Crusade Against the Moon
Chapter Eight : The Gift
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha nor the characters from the show.
(Last part of Ch 7 has been changed)
Last Chapter:
"I'd do it again," he swore, his voice pulling her attention. The popping firelight danced across him, highlighting his eyes, accenting his hair, and casting long shadows that swayed hypnotically behind him. "As many times as it takes."
"Inuyasha," she whispered, eyes sparkling.
He gave her a quick smirk before pulling her towards him, her cheeks pressing against his soft curls as his arms wrapped around her. "Get some sleep."
"But-"
He sighed, resting his head on hers, "will you just listen to me for once?"
Silver hair dancing in orange hues fell before her. With a groggy smile, Kagome gave in and wrapped her arms around him too. His warmth lulling her to sleep.
It had been two days since Kagome had last seen Sango. She kept herself tucked away in the hut with her children, and no matter how many times Kagome had tried, she just wouldn't come out. Miroku assured her not to worry, it was just Sango's way of dealing with Kohaku's abduction, but for Kagome, that wasn't enough. She wanted to help her friend, her sister.
She and Inuyasha had set out to find Kohaku. They'd gone to neighboring villages, searched the forests around them, even asked traveling merchants, but there were just no leads to be found.
Eventually, they'd gone back to the cave; a last effort to find clues for the freckled teenager. Sure enough, Inuyasha had caught the scent of lingering smoke. It was strange that the smell still permeated the rocky enclosure. Something was definitely up, they just needed to figure out what.
Giving the place one last look, they were about to leave when Inuyasha spotted something on the wall of the cave. Kagome joined him to inspect the object, gasping when she finally saw it.
An ofuda.
The edges were singed, most likely from her purification, she mused. Pulling the paper off the wall, she studied it briefly, not recognizing the handwriting on it. She'd have to show Miroku. He'd been more well traveled than she. Maybe he'd recognize who it belonged to.
They'd keep looking, Kagome decided. She refused to give up on Kohaku.
With arms out wide, Kaede fitted her for new robes. They had already been tailored, but they needed last minute adjustments. She'd washed and cleaned her clothes numerous times, but her shoes had been utterly ruined, and quite frankly, she needed something different. She'd been stuck wearing the same dress she'd arrived in far too long.
It was time to put it away, she thought somberly. She had come back to the past, and she wanted to fit the part. Maybe she'd wear the dress again one day, on a special occasion, but now, she just wanted to fit into the current period, her home.
"That about does it," Kaede said, pinning a section of the white haori under her sleeve.
Kagome sighed, lowering her arms and moving them to and fro. "It definitely feels better," she smiled, turning to the priestess with great admiration. "I'd love to help stitch it up."
Kaede chortled, her eyes squinting with amusement. "Nay, child." She turned Kagome around and helped her disrobe, "it is my gift to you."
"Oh," a sleeve was beeing pulled away when there was a knock near the entrance of the hut, "thank you, Kaede." Kagome was eternally grateful. The old woman had done so much for her, sheltering her, feeding her, and now this. She just didn't know how to show her gratitude enough.
Another knock sounded, and Kagome turned towards the door, shuffling her haori back on her shoulder.
"You decent in there?"
"Yes!" Kagome walked towards Inuyasha's voice, heart all a flutter. She pulled back the straw door and peeked over to him. He was leaning on the door jam, a wrapped package tucked under his arm. "We just finished up."
Inuyasha eyed her quickly, then looked down at the package, a slight tint to his face as he pulled away from the building and lifted it up with a hand. "Take this," he said, clumsily shoving it at her.
"What is it?" She asked.
"It's for you," he said, avoiding her eyes.
"For me," she wondered aloud. The wrapping crinkled as she took the item. She let go of her haori and ghosted her hand above it, smoothing out the wrinkles before pulling the thin paper apart. Inside were a pair of slippers. She moved them aside gently, and underneath revealed a neatly folded kimono.
A gift.
Heart skipping, her eyes roamed over the outfit. It was the softest cream color she'd ever seen, with red flowers scattered in the loveliest pattern. The stitching shimmered softly when it hit the sun, and an obi peeked out from underneath that matched Inuyasha's haori.
With cheeks rosy and hot, she looked up at him, "Inuyasha," she said softly, "did you-"
"Keh," he interrupted her, turning around and crouching before dashing away like a coiled up spring. "Just tell me if it fits ya already!"
She heard him pace around the roof before finally settling down.
Kagome clutched the items to her chest, turning into the hut and hugging them close. She thought of all the times they'd traveled together, he'd made her medicine, protected her, fed her, and carried her all over Japan. But never once had he ever given her a gift.
Suddenly, she didn't want to wear the Miko garb anymore.
Kagome held the parcel delicately, treasuring its contents with a new fondness she'd never felt before.
"What have ye there," Kaede asked, reaching out her wrinkled hands.
Lowering her new kimono, Kagome allowed it to slide gently on to the other woman's arms.
"A gift," Kagome whispered, still in awe of Inuyasha's kindness.
A knowing smile crossed Kade's face, and she turned Kagome gently, pulling down her haori a second time. "Then we musn't keep the old dog waiting."
Moments later, after undressing, pulling, and tucking the fabric, Kaede stood behind Kagome, tying her obi and completing her new attire.
Shuffling for a bit, Kaede rummaged through some things until she finally stood before her. She held up a mirror, the size of a small saucer with aged flecks permanently stained near the edges. It was just enough for Kagome to see through. Kaede titled it slowly, allowing the young woman to take in her outfit.
Lifting her hands to her chest, right above the fluttering of her heart, Kagome traced the thick collar where the red flowers huddled close together, random areas of cream spotting through between them. Then, gently, she lowered her arms. The lower she went, the more the flowers tapered off until collecting again at the hem near her ankles.
Beautiful, absolutely gorgeous. She'd never seen anything like it.
Especially in this era, she'd stick out like a sore thumb – not that she didn't already. But this, this looked almost, expensive.
She stood speechless, her hands brushing against the obi before she pulled them away in shock. Looking away from the mirror, she stared down at the fabric, her fingers shaking before touching the delicate yet resilient strands. "Is this-"
"Aye," Kaede acknowledged.
Fur from the Fire Rat.
"Inuyasha!"
Ears flicking, he bounded towards Kagome. Her vision coming up over the edge of the roof. He almost stumbled at the sight.
The kimono suited her well, very well.
He had secretly wanted to dress her in something close to him, something red, something that showed she belonged to him. But this, this exceeded all his expectations.
She mumbled something, tucking a black strand behind her ear. He watched, transfixed as her sleeves fluttered in the warm air, the red stitches rippling against the cream. She almost looked like she didn't belong there, like she had been raised from some wealthy family and lost her way.
"Inuyasha," she said again, hands going to the red obi, "how did you-"
Jumping off the ledge, he landed before her, cutting her questions off effectively. "Is it comfortable?" He looked her up and down, his hand reaching for her sleeve and thumbing a petal.
She smiled pleasantly, making his face hot before throwing her arms around him. "It's perfect."
He sputtered, leaning back a bit to get used to the sudden weight he hadn't been expecting. His hands went to her waist, clawed fingers scratching against the red fur, "Kagome!" He whispered harshly, scanning the surrounding area in alarm, face flushing worse than before. There weren't many villagers around, but a few had turned their heads in curiosity.
"Thank you soo much!" She squeezed her arms a little tighter.
Kagome pulled away slightly. Inuyasha's ears stood in alert when he saw her rosy face, the look in her eyes, and before she could make another move, he gathered her in his arms and dashed into the woods, leaving a group of gossiping women in their wake.
In a matter of seconds, he had gotten them inside the tree line and set her on her feet. She stumbled backwards a bit, laughing and slapping at his shoulder. "What was that about," she teased.
"You sneaky wench," his voice timbered low as he stalked towards her, hands reaching up to cup her face, he had to lean down to reach her.
She laughed, nervous and giddy for all the right reasons. "How'd you get the obi?"
A breath away from her, he paused, his nails scraping the back of her head gently. "A week after you left," he said in a hushed tone, "I hunted the fucker down and killed 'em." He searched her eyes, hands slipping further around her, thumbs tracing her delicate jaw, "I thought you'd be back sooner."
Kagome took a sharp breath, the admission far too real as the pain from their separation resurfaced momentarily. She wrapped her arms around him. "I thought so too."
"I want you to be safe," he admitted, heart pounding in his chest. Japan was just getting far too dangerous, and the civil war was spreading wider and only getting closer. She'd need protection from both demons and humans alike. But she didn't know that yet, she'd only just returned.
"I'll always be safe with you," she said, half teasing. But something about this moment changed, the seriousness of it catching her off guard.
He moved closer, his words whispering on her lips. "I swear, I'll protect you with my life, Kagome." And he was on her, lips eager, hands firm, both breathing each other in. A sudden urgency lit from inside them, a feeling neither of them experienced before.
Beneath her hands, his body was firm and warm, and she just wanted to get closer. She felt him tug at her hair and her head went back. His lips fell to her neck and she closed her eyes, relishing in the way he ravished her. Lashes fluttering, his name left her in a sound she didn't recognize, a noise she'd never made before. Her face flushed in embarrassment, and she heard him respond in kind, his own guttural tone foreign to her ears, and she loved it.
Lazily, she opened her eyes, not really registering the green trees blending above her and the sun filtering through. The man she loved raked his fangs against her neck, pressed his lips against her jaw, and dragged a hand down to the obi he'd made her, pulling her close with his strong grip. His face was above hers again, liquid pools of gold hooded and smoldering.
"Don't ever take it off," he said earnestly.
"I won't," she promised, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him down to her waiting lips.
Eyes swollen and body exhausted, Sango lay on her futon, her newborn finally asleep. She stared at her ceiling in almost a trance. It felt like she'd been working on fumes.
Seiichi would wake up every four hours for feeding and changing. Then he'd fall back asleep. The closest she'd get to resting was nodding off, then it felt like he'd be waking her up again. The fact that her brother had been taken wasn't helping her any. The worry and grief was consuming her. She was the older sister, she was supposed to protect him.
Guilt pressed on her consciousness like a dark cloud. All she wanted to do was look for him, but her children kept her rooted to her home. She wouldn't be going anywhere.
She appreciated Inuyasha and Kagome's help in the matter. They'd gone out searching for him every single day. But it left her feeling useless. What kind of sister was she? Just sitting around in her hut doing nothing to find him.
Hiraikotsu hung proudly on her wall, yet she couldn't bring herself to take it down for a polish. An image of herself crossed her mind, standing proudly in her exterminator outfit, the weapon brandished behind her, ponytail flailing in the wind. Nostalgic, she turned her red eyes to a chest in her room, the wood stained dark with magenta clasps securing it shut. Inside was her neatly folded outfit. She couldn't remember the last time she'd taken it out.
She was a full time mother now.
Sango loved her children, she did, but she also needed to do something. But honestly, she couldn't imagine leaving her children behind. Kohaku was the only one she ever dared leave them with.
Face scrunching in defeat, Sango sat up, hunching over and covering her face.
Kohaku.
Sorrow spread through her in rolling waves, and her body rocked with her tears.
It was then that Miroku walked in. Rushing to the side of his crumpled wife and hugging her close. She clutched at his robes, wondering aloud why this had to happen to her brother again. He hushed her softly, promising everything would be okay. He ran his hands through her loose hair, hoping to soothe her.
Miroku was not used to seeing Sango like this. She was strong, resilient, powerful. A far cry from the broken woman beneath him.
He didn't know how long he sat there holding her, but finally, she began sobering up from her tears. A few hiccups and sniffling, along with a bit of trembling here and there lingered on. So he placed a kiss to her temple, her hair sticking to his lips as he spoke, "my dear Sango."
Taking a deep breath, she listened and took the time to recuperate.
"Your brother's absence is temporary," he said, thinking back on their jewel shard days. "But long before, under Naraku's sorcery, he had served a noble purpose." Rubbing her arms, he tucked her head under his chin. "He came out of it all his own, and saved Rin's life numerous times.
"Who's to say something similar won't happen again?"
After a moment, Sango pushed back to finally look at him, a small smile stretching her splochy cheeks. He reached out and dried the tears with his hands. "If you are quiet enough," he whispered, "you will hear the flow of the universe." Turning her face, she gave his hand a chaste kiss, her lashes tickling the inside of his palm. "All will be as it should," he promised.
His words wouldn't bring Kohaku back, but momentarily, it helped Sango feel better. Her brother was strong, and he'd make it through until they found him. He had to.
Leaning on her hands, Sango moved towards Miroku, eyes closing and lips pursing towards his own, he leaned in immediately, her words rushing out before they met, "who would have thought you'd make such a great husband?"
He chuckled, "why you, my dear wife."
It was afternoon when Miroku finally seeked out his friends. He found Kagome practicing her archery, multiple arrows jutting out of her straw target. The next one cut through the air, missing the bulls eye by nearly an inch. Inuyasha watched her from his perch on a tree, his arms tucked behind his head, an almost peaceful look complimenting his face. He must have said something to her, Miroku thought, probably insulting, because next thing he knew, Kagome was stomping to the tree, waving her bow in an almost comical fashion.
Miroku got to the clearing in time to hear the end of their argument.
"-show you how good my aim is when I stick this arrow through that big head of yours!"
"Hah!" Inuyasha crouched on the branch and jutted his finger at her, "I'd like to see you try!"
"Why you," she grumbled. Reaching to her back, she pulled a shaft from it's holder, the wood sliding loudly to her ears. She watched in silent gratification as Inuyasha's eyes went wide, body suddenly tensing on his perch.
And in one quick fluid movement, she tossed the arrow at him. Everyone watched as it flew in an arch, barely reaching him, before it tittered pathetically to the ground.
A moment passed in quiet shock before Inuyasha finally regained his composure, Kagome's cheeks burned as he threw his head back in a wild guffaw, his hands slapping his knees in unbridled amusement, his voice bellowing in a laugh Miroku hadn't heard in years.
It was then that she turned to Miroku, scrunching her face in a satisfied smile as she stifled her own delight.
"Lady Kagome!"
"Miroku! How are you?" She greeted, turning to give him her full attention, "we've been looking for you."
"And I you," he responded, stopping shortly after noticing her new attire, the red flowers sparkling in a sea of foam. "That kimono," he said, admiring the intricate design. He watched as Kagome lifted a delicate hand to her obi, her smile warming at his words.
"Hey!" Inuyasha landed before them, "we have ta show you somethin'!"
"Inuyasha!" Miroku hollered, taking the unsuspecting demon in an arm lock and rubbing a knuckle to his head, "you sly dog you!" He couldn't hold back his own laugh.
Sputtering, Inuyasha pushed him away, rubbing at his head messily, "what the hell!"
Miroku grinned, turning his attention back to the blushing woman, "Kagome! You look stunning!"
"Thank you," she laughed, eyeing Inuyasha bashfully from the corner of her eye.
"So," he said, mood lifted and ever hopeful. "Any news today?"
"Actually, yes!" Kagome pulled the ofuda from her sleeve and showed it to him. The monk took it and inspected it gingerly.
"What's the story behind this," he wondered, fingers rubbing the singed edges.
"We found it at the cave," Inuyasha said.
"The first night we went looking for Kohaku. It was raining so hard, remember? And we ended up loosing his trail." Kagome looked over at Inuyasha, "so we stopped at a cave to pass the storm."
"There was a barrier," Inuyasha continued, skipping over the details of how Kagome had disappeared momentarily behind it. "There were these samurai." He said, struggling to find a way to describe them. "They were dead, but.. alive."
"Undead," Kagome finished for him. "I purified them and we left."
Inuyasha nodded, crossing his arms as they finished their story, "we went back later and it smelled like smoke, and that ofuda was on the wall."
"I see." Miroku stared at the ofuda thoughtfully. "The common denominator here, is the smoke."
The couple nodded. "Do you know who that could belong to?"
"It's hard to say," Miroky replied, looking at the young priestess. "No one here, ofcourse. We'll have to ask around."
"It was on the outskirts of the village," Inuyasha told them. "It could belong to any of the neighboring towns."
"Or a traveler," Kagome wondered aloud.
"There are too many options," Miroku shook his head, crossing his arms and rubbing his chin between his fingers, "we'll have to narrow it down."
"Okay," Kagome nodded.
"We can head out now," Inuyasha said, "The nearest village isn't too far from here. We can gather what we find and return by nightfall." He looked over to Kagome who nodded in agreement. It was settled then.
Miroku returned the ofuda to them after committing it to memory, and bowed down low. "Thank you, Sango and I are eternally in your debts."
"Idiot monk," Inuyasha grumbled.
"It's nothing you wouldn't do for us," Kagome smiled kindly.
After a short farewell, it didn't take long for Kagome and Inuyasha to leave their village. He started low, running through the fields and the woods, then in a giant leap, he vaulted over the trees. Leaping from one branch to the next with a determined Kagome, sturdy on his back.
It was a beautiful summer day, and the cool breeze from his run felt good on their skin. This was the closest Kagome would ever get to a fan or AC again, she mused.
After about a half hour later they were no longer in his woods. "Ya hungry?" Inuyasha wondered, running across a branch before leaping to another one, the leaves rustling quickly by them.
"Yeah," Kagome said, "I brought some dried meat. You want some?"
Inuyasha chuckled. "I think you ought'a practice your aiming instead."
"What?!" She squeaked.
"There's a rabbit over there." He flicked his nose in the direction of an over grown bush.
"You're such a jerk," Kagome grumbled under her breath, but pulled her bow off her shoulder and aimed none the less. Inuyasha stilled on a branch, feeling her stiffen, hold her breath, then release.
The arrow flew into to green mass, and they waited. Silence. Then a rustle and a beautiful brown hare darted as fast as his little legs allowed.
"You missed!"
"Thanks Captain Obvious!"
Inuyasha chased after the hare. It was fast, darting from left to right at random moments. He had to stop his animalistic urge to drop in front of it and rake his claws in a deadly blow. This was Kagome's moment, and she needed to work on her craft.
Kagome slid another arrow from her quiver, placing it loosely against her bow as she struggled to keep an eye on the hare. Fresh meat did sound pretty nice about now. She was sure it was nearing dinner time. It'd go nicely with the veggies she carried in her satchel.
They were still moving, bounding lower and closer to the hare. It was maybe fifteen feet or more away, but Inuyasha helped her, pointing out where ever it rushed away. He jerked from branch to branch, careful to keep an open sight for her to aim. Then finally, a small clearing, almost like a path that jutted through the forest.
Taking this opportunity, Kagome aimed. Inuyasha stopped smoothly for her, so engrossed in their hunt that they didn't hear the steps marching around them.
The arrow wistled pass his ears, darting straight through the hare, his body falling dead on the beaten floor.
"Yes!" Kagome hollered in glee. Throwing her arms up in the air as he tightened his hold on her thighs.
There was a shout in the distance, and Inuyasha's ears stood on alert, golden eyes scanning the horizon. Just slightly beyond the trees, there were gray banners rising into the sky, a red swirling symbol painted at the top, trailing to the bottom with a couple more designs he recognized instantly.
Kagome felt him stiffen beneath her, so she leaned forward, pressing her body close in alarm. "What is it?"
"Soldiers," he hissed.
They stayed frozen in their spot as a samurai walked to the hair, shouting and motioning for others to come look. "Someone's out there," one said.
"Come out," hollered the other.
Inuyasha turned his face towards her, eyes still glued to the men. The rest of the soldiers stopped marching and stayed glued in their formations. "Let's get out of here," he told her. She nodded immediately, the hairs on her neck standing on end.
He only began to turn when the third samurai jutted his gloved finger at them. "There!"
"Shit," he cursed, jumping from the branch, a streak in the trees, and the chase was on.
(A/N)
In case you haven't noticed, I'm a huge sucker for fluff lol!
Please forgive me from my year long hiatus. A number of wonderful and awful things happened in 2017 and it was just too much for me to handle. Thankfully, I sought out some much needed help from some great people and I'm feeling 90% like myself again, so this story will be updated more frequently from here on out.
"If you are quiet enough you will hear the flow of the universe." - Buddha
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and are still interested in the story. Your words and support always mean the world to me.
Thank you!
Have a lovely February!
Vita Rubella