Chapter 3: I Ain't Dropping No Eaves, Sir!/Go Back to Your Own Time, Kagome!
"Sesshomaru, I've got you now! I'll shoot your left arm off!"
"Or just get you in the ass…" Daitan remarked bitterly. Inuyasha kicked her in the leg, making her groan in pain.
"Why his arm…?" Daitan heard Inuyasha mutter to himself.
"Say goodbye to your shard!" Kagome released her arrow, but as usual, Sesshomaru dodged easily to the side, before rushing at Kagome. Of course, Inuyasha couldn't have that.
"Oh no you don't!" he swiped his claws at Sesshomaru, who backed off, landing next to Daitan. She was still laying on the ground, clutching her wounded ass, concentrating on keeping up her glamour.
"Now this is embarrassing." she grumbled to herself.
Sesshomaru smirked up at Inuyasha, who now stood protectively in front of Kagome, paying no mind to Daitan. She figured it was because he didn't consider her a threat.
"You seem so anxious for her safety." remarked Sesshomaru, a tiny smirk visible on his face.
"Let me at him!" said Kagome. "There's a shard of the Shikon jewel embedded in his left arm! I'm sure I can hit it!" Daitan wanted to make another jab at Kagome about shooting her on accident, but decided against it. The less attention she drew from Sesshomaru, the better.
"Forget it, Kagome." Inuyasha turned to look Kagome in the eye. "Sesshomaru has never been the kind of opponent that's easy to strike down. Stay here and care for Miroku and Daitan. The remedies from your era are powerful - maybe you can help them and save Miroku."
Kagome nodded. "I'm on it."
Daitan slowly propped herself up on her sheathed katana, limping away from Sesshomaru. He's just letting me go? ...I guess he's got bigger problems right now than some wounded 'human'...
By the time Daitan had reached where Miroku and Shippo were, Kagome was already kneeling beside Miroku, rummaging around in her bag. Daitan cleared her throat, and Kagome jumped.
"Oh-! Daitan! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to shoot you!" she apologized, but Daitan just waved her off.
"I'll be fine, really. But just know that I'll never let you live this one down, alright?"
Kagome blushed, but nodded, finally withdrawing from her pack with a box and a can of juice.
"I need to treat Miroku first, Daitan, so you'll have to wait. Miroku, I need you to take this medicine. Think you can sit up?"
Miroku groaned from his spot on the ground, perhaps a little too dramatically to be believable.
"Uhn… no… I'm too weak… pass it through your mouth…" he suggested, and Daitan just gave him a disapproving stare, which then turned to shock when Kagome agreed.
"Good idea!" Daitan then tried desperately not to burst into laughter when Shippo took the medicine into his mouth and leaned down to give it to Miroku. The monk grimaced and turned his head to the side, muttering,
"...I think I can manage on my own."
In the meantime, Kagome had climbed up the rubble to peek at where Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were, nocking an arrow onto her bowstring.
"Oi, I thought you were going to treat me!" whined Daitan. Kagome didn't reply, and Daitan sighed, looking over at Miroku.
"Ugh… I can't stand being so useless…!" Daitan paused when Inuyasha and Kagome came crashing into the space where she and Miroku were laying. "Oh hey, nice of you to drop by… need some help?" she soon felt her insides twist when she realized that Kagome wasn't moving. Inuyasha turned back to look at Sesshomaru, who pointed the Tessaiga directly at the hanyou.
"You'll regret that, Sesshomaru! She doesn't deserve it!"
Daitan hobbled over to the pair, and Miroku did the same. The girl noticed that part of Sesshomaru's armor was missing. Kagome must have missed her mark… but at least she got rid of some of his armor.
"The Tessaiga hasn't transformed… but it has such power!" observed Miroku, using his staff as a walking stick. "...There's only one method left to counter him and the sword." the monk gripped the prayer beads on his right hand, but Inuyasha interrupted him.
"Better rethink that - remember what happened last time you opened it." he took a pebble in hand and tossed it into the distance, disturbing hundreds more of the giant hornets they had fought earlier. They buzzed angrily, rising into the air, but didn't attack right away.
"Don't do it, Miroku! You're doomed if you take in any more venom!" pleaded Shippo, and Inuyasha nodded.
"Take Kagome and Daitan and get out of here fast - get as far away as you can." he said, and Shippo tilted his head.
"Uh… you sure?"
"Inuyasha…" Daitan grunted, standing up. Her right leg was wobbly, but she gritted her teeth and stood anyway. "I'll help however I can, and before you yell at me, I'll at least aid them in buying time for them to escape with Kagome." Inuyasha looked annoyed, but nodded. Thank goodness he doesn't really seem to be using his nose at the moment. Thought Daitan. Just a bit of my actual scent is coming through, but once this wound has healed as much as I dare to let it, I'll cover it up again.
"You shall never escape me," Sesshomaru's voice cut through the air. "I shall destroy you all in a single stroke!"
Inuyasha dashed forward, and Daitan did the same, doing her best to ignore the screaming pain in her leg and behind. While the hanyou dashed directly at Sesshomaru, Daitan flanked him on his left. Inuyasha glanced back at Miroku and Shippo.
"Hey, why are you waiting?! Run for it!"
Inuyasha's shout shook Miroku out of his daze, and he picked up Kagome and fled, with Shippo.
"How touching," Sesshomaru remarked, and before Daitan could even move forward, the daiyoukai plunged his hand into Inuyasha's chest. When Daitan bared her teeth and stepped forward, Sesshomaru turned his gaze on her. "You'll be next, woman."
"...Heheh… it's funny… you don't even realize…" murmured Inuyasha, meeting Daitan's eyes, and Daitan took Sesshomaru's brief distraction as her chance. Hardly visible to the naked eye, her sword whipped down through the air, a hair's breadth away from Inuyasha's face, as it came down and cleaved Sesshomaru's borrowed human hand from the arm at the wrist.
"The Tessaiga is back in my hands!" shouted Inuyasha triumphantly, and Sesshomaru turned narrowed eyes upon Daitan. She met his gaze head-on, standing right beside Inuyasha, only barely acknowledging Jaken running up to stand beside his master.
"Master! Without the human arm, you're unable to hold on to the Tessaiga!"
Inuyasha grunted in pain, collapsing to one knee and only holding himself up with his sword. Daitan herself was putting more weight on her left leg, and her right felt throbbing, white hot pain.
"Lord Sesshomaru," started Jaken, approaching the pair. "It seems that Inuyasha has lost consciousness, and the human girl can barely stand!"
"Jaken, do not approach any closer." warned Sesshomaru, and Daitan lifted her head, unable to keep a literal growl from exiting her throat. The imp paled considerably, and fled when a bolt of energy escaped from Inuyasha's sword, threatening to shock the imp.
"Wh-What happened? The sword attacked of its own accord!"
A few moments of silence passed, only broken by Daitan's burdened breaths. Sesshomaru seemed to examine first Inuyasha, and then Daitan herself with curious narrowed eyes. Oh no… he suspects something… The daiyoukai broke the silence first.
"We shall leave, Jaken. Tessaiga is presently beyond my reach. There's no sense in staying."
Jaken nodded, and Sesshomaru summoned a cloud beneath his feet. The two floated up into the sky, the giant hornets following after them.
Daitan breathed a sigh of relief, and then slumped to the ground adrenaline fading from her system. It's such a bother to keep this disguise up, not to mention exhausting… I'll tell them soon, I suppose. She then felt Inuyasha fall to the ground next to her, and she just lay there tiredly while the others came out from their hiding place.
The group had spent the last few hours travelling on the back of a tanuki youkai, Hachi, one of Miroku's close friends. When they landed in the village of Edo, Daitan had laid down on her side, gingerly rubbing her behind. It ached like hell, and Kagome had done what she could (away from the prying eyes of Miroku and the like), but now all that Daitan knew she needed was rest. Besides, I should probably get home soon… I'm not looking forward to explaining this to Dad…
While everyone gave their thanks to Hachi, Daitan made her way over to the Bone Eater's Well. She sighed to herself. Well, no use putting it off-! And with that, she jumped right in, expecting to sink into that sky full of stars… she hit the dirt floor of the well and yelped, looking up. Still blue sky. Am I gonna be stuck here forever? But Kagome can go back and forth, can't she? Hell, even I've done it before! Daitan was about to start climbing back out of the well when she heard voices… Inuyasha and Kagome.
"Ah… Kagome… I haven't asked how you're feeling. You're hurt, too." said Inuyasha.
"Oh, I'm fine, it's just a little bump on the head!" she said in a carefree tone. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha, you told me to stay away from Sesshomaru, I didn't listen, and I only made things worse… If I had run away like you told me, you wouldn't have been so seriously injured."
"No, in the end it was you who saved me with your arrow… I'm grateful, Kagome."
A light blush crossed Daitan's cheeks. I feel like I'm intruding on something really private…
"You're acting totally weird, now," said Kagome's voice. "Do you have a fever?"
"...You heard the story. About how Naraku deceived me fifty years ago. He's the one pulling the strings behind Sesshomaru," after a couple beats of silence, Inuyasha spoke again. "I've made a decision."
"Hm?"
"Things are getting more dangerous by the day."
"Yeah, you're probably right." Daitan could imagine Kagome rolling her eyes as she spoke.
"Eh? What's that mean?" Inuyasha's voice was no longer quiet, but more of its normal loud self. "Aren't you scared? We're in serious danger! This time we were lucky, but who knows about next time!" Kagome raised her voice right back at him.
"Well, I'm not afraid! Naraku's a terrible youkai! We've got to do what we can to destroy him!"
Everything suddenly went silent, and Daitan looked up again, curious. What's going on up there?
"Inuyasha… What are you doing?"
The blush previously on Daitan's face returned with a vengeance.
"...I was afraid…" murmured Inuyasha. "I thought I was going to lose you, I was terrified…"
The sound of something (someone?) falling to the ground reached Daitan's ears.
"I'll hang onto the jewel." said Inuyasha.
"H-Huh? What do you think you're doing?"
"Kagome… go back to your own era!"
Before she knew it, Daitan saw Kagome fall over the edge of the well and straight toward her. And just like before, the galaxy of stars and a blue sky surrounded them, before they both landed gently on the ground.
The smell of exhaust and pollution suddenly assaulted Daitan's nose, and she turned around to find a shocked Kagome standing next to her.
"Daitan?! Were you in the well the whole time?!" squeaked Kagome, turning red. Daitan rubbed the back of her neck.
"Eh… yeah… I figured I needed to get home, so I tried to go back by myself… didn't work. Also," Daitan hesitated. "I'm sorry about-"
"Forget it." Kagome said, still blushing. Daitan sighed.
"Let's get out of here."
Kagome nodded, and they helped each other out of the well. A more difficult feat than usual, mostly because of Daitan's injury.
"What was he doing, pushing me like that? You go on home, Daitan. How long until you'll be back?" asked Kagome, and Daitan shrugged.
"Dunno, depends on how fast my right buttcheek gets back to normal. Also, I have no idea how long my dad will ground me if he finds out."
Kagome smiled and waved.
"Well, I'm going back to teach him a lesson. I'll come to check on you in a few days, how does that sound?"
"Fine by me."
And with that, Daitan watched Kagome jump back into the well… only to hear her hit the bottom.
"H-Huh?" echoed Kagome's voice, and Daitan peered over the edge.
"Are you okay, Kagome?"
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine… but why didn't it work? I can't get back to the Feudal Era! But… why not?" Kagome seemed to suddenly realize something. "I don't have my jewel shards anymore!"
"What? Is that why it didn't work?" Daitan asked, helping Kagome over the lip of the well. The younger girl's eyes started to water, and Daitan panicked inside a little.
It took a lot of ice cream and overall girl time to calm down Kagome. Upon realizing that she couldn't get back to the Feudal Era, and by extension, Inuyasha, Kagome had become distraught, and Daitan had to take her inside to her family for damage control. She also had to explain that she was in on the secret now too. They had asked about Daitan's wound, but Kagome just started crying even harder, and Daitan suggested they don't mention it.
After a long while, Kagome had fallen asleep, exhausted, and Daitan made her way back home. Kagome's mother, Chie, had offered to drive her, but Daitan refused. Making up some half-baked excuse about not wanting people to know where she lived, Daitan made her exit and began the journey back home. Other people on the train gave her funny looks for her katana and how strangely she was standing (she refused to sit, her backside really was in a lot of pain), and she was glad to finally get off the train and hobble home.
Daitan breathed a sigh of relief when she pushed open the door to her father's large home, letting her glamour fall away and revealing her natural form. She looked cautiously around the main foyer. It's quiet… too quiet… This place is usually bustling this time of day... Brushing white hair out of her face, she made her way to the stairs as quietly as she could, aiming to get to the second floor corridor and into her room before anyone noticed, especially her own father. But alas, it was not meant to be.
"Daitan."
The man himself seemed to materialize out of thin air in the drawing room doorway, and Daitan let out a yelp of surprise. Her father's eyes were narrowed dangerously, flicking over her frame, and Daitan clutched the banister for dear life, leaning heavily on her left leg. She put on what she desperately hoped was a completely innocent smile, but in actuality, it probably came off as more of a grimace.
"Oh hey there, Dad! I was just, uh, getting back from that hunting trip I said I was going on with some friends of mine! Crazy stuff happened, honestly you wouldn't believe it, but-"
"Daitan," the girl in question fell silent, and her father's golden eyes regarded her for a moment. "Come here."
She fidgeted in place a little.
"Actually, could I just stand here for a bit?" she asked weakly, and her father just raised an eyebrow. "...Okay…" Putting on her bravest face, Daitan did her best to try and walk normally, but the pain still made her limp extremely obvious. When she finally stood in front of her father, his head tilted slightly, and his eyes softened.
"...You're injured."
"...Yeah…"
Daitan was busy making some tea at the counter, and her father was sitting at the table, watching her closely.
"So how did you get injured? You're usually not so careless." he commented, and Daitan chuckled a little.
"It's kind of embarrassing… This friend of mine isn't really very experienced with using a bow, and she actually got me in the ass instead! Unfortunately, I had to give most of my focus to my disguise, otherwise I would have come back in a better condition."
Daitan brought the teacups to the table and took her seat in the chair next to her father, setting herself down extremely gingerly. Once settled, he took a sip of her tea. Her father watched her very carefully.
"I would imagine that hurt quite a bit, what with the large amount of spiritual energy embedded inside it." he commented off-handedly.
"Oh yeah, it hurt like a- wait, how did-?"
Sesshomaru, an older Sesshomaru, leaned forward with a little smirk.
"Your disguises even had me fooled in the beginning, but all the power in the world couldn't ever make up for the fact that you, daughter, are an awful liar." Daitan was speechless.
"Wh-When did you… find out?"
Sesshomaru merely leaned back in his seat and took a sip of his tea, eyes crinkling in the corners.
"I hear that time travel is a delicate business… you'll just have to live through it, as I have, Daitan."
Daitan groaned. He's so smug it's making me nauseous!
A/N: So the secret is out to the readers. And in only the third chapter - whaaaat? Yeah, I wasn't really planning to keep the readers in the dark about Daitan being Sesshomaru's daughter for too long... Just imagine the drama when past Sesshomaru actually realizes who she is. And I imagine that present Sesshomaru (the one living in modern times) would be a pretty smug bastard when it comes to some future events for Daitan. I mean, more of a smug bastard than he usually is, of course. Also, I would like to iterate that this story does not include the canon elements in the sequel manga, obviously.