I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm SO SO sorry!!!!!!!! I have recovered my muse, who was kidnapped by Jaken, and my writer's block is gone. I know it's been a while since I last updated, but thank you all for keeping up the reviews. You guys rock, so as a Christmas present, here is the next chapter. Also, within the next couple days, I will be posting one of my Yu Yu Hakusho stories, so I hope you enjoy it!!
Chapter Seven
"Okay, I know that this looks bad," Kagome began, slowly backing away from her friends.
"You have no idea how right you are," the monk stated.
"Why, exactly, are you wearing Sesshoumaru's haori, Kagome?" Sango asked.
"Well, you see, I was asleep in Sesshoumaru's room, and he returned to his room, and since I left my bag in my room, he gave me his haori to cover up." She laughed nervously. "You know how he says that I dress indecently."
"What were you doing in his room to begin with?"
"Um, sleeping?" she replied sheepishly.
"Before that," the two said.
"We were, um, discussing, um, Rin's condition. Yeah, that's it. I was really tired, so he allowed me to rest there."
Miroku's eyes narrowed and he started at her before asking, "Are you sure that's all?"
"Yeah, because Inuyasha thinks that Sesshoumaru is actually the one that you're helping," the Taijiya baited.
Her steel eyes grew as she again began to laugh nervously. "H-heh. W-what possibly gave him that idea, I wonder."
"Maybe because you're acting quite strange."
"Strange? I'm not acting strange. Me, no, not strange. Nothin' strange here," she rambled.
"You're acting strange," the pair confirmed.
She paused. "Okay, I'm acting strange." Kagome sighed before plopping onto her bed, crossing her legs and subconsciously pulling the oversized haori tightly around her petite form.
"So, what is wrong with him?" Miroku asked.
"Not sure, exactly. All I know is that he's getting worse." She paused, looking down. "I don't know why, but I want to help him."
The group was silent for a moment before Miroku's mouth slid into a smile as he placed his hand on the top of Kagome's head..
"That, Kagome, is simply your nature."
"What do you mean?"
His hand moved to her lower back. "I mean that you have a strong, inborn desire to help those in need, be they friend or foe."
"Thanks, Miroku."
"It's nothing," he replied, hand moving lower.
The loud, high-pitched scream drew Sesshoumaru from the paperwork he was already having great difficulties working on.
Not sensing any distress in the cry, he sighed and rose to his feet. He left his room and entered the miko's, only to see the houshi, unconscious on the ground, and Kagome, fist raised and eyes blazing.
"Would someone care to tell me why I was pulled from important paperwork by a scream?"
Kagome calmed down and bowed, which Sango quickly mimicked. "Well, you see, Miroku is a bit of a letch, and his hand went a little too low for my liking," she explained.
"I assume that this is quite a regular occurrence."
"Too regular, if you ask me," Sango muttered.
The Inuyoukai regarded her with a side-glance before continuing. "I suggest you keep the monk on a leash." His eyes narrowed a fraction. "If you value your lives, that is."
Opening the door, Sesshoumaru paused before exiting. Without turning, he said, "I would stop doing that, or you may find yourself without it, Miko." With that, he left.
Sango turned to her friend only to see her slowly replacing her tongue in her mouth, having been obviously sticking it out at the Taiyoukai.
"You may want to be a bit more respectful, Kagome," Miroku said as he moved from his prone position on the floor. "This is his home, after all."
"I've shown His Highness the utmost respect and he still threatens my life!" she lamented. "I mean, I'm trying to help him, for Pete's Sake!"
Jumping to her feet, Kagome pulled the door opened and stormed out, leaving the monk and the Taijiya to stare in confusion.
Sesshoumaru was just beginning to address a letter when Kagome burst into his room.
"Can I help you, Miko?" he asked the girl, not even bothering to look up.
"You've got some nerve," she growled.
"This coming from the girl that has burst into my room unannounced."
"Oh, you know that you sensed me coming the second I opened my door."
"You test my patience, human. What is it that you want? I'm quite busy."
"I just want to ask you a question."
Annoyed, he abandoned his work and looked toward her. "Ask your question and leave."
"Why are you such an arrogant jerk? I've been nothing but pleasant to you and you respond by threatening the lives of my friends and me. What did I ever do to you?! I put my life on hold to help you out of the goodness of my heart, but maybe that's the problem. Do you even have a heart?!"
"Enough!" he roared, effectively silencing her. "Do not presume to know me, wench. Now you will leave my chambers immediately."
"You know what? Fine, I'll leave, but I'm going on the record as saying that you're a bastard." Removing the haori, she threw it onto the bed and stormed out.
Sesshoumaru watched as she slammed the door, then sighed, closing his eyes and leaning back.
'Why is it that I can never fully control myself around her? If this illness isn't the death of me, that woman surly will be.'
'The nerve of that guy! Argh, he is definitely related to Inuyasha; they're both irritating and insufferable,' she mentally ranted as she slammed her host's door in pure frustration.
Kagome was crossing the hall when she felt a pair of familiar eyes on her. Turning, she noticed the wolf demon, who was scanning her barely dressed body.
"Um, Kagome? Why, exactly, are you leaving the Western Lord's room wearing practically nothing?"
She let out a curt shriek of aggravation. It seemed as if everyone and their brother was out to get her. "Kouga, I'm highly annoyed right now. Besides, my state of undress is none of your concern, now excuse me, but I need to go to my room and punch something."
"Actually, I passed a dojo on my way here. If you want me to, I could show you where."
"Thank you, Kouga. I like that idea. Let me just get dressed and I'll be right back." With that, she ran into her room, leaving a very shell-shocked Kouga standing in the barren hallways, a pleased smirk gracing his features.
'Damn. I Haven't been here in years,' Inuyasha thought as he walked through his birthplace.
The hanyou had been wandering the castle for about an hour, his forgotten memories guiding him. He turned the corner and suddenly stopped, heading toward a door on his left. Opening the door, he realized what had drawn him to this particular door.
"This is-" he began.
"Your old room," a voice finished from behind, startling the half-demon.
He exhaled, clutching his chest. "Jeez, Kira, 're ya trying to gimme a heart attack?!" he cried.
She giggled slightly. "Sorry, but I figured that you would sense me behind you. Anyway, you're now standing in my room," she explained, smiling brightly.
"Oh, sorry. I shouldn't've just come in like this."
"Don't worry. It was your room first." The Kitsune watched as Inuyasha slowly took in his surroundings.
Taking his hand, Kira led him toward the bed and motioned for him to sit, which he did.
"How long has it been since we've spent time together like this?"
"Too long. I miss my childhood sometimes."
"Me, too. I had so much fun following your brother around all day."
Inuyasha began laughing. "Gods, we pestered him relentlessly. No wonder he can't stand me."
"Honestly? I think I drove him crazier than you did."
"Doubt it. I was the one he had to keep saving because I thought that I could fly like he could, even though I never noticed the cloud thing he has."
"I still win. Don't you remember that I thought that I was in love with him?"
He nodded. "Right. You win." After a moment of staring out the window, he whipped around to look at her, "How could you have a thing for that prick?! He used to make you cry and beat me to a pulp every chance he got!"
"Well, how would I know?! I thought he was beautiful. Plus, he never smiled and always glared. I thought he was cool!" she yelled in response.
"But it's Sesshoumaru!" he cried.
Suddenly, and without warning, the pair began laughing hysterically.
Damn, I needed that," Inuyasha gasped through slowly fading laughter. He fell backward to lie on the bed, followed by Kira who did the same. "So Kir, who else is here that I'd know?"
She thought a moment. "Akira is Sessh's number one assassin."
"He always was a good shot. Who else?"
"Tama teaches Rin reading and writing and Tomo teaches her to be a proper lady."
"How long has Rin been in Sesshoumaru's care?"
"Almost 2 years. She's quite attached to him. I also think that she's growing on him."
"You're kidding, right?"
"No. He's fiercely protective of her. Why else do you think you've never seen her?"
"Actually, when the two of us are together, I'm usually too busy avoiding getting impaled to notice."
"I see."
"Kira," Inuyasha began after a moment, "I need a straight answer. What's wrong with Sesshoumaru?"
She became edgy. "W-what do you mean? He's fine."
"You always were a horrible liar. I already figured out that something's wrong with him."
The demoness sighed in defeat. "I don't know much, but you're right. Uncle and Lady Kagome are the ones caring for him. From what I've seen, it's serious."
"How serious?"
"It was as if an unknown force was suffocating him. He could have easily died, if not for Kagome."
"I wasn't expecting that," he murmured.
"If you want straight answers, you'll have to ask Sessh."
"After what I said earlier, I doubt he'd tell me anything. He'd probably just lop off my head or something equally as gruesome."
"Why? What did you say?"
"Well, I mentioned what Kagome was and asked why she was here."
"You didn't." He nodded. "Please tell me you didn't." He again nodded. "Inuyasha!" Do you have a death wish?!"
"I didn't think. I was just worried about Kagome." The hanyou paused. "I may hate Sesshoumaru, but I'd never purposely bring that up. I know what it's like. To a degree." He yawned loudly. "It's late, so I should really head back to the others."
"I suppose, but can we spend more time together tomorrow night?"
Inuyasha smiled slightly. "I think that could be arranged, now go to sleep."
He hugged his childhood friend, then left her room to return to his own.
The wolf demon was leaning against the wall when Kagome exited her room.
"Kouga, would you mind showing me the dojo in the morning? I guess I'm a lot more tired than I thought I was, which is funny, considering that I've slept more than I usually do."
"If that's what you want, then I'll come back to take you there in the morning."
"Thanks a lot. I'll see you tomorrow then." Turning around, the miko then disappeared into her room.
"How is our plan faring?"
"Better than expected. No one knows what is wrong with the Taiyoukai. Even the half-breed mutt is in the dark."
"There is something else." It was more a statement than a question.
"There is a young miko assisting him. She is extremely powerful, yet quite untrained."
"I see. Can she be corrupted?"
"It is unlikely. She is a pure soul." He paused to consider something. "Actually, her emotions are tied to her powers. If you attack her emotions, then her powers will weaken, leaving her vulnerable."
"Interesting. Very good. Continue to keep watch over the pup and the miko. Understood?"
"Understood." Bowing, the demon was teleported to his post.
The masked conspirator leaned forward, a smile appearing on the person's face.
"Well, Sesshoumaru, let us see how well you handle the next round of the curse, shall we?"