Chapter 17: A High Price for Freedom
"Do we get freedom, or do we get the shard?" Kagome held Sesshoumaru's golden gaze. Silence hung between them and Kagome could hear her own heart beating. She wanted... more than anything to be with Sesshoumaru a little bit longer but, she couldn't force him to stay with her.
"Tsuki can get her own damn flower." Sesshoumaru said haughtily and then followed the path to the right. "Damn wench thinks we owe her favors." Kagome grinned and quickly trailed behind him. "We have a fucking hanyou to kill; we can't be running around Japan doing her shitty little errands." He continued to mutter under his breath. "I hope they take away her damn magic."
They were going for the shard. All thoughts of freedom were being put on hold. Kagome couldn't have been happier.
"The amazing team of Sesshoumaru and Kagome are going out on another adventure!" Kagome said in her announcer voice. "Will this be the youkai and miko's last quest or will more perils lie ahead? Find out next time-"
"Should have chosen freedom." Sesshoumaru remarked sarcastically and Kagome giggled.
"The silence would drive you mad." Kagome said knowingly.
"Indeed." Sesshoumaru smirked.
"What would I do without hearing that word every five seconds? I think I would go mad. And start 'indeed-ing' myself." Kagome shook her head.
It had only been three weeks. Three weeks with Sesshoumaru and yet she felt like she had been with him forever. And right now, she didn't want to leave him. She didn't want to leave the one person that she had unknowingly become so attached too.
However, it wasn't this way in the beginning. She could remember that first day of traveling with Sesshoumaru. The silence that was between them. And then when they did talk, it was nothing but fighting. He refused to say her name, and she would always speak out of place. The pair seemed to be on a collision course for disaster.
Until...something changed in them. It was subtle and Kagome didn't realize it until she woke up one morning and had the fleeting thought of never wanting to leave Sesshoumaru. It was so subtle of a change Kagome didn't know exactly when she had fallen.
Fallen for the Lord of the Western lands.
Or rather, Mr. Lord of Who Gives a Shit.
Kagome was walking next to Sesshoumaru; she slowly turned her head and took a quick glance at his profile. He was strong and walked with his head held high. He wasn't unsure of himself and he wasn't rash in his decisions, he was firm, he was a leader, a protector.
Inside, Kagome knew she could count on Sesshoumaru to be there for her, to protect her at least while they were chained together. If he gave his word, he would keep it. He wouldn't soil his honor by breaking his word.
Was that what was so attractive?
Kagome didn't know. She didn't know the hows or whys or whens. Just that she was falling, falling hard, falling fast. But she couldn't let her mind finish it. She couldn't let her mind say 'falling in love' it was too dangerous.
"Kagome." He spoke her name and it suddenly jerked her from her thoughts. "Second thoughts?" He asked sardonically and Kagome smirked.
"No. I'm just thinking." Sesshoumaru cast her a side glance when she said that.
"Be careful." He said and Kagome's mouth fell open as she put her hands on her hips to give him some attitude.
"You should know by now that I don't care if you are the greatest youkai in all the land, you don't talk to THIS Kagome like that. Because THIS Kagome will purify your youkai ass in a heartbeat." Kagome snapped her fingers. "Like that!"
"Forgive me for not caring." Sesshoumaru said emotionlessly.
They continued on their sarcastic badgering like the good times.
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Tsuki jumped in the air in triumph. "AH-HA!" She yelled victoriously. Haruka watched the other fairy do a cheerful dance around the fountain. The two had been watching Sesshoumaru and Kagome intensely, waiting for the moment when they would decide.
"I must say, clever trick, Tsuki." Haruka folded her arms and smirked at the fairy. "I mean you managed to lead them to the shard we discovered without revealing it to Naraku and prove to me that freedom isn't first on their minds."
Tsuki beamed.
"However," Haruka's smirk turned into hard glare. "What you did was risky. What if they had chosen freedom? Then what? Kagome would have been without a protector and the shard would have been discovered by Naraku. You relied too much on your feelings and didn't weigh in the other outcomes. The other what ifs." Haruka scolded and Tsuki's face fell.
"Well... it worked didn't it?" She sat on the rim of the fountain and stared into the blue waters at the image of Sesshoumaru and Kagome.
Haruka sighed and her gaze soon joined Tsuki's. "I suppose. I just wish you would think things through more. If you did that from the beginning these two wouldn't be going through this."
"And would that have been a good thing? I mean look at her. She looks so happy. Before... though she played the happy role, there was something, something always missing in her smile. Now look at her." Tsuki protested as she gestured towards Kagome.
"And him!" She continued, looking at Sesshoumaru. "His whole attitude has changed. And the way he looks at Kagome... watches out for her... it's because of him that Kagome wasn't broken up about Inuyasha and Kikyou in the forest together."
"I suppose you're right." Haruka smiled at Sesshoumaru's form. "He looks like his father, you know. And now... he's starting to act like him. It shall be very interesting to see how this all turns out."
"That it will." Tsuki agreed.
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The sun was about to set and Kagome could feel the shard getting closer. The two had fell into a silence, but now Kagome spoke up and broke it. "So how do we plan to get this shard? I mean these are well trained Ninjas. We can't just walk up in there and take it."
"This Sesshoumaru can." Sesshoumaru replied.
"I don't think so. I don't care how strong you think you are. We still need a plan." Kagome protested.
"Ninja or not a human is a human. And a human is worthless." He explained.
"Your view of us humans is going to come back and bite you in the ass one day when one of us finally kills you." Kagome shook her head and Sesshoumaru cast a smirk in her direction.
"The day you purify me." He said in a smart remark and Kagome huffed.
"You betcha."
The two fell silent and soon they found their way at the entrance of the Ninja village. Four large walls made out of bamboo sticks surrounded the village as a protective barrier. The door used for entrance was shut.
And no one was in sight.
"I don't like this, Sesshoumaru." Kagome stepped closer to him and looked from around his shoulder. She could feel a presence but it was neither human, youkai, or hanyou.
Sesshoumaru's golden orbs narrowed as he placed a protective arm in front of Kagome. "Do your thing." He commanded and Kagome gave a slight nod.
"Grow three-hundred feet." She whispered. "Invisible." She said quickly after. The newly growing chain disappeared.
"Put up your barrier." He issued another command. "We're going in." Kagome nodded and took a step back. She held up her arms and crossed them in front of her. She felt Sesshoumaru snake his arm around her waist and soon they were lifted off, up and over the bamboo wall.
They landed on the ground silently. And in the middle of a circle of Ninjas.
"They have some courage." A man spoke. He was directly in front of them, arms and legs crossed, sitting down but hovering high in the air. He had a creepy lanky look about him. His face was flat and his mouth was wide, and his eyes were narrow slits of red, his brown hair straight and then. His skin was a ghostly pale, not shimmering like Sesshoumaru, but sickly like the dead.
The image of a snake is what Kagome first thought of when she saw this man.
His right and left men were quite the opposite from him. They were large and bulky, wearing no shirts, their muscular chest was filled with battle scars. They wore bandages around their hands up to their writs. And one man had a bandage covering his entire face.
The surrounding Ninjas smirked and laughed at the intruders. They knew that their fate was about to be handed out and it wasn't going to be pretty.
"We've been waiting for you. We Ninjas can sense oncoming intruders for miles." He said arrogantly, almost as arrogantly as Sesshoumaru if that was even possible.
Sesshoumaru didn't speak, but moved directly in front of Kagome. She in turn, peered around his shoulder to watch the conversation.
"What did you come here for? No one knows this place. No one wants to come here unless they are training or they are our enemies. But we only fight with other Ninjas. And I can see, you are clearly not one...youkai." He said with disgust. "So why are you here?"
"Your almighty Ninja powers can't read minds? Shame." Sesshoumaru replied hauntingly. "You have something that doesn't belong to you. And I'm here to get it back."
"What's the girl here for, a trade?" He licked his lips in seduction and Kagome thought she was going to hurl.
Sesshoumaru let out a deep growl. "She is only here to bring the item home. You touch her and you will be on your way to hell." He warned and Kagome shivered at the coldness in his voice.
The man let out a chuckle. "I can see she means a great deal to you. So, please tell me, Orochimaru, what is at my village that you think is not mine."
"Shikon no Tama shard." Sesshoumaru said slowly and Orochimaru laughed sadistically.
"That is as rightfully mine as it is yours." He said and then narrowed his eyes. "But I'll tell you what," He reached around his neck and pulled of a necklace and held it in front of Sesshoumaru. Attached to the end was the shard, glowing a dark purple. "If you can get past my village... you can have it." He smirked and rose higher into the air.
"Faithful Ninjas..." He called out to his village. "Have your fun."
The chain began to vibrate.
A battle broke loose as the Ninjas disbanded and Orochimaru rose high above to watch. Attacks were being thrown at Kagome and Sesshoumaru from all directions. They were dodging flying Chinese stars as well as daggers. Slowly the two drifted apart.
Sesshoumaru was holding his end up effortlessly. He was faster than them and could sense their every position high in the tree where they tried to hide. He killed a majority of them with one blow from Tokijin.
But Kagome was having difficulty with her end. Using her barrier so much was beginning to wear her out and she didn't have her bow and arrows to kill the Ninjas from afar, so she had to attack up close and personal. She had picked up a dagger that was thrown at her and used it as a weapon.
Luckily Sesshoumaru was killing the brunt of the Ninjas, leaving her with just a few to handle with at a time. Kagome turned around and stabbed a guy in the heart, he fell to his knees coughing up blood.
"My, my, aren't we just the fighter." A woman dropped from the limbs and stood in front of Kagome. She had jet black hair and bright blue eyes that made her look demon-like. Her outfit was seductively revealing, showing off each slender curve of her body. She jerked her hand in front of her, showing long, slender, fine-pointed needles between each finger.
"Nice weapon." Kagome twirled her dagger and then held it in stabbing position. "Gonna poke me to death?" She mocked.
The woman let out a shrieking laugh. "Hardly." She flicked her wrist and sent the needles in Kagome's direction. She dodged all but was slit by one. Blood pour from her cheek and Kagome stood shocked at she touched the wound.
It hurt like crap. The woman laughed and pulled out more needles. "No one touches my Orochimaru, try dodging these." She flung her wrist and Kagome began to run. It only took one of those needles to kill her.
"Sesshoumaru!" She called. She was huffing, out of breath and exhausted. It was hard to run and dodge and occasionally she felt the edge of a needle cut her.
The woman laughed. She flicked her wrist again. Hit. A needle went right through Kagome's ankle. Letting out a scream of pain Kagome fell to the ground. She turned around and saw the woman standing on a tree limb over her. "Now you die."
She threw needles at Kagome and pinned her down by her shirt and skirt. Kagome was unable to move. Then she smiled. "My name is Haku. Know that is who your killer is." She laughed and flung a handful of needles directed at Kagome's heart.
Kagome screamed. Closing her eyes she waited for the hit, but it never came. She heard the needles going through flesh though, however, it was not her own. All at once, she felt the chain vibration against her ankle become a throbbing. Through her close eyes she could see a brilliant flash of light.
The vibration was no more. The chain was no more. It was broken.
Opening her eyes she saw Sesshoumaru's body over her. She watched in horror as blood dripped down from the needles that pierced his chest onto her shirt. "No, no no!" Kagome's eyes filled with tears. "You didn't have to do that!" She watched Sesshoumaru stagger trying to catch his breath. He was in pain, Kagome could see it and it was something that Sesshoumaru would never show.
"I wanted to." He forced, for it was hard to speak. Slowly standing up he turned to the Ninja. "You were foolish not to run, wench." He said coldly, sounding more like himself.
Haku had been watching them with interest. Now she was slashed in half by Sesshoumaru's whip.
"Kagome." He pulled out the needles that pinned her to the ground and brought her to her feet. "Get out of here. I don't want you hurt."
"No!" Kagome shouted. "I am not leaving you! Plus I can't we're still-" Sesshoumaru shook his head and soon a white cloud formed at Kagome's feet. She looked down and realized the chain wasn't there.
"I'll come back for you." Sesshoumaru said and then sent her away into the forest.
"No!" Kagome shouted at his retreating figure.
Trees flew passed her as Sesshoumaru's cloud carried her away from the battle and into safety. Finally it slowed and Kagome felt herself being placed on the forest floor. "NO!" Kagome collapsed in utter exhaustion.
"KAGOME!" The Inu-tachi exclaimed at once. She had, in fact, landed right in the middle of their camp. The sun was now set and they were about to build a fire when Kagome landed on the ground.
Kagome looked up and saw the faces of her friends. Sango rushed to her and helped her sit up. "Kagome-chan what happened?" Her voice was filled with worry.
"I knew something bad was going to happened before today was over with." Kagome sobbed in Sango's arms.
"Miroku get some medicine for Kagome's ankle." Sango commanded as she gently rocked the crying girl. Shippou and Kirara sat near Sango, casting a worrying glance at Kagome. Inuyasha sat on the other side of Sango, also gazing at Kagome with worry. Miroku began to wrap up Kagome's wound.
And Kagome just cried. Because of her, because she was so stupid to scream for help, Sesshoumaru had gotten hurt. Now he was fighting the Ninjas alone and wounded and there was nothing Kagome could do about it. And on top of that the chain was broken; her journey with Sesshoumaru was now over-
Kagome suddenly sat up.
The chain... was broken! That meant that Sesshoumaru cared for her more than his own soul! Kagome smiled. Her journey wasn't over, it was just beginning! The chain was broken!
Worry filled Kagome again. But Sesshoumaru was badly hurt. And now he was fighting by himself. "Everyone!" She finally focused on the group that was in front of her. They returned her gaze with worry.
"Kagome are you ok?" Sango asked and Kagome nodded.
"Yes, I mean no, I mean look." She pointed to the chain...or rather where the chain would be. "It's gone." The group broke out into smiles, including Inuyasha.
"How-" But Kagome shook her head, stopping Miroku with his question.
"That's not important. What is important is that Sesshoumaru is fighting a group of Ninjas by himself and we have to go help! It's where the last shard is!" Kagome said in a rush.
"Ok!" Inuyasha jumped to his feet. "We'll go." Everyone gave him a surprised look but then quickly nodded.
"Let's go get that shard!" They cheered.
Packing up camp quickly, the group headed out to the village. Sango forced Kagome to ride on Kirara's back and after a few minutes of "I'll be fine," Kagome obeyed and got on. Inuyasha led the way and the pace as a dead run.
Kagome smiled as the wind brushed past her. This will teach Sesshoumaru not to send her away. Damn arrogant youkai tries to fight his battles alone too many times.
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Naraku laughed evilly as watched the Inu-tachi travel to their destination, wherever it was Naraku did not know. It didn't matter. He was soon going to ruin their plans.
Naraku had been watching the Ninja fight with Kagome and Sesshoumaru. He didn't know why they were fighting for he couldn't see the person Sesshoumaru had been talking too.
But he did see the chain break. He did see Sesshoumaru protect Kagome with his own body. He did see Sesshoumaru send her away.
And that screwed up his plans a little. Now Kagome was safely with the Inu-tachi and now he had to get through them in order to get her. But he was already formulating a plan.
It was so close now, so very close.
End of Chapter
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Moonchild: Oh freaking yeah baby. That's chapter 17. THE chapter.
Kagome: Yep. THE chapter.
Inuyasha: Why is it THE chapter?
Sesshoumaru: Because you moron it's THE chapter THE chain breaks. And THE chapter that all the Single Spark readers have been waiting for! Idiot.
Moonchild: I know Inuyasha! Say no to stupidity.
Inuyasha: Well sorry it's not like I give a fuck about THE chapter or THE fanfic for that matter.
Kagome: Don't be such a sour Inuyasha.
Moonchild: I know, right? Honestly. Ok! So I'm finally caught up! Now updates won't be every day but I will try to make them once a week. You know how it is, busy as crap. Anyhoo thanks SO much for reading this fic. I thank you for the reviews and please continue to send them! But no flames, fire is dangerous and should not be used to hurt others.
Inuyasha: Oh hell yeah it should!
Moonchild: Kagome, hide the matches.
Kagome: HAI!