Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha
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Ch.14
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Mina stumbled through the mirror. She looked up, finding Myoga and Totosai giving her concerned looks. She sighed, and limped over to a nearby chair.
Purple power gently covered her body, healing her wounds. Finally, when it didn't hurt to breathe, she softly said, "I don't really hate him. You know that right?"
Totosai looked at Myoga, who returned the shared gaze. "It's pretty obvious to us, Lady Mina."
Myoga piped up, "It was pretty clear to our lord too, wasn't it? Choosing you for this mission was the best idea he ever had."
"Thanks," Mina took off her damaged cape, mumbling under her breath. "Still, he can't know that, so you two," She glared at the also meddling duo. "Had better not spill the beans."
Neither met her gaze as they answered. "Of course not!"
Mina gave them a look that said, 'I don't buy it.' However, she wasn't going to push the issue, as she was back to thinking about the new lord of the western lands. 'Sesshomaru,' she thought, '...deserves better than me. A demoness of worth and power.' She smiled tragically, "Still it hurts..."
Myoga got the wrong idea, "Huh? Where do you hurt? I know of a healer not far from here." Totosai nodded, "Yes, a healer would be a good idea. You were very lucky to survive all that."
"Oh, don't worry! I'll be fine!" She smiled, trying to hide the fact that it hurt to grin. "But if it will ease your minds..."
"We're on it!" Myoga saluted, "Never fret, Lady Mina, help is on its way."
Totosai and his companion left through the door, "See ya soon!"
Mina rolled her eyes, as she was fully capable of healing herself. Feeling a bit restless, she mumbled to herself. "I need to make it up to them. That fight probably brought them closer than ever..." She snapped her fingers. "I got it!"
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They had gone back to the cave. Inuyasha was sitting with his back to a cave wall. He fiddled with the ring on his finger, and looked up to his brother. Sesshomaru was standing at the entrance, his usual mask in place. He felt eyes upon him, and turned around.
Truly, he wasn't ignoring the boy, he just had that damn witch on his mind. Foolish woman, she had always fought with him, and every time he felt the loser, even if he had won the duel.
Trying to force such thoughts away, he asked, "What is it?" He inwardly cringed at his tone. 'Why do I sound so angry?'
Uncertain, Inuyasha asked, "How's your hand?"
At first, the demon didn't know what he was talking about. When he remembered that his only hand had third degree burns on it not an hour ago, he brought it up to show the healed skin. "It's fine."
Inuyasha adopted one of his brother's eyebrow quirks, "What's with you?"
The demon lord wanted to growl, but restrained himself. "Nothing."
His younger brother didn't believe it. "Whatever you say," Inuyasha looked at his hand, "Guess you'll be needing this back." He slipped the ring off, and felt a pang of loss. 'And it was only yesterday I couldn't wait to get rid of it.'
Sesshomaru held out his hand, "Yes, I do"
Reluctantly, the boy dropped the Runed Ring back into its owner's hand. "Thanks, I guess, for-."
"We're brothers." Sesshomaru locked eyes with Inuyasha. "That's the only reason I bothered." He slid the ring into its rightful place, before turning away. "Now hurry up before I leave you behind."
"Hey!" Inuyasha stood quickly, "Wait up! Sesshomaru!" He ran to catch up.
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Crash! Bang! Mina threw various items out of her cabinets. "Stupid scroll!" Jar, jar, box, vase, crash! Break! "Where are you?" Bam! "Ah ha!" She held up a parchment in victory. "Renewal Energy Spell."
She went over to the mirror, and waved her hand in front. "Alright, boys," Mina grinned mischievously, "This'll make up for everything. I promise!"
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They arrived at the campsite by sundown. Kagome was standing in the same spot she had been the day they had left. Inuyasha smiled brightly as he stopped in front of her. "Hey, Kagome."
"Hey yourself." She smiled back, happy that he came back in one piece. "How'd it go?"
"Eh, okay I guess." He affectionately patted Tetsusaiga. "Got my sword back," He sighed, "But the witch got away."
"That's a shame." She looked behind him. "You got your fang back too, Sesshomaru?"
He ignored her question, "Follow me." He glared at her, "There's something I wish to discuss with you."
Kagome felt someone step over her grave. She looked pleadingly at Inuyasha, who didn't look comfortable with the situation. "Uh, go ahead. Just call if you need me."
Not one to let fear rule her (well, not most of the time) she gulped, and followed Sesshomaru.
Once they were far enough away, he started talking. "It's so obvious he cares about you." Sesshomaru fixed his best icy stare at her. "And I don't like it."
Kagome willed her knees to stay strong, and her feet to stay in place. 'Don't run away! Do not run away!' She said, "I care about him, too, if it helps."
The demon lord increased his glare. "You're a human woman, a priestess no less. You two shouldn't even be speaking to one another."
Kagome felt her anger rearing its ugly head, "Yes, we're very different, but that's why we like each other in the first place." She stomped her foot. "Who are you to question us anyway?"
Sesshomaru just scoffed, "I hate your weakness. Relying on my Inuyasha to save you, it's pathetic."
'Is he even listening to me?' She clenched her fists, "I admit, I'm not very strong, but I'm hardly helpless! And I saved Inuyasha from Kikyo's spell, from-."
"You did that?" Sesshomaru's eyes suddenly held nothing but pure surprise.
"Uh," Kagome wondered, 'He didn't know that?' She answered, "Yes."
Sesshomaru just stared at her, seemingly taken aback. After a few seconds, he closed his eyes. "I see." When he finally looked at her, he didn't seem so cold anymore. "Well, if that's the case," He turned to walk away. "Tell him we will see each other soon."
And with that, he disappeared into the night.
Kagome was so confused. 'I don't get it. What was all that about?" She shook her head and walked back to Inuyasha.
"So?" He asked, very curious. "What'd he want to talk to you about?"
"Um," Kagome sighed, "Just some stuff about me." And you, and us. "Don't worry about it." She tried to smile again, "He already left. He said to tell you that you two will see each other soon."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "Can't be normal and say 'goodbye' to my face like everyone else."
Kagome smiled at that. Then she remembered, "By the way, the cute cat that was here, it's gone now. Have you seen it?"
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Rin ran over to him, smiling jubilantly, "Lord Sesshomaru! You're back!" She stopped just in front of him. "I missed you."
Every single time, without fail, that simple act managed to warm his heart. Of course, he'd never admit it. "Rin, did you behave?"
"Yes," She put a finger over her lips. "Master Jaken needs his sleep. He had to fight off a weevil demon today."
Sesshomaru raised his brows, "I see. Shouldn't you be getting rest as well?"
Rin giggled, "Yes, I will." She tilted her head. "You seem happy, Lord Sesshomaru."
The demon lord just gave her 'the look'. "No stalling. Go to sleep."
Rin sighed, "Fine." She went over to her designated tree. "You look tired to, my lord. Please get some rest."
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An incantation was whispered through the night. A spell made to awaken the stones for one final task. Neither brother was aware of it, though they were lulled into an unusual slumber.
When the dreamscape descended, they both felt the magic surround them. They were sitting beneath a sakura tree, not far from the cave. Side by side, they gazed into nothing but white.
Inuyasha laid his head upon his brother's shoulder. "It's just a dream."
Sesshomaru closed his eyes, "Right." And his head fell gently atop his brother's.
The End
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Author's Notes:
Wow, I actually completed this. Ending a story is harder than I thought, but I did it! Thank you readers and reviewers, I couldn't have done it without you guys encouraging me the whole way.
As for a continuation, it's a big maybe. It depends upon how many want one, so tell me if you do, okay?
Until whenever, TTYL!
P.S. By the way, since I know somebody's going to ask, Sesshomaru was trying to scare Kagome away from Inuyasha. Yeah, that little 'talk' was actually just his issue with Kagome being his brother's weakness. Just like Inu's mom was their Dad's weakness, get it? Since Kagome is the one who saved his brother, one more than one occasion, she gets his approval, for now.