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Strangled Time

Chapter 50

They smelled like fresh paint and varnish—clean, crisp, slightly astringent. There were many materials that could be used to create festival masks; materials such as papier-mâché, dry lacquer, or clay. These ones were made of wood. She could tell before touching them, since the worker tending the booth had sprinkled about curled wood shavings to accent the display and was currently whittling away on a chunk of cedar. Fresh and aromatic the chippings brought about a sense of newness, even though each piece would have taken weeks to complete and years to amass such a stock.

There were so many to choose from; faces ranging from vibrant foxes to fearsome tigers to curious shrine imps. The craftsman lounged against the side of his stall, occasionally casting her an appreciative gaze as she regarded each one with delight. Her fingers slid over curves and stripes, noses and whiskers, before coming to an abrupt yet tentative halt.

The breath in her throat caught the gentlest of snags as she took in the mask, white and pure. She almost didn't want to touch it. At her side the tiny, cloak-covered half demon looked up at her with eyes of confused brass. She smiled at him.

Then back at the artisan merchant, she heralded her purchase.

"This one. It's perfect."

…

"I would not say that it is my exact likeness, however the appealing craftsmanship more than makes up for its shortcomings." Toga said as he inspected the mask in his hands.

"Oh, boo. It's close enough." Kagome chided. "It's a dog mask! Seriously, you have no clue how hard those are to find. I've never even seen one before now." She rustled about in her backpack to find the other two masks that had been stuffed at the very bottom—the masks she'd intended to use in the search for Naraku. First to come out was the cherry red tengu, followed by the sly kitsune. "I thought it might be pretty on point, it's just missing your markings, right? It looks darn near identical to Sesshoumaru's demon form, teeth and all."

Over the head of the earless carved dog face with its fearsome open maw, Toga shot her an eyebrow raised smirk. While he was still trying to remain playful, Kagome couldn't help but notice it looked more like a wince. "Yes, well the boy takes most after his mother. My own coat is a bit more… voluminous."

Kagome looked up from her fox. "Voluminous?"

He shrugged. "I was blessed with a fuller set of curls. While impressive, they can also be a nightmare to groom after battle."

Smile widening, the priestess' eyes glittered with amusement at the thought of Togashimaru's dog form covered in fluffy curls like some sort of goliath poodle. "I'd kill to see that." She laughed.

Hidden behind the mask, Toga's grin faltered. "I do hope it is something that you will never need to see." He muttered and Saburo shot him a look. Kagome was too far to hear it.

"Anyway," The young woman changed the subject as she stood up and brushed dirt from her pants. "Tonight is the last night of the festival, which means that it's the last night we'll be able to slip you into the village unnoticed. It'll be easy, what with everyone already dressed up to look a little more than human. But that's not all. You know what else is tonight, don't you?"

Saburo took the tengu face when Kagome handed it to him and then they both turned to look over at Toga as he thought over the other occurrences that might be happening that night. Brows furrowed, the dog demon looked down at his own new mask for a moment, and then suddenly his eyes went wide. He turned up to the priestess with an expression that held more awe and excitement than she thought he had left after the death of Izayoi.

"Tonight is the night of the new moon." He breathed.

Kagome's heart swelled.

In a dramatic movement, she put her kitsune mask to her face and tied it in place, disguising herself as a fox among kin.

"Lord Togashimaru, late great General of the Western Lands. Would you like to meet your son tonight?"

…

On nights of the new moon, Inuyasha turned human.

A human Inuyasha meant that he wouldn't have the senses to identify his father or imprint with the elder dog demon in any way. The two could meet without repercussion to Inuyasha's memories and it would give Toga just a little bit of joy before he died. It was perfect—Kagome couldn't have hoped for a better alignment of the stars in the wake of all the pain they'd faced, and it finally felt right.

Happily looking forward to her evening to come, Kagome nearly skipped through the forest; she needed to get cleaned up and ready for their night on the town. The guys had taken up residence at the upper portion of the stream closest to camp, so Kagome headed south along the brook in search of another flat, clear spot with a nice rocky pool. In her arms was the vibrant, peacock colored kimono that she'd gotten from the seamstresses in Edo, and tied around her neck, bouncing between her shoulder blades, the ceramic kitsune festival mask.

From rock to rock, log to log, she hopped, jovial and childlike in the bubble of her excitement. She couldn't wait to tell her own Inuyasha back home that he'd actually gotten the chance to meet his own dad on that fateful snowy night in the early December of his youth.

Caught up in the moment as she was, the priestess almost didn't notice the odd shifting of the winds.

But she did. She felt it and she slowed.

It was familiar somehow, like a breath on her neck or a chill up her spine that she'd known before but couldn't quite place now. She'd definitely crossed something. She just couldn't put her finger on what. The sacred grounds of an old shrine? A talisman ward? There were so many little shrines and holy sites hidden in those woods that it could have honestly been anything, really.

Still, it set her on edge.

Coming to a sandy bar opposite a wide meander in the stream, Kagome bent cautiously to set down her bundle of silks on a boulder. She'd gotten distracted, she should have known better. It didn't matter how close she was to the city, those forests were still alive and wild with any number of dangers.

Looking around, Kagome saw nothing but the snow and the trees.

She heard the babble of the water, but all the birds had gone silent.

The woods were empty, it seemed.

When nothing stuck right out to her, Kagome tried to shake away her nerves. She was sabotaging herself, she thought. She'd probably been the one to chase away the birds with all the noise she'd been making. It was just stress. It had to be. Being on edge for so long had her emotions strung tighter than a violin cord, ready to snap.

If anything appeared, she would handle it, but at the same time she wasn't about to let her own hallucinations ruin what was destined to be a wonderful night.

Sighing, the young woman leaned forward to dip her hand into the frigid water for a mind clearing sip.

Then the itch at the back of her neck started up again, this time intense and blood chilling.

She froze.

No. It couldn't be. There was no way it was him.

Not in Chichibu.

Stiff, Kagome brought her head up to look across the brook at the other side of the clearing.

And yet there he was.

Looming at the tree line like a ghost from a horror movie was the young Sesshoumaru, brows so low his eyes were in shadow.

Kagome made a sound of shock. She scrambled to her feet, to move backwards and away, eyes glued to the Lordling.

The border.

That feeling. She'd crossed the border between the East and the West. The thin line that ran along the southern ridge of Chichibu's most rural outskirts—wasn't that the whole reason why they'd taken that detour north in the first place? She's forgotten.

Her bow, she didn't have her bow.

Kagome made to turn, to run.

It was pointless.

Sesshoumaru was on her in an instant.

He grabbed her by the jaw and shoved her body against the nearest tree. Kagome heaved, wind knocked from her chest. Her hands grasped the vice at her throat. Claws pricked skin. His other grip had her shoulder, holding her firm.

Rage permeated his aura like steam, palpable, viscous. His teeth were bared and for a long, horrifying second he leaned in close, to her neck. She thought he was going to rip open her jugular. His intake of breath could have cut her.

"Explain yourself." Sesshoumaru demanded, voice close. It wasn't yet deep, but it remained curdling in its intensity.

This Sesshoumaru, he was so young—that youth only made him all the more frightening.

Unpredictable.

Furious.

Fighting for her breath, Kagome struggled to pull away his arm, but it was an immovable iron bar. Her toes stretched, barely touching ground.

You know, it was kind of funny in bullet time—not in the haha sense, but in the sick, twisting ironic way. She'd been really looking forward to hang out with Toga's son that day. The universe just happened to hook her up with the wrong son.

She had to get away, but how? He was too strong. She couldn't speak. Her feet did nothing to kick him back. Her fingers—

Should she shock him?

Purity sprang to life before she finished the thought. Kagome's grip on the young demon's forearm tightened, but only the barest of sparks jolted the skin beneath her blunt nails. He didn't even flinch.

More!

Before she could try again, Sesshoumaru snarled. He slammed her one more time against the tree, the stub of a branch bruising her hip. Kagome cried out. Along the youthful slope of his cheeks, twin magenta markings began to fray.

Shit, shit, shit!

Familiar gold eyes bled red with anger and hurt.

It'd been different at a distance! At the other end of her bow and arrow he'd been just another threat, just another face she needed to protect herself from.

But up so close?

Even as he strangled her?

Damnit, he was Sesshoumaru!

She knew he wasn't the same Sesshoumaru she'd known and fought alongside—her Sesshoumaru—but that didn't change the fact that he was going to be. He was going to grow up to become one of her strongest allies!

Right now he was a child; one who'd just lost his father and was placed in a strange new position of power. One who was fighting who-knew how many internal and political threats looking to usurp his command. Sure, he was a dick with questionable morals, but she was the one who'd appeared out of nowhere, dangling the remnants of his dad over his head like a thick juicy steak.

Kagome couldn't help but wonder if he wasn't just like his brother—a little boy, lost and alone without his parent to guide him.

Toga thought that Sesshoumaru only wanted to assassinate him for his title.

…But was that really the case?

How about maybe asking him when he's not trying to kill you! Kagome yelled inside her thoughts as tears pricked the corners of her eyes. Her purity wouldn't rise up again, wouldn't light with so much pity clouding her mind.

She needed to break free! She needed to breathe!

But how!?

The edges of the mask at her back dug into her flesh, pressed hard against the rough bark of the tree. Her fingers held tight around his solid hand and wrist as she struggled to force him away with her human strength.

He didn't seem to notice her plight.

"My father." He growled. "What is your connection with my father?"

She couldn't answer, not while his palm was crushing her wind pipe. And his other hand, it wasn't on her shoulder anymore. Oh gods, where was his other hand!?

A strangled gasp came out choked when she found it, raised and glowing green with putrid acidity.

No, no, no, no, no! She was beginning to like it so much better when he only had one of those!

Think quick! She needed to think quick!

This was no reserves Sesshoumaru. No second thoughts, no guilt, no lenience Sesshoumaru. But it was still Sesshoumaru, right? Kagome's mind raced as she thought of little Inuyasha and how she'd still been able to sway him. Even so young there were already pieces of the Inuyasha she knew.

This was still Sesshoumaru.

What did she know about Sesshoumaru that could get her out of that mess?

Growing tired when she didn't respond fast enough; Sesshoumaru pushed Kagome further up the tree. Kagome's legs kicked out in protest. The mask scraped down her back, its cord pulling taut against her lower throat as if she wasn't already struggling for breath.

Kagome's eyes widened.

The mask!

As soon as the idea popped into her head, Kagome acted on it.

It was brash. It was probably stupid. But without her powers working full throttle against him, it was all she had.

Using Sesshoumaru's arm for leverage, the limber young woman swung her legs up to wrap around his thin but sturdy bicep. That relieved some of the pressure on her neck and lungs—she took a breath. It also allowed her to release one of her hands—she plunged it into her pocket.

Please work! She begged to whatever gods or demons would listen.

It happened instantaneously. The moment her thumb touched the warm, green leather of the leaf in her pocket there was a pop, followed by a little puff of smoke. Then suddenly there was no longer a human priestess dangling from his arm, but a tiny, struggling fox kit, hanging on for dear life.

She didn't even need to think of a specific form, it just happened. She'd become something of a cross between Shippo and Yuugo—a diminutive little girl with vibrant red hair, a patchwork splattering of russet freckles, and a fluffy caramel tail. The festival mask, still tied at her back, was now nearly the size of her entire body, and the height to the ground beneath her…

Kagome nearly panicked at the size distortion.

The grip around her now tiny neck faltered. Kagome looked back at Sesshoumaru in time to see the shock cross his expression. Her aura—her newly disguised fox demon aura—quivered, and she was damn near hyperventilating.

Holy crap.

Those leaves pack a powerful punch!

Now onto part two.

"I-I'm sorry!" Kagome squeaked before he could close his hand tight again. She didn't recognize the sound of her shrill voice. "I—I didn't mean for… for it to go this far! It was a prank—just a prank! My brothers—" Yeah, her brothers, Saburo and Toga. "They put me up to it! I had no choice! I'm sorry, Lord Sesshoumaru, I won't do it again! Please don't punish me! I swear I'll be good!"

Clutching the leaf in her palm as tight as she could and clinging to his wrist like a trembling Chihuahua, Kagome hoped with all her might that the illusion was altering her scent too. She was for sure going to die if he caught on to the fact that she was lying through her teeth.

Heartbeat after rapid heartbeat, Kagome waited with eyes closed tight for him to strike her. The young dog stared her down, sclera red and threatening, nostrils flaring. His lashes narrowed. Sweat ran down her cheeks, down her back. And then he pulled closer, giving her small kitsune form an oppressive inspection that demanded she stay perfectly still.

Kagome held her breath.

When he straightened back, his eyes were still just as narrow, still just as pissed, but they'd returned to their normal crisp metallic hue. His markings once more smooth strips.

Then, without warning, Sesshoumaru let her go.

Velcroed to his hand as she was, Kagome almost didn't notice until he gave her a growl. She fumbled to release and plummeted to the ground where she landed on her backside, which would have been fine until the fox mask came in for a second blow. "Oof!" She let out a wheeze when the oversized mask fell on her diaphragm.

Okay, so maybe making herself smaller and more vulnerable wasn't the brightest idea, Kagome thought as she looked up at the massively tall Sesshoumaru looming over her. Gathering her big mask to her chest, Kagome scooted backwards until her spine bumped into the trunk of the tree again. All he had to do was lift one of those big boots of his and she was a goner.

The priestess' tiny fox form flinched as his shoe rose.

However, instead of taking a step forward, he pivoted a step back.

Kagome stared, dumbfounded, as the boy Sesshoumaru flicked the poison glow from his hand, gave her a scoffed "Hn," and then turned to walk away.

Away! Of all the directions, he was walking away!

As if hearing the incredulity of Kagome's thoughts, the boy king paused. He shot her a scalding glare over his shoulder, beyond his trademark fur stole, and for a second she swore she saw his eyes flicker over to where the city of Chichibu lay, beyond the border he was forbidden to pass.

"Brothers." He cursed beneath his breath. Once again she saw his anger begin to boil, but this time it wasn't directed at her. She'd managed to divert him with her stunt and that was nothing short of a miracle. "You are a fool. Your brothers want to see you killed." Shaking his head, the young Western Lord turned back and continued walking. "Do not let me find you within my lands again. The next time you shall not receive a warning."

Unable to speak, Kagome nodded, and then, with a single bound that would become more graceful with age, the younger version of Sesshoumaru leapt away into the mountainside, back to the solitude of his territory.

Taking that as her queue to skedaddle as well, the tiny, illusioned fox-priestess swung the kitsune mask back over her shoulder, sacrificed the pile of her blue and green kimono, and ran back into the direction from whence she came. She scrambled away on padded feet, crossing the clearing, the tree line, and the border, but she didn't stop there. Kagome didn't stop running until she once more felt safe within the protective border of the Eastern lands.

At least, as safe as she was ever going to feel with the threat of Sesshoumaru lurking at her backside.

…

Sesshoumaru's aura had become a distant pinprick across the countryside.

As soon as she'd made it back to camp, Kagome sought it out. She followed it with her mind's eye as he grew smaller and smaller into the distance. Then he was gone. The guys weren't back yet. She wondered if Toga had been able to sense his son, or if his senses were just too far gone to catch it.

She shouldn't have let herself get so distracted—shouldn't have let herself wander into danger like that. But she wasn't going to beat herself up over it. It was already past. She was safe.

More than safe, actually!

Kagome had gotten away from Sesshoumaru without a fight! Better still, she'd made herself forgettable! No longer was she a warrior priestess or powerful threat lurking in the dog's lands—now she was just some stupid kid who'd pulled a really dumb prank! Soon enough he'd forget it even happened, and he would have absolutely no reason to connect that fox kit to herself in the future!

Bam! Footprints cleared!

Clutching a hand to her pounding chest, Kagome laughed in the face of her adrenaline.

Then, realizing that she was still clinging to the leaf, she looked down to the white knuckles of her left fist. Slowly, she released. The moment she let go of the illusion, the little green leaf in her palm shriveled to a crusty brown paper before disintegrating to dust, blown away by the wind.

A rustle in the brush and familiar weak energies signaled the arrival of her traveling companions. The young woman watched as the two tumbled back into camp, Saburo looking scuffed up and rumpled as he carried the large, limping form of the dog demon into view. Toga was nearly frantic when he spotted her. He pulled away from the blacksmith with a gasp of her name and started to meet her halfway, only to crumple to his knees three strides in. Panting, he gripped at the wound at his side as if it were going to tear him in two.

"Toga!"

"I had ta stop him from rushin' in." Saburo huffed out in heavy breaths as Kagome raced to drop before Togashimaru. "You sure know how ta stir one hell of a ruckus, Miss Kagome."

Before Kagome could start fretting over the broad demon, Toga reached up to grasp her shoulders. He squeezed. Wide eyes of quavering golden searched her face with worry. "Have you been harmed? The boy—he had you cornered. I was unable to feel your retaliation."

"I'm fine." Kagome eased, shaking her head. Still high from the rush of her victory and floating even higher on the warmth of his concern, she smiled. Gently, the priestess reached up to wrap her fingers around his forearms in reassurance. She gave him a cursory look over and was grateful to see that he wasn't injured any worse than he already had been, just tired from his grapple with Saburo. Still, she would make sure to check that his wound was tight and secured with fresh bandages and pain killers before they made their way into the city. "I'm all good, I got away. No harm done."

"You are certain?" After ensuring she was uninjured he asked, "How was it you escaped?"

Kagome lit up. "I found his greatest weakness and used it against him."

"Weakness?"

"Kids. Sesshoumaru acts all big and cold and threatening—like he's the kind of guy who could rip the wings off butterflies and step on kittens without a second thought—but he's got a major soft spot for little kids. Even now, it seems."

"… Children? You are not—" Toga started, then it dawned on him. "You used your illusory charm to become a child."

With a giggle, Kagome nodded. "And it totally worked!"

Heaving a deep sigh, Toga hung his head. That… was not the reaction that she expected. Kagome blinked as he gave into his lethargy and leaned forward to rest against her collar bone.

"In the future you must at the very least carry your sword." He sounded tired. "I am glad to see that you are safe, Kagome, especially after taking such a reckless gamble…"

When he didn't continue, she pressed, "But?"

"However," She knew there was a but,"I fear that the burden you've created for yourself may outweigh the temporary boon of your triumph."

"What do you mean?"

"Kagome, now that he believes you, the priestess, to be the illusion… how is it you intend pass through the Western lands to return home, unnoticed?"

Oh.

Kagome swallowed.

"I guess… I'll just have to cross that bridge when I get to it."

Chapter End