed across her vision, but nothing that truly caught her attention. She slowly ambled along the people thronging about the market, glancing at the wares being sold. Necklaces, cloth, ribbons, and food stuffs tugged at her eyes and she watched in interest as people went about making purchases and yelling to get the customers attention.
Old world markets were always fascinating to watch, cause they were nothing like malls. It was also a very dirty and dangerous place. Kagome lightly stepped around a bunch of children and felt her eyes narrow as one of the kids tried to sneak a hand into her cloak, almost touching her dagger. 'No doubt thinking it was a purse!' She thought to herself as she caught the kids arm and wrenched it from her.
The boy let out a startled squeak and Kagome glared down into surprised brown eyes. The eyes widened even more so as the head of Kagome's cloak fell and her face was clearly revealed. A startled gasp from in front of her drew her attention and she looked up to see the market had gone completely still, all eyes focused on Kagome.
'What?' She thought as she released the kid and stood up tall. Her eyes slid down to her shirt and her hands traced over her cheeks. 'Is there something on my face? On my clothes?' She asked herself as she again faced the crowd, only to see them bowing before her. 'Eh!'
"Please! Forgive me, your Holiness!" The little boy she had caught croaked out as he practically smashed his face into the ground.
"Huh? Oh, sure, kid." She said slightly and watched in wariness as the group stood. As if someone had shouted "GO!" they all rushed at her, grabbing a hold of her cloak and hair. Kagome shrieked in shock as she struggled out of the mob. Pulling the old, under the legs scam, she quickly left the scene and headed instead for a nice quiet alley.
She leaned against the wall and breathed in deeply. Her hand rested on her chest and only then did she realize that her cloak was gone. 'Probably lost to the mob. I'll have to apologize to Hotohori for loosing it.' She sighed again and slowly slid down to sit on the ground. She watched as people rushed passed her hiding spot, no doubt rushing to the mob where she was supposed to be.
Kagome got to her feet. Her breathing was still labored and her lungs felt raspy. She knew this was due to her flu and decided she had had enough of the market and the city all together. Slightly dizzy, she stumbled down the alley and headed toward where she knew the gates to the palace were. 'How did those people know who I was?' She asked herself as she stumbled slightly.
Her shoulders were caught by a pair of meaty hands and Kagome's head shot up to stare into the largest and ugliest face she had ever seen. 'What the...' She thought as she raised an eyebrow at the man.
"Er, thanks. Now let me go." She said as she tried to pull away from the man. His huge head got closer and his freaky mouth twisted up into a smirk.
"No. You're rather pretty. You are now mine!" He said and Kagome blinked at him. 'Ah man! Not another Kouga!' She thought as she growled at the man. She brought her leg up swiftly and kicked him where it counted.
He doubled over and Kagome shook herself free. Before she could get very far, a whole group of guys came raining from the sky and blocked her path. A weird old American song came to her head as she watched them land. 'It's raining men! Halleluiah! It's raining men!' She giggled to herself and realized instantly she was sinking into delirium.
"Back off!" Her strained voice squeaked as she brought her hands up in a boxing position. The men smirked at her and came forward. The first that came to restrain her was met with a blow to the face. Kagome winced as her fist throbbed, but she didn't get to think on it due to the next man's attack.
It wasn't long before she was pinned to the ground and her face was pressed to the dirt. She heard a sickeningly over-confident chuckle and watched as the ugly man she had nailed in the crotch, bend down to stare her in the face. Kagome spat in his face and continued to fight with her captives. Her heart thundered in her chest and a band paraded around in her mind, no doubt the cause for her migraine.
The ugly guy, obviously the leader, frowned down at her and signaled that his men stand her up. Kagome felt more pairs of hands grab at her and soon she faced the boss with blazing sapphire eyes. The man snickered and his hand reached for her shirt. Kagome watched with wide and shocked eyes as he ripped the front of her shirt and stared at her bra-clad breasts.
Kagome could only gape at him with horror as she felt her strength weakening. Her legs crumpled beneath her, and, if it weren't for the thug holding her up, she would have crashed to the ground. Her face felt flushed and her breathing was ragged. Her nose was stuffed and she couldn't understand any of the gibberish the idiots around her were saying.
Her eyes slid closed as her head reeled. Just before she was completely swept away by the dark abyss known as sleep, she felt her arms being released and a pair of strong, warm, comforting arms pick her up. 'At least I'll be comfortable…' She thought in dry humor as she completely lost control of her senses and fell unconscious.
:Change of POV:
Tamahome walked out of the dining area and scowled at the floor. He had entered the damn hall so he could talk to Kagome, alone, only to find Nuriko in there as well and that damn…demon. He glanced over to his left to watch as Sesshoumaru veered off his own course and down a random hall. Ahead of him, the insufferable "woman", Nuriko was also going down another hall.
Tamahome sniffed dismissively and headed toward the courtyard out front. If anything, he could sit and watch the people enter and leave the capital. 'Haven't seen all of the city yet…I also still have that gum stuff Kagome gave me from her world.' A vision of selling the stuff to an eccentric rich man and living in luxury filled his mind and drool dripped down from the corner of his mouth. Needless to say, many people gave him a wide berth and stared at him as if he had the plague.
Tamahome had just reached the courtyard when two figures immediately caught his gaze. The first being the blindingly white-haired Taiyoukai and the second being a cloaked figure walking with their head down, as if trying to sneak by. Sesshoumaru met his gaze and instantly Tamahome knew the youkai had seen the figure and was suspicious as well. Without further communication, both decided to follow the figure. The guards looked to them and were about to call out a greeting when they were stopped by a glare from both warriors.
The guards were used to the tall youkai glaring at them, but not the mild hot headed Tamahome. Maybe that's why they didn't say anything, and instead returned to their posts. Tamahome grinned at the easy compliance and Sesshoumaru continued to ignore all those around him, except the suspicious figure.
Both followed the figure out of the palace gates and into the city beyond. Sesshoumaru felt mild confusion as to why someone would dress so conspicuously if they were going to do something. Or perhaps they were just old and dressed as such to avoid the slight heat of the day? Tamahome sighed briefly and looked about him in annoyance. He was once again bored. He kept his senses on Sesshoumaru so he wouldn't get left behind, but other then that the cloaked figure lost their attraction.
Sesshoumaru stopped and stiffened when he watched a group of thieving boys rush passed the figure and tried to rob them. A pale arm shot out and caught the culprit and the cloak fell from the head of the figure, revealing raven hair and a profile neither of the guys would ever forget.
"Kagome!" Tamahome whispered in shock and Sesshoumaru mirrored his shock silently.
As if the people in the market had heard the slight whisper, all bowed down in reverence. Sesshoumaru watched in amusement as Kagome fidgeted slightly and knew she didn't appreciate the attention. Being stuck here in this morbid fairytale had taught him enough about her to know she did not like to have eyes on her.
Tamahome watched the proceedings with humor as well, knowing the girl hated having attention on her. He watched as she murmured something and all hell broke loose. Bodies surged forward and both males felt a slight rush of fear. Without thinking of what they were doing, both launched themselves at the crowd, trying to get to the miko. In the middle of the fray, neither noticed the slim body slip from the crowd and dash through the oncoming people toward an alley not to far away.
Three others did, however, and they followed with smirks covering their faces. The slinking movement caught Sesshoumaru's eye and he watched as the three ran toward the alley. Suspicions arose within him and they were confirmed when Tamahome murmured about the fact that those jokers had been the same ones that had attacked Kagome in the beginning.
Forgetting about the foray going on behind him, the youkai headed in the direction the, soon-to-be-dead, idiots, and Kagome had gone. He caught her scent in the air and hurried his pace a bit. Sure she was a miko, but that didn't mean she could handle swords and knives, especially in her sickness-weakened condition.
Tamahome was right beside him as they started to sprint down the alley. Sesshoumaru followed her scent as was angered to find anger and…fear in her scent. Not to mention blood. Tamahome, sensing the taiyoukai's urgency, quickened the pace, and as they turned the corner, a sight met them that filled them both with rage.
A very big-headed (literally) ugly man was gripping a weakly struggling Kagome, a ring of men surrounding them, taunting and jeering at the miko. Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed red before he reigned in his emotions and narrowed his eyes. Tamahome felt his very blood burn in rage as a bright red symbol glowed brightly from his veiled forehead.
Before the thugs could realize there were others approaching, three of them were knocked out and the ugly one in the middle holding Kagome was held by his throat by none other then Sesshoumaru. Tamahome was busy beating in the others heads when Sesshoumaru growled for him to grab Kagome. The ugly man being held by his throat gurgled as the miko's body was taken from his hands and held protectively to Tamahome's chest.
Sesshoumaru snarled as his eyes again flashed red, gaining the ring-leaders attention. The bald man whimpered in his throat before he passed out…but not before urinating on himself. Sesshoumaru grunted in disgust and threw the body to the ground. He turned to assess the damage done to Kagome when it started raining.
Before Tamahome could protest, the taiyoukai had taken the unconscious girl from his arms and had wrapped his tail protectively around her. Instead of arguing, as they would have, both rushed to the palace, concerned when Kagome had started to shiver and making small whimpers.
:Out of the book:
Miroku paused momentarily, relishing the suspense he put his friends in and eager to read more himself. However, his voice was going and he silently wished someone other then himself knew how to read properly. 'Curse the education system in this time!' He thought, using the same sentence Kagome had used on him when she had asked if he knew how to do Geometry and after his confused negative answer.
Shippo, however, did not care if the houshi could never speak again! He wanted to know what was happening to his Kagome! And he wanted to know NOW! He leapt from his position on the subdued hanyou and jumped onto Miroku's lap. Sango frowned and tried to keep her own impatience to herself. She shifted slightly and turned her gaze to the fidgeting Kirara in her lap. The two-tailed cat looked up at her mistress and expressed her displeasure at the pause in a short, huffy, mew.
Miroku ignored the whiny quality the kitsune had and the glares he was receiving from his little break. Even Kaede was slightly impatient. Inuyasha stayed silent and glared at the ground underneath his cheek. Kagome was hurt, in pain even, and in danger and he couldn't help her! Instead he was stuck here, listening to what was happening to her, as if listening to that fairytale "Little Red Riding Hood" he had heard her tell Shippo one night.
It wasn't fair! What made his brother so special that he got to go into the book! Was it the cold aloofness? The dangerous factor? The tail! Either way, it made Inuyasha mad for three reasons. One: he couldn't protect Kagome from the dangers in the book. Two: His brother was in there! Three: why the hell were there all these males touching and looking and,…and PROPOSING to HIS Kagome!
With a growl of complete rage, Inuyasha wrenched his hands free of their bindings and the subduing spell broke. Kaede, Sango and Miroku were instantly on their feet. Shippo promptly hid behind Miroku and peeked from the monk's shoulder. Inuyasha stood before them panting, with his hair hiding his face from view. Sango was slowly reaching for anything hard enough to knock him back out and Miroku was reaching for his staff, while trying to hide the book within the voluminous folds of his clothing.
Before anyone could react, Inuyasha had launched himself at the monk and was tearing the book out of his hands. A blindingly pink light filled the hut and then disappeared, leaving the taijya, houshi, kitsune, neko-youkai, and miko staring in confused shock. The book lay open innocently on the ground and Inuyasha was nowhere to be found.
:with the Gods:
"Well. That was unexpected." The blue-haired god said as he watched the inu-hanyou fall into the pages of the book. The green-haired god, the only other one in the room with him, nodded with a bemused smirk on his handsome face.
"Yes indeed." He tilted his head to look over at the sapphire-eyed male beside him. "Do you think Suzaku planned for him to join his 'beloved shard-detector'?"
"I have no idea what that bird is thinking."
"This certainly promises drama in the future…has anyone contacted the fates over this matter?"
"They are nowhere to be found…disappeared…"
"…interesting."
"Indeed. …very interesting."
Both gods turn to observe the next scene of the mysterious and exciting play as yet another new character entered the stage to unfold even more drama then anticipated.
:XD:
KC: Well. There ya have it folks…it took longer then I thought…but I got it out::bows to imaginary applause: The plot has thickened and possible outcomes for Inuyasha's entrance into the book is swirling into your minds…all disastrous I hope! Did you honestly think I would make this a happy tale? HA!
Anyways, I would like to thank a LOT of you for your support, and your glowing reviews! I blush with pride every time I read and re-read them! (I need reassurance ya know!) I WILL mention each of my beautiful and wonderful reviewers at the end of the story! I promise!
On to the polls now::ahem: The standings are….
Sesshoumaru/Kagome/Hotohori winning at twenty-three votes.
Hotohori/Kagome in second at ten votes.
Sesshoumaru/Kagome at nine votes.
Tamahome/Kagome at six votes.
Nuriko/Kagome at four votes.
Inuyasha/Kagome at three votes.
And Nakago/Kagome at three votes.
…that last one is pretty interesting…Keep voting guys! As in all of my fictions, Miroku and Sango are together! That is not changing. The next chapter I am going to include Kikyou and the devious Naraku, as well as Nakago…maybe. :big grin: Love you all and as always, Read and Review! T-T / XD