Tainted Silver
- Chapter 13-
"Well," she said slowly, "we're screwed."
Rin grimaced and pet the young cat.
"Well, at least we can have Kilala build a fire with the logs we found in the back of this cave before it began pouring!"
Rin nodded silently.
"Will you do the honors Kilala?"
The demon looked up before continuing with its new task. Her tail swayed as she got a fire going.
"Aren't you supposed to die tonight?" Rin asked quietly, seriously.
Kagome almost fell over and into the fire from the surprise. She turned to meet the girl passive, and quizzical eyes.
'How the hell do you answer that?' she questioned herself.
"I- No?"
Rin shook her young head silently and sifted her hands through Kilala's soft fur.
"Rin is not stupid you know."
Kagome was instantly reminded of the greedy bankers in the town. Always petting their spoiled, fat cats while cornering old peasants into giving them their land as payment for past loans. Her eyes sharpened as she realized that she was being cornered by a child.
"I never said you were stupid," she responded coldly.
"Rin knows you're supposed to die. We'd be defying fate if you didn't."
"The Gods' minds are ever changing," she affirmed, more to herself than the child.
"Rin is sure," Rin responded dryly.
Kagome bristled, but kept her anger in check. Rin was, after all, a child.
"Are you afraid?"
The question was sincere with an edge of concern. Was she afraid? She'd die a virgin with no children, but she wasn't afraid. Right?
"I guess I am afraid..." she relented.
"Rin is also afraid."
Kagome met Rin's teary eyes that were so full of emotion. She would not have expected a child of her age to comprehend the concept of dying, she was much too small. Her almond eyes told a different story altogether, however.
"Rin doesn't want to lose Kagome-chan... She's the only one that can make fluffy-chan smile."
Kagome smiled at the simplicity of her thinking.
"I'm sure I'm not the only one. You make him smile."
Rin looked down, fidgeting.
"But you said you'd be Rin's okaa-san. Rin's okaa-san can't die before Rin!"
At that point the child launched herself into Kagome's welcoming embrace.
"Fate can't deal Rin so many sufferings."
Kagome rubbed the young girls back soothingly. It was true; she'd agreed to be her mother, in a way. And her grandfather was still believed to be senile.
"We'll just have to mess up Fate's plans up a bit then."
The rain had successfully covered up their footprints and scent. The water seemed to come from an endless source, not letting fire be a choice for lighting.
'Kagome...'
There was no moon overhead and the dark clouds only made the night darker. IT was as if Fate had carefully planned for the circumstances to be thus.
'Do they expect me to give up? To follow through and fall into a trap?'
He growled and looked back at his human companion.
"Could you be any slower?"
"Perhaps," he muttered breathlessly, "but I do not intend to patronize you just yet."
"Hurry," he growled through clenched teeth.
"I do the best I can my friend."
Sesshoumaru huffed and turned, anger etched into his very being.
How could he have let her slip through his fingers? She'd been so close that the familiar feeling of being solitary was a bit alien.
"You do realize this search is hopeless under such weather am I correct?"
"I refuse to give up so easily," he growled in response.
"Can't say I didn't try."
"Kilala was around here somewhere."
Miroku gripped onto one of the many damp tree trunks. Why rain today?
"She's been out for weeks, she could've been anywhere, including here."
Sesshoumaru flexed his tight fists trying to relieve some of the pressure.
"The trail is too recent Miroku," he ground out.
Miroku shrugged and signaled for him to continue.
"Come human. If we walk fast enough we'll reach them before I age."
"But it takes centuries for you to age," Miroku responded dumbly.
"Exactly."
"I'm sure we will..." Miroku said bitterly, wincing at every step he took.
'Show no weakness,' he persisted to himself, 'feel no pain.'Kagome lay on her back next to the young girl that had first left her to the castle, whose courtyard she was in.
"Kouga was obnoxious," she stated with a smirk.
Rin giggled softly at her right, petting Kilala still.
"He constantly insisted that I was his woman and accompanied me everywhere!"
"Everywhere!"
"Everywhere. He tried to go into the bathroom and wait for me and he got kicked out for being a pervert."
Kagome laughed.
"I'll miss him."
"Next!" Rin yelled out.
"InuYasha was overprotective. He liked to insult me every change he got, but I knew it was his way of expressing his interest."
"Rin is glad that Rin's okaa-san did not return the affections. InuYasha sounds completely ignorant in the ways of women."
Kagome's eyebrows shot up. The small girl's vocabulary seemed to know no limit and her knowledge no boundaries. However, it should've come as little surprise after her small 'go have sex' episode. She'd truly been around those kids too long...
"I guess... Both were more like friends, brothers. They had mere crushes on me. They'll eventually realize that their adoration was senseless. If they haven't already..."
Suddenly Kagome seemed to notice that time was, indeed, passing. She missed her grandfather and daily routine miserably. Silent tears formed in her eyes and made their descent upon her pale cheeks.
"Why is okaa-san sad?" Rin asked curiously.
Kagome smiled and wiped away her tears.
"I still have my grandfather..."
"Human," Sesshoumaru growled, "do you sense a disturbance in the forest?"
His muscles and nerves hummed in anticipation and dread. The threat to Kagome's life was near, at hand, begging to be vanquished by him. Yes, his blood called for the adrenaline the powerful feel of battle and foreign blood.
"I sense another like you," MIroku said slowly, leaning against the trunk of a nearby tree and looking down at his ankle.
"Another like me?" he repeated curiously.
Had the miko woman been incompetent enough to do the same to others? Had she done what she'd done to him? His family? Had the woman no sense to keep her senseless punishing to herself? His senses overwhelmed him. The smell, the aura, the actual feel of whatever was out there felt so much like his own. He wasn't the only one out there stuck in some foreign form so alien to the world they inhabited.
"Who's there?" a voice piped from the woods, over the rain.
"The question is useless, come out and face me," Sesshoumaru growled.
A creature looking more human than anything else stumbled out of the trees. It was male and clumsy. It nearly fell but gripped a tree which started to fall towards Miroku.
"MIROKU!"
Sesshomaru leapt towards whom he felt was his brother and covered him with his body. HE felt the large tree trunk hit his back and he relented slowly under the weight. He felt splinters piercing his skin and drawing blood. He felt pain, he smelled blood, and he heard the idiot's mumbled apologies. He neatly shook the tree off and checked over Miroku's unconscious form. He's been injured some time before and hadn't said a word. His ankle was swollen and the idiot behind him was sputtering and moving towards the trees.
"Do not move," Sesshomaru warned, "it would be best for all of us if we remained in one piece."
He nodded and sat down in the wet mud. Sesshomaru almost rolled his eyes in annoyance. Kagome was nearby and he felt that the only threat, as stupid as it was, had been taken care of. He let go of a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. It felt good to know he'd saved her and he still had time. Time.
"Okaa-san?"
Kagome merely 'hmm'ed and rolled over on her side wearily.
"Okaa-san you're so cold!"
Kagome nodded softly. She couldn't feel any of her bones, skin. Everything was tingling from her head to her foot. Was she frozen? Had she been bitten by something with venom that had immobilized her?
"Okaa-san, it stopped raining! Rin and her okaa-san can go back now!"
That was a nice incentive for getting up... But she felt so weak and in need of sleep that she didn't want to move. She couldn't move anyways, so what was the use in trying?
"Okaa-san somebody's coming! Rin is afraid!"
"Yes honey," Kagome mumbled through blue lips, "go hide. I'll look for you after counting to ten."
"Okaa-san!"
"I won't cheat. Promise."
A man stood in the entrance to the cave and smiled. His teeth shone, yellow.
"Yes, you should go hide. We'll count to ten."
"Who are you?" Rin demanded.
'Charming,' he thought, 'the young twit is like a young cub ready to pounce on what she thinks to be a defenseless mouse.'
"My daddy's coming and he won't be happy!" she added for good measure, finally snapping him to attention.
Such an attractive woman must have a husband, or at least a suitor, that he would have to deal with.
"No brainless human man could hurt me you imbecile!" he retorted, nursing his bruised ego.
"Who said her father was a brainless human?"
Sango occupied herself cleaning every room of the house, even the dungeon was made presentable. She
couldn't find any other thing to do to keep herself occupied. To keep her mind off of Miroku. He was outthere somewhere, in danger. She was selfish, she knew, to think only of Miroku and not of Sesshomaru, Kagome, Rin, and Kilala. Her heart, however, said she'd be able to live through their deaths, but never Miroku's. She angered herself, detested herself, over the idea. But who's to deny the heart? Her life revolved around the perverted man that she'd been living with for all this time and not having him around would ultimately break her down to pieces...
"Being alone in this house with kids isn't helping any..."
She sighed and threw the washcloth carelessly, not caring where it landed. Right then nobody cared if ther were washcloths on the floor. Sesshomaru and Miroku cared for Kagome's safety. Maybe, just maybe, she felt a bit jealous at the attention Kagome was receiving without much effort. Miroku's attention. Attention she wanted, coveted."I'm going insane," she muttered to herself, "turning against my friend because she has his attention."
She entered his room, but didn't realize it until she felt his scent touch her nose. She felt comforted surrounded by him even though his warmth would've been better. Beggars couldn't be choosers though, she thought smiling. She felt strangely insane, psychotic, when she jumped on his bed and curled around his sheets and pillows. "Insane but happy.""I-I did!"One would think humans were a bit more witty than the guy that was outright challenging a creature that was obviously not human, but hey. Each to his own.
"Watch your tongue, human, I might just cut that off first," the creature growled.
He could almost swear he was right next to him now. No noise had been, but his instincts we're screaming run and forget the stupid priestess."You reek of aging magic, badly cast magic, but magic nevertheless."
So much for denying his relation to the priestess. Yet how could one reek of magic? Did magic have a smell?"You have something to do with her."
"H-Her? Who's her? I don't know any hers!"
Stupid answer, but then his brain wasn't functioning in this certain situation. Who's would? It was like standing with a sword being pointed to one's throat waiting for an answer."Midoriko," he whispered.
That whisper cut like a knife through the air. This man said the name with hate, resentment, like a beast growls when it's ready to kill."I should kill you," he stated in a rough voice, shoving him against the wall roughly.
He looked up into his killer's eyes. Those eyes so tainted with silver and his long silver hair would've passed him as a woman, but the look in his eyes was that of a male. A dominant one, nevertheless, and those of a cold-blooded killer. He could not play with his emotions and escape never to return again. This man wouldn't bargain for information, he would torture it out of him. And after having so bluntly threatened his wife and child he had no plead for mercy."Humans are slow when they realize they have no hope and that they have met their end," the creature said with an obvious enjoyment, anxiety, and lust for blood.
"Sesshomaru," another man said behind the creature, "not now, Rin's here."
"You'd be wise to keep quiet Miroku," he growled, his eyes never leaving his prey, "I will exact my vengeance for mine.""The last think Kagome needs is the knowledge of a man's death at your hands," the man said quickly.
"I will have my vengeance!" he ground out roughly. "A human that dares to try and take what is mine, to threaten what's mine will die at my hands, and my hands only." His eyes turned an eerie shade of red, violet. The hues so violently clashed with each other, this was a dangerous creature and his end. He could only hope that it was quick."My vengeance will be long and painful, teaching him all of life's lessons with each cut-."
"Sessho..."
They all turned to the muttering girl writhing on the floor. She was in obvious pain and his ticket out.
"I can-."
"Quiet yourself human," he responded aggressively.
"But she's going to die!"
He found himself against the rough cave wall, the edges digging into his back. He must've said something to set him off, obviously. Yet through Sesshomaru's clouded judgement all that could be said was 'She's going to die'. Everybody was saying that, it unnerved him. How he, so powerful and unearthly, could kill and save anybody he wished if given the chance but could not save this one girl. All his senses tuned to kill him."Don't..." she whispered.
His claws were at his throat and he barely heard her whisper, her plea. He had to reign his instinct in to listen to her, to rationalize.
"I can help her," the human choked out.
"How can you help here where I cannot?" he demanded, pushing him harder against the wall.
"I know what's wrong and it's not helping that she's here. It'll get -ack- worse!"
Sesshomaru released him and the man fell mercilessly to the ground in a crumpled heap. He deserved no more."Tie him up Miroku," Sesshomaru growled, "before I shred him to pieces like I'm supposed to."
Miroku quickly went towards the man and stopped.
"What am I supposed to tie him up with?" he said stupidly.
"Whatever you find," Sesshomaru growled impatiently.
Miroku shrugged and turned to find something to bind the captive with and try to calm the jittery human they'd found earlier. Meanwhile Sesshomaru and Rin fawned over Kagome's pained form. Big mistake.'I will not be taken so lightly! Not when the miko has given me the means by which to survive the attacks of wild beasts such as he!'
In his jumbled mine it had not registered that the miko had given him might, means by which he could defend himself and his to-be-acquired ward. But now, now he laughed. Now that he had time to think he remembered and he slowly drew up his hand. It was instinct that led him to will his 'power' to his hand. He was amazed when a beam of blue light shot out of his palm and hit the back of the creature that had so threatened him before. Sesshomaru hissed in pain as his eyes when wide. His body fell over Kagome's and she struggled against him, still unconscious.'I sense another like you,' Miroku said slowly, leaning against the trunk of a nearby tree and looking down at his ankle.
'Another like me?' he repeated curiously.
The human had been bestowed with powers by the dark miko and now the human thought to use them against him and his family. He could hear Rin crying and the man threatening Miroku.
"I'll blast ya!" he screamed. "I'll blast you and the girl both!"
Again with the threatening from the human with powers from the miko. He heard Rin screech and could see the man violently shaking her out of the corner of his eye."What's your daddy gonna do to me now, brat?"
Rin cried and batted helplessly at his offending hand. How dare the human lay hands on his daughter? How dare he? His eyes melted into different colors, Kagome's request forgotten. Rin's innocent eyes and mind forgotten. This man would die without any mercy.'Wow,' he thought to himself, 'having this much power is exhilarating! I have made a man stronger than most bow before me and I hold his family's life in the palm of my hand!'
What would he do now? He'd take what he had come to look for. The woman. Perhaps he would have some pleasure with her. He'd make her scream and beg for him before he returned her. He'd simply blame the sadistic demon. When she pointed him out as being guilty he would say it was the shock and that she saw the demon instead of him."I think I'll find pleasure in your wife creature. Maybe you'll be able to hear her scream-.'
He felt a sharp pain in his back, one he had never experienced before. He looked down and saw fingers with sharp nails, no, claws. They were protruding from his chest covered in his blood. Had he perhaps, just perhaps mind you, miscalculated? He didn't remember being injured when he ran away with the girl, or when he-. The man fell at Sesshomaru's feet, unconscious. The youkai, the more primal beast inside of him, wantedrevenge, blood, and to satisfy his lust for the man's blood. But he would reign himself, he would keep himself in a state of composure. He would lock the man up and keep him alive by mere threads. He lifted his face and looked at his family. His brother was attempting to bandage his injured ankle, his pride beaming at his resilience. His daughter was scared and he opened his arms to her, which she gladly ran into and gave into her tears. Kagome however, Kagome was still writhing on the floor. The sooner they got home, the sooner they could tend to her.An hour, five bodies' weight later they were all safely inside of the aging mansion once again. The human had been locked into the dungeon, all of them still on the lookout since the man had 'powers'. Kagome was meticulously watched by the children and Sango. They passed the night dipping warm cloths in cool water to keep Kagome's fever down, had forced some medicine down her throat to calm her obvious distress.
Miroku laid a comforting hand on Sesshomaru's sholder.
"She'll be alright," he assured, "because we brought her back in time."
"How do you know?" he asked, his voice cold but with a hint of hope.
"Kohaku says that in his vision shortly after she died the sun rose, and obviously the sun hasn't risen yet. We brought her back in time. Anyways, I'm going to go see about the paranoid 'human' that almost killed me. Feel better aniki."Sesshomaru sighed and Miroku left the room. Now that he felt Kagome was out of immediate danger he had to deal
with the human that had threatened and harmed his own. It was time to exact his vengeance...
Muse where are you? Well, this is what I could come up with after such a long time. I didn't know what to do with
the guy, still don't. Ideas are always appreciated, but then reading something you didn't come up with is always a bit
more fun isn't it? Yes, sadly, it is. The reviews I've received are greatly appreciated. They're all saved in my e-mail
box. Till the next chapter guys!