A.N. Well geez, skimp on the comments, why don'tcha?
Oh, I'm also thinking of upping the ratings on this story. Some of the curse words just slip in there, and I'm pretty much brain dead on which level is actually what, so better safe than sorry, no?
Kagome Hurt: Chapter 16
Finally, he thought. The inu-tachi was just now coming up on the cultivated lands that were his brother's domain. It had been at a frantic pace the mixed group had traveled at, and it was not without its travails.
Not only did they have to traverse leagues of demon infested wilds, but they also had to fight off the assorted irate villagers with a grudge against hanyous, as well as fending off Naraku twice in one day. For some reason, that conglomeration of youkai was able to find their little group a lot more easier without Kagome around. The evil hanyou always seemed to home in on the jewel fragment that Kagome had entrusted to the houshi. Why she split their stash of shards, Kagome had explained as something called a contingency plan, whatever the hell that was.
It was only by the skin of their teeth that they were able to hang onto the shards.
As the distance between the hanyou's group and the castle lessened, a little nagging sensation unearthed itself in the back of Inuyasha's mind. Little connections in his mind were snapping together into a cohesive whole. Such facts as the increased youkai movement in the Western Lands when his brother would not tolerate anything out of the ordinary. The presence of youkai normally native to the other three provinces were also glaring reminders to the hanyou that something was amiss.
Right when the Sesshoumaru's castle peeked up over the horizon, Inuyasha snapped his fingers.
"Shit! That's supposed to happen this year!"
Miroku turned a sly eye to his temperamental friend.
"What? This was the year you were supposed to grow a brain? Or how about tact and stealth?"
Completely absorbed in his own inner ruminations, Inuyasha replied seriously, "No, but this year my bastard of a brother is supposed to host the demon court."
Sango exchanged a silent mirth-filled look with her own personal pervert houshi *cough cough crush - cough*, before the half-demon's words registered.
"There's a demon court?" The remaining humans echoed.
"Well, yeah," the dog-eared boy replied with a 'no-duh' tone of voice. "What, you think all us demons were uncivilized loners?"
Miroku started to look thoughtful as he considered answering in the positive when Inuyasha let out a squawk of indignation and swatted the houshi upside the head.
"I'll have you know that there is a reason why I've always wanted to become full demon. Not only does it involve gaining greater strength and speed, but it also allows you nominal entrance into the court."
Sango asks thoughtfully, "so what is to be found at this demon court, Inuyasha?"
"Oh not much. Only that it allows you to be exposed to some of the greatest powers in all four of the lands, and is a chance for business, money, land, goods, marriages and alliances to be made and exchanged.
"There's also an optional tournament near the end and the winner get some pretty good prizes. Land, wealth, reputation, and the ability to use one of the items that the Tai family to absorb one tenth of the power of each of your opponents that you defeated."
The houshi perked up at this. And waved a hand to get attention.
"Who's the Tai family and why would they let other demons use this mystical item?"
By this time, the group had paused underneath an orchard tree. Inuyasha was stepping on Shippo's tail to keep him from rushing off to the castle and getting himself killed in his search for Kagome. Miroku slung Kagome's pack down on the ground and was rubbing his shoulders, wondering how such a frail looking girl was able to carry all that weight and keep up with the group. Sango had Kirara on her lap and was petting her while leaning against the tree, both of them taking advantage of this impromptu break to rest a little while Inuyasha actually answered something without snapping.
"I'm Tai, baka!" Inuyasha snapped.
Oops, thought too soon.
"But Inuyasha, how can you be Tai?" Sango inquired.
"You guys never bothered enough to ask me my last name, did you?" the silver haired male asked huffily, and a little hurt.
Shippo piped up from his pinned spot, "No, doggie breath, we all knew your name was Inuyasha Baka."
Inuyasha growled and whapped the kit upside the head.
"Whelp, better watch what your saying. Kagome isn't here to protect you anymore."
Sango just chunked a rock at the hanyou while Miroku laughed and slumped against Kagome's pack.
"Well, when we get Kagome back, she'll be sure to 'sit' you for that!" the kit whined as he rubbed his head and gingerly held onto his tail with the other hand.
Throughout the fifteen minute break that was all Inuyasha allotted the group, he kept his amber gaze on the castle and tensed arms folded to keep from fidgeting. Soon. Very soon, he promised himself.
Stifling a giggle that would surely her secret, Rin glanced around the corner to a foyer to the outside. Making sure that none were near and that her pursuers were out of sight, she slipped through the exit and crept along the side of the castle wall safe in the knowledge that she was safe. Help was only a scream away if something did go wrong. Besides, this was her Sesshoumaru-sama's land. No one would dare attack him there with Kagome giving her nominal support.
Also adding to this sense of security, although the little girl child did not consciously know of it was the fact that while any of the demons from the other lands did not like humans, or even actively hated them, they would be the first to jump into a fight to help Lord Sesshoumaru's ward in hopes that it would gain allowances in the subjects that matter to them.
No, Rin was safe. But what she was not safe from was a kitsune maid, a rather mischievous mink male, and a miko that were all on the hunt to tickle poor Rin if they won this game of hide and seek.
'If I hide out here,' Rin thought to herself, 'then Kagome-neesama would have to search the castle first before thinking to go outside.' And with a giggle the precocious child giggled to herself. Rin is so smart! Kagome- neesama said so!
Ok, this was starting to freak Sango out.
The closer the group got to the castle's walls, the more youkai they encountered. While normally this is a very bad thing, that would not freak her out. Even snarls at their human presence was acceptable and considered normal.
What was scaring the tajiya was the fact that after the varied demons saw them, did their snarly 'I hate humans' schtick and moved to eradicate them from Lord Sesshoumaru's land, they would pause upon seeing the platinum hair of Inuyasha and his amber eyes.
SNIFF SNIFF, they would go, and like magic the battle forms and stances would relax. By no means would the youkai smile or act favorably, but outright hostility would cease.
When Sango looked incredulously at Inuyasha, the male just lifted a lip in a sarcastic smirk.
"This half blood of mine is more than just a curse to me. It also is a sign to others that I am of the house of Tai. None of those who wish to remain at this season's court would attack the blood of Tai while my brother is hosting and we are on his land."
And in the middle of his short explanation, he calmly sidestepped an arching wad of acidic spit, causing it to splatter sizzling on the ground near their feet.
"Doesn't keep these snobs from looking down on me, but at least we can get to the front door without hold up."
Miroku and Sango were looking shellacked, but still wary of those around them. Shippo just rode on the tajiya's shoulder gaping around at all the different species like a child at the zoo, safe in the knowledge that they couldn't hurt him.
The Inu-tachi arrives at the outer gate and inters the main courtyard with no problem. By this time, one of the brighter youkai had gone to dispatch a message to Sesshoumaru that the mongrel half brother was in the area and Sesshoumaru meets Inuyasha outside.
Stepping regally from the main entrance, Sesshoumaru looks haughty as always. The very definition of cool and collected. A diamond hard angel come to earth.
From across the entire massive length of the courtyard, Inuyasha starts the 'conversation' with a demand of what the bastard had done with Kagome, and if she was injured then only the lord of hell would have mercy on Sesshoumaru's soul and all that stuff.
Sesshoumaru only calmly demands the Tetsaiga as ransom. Inuyasha counters with a demand to see kagome and if she's all right. Sesshoumaru gives an uncharacteristic sigh and is about to messenger his command for the miko's presence when Rin rounds the far corner of the castle at a run.
The little girl was still playing hide and seek, but it has somehow evolved into a game of tag. Asoiharu, the nice mink that was Kagome's friend was the first to spot the child and was giving chase in his more exotic mink form. While still humanoid, his features had turned more feral, and was just this side of transforming into his own giant vulpine.
Inuyasha, seeing that Sesshoumaru would do nothing, (the lord knew that the mink wouldn't harm his ward) raced to save the human from being ripped to shreds by the slavering youkai. About halfway there, Kagome exits a door found halfway between Rin and Sesshoumaru and Rin squeals, calling her Kagome-kaasama in her haste to reach a 'safe port'.
Ringing her little chubby arms around Kagome's thigh, Rin grins up at her foster mom and Asoiharu just continues his chase.
Inuyasha sees all this in slow motion. At first, he thinks that Kagome is going to be destroyed while under Sesshoumaru's gaze as the hanyou knows he can't reach his chosen human in time to save her from the mink youkai.
Asoiharu just sees his friend and the darling human child and instead of mutilation and mayhem that Inuyasha expects, he sweeps the females up into a hug and they all laugh, as carefree as can be, and all without noticing Inuyasha.
Sesshoumaru is in a mild fit of pique, but doesn't let it show, since, come on, he's the lord of the western lands. But he still doesn't like his chosen human being manhandled by the lowly child of one of his scouting families. He does, however, like seeing his 'baby' brother get his knickers in a twist.
Inuyasha seethes, and Miroku and Sango look on horrified at this seeming about face from their friend. She's there, sitting cozy in the household of their almost number one enemy, and she doesn't even notice that her friends were there to save her.
The unrelenting tenseness of the situation combined with the constant surprised they were forced to undergo had strained their normally calm and patient personalities. This was just too weird.
The hanyou has something snap inside of his mind. That bitch was fraternizing with the enemy, has picked up another child, is letting another male paw all over her, was living comfortably at his brother's hospitality and was wearing these elegant kimono's and not her normal super short fuku.
Catching Kagome's attention with a roar, he yells at her.
"You bitch! What the fuck do you think you are doing? I bet you've joined Sesshoumaru and are only playing along so that asshole can get his grimy hands on my Tetsaiga!"
When Kagome looked shocked at these accusations, her expression only seemed to confirm something to Inuyasha. He never let her speak, only continued to spout his ill conceived beliefs.
"You were just a shard detector to me, wench, and there is someone else that can do that just as well without betraying me to my own brother! That's it, bitch, don't come back. Kikyou is going to help from now on and I hope you annoy Sesshoumaru to death so he puts you out of your misery just to save his eardrums."
And just when her shock was starting to give way to anger and rage, her stormy azure eyes iced over. Internally, Kagome knew that she had best find out now exactly how he thought of her. Power goes to the knowledgeable, and if she was going to refute each and every argument her first love had, then she had to know what he really thought of her. Only, her excellent plan had one teeny tine fault. It needed the mutt to stay there for her to respond. Inuyasha did not comply with this requirement. He turned around and flashed back into forests carrying with him the Tetsaiga and a chunk of her heart. This last fight had just seriously injured any possible suit he might have had with the miko that inwardly he really loved.
Kagome, turning her icy gaze to the rest of the tachi, ended up scaring Miroku and Sango with her chilly gaze that was somewhat reminicient of Sesshoumaru himself.
The houshi and the tajiya exchanged a gaze. Both were thinking the same thing. Their Kagome might just be under a spell, and those eyes were pretty much freaking them out as a sign that they were right. Strategical retreat seemed to be their best option so they could regroup.
Sango hesitated though, before following through. With one last sorrowful glance at her friend, she made sure that Kagome was so far well treated, and even loved by the human Rin. The miko would be all right for the time being.
It took the strength of both Miroku and Sango to drag Shippo away from the still tableou of the courtyard. The little kitsune was crying and wailing for his mommy. Her eyes didn't scare him. Her scent was still the same as always, and her love for her not yet adopted kit shown from below the ice and unnatural stillness of her stance.
When the little fox was out of sight and the last echo of his cry reached her ears, the hardened layer over her eyes visibly cracked. Those in the courtyard were stunned as they were treated with a massive flood. The more perceptive realized that this rush of jasmine scent and night power was the taste of overwhelming sorrow in the human. To some, it was more delectable than the scent of fear itself, and to others, it was more painful to feel this coming from such a strong figure of power to them.
None but Sesshoumaru were able to track the miko, since with the swiftness of he leavetaking, she dissappeared to normal demon sight.
The icy demon lord was of several minds with this twist in his plans.
On one hand, he cursed the fact that he didn't get Tetsaiga.
He did manage to upset his brother though, so that was to the good.
On another hand, somewhere deep inside, a chibi lord was doing a happy dance. His favorite *ahem* investment would be able to stay longer and he would have more time to .........
To do what?
Get to know her?
Mold her feelings and character to better suit him?
Sesshoumaru's entire mind quieted in an attempt to listen to a very secret whispering the back of his thoughts.
To get her to fall in love with him, as he has already done with her?
Oh, I'm also thinking of upping the ratings on this story. Some of the curse words just slip in there, and I'm pretty much brain dead on which level is actually what, so better safe than sorry, no?
Kagome Hurt: Chapter 16
Finally, he thought. The inu-tachi was just now coming up on the cultivated lands that were his brother's domain. It had been at a frantic pace the mixed group had traveled at, and it was not without its travails.
Not only did they have to traverse leagues of demon infested wilds, but they also had to fight off the assorted irate villagers with a grudge against hanyous, as well as fending off Naraku twice in one day. For some reason, that conglomeration of youkai was able to find their little group a lot more easier without Kagome around. The evil hanyou always seemed to home in on the jewel fragment that Kagome had entrusted to the houshi. Why she split their stash of shards, Kagome had explained as something called a contingency plan, whatever the hell that was.
It was only by the skin of their teeth that they were able to hang onto the shards.
As the distance between the hanyou's group and the castle lessened, a little nagging sensation unearthed itself in the back of Inuyasha's mind. Little connections in his mind were snapping together into a cohesive whole. Such facts as the increased youkai movement in the Western Lands when his brother would not tolerate anything out of the ordinary. The presence of youkai normally native to the other three provinces were also glaring reminders to the hanyou that something was amiss.
Right when the Sesshoumaru's castle peeked up over the horizon, Inuyasha snapped his fingers.
"Shit! That's supposed to happen this year!"
Miroku turned a sly eye to his temperamental friend.
"What? This was the year you were supposed to grow a brain? Or how about tact and stealth?"
Completely absorbed in his own inner ruminations, Inuyasha replied seriously, "No, but this year my bastard of a brother is supposed to host the demon court."
Sango exchanged a silent mirth-filled look with her own personal pervert houshi *cough cough crush - cough*, before the half-demon's words registered.
"There's a demon court?" The remaining humans echoed.
"Well, yeah," the dog-eared boy replied with a 'no-duh' tone of voice. "What, you think all us demons were uncivilized loners?"
Miroku started to look thoughtful as he considered answering in the positive when Inuyasha let out a squawk of indignation and swatted the houshi upside the head.
"I'll have you know that there is a reason why I've always wanted to become full demon. Not only does it involve gaining greater strength and speed, but it also allows you nominal entrance into the court."
Sango asks thoughtfully, "so what is to be found at this demon court, Inuyasha?"
"Oh not much. Only that it allows you to be exposed to some of the greatest powers in all four of the lands, and is a chance for business, money, land, goods, marriages and alliances to be made and exchanged.
"There's also an optional tournament near the end and the winner get some pretty good prizes. Land, wealth, reputation, and the ability to use one of the items that the Tai family to absorb one tenth of the power of each of your opponents that you defeated."
The houshi perked up at this. And waved a hand to get attention.
"Who's the Tai family and why would they let other demons use this mystical item?"
By this time, the group had paused underneath an orchard tree. Inuyasha was stepping on Shippo's tail to keep him from rushing off to the castle and getting himself killed in his search for Kagome. Miroku slung Kagome's pack down on the ground and was rubbing his shoulders, wondering how such a frail looking girl was able to carry all that weight and keep up with the group. Sango had Kirara on her lap and was petting her while leaning against the tree, both of them taking advantage of this impromptu break to rest a little while Inuyasha actually answered something without snapping.
"I'm Tai, baka!" Inuyasha snapped.
Oops, thought too soon.
"But Inuyasha, how can you be Tai?" Sango inquired.
"You guys never bothered enough to ask me my last name, did you?" the silver haired male asked huffily, and a little hurt.
Shippo piped up from his pinned spot, "No, doggie breath, we all knew your name was Inuyasha Baka."
Inuyasha growled and whapped the kit upside the head.
"Whelp, better watch what your saying. Kagome isn't here to protect you anymore."
Sango just chunked a rock at the hanyou while Miroku laughed and slumped against Kagome's pack.
"Well, when we get Kagome back, she'll be sure to 'sit' you for that!" the kit whined as he rubbed his head and gingerly held onto his tail with the other hand.
Throughout the fifteen minute break that was all Inuyasha allotted the group, he kept his amber gaze on the castle and tensed arms folded to keep from fidgeting. Soon. Very soon, he promised himself.
Stifling a giggle that would surely her secret, Rin glanced around the corner to a foyer to the outside. Making sure that none were near and that her pursuers were out of sight, she slipped through the exit and crept along the side of the castle wall safe in the knowledge that she was safe. Help was only a scream away if something did go wrong. Besides, this was her Sesshoumaru-sama's land. No one would dare attack him there with Kagome giving her nominal support.
Also adding to this sense of security, although the little girl child did not consciously know of it was the fact that while any of the demons from the other lands did not like humans, or even actively hated them, they would be the first to jump into a fight to help Lord Sesshoumaru's ward in hopes that it would gain allowances in the subjects that matter to them.
No, Rin was safe. But what she was not safe from was a kitsune maid, a rather mischievous mink male, and a miko that were all on the hunt to tickle poor Rin if they won this game of hide and seek.
'If I hide out here,' Rin thought to herself, 'then Kagome-neesama would have to search the castle first before thinking to go outside.' And with a giggle the precocious child giggled to herself. Rin is so smart! Kagome- neesama said so!
Ok, this was starting to freak Sango out.
The closer the group got to the castle's walls, the more youkai they encountered. While normally this is a very bad thing, that would not freak her out. Even snarls at their human presence was acceptable and considered normal.
What was scaring the tajiya was the fact that after the varied demons saw them, did their snarly 'I hate humans' schtick and moved to eradicate them from Lord Sesshoumaru's land, they would pause upon seeing the platinum hair of Inuyasha and his amber eyes.
SNIFF SNIFF, they would go, and like magic the battle forms and stances would relax. By no means would the youkai smile or act favorably, but outright hostility would cease.
When Sango looked incredulously at Inuyasha, the male just lifted a lip in a sarcastic smirk.
"This half blood of mine is more than just a curse to me. It also is a sign to others that I am of the house of Tai. None of those who wish to remain at this season's court would attack the blood of Tai while my brother is hosting and we are on his land."
And in the middle of his short explanation, he calmly sidestepped an arching wad of acidic spit, causing it to splatter sizzling on the ground near their feet.
"Doesn't keep these snobs from looking down on me, but at least we can get to the front door without hold up."
Miroku and Sango were looking shellacked, but still wary of those around them. Shippo just rode on the tajiya's shoulder gaping around at all the different species like a child at the zoo, safe in the knowledge that they couldn't hurt him.
The Inu-tachi arrives at the outer gate and inters the main courtyard with no problem. By this time, one of the brighter youkai had gone to dispatch a message to Sesshoumaru that the mongrel half brother was in the area and Sesshoumaru meets Inuyasha outside.
Stepping regally from the main entrance, Sesshoumaru looks haughty as always. The very definition of cool and collected. A diamond hard angel come to earth.
From across the entire massive length of the courtyard, Inuyasha starts the 'conversation' with a demand of what the bastard had done with Kagome, and if she was injured then only the lord of hell would have mercy on Sesshoumaru's soul and all that stuff.
Sesshoumaru only calmly demands the Tetsaiga as ransom. Inuyasha counters with a demand to see kagome and if she's all right. Sesshoumaru gives an uncharacteristic sigh and is about to messenger his command for the miko's presence when Rin rounds the far corner of the castle at a run.
The little girl was still playing hide and seek, but it has somehow evolved into a game of tag. Asoiharu, the nice mink that was Kagome's friend was the first to spot the child and was giving chase in his more exotic mink form. While still humanoid, his features had turned more feral, and was just this side of transforming into his own giant vulpine.
Inuyasha, seeing that Sesshoumaru would do nothing, (the lord knew that the mink wouldn't harm his ward) raced to save the human from being ripped to shreds by the slavering youkai. About halfway there, Kagome exits a door found halfway between Rin and Sesshoumaru and Rin squeals, calling her Kagome-kaasama in her haste to reach a 'safe port'.
Ringing her little chubby arms around Kagome's thigh, Rin grins up at her foster mom and Asoiharu just continues his chase.
Inuyasha sees all this in slow motion. At first, he thinks that Kagome is going to be destroyed while under Sesshoumaru's gaze as the hanyou knows he can't reach his chosen human in time to save her from the mink youkai.
Asoiharu just sees his friend and the darling human child and instead of mutilation and mayhem that Inuyasha expects, he sweeps the females up into a hug and they all laugh, as carefree as can be, and all without noticing Inuyasha.
Sesshoumaru is in a mild fit of pique, but doesn't let it show, since, come on, he's the lord of the western lands. But he still doesn't like his chosen human being manhandled by the lowly child of one of his scouting families. He does, however, like seeing his 'baby' brother get his knickers in a twist.
Inuyasha seethes, and Miroku and Sango look on horrified at this seeming about face from their friend. She's there, sitting cozy in the household of their almost number one enemy, and she doesn't even notice that her friends were there to save her.
The unrelenting tenseness of the situation combined with the constant surprised they were forced to undergo had strained their normally calm and patient personalities. This was just too weird.
The hanyou has something snap inside of his mind. That bitch was fraternizing with the enemy, has picked up another child, is letting another male paw all over her, was living comfortably at his brother's hospitality and was wearing these elegant kimono's and not her normal super short fuku.
Catching Kagome's attention with a roar, he yells at her.
"You bitch! What the fuck do you think you are doing? I bet you've joined Sesshoumaru and are only playing along so that asshole can get his grimy hands on my Tetsaiga!"
When Kagome looked shocked at these accusations, her expression only seemed to confirm something to Inuyasha. He never let her speak, only continued to spout his ill conceived beliefs.
"You were just a shard detector to me, wench, and there is someone else that can do that just as well without betraying me to my own brother! That's it, bitch, don't come back. Kikyou is going to help from now on and I hope you annoy Sesshoumaru to death so he puts you out of your misery just to save his eardrums."
And just when her shock was starting to give way to anger and rage, her stormy azure eyes iced over. Internally, Kagome knew that she had best find out now exactly how he thought of her. Power goes to the knowledgeable, and if she was going to refute each and every argument her first love had, then she had to know what he really thought of her. Only, her excellent plan had one teeny tine fault. It needed the mutt to stay there for her to respond. Inuyasha did not comply with this requirement. He turned around and flashed back into forests carrying with him the Tetsaiga and a chunk of her heart. This last fight had just seriously injured any possible suit he might have had with the miko that inwardly he really loved.
Kagome, turning her icy gaze to the rest of the tachi, ended up scaring Miroku and Sango with her chilly gaze that was somewhat reminicient of Sesshoumaru himself.
The houshi and the tajiya exchanged a gaze. Both were thinking the same thing. Their Kagome might just be under a spell, and those eyes were pretty much freaking them out as a sign that they were right. Strategical retreat seemed to be their best option so they could regroup.
Sango hesitated though, before following through. With one last sorrowful glance at her friend, she made sure that Kagome was so far well treated, and even loved by the human Rin. The miko would be all right for the time being.
It took the strength of both Miroku and Sango to drag Shippo away from the still tableou of the courtyard. The little kitsune was crying and wailing for his mommy. Her eyes didn't scare him. Her scent was still the same as always, and her love for her not yet adopted kit shown from below the ice and unnatural stillness of her stance.
When the little fox was out of sight and the last echo of his cry reached her ears, the hardened layer over her eyes visibly cracked. Those in the courtyard were stunned as they were treated with a massive flood. The more perceptive realized that this rush of jasmine scent and night power was the taste of overwhelming sorrow in the human. To some, it was more delectable than the scent of fear itself, and to others, it was more painful to feel this coming from such a strong figure of power to them.
None but Sesshoumaru were able to track the miko, since with the swiftness of he leavetaking, she dissappeared to normal demon sight.
The icy demon lord was of several minds with this twist in his plans.
On one hand, he cursed the fact that he didn't get Tetsaiga.
He did manage to upset his brother though, so that was to the good.
On another hand, somewhere deep inside, a chibi lord was doing a happy dance. His favorite *ahem* investment would be able to stay longer and he would have more time to .........
To do what?
Get to know her?
Mold her feelings and character to better suit him?
Sesshoumaru's entire mind quieted in an attempt to listen to a very secret whispering the back of his thoughts.
To get her to fall in love with him, as he has already done with her?