Title: No Such Thing as Fate
Genres: Adventure, Action, Drama
Pairings Represented: Sesshomaru/Kagome, Sango/Miroku, Inuyasha/undecided
Rating R/Mature
Disclaimer: I can't pass that threshold. It looks dangerous.
Chapter 42: Final Push: All Falls Down
It took me so long to type this. I have no idea why it's gotten so hard for me. Beyond that, here is your next chapter. Comment, scribble, cough, review, snot-attack, and anything else to let me know how you feel.
Enjoy!
xxxxx
She'd been caught playing around. Not truly caught. A better saying would be that she'd been caught with her pants around her ankles – maybe.
That aura, that icky feeling, had limbs now. She'd known it was out there in the distance, this crawling presence. It had been there when her friends had started dropping from the sky.
It was there now, looming and dangerous.
For some stupid reason, she'd thought it had been one of her friends, stomping and pissed off in the distance. Everyone had shown up, and the presence had calmed.
So, she'd ignored it.
It was back now and wouldn't be blocked out.
"I'm so fucking stupid" she muttered bitterly, peeking to the side like it was a disgusting blob just settled by her.
"Ugh!" she groaned, rubbing her arms down.
"Ignorance is not a virtue."
Kagome blinked and turned herself about. She recognized one person, but definitely not the other.
"Rin" Kagome said carefully, actually staring at the woman by the girl's side.
Rin smiled happily, almost bouncing in place.
"My lady," Rin chirped, swaying, "This is Lady Harumi."
Kagome blinked slowly at the woman.
"Girl" Lady Harumi sighed, "Settle down. It is annoying."
She'd taken a few silent guesses. Sesshomaru had definitely come from this woman's rib.
Kagome blinked down at the boys, who were huddled in one giant mass, sleeping, somehow. Nishiharu had been part of the mass. Shippou had shifted and kicked the boy. Nishiharu had come up swinging and screaming angrily. She'd pulled the infant away from his bewildered brothers, and everyone had gone back to sleep.
Nishiharu was in her lap now, awake but quiet. He stared up at the new woman with his father's blank expression.
Harumi raised an eyebrow at the boy.
Rin held up a finger, drawing attention to herself. "Lady Harumi is stern but she is very kind, like My Lord." she assured happily.
Harumi rolled her eyes. Kagome swallowed a smiled and choke slammed a giggle.
"Nice to meet you, lady harumi." Kagome bowed politely.
A servant dived from nowhere and set a pillow down for the other woman. Another pillow came for Rin but the demoness raised a hand, stopping them.
"Go. I wish to speak to her in private."
Rin shrugged and looked to the two snoring boys.
"Take them with you."
Rin walked over, took each of them by a foot, and dragged them away. Kuro didn't start to protest until Rin turned the porch corner.
Harumi shook her head after the trio then looked back to Kagome.
"So you are his wife?"
"Your son, yes."
"You knew" Harumi said, chin tilted in a haughty manner.
"Yes."
Harumi hummed, looking away.
"He looks so much like you."
Harumi peeked at her then looked out over the garden.
"You said something when you arrived?"
"Yes."
"Ignorance is not a virtue?"
"It is not."
"This is my first time meeting you" Kagome reminded kindly.
Harumi's gaze said she didn't care.
Kagome hummed, settling her mind on the in-law wars.
"What brings you to my home, Lady Harumi."
"This is my grandson?" She peered down at Nishiharu who met her gaze with equal disinterest.
"This is Nishiharu. Would you like to hold him and say hello?"
Harumi looked away, "not now."
Kagome hummed. They both looked off in the same direction.
"I'm honestly not sure what that is" Kagome nodded in the direction of the growing power.
Harumi hummed, the same as her son might.
"It is that Naraku-creature." She huffed and waved a hand. "He will be killed, do not worry."
She'd figured it was Naraku, but it didn't feel like Naraku. Not yet at least.
"How did you slip past my senses?"
"My son mentioned it in passing. I simply used his idea."
Kagome sighed and they were both quiet for a moment.
"I would advise you to send a force now. He is separated from a third of his body."
That explained how he'd been playing peek-a-boo all over Japan.
"I will do that." Kagome said, taking no offense to the advice
She waved to a servant at the end of the porch where she'd separated herself from their conversation. She requested the presence of her general and the servant scrambled away.
"So, you're Sesshomaru's mother."
Harumi blinked, "I am."
Another silence, then Kagome sagged with a sheepish smile. "I snatched up my husband from you. Sorry."
Harumi glanced at her dryly.
"It is an agreement, is it not?"
Kagome shrugged a shoulder and looked away.
"It is. I will still love him as long as I am here."
"Stop being foolish!"
Kagome blinked hard at the outburst.
"I just met you today." Kagome said again, sounding chipper despite her irritation.
The demoness looked away and brought a fan up to hide her mouth that, Kagome assumed, was twisted with a scowl.
"Was that the deal between you two?"
Kagome blinked, "Not that in particular." A thought and she nodded to herself. "I'm not going to hold him against his will or anything. This can be absolved quickly if needed. I know he needs heirs that aren't hanyou."
The demoness looked from the corner of her eye. "So you think it would be appropriate for him to take many wives?"
"No, but-" Kagome shrugged her shoulders and looked away.
"He is not going to attach himself to you for a 'sudden love'."
"Oh," Kagome snorted and waved a hand, "I know that."
Harumi squinted at her.
"I didn't say he has to love me back. I just enjoy his company and attention. It's my idea to like him, not anyone else's."
"How foolish."
"I'm a human with a short life. I'll get over it if he turns another way."
The bridge of Harumi's nose wrinkled a bit.
"He is not so silly, either."
Kagome sat quietly for a moment, trying to understand the swings back and forth.
Finally, she decided not to mention the Inutaisho.
"Hmm. I understand."
Lady Harumi finally looked at Nishiharu.
"I would like to see him now."
Kagome perked up and lifted the boy into her arms. She passed him over with a glowing smile.
Harumi put her fan aside and took the boy under each arm.
Nishiharu complained with a sharpening hum. The demoness quickly adjusted him and cradled him close.
She eyed him carefully then nodded.
"I sense strength in him. He will grow just fine."
Kagome blinked then hummed happily. "Thank you for your blessing."
"Blessing?" she huffed.
"You didn't have to say anything at all. I appreciate knowing that you don't mind our son."
Harumi frowned then looked back to her grandson. An exhale and she looked away. "He has done no harm yet."
Kagome nodded slowly.
"Thank you anyway."
The demoness looked away with a soft sound.
Kagome, again, reminded herself not to speak of the Inutaisho, and preferably not Inuyasha either. Then she sagged and eyed the sky thoughtfully.
Lady Harumi jerked like Kagome had burped instead.
Too bad Kagome saw.
"I have to relax and breathe sometimes. Please excuse my behavior."
Harumi settled with a slow nod. Kagome was surprised the demoness hadn't huffed in disgust.
There was a way to sit, a way to speak, a way to hide your face when there were emotions rushing about. There was a way to look away delicately, or to caress an interested partner with your gaze alone.
She'd fought tooth and nail to not deal with that, and to not submit.
Here she was dealing with it, submitting, and having to work out the proper hums and sighs to get through the conversation.
She'd been so proud. Floating on cloud nine and very confident in herself.
In this current reality, every other breathing creature irritated her. She now had to work out status and proper etiquette to use from person to person. She hated discriminating against common women and men, or against 'high bred' common women and men. If she wanted respect to handle her business, it was a must.
Her lip lifted behind her own sleeve.
She saw something strange, and her gaze darted. She thought she'd seen Lady Harumi smile just a tiny bit.
The other woman exhaled slowly, thoughtfully.
"How do you plan to handle the hanyou?"
"Besides kill him?"
The other woman shot her a dry glance.
Kagome smiled a tiny bit. She was stunned. She actually liked Lady Harumi.
"I'll gather my soldiers and go."
"With an infant?"
"Nishiharu will stay here, of course. I'll be doing a lot of running back and forth to at least provide some of his meals. I can't be here with him constantly though."
"Did you inform my son of your plans?"
"Nope. He'll stop me."
They both fell silent.
"Why are you 'needed' so much?"
Kagome glanced her way, wanting to grin.
"I am the shikon miko."
Harumi blinked once. "I see. How annoying."
Kagome nodded her agreement.
"Why is it that my son can't simply bring the jewel to you?"
"Because it taints people. It even destroyed the miko before me. I'm not going to play with his life like that."
Harumi's brow wrinkled a tiny bit, but she was still eerily beautiful. Kagome knew that the demoness was truly considering if her son would be swayed that way. But beyond that-
"A battlefield is not the place for an infant" she finally sighed.
Kagome sat silent, truly turning this in her head.
Harumi looked away as if suddenly irritated. "Why would he be remotely interested in such a foolish woman?"
Kagome smiled slowly, "because I fight back, and he needs it sometimes."
Harumi's eyebrow shot up in surprise, and lit with amusement
Kagome watched the demoness with twinkling eyes.
"A human woman battling my son for dominance."
"Not dominance." Kagome assured quickly, snickering, "but we do fight about how to raise our son."
Harumi frowned again. "What do you mean?"
"Well, consider this, should Nishiharu be fed with chopsticks, or with a soup spoon, as he's starting solid food?"
Harumi stared at her, obviously stunned.
Kagome smiled with pressed lips and bulging cheeks as she fought not to laugh.
"You are annoying" Harumi said loudly as she cradled her forehead.
Kagome laughed out loud.
She had fun picking at the wall that was Sesshomaru's mother. Lady Harumi had things she was particular about. Once you got things rolling though, she was fun to chat with, and her laugh made things sparkle.
But, onward.
Nishiharu smelled horrible.
The demoness left on that note, vanishing as quietly as she'd come through.
Kagome giggled on her way down the hall, kissing his cheeks to distract herself from the smell. The servants squealed in laughter when they caught on to what was happening.
"It's up his back." Kagome laughed merrily, "can someone bathe him?"
A servant came forward for the duty.
Kagome thanked her with a whisper. Then a ruckus started up somewhere. It was somewhere close but not close enough to point out even a direction.
So, she went hunting.
She found a guard standing at an open door with a servant at his side. They both looked weary and irritated.
They dived to the side when Kagome snuck up on them. She didn't address them, she only looked into the room.
Shippou sat slouched on the floor, eyeing his brother in annoyance.
Kuro was having a moment.
He screamed and stomped angrily, staggering and falling a few times when his legs disagreed with him. Then he would kick and scream and eventually end up on his feet again.
Kagome stared at Kuro dryly a moment. Then she remembered the fit he'd had as his memory was coming back.
"Kuro!" Kagome called sternly, moving into the room.
He kept stomping so she caught his arm firmly. He started wailing instead of screaming.
She sat with a sigh and held his arms as he struggled. "This is not cute Kuro. What's wrong?"
He continued to twist childishly.
She sighed and looked to shippou.
"We were playing" Shippou said with a bored tone and looked away.
"And?"
He shrugged. Kagome turned a stare on him, and he curled into himself nervously.
"What happened?"
"I don't know. He got mad and didn't want to play anymore. I promise I didn't do anything bad this time."
"This time?"
Shippou wrinkled his nose.
Kagome sighed and snatched Kuro into her arms. He grunted and fought until he couldn't anymore. Then he was whimpering. She pet his back soothingly and he finally came down to sniffling.
"What happened Kuro?"
"kno" he squeaked, sounding a little odd.
Kagome tilted her head then paused hearing a loud rumble. Kuro moaned into her chest and started to cry again.
Kagome kissed his head quickly. "Kuro-chan, what do you wanna eat?"
"no" he complained again.
Kagome sighed as Kuro nuzzled into her chest and settled.
"Kaa-san?"
"It's not your fault shippou. He's a little strange right now."
The kit hummed and eyed Kuro.
Kuro nuzzled her chest again. "Can you grab him some fruit or something from the kitchen?"
The servant turned to obey.
Kuro grunted a few times, wiggling determinedly.
She loosened her arms a bit and he surprised her very much. Somehow, he wiggled into her top, sniffing about. Then he caught a nipple, really surprising her, and slumped against her, suckling.
She stared down at the boy in pure amazement.
A few blinks and Kuro's stomach growled loudly.
Then he farted.
Shippou immediately started laughing.
Kagome smiled in amusement too. Then she adjusted her clothes around Kuro and let him be.
"He's too old for this." The servant complained.
Kagome thought on it a moment.
"Actually" she breathed in alarm, "Kuro is only about two."
Everyone stared at her dumbly.
"He's been eating like any other child."
"It would explain the bad gas he's had. He's had stomach problems too."
There was silence.
One of her Kuros had dropped back to take a nap. Baby Kuro was running the show in the meantime.
"He should still be on milk, at least partly." the servant breathed in realization.
"He's very small. He started talking so well, I got used to it and totally missed his age somehow."
There was stunned silence.
Kuro wiggled and grunted, scratching absently at her skin.
"I'll clip his nails." Kagome said with a grin.
"Will he stop screaming now?"
"We'll see what we can do."
Shippou stared a moment longer then looked up. "What does milk taste like from there?"
"I have no idea" she responded instantly.
Shippou grinned in amusement.
XXXXX
It had been a long day, and she'd felt entitled to settle in bed early. Kuro had grown the ability to attach himself to her at all times. The servants had finally left him alone in their frustration. Even Shippou had wandered off, shrugging dismissively.
Kuro was a mama's boy, apparently.
So, the world had shifted just a smidge to accommodate the him. Kuro wanted to sleep with her, have a few snacks in the night. So now she had Nishiharu and Kuro in her bed.
Shippou had stomped around angrily nearby. A servant had come and informed her, giggling. She'd smiled and called shippou to join them.
She'd honestly felt bad when Shippou had pushed Kuro away childishly with his feet, and had tucked himself tightly against Kagome's stomach.
When the two youngest had gone to sleep, she shifted them around and allowed Shippou to come up closer for some quiet conversation.
He'd spilled his guts about jealousy and not wanting to be a big brother anymore.
They talked past the end of a candle, before he curled near her neck and settled for the night.
She made a mental list of everything she wanted to do for the boys. She especially wanted to find something to help shippou out as the oldest of the group.
But then, burning rushed across her mind, her scalp felt like it was being poked with a thousand little needles, and her brain felt something similar.
She rolled over, her pinky catching in Shippou's top in her haste. The boy squealed in terror as he found himself on Kagome's opposite side, and was privy to watching her vomit randomly.
"Kaa-san?" He said carefully.
Kagome heaved up a bit more then paused, trembling tiredly.
Her eyes were still fogged from sleep and watering to make things worse.
"Shippou?"
Shippou turned and looked toward a wall.
"Kaa-san, we're in trouble."
"I know" she croaked, nodding quickly. She wiped a sleeve across her mouth.
"Wench!"
"I will fucking kill you, Kagura!"
"Stop being idiots to one another" Kazi snapped, pushing past Kagura at the door.
She came forward and caught Kagome's arm.
Servants rushed in, looking as sleepy and spooked as Kagome felt.
There was the banging of an alarm outside. People were starting to rush about the halls frantically.
"He just dropped right into the edge of my senses." Kagome gagged as Kazi pulled her up. Kagura caught her other side when she wobbled suddenly.
"Get the children" Kagome ordered. "Get the kids, all of them, and run them to the western palace."
Kagura frowned but turned to reach for Nishiharu then heaved Kuro up by the back of his shirt.
"Run these kids to the other castle. The rest can be taken by others or another trip."
Kagome opened her mouth like she might protest, but Kazi pulled her about, shutting her up.
"Kaa-san?" Shippou called weakly as he was lifted and rushed away.
Kagome snatched from the others and staggered toward a chest, accidentally stepping in her own mess.
She pulled her socks off even as she threw it open.
"Kagome!" Kazi snarled. She came forward and caught Kagome's arm to pull her away from trying to change clothes.
She paused when Kagome's hand came from the swirl of color, gripping a hidden sword.
"Why?" Kazi asked dryly, even as she pulled Kagome up and they ran from the room.
"I don't sleep with a bow and arrow in my room" she croaked.
"But you have a weapon."
"Oh. Yeah" Kagome hummed.
Kagura sighed and shoved a door open for them.
The courtyard looked like the center of a dispersing protest march.
Kagome inhaled, stood up straight, and was bellowing orders.
There was red slowly creeping across the sky, like the rising sun.
"Get the elders and the children to the other castle, now! Tell them to go on full alert! I want everyone that I see with a knife, a sword, or a weapon! If you're going to run, at least try and stab your attackers before they eat you."
The order bewildered a lot of people, but weapons came from inside and made it to hands.
There was an explosion that made the ground leap.
Kagome inhaled sharply, wondering why energy was being wasted blowing up things so far away. Then it came to her, and she let out a scream of horror.
She turned to run and a wall of soldiers blocked her way.
"Milady, the others are running toward the children. We have to keep you safe!" came a shout as she was surrounded.
Minakami was barking orders.
Kagome stood there dumbly, caught in a swirl of soldiers.
The noise, and the running, and chaos; all of it had her head spinning, and she didn't appreciate this new type of wakeup call.
"Milady! We have to go!"
She inhaled to respond, but hands inappropriately found her hips. Her eyes widened when she was lifted and found herself straddling a horse.
It was a very indecent moment, and she felt a quick flash of embarrassment when she tugged her clothes closed.
The soldier on the horse behind her put his arms on either side of her and held the reigns.
"Milady has ordered the children be moved! Make it so!"
A servant ran up, expression wild, and started shoving things into Kagome's lap. A soldier caught the poor servant, pulled her back, and tugged sheets and clothes off and to the ground. He passed her a sword and bowed politely.
Kagome clutched the sword tightly.
"Take me toward the children" she said coldly as the horse began to trot about nervously.
A grunt of protest, but the horseman with her obeyed. He wasn't just worried about insubordination now. He was more nervous, and hyper aware, that he was close enough to be stabbed in the gut.
And a group caved and rushed her into the forest.
She ground her teeth, thinking frantically. She was fast, but this adventure by horse was giving her a few extra seconds to think.
She suddenly opened her mouth and the pop of her jaw hurt badly. It was like having cold water dumped on her despite the heat of pain.
The mental dump of water washed over her, and she felt refreshed.
"Has anyone seen the youkai?"
"No milady. We know about as much as you."
"Where are my boys!?"
The horse burst out of the woods and they held a moment, looking about. The soldier pet the horse's side. There was going to be a little trouble finding their way. The forest had a lot of smoke drifting about, and it was getting hotter.
They followed a sudden rush of directions from Kagome, and the small unit of soldiers caught up and moved with them.
There were screeches and shouts.
They had to slow and stop though, the smoke finally blinding and choking people. Kagome tore her sleeve apart and wrapped it over her face.
There was no legit filter for this situation. She would make do.
Before she could even move forward though, a beast of a creature surged out from the forest.
That beast was a crowd of terrified, screaming, crying children.
Kagome yanked her weapon from it's sheath.
"Milady! Milady!" came screams. One little boy was rushing right for her, reaching.
She did not hesitate to lop his head off.
The children screamed in horror. The adults gasped in alarm.
The body collapsed and bled sluggishly. Then it began to crumble into dark brown and black colors.
"It's a demon!" a servant spat angrily from somewhere.
"It's a golem" Kagome grunted, then turned.
A second servant rushed up to her, holding Nishiharu close.
The boy wiggled and grunted, pushing himself off her chest to look at his mother.
Kagome reached out absently and brushed his head with a hand.
"Milady-"
"Take him and the children to the western palace."
"Mil-"
"Do not talk back to me. I'm not in the mood to be nice" She paused and put two and two together. "Where's Kagura!"
There as a shout and familiar winds launched some creatures, a lot of them, comically into the air.
There was Kagura then.
The servant with Nishiharu turned and rushed away. The children were corralled into a group and were rushed off after her.
Shadows began to drop down from the trees. A unit that Kazi had been given charge of. They were dressed like commoners on the street, which made Kagome tilt her head.
"Milady"
"What?"
"We will move the children. Please go quickly to the castle."
"No"
"Why?" someone burst out angrily. "You are milord's wife! Your safety is paramount!"
"My other babies aren't here."
The soldier inhaled sharply, then nodded slowly.
"I want all of my kids safe" she snarled quietly.
Nothing else needed to be said.
But at that lovely moment, a huge cream-colored turd surged up from the ground.
Kagome stared blankly for a moment.
"FOX FIRE!"
Blue flames flashed, just visible over the trees.
The turd-worm shrieked and tipped like it'd been kicked.
"It's going to be a long day" the soldier behind her muttered.
Her heavy exhale said she agreed.
The ground leapt. The worm popped back up like a fool who didn't want anyone to know he'd been knocked out.
Unnatural squeals that had never been noted in any document about the destroyers-of-all that she'd read, shot through the forest. The creature rolled and rushed away.
A smack of her lips and she snatched the staff from her neck. It grew quickly and the soldier made the sound effects to match its change.
Kagome barked an angry laugh, and shoved at the soldier behind her.
He scooted back and she wobbled up to stand on the saddle.
"I want five of you with the rest of the group going toward the castle. The rest of you go back to-"
A blur dropped down and Kagome nearly bit her tongue when she was wacked on the head. She rubbed the very peculiar line of pain, then looked at her attacker.
"I do bite."
"Stay out of trouble!" Kazi barked, then hopped down to the ground.
"No, I need Naraku and Sagisoto gone." Kagome climbed down too. "Did you really just Karate chop my head?"
Kazi shot her a dry glance.
Kagome turned and issued new orders, "This group here, to Lord Sesshomaru's castle. Another group will start ferrying water up to stop the fire. Go back and evacuate people as needed."
"But the Youkai-"
Kagome waved dismissively and a few of Kazi's soldiers scattered, headed back toward the castle.
"Get me some youkai who can use water! Stop those fires!"
"Woman!" Kazi nearly snarled.
Kagome looked to her.
"Help me find my kids!"
Kazi huffed but stopped fussing, understanding.
Kagome rushed past her, and she followed.
There were actual leaves on fire, fluttering around, turning into painful stings at every turn.
Another fox fire lit the smoke like a flash of lightning.
Kagome tore through the trees and managed to snatch both of her boys at once. An attempt to stop, and she slipped onto her back and continued right back into the forest.
A tree stopped her foot from continuing on. Kagome gagged and her body sharply slid around to the left and stopped.
A few quick breaths and she scrambled up.
"Impressive" Kazi called, hacking and waving away smoke.
Both boys wailed for Kagome, wanting to be held. There was no time. Shippou realized quickly and hopped up.
"Kaa-san, We've gotta run! Now!"
"What happened to the worm?" she croaked, staggering to her feet.
"I don't know" Shippou wheezed.
Kagome limped a few steps then kicked at the air angrily.
"Move woman!"
The ground rumbled in protest. Kazi snatched shippou and took off into the woods.
Kagome took the hint and snatched up Kuro.
She was notably slower than usual. Kazi stopped a few times to let her catch up, smacking her lips irritably.
"Shut up" Kagome finally complained.
There was no time for a back and forth. They were out of fire, and suddenly under the knife.
Crying children were everywhere.
Kagome took a few breaths, eyes wild.
She staggered a few steps then paused.
A boy lay off to the side, staring at the sky, his torso crushed but his head and waist down, only scratched up.
Kagome immediately turned and vomited what might have been left in her.
Kazi ignored her, looking around.
"Our lord will murder us" Kazi hissed. It sobered Kagome and she staggered forward, not really giving a damn about Sesshomaru's kinda-threats.
Then she had frantic energy and absurd strength. She nearly lifted a servant over her head and threw her, when the woman stepped in her path, to ask some garbled mess of all things.
The woman shrieked and a lot of hands came from nowhere. She'd set Kuro on his feet at some point. Even he had hold of her leg, trying to stop her.
They stopped Kagome, kinda, and hands were pulling her after the servant was turned loose.
The crowd hustled her to a very familiar servant who held Nishiharu close.
The boy scowled fiercely, gripping the servant's clothes like death was chasing them.
"Nishiharu" Kagome breathed and pulled him into her arms.
He whimpered, relaxing against her as he nuzzled her shoulder. "Hey baby" she cooed, kissing his head a few times.
He whined a bit, looking up at her, knowing she would understand his concerns.
"I agree" she hummed and rubbed the back of his head gently.
He lay his head on her shoulder and put a thumb in his mouth with a grumpy hum.
Kagome exhaled a few times, then turned to see the remaining children, and the three who had been crushed in the chaos.
She shook her head firmly and looked at the servants.
"To the castle, now!" she hissed. "I don't care if someone is tired. Pick them up and keep moving."
"Lad-"
"Right now!"
No more words were needed. A wild scramble and the whole group were gone in record time.
Kazi's group surrounded the fleeing children and servants this time.
Then Kagome turned and looked.
A rustle and a pause.
Kagome looked so angry and frustrated at that moment as she turned toward the forest.
"I see you have been busy, 'Lady Kagome.'"
Kagome wanted to be incredibly disrespectful, but she needed every ounce of energy at that second.
"Fuck" Kazi said in her stead.
The bushes seemed to shudder and Naraku slid cartoonishly, directly sideways, from the bushes.
It looked like he was shifting a bit under his pelt.
"It has been a very long time."
"And?"
"You are a little more feisty," Naraku mused immediately.
"What do you want?"
"What I have always wanted." And the tentacles shot forward.
Kazi jumped. Kagome sliced the vines apart with her scythe. Another surge of tentacles rushed out from the right. Kagome jumped, trying to get back quickly.
There was a disgusting sound and miasma rushed out and over everything.
There was screaming.
Kagome looked around wildly for shippou.
She ran looking for the voice.
Kazi gave a roar, "Kagome!"
And tentacles came out to greet her side.
She flew and hit a few things. When she did collapse against a tree, she licked her lips as if double checking the taste of blood.
"If you're alive, I'd advise you to stand up."
Kagome obeyed and still ignored the pain from her foot, obviously not registering any other discomfort yet.
"Use common sense" Kagome muttered to herself. A hand to her chest and she breathed a few times. The first breath burned, the second was hot. A purposely forced and strong exhale, and she felt power rush from her own body.
It cleared the air for her and kazi to breathe smoke fumes instead of direct poison.
Kazi found her quickly, hacking. "Let's move," she said quietly as able.
Kagome nodded shakily, peeking at what she could see to find her son.
"It wasn't him" Kazi insisted.
"I didn't see him with the other kids" Kagome called weakly, near tears as Kazi dragged her along.
Naraku's pelt creature leapt out at them.
Kazi reacted instantly with a claw swipe.
Naraku slid back with his infamous chuckle.
"You have a new pet, do you?"
"Fuck you" Both women complained as one.
Kagome surged in at him, and Kazi somehow managed to come down.
Naraku slid away with a laugh and the searching flesh exploded from under his pelt, and from underground.
Kagome shrieked when an appendage as dry as bark came up at the right place to smack her behind, slide up the crest, and hurt.
Kazi gagged when she found herself prepared to ride it like a horse and way too high off the ground.
"Pervert!" Kazi hacked.
Kagome chose a path and was scrambling up the vines. Naraku's laughter echoed ominously, but Kagome caught Kazi's hand and snatched her up into the trees. They ran, panting like they'd had the workout of their lives.
Naraku's worm threw a tantrum close by, flinging dirt into the air to mix with everything else.
"This is the most stupid fight..." Kagome wheezed. "He literally just sexually assaulted us."
Kazi suddenly dropped.
Kagome nearly screamed but stopped just right to hold the other woman's hand.
"Kazi." Kagome called in warning.
Kazi looked up at her blearily.
Kagome paused, noticing her own vision was off.
She pulled Kazi up, pulled her arm around her shoulders, and they kept moving.
Kagome searched for a spot, any decent spot, and stopped. She dropped Kazi against a tree and they both took a big breath. Kagome looked down and cringed.
Kazi's legs were bloody where bark like flesh had gone up inappropriately. It was very obvious that she was poisoned. Kazi was bleeding a lot for a Youkai to solidify Kagome's thoughts.
A strange flash, and she was working to heal the wounds.
Kazi sat still for once and let her work.
"I see why everyone hates him." she muttered.
Kagome hummed, tired of trying to seal the wounds. She went for the poison. Kazi hissed and coughed a bit, putting a hand to her chest for breath.
"Give me a moment" Kagome pleaded quietly.
Kazi coughed again but seemed to do well after.
Kagome then focused in on Kazi's abused thighs.
Kazi caught her wrist suddenly.
"I'm okay." She croaked, "Heal yourself."
Kagome opened her mouth and Kazi snatched her back into the trees.
It sounded like an earthmover was taking out a section of the forest behind them.
Naraku's tentacles waved like disturbed seaweed. The pelt still at the head of things for some reason, chased after them.
A wall surged up in front of them. Kagome made a wild swing and it worked to let them through. "Little miko, did you truly think I wouldn't find you?"
"How did you find me?" she muttered to herself. Her stomach was turning, and she felt a bit faint.
"Heal yourself!" Kazi barked in her ear.
A moment to think on it and she brought a hand up to put to her back. There was blood, a lot of blood. It startled her and she perked up to treat herself.
The forestry to their right exploded.
Kagome shrieked while Kazi hissed.
Kazi's feet hit a tree branch. Before Kagome's own feet touched down, a hand was catching her arm.
She blinked in alarm, finding another group of Sesshomaru's soldiers. One pulled her up sharply, and she was in strong arms.
Kazi stopped hard and only peeked at her as she was carried away.
"Kazi!" Kagome shouted.
She was ignored.
Less than a minute of being flopped thru the forest, she noticed Shippou, tucked under the arm of another soldier, his face red and streaked with tears.
"Shippou?"
"Kaa-san?" he called timidly.
They stopped in a clearing, the soldier carrying her complaining about her blood loss.
A demoness moved to grab her. Kagome held up a hand to stop her as she began her own treatment. That same hand pulled Shippou close.
He started to sob into her chest. Kagome kissed his head a few times, still trying to heal herself.
"You did a great job." she assured him quietly.
"I couldn't protect Kuro." he squealed in dismay.
"He made it out of the way" Kagome assured.
Shippou sagged like he'd been dumped in water and lifted out.
A few exhales and his eyes fluttered as he lay his head on her chest.
Kagome was given a decent bit of time to heal her scraped away bottom. When she stood, she was definitely the one feeling woozy.
Naraku's laugh rose up.
Kagome stuck a hand out and a familiar orb appeared.
"Um, Sesshomaru, I need some help."
"Kagome?" Came his stern voice.
She closed her fist and the orb burst into a sparkling dust. Her other hand snatched the necklace of teeth from around her neck.
"Who do you think will make it here first?"
"I truly don't care."
Kazi cackled a bit and coughed. She spat black tar off to the side, cleaning more poison from her lungs.
Kagome forced herself to cough strongly and she spat out similar.
Naraku's pelt rose up over the trees with a pleasant hum.
Kagome found a new pool of power called fear. She pulled her bow out and powered it on.
"Come now Kagome. Those jewel shards are calling for me."
Kagome pulled her bow string of magic back and let a matching arrow fly.
"Where are you really so I can go shoot you."
Naraku hummed, "You can attempt to figure it out. You'll be dead before you can do that much."
Kazi snarled, drawing her own sword.
Kagome bit her lip harshly, pulling back another arrow.
"You arch enemy is a tentacle monster?" Kazi asked, sounding angry.
Kagome rolled a dry glance to the other woman.
"I'm serious!" Kazi snapped.
"I know." Kagome sighed and launched her arrow.
XXXXX
Thanks! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Starting work on the next one now at …8:15 pm.