Chapter Nineteen
Staring at Kikyo as she kneeled before the campfire and tended to the roasted mushrooms currently being seared by the heat of the flames in front of her, Rin filled with quiet, yet most consuming interest. She leaned forward, observing the priestess in silence for a while, her small fingers drumming against her bent knees as she hummed a familiar soft tune to herself.
Then, when her curiosity finally got the better of her, the girl tilted her head to the side, joining her hands together with eagerness.
"Kikyo-sama, where did those girls fly to?" The child asked, her large and curious brown eyes fixed on the woman, seeking for answers.
Rotating the stick onto its axis in order for the improvised food to absorb a balanced amount of heat on each of its sides, Kikyo soon glanced up at Rin's direction, her expression still maintaining its tranquility from before.
"My Shikigami are currently searching for Naraku's being." She answered simply, placing her right hand onto her bent knee as she leaned back, slightly shifting her weight, "They will fly all over the nearest land carrying my strand of hair which should react to Naraku's existence, thus alerting me of his location."
Processing the information, Rin remained silent.
Then, she eased her shoulders, leaning her back against A-Un's side behind her.
"Will they be alright?"
Kikyo's lips curved up into a slight, reassuring smile as she let out an amused breath at her honest concern.
"Their existence is derived from my own spiritual energy, therefore, even if something were to happen, I could always re-create them once more if needed to." She calmly explained.
Hearing this, Rin kept her quiet for a moment more.
"Oh..." She answered simply, her brown eyes soon setting on the fire before her.
"Such inconceivable abilities...!" Jaken shrieked with both disdain and fear, his narrowed vision boring into Kikyo's back as he made sure to sit as far away from her as possible, "Even when compared to a high-ranking human priest, powers of this magnitude are exceptionally rare...! just what sort of training did you go through, wom –"
But the imp-demon could only flinch and halt on his own inquiry as Kikyo slowly turned to stare at him, the contrast between her unruffled expression to her intense mahogany eyes sending chills up his spine.
"It is a simple matter of dedication to duty, Jaken." She replied with a steady voice, the wind picking through their area flowing through her long locks, scattering the flames of the fire into the high air behind her form and granting her features with an otherworldly glow surrounding her silhouette, "In order to properly defend others and then also guard the Shikon Jewel itself, I had to push beyond the full extent of my abilities in the never-ending battle against various youkai who threatened the peace of my village." With this, she elegantly turned back to focus her attention on the fire and the cooked nutrients for Rin, who was also listening closely to their exchange, "A life like that could be quite a challenging method to test one's strength."
Receiving his answer, Jaken's mouth formed a straight line as he swallowed harshly.
"Well, Kikyo-sama is amazingly strong!" The child beamed, her hands clenched into small fists, "With both Sesshomaru-sama and you, Rin couldn't feel safer!"
Hearing her exclude him completely, Jaken turned his displeased expression to Rin.
"Hey! Just how many times has this Jaken saved you, child?!" He protested loudly.
Rin's eyes widened at his words.
"Jaken-sama, you're good at other things...! Like... um..." She took a moment to form her point with unexpected difficulty, "Keeping Rin entertained!"
"S-Such insolence!"
Quietly exhaling, Kikyo looked up, mahogany eyes seeking the cliff area and soon finding Sesshomaru's being as he once again stationed himself on the edge of the grassy precipice, keeping guard for the rest of the night with his gaze aimed at the far scenery of the mountains and the valley below.
She let her thoughts rest on the sight of his long silver hair and draped sash moving according to the breeze's wishes as her mind replayed their shared plan in case her attempt of discovering Naraku proved to be successful.
Then, Kikyo only returned her notice to the prepared food, slim fingers sent to tug on the stick etched into the warm sand, pulling out one of the cooked mushrooms from its calculated spot near the fire.
"Here, this one is ready." She determined, extending her arm and providing the meal to Rin with a smooth motion.
"Kikyo-sama's hair is unwinding..." One of the spiritual beings noted, causing the other to glance in its direction as the two of them witnessed the strand of hair extending far beneath their high location to the ground below.
"There's something close by." The other child added, but before even managing to finish the deduction, a heavy swarm of flying demonic bugs soon engulfed them both, the air all around quickly overcome and compressed by loud buzzing and deadly youki, violently clashing against their spiritual aura as if threatening to destroy them by itself.
Stalling for time, the Shikigami quickly picked up their movement through the hazardous area, attempting to further detect the exact location of their elusive finding and transmit the information to their master, however, before they managed to stray any further, a large blade quickly cut through the air in their direction with deadly precision, slaying their forms in a flash and nullifying the effects of the spell which permitted their existence, involuntary returning them back to their original forms as two small pieces of paper, wafting aimlessly towards the ground below.
Confusion hurried to cross the boy's features as he called back on his chained weapon from the attack, and he skillfully caught it as his dark brown eyes were left to follow the remains of the two beings he was just ordered to eliminate.
But before he could even wrap his mind around the odd occurrence, an arrow was soon launched towards him, hitting the ground below his feet as he dodged the strike, the force of the spiritual power breaking through the earth and clearing the fog as it formed a large crater in the harsh, rocky surface.
Lifting one pale arm up, Kikyo opened her palm, allowing the two pieces of paper to safely land in her grasp, stern mahogany eyes rising to meet with his startled gaze as she carefully studied his features.
And the priestess only blinked with silent realization as she recognized who he was;
The boy standing before her at that moment, was no other than the same one she had witnessed carrying out Naraku's evil wishes that night at the burning castle.
'Kohaku...' She recalled.
The deafening silence of the night was soon to fall all around them both as neither said anything, the tree tops rustling against the cold wind as it blew through their path adding weight to their unforeseen, chanced meeting.
Making use of the boy's momentarily shock, Kikyo allowed herself to focus her attention on the Shikon fragment placed in the back of his neck, the state of his existence soon causing her gaze to sharpen.
"You..." She began, straightening before him, her voice low and steady, "Your life is bound to the Shikon fragment, controlled by Naraku, huh."
She observed the boy silently collect himself before her, his grip tightening on his weapon as soon as Naraku's name departed from her mouth and a sole drop of sweat running down the side of his face.
His eyes, however, displayed no trace of blind manipulation in them.
Kikyo narrowed her vision.
"Why do you obey Naraku?" She tested, watching him closely.
The way he stiffened at her sudden question, his instinct prompting him to send one foot back to support the unplanned surprise from her direct inquiry clued the priestess in on something rather unexpected regarding the boy standing in front of her.
However, the sudden alert that soon flashed behind his eyes caused her senses to flare up.
And the moment she turned around, was the moment she noticed Naraku himself had manifested behind her, silently lurking in the shadows of her exchange with the boy.
Without a second to spare, Kikyo lowered herself down, dodging the sharp parts of his body sent flying in her direction and soon etching into the ground all around her. Swallowing her shock, she lifted her right hand to quickly draw a single arrow out of her quiver, hurriedly placing its narrow, wooden shaft on top of her left fingers as her right pulled on the feathers against the string of her bow, the attack aimed straight at her loathsome enemy and her teeth gritting with anger.
'How could I have not sensed him standing behind me like this?' Her mind wrapped around the situation, attempting to explain it, 'Even now, I can't sense any youki coming from his being.'
Chuckling at her apparent confusion to the situation, Naraku's smirk only grew.
"Shouldn't you be happy, Kikyo?" He taunted, red eyes never leaving her being, "After all, you wished to see me –"
"Enough with the pitiful provocation, Naraku." She firmly cut into his words, her glare threatening to bore a hole through his being, "You could have killed me just now, why didn't you?"
Lowering his head yet maintaining her eye contact, Naraku kept his silence.
"Eager to die, aren't we?" He answered, sneering down at her.
Much to his dismay, she only brushed off his vacant words.
"It almost seems as if your heart had returned to its rightful place." She continued, observing him closely.
And noticing the smirk dropping from his features in response to her words, Kikyo breathed deep at her small achievement.
"Take your shot and find out." He dared, his expression showing hints of irritation.
However, instead of following with his suggestion, a faint smile of her own soon crossed her features.
"For you to appear so suddenly and urge something so careless... I guess the heart truly lies somewhere else, then." She deducted, her voice steady, "Perhaps even closer to this spot than I had thought..."
Hearing this, avid displeasure crossed her enemy's features, and he only kept his quiet for another moment in which neither of them said anything, not even giving the boy any further order to operate on, crimson red eyes devoid of any light fixed on her being in the most suffocating of ways.
'What's with this sudden, lengthy silence?' She wondered, conserving her utmost alert.
"Tell me, Kikyo, would your companion really be fine with your current position, especially considering the state of your existence?" He asked simply, his sudden words breaking through her momentarily confusion, only to grant her with a different kind.
With her scowl deepening at his odd inquiry, Kikyo kept her silence.
"Do not worry about him, Naraku." She stately replied, not letting the mild uncertainty show on her face as she reinforced her control over her own emotions.
Yet, his lips only curved up into an amused, dark smirk once more, as if the subject itself sparked a new type of interest in him.
"After all, he worked so hard to prevent you from reaching the border between this world and the next one..." He said, watching her closely, "Will his progress stop there, I wonder?"
Maintaining her quiet to his unexpected words, Kikyo attempted to process the meaning behind them.
But before she could even manage to reach a coherent conclusion, the daiyoukai suddenly emerged from his concealed hiding place using his unparalleled speed, his Tokijin already drawn and ready, causing her mahogany eyes to dart to his form as it rapidly approached their location.
With one harsh swing of his sword and no use of words whatsoever, Sesshomaru cut through Naraku's body, slicing him diagonally and leaving his existence in two floating parts, successfully separating him from the limbs which enveloped the priestess.
Chuckling at the occurrence, Naraku turned around to face his being, watching Sesshomaru land gracefully behind him, crimson red meeting with fierce gold.
"Sesshomaru... always in time for the rescue, huh."
Having no further reason to allow him to spout anymore of his poisonous remarks, Kikyo finally released her moderated shot, the spiritual energy blasting through their enemy's head and scattering his remains into several arbitrary parts left to pathetically float in the air before them both, soon escaping from their combined presence in his usual cowardly fashion, leaving only his growing laughter behind, echoing through the darkness all around them, plaguing the serenity of the wildlife as if orbiting their spot, eventually fading away completely.
With the threat now gone, Kikyo let out a deep breath, rising to her feet and stepping away from the crumbling remaining portions of his body still etched into the ground. Composing herself, she glanced over to where the boy had previously stood, only to notice that he had managed to escape as well.
She kept her stare aimed at the vacant spot for a few moments in silence, soon turning to Sesshomaru, locking her gaze with his.
"You were rather hasty." She calmly stated, tilting her head slightly up at him, "Did we not agree on letting me attempt to trick him into talking?"
Lifting his chin before her, Sesshomaru clenched his jaw.
"The vermin said nothing of value." He determined, sheathing Tokijin back at his side, "There was no need to keep entertaining his pitiful drivel."
Letting out a disapproving breath at her companion's unexpected lack of patience, Kikyo maintained his fierce gaze for another moment.
Then, she turned to her single arrow still stuck inside the crater in the ground and shrewd by the heavy fog, only the pale feathers visible through its thickness.
"That boy, Kohaku." She began, keeping her gaze on the spot, "Unlike that night at the castle... his eyes and mannerism were not of someone being manipulated."
Staring down at her, Sesshomaru assessed the information.
"And yet, he still obeys Naraku." He countered.
Taking in a deep breath, Kikyo calmly met his golden gaze once again.
"The Shikon fragment embedded at the back of his neck is the only thing which is still keeping him alive." She informed, turning fully in his direction, "The circumstances are unclear, however, that boy's life is bound to that shard, and the shard itself is easy for Naraku to control."
Before they could dwell further on the recent events, however, a familiar presence reached their senses, causing them both to turn in its hurriedly approaching direction, and they only silently watched as Inuyasha and his group soon reached the area, coming to a concentrated halt before them with tense and worried expressions plastered on their faces.
"Kikyo..." Inuyasha breathed, letting Kagome down from his back.
Stepping forward, he swallowed hard, his golden gaze stretching to scan the scene before him, noticing the scent of Naraku all over her being.
"Are you alright?" He asked, his expression turning stern.
Nodding once, Kikyo maintained her calm exterior before him.
"I am fine." She confirmed simply.
Hearing her nonchalant answer, Inuyasha turned to glare at his older half-brother, his features crossing with silent anger.
And heavy silence fell on all souls present for a few moments in which none of them spoke.
"Um..." The demon slayer suddenly stepped forward, setting her hesitated eyes on the priestess, "Did Kohaku... did my brother... do anything bad to you...?"
Noticing her sad expression, Kikyo refrained from answering for another moment.
'Her brother, huh.' She echoed to herself.
Contemplating whether or not to expose the fact that the boy was not being controlled, Kikyo found herself rather crossed; alerting his sister of the fact would undeniably ease her apparent worries, especially considering she had unfortunately witnessed the horrors of his doings under Naraku's control. However, the determined look in the boy's eyes was of someone with a reason for his actions, a resolve of some kind, most likely pushing him forward in a journey of his own... and his pure soul was proof of his still good nature.
For that, she could only respect his motive, as well as his decision for keeping it a secret.
"He did not." Kikyo steadily replied.
Sesshomaru kept his gaze on the priestess as he observed her in silence, watching as she soon turned her attention towards his younger, half-brother.
"Inuyasha." She addressed firmly, sharp eyes fixed on him, "Naraku has found a way to completely conceal his own youki, I could not sense him even standing behind me."
Processing her words, Inuyasha's jaw clenched.
"That bastard used the Fuyouheki to try and attack you." He determined, his hands clenching into fists.
Kikyo watched him closely, mahogany eyes narrowing at the information.
"Fuyouheki..." She repeated the foreign word.
"A protective stone that erases youki." Sesshomaru calmly said.
Turning to the daiyoukai, Kikyo kept her evaluating stare on him, realization soon overcoming her features.
"As I suspected... I was not his real target, this time." She determined, shifting her attention back to Inuyasha's group, finding his gaze once more, "Naraku had extracted his own heart, hiding it somewhere unknown... the presence which I managed to pick up on earlier was most likely the heart itself."
Narrowing his eyes at her words, Sesshomaru let out a silent breath.
"A diversion, huh." He reasoned.
Kikyo turned to stare up at him, nodding once.
"Naraku was attempting to buy himself some time while moving his heart into a different location." She concluded.
With the new information reaching his ears, the monk stepped forward, allowing himself to join the conversation as well.
"If what you're saying is indeed true, then Naraku is most likely now using the Fuyouheki stone to camouflage his heart, making sure that no one would be able to find it." He surmised.
Then, he sent one hand inside his robes, pulling out a small, green crystal and holding it before both the daiyoukai and the priestess to see, "This is a crystal of youki which was given to us by the mountain youkai Naraku had robbed of the Fuyouheki stone." He steadily explained, watching them both closely, "The youki in it responds to the stone, serving as a way to detect it... unfortunately, however, we only have one of those left."
Observing the jewel in his hand closely, Kikyo raised her eyes back to meet with his.
"I see." She acknowledged.
"Then, there is no sense in further wasting time here." Sesshomaru said dryly, already turning on his heel and stepping away from the group.
Kikyo granted Inuyasha with one last silent bid of goodbye, soon following in her companion's example.
But the half-demon was left with mixed emotions stirring inside of him as he watched her take her leave after his elder brother, and he stiffened as he desperately tried to sustain the swirl of a quiet turmoil, urging him to step forward and do something; inquire more about the latest occurrence, about the priestess' state of existence, her thoughts and her worries... anything that may grant him with a better concept regarding what she was planning, until who knows when would be the next time he would get to see her...
Hesitation crossed his face as the burning impulse spread further inside, the fear of regret spurring his actions as it prompted one of his hands to rise up, extending after Kikyo's departing form.
"Ah, wait."
But his movement was halted completely as another voice pierced through the heavy silence, coming from no other than Kagome, steadily stepping past his spot, determination clear in her features and a single fist clenched closely to her chest, "Um... Kikyo... may I speak with you?"
Stopping in her tracks, Kikyo maintained her quiet position for a moment, noticing Sesshomaru had stopped as well, most likely awaiting her next course of actions.
Then, she turned around with a smooth motion, meeting Kagome's gaze.
Staring at the girl through an unreadable expression, Kikyo said nothing, evaluating the determined look embedded in her features for another moment in which only the sounds of the nature around them could be heard, the noises emanating from deep within the forest reaching their location as if carried by the heavy fog gliding over the ground and accumulating up to their ankles.
And once she deemed her own attempt of reading into the girl's sudden objective as enough, Kikyo only lowered her head, maintaining Kagome's eye-contact.
"Very well." She answered.
Now far enough from the group and their keen listeners, the two women had sat themselves on top of a secluded grassy hill, the heavy fog engulfing their location from the normal eye almost gifting them with a private position, away from any sort of interruptions of any kind. The moisture in the air dewed their garbs as those met with the soft greenery beneath them, and the silence pervading the air allowing them to enjoy a certain rare tranquility for change.
"I'm sorry to stall you..." Kagome began, joining her fingers together as her arms wrapped under her legs, drawing them closer to her chest, "I just felt like I wanted to speak with you alone, Kikyo..."
Letting out a small breath, Kikyo placed her arm on top of her sole bent knee, feeling the soft wind caressing her face and flowing through her straight bangs and long hair.
"It is fine." She answered simply, setting her gaze at the distance, to where a small river had managed form between the tall hills, watching as the white mist danced on its still surface, "What is it that you wish to discuss?"
Easing her shoulders, the girl turned to look at the peaceful sight as well.
"I wanted to thank you for the arrow you gave me..." She said, sincerity clear in her voice, "And for your decision to side with Sesshomaru."
Hearing this, Kikyo watched her from the corner of her eye, waiting for her to further explain the meaning behind her statement, observing as Kagome soon raised one hand to tuck a strand of raven black hair behind her ear.
"Inuyasha would never admit it, but he's fully aware of Sesshomaru's great power, and he knows that you're a lot safer with him than on your own, which makes him a lot less worried all of the time like before."
Turning her composed gaze to meet with Kagome's relaxed one as they now stared at each other, Kikyo quietly studied her, catching the undeniable honesty which displayed from her large, brown eyes.
Suddenly conscious, the girl jumped slightly.
"Ah, well, he still worries about you, of course... but he's also significantly a lot more focused, and this helps us all operate in a much better way on a daily basis, with a lot less uncertainties between us."
At that moment, and much to her surprise, Kikyo found her own emotions perfectly steady, and she only kept her silence to Kagome's words as her mind chose to accept them fully, letting them enter and sink into her conscious, the understanding effortlessly coming to her as if presented on a silver platter, so accessible and as bright and clear as the sun.
'How odd.' She blinked, examining her own feelings further.
Shouldn't she be irritated by such naivety coming from Kagome of all people?
By the concept of her even speaking on Inuyasha's behalf?
Had the girl uttered something like this to her in the past, emotions of the sort would have been sure to overcome her, lighting up the flame of jealousy within her soul, of anger and hurt, and of untimely abandonment... after all, she was her reincarnation, her replacement both in this world and in Inuyasha's heart.
Yet, none of it suddenly mattered as much as it did, anymore.
Instead, only a certain realization about the girl and her old lover seized the focus of Kikyo's attention, one which somehow filled her with a sensation of worry, even;
Although slowly prospering, Kagome and Inuyasha's relationship was apparently still too easily swayed by her own existence, proving it to be very fragile and too dependent on the circumstances. However, this was a revelation that she couldn't tell them, for it was a hurdle that they both must learn to overcome on their own if they ever hoped to gather a healthy amount of trust between them.
Letting out a deep breath, Kikyo fixed her gaze once more on the far distance.
"Taking Naraku's life is currently in top priority, therefore any action that may contribute to the fall of that bastard goes without saying and is only logical to take."
Kagome kept her stare at the priestess sitting beside her, soon nodding in agreement.
But Kikyo could tell a certain unquenched curiosity still lingered on her mind, barely camouflaged at all as the unfiltered need exuded from her being, deliberately or not.
And she braced herself for a pointless question, most likely somehow regarding herself and Inuyasha now that she proved so calm to the mention of the subject, possibly opening the door and accidentally nurturing the option of exploring the limit of her own patience further.
But the girl's next inquiry surprisingly carried no such intentions.
"Hey, um..." Kagome began, shifting in her seat, "I hope... Sesshomaru isn't giving you too much of a hard time."
Letting out an amused albeit tired breath, Kikyo glanced at her, raising an eyebrow at her odd choice of theme.
"Are you worried for my sake?" She asked dryly.
Kagome lifted one hand to rub the back of her head, a nervous smile spreading on her face at Kikyo's stern reaction.
"I mean, y'know... both the brothers are kinda difficult, after all... but Sesshomaru is pretty dangerous and super distant... he's nearly impossible to communicate with." She explained.
Observing her for another moment in silence, Kikyo's eyes turned to find the steady stream, once again.
"Sesshomaru is surprisingly a much suitable ally." She replied.
"I-Is that so...?" Slight disbelief heard in Kagome's tone as her eyes widened, "Well, we honestly didn't think anyone would even survive long, being that guy's companion... so, I'm glad to hear that."
Feeling the chilly breeze once again as it brushed against her features, Kikyo inhaled the freshness deeply.
"Your concern for me is misplaced, Kagome." She calmly stated.
The girl stretched her silence for a long moment, lifting her hand to try and force her hair into submission against the soft wind.
Then, she sighed.
"I guess you're right... you both do seem like you're really on the same page." She admitted ever so easily.
And with that, calm silence fell between them.
Noticing Kagome's sudden lack of words, Kikyo allowed a hint of an amused smile to cross her own features as she understood the girl had interpreted her last statement as a harsh hint for her to stop unnecessarily inquiring about the subject, causing her to most likely plunge into a small confusion of her own.
'It is fine this way.' She concluded.
There was no real point to this small talk, after all, therefore, there was no need for any sort of excessive clarifications on her part.
However, and against her better judgement, Kikyo found that something inside her shifted, sparking a small, yet most consuming urge, prompting her to expand on her words and further prove her own point.
"Sesshomaru's actions are rather understandable once you comprehend his practical way of thinking, therefore, he is of very decent company." She explained.
Surprised by Kikyo's unexpected addition, Kagome's eyes soon searched her being once again, studying her profile.
And once she noticed there was no trace of awareness to the unlikeliness of the statement apparent on the priestess' features, the girl swallowed harshly.
"That's easy to say, but I don't think there was ever anyone to fully understand Sesshomaru before you." Kagome countered, her wide eyes still set on her partner of conversation.
Kikyo's eyebrows met with silent, mild puzzlement to the bold remark, sharp mahogany eyes turning to examine Kagome once again as she took a moment to read her expression, finding nothing but sincerity there.
"Rin can tell he cares a lot about you since you two understand each other so well."
And the child's statement unexpectedly sprung to her conscious, making it difficult to preserve solid eye-contact all of a sudden. Maintaining her composure, Kikyo involuntary shifted to stare at the soft grass before her feet as it swayed according to the wind's desires, hidden beneath the now thin layer of fog still hovering the earth.
And just like that, with the assistance of a new perspective now supporting Rin's opinion, Kikyo was helplessly lured deeper into her own thinking, curiously testing the possibility which she managed to brush off so easily before as it now rose back with avid determination, fully equipped for battle, forcing her to inevitably surrender and accept at least a certain portion of truth behind it, with the decision nurturing the soil for countless newfound questions to suddenly bloom in her mind;
Was her shared understanding with Sesshomaru really that potent, that even individuals outside of their group circle were able to deem it as something so noticeable and extraordinary?
They were allies operating together towards a shared objective, after all, therefore, trust and mutual awareness was a given in order for them to properly function, and yet... somehow... she found her own thought process leaning more and more towards a certain realization, a concept which permitted the same, dangerous hotness to spread through her face, causing her frown to deepen at her own miscalculation of the circumstances.
And she let out a silent, although deep breath at the prospect;
Could it be that what she currently shared with the proud inu daiyoukai was beyond just a simple understanding...?
Could they perhaps, and without herself even realizing... accidentally formed a bond?
Keeping her stare on Kikyo, Kagome blinked with a silent realization of her own, but her lack of words and intense eye-contact soon snapped the priestess from her lengthy thinking process, and she watched as Kikyo paused, quickly ridding her mind of any unplanned, consuming emotions, composing herself to cold perfection and simply clearing her throat, eventually turning to meet Kagome's gaze, once again.
"What is it?" She calmly demanded.
Kagome flinched in response, shaking her head violently and raising both of her palms up, dismissing herself from the duty of possibility having to answer that. With a sharp movement and a nervous chuckle, she fumbled to her feet, granting Kikyo with a troubled smile.
"W-We should get back, I think!" She chirped, raising a finger to the air in order to support her own idea, "I already took up too much of your time."
A low growl was clearly heard from somewhere deep inside Inuyasha's throat as his glare never left Sesshomaru for even a second. Tucking both of his hands inside his long, scarlet-red sleeves, he stiffened in his place, shoulders stretched tight and guard at full display, expecting his elder half-brother to soon leap from his position and attempt to strike at his being in his usual violent fashion, not putting any effort into sparing the rest of his companions from the suffocating tense atmosphere.
Yet, and much to everyone's surprise, Sesshomaru only maintained his calm demeanor, fixing his unreadable gaze at the far distance, to the spot where his own companion had disappeared to.
But even his patience had a certain limit to it, and especially when it came to the half-breed.
"What is it, Inuyasha? Do you desire to lose in another senseless battle?" Sesshomaru asked dryly, keeping his golden gaze at the foggy horizon.
Frustrated with the knowledge that his elder half-brother would never surrender any information to him regarding Kikyo, Inuyasha bared his teeth, exposing his hands as he quickly balled them into tight fists at both sides.
"The hell didya say, bastard?" He snapped, reaching for the hilt of Tessaiga.
But the monk quickly seized control of the situation before it escalated any further, attempting to negotiate, instead;
"I'm aware you have disagreed to answer this before, however, given the fact that you have never been a firm believer in healthy companionship, Inuyasha and us are rather interested in your reason for siding with Kikyo." He explained, stern dark brown gaze meeting with fierce and deadly gold as Sesshomaru turned his head halfway in his direction.
And a heavy moment of silence fell on all souls present as the daiyoukai carefully examined the human monk.
"Such irrelevant and pitiful themes." He only scoffed.
But the man's firm gaze did not waver, maintaining his firm exterior before him, the will to shed light on the subject apparent in his features, most likely more for the pitiful sake of Inuyasha, rather than his own.
"The woman has proven worthy of my time, that is all." Sesshomaru concluded simply.
But hearing his overly-simple reply to the complex situation at hand, Inuyasha gritted his teeth as he took one aggressive step forward, standing beside his human companion.
"Is that all you gotta say?" He pressed, lowering his head, yet maintaining his fierce eye-contact.
With his irritation now elevated to silent anger, Sesshomaru's firm glare darted to him.
Not only was there no point for this foolish hindrance, but he had to also endure the presence of his cursed half-breed of a brother as well, all while waiting for the miko to return from her lengthy exchange with Inuyasha's companion.
'Why did she even agree to it?' He wondered.
There was no need for them to engage in any further type of conversation with these people.
Even the information they had already swapped between them was unnecessary in his opinion, a waste of time, really; done only to serve a certain need from the miko's side, to guarantee Inuyasha is well prepared against their mutual enemy, worrying for his sake and making sure that his existence is safer this way. Truly pitiful.
Sesshomaru kept his quiet and ignored his silly way of provocation, not planning on granting him any more of an explanation regarding his own motives.
Unfortunately for him, however, that hardly deterred the half-demon.
"That answer ain't good enough, Sesshomaru." Inuyasha determined firmly, his scowl deepening, "Kikyo is perfectly fine with throwin' her life away in order to slay Naraku, do you fuckin' get what that means, you jerk?"
Turning fully to glare daggers at his direction, Sesshomaru maintained his heavy silence, both of the brothers now staring at each other with a quiet and deadly need, the unspoken words only adding to the tension in the air as it emanated from their bodies, the collision of their youki tearing through the stillness of the night without their weapons even having to form any sort of contact at all.
With one drop of sweat running down his temple, the monk's eyes shifted between them both, already calculating the safest way to escape once they finally lose their tempers completely and start ripping each other to shreds, and he could only maintain his position as he watched the scene play out before him.
But instead of silencing Inuyasha with force as he usually did, they all watched as Sesshomaru composed himself before them, the irritation which was so clear in his face now barely even noticeable through his stoic expression.
"Are you so quick to forget your own words, Inuyasha?" He countered with a low voice, his golden eyes fixed on him, "She listens to I, Sesshomaru, therefore, the likes of yourself have no reason to pitifully attempt to comprehend the situation any further."
Relieved that at least one side somehow managed to control itself, the monk allowed himself to exhale deeply. However, knowing his companion already, a certain outburst of anger was soon to be expected in response to his elder half-brother's lack of cooperation on the matter.
Swallowing harshly, the man turned to glance at Inuyasha.
But the look which crossed his golden eyes at that moment was far from blind anger, combined with a surprisingly rare steady expression overcoming his features.
Just then, a familiar combined presence reached their senses as both Kikyo and Kagome soon appeared through the heavy fog in the distance, stepping calmly back towards the group.
Maintaining their harsh staring for another minute, Sesshomaru eventually broke away from the irritating exchange with his half-brother, his golden eyes seeking his companion's figure through the thickness of the mist across the clearing, confirming that she had indeed returned as she left while ignoring the other set of observing golden eyes which still lingered on him at that moment.
And as both women finally reached the location, the suffocating cloud of heavy tension as if lifted from the air completely, returning it once again to a sustainable state, each of them stepping to stand beside their designated partners for the journey.
Approaching the daiyoukai's spot, Kikyo's calm gaze found his, and she observed him in silence for a moment, noticing that although he wore his usual unreadable expression, there was an undeniable hint of tiredness which tugged on his existence.
'I made him wait for me long, didn't I?' She mused.
Then, she watched as Sesshomaru quietly turned on his heel, distancing himself from the group once again.
And without even glancing at either Inuyasha or the rest of his companions, the priestess simply did the same, following after him and matching his pace, walking beside his form as the fog shortly engulfed their beings, away from the eyes which still followed their movement.
The steady encounter of their footwear against the rocky path beneath their feet echoed through the depths of the silent forest around them as both Sesshomaru and Kikyo silently ventured back towards their campsite, following the trail only lit by the moonlight above. The mist which was now reduced to a thin veil as it hanged low, hovering over the surface before them and crossing their path from one side of greenery to the other, shimmered against the pale rays and appeared like flowing waves of shallow water, granting the scenery with unparalleled albeit haunting serenity.
Glancing up at her companion striding beside her, Kikyo found herself inevitably overcome by endless musings stemming from her most recent exchange with Kagome. She let her eyes study his features, examining his profile and then his silvery, straight bangs which parted in the middle, extending to his sharp eyebrows, the unique markings embedded on his high cheekbones and his long silky hair running down far past his shoulders.
Sesshomaru was a full youkai.
A different species.
None other than the same one she had unfortunately gotten to know through endless, tedious battles, disrupting the peace of her day to day life and manifesting before her as various, cruel life forms roaming the earth, seeking the Shikon jewel's abilities in order to appease their never-ending hunger for power and dominance alike.
The daiyoukai himself, of course, had indeed proven to be an exception and a most respectable partner in her journey, she will admit.
However, even attempting to pad her thinking with this fact, the priestess still remained baffled by the possibility of herself sharing something like that with him;
A bond.
Kikyo inhaled the coldness in the air deeply, lowering her eyes from his being as she set them on the endless horizon before her.
Then, she silently exhaled her heavy breath, further testing the concept.
A deep, mutual connection that she managed to reach only with very few people throughout her entire life. Human people, with Inuyasha being the sole exception, who had his human side so potently apparent in his being, that it easily overshadowed the youkai half of him until that was seemingly only there by mere measure of fact, making him not that far different from a regular human, at all.
Conversely, Sesshomaru displayed so much of the qualities which she grew to despise through eighteen years of living, a way of life that was so different, a set of beliefs and morals that did not match her own, focusing on everything that she deemed unimportant, and for good reason, as well...
Then, how?
How could they both still so easily and deeply comprehend each other like this?
'Perhaps my own existence really did lean more towards the youkai side, after all...' She humored darkly.
But her mind had no intention of stopping its relentless turmoil just yet, further accessing into a dangerous place, a certain possibility that she found herself inevitably pondering as quietly as she could...
Her most notable bond had undeniably been with Inuyasha, however... had he, himself, ever showed her this level of understanding, even?
"What are your thoughts, miko." Sesshomaru calmly demanded, his sudden words grounding her back into reality.
And she quickly swept her thought process clear from the piling confusion, taking a single moment to rearrange her musings as she straightened herself with perfect poise.
"By now, Naraku had most likely already moved his heart to somewhere safe, concealed by the Fuyouheki stone." She steadily answered.
Observing her from the corner of his eye, Sesshomaru noticed Kikyo's spiritual aura had finally returned to its relaxed fashion, unlike the harsh waves that exuded unevenly from her being ever since their departure from Inuyasha's group.
Keeping his silence, however, he resolved to not venture for the reason behind it this time, focusing on their main objective, instead.
And recalling the recent events, Sesshomaru's thoughts halted on the human boy.
'He's no longer under Naraku's control, huh.' The daiyoukai mused, his memory reaching back to that day on Mt. Hakurei when Rin stepped into the barrier, claiming he had protected her from various types of youkai, as opposed to his actions before that.
Apparently, the boy had kept this secret for longer than anyone possibly knew.
"You must be wondering why I haven't told them of the boy's free will." Kikyo suddenly said.
Keeping his steady walking rhythm, Sesshomaru only lifted his chin.
And silence reigned around them once more, the sounds of their steps rang against the high and lush tops of the trees, surrounding their location as the soft wind met with their features.
"I am already well aware of your nature, miko." He easily claimed, watching her closely as her attention lifted back to him, mahogany meeting with gold once again, "You stubbornly insist on respecting corrupted souls and finding sense behind their actions, after all, most likely concluding that boy carries a secret plan of his own against the scum."
Hearing this, Kikyo's eyes widened slightly as she processed his words, and she felt the warmth once again grow from deep within her chest, slowly spreading through her entire false body, stronger than ever as it threatened to dull her thoughts and fill her with a deceptive, nostalgic feeling, another emotion that she would have never guessed could ever be sparked by the inu daiyokai, walking beside her.
And she simply broke his eye contact, overwhelmed by the strong emotions which suddenly flooded her as she quickly set her attention far into the distance, keeping her silence as she forced her mind into efficient order, once again.
"Well, considering you did not try to pursue him this time, I appreciate you giving this theory a chance." She answered him simply, keeping her voice as neutral as she could, "However, you should know that I managed to confirm that boy's soul is still pure, despite his Shikon fragment being polluted by Naraku."
Keeping his stare down at Kikyo, Sesshomaru could only observe in silence as her spiritual aura suddenly fluttered and pulsed all around her figure, enveloping her being in a veil of delicate energy; a captivating sight that he had never witnessed before, until this night.
And he already knew it would immediately find its way into the small compartment in his mind, containing the countless snippets of this mysterious and unforeseeable woman walking beside him.
A/N:
One thing that I really wanted to see was more canon interaction between Kagome and Kikyo. I really think they could have been somewhat of friends had they settled their differences properly.
I hope you enjoyed this one! Let me know your thoughts! And as always, thank you so much for the kind feedback!