Note: Inuyasha isn't mine but I do hope that Sesshoumaru is for real. :)
PEEPS, SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION ABOUT CHAPTERS 11 & 12 I JUMPED ONE CHAPTER . I TOOK IT OFF THE POST AND UPLOADED IT ONCE MORE. I WAS ALSO HAVING SOME BIT OF A PROB UPLOADING SOME CHAPTERS.
ONCE MORE, MY APOLOGIES.
TREACHERY MOST…"It would seem that this one came at a perfect time." Three sets of eyes swiveled to the deep cool voice.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin smiled. She jumped up and made a bow after she hurriedly wiped her tears.
"Rin." Sesshoumaru nodded to his ward.
Kagome and Shippo also stood and bowed low to the Western Lord.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, welcome back." Kagome put her hand on her heart as she bowed. The gesture was not lost to the observant eyes of the captain.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, greetings." Shippo bowed on one knee in front of the demon lord and waited for Sesshoumaru to acknowledge him before the lifted his head.
"Lord Shippo, of the Kitsune realm, welcome to the Land of the West." Sesshoumaru formally welcomed his guest.
"Lord…Shippo?" Kagome blinked at her son.
"Yes miko, you will be proud to know that your son will soon be ascending to the title."
"Thank you my lord, it is an honor to be in the land of the West. It is still too early and I still have a long way to go, my lord."
"Hn, it is but a matter of time. Arise." Shippo stood. "Miko, it is good to see that you have shaken yourself out of the doldrums."
The demon lord was startled at how much the miko lost weight. There were also dark circles around her eyes. From his memory of the miko during their first encounter at his father's gravesite and other succeeding events, he knew that nothing even close to death could even faze Kagome instead she would threaten him and rush to the aid of her friends even in the heat of battle with Naraku. She might be flighty and talkative at times but the demon lord recognizes a strong character when he sees one. It is a puzzle on how this 'sadness' came about.
Kagome smiled. "You have to thank Rin for that, Sesshoumaru-sama." Kagome went to the captain and gave her a half hug. "She brought Shippo."
"Hn. Well done, my daughter." Rin smiled and bowed at her father's praise. "This one regrets in bringing this family reunion to an end. It is imperative that you, miko, come with me and bring the mirror."
"Huh? Where do we go, Sesshoumaru?"
"We will visit an old friend."
"May I change into my clothes?" At his reluctant nod the miko gave her son a quick hug and hurried in her bathing chamber.
Rin looked at Shippo and indicated with her head they go out in the hallway. The kitsune blinked at the girl. Rin rolled her eyes then glared at Shippo and curtly jerked her head to the door adding a subtle "come" with her finger. Shippo looked back at the Western lord still looking at the closed bathing chamber. His confused eyes returned to his friend's.
Grrr! Men are such dense creatures, Rin thought, she grabbed her friend while saying a hurried 'excuse me, Sesshoumaru-sama' to the taiyoukai standing in the middle of the room. The said taiyoukai didn't even notice their sudden exit.
"Rin! Why did…" Shippo stopped at the 'shush' finger of the girl as she dragged him a ways into the hallway.
"I'm giving them a chance to talk to each other." Rin whispered.
Shippo whispered back. "Why are we whispering anyway?"
Rin glared at the clueless boy as she crossed her arms. "You don't get it, do you?"
Shippo held up his hands in an 'I don't get it' gesture. Rin growled and pulled Shippo's head down to her level by his shirt. "Listen well and don't interrupt. If you mess up my plan I'll…," she hissed at the wide-eyed kitsune.
~O~O~O~
Sesshoumaru was glad he was left alone in the miko's room. He could hear the miko inside. He smirked. Knowing the miko she would be struggling into those ridiculously tight fitting pants she was fond of wearing so it would take her some time before she comes out. It suited his purposes.
Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and allowed his youki to touch every corner and every item in the room, looking for something that had no lingering aura of the miko. The humans and the kitsune won't feel the low level, non-invasive flare of youki, a skill taught to him by his father.
Setting aside the miko's aura, he had detected Rin, the kitsune and the attendants lingering aura inside. He felt nothing out of the ordinary or hostile in their aura, only a deep concern for the miko, especially from his daughter. The kitsune had radiated happiness and determination to protect his mother. The attendants were a little awed and scared by the miko but were bent on doing their job…
He stiffened when his youki spotted a glowing object that was emitting a yellow youki signature. Even with eyes closed the demon lord honed in on that item.
~O~O~O~
Jiro was smiling as he left the armory after he got the replacement for his broken spear. He hefted the new weapon and made fake lunges to gauge for even weight distribution. Satisfied, he strode towards the barracks, thinking of lunch and perhaps after his watch he could visit that pretty girl he saw at the youkai village. He was about to turn the corner when he saw two people whispering to each other near the dungeons. For no reason he could fathom, Jiro backed away and decided to observe their interaction….
~O~O~O~
Sesshoumaru's eyes snapped open. He picked up an ivory comb and sniffed it. His eyes opened wide with shock, the edges of his golden eyes rimming with red.
"I'm ready!" Kagome pulled open the door while straightening her clothes. "Sesshoumaru? What's wrong?" Her youkai senses picked up his agitation then without a word the taiyoukai streaked out of her room. "What…?"
Kagome's jaw went slack wondering at Sesshoumaru's abrupt departure. She hoped it wasn't something serious for the taiyoukai had a murderous look in his eyes.
Rin and Shippo looked in astonishment at the demon lord as he swept past them. Rin took one look at the taiyoukai's eyes and ran, hot at the heels of her lord. A bewildered Shippo was left standing in the hallway.
"Rin? Shippo?" Kagome's head peeked out of her door. "Where did everybody go?" The miko looked left and right at the hallway.
"I don't know, mom. They all left." Shippo felt something was off when Sesshoumaru sped out like that.
Kagome looked around and felt an unusual 'feel' in the air. "I don't like this at all. We'd better follow them." For once, Kagome was glad she has youkai speed to keep up with her son's pace.
~O~O~O~
Sesshoumaru sped along the halls leaving after images of silver and red in his swiftness, his youki flaring as he passed by. It signaled his soldiers of the danger and without question they went on alert, ready to defend their lord, the fortress and its inhabitants from inside and outside threat with their life. Their almost simultaneous unsheathing of swords ringing akin to a sweet song of prelude to battle.
~O~O~O~
Sesshoumaru had long sped ahead, but Rin, swift of feet, raced after her lord. She had a rough idea where he's going so she turned to a corner intending to take the shortcut to the arboretum. However, a whistling sound alerted her so she made herself a smaller target for her assailant and ducked. As she rolled to a tight cartwheel, the splintering of wood to release a stuck sword gave away the location of her adversary. Her hands were a blur as her throwing stars found their target, her mark grunting in pain. Her hand reached for the battleaxe; a masterpiece of Totosai, nestled in its holder on her back, its deadly blades coming alive in her hands like a hungry predator. With a click and a thudding sound of release, the retractable handle lengthened. When this is over she must remember to thank Kagome for this idea. But for now either she or her opponent will walk away from this area.
Rin doesn't intend to leave this one walking, let alone alive.
~O~O~O~
Jiro crept along, his back flat on the wall and trying not to make a sound as he followed the two shadows deep inside the bowels of the maze-like dungeons. While he followed he was able to catch snippets of their conversation. It was enough to make his blood run cold. He wanted to turn around and report his finding. But his honor demanded that he stay and get as much information as possible and perhaps be the frontline to stop this insanity.
He heard the jingle of keys. He carefully risked a peek and saw one of the duo stop at the farthest door where they kept some prisoners in isolation, the key turning to open the cell. This area has been housing new occupants. He held his breath. Wait, he frowned. Where's the other one?
"Did you find what you're looking for, kid?" He turned with a jerk as he heard a chuckle from behind.
Jiro scrambled to move away from the wall, his eyes narrowing when he recognized the owner of the voice. He was not given the chance to pull out his katana when the burly figure rushed at him with a kodachi.
~O~O~O~
Sesshoumaru smelled blood even before he stopped deep inside the dungeons. He recognized whose blood it came from and followed its source. The taiyoukai growled in rage. The heart had given its last beat not long ago and the Lord of the West knew that the minions from the underworld are now swarming around the body to pull the soul from its broken cradle.
There, in the southern part of the chambers, he found the torn and bloodied form of Jiro. The area was witness on how the young lieutenant fought to make a valiant stand to defend his lord.
Sesshoumaru has Tensaiga unsheathed even before the sword pulsed to indicate its willingness to revive the soldier. The demon lord wasn't willing to lose this gallant soldier and his answers will unravel this mystery.
~O~O~O~
It was like waking up from a drugged dream. As he blinked his eyes, the first thing he thought when the stench assailed his nose was that hell must certainly be a terrible place…and it looked like the fortress's dungeons? Jiro was confused. He knew when his eyes finally closed was that he was not going to see that pretty girl from the village and he regretted not telling her how he liked her blue hair and beautiful hazel eyes.
The second thing he saw when he turned his head was the leather clad feet and white hakama of someone standing near him. He lifted his eyes and saw the blue glowing power of a sword, the magenta stripped hands holding it and the tall demon lord wielding the legendary Sword of Heaven, Tensaiga.
~O~O~O~
In the depths of the dungeons and beyond its walls the howl of an enraged inu taiyoukai reverberated and shook its foundation. It promised retribution, lingering death and the spilling of blood to anyone who dared to act with treachery against the Western Land.
~}O{~