So I'm sure you're all wondering where have I been. On vacation. Out of the country. No internet access. I'm sorry. Just take this. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I own diddly squat. That means nothing.
Chapter 23: Aftermath
It was way past lunch when the healer finally came out the room. "She's going to be alright," The demoness said with a bow. "You may go in and see her now."
Sesshomaru nodded and led the two children in. He had to force them to eat without the miko, especially when their stomachs started growling. When they entered the room, Kagome was laying down. She greeted them with a smile, although Sesshomaru could tell she was still in pain. The children hurried to her side and gave her a hug.
"Careful. She's still injured," the inu warned when he saw her flinched.
"It's okay," Kagome said returning soft hugs to them. "You all must have been worried."
Shippo nodded slightly. "I was scared when okaa-san wasn't moving."
"Rin too! Rin got scared when Kagome-nee-san got hurt," the little girl held the miko's hand in her smaller ones. "There was a lot of blood."
"Oh, Rin" Kagome tried to sit up but the sharp pain in her shoulder stopped her. She hissed in pain, gaining more worried glances. "Sorry."
Sesshomaru walked up to the bed and sat down on the side. Then he gently wrapped his arm around her and pulled her up, until she was leaning comfortably on him. "Is this better?"
"Thank you Lord Sesshomaru," Kagome said with a small smile and a blush. She gestured for the two children to come next to them. Pulling them into her lap, she hugged them both and rubbed their backs in comfort. "It's okay. I'm going to be fine." They started to drift off to sleep, and laid down next to her.
"Are you hungry?" Sesshomaru asked after a while.
"Yes," the young miko answered quietly.
Carefully he moved from under her and helped her to sit up. He left to fetch a servant to bring in something for her to eat. A short time later, he returned with a servant carrying a tray of food, and went back to sit behind her.
"Aren't you going to eat?" Kagome wondered as she was handed the tray.
"I don't need to eat frequently." He replied dismissing the other youkai.
"What about Rin and Shippo?"
"They already had their meal. They refused at first because they wish to eat with you."
"Oh, well we can still have dinner together." When she finished eating she moved the tray to the side. "Lord Sesshomaru?"
"Hn."
"On a scale of one to ten, how pissed off is Lord Isamu?"
Sesshomaru raised a brow at her strange wording but assumed she was if Isamu was upset. "He is furious," he answered. "You managed to humiliate him with that little trick you pulled."
"I didn't mean to."
"Don't dwell on it. He deserved it. However you have gained the recognition and respect of the other lords."
"I have?" Kagome asked in disbelief.
"Yes. You've already impressed Lord Daichi with your wisdom. Now they know your strength. As have I."
"You do?" she asked looking up at him.
"I do," the inu simply replied.
"That's great," the young girl gave him a bright smile, her blue eyes matching her expression and feeling.
"Why does that please you?" Sesshomaru asked curiously.
"I don't know. I guess when you told Isamu that I was an ally, in a way I wanted to prove you right."
"You didn't have to prove anything to me."
"I know. I think I mostly wanted to prove Isamu wrong. He kept ridiculing you, me, and my friends. You're one of the most strongest youkai I know, and I don't think having humans under your care makes you weak."
"Is that what you think?"
"Am I wrong? How is caring for someone a weakness?"
"On a battle field one's mind must be focused on the fight before them. You can't afford to have your mind wander to anything else. Worrying over someone is a distraction and one slip up could be your downfall."
"That's bullshit!" Kagome exclaimed. The inuyoukai gave her a serious look. "Sorry," she said with a sheepish smile. "But you're wrong."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Although it is true you can't focus on anything during a battle, caring for someone is not a distraction. When you are fighting and it's to protect someone, you gain the will power and strength to defeat your enemy. Even if it seems like you're losing, you'll push yourself for those you love."
Sesshomaru scoffed. "Love is just a foolish notion you humans came up with to feel important."
If he was looking at her, he would have seen her flinched. "That's not true," she said quietly. "Love isn't foolish nor is it something for humans to feel important. It's caring for someone to the extent that you'll do anything for them."
"Even if it costs you everything?"
"Yes even then," she replied with a sigh. "And just so you know, it's not only humans who feel love. Demons can too."
"It's still foolish."
"Then that means we're all fools. Yourself included."
"You suggest I love someone?"
"It's Rin. Even if you argue it isn't love, you definitely care for her more than anything else." When the inu didn't respond, she smiled. "See I'm right." She gave a small yawn. "If it's not a bother I would like to sleep again."
"Hn." Sesshomaru carefully laid her down. "Rest as long as you want. I will be back to check on you later. You should be able to go back to your own room by tomorrow." He got up to leave when she tugged on his sleeve. "What is it?"
"Um..." She looked like she was about to ask him something but decided against it. "No, never mind. It's nothing. Thank you for looking after me."
Sesshomaru simply nodded in reply and left the room. Once the door closed, Kagome smacked herself on the forehead. "Stupid. Stupid,stupid. What is wrong with me?" She thought about what she was going to ask and hit herself again. "Ugh. Why'd we have to go and have that conversation? Now I can't help but wonder if he cares for me too?" Sighing she closed her eyes and fell to sleep, ignoring the tug on her heart she was starting to feel when he was around.
"Gentle, gentle! Ow Sango!" Miroku exclaimed as the taijiya poured the warm herbal water over his wounds.
"Oh stop whining, you big baby." Sango said unwrapping clean bandages.
"I can't help it. It hurts. Ow!" He cried out again as Sango tied his bandages firmly. "You did that on purpose."
"I did not," Sango smiled to herself. From the time she brought him back to Mushin, Miroku was in too much pain to move or speak. After a long day's rest he was recovering slowly. He could still barely move but if he was complaining, she knew he would be fine in no time. So far in her thoughts, Sango failed to notice a certain hand inching its way to her butt. Giving the monk her most sweetest smile, she tightened the bandages around his torso.
"OW!"
"That's what you get. Don't think just because you're injured that I won't punish you for your wandering hand."
"Can you really blame me? I have such a beautiful caretaker."
Sango rolled her eyes. "Don't try to sweet talk me."
"Ah, but it's true." Miroku said with a grin. "By the way, may I borrow Kirara."
"You're not thinking of getting up are you?"
"No, no. I want to send a message to Kagome. We need to let her know of Naraku's movements. And I also need her to gather some supplies for me."
"Supplies for what?"
"The spell that would reseal Katsurou. Just in case we fail to kill him."
"Do you think it will succeed?"
"One can only hope."
"Alright. I'll write what you need and get Kirara."
Not too far away Inuyasha and Kikyou were heading in the direction of the shrine. "How sure are you that your friends are in this direction and not in the village?"
"Call it a hunch," Inuyasha replied. He stopped when he spotted a familiar fire cat in the sky. "That's Kirara."
"Doesn't look like anyone's on top of her." Kikyou stated. "Could something have happened?"
"Hm. Only one way to find out," the hanyou said as he took off running in his initial direction. In a short time they were at the top of the shrine steps. "Sango! Miroku! You guys here?" He placed Kikyou down and the two walked around the shrine to the main house behind it. He entered the building and immediately smelt blood. "What the hell?" Following the scent, they found Sango feeding a freshly bandaged Miroku.
"What the hell happened?!" Inuyasha nearly shouted.
"Inuyasha? What are you doing here?" Miroku asked.
"And with Kikyou?" Sango added.
"Kagome asked me to. She wanted me to continue searching for Naraku and the shards."
"Sorry to disappoint you but you missed that chance two days ago." Miroku said, grunting as he shifted to sit up.
"Yeah, you look like heel. What happened?"
"Naraku and Kagura wanted to pay me a visit on Mt. Fuji. I went there to meditated and they caught me off guard."
"Luckily enough, I was on my way to get him. Just a few more hours and he would have bled to death." Sango commented.
"Why were you on Mt. Fuji anyway? Shouldn't you be searching for information on those monks?" Inuyasha asked sitting down.
"That wasn't getting us anywhere fast. It's been so long, no one remembers the event or the ones involved."
"What are you all talking about?" Kikyou asked, who was listening quietly till that point.
"You didn't tell her?" Sango questioned the hanyou.
"I didn't think it was important."
"What's not important?" The priestess asked feeling a bit putt off that the hanyou didn't tell her everything. "What did you not tell me?"
"Naraku's planning on resurrecting someone called Katsurou. Miroku was suppose to find a way to seal him again."
Kikyou frowned and her brows furrowed in thought. "Are you certain it's Katsurou? The man sealed within the southern mountains?"
"You know about it?" Sango asked.
"I know enough. I just might be able to help you with the seal."
"How?"
"Both Keade and I are descendants of one of the monks that sealed him."
So finally this is up. What a twist. I am just bullshitting at this point but it works with the direction I want it to go. Man I am never going on a long vacation ever again. I was miserable. And not just because there was no internet. Anyway 24 will be up soon. like a few days. I don't know, maybe two days.