Kagome: *looks around* everything's destroyed!
A1969: because someone needed to prove how intense his machismo was! *glares at Sesshoumaru*
Inuyasha: hey…how did you get out?
A1969: gimme a break, it's almost Christmas—I snuck out. Besides—I'm cured.
Sango: so…you're completely over Loki?
A1969: where?! Oh, god, where? Loki! Where's my—
Sesshoumaru: *gags author* shut. Up.
Miroku: er…can't she breathe?
Sesshoumaru: that is none of my concern.
Kagome: anyway…I guess I'll do it. Thanks for reviewing, guys! And Merry Christmas to you wonderful people!
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-Chapter Forty-Six-
.:Ironic:.
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Clara
Okay, just...don't panic.
I couldn't keep the jewel pure anymore, so...no big deal. On second thought, who I was kidding? As Kagome and I walked back towards the camp, I couldn't help but feel a little afraid. Well, more than a little.
The truth is, I was scared. I mean, any minute, I would probably drop dead without warning—who wouldn't be afraid of that? I felt anxious, on edge. And the worst part was, I hadn't even told my mother about it. Maybe I should have? Keeping her in the dark seemed like a good idea at the time. I didn't want her to worry, didn't want her to stop me from going back to the Feudal Era. Looking back, I think it was selfish and stupid of me...
"Sesshoumaru will see right through you."
I jumped, startled. Kagome was staring at me with worry in her eyes. Was I really that obvious?
"Then I guess I'll have to improve my acting, by the time we get there," I said nonchalantly. I didn't want anyone worrying about me, not when there were more important things to worry about.
She sighed. "Clara...you have to tell him," she said.
I looked up at the sky. The clouds had become gray and overcast, and the wind had grown chillier. Would the snow start to fall today?
"Clara," Kagome said.
"I…don't know," I admitted. A part of me wanted to tell him, but another part of me didn't want him to do anything reckless.
"Think of it this way," she persisted. "Let's say the situation was reversed. What if Sesshomaru was the one dying, was the one getting worse, and he decided not to tell you? How would that make you feel?"
I paused. "You have a point," I said. "But…" I shook my head.
"Don't you trust him?"
I stopped in my tracks, and turned to face her. "I do!" I said. "I trust him with my—" I was about to say 'life', but, somehow, it seemed wrong.
"See?" Kagome said gently. "You need to tell him. He deserves to know."
"But…Kohaku." I tore my gaze away from her.
"I've told you before, haven't I?" she said. "It's called 'compromise'."
I was silent for a while. "You're right," I said eventually. I sighed. "I don't want him to worry, and do anything drastic, but..." I shook my head. "I'll tell him as soon as I see him." Kagome did have a point—if the situation was reversed, I would want to know, too.
She nodded, satisfied, and continued walking. When we reached the camp, we found Inuyasha sitting, cross-legged, beside Kagome's backpack, a bowl of ramen in one hand.
"About time you got back," Inuyasha said as he swallowed his ramen. He set the bowl aside, and quickly stood up. There was something funny about the way he looked at Kagome—he looked anxiously excited.
Kagome must have sensed it, too, because she placed a hand on her hip. "All right, Inuyasha," she said, holding out her hand. "What did you break this time?"
Inuyasha cringed. "I didn't break anything!" He crossed his arms, the very picture of defensiveness.
Kagome's eyes shifted to her backpack. "Did you break anything while trying to get the ramen?" she asked as she knelt beside it. "Because I won't mind, as long as you admit it."
Inuyasha suddenly reached out, as though he wanted to stop her from opening it, but too late. Kagome unclasped her backpack, and gawked, surprised. Her mouth hung open, and her eyebrow arched in confusion.
Curious, I peered into her backpack. At first glance, it was filled with what looked like orange gunk. On closer inspection, what I'd taken for gunk was actually wilting orange petals. Eh?
"What's…what's this?" Kagome asked she scooped out a handful of the flowers. Heleniums, I realized. Alexis had an entire plot of them in her garden in America.
"They're flowers, okay?!" Inuyasha snapped, his face as red as his haori.
"Yeah, but...what are they doing in my backpack?" Kagome asked, oblivious. Inuyasha looked flustered, and a look of understanding suddenly dawned on Kagome.
"Ooh," she said. There was a slight tinge on her cheeks. "Gee, thanks, Inuyasha. That's...really sweet of you." She grinned at him.
"You don't like them," Inuyasha huffed. I stared at him, bewildered.
"Eh?" Kagome said, blinking. "That's silly! Of course I like them." She stared at the fistful of withering flowers. "Though, it would have been a whole lot better if you didn't stuff them in here. They've wilted."
"See? You don't like them!" Inuyasha exclaimed.
I stared at Kagome. "You're being silly! I really appreciate the effort, Inuyasha," she said.
Inuyasha pouted, and Kagome narrowed her eyes in a way that made me think she was reading his mind. "You know, you don't have to do what Sesshoumaru does," she pointed out.
Eh?
"Who said anything about Sesshoumaru?!" Inuyasha snapped.
I think I was going to leave them to it. Turing my back discreetly on the bickering pair, I made my way towards Ah-Un, who was curled up beneath a tree. He raised his heads as I came near, and I patted each one of them.
"Good morning," I greeted, stroking Ah's muzzle. "By any chance, have any of you seen Sesshoumaru? I was going to ask Inuyasha, but…"
I looked over my shoulder. Inuyasha was red in the face as Kagome glared at him, annoyed. I could already see where this was headed.
"So, have you?" I asked, turning back to Ah-Un. His tail whipped towards the forest. "Oh. Has he been gone long?"
Un nodded, and I frowned. When I'd woken up this morning, Sesshoumaru had already gone. Still, I'd felt the need to purify the jewel away from the camp, just in case he did come back. Where could he have gone?
"I told you, I like them!" Kagome's exasperated voice rang throughout the clearing, and I reluctantly looked towards them.
Inuyasha's face was still beet-red. "I was just trying to—" He suddenly froze as the wind blew through the trees. The way it rustled the leaves almost seemed eerie and ominous.
"Inuyasha, what's wrong?" Kagome asked worriedly.
"This scent..." Inuyasha's grew round. "It's Naraku's!"
"What?!" Kagome and I exclaimed.
"But, isn't Naraku within the jewel?" I said.
Inuyasha crouched on the ground, and Kagome quickly clambered onto his back. As they darted into the trees, I scrabbled onto Ah-Un, and we rushed off.
"This scent isn't actually Naraku's," Inuyasha said as Ah-Un and I caught up with them. "It's Kagura's—she smells like that bastard." His nostrils flared, and he scowled. "Dammit, she's with Ayame!"
He sped up, and we followed. The forest was nothing more than a blur of green and brown as we flew. The cold air rushed past us, and I shivered.
Inuyasha suddenly swore under his breath. "She was this close to us, dammit!"
"But...I can't sense the Sacred Jewel shards!" Kagome said. She turned to me. "What about you, Clara?"
In all honesty, I felt relieved that she couldn't sense the Sacred Jewel shards either. For a moment, I thought I was the only one who couldn't. I shook my head. "I can't sense them, too."
"What the hell is going on?" Inuyasha growled.
I could hear the sounds of fighting as the trees gradually thinned out. A second later, we burst through the bushes, and into a small clearing.
My eyes widened in surprise.
Sesshoumaru stood in the middle of the clearing, his Bakusaiga held at the ready. Across from him, on the other side of the clearing, stood Kagura. She looked surprised to see Sesshoumaru there, which made me think that he arrived shortly before we did. Behind Sesshoumaru was a young woman.
She was quite pretty, with thick red hair held up in twin ponytails. Her green eyes were narrowed menacingly at Kagura. Her skin was marred with cuts and bruises. A deep gash along her forearm was bleeding heavily, and she held her shoulder with a shaky hand. Her white fur cape and skirt were torn in several places, and matted with blood.
"Ayame!" Kagome called out.
Ayame turned to us with surprise. "Kagome, Inuyasha?" she said.
I hastily dismounted Ah-Un, just as Sesshoumaru looked towards me. His eyes travelled from my head to my feet, checking for injuries. Satisfied, he glared back at Kagura with narrowed eyes.
"Well, well, well," Kagura said pleasantly. She stared at me with ruby eyes. I scowled at her, and quickly drew Shinsei from its sheath. "Why am I not surprised to find that you"—she glared at Sesshoumaru contemptuously—"are with her?" She raised a dainty eyebrow at me, and Sesshoumaru glared at her. "Was Naraku right all along?"
Sesshoumaru glanced my way, and frowned. "Do you think a demon such as I could care for such a lowly creature?" he sneered, his cold eyes boring into Kagura.
Behind me, I could hear Inuyasha and Kagome's exclamations of surprise. But I didn't pay them any attention—Sesshoumaru was bluffing, I could feel it. There was no way the expression in his eyes when he looked at me was not real.
Still, it stung somewhat.
I shook my head. Focus, Clara.
Kagura fanned herself. "No, I suppose not," she said. "If that's the case, then hand over the girl behind you." Her eyes flashed towards Ayame, who tensed.
"Do you think I shall comply?" he said, cold amusement in his voice. "You've forgotten your place!"
Quick as a flash, Sesshoumaru charged towards Kagura. The Wind Witch's eyes widened, and she leapt into the air to avoid Sesshoumaru's blade.
"Don't underestimate me!" she snapped.
A low rumbling suddenly echoed throughout the clearing. A moment later, demons burst from the surrounding trees, and from the ground beneath, sending dust and rubble into the air. Inuyasha swore as he lifted Kagome into his arms, and leapt away from the demons.
A snake demon screeched as it rushed towards me. I quickly sidestepped, and brought Shinsei down on it. Blood gushed as its head fell to the ground.
Across the clearing, I could make out Inuyasha blasting Kagura's hoard of demons with the Wind Scar. Kagome had her bow out, and was firing at the demons that dared come close. Even Ah-Un was doing his part, firing jets of light from his mouths.
I quickly looked towards Sesshoumaru, who was cutting down several demons at once, and cutting through Kagura's Wind Blades. Amazing. His movements were fluid, graceful, and the strike of his sword was swift and sure. An elegant dance of death.
A loud roar suddenly rang behind me, and I quickly spun around, Shinsei held at my side. A snake demon, larger than the one I'd killed earlier, loomed behind me. Black scales glistened in the sun as it opened its mouth and screeched. Instead of fangs, its mouth was filled with black, slimy tentacles.
Its tentacles darted out, and I slashed through them with Shinsei. As I jumped back, something coiled around my ankle. A second later, I felt myself falling to the ground.
"Dammit!" One of the snake demon's tentacles looped around my foot, drawing me towards it. I winced when I felt the sting of miasma against my skin.
I cut through the tentacle, and it fell to the ground with a loud thud. Rearing, the snake lunged, and I quickly rolled over to one side. Its head rammed into the ground beside me, and I quickly leapt up.
Hissing, the snake raised its head. Its jaws opened wide as it lunged towards me again.
"Clara!" Kagome screamed.
I pointed Shinsei towards the demon and willed my spiritual energy through the sword. I felt warmth spreading from my fingertips towards the blade. For a moment, it glowed brightly, before its holy light faded away.
Merde.
A burst of green suddenly flashed behind the snake demon. It gave a guttural hiss of fury as its flesh crumpled to the ground at my feet.
"You couldn't purify it," Sesshoumaru said. He stood amidst the remnants of the snake, a clawed hand raised in front of him.
"I got distracted." It was amazing how quickly the lie jumped to my lips. He narrowed his eyes, but before he could say anything, I said, "What happened to Bakusaiga?"
Sesshoumaru looked behind me. I spun around. Kagura knelt amidst the horde of demons, her ruby eyes wide with shock. Her fan had fallen to the ground beside her. There, lodged in her chest, was Bakusaiga.
I turned back to him. "You—"
Clutching me around the waist, he rushed through the horde of demons, slashing through them with his claws. Blood splattered to the ground as he ran.
Sesshoumaru stopped in front of Kagura, and set me down. I sheathed Shinsei, before regarding the Wind Sorceress.
Kagura smirked as she looked up at Sesshoumaru, a drop of blood trickling down her lips. "Naraku was right all along," she said triumphantly. She shuddered as Bakusaiga sent a small surge of youki through her.
Sesshoumaru glared. "What do you mean?"
Kagura's smile was mockingly smug. "You love the girl." Her eyes shifted to me, and I forced myself to stare into her blood-red gaze. "You're going to doom her."
I stared at her.
Sesshoumaru's face was an expressionless mask as he reached towards her. Grasping Bakusaiga by the hilt, he pulled the blade from her chest. Blood gushed from the wound, and Kagura had to lean on her arms to keep herself from falling over.
"I don't think I need to ask you to elaborate," Sesshoumaru said, holding Bakusaiga's point to her throat.
I stared at him. "Sesshoumaru, stop it," I said.
Ignoring me, he continued to glare down at Kagura. "Naraku has been right, so far," Kagura said, still smiling at him. "You love the girl—you will inevitably doom her, whether you know it or not."
He frowned. "I suppose you've said all you need to say." He raised Bakusaiga.
"No!" I said. I made a grab for his arm, but before he could even swing, a horde of demons rushed towards us. Sesshoumaru wound an arm around my waist, and leapt back. He swung Bakusaiga, and a burst of blue surged towards the demons.
"We seem to have touched a nerve, Lord Sesshoumaru!"
From amidst the swirl of Sesshoumaru's blast, a pink blur shot out. "Hakudoshi!" Inuyasha snarled.
Mounted on Entei, and surrounded by his barrier, Hakudoshi hovered above us, a cocky smile on his face. Kagura floated beside him on her feather, a hand on her bleeding chest.
"It really does amaze me how alike both you and Inuyasha are, Lord Sesshoumaru," Hakudoshi said, grinning.
Sesshoumaru set me on my feet, and he scowled at the white child. "You bastard, what the hell is Naraku plotting?!" Inuyasha snapped, pointing the Tessaiga at him. Adamant immediately covered the sword.
Hakudoshi sighed dramatically. "Your questions are always so predictable, Inuyasha," he sneered, looking down at us. "But, with regards to Naraku's plot...do you really think we'll tell you?"
"In that case," Inuyasha growled, raising the sword. "Adamant—"
"We'll see you again, yes?" Hakudoshi said, as their barrier started to fade away.
Inuyasha swore loudly as Hakudoshi and Kagura vanished. "Those bastards," he muttered angrily. He sheathed the Tessaiga.
I stared at Sesshoumaru. He was looking up at the sky, his eyes narrowed in deep thought. For a moment, I thought he would give chase—if their scents were still around—but then, he turned to me, sheathing Bakusaiga.
"You were injured," he said tersely.
I raised my haori a bit to show him my left ankle. There was an angry welt from where the snake demon's tentacles had grabbed me earlier. "It stings a bit, but I'll live," I reassured him.
Sesshoumaru was about to say something, when he turned towards the edge of the clearing. I followed his gaze to find Kagome with an arm around Ayame's waist. The gash on Ayame's shoulder was bleeding badly, and her face was twisted in pain.
I tore myself away from Sesshoumaru and made my way towards them. "Let's get her somewhere safe," I said, winding an arm underneath her shoulders.
"Who are you?" Ayame asked, raising an eyebrow at me.
"Later," Kagome said. "First, we've got to take care of this shoulder."
Together, we leaned Ayame underneath a tree, and she winced. As Kagome removed the cape of white fur from Ayame's shoulders, Inuyasha handed me her backpack. "This may sting a bit," I told Ayame as I retrieved the bottle of antiseptic.
The gash on her shoulder was deep, but was nothing compared to the wounds Kouga had sustained. Ayame bit her lower lip as I disinfected the wound, a spasm of pain flashing briefly across her face.
"That does sting," she muttered, closing her eyes. She cringed.
After Kagome and I had applied a gauze dressing and bandages, I handed her a bottle of water, and Ayame took a grateful gulp. She sighed, leaning her head against the tree trunk and closing her eyes.
"That witch," she said.
"Can you tell us what happened?" I asked hesitantly.
Ayame's eyes flew open. They were a light shade of green, and she narrowed them at me. Her lower lip jutted out as she stared at me with scrutiny.
"Who are you?" she asked. She glanced over my shoulder at Sesshoumaru. "I heard Inuyasha had an elder brother, so you must be it." She looked back at me. "But I haven't heard anything about you."
"Ayame, this is Clara," Kagome said. "She's Midoriko's reincarnation, and she's helping us find the Sacred Jewel shards. Kouga said he gave them to you."
At the mention of Kouga's name, Ayame's eyes widened, and she grabbed Kagome's arm. "Kouga! Did you run into Kouga?" she asked, worried. "When he forced me to leave, he was so injured. I wanted to help him, but he made me go, to keep the shards safe from that witch."
"Kouga's fine," Kagome said quickly, trying to calm her down. "He was injured, but we helped him out."
Ayame's eyebrow twitched, and I couldn't help but notice the annoyed way she glared at Kagome. "Did he ask you to help him?" she huffed.
Kagome gave her an awkward smile. "He was bleeding badly," she said conciliatorily. Remembering the way Kouga had latched on to Kagome when he woke up, I take it there was a strange love triangle (quadrangle, if you counted Inuyasha) between them.
Ayame sighed. "Well…thank you, at least," she said grudgingly.
"Enough," Sesshoumaru suddenly said. I felt him behind me. "Where are the Sacred Jewel shards?" I couldn't see his expression, but I could picture him frowning at the wolf demoness.
"You could try asking nicely," Ayame said stubbornly.
"Just tell him," Inuyasha said, sighing. "He's been in a foul mood since this morning."
I looked back, glancing up at Sesshoumaru. He did look a bit 'foul'—his eyes were narrowed impatiently, and he was scowling. It was the kind of expression you didn't want to see on his face.
Ayame looked as though she wanted to argue, but sighed and shook her head. "I'm sorry, I…let them go," she said.
We stared.
"You lost them?" Sesshoumaru asked quietly. There was an edge to his voice, and I quickly got up and stood beside him.
"I didn't mean to," Ayame went on, looking down at her lap. "I had been running all night, and this morning, I took a small rest farther up river." She shook her head. "It was stupid, letting my guard down like that. The witch found me.
"We fought, and while we did, I discreetly tossed the two shards into the river." She looked up at us. "They may have floated downstream, but I can assure you, Kagura doesn't know where they are."
Sesshoumaru's jaw tensed, and I slowly laced my fingers through his. He glanced at me, and I squeezed his hand. "It's all right, we'll find them," I reassured him.
To my surprise, he pulled his hand away from mine and walked towards the trees. I blinked, thoroughly taken aback.
Kagome stood and leaned towards me, cupping her hand against my ear. "I think you need to cool his head down a bit," she whispered, "before we go find the shards."
I hesitated and she gently pushed me towards the direction he'd left. "Go on, we'll be right here," she said. "Don't take too long."
I nodded, and rushed after Sesshoumaru.
. . .
"Hey, Sesshoumaru, wait!"
He didn't stop walking. Annoyed, I ran faster. The gloomy sky allowed for little sunlight, and I had to jump to avoid a tree root. Panting, I managed to catch up to him.
"Could you stop for a moment?" I said, grabbing hold of his sleeve.
He stopped, and glanced over his shoulder at me. "Thank you," I said, huffing. I took a deep breath. "What was that about?" I asked, taking care to avoid sounding too peeved.
He turned towards me. He wore a slight frown on his face—never a good sign. "Nothing," was the curt reply.
I raised my eyebrows. "Wow, you did not just say 'nothing'," I said flatly. "You're upset—really upset." I suddenly remembered what Kagome said about 'compromise'. "Can we please talk?"
He scowled at me. "Please?" I repeated.
Wordlessly, he took a step towards me. And another, and another. There was a strange look on his face, an almost dangerous expression. I took a step back, and another and another.
"Sesshoumaru," I said hesitantly. I abruptly felt the hard wood of a tree trunk behind me, and I froze. Cornered against a tree by Sesshoumaru was one thing—cornered against a tree by a frowning Sesshoumaru was a different thing entirely.
He stopped. He was so close, I could feel the warmth from his body. I hastily glanced down.
"Are you frightened of me?" he asked quietly.
I looked up, and blushed. Too close. "N-no, of course not," I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking. "Don't be silly. Now, can we please talk? Properly?" I placed both hands on his chest tried to shove him away, but he didn't budge (obviously).
He grabbed hold of my hand. He held it against his face, pressing his cheek against my palm. Scowling, he closed his eyes. He was silent. I wanted to say something, ask him what was wrong, but thought better of it.
He suddenly turned his head, and kissed the palm of my hand. I felt my face heating up again. "Warm," he said quietly, his lips brushing against my skin.
Reaching up, I cupped his face in both my hands. "Please, tell me what's wrong," I murmured. His skin was smooth beneath my fingers.
He opened his eyes. For a moment, an intense look flashed through them, before they became cold once again. Usually, I had no trouble reading him, but that look—I couldn't tell what was going through his head.
"This," he said at last.
I blinked at him. "Pardon?" Did I just hear him right?
He gave me a level stare, as though thinking of what to say next. A small sigh passed through his lips. "I cannot afford to lose you," he said at last, his golden eyes burning.
I stared. I slowly lowered my hands. He knew that my spiritual energy was weakening, but did he figure out how fast? Was that why he was acting this way?
Blushing, I reached up and kissed him lightly. "You won't," I whispered.
Sesshoumaru cupped my cheek, his thumb stroking my skin. "Despite my great power, I feel as though you will slip through my fingers at any given moment," he said. There was a cold bitterness in his voice.
"I'm not going anywhere," I said gently. "I'll always be where I'm supposed to be—by your side. It's my favorite place in the world."
I might have imagined the ghost of a smile that flitted through his features. For a moment, we stared at each other, before he leaned down and kissed me.
He grasped my waist with both his hands, and I would my arms around his neck. There was something strange about this kiss—it was urgent, desperate, as though he really was afraid that I would suddenly leave his side.
I felt his lips leave mine, felt him trailing slow kisses along my jawline. I shuddered when I felt his warm breath against my ear. My heart pounded as he kissed my neck, and I tilted my head slightly, giving him better access to my throat.
He captured my lips in his, and he gently coaxed them apart. I moaned when I felt him enter my mouth. He pulled away from me after a while, and pressed his forehead against mine.
I opened my eyes, and found myself staring into gold. I placed a finger against his lips, and smiled. "I love you," I said, blushing. "A lot."
Sesshoumaru kissed my forehead as he wrapped his arms around my shoulders. "As do I," he replied.
I smiled at him. I knew he would never say those three words outright, but he didn't need to—I felt them.
"I want to stay here, I really do," I said, pulling reluctantly away from him. "But we need to head back—those shards won't hunt themselves, you know."
The corner of his lip twitched. He kissed me briefly, his thumb stroking my cheek. Taking my hand, he led the way back to Inuyasha and the others.
. . .
When we returned, I was surprised to find someone else in the clearing. Kouga was hovering behind Ayame and Kagome. He looked both stubborn and worried as he watched Kagome cleaning the blood on Ayame's arm.
"Did you have to lose the shards?" Kouga was saying.
Inuyasha turned to us. "About time," he muttered, rolling his eyes.
Kouga glanced our way, his eyebrows raised in surprise and annoyance. "Oh, it's you," he said to Sesshoumaru, who blatantly ignored the greeting. He stared at our laced fingers, and raised an eyebrow. To his credit, he didn't make a jibe.
"Where did you lose the shards?" Sesshoumaru asked. He let go of my hand, and made his way towards Ayame. Kouga visibly tensed, but did nothing.
"I didn't lose them," Ayame replied. Kagome pulled away from her, and stood. "But, if you must know…I dropped them farther up river—really farther up river."
"The current may have taken them down river, though," Kagome mused, a thoughtful look on her face.
"The current's flow is weak," Sesshoumaru said, as he turned his back to them. "We shall start up river."
"Who made you the boss of anything?" Inuyasha muttered, crossing his arms.
Sesshoumaru ignored him as he stood beside me. "Let's go," he said. He strode towards the trees.
I made a move to follow him, but stopped and turned to Ayame, who was talking with Kouga. She looked a bit peeved about something, and Kouga frowned stubbornly at her.
"Er, it was nice meeting you," I said uncertainly, staring at Ayame. She blinked, a bit taken aback. I smiled, before turning to Ah-Un and taking his reins.
"Inuyasha, Kagome, Sesshoumaru and I will get a head start, okay?" I called over my shoulder. "Catch up when you guys are done!"
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Kagome
"She's a bit funny," Ayame muttered once Clara was out earshot.
"Anyone who can stand Sesshoumaru is funny," Inuyasha pointed out.
I rolled my eyes as I put away the unused bandages and gauze. I made a mental note to have a talk with him regarding his jabs towards Sesshoumaru. I wasn't against it, specifically, but it was getting pretty old.
"Inuyasha, we have to get going," I said as I lifted my backpack. Inuyasha snatched it from my hands, and slung it on one shoulder. "Thanks," I said. I turned to Ayame and Kouga. "Anyway, what are you guys going to do? And where are Hakaku and Ginta, by the way?"
Kouga shrugged. "Fell behind," he scoffed. "Geez, those guys are slower than snails." He looked down at Ayame. Kneeling beside her, he lifted her into his arms.
"Hey, Kouga, put me down!" Ayame snapped, cheeks reddening.
"Just shut up." Kouga rolled his eyes. "I'm going to bring you back to your grandfather, before the old man guts me alive."
"I'm going to help you fight Naraku!" she insisted.
Kouga ignored her. "I guess I'll see you later, Kagome," he said. He turned to Inuyasha. "Take care of her, ya hear?!"
"She's none of your business!" Inuyasha shouted, as Kouga dashed towards the trees. Even without his Sacred Jewel shards, Kouga was still quite fast.
"Come on, Inuyasha, before Sesshoumaru gets really impatient." I climbed onto his back, and he leapt towards the trees, jumping from branch to branch. The cold wind blew my hair back, and I shuddered. The overcast skies threatened snow.
"Did you bring those sweater things of yours?" Inuyasha asked he leapt from a branch and onto the riverbank.
I nodded. "And I gave the others something to wear, too," I said.
Inuyasha paused as he stared at the river flowing serenely in front of us. "Sesshoumaru's right," he said grudgingly. "The current's flow is weak. There's a chance those shards are still up river."
So saying, he darted along the riverbank. "Tell me if you sense anything!" he called out.
. . .
We caught up with Sesshoumaru and Clara several minutes later. Clara was mounted on Ah-Un. They were gliding above the river. Clara's eyes were narrowed as she stared into the river's clear waters, Sesshoumaru hovering beside them. There was a small frown on his face as we approached.
"Hey!" Inuyasha called out.
I got off his back. "Any luck?" I asked, looking up at Clara.
She reluctantly shook her head. "None, yet," she said. "But we'll find them, I'm sure of it." I wondered whether or not she said it to reassure herself or Sesshoumaru…Maybe both.
"Maybe we need to go farther up," Inuyasha said.
I froze.
"Kagome?" Inuaysha asked, worried.
Gripping his sleeve, I turned towards the row of trees behind us. There it was—a faint, gentle pull. "A Sacred Jewel shard!" I said excitedly.
"Where?" Sesshoumaru asked. There was a sense of urgency hidden beneath the cold overtones of his voice.
I pointed towards the trees, and Sesshoumaru immediately flew off. I quickly scrambled onto Inuyasha's back, and rushed after Sesshoumaru. Ah-Un caught up, and flew beside Inuyasha and me, Clara clutching his reins tightly. There was a funny look on her face.
"Clara," I said, glancing ahead to make sure Sesshoumaru was out of earshot. "You didn't sense the shard, did you?"
She turned to me. For a moment, the wind whipped her hair back, obscuring her face. She tucked it behind her ear, and looked away.
"I couldn't," she said admitted, after a moment's pause. "But don't worry, I can now—it's a bit faint, but I can sense it." She gave me a reassuring smile that did not reach her eyes.
. . .
"Well, this is unexpected," I said.
We'd caught up with Sesshoumaru near the edge of the forest. A path sloped from the forest towards the outskirts of a bustling village surrounded by vast, empty rice fields. People were coming in and out of the village. Some of them rode horse-drawn carts, while others walked. Rising in the very center of the village, on a small hill, was a magnificent castle. The pull of the Sacred Jewel shard came from somewhere there—the castle?
"Hn," Sesshoumaru said. "I suppose the irony cannot be missed."
"What do you mean?" Clara asked, turning towards him. He glanced towards Inuyasha.
Inuyasha, who, I just noticed, stood rigidly beside me with his jaw set. There was an annoyed look on his face, and he gave off the feeling that he wanted to get out of here, and get out fast.
"Shut your trap," he muttered, glaring at his elder brother.
"Inuyasha, what's the matter?" I asked, placing a hand on his arm.
He sighed heavily. "That's the village I grew up in, two hundred years ago," he said.
My eyes widened in surprise. "That is ironic," I admitted.
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
Clara
Inuyasha looked as though he swallowed a lemon. He frowned as he stared at the village in the distance. "Well...the shard is somewhere there," I said. "And, it seems like a pretty big village—no, it's more of a town, actually."
Inuyasha scoffed and crossed his arms. "Maybe it would be better if Kagome and I went," I suggested. I turned to Sesshoumaru, who frowned. "The people there might not take kindly to demons."
Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at me. I could tell he found the change in situation both annoying and strange. After all, it was usually demons who did not take kindly to half-breeds and humans. However, he said nothing, but gave me a curt nod.
"Should anything happen, I shall be here," he said.
I smiled and nodded. "Thank you," I said, rubbing my hands together to ward off the creeping chill. "Try not to kill Inuyasha, okay?"
"Hey!" Inuyasha snapped.
I thought Sesshoumaru would look amused. Instead, he turned his back on me and headed towards Ah-Un. Ah-Un snorted as he approached. I couldn't see what he was doing, but when he faced me again, he was clutching a thick, red scarf I'd brought back with me from the Modern Era.
"Humans are far too unreliable," he said as he gently draped the scarf around my neck. I blushed, and smiled at him. He brushed his thumb against my cheek, his eyes intently staring into mine.
"Getting old here," Inuyasha said gruffly.
I reluctantly pulled away from Sesshoumaru. "We won't be long," I promised, joining Kagome.
"Do you think those two will be all right?" I asked as we loped down the path and towards the village.
"They'll be fine," Kagome said. She grinned at me. "I never expected Sesshoumaru to be the affectionate type," she teased.
I felt my face heating up. "People get the impression he's stiff, unfriendly and arrogant, but he's actually very nice beneath it all," I said, quite proud of the fact.
"Yeah, I can see that," she said. She suddenly smirked, and I raised my eyebrows at her. "Have you two gone all the way?"
I nearly tripped.
"Why…why on earth are you asking me that question?!" I stammered. My face felt as though it was on fire. "Did Elliott put you up to it? We haven't been together for a week! And besides…that's…that's really none of your business."
She chuckled as we drew nearer to the village. "Geez, you are so defensive," she teased. She shook her head. "I really shouldn't hang out with Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi all the time."
We joined the throng of people heading into the village. Several of them stared curiously at Kagome's clothes, while others threw me scrutinizing glances.
"They must be foreigners," I heard one man mutter behind me. Kagome and I glanced at each other.
"But this one wears the garb of a priestess," another replied. I could almost picture him gesturing at my back. Maybe he didn't think we could understand them?
"Maybe they're kitsune, waiting to seduce unwary men," an old lady said ominously.
My eyebrow twitched. "We're not demons," I said flatly, glancing at them from over my shoulder.
They jumped, and the old woman glared at me. "No human has eyes like those!" she said, gesturing at my face.
I blinked. "I'm human, just like you," I said quickly. Something told me these people weren't as tolerant of demons like the people in Kaede's village.
"The last time an outsider with strange eyes visited this village, he seduced the beautiful princess," the old lady went on. Several people stopped to stare at us. "And she bore him an abomination."
Kagome and I glanced at each other. She couldn't possibly be talking about Inuyasha's mother, right? I mean, wouldn't that have been around two hundred years ago?
"And now, this demon is here to seduce the young lord of the castle!" the old woman said dramatically, pointing a finger at me.
I gaped. Really? All this because of my eye color?
"I'm not seducing anyone!" I huffed. "We're just here to find something!"
"The demon is obviously lying!"
A ring of curious onlookers had gathered around us by now. A low, angry murmur rippled through the crowd, like the angry buzz of hornets. Some of them looked at me with disgust, while others looked—frightened? That felt strange.
"Please, everyone, just calm down," Kagome said, raising her hands.
"She's obviously a demon, too!" someone shouted. "They're both here to seduce the young lord!"
"Eh?" Kagome blinked, a sweat drop forming on her brow.
"C'est ennuyeux," I said, sighing.
"The demon has uttered a spell!" the old woman exclaimed.
I slapped a hand to my forehead. "You must have French mixed up with Latin," I muttered under my breath.
A loud, authoritative voice suddenly boomed across the crowd. "What's going on here?"
People immediately parted to let a soldier mounted on a destrier through. He was wearing blood-red armor with black trimming. On his helmet was engraved the image of a hawk, with its wings spread out wide. Two other soldiers accompanied him, bearing banners with the same symbol stitched in black thread.
"Captain, these demons intend to harm the clan by seducing the young lord!" the old woman said.
The captain glared at Kagome and me. He was probably in his mid-forties. His eyes were harsh, and I inwardly cringed. "We're not demons!" I protested. "Sir, we just came here to find something!"
The captain scoffed. "They don't appear to be demons to me," he said.
"Thank you!" I said, relieved.
"However, they may be spies for the Akugawa," he said, glaring at our clothing.
What?
"Men, take these girls and lock them in the dungeons," he ordered.
"You can't be serious!" I said as other soldiers pushed through the throng of people. One of them seized me roughly by the arm—he was sure to leave a bruise. "We're not demons, and we're not spies either!"
"Let go of me!" Kagome snapped. She kicked her captor's shins. He grunted, but only tightened his old more.
"Haul them off," the captain ordered as he turned his horse around. "The young lord will want to see them before he executes them."
"What?!" I shouted.
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
Sango: anyway, it says here that you give gifts during Christmas!
Kouga: ick. I'm out. See ya! *leaves*
Kagome: how about? Let's give gifts!
A1969: *flails arms around*
Inuyasha: do we have to—*Kagome glares*—fine, fine. But I'm not giving Sesshoumaru anything!
Sesshoumaru: I would give you common sense.
Inuyasha: why, I outta—
Kagome: behave! Anyway, let's draw names!
Miroku: *dirty thoughts* ahem! Anyway, good reviewers, the gagged author would like to ask you to review! Enjoy the holidays!
Merry Christmas!