"A Heart's Immaculence"
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, etc, etc,.
Author's Note: Thanks a zillion, my readers, for your lovely reviews! Thank you! I really believe I got better faster because of you all. I am always touched by your words. To tell you the truth, I don't really have much to say right now. Maybe it's because my brain is rather numb from thinking too much about my school work. Don't get me wrong, I love school, but sometimes all the work I'm given to do is overwhelming and tiring. I guess I have so much to do this semester because I'm graduating this year. I'm really feeling the pressure, if you can imagine. Now with my story, that is pressure too, since I update at least twice a week. I must revise my story before I submit it, and that takes time to do, but I do it anyway because I care about its organization. If I didn't do that, I would have less stress, but I just can't be that kind of writer. I hope you like this chapter. Will Inuyasha ruin everything for Sesshomaru and Kagome? Will the two brothers fight each other? Does Kagome choose to be with Inuyasha? Is this the end? Read and you shall know the answer.
Chapter 19
Kagome's heart was overjoyed to see Inuyasha again, her frustration with the day's misfortune of fighting with Sesshomaru, being entrapped by Kagura and witnessing her flirtation with him overwhelming her beyond tolerance. She had not realized how much she had missed him, for the time she spent with Sesshomaru obliterated any other thoughts unrelated to the beautiful lord. She felt guilty for rarely thinking about Inuyasha, but that did not mean she had ceased loving him, perhaps not in the manner in which she once did, but her feelings were still as strong and affectionate as they had been before. But seeing him again also reminded her that she could no longer be with Sesshomaru, that Inuyasha finding her marked the end of her staying with him. The anger she had towards him vanished with the birth of that somber thought, yet when she remembered how he had been treating her, her heart's weeping passed and it became firm again.
Inuyasha stood there looking at Kagome with a concerned expression. He seemed tired and weary, his hair slightly disheveled, and although there was a beaming of happiness on his face, there was also a hint of irritation in his eyes. Kagome saw that he appeared relieved to see her, but she sensed that something bothered him, noticing a few facial lines reveal themselves on his forehead. After smiling at her, he turned his head and stared at Sesshomaru coldly, touching the hilt of his sword as he did so.
Sesshomaru, staring at Inuyasha phlegmatically in return, was annoyed by his brother's sudden interference. He was an unnecessary hindrance for him, and his mood was more waspish than ever, made by his impatience of Kagura's "playful game." Disliking the very look of him, Sesshomaru growled underneath his breath as he experienced a surge of jealousy proliferating inside him. He had experienced the feeling before when he discovered Inuyasha was bequeathed the Tetsusaiga, but it was not as powerful as what he felt now. It seemed Inuyasha was always one to make him hostile an infuriated, yet his jealousy was unexpected, something unpredictable, for he never imagined the half-breed could incite such an emotion because of a mortal girl, that human woman who annoyed him, enraged him, who was the epitome of silliness and immaturity, overly-hyper and whiney. Not to mention her lack of physical strength and lack in mastery of her skills. And what of her feminine assets? She was indeed female, yet her natural endowments were not as developed or as ripe as others he had seen. Such imperfections did not suit his palate, and she was the very opposite of the ideal female he envisioned for himself. Nonetheless, she possessed a purity, a goodness and beauty he had never known in anyone other than Rin. The truth of his feelings for her was again revealed to his conscience the moment Inuyasha invaded his heart. He was in love with her, he knew that, but he continued to hide himself from it, in fear that it would weaken him.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried happily with a smile. "You're here! You finally came to get me."
"Are you alright, Kagome?" Inuyasha said, taking his suspicious eyes off Sesshomaru and taking a few steps to be closer to her. "I've been looking all over for you. You had me worried sick."
"Oh, Inuyasha! I was afraid something had happened to you. You never take so long to find me."
"I'm sorry. I guess I was so upset at you for running off the way you did that I waited some time before I actually decided to come look for you."
Kagome smiled again, remembering the senseless argument she had with him about her not being able to fight well. She could not believe it had been just two days since that happened, but she felt she had been away from Inuyasha and her friends for months. Thinking about her friends, Kagome noticed they were not with him.
"Hey, Inuyasha," said Kagome.
"Yeah?" Inuyasha said.
"Where are Sango, Miroku and the others?"
"Oh, they'll be here. I got a head start to look for you before them. They should be here soon. And what about you? You look terrible. What happened to the clothes you always wear? Why are you so dirty?"
Kagome looked at her soiled kimono and touched her tangled hair in embarrassment.
"It's a long story," she replied. "I don't think you want to hear about it right now."
"I'll have to agree with you on that," Inuyasha said, looking at both Sesshomaru and Kagura. "What are they two doing here? The scent of Narku and the scent of my brother is enough to make me blood boil."
"That's part of the long story too," Kagome said a bit angrily.
Waiting patiently for the right moment to speak, Kagura waved her fan in front of her face and laughed as she eyed Inuyasha and Kagome with a trickster's glare.
"What's so funny?" Inuyasha said to Kagura.
"You know why I'm laughing, Inuyasha," Kagura said. "Don't act as if you're clueless."
Kagome was confused by Kagura's words and Inuyasha looked temperamental, a sign he was ready to explode and to attack that which made his entire self drench in heat.
"Don't worry, Kagome," Inuyasha said, unsheathing Tetsusaiga. "I'll get you out of here and take you somewhere safe."
Upon hearing these words, Sesshomaru's own temper was aflame as he tightened his grip on Tokijin, hoping Inuyasha would make some absurd comment towards him so he had an excuse to strike at him with his fist and crush him using his sword.
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that," Kagura said, touching one of her green, dangling earrings. "Naraku needs Kagome. She is an important part of his plan."
"There's no way I'm letting you take Kagome to Naraku!" Inuyasha said infuriatingly, holding his transformed Tetsusaiga combatively.
Kagura gave a loud yawn and tapped her open mouth with her fan.
"I'm really starting to get bored," she said lazily. "I was having so much fun with Sesshomaru before you came along."
Kagura looked at Sesshomaru with an entranced face, and Inuyasha turned to look at his older brother and aimed his sword at him.
"What the hell are you doing here?" he said to him. "Did I interrupt something between you and Kagura? I had no idea you had a thing for her, Sesshomaru."
Sesshomaru lifted Tokijin and stared wrathfully at Inuyasha. That was the absurd comment he was waiting for, and he was more than ready to kill him, his immense anger overpowering his senses.
Kagome, after hearing Inuyasha speak, was just as outraged as Sesshomaru. Her own jealousy surfaced, and it was plastered on her face, seemingly permanent and unremovable. Even now Inuyasha had to say something hurtful and painful. He was unaware of the turmoil she had been through with his brother, and the entire scene she had to observe between Kagura and Sesshomaru. She curled her fists and tucked her head. Did Inuyasha sense there was something between Kagura and the demon she loved?
"Want to take me on, do ya?" Inuyasha said to Sesshomaru. "I'm all ready for you. I'll take you down so fast you won't know what hit you. You won't stand in my way from rescuing Kagome. I'll protect her from you and everyone else who tries to hurt her."
Sesshomaru's eyes were like daggers, his nostrils expanding, his teeth clenched behind his closed lips, chest heaving heavily.
"What's wrong, Sesshomaru?" asked Kagura, noticing his increasing rage. "Did Inuyasha strike a nerve?"
"Inuyahsa," Kagome said, lifting her head and looking at Sesshomaru. "Don't attack him. He has nothing to do with anything. Kagura is the one you should be mad at. She's the one who trapped me. He just came to rescue Rin, that's all."
Inuyasha pivoted around and looked at Kagome sternly. He seemed baffled by her words and his ears twitched a few times before they were straight again.
"Did I hear you right, Kagome?" Inuyasha said irritably. "Did you just say for me not to attack Sesshomaru?"
Kagome could not tolerate looking at Inuyasha to tell him that she had uttered what he heard. She closed her eyes and nodded her head weakly, hoping he would not lash out at her for making such a bold plea.
"You heard correctly," Kagura said, walking towards Inuyasha and Kagome.
"I wasn't talking to you!" Inuyasha shouted.
"Well, Sesshomaru," Kagura said, stopping a few feet behind Kagome. "What do you think about what Kagome just said, telling Inuyasha not to attack you? It looks like the girl cares for you."
Sesshomaru remained silent, his fixed stare still on Inuyasha despite being bothered by Kagura's words.
"How dare you say a disgusting thing like that!" Inuyasha yelled at Kagura. "As if Kagome would ever care for Sesshomaru! Besides, he's too cold-hearted to make anyone even want to care for him. I should rip you to shreds for saying what you did!"
"Go ahead," Kagura replied, smiling at him. "But I warn you, lay a hand on me and Sesshomaru will rip you apart as well."
"There she goes again," Kagome said in a whisper.
Sesshomaru was still silent, much too silent.
"Well, Kagura," Inuyasha said. "If you like him so much, why don't you two fly away together and leave me and Kagome alone. I won't go after you. It's not like you obey Naraku anyway."
Looking at Inuyasha, a slight fear crept inside Kagura, understanding the consequences if she did not follow through with Naraku's task, the one he commanded her to do. She would be severely punished, but she knew she was trying her best to complete the deed without anyone knowing what it was she was truly doing.
"A marvelous idea!" she replied. "Unfortunately, I'm unsure whether Sesshomaru would agree to do such a thing with me."
"Inuyasha," Kagome said, the idea of Kagura and Sesshomaru being together at some secret hideaway making her stomach knot itself. "I want to get away from here. I want to leave now!"
"Ah, did I say something to make you desire to leave so suddenly?" Kagura said, standing next to her. "Don't you want to stay a little longer? Naraku will be expecting you at his castle shortly."
"Get away from her!" Inuyasha said, pointing Tetsusaiga at her. "Like I said before, you're not taking her anywhere!"
"I'm afraid you may not be the only one here who feels that way about Kagome."
Inuyasha, Kagome, and Sesshomaru all reacted uncomfortably by Kagura's deliberate remark, and it was evident by her smile that she was enjoying it all.
"Ha! Don't make me laugh!" Inuyasha said. "Who else cares about Kagome but me? If you're talking about Sesshomaru caring for her—"
"That's precisely what I meant," Kagura said sharply.
Kagome began to shake, not knowing what to believe anymore. She had seen Kagura and Sesshomaru's behavior toward one another, and it did seem as though they had some sort of bond and closeness. He did not treat her harshly for the flirtatious comments she made towards him, which led her to believe he did have an attraction for her. She was aware of his altered mood, and she interpreted it as a reaction towards Inuyasha being in his way, but as she looked closer at him, it seemed his anger became stronger every time either Inuyasha or Kagura mentioned something particularly exasperating for him. Kagome only hoped Inuyasha would never find out about her feelings towards Sesshomaru.
"Don't listen to her, Inuyasha," Kagome said, looking at Kagura with the same expression she displayed when she had slapped her. "She's just trying to make you more upset. Forget about what she said."
"Forget it, huh?" Kagura said smoothly. "Is there something you don't want Inuyasha to know about Sesshomaru? Or about you, for that matter?"
"I know what you're trying to do, Kagura!" Kagome shouted, her temper at the very edge of an outbreak. "If you say anything else, I swear I'll use every ounce of my being to kill you!"
"Kagome," Inuyasha said. "I've never seen you this angry before. What is it about Kagura's words that bother you? Is there something you're not telling me?"
Kagome swallowed and her heart was racing madly. Was Kagura aware of her love for Sesshomaru? If she did, Kagome would do whatever in her power to prevent her from disclosing the truth to Inuyasha. Without thinking, her eyes moved from Inuyasha's face to Sesshomaru's, anxious to see for herself how he was reacting to everything that was happening. He was staring at Kagura coldly, unlike the way in which he had looked at her a while before Inuyasha appeared, but his lids closed suddenly and his eyes were then staring into hers. Expecting him to stare at her with hatred, Kagome looked at the ground, yet she was compelled to look at him again, and when she did, she did not see contempt in his eyes but gentleness. She blinked a few times to clear her vision in case it was blurred, but the result was the same image of Sesshomaru's tranquility.
"Did Sesshomaru hurt you, Kagome?" Inuyasha said loudly. "Is that why you're looking at him that way? Tell me! I'll cut his other arm off if he laid a finger on you."
"I told you, Inuyasha," said Kagome worriedly. "Sesshomaru hasn't done anything."
Inuyasha looked at Kagome distrustfully. "You know, Kagome. I might be wrong, and I hope I am, but it sounds like you're defending him."
"I'm telling you the truth," Kagome said, trying to control her emotions. "Please believe me."
"He did touch her, Inuyasha," Kagura said. "But it is not a physical touch I am talking about. He touched her somewhere that the eye cannot see, in a secret place hidden inside her."
"What are you trying to say?" replied Inuyasha. "I don't understand you at all."
"Obviously," Kagura said, rolling her eyes. "Your stupidity is tragic."
Somehow Inuyasha appeared to be thinking about what Kagura had said, and he took turns looking at Kagome and Sesshomaru. He was silent momentarily, then he shook his head and stuck the Tetsusaiga into the ground, releasing his hands on its handle and crossing his arms across his chest. Inuyasha was going through something in his mind as if he was remembering, contemplating on something important from the past that could be connected to the present.
"I saw it before, but I refused to believe it," Inuyahsa said, finally speaking.
He looked at Kagome cautiously, and she in turn looked at him nervously.
Kagura was choking down a laugh.
Sesshomaru parted his lips slightly.
"Is it true, Kagome?" Inuyasha continued. "Did Sesshomaru touch you the way Kagura said he did? When I was looking for you, Kikyo told me she saw you go with him. Did he take you by force, or did you go with him willingly?"
Kikyo saw me? Kagome thought. Why did she tell him that? Does she hate me that much? Does Inuyasha not believe me?
"I don't get it," Kagome said, feeling as though she wanted to cry. "You don't believe me, but you believe Kikyo and Kagura!"
"I didn't say I didn't believe you, stupid!" Inuyasha said grouchily.
"Then you shouldn't be asking me questions!"
"There's nothing wrong with me wanting to know if Sesshomaru hurt you or not! But I am really confused anyway, Kagome. Why are you with him, then, if you say you didn't go with him and that he didn't take you forcefully?"
"Must you even ask that?" Kagura said. "Have you lost your sense of smell? Can you not detect her fear intermingled with another strong emotion? There is something she's hiding from you, that she's even hiding from your precious older brother."
Sense of smell? thought Sesshomaru.
Throughout the time he was witnessing everything that was happening in front of him, Sesshomaru's senses were suddenly awakened by Kagura's words. It was as if they had been snapped into place. He realized he had forsaken his demonic instincts and senses because of Inuyasha's appearance, and the jealousy he felt blocked them out completely. As he stared at Inuyasha, he remembered he had not detected his scent, only sensing a disturbance but nothing else. That was the reason he was surprised to see him, displeased that it was him rather than someone else. He focused his attention on Inuyasha to smell his demonic distinctness, but no scent came from him, and he instantly understood what it all meant.
"Stay away from him!" Sesshomaru warned Kagome, thinking about the dream he had about Inuyasha killing Kagome, believing that it may come true if he did not intervene, his protective instinct taking over.
"What?" Kagome said, not understanding Sesshomaru's warning. "What do you mean to stay away from Inuyasha?"
"What did you say, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha said, still looking at Kagome.
"It seems Lord Sesshomaru has regained his senses," Kagura said, disappointment shrouding her face.
"What do you mean he's gotten his senses back?" Kagome asked Kagura, confused.
"It took you a while, Sesshomaru," Inuyasha said, smiling wickedly at Kagome. "I was beginning to think you really had lost your sense of smell."
"Huh?" Kagome said, her confusion intensifying. "What are you talking about, Inuyasha? And why are you smiling at me like that?"
"You are such a blind mortal!" Kagura said to Kagome, massaging her neck with her fan. "I have grown tired of you. I feel as if I've been babysitting you all this time. At least the waiting is now over."
"Will somebody tell me what's going on?" Kagome shouted. "Why is everyone acting so weird all of a sudden?"
"You should have figured it out by now," Inuyasha said to Kagome, pulling out Tetsusaiga from the ground, pointing its blade at her. "It's so sad that you've known me for the longest time and yet you failed to recognize who I truly am. Don't you know who the real me is, Kagome?"
Kagome was more frightened than she was before, her knees weakening at the joints as her entire body lost its warmth and became cold. She was unable to decipher what Inuyasha had just said to her, and she felt he was speaking in a foreign language, for his words were unfamiliar to her. She felt lost and heartbroken because something about him made her heart ache, not with sadness but with fear.
"I shall take you with me now," Inuyasha said, his smile the more sinister.
From the corner of her eye, Kagome saw Sesshomaru lift his body into the air, his silver hair and the sleeves of his garment flowing in the wind in a mesmeric twirl. She was spellbound by him, as she always was whenever he moved his agile body, but she saw she was not the only one struck by his allure. Kagura was as much enraptured by him as she was. However, their awestruck gazes were interrupted when he was almost over them. They both jumped a few feet back as Sesshomaru landed in between Kagome and Inuyasha.
"What are you doing?" Kagome asked Sesshomaru impatiently.
"Lord Sesshomaru," said Inuyasha malevolently.
"He's not Inuyasha," Sesshomaru said as he stood in front of her, shielding her from the full demon in front of him.
Kagome wanted to believe him, but she had to discover the truth for herself.
"Inuyasha, sit!" Kagome said, knowing that the true Inuyasha would fall to the ground with her command.
Inuyahsa did not fall. Instead he remained where he was standing upright, his amber eyes turning scarlet, two purple marks appearing on each of his cheeks, his fangs growing longer at the same time as his claws.
"You're right!" Kagome said, pulling out her bow and arrow.
"Kagome!" said Inuyasha in a different voice.
Wait a minute! thought Kagome. That voice! It isn't Inuyasha's! It belongs to….
"Naraku!" Kagome yelled aloud.
"Yes, I am Naraku" he said through Inuyasha's full demon body. "I'm so glad you finally acknowledged my presence."
"Curse you, Naraku!" Sesshomaru said vehemently. "You have deceived me yet again."
"I'm surprised at you, Lord Sesshomaru," Naraku said, looking at the manner in which the youkai was standing in front of Kagome. "You seem to be protecting her."
Kagome's thoughts swam inside her mind. She remembered what Rin had told her about Sesshomaru, how his actions made up for his lack of communication and expressiveness. He had warned her to stay away from the person she thought was Inuyasha but was truly Naraku, and now he was standing in front of her, blocking her own entire form with his own, in between her and their enemy. He did not have to make such a move, for he could have attacked Naraku from where he was previously. But somehow Rin's words were making sense to Kagome, and the more she thought about the reason Sesshomaru had made his move, the more she believed that perhaps he—even if it was of the tiniest degree—felt something for her.
"You will regret having tricked me, Naraku," Sesshomaru said scornfully.
"I think not," Naraku laughed diabolically. "The only one who will be regretful is you."
Naraku looked at Kagome with a strong evilness she had never seen in him before, and she prayed Sesshomaru would save her from him, but she then felt a pain in her heart, and she knew it was a bad omen of what was to come, either at present or in the near future.
I am really tired right now. It is 1:13 a.m. as I write this. You see how dedicated I am to my story, my beautiful readers! And I do this for all of you, not so much for myself, even though I love to write. Tomorrow is Monday. No! Well, that's the way it is, and I can't do anything to change it. I better go to bed now. My mother would really get mad at me if she found out how late up I stay to write a story I'm not even getting paid to do. She doesn't mind if I stay up to study, which I always do anyway. Okay, how did you like this chapter? I'm starting to worry that this story might end up being 30 chapters long. The next chapter will be #20 and there's still a lot more left I have to write about. Do you all think it's too long? I can make it shorter if you like, but then I'd have to leave out some stuff that I think would be interesting to add to the story. What do you think? Should I write until I tell the whole story, or should I shorten it? I don't know what to do. I hope you have time to review again. Remember it doesn't have to be a long review. Just write enough to tell me how you liked/disliked the chapter. At least I'm not like other writers who make it a point to say that they want a certain amount of reviews before they'll update again. I'm not picky like that, and I am nice enough to reply back to all my reviewers if you are registered members. But I'll admit I'm rather mean because I leave cliffies at the end of almost every chapter, right? Hey, I want you to crave for more, that's why I do it. Can't wait to hear from you all!