A/N:
We've reached 10 chapters with this story, my lovely readers! so I feel it's only fitting to celebrate with an especially long one this time. (And I'm very excited to bring this particular one to you, as well)
Also, about occasional typos/words missing capitalization:
I'm repeatedly double-checking my chapters and doing my best to find and fix them, but I'm afraid they would still occasionally and inevitably appear here and there, so I hope you could bear with me and manage to look past them while still enjoying this piece!
Chapter Ten
"Hey, Jaken-sama..." Rin's light voice fluttered into the imp demon's conscious as he rested his back against a tree trunk, holding a small bouquet of flowers the child had collected and instructed him to guard for her.
Night had already fallen and yet the forest around their campsite was somehow purged from youkai of any kind. Jaken himself took notice of this strange reoccurrence repeating itself at every place they had settled down in lately, but since that realization meant less reasons to worry, he did not question the cause for it, resulting in both Rin and him taking advantage of the secure area and using it for a current flower source.
"What is it?" The imp demon reluctantly asked with a bored voice, basking in the relaxing freshness the greenery around him exuded into the air and watching the child focus her brown eyes far away at the camp area, where she could see Kikyo and Sesshomaru sitting near the fire, conversing.
Turning her head in the green creature's direction and meeting his gaze, she gave him a surprised look.
"Do you think Sesshomaru-sama likes Kikyo-sama?"
Her bold question nearly made Jaken choke on his own spit as he jerked violently, shoulders tensing and his yellow eyes bugging out from their sockets as the flowers nearly dropped from his hands to scatter all over his lap and the grassy ground on top of which he was sitting.
"W-What kind of nonsense are you spewing, idiot?!" He exclaimed, managing to somehow maintain his voice in fear of Sesshomaru accidentally hearing this heresy.
But Rin only blinked at his sudden, avid disapproval.
"You don't think so?" She asked him innocently, turning back to lower herself down and resume her flower picking while humming a familiar tune.
Jaken simply let out a deep sigh.
"No, I do not." He dismissed sternly, leaning his head back against the bark behind him, "Sesshomaru-sama only keeps that undead human miko around to ensure your safety, Rin, that is the only reason she's here!"
Rin silently reached to snap another colorful flower and tuck it neatly into a calculated space in the collection held in her hands.
"But right now, you're the one keeping me safe, Jaken-sama." She answered.
The imp demon's yellow eyes widened at her words.
Then, he swallowed hard as his green brows met with confusion.
Jumping to his feet while holding both his wooden Nintojo and the flowers, Jaken raised his head slightly to glance over the lush forest into the camp area in the distance, observing as Kikyo and Sesshomaru were indeed engaged in a conversation, both of them seemingly very focused and absorbed deep into their exchange.
Narrowing his yellow eyes, he only stood in his place for a moment, then shook his head from the unthinkable notion, clearing his mind entirely.
"Nonsense..." He muttered with exhaustion, sitting himself back down against the tree, lamenting over the time he lost by even considering the child's ludicrous words.
With the first rays of sunlight bathing the winter sky with a rich and gleaming red color, the group was ready to finally depart the Mt. Hakurei area. However, before Sesshomaru even managed to alert his companions of the next spot he had decided upon in their pursuit of Naraku, Kikyo caught his golden gaze as she stepped forward in his direction, her arrow quiver propped neatly on her right shoulder and her large bow held in her right hand. Her priestess outfit still required a considerable amount of mending after Naraku's vicious attack, therefore she allowed herself to enjoy the comfort of the basic Kosode she purchased the day before for a little longer.
Silently watching her calmly and elegantly make her way through the clearing towards him, Sesshomaru stood in his place as he maintained the priestess' gaze until she reached his location. Stopping before his form, she observed the daiyoukai with a composed expression for a moment.
"There is something that I need to prepare before we follow in Naraku's direction." She notified him simply.
Sesshomaru processed her words for a moment, not a trace of his thoughts showing on his face.
"The human heart which you were betting on so confidently is no longer relevant to your course of action, miko." He reminded her with a low but steady voice.
But Kikyo only slightly raised her head, narrowing her eyes up at him in a quiet, mocking fashion.
"There are other methods of using that weakness against him, Sesshomaru." She stated, a hint of resolve crossing her features, one which was not overlooked by the daiyoukai, "For that, I need to visit a certain location near my old village."
Intrigued by her words, Sesshomaru's expression displayed a hint of interest. However, he only allowed himself to calmly further investigate on what she meant by her most recent affirmation.
"What do you intend to do?"
Halting her explanation, Kikyo simply stepped past where he stood, closer to the edge of the grassy precipice while raising a pale arm into the air, calling on her Shinidamachu who arrived at the scene moments after. The wind was strong at the edge of the cliff, coursing through her unbound purplish black, long hair and rattling the arrows contained in their quiver placed on her back. Knowing Sesshomaru's gaze was still set on her, the priestess turned around to face him with a smooth motion, her silvery youkai serpents circling her frame.
"It is best to see with your own eyes." She said, her notorious vagueness causing him to slightly clench his jaw.
He only observed in silence as her straw sandals departed from the grassy ground beneath them, the Shinidamachu engulfing her legs and feet as they easily lifted her into the air, carrying her away in her desired location.
Maintaining his position, Sesshomaru's golden gaze followed her being until she turned into a speck of spiritual light in the distance. 'The village right next to where Inuyasha was sealed, huh.' He concluded to himself. Then, he turned on his heel, stepping towards Jaken and Rin, who were quietly watching their exchange from afar.
"Sesshomaru-sama?" Jaken inquired his master's next orders while Rin sat on top of A-Un's saddled back, the food and various types of firewood she had neatly gathered throughout their stay strapped and packaged inside an improvised fabric both Kikyo and her acquired in their shopping errand the day before.
"We are following after her." He notified all three of them without further explanation, causing a very confused and uncertain imp demon to grumble something unintelligible to himself, then reluctantly jump on top of A-Un's back in response, behind the child.
Landing in the tall grass field, Kikyo stood in stillness for the longest time.
She stretched her gaze to the far distance, where the large river had parted the land, the early morning mist dancing on top of its steady stream as the chilly wind carried the moisture in the air across the valley, all the way to where she was positioned, granting her with a certain nostalgic freshness she had almost forgotten existed. She breathed in deep, taking in the reassuring feeling she once allowed herself to enjoy so blindly and carelessly for a few more moments in silence.
Then, she turned her gaze to the familiar cave she knew so well.
The roots growing from the tree peacefully located on its top now draped all the way down to its entrance, the wildlife around it seemed to have completely overcome the fire they once suffered whilst the greenery now efficiently veiled its stone walls, spreading across and almost concealing it away from view as if nature itself had decided to assist in protecting Naraku's despicable existence from anyone who might have the same idea as her own.
Her expression turned stern as she watched the location before her in silence.
A cursed place where she never thought she would ever set foot in again... was now quite possibly her only way of defeating that scum.
She only let out a quiet breath, then began steadily stepping forward, towards the entrance.
Using her large bow to move the bushes and plants away as she entered the cave, Kikyo slowly and carefully made her way down the angled surface. The inside of the confined space felt cold against her features compared to the outside soft sun and the burnt scent still lurking on its inner walls making her shiver with both an uncomfortable and a disgusted feeling altogether.
Yet, she still continued with her current objective, stepping all the way down to where the thief once lied, to the exact same place his unmovable body rested on;
The spot where she had foolishly nourished and took care of Onigumo's existence for so long.
Lowering herself to a kneeling position, Kikyo stared down at it in silence.
'Just as I thought...' She observed the ground next to her as her eyes narrowed at the new confirmation for her theory;
The area which supported Onigumo's body was the only part devoid of any plant life, meaning the cursed ground was still rich with his putrid essence of being, as well as his unholy desire for her;
His heart.
Placing her large bow on the grassy ground beside her, Kikyo lowered the quiver from her back, drawing a single arrow out of it. With a smooth but sharp motion, she firmly dug the head into the corrupt ground, involuntary using her fingers to force the substance onto her weapon as much as possible by rubbing it excessively and letting it absorb and settle inside.
After she deemed it enough, Kikyo set the arrow to her side, reaching for the next one in her quiver as she followed the same exact actions with quick efficiency.
"By now, I assume you have already understood what I'm doing, Sesshomaru." She verified with the inu daiyoukai watching her from the entrance of the cave, casually alerting him of her awareness of his concealed presence.
Sesshomaru only kept silent to her rhetorical question as he allowed himself to study her actions for the longest time.
But peering into the closed space and focusing his gaze on Kikyo's form kneeling inside, he couldn't help but overcome with a sudden feeling of utmost aversion. For some reason, he couldn't think past the fact that this, right before him, was the spot in which that vermin had laid, treated and mended by her, secretly lusting after her existence so much that he eventually sold his own pathetic body and soul to the lowest form of youkai. What was it about this sudden realization that caused his insides to churn all over again, the mere thought of her spending countless hours in this cave with the likes of that bastard almost unbearable for him to even acknowledge...
And his quiet understanding of her choice of actions in order to counter Naraku's being only made it worse, amplifying the wretched feeling inside of him.
"Finish what you must do and follow after us to the next location." He commanded down at her, turning on his heel with a swift motion as he strode away from the cave and closer to the river, where Rin, Jaken and A-Un were located.
Kikyo stopped her task for a moment, raising her eyes to where Sesshomaru had stood only a second ago, her expression crossing with slight surprise.
'To think he would really comprehend this easily without requiring an explanation...'
Shrugging her mild confusion, Kikyo only resumed her actions in silence.
And her mind inevitably trailed once more to unnecessary themes, her current repeating activity as if turning the wheels of her memory back to a much calmer and easier time in her life.
'Kaede...' Her sister's name eventually surfaced in her head as she remembered how at certain times she needed to rely on the child, then barely even twelve, for help in taking care of the thief whenever she herself was too busy with protecting the village or guarding the Shikon Jewel.
A new bitter realization suddenly hit her, making her frown with displeasure;
How could she have been such a fool to subject her own flesh and blood to a despicable task like that? Fifty years later, Kaede was now already an elderly woman while she herself still maintained her youthful appearance, and yet in her eyes, every time she had looked upon her form, only the image of her younger sister displayed back to her.
Stopping her actions entirely, Kikyo shifted in her spot to now sit on her knees as she drew her stained hands closer to rest on her lap.
Staring down at them, she only let out a soft breath.
'I've never even apologized to her for that...' She recalled, the notion causing deep regret to spread in her chest.
Lifting her gaze up, Kikyo focused it on the darkened, rocky wall before her, suddenly wondering if this confined space always felt so suffocating. When she took care of Onigumo back then, the cave seemed properly sized with enough room for two people to move in, yet now it appeared so impossibly small, unfitting for one, even.
Was it her current knowledge, influencing and distorting her way of perception?
She quietly lowered her mahogany eyes back to her hands.
If only she knew back then what she knows now... if only she could predict the future, or have it at her own disposal, like Inuyasha's companion, Kagome, who somehow appeared out of nowhere as her own reincarnation from a distant time...
Her expression crossed with sadness as the half-breed's name sank into her thoughts, absorbed by her feelings as if it were fuel to a fire.
And she bitterly humored at how just like back then at those same, simpler times when he found the most unexpected methods of appearing before her, it was now her thoughts that he managed to find himself such an unpredictable way into.
Realizing she was once again wallowing in useless self-pity, the priestess simply continued on her actions as she forced her mind clean of any distractions, going over each and every arrow in her possession, eventually finishing her task. Collecting them all back into their quiver, she reached for her bow placed next to where she sat, then rose to her feet, finally climbing out of the smothering cave.
But as soon as she exited it entirely, she was greeted by a certain familiar face who was patiently waiting for her to finish, causing her mahogany eyes to widen at his sudden presence before her.
"Kikyo..." Inuyasha almost whispered, his voice low and his intense gaze fixed on her, "I knew I picked up your scent in the air from Kaede's village..."
Composing herself, Kikyo only calmly propped the arrow quiver on her right shoulder as she stared at him in silence.
"Those clothes..." He continued, confusion clear in his face, "And your injury... did you manage to heal it?"
She only followed with her quiet observing for another moment.
"I am fine, Inuyasha." She said, her expression not allowing him any hints regarding her true feelings.
But he only stepped closer towards her in response to her words, annoyance clear in his face.
"Like hell...!" The half-breed snapped, clenching both of his fists and bearing his teeth at her, "Where the fuck did you go with Sesshomaru, of all people?!"
Kikyo studied his loud outburst in silence.
"You do not need to worry about me anymore, Inuyasha." She told him calmly, raising her head slightly at his direction, "You have other companions that now require your protection."
Hearing that, Inuyasha closed the distance between them as he sent his hands to grab onto her upper arms and pull her closer before him, making her jump at the sudden feel of his contact, as well as his unexpected closeness.
"I can't fuckin' help but worry about you when you insist on fighting by yourself, damn it!" He admitted, his honesty never failing to struck her with disbelief at how easily he managed to express himself before her, even after they had both suffered from such an unspeakable hurdle in their relationship.
"Inuyasha...!" Kikyo urged him to stop through a strained breath, her expression filled with sorrow, "It is alright, I am not fighting by myself, anymore."
He pulled back a bit, still maintaining his stubborn hold on her upper arms as his eyebrows met with realization.
"Sesshomaru is too dangerous and he can't be trusted, leave him and come join our group, join me, Kikyo!" He begged her, his aggressiveness causing it to sound more like a demand than anything else.
The reality, however, was that she wanted to say yes.
She wanted to reunite and fight beside him, to avenge their past together and see Naraku fall.
But as where things currently stood, Kikyo knew it was impossible. Inuyasha had good intentions in his heart, yet he had his hands full.
She knew his attention could never be evenly divided between her and Kagome and attempting to achieve the unachievable would only cause unnecessary issues and hurt for every side, in a crucial time when the last thing they all needed was to be distracted by something like emotions.
This was just like when she vowed to keep the Shikon Jewel safe. The duty has changed, but her ethic remained;
She must push her feelings aside, until she managed to eliminate Naraku's existence completely.
"It's best that we split our ways, Inuyasha." Kikyo gave her final answer, composing herself once more, "I will be fine with Sesshomaru."
But instead of hopefully ending this exchange between them, her rejection only sparked his disapproval and fueled his anger, his hands grabbing at her upper arms pulling her even closer before him.
"I can't accept that!" He shook his head, his golden eyes shining with the same unwavering passion she had always remembered them to carry, "I can't trust him to properly protect you!"
However, before Kikyo even managed to protest further –
"Do you truly think you are in any position of saying that when the one who failed to block Naraku's attack in time was none other than you, Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru's harsh words suddenly cut into their intense exchange, making them both turn in his direction.
Letting go of Kikyo, Inuyasha turned to face his half-brother, baring his teeth at him.
"Sesshomaru, you bastard!" He shot back at the daiyuokai, "Just what the hell are you trying to pull?"
Glaring at him, Sesshomaru let out a mocking breath.
"You are nothing but an eyesore, Inuyasha."
Hearing this, Kikyo narrowed her gaze at Sesshomaru's direction, yet she kept her silence, letting the scene unfold before her.
"I don't fuckin' care what you call me, asshole." Inuyasha spat back at him, reaching for the hilt of his Tessaiga as he drew it out with a swift motion, the sword quickly expanding to its large size, "If you're not gonna explain yourself then I'll just slice you up until you do!"
"Hmph," He only smirked in response, unsheathing his Tokijin as well and aiming it straight at his oldest opponent, "Know your place, Inuyasha. Need I remind you of the last time you attempted to face this blade at your pathetic, uncontrollable state?"
Inuyasha's expression crossed with anger as he recalled Kagome's words, telling him of the events in which he had lost control over his body and soul, turning into a full-fledged youkai. Much to his own dismay, it was Sesshomaru of all people to stop his rampage, with the worst part being the fact that even at such a ruthless state, he was still no match against the power of his half-brother's Tokijin.
"Keh!" He dismissed his words entirely, lifting Tessaiga and aiming it straight at him, "A lot have changed since then, Sesshomaru!"
Clear annoyance was now read on the daiyoukai's features.
"No matter what countless pathetic upgrades you acquire, Inuyasha, you are still nothing but a half-breed compared to I, Sesshomaru."
Closing her eyes, Kikyo let out a deep breath.
"Enough, you two." She called firmly while slightly raising her voice, her expression unreadable.
Both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru turned their heads in her direction as she opened her eyes to stare back at them with poise.
Keeping quiet for a moment more, Kikyo eventually locked her gaze with Sesshomaru's.
"When you decide to finally have your fill with this impressive battle of wits, join us at the campsite." She glared at him, sarcasm clear in her angered tone.
They only watched as the priestess summoned her Shinidamachu to once again wrap around her frame and carry her away from the area.
"Damn it! Kikyo!" Inuyasha called after her, but she only concealed her appearance in response, vanishing into an orb of light.
Lowering his sword, Sesshomaru kept his focus up as his stare lingered on her spiritual power still in apparent in the distance for the longest time.
Her eyes just now... it had been quite a while since she had last given him that look;
A look of disappointment.
Lowering his gaze to his right hand wielding Tokijin, Sesshomaru's golden eyes narrowed.
What was the purpose of him being here, even?
After picking up Inuyasha's revolting scent from afar and realizing that the half-breed had probably figured she was near the human village, something once again sparked deep inside him, the same sudden urge overcoming him just as it did that night against Naraku, involuntary causing him to seek her existence, only this time for different reasons;
The thought of her and Inuyasha sharing a private exchange between them was a notion that he simply could not agree with, especially when the woman was now officially part of his own group.
A legitimate reason in his perspective...
So why did her gaze manage to once again struck him with a feeling of displeasure with his own actions?
Sheathing his Tokijin back at his waist in silence, Sesshomaru simply turned on his heel, preparing to leave.
"Wait the hell up, Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha yelled, causing him to stop for a moment, "I don't really understand what's going on, but if you let anything happen to her, I will never fucking forgive you."
Hearing his words, Sesshomaru kept his gaze forward as he said nothing, only the wind grazing against the tall grass filled the area with a low and steady sound with neither of them moving from their positions for the longest time. Turning his head halfway back to glare at his half-brother's direction, Sesshomaru suddenly used his unparalleled speed to move right next to where Inuyasha was located, leaving after-images of his form while reaching his only claw to grab at his throat, effortlessly lifting him in the air, the half-breed choking for his breath as his mind barely even managed to wrap around what was happening, dropping Tessaiga to the ground in the process of his shock.
"Your eyes truly are nothing but empty sockets, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru hissed up at him, his golden eyes flashing with silent rage and the firm grip on his half-brother's neck only tightening with each passing second, "That woman is already dead, thanks to no other than the incompetent likes of you." Releasing his deadly hold, the daiyoukai dropped him to the ground before his feet, the soft grass somehow managing to cushion his fall.
"Sesshomaru... you asshole..." Inuyasha grumbled through bared teeth and strained coughing, propping himself up with his arms as his features crossed with pure anger.
But Sesshomaru only once again turned on his heel, stepping away from the location with eerie calmness.
"You should do as she says and focus on trying to protect your current company."
And with that, his mokomoko stretched far below him, engulfing his legs and carrying him away into the air, leaving Inuyasha in his spot as he lay sprawled on the ground, next to his forgotten sword.
Sitting on top of a rock and enjoying the soft heat emitted by the fire in their current campsite's location, Kikyo once again dedicated her time to try and complete mending her priestess outfit. She had already finished sewing the large tear in the shoulder, her attention now focused on small cuts located randomly on the sleeves and the end of the red hakama trousers.
She tried her best to clear her mind from any form of unnecessary distractions, however, as always, her thoughts ended up wandering off to any topic but her current occupation. This time, it was the exchange she had witnessed at first hand between a certain inu daiyuokai and his half-brother.
Her eyebrows met in a scowl as she once again filled with irritation at the memory.
Inuyasha had told her before of Sesshomaru's hatred for him, but seeing it face to face truly sparked an utmost displeased notion within her, a feeling of both disgust and disappointment altogether.
This was a side to Sesshomaru that was definitely one of his biggest weak points, a part of his personality that she found herself outright repelled by, not to mention extremely confused with, especially since times have changed since Inuyasha had last shared this piece of information with her fifty years ago, when Sesshomaru was nothing more than a vicious wandering demon lord who cared about nothing but power.
Shifting her gaze to Rin who was sleeping on top of A-Un's back, Kikyo's expression softened a bit, however, her thought process had no intention of resting, just yet.
He now had this human child under his attentive care... and yet his behavior towards his half-brother still remained the same. If this was merely a cause of his hatred for humans, then shouldn't Rin have received the same treatment? Shouldn't he never have wanted to even deal with a race that he loathes so much in the first place?
Narrowing her eyes, she only turned her gaze to the steady fire.
"Fight alongside I, Sesshomaru." The daiyoukai's low voice echoed in her mind, making her blink at the memory of his unexpected offer, the memory sending an odd and unnamed kind of warmth to spread in her chest which she quickly ignored in favor of focusing on deciphering his intentions.
Shouldn't she, herself, be someone he wouldn't want anything to do with, as well?
Kikyo only lowered her mahogany eyes back down to her stained hakama trousers placed on her knees, her expression crossing with sadness.
'Or maybe he really does not see me as human?' The heavy thought settled in, making her lose her concentration as she accidentally missed the scarlet fabric, poking the needle into her left index finger by accident.
She raised her palm up, closer to her face as she stared at the spot she had pricked in silence.
Blood still did not flow out.
Letting out a soft sigh, Kikyo maintained her eyes downwards.
'Well, I really am not human anymore, after all.' She harshly reminded herself of her current reality.
And she only continued with her actions, making use of the time as she enjoyed the silence and lack of two intense golden orbs boring into her frame.
She recalled how Sesshomaru had returned to the campsite shortly after her own departure from both him and Inuyasha earlier, however, without even glancing her way, he only called on Jaken to escort him with his next errand, not even sharing his plans with her and immediately leaving off to his unnamed destination.
It was now already evening, and still there was no sign of him.
Putting her useless wondering about the inu daiyoukai aside, Kikyo soon finished sewing what she believed to be the very last hole in the entirety of her priestess outfit. She flipped the fabric in her hands, scanning its surface thoroughly as her mahogany eyes attempted to hunt another spot that needed fixing. Confirming that her hakama pants were indeed finally tear-free, she lowered them to her side, onto the grass next to the flat-faced rock she was sitting on, then reached for her haori, double checking it as well.
She was indeed, finally finished.
But staring down at her outfit for a moment in silence, Kikyo suddenly felt her enthusiasm somewhat fade.
It had been less than fourty-eight hours since she had purchased her current attire, and yet the concept of wearing this dignified, ceremonial outfit once again... just seemed so distant, now.
Just then, her sharp senses flared up in her, and she unconsciously straightened up, recognizing the sensation of Sesshomaru's demomic aura in the distance, closing in fast in the direction of the campsite. She observed in silence and an unruffled expression as the youkai in question landed not far from where she sat, his shoes smoothly meeting with the grassy surface beneath him in his usual regal demeanor, with Jaken quickly letting go of his mokomoko on which he was latched onto.
Reaching for the rest of her attire on the ground and arming herself with her weapon, Kikyo rose to her feet, beginning to step in his direction.
"This is a good timing." She stated simply, catching his golden gaze, "I shall be right back."
Sesshomaru said nothing and only studied her in silence, his golden eyes following her form as she set her attention forward, stepping past him, eventually disappearing between the trees into the path that would lead her to the nearby stream.
"That woman...!" The imp demon muttered under his breath, yet audible enough to hear, "She could attempt to be less vague with her intentions!"
But his master only kept his quiet for a few more moments, his impassive gaze switching to the sleeping child on top of the dragon youkai and next to the steady fire.
Reaching the stream, Kikyo's eyes widened at the sight.
Curving between the dense forest and thick bushes, the stable water shone with a soft pearl-blue color reflecting from the late-night sky and the moon above, its misty freshness filling the air and her lungs, allowing her to enjoy the silent, unparalleled tranquility it carried so effortlessly and making her wonder if such a beautiful area was always located at such a relatively close proximity to her old village. She stood in her place for a moment more, appreciating the soft sounds of nature all around her, the sight of fireflies lazily hovering over the water, their pulsing bright lights reflecting against the wet surface and granting the area with an almost magical feeling to it.
'I really did not set foot much outside of my old territory, did I?' She concluded, an innocent part of her pleased that at times like these, she could value the second chance in life that was given to her.
Slowly stepping between the trees and towards the edge of the water, Kikyo lowered herself into a kneeling position, placing her bow and the arrow quiver to rest at her right side as she unfolded her stained priestess outfit, dipping the cloth into the water. Rubbing the fabric against itself with a circular motion, she watched as the dirt eventually detached from the garment, spreading into the clear water and merging with the stream, disappearing from sight.
Finishing cleaning her haori, she raised the wet cloth above the water surface, rinsing it from the liquid as much as possible. Then, she lifted herself back up, using a nearby tree branch to her right as an improvised means for it to dry on.
But before she continued with her current duty, Kikyo let out a silent breath, turning halfway back in the direction of a familiar gaze, locking mahogany eyes with fierce golden ones.
"What is it that you want to inquire this time, Sesshomaru?" She impatiently asked, her face unreadable.
For some reason, even though this odd habit of his was hardly anything new, that night, she felt as if she could not successfully tolerate it.
Stepping forward until he was at a respectful distance from her, Sesshomaru said nothing for the longest time.
"Is there something that you reckon I should be aware of, miko?" He answered with a low voice, his condescending undertones not overlooked by the priestess.
Narrowing her eyes at his direction, she only turned around fully to face him.
"You have come here with the intention of clarifying something, have you not?" She insisted calmly as she raised her head slightly, "I'll answer whatever it is that's lingering on your mind."
Hearing this, Sesshomaru approached even closer, his golden gaze intense and fixed on her. Feeling her spiritual aura attacking him relentlessly as it jabbed against his own youki, he could tell this priestess in front of him was irritated with his presence.
That fact, however, did not deter his motivation at all.
"You sound confident in your own belief of myself possessing such a need." He denied down at her, his expression not giving her any hints on whatever he was thinking.
Tilting her head a bit to the side, Kikyo stared up at him in silence.
"You hold this certain curiosity in your eyes since yesterday, Sesshomaru." She boldly stated, making him blink, "One does not need to be an expert in order to tell there is something you wish to inquire me about."
Keeping quiet to her impudent words, he only narrowed his gaze down at her direction.
"Is it about Inuyasha and I?" She further investigated.
Straightening up before her, Sesshomaru's features crossed with irritation.
"I do not care, unless you are withholding important information about him from me."
"There is no reason for me to withhold any information, Sesshomaru." She answered almost immediately, glaring up at him, her head raised proudly and confidently.
They both remained quiet for the longest time, their exchange causing the wildlife around them to somehow silence as well.
"Inuyasha and I share a past together." She eventually replied, causing him to lower his head, yet still maintain her eye-contact.
"I assumed that much." He said, his voice low as he watched her closely, "I have also figured that foolish half-breed was the one who failed to differentiate you from Naraku, which inevitably forced you into sealing him to that tree, ultimately resulting in your own death."
Hearing him use the cursed word to describe Inuyasha yet again, Kikyo felt her patience run thin and her brows met with irritation. She glared up at the daiyoukai in silence, her fierce gaze set on his own.
"Choose your words carefully, Sesshomaru. You will not refer to Inuyasha as a half-breed in my presence." She cautioned, her voice firm.
Sesshomaru only returned her glare.
"Do you truly believe you are in any position of commanding I, Sesshomaru?"
Kikyo kept her sharp look on him, both of them already in extreme close proximity and their auras clashing against each other in a silent, yet violent battle.
"Do not test my patience." She only answered with this much, "You seem to have already figured out the nature of my relationship with Inuyasha, so what it is that you desire, now?"
The daiyoukai kept his fierce stare on her as neither of them spoke another word for the longest time.
"Only to ensure that pathetic half-breed will never to be mentioned again, remember that from now on."
Hearing him disregard her warnings so casually, Kikyo's eyes widened with anger.
With a deadly glare and no further use of words, she swiftly lifted both of her arms to his shoulders, releasing a surge of her purifying spiritual energy at the contact of her palms with his being, the bright light causing him to narrow his vision as shock momentarily overcame his features, the force from her attack breaking through his armor and scorching his garbs.
Sending one foot back to support his silent disbelief at this woman's inconceivable actions, Sesshomaru quickly reached for both of her hands with his only claw, catching her arms and moving forward as he forced her back firmly against the nearest tree to his left, restraining her wrists in his large right palm and trapping her body against his own in a tight press.
"Do you desire me to end your life right here, miko?" He growled down at her, his face inches away from hers and his golden eyes gleaming with anger.
But Kikyo only shot him back with an equally deadly glare, her mahogany orbs reflecting the soft moonlight in the most ruthless way possible.
"I will send you to your own grave before you even manage to draw your sword, Sesshomaru." She hissed up at him with an eerily calm and low voice, "And I will not allow you to badmouth Inuyasha before me."
Shifting against her, Sesshomaru pulled on her hands to his right, pressing his tall frame even closer as their intense gazes never broke for a second, making her let out an involuntary silent gasp of air at his increased closeness.
"You hold a lot of loyalty for someone who was not even capable of reaching you in time to prevent your next death by Naraku's strike only recently, need I remind you of who was indeed the one to guarantee your safety?"
Kikyo narrowed her eyes at his words.
"And for that you expect me to let you spew your hatred of him so freely? Don't make me laugh."
Tightening his firm hold on her wrists, his scowl only deepened.
"I am hardly asking for your permission, miko. While you are with me, you will abide by my orders and never speak another word of that fool." He firmly stated.
She lowered her head down at his words, yet maintained his fierce gaze.
"Tell me what is it that you find so loathsome about him, Sesshomaru." The priestess demanded, her mahogany eyes shining with a silent and strong need for understanding.
Observing her through somewhat of a slightly less angered expression, he said nothing for a few moments.
"I am under no obligation of sharing my reasons with you." The daiyoukai eventually answered.
Letting out a deep breath, Kikyo leaned her head back against the bark behind her, her features easing up a bit as well.
"If you wish for me to understand, then you must." She stated, studying his fierce golden eyes, "We are sharing the same objective and now require to reach common grounds between us if we ever hope to fight alongside each other."
Sesshomaru watched her in silence as he once again resumed into silence. His angered features had softened significantly, yet still held an undeniable level of offense in them.
"And what makes you so confident in your ability of comprehending them?" He inquired, his sharp gaze never leaving her for a moment.
Titling her head to the side as her dark long hair fell across her cheek, Kikyo only granted him with an unreadable, yet serious expression.
"How about you try me and then decide?" She confidently offered.
Staring down at her for a few more moments, Sesshomaru clenched his jaw, releasing her wrists and his tight press against her, eventually turning on his heel and facing away entirely.
"Respect my condition regarding Inuyasha and I shall respect yours." He only replied with this much, striding from their location and back to the campsite without taking in on her offer.
Still leaning against the tree, Kikyo's eyes followed his form until it disappeared through the dense wildlife. Maintaining her stern expression, she slowly brought her hands up to her chest, gently rubbing her wrist where Sesshomaru had grabbed her only a second earlier.
She never truly realized how tall he was until now, how large his frame was compared to Inuyasha's and how much strength he held in his close presence, all of it showering her existence with an impossibly warm feeling in the pit of her false stomach.
Lowering her gaze to her own grip on herself, she realized he barely even used any force at all.
Then, she breathed out with confusion.
He did not share his personal reasons with her when she herself had nothing left to hide from him.
Raising her eyes to stare up at the night sky, Kikyo only let out another deep breath.
Just what was that man's idea of a balanced partnership, exactly?
Or maybe, just as she thought... Sesshomaru really did not view her cursed existence as an equal to his own.
'Unforeseeable woman!' Sesshomaru clenched his fist in pure frustration, steadily making his way back to the campsite, the wind blowing through the new holes forged in his kimono and meeting with his bare skin causing him to frown with displeasure and annoyance, especially since he now realized the priestess had no real intention of hurting him, carefully concentrating her strike merely to his attire while sparing his flesh.
He let out a deep breath at the way the events of his recent exchange with her had folded, his golden eyes narrowing as his eyebrows met with slight confusion.
His objective was only to terminate any useless notions she might possess of possibly joining his incompetent half-brother, hardly to spite her to this degree... and yet somehow things ended up as they did.
'To launch an attack on I, Sesshomaru...?'
And in such close proximity too, that woman's fearlessness was truly a first.
But the fact that his following choice of action was simply to restrain her instead of killing her on the spot left him with a heavy feeling of bewilderment with his own self.
Why was that his first instinct?
The sensation of her pressed so close against him was still fresh in his mind, her hidden fresh scent which was radiating from her aura so impossibly strong and the way her deep and potent mahogany eyes were burning into him, all causing him to inwardly curse at the realization that it would probably take a long while until those left their current residence in his memory. What a truly foolish and unnecessary course of actions he had chosen...
"How about you try me and then decide?" Her offer suddenly echoed in his mind, only further deepening his frown as he recalled the way her gaze flashed with a genuine need for understanding, seemingly even bothered by a certain need to shed some light on his own reasons and character.
But he knew it was pointless, as that woman could not ever hope to understand.
No one could possibly comprehend the amount of disagreement he had with the current situation, with Inuyasha's existence, and especially with his father's decisions.
A/N:
Longest chapter yet, and a lot went down! I had a lot of fun writing this one.
About Kagura/Inuyasha love triangles - there will be no such thing in this story, I'm afraid! They will both appear when needed, but I myself have a few headcanons that I would like to insert into this story regarding their relationships, so stay tuned and you shall see for yourself what I mean. All in all, I would like to explore Sesshomaru and Kikyo's characters from a slightly different angle than the common one.
I am also fascinated by the way each and every one of you interprets this story, it brings me a lot of joy to see your different ways of reading into the scenes and their meanings(as well as picking on my little hidden clues!), so I hope to keep reading your lovely opinions and thoughts as you share them with me in your reviews!