A/N: Yo! Fifth chapter, this is this is!! It may suck, but if it doesn't then right on!
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the things that Rumiko Takahashi owns... But I do own this banana! holds up a bright purple banana
Jaded Deceit
Chapter Five: In Persuit; A Mysterious Appearance
By: Kate the Inuyoukai01
A week passed, but there was still no sign of Inuyasha. It seemed to Sesshomaru that the welp had found some way to conceal his scent so he couldn't be found. Most likely a barrier made out of his youki, which concealed spirit energy and scent. He thought that this was being too elaborate. If the bastard wanted his sword so bad, why didn't he just come out and try to claim it like he had when the battle for Tetsusaiga first took place? He sighed and moved his gaze to Kagome.
After the initial shock, Kagome was told of who actually killed her brother and readily volunteered in helping find him. Sesshomaru scoffed at first, but the girl was bent on it, so he stepped aside and let her do as she pleased. He had quickly sent for Ah-Un to help cart the girl around since her ankle hadn't fully healed by the time they went to head back to the Western Lands for provisions. They seemed to take a liking to her right away and she was now going about sorting herbs as the beast moved down the path.
The girl's fiery attitude was indeed entertaining... when it wasn't directed at him. In the first few days of her presence she told him to kindly pull the preverbial stick out of his ass and burn it. A rather rude way of saying 'lighten up.' Though she was rather rude, she was intelligent; adept at reading and martial arts-something common human women weren't usually able to do. And because of her spiritual powers she healed rather quickly.
"Sesshomaru-sama!"
He turned just as she shot an arrow right past his ear. It landed with a hissing sound, barely missing the fire youkai that began scampering back into the forest. The demon's youki was so miniscule he wouldn't have noticed it if she wouldn't have said anything. He raised a brow and turned to go when she stopped him.
"A thank you will suffice, Sessh."
"Do not call me that," Sesshomaru growled lightly. "My name is-"
"Sesshomaru," she interrupted. He thought that this was all she was going to say-and the silence would have been rather enjoyable-until she burst into a fit of giggles, "Fluffy-sama of the West!"
"Silence," he growled as he looked back at her with narrowed eyes.
She shook her head, a small smile alighting her face, "Not until you thank me."
His eyes narrowed further, but he complied. Sometimes it seemed as if she enjoyed annoying him. He tilted his head slightly in a small bow and continued down the path. Anything to keep those ridiculous names from exiting her mouth.
--
The blast from the miko's arrow had injured his right foot. The fire demon hissed slightly as he entered the castle and then a darkly lit room. He kneeled on a tatami mat that sat before a large platform where his master was seated.
"Any news?" a dark figure spoke from the dimly lit room in a rugged young voice.
"Yes, milord," the demon bowed. "It seems that he has added another to his following. A priestess."
The figure shook with laughter, "So, Sesshomaru has found himself a new pet." He leaned forward slightly and amber eyes glowed eerily in the darkness. "Show me her face."
The demon bowed and quickly made a flame in his hand, shaping and forming it into the girl's face.
"T-that face..." the figure moved further into the light, a silver mane rolling over a shoulder cloaked in blood red cloth.
No... that girl is dead... I watched her die! This is IMPOSSIBLE!! He thought as he glared at the beautiful girl. Suddenly, he felt a smile tug at his lips. No, this isn't the same girl... This girl can be just the thing that can bring Sesshomaru to his knees.
"Gather my followers and send half of them to the demon and the other half to capture the girl... I have a plan."
"Yes, milord."
--
Kagome sighed as she lowered herself into the hotspring. Sesshomaru had decided to make camp for the night, so she had taken the opprotunity to take a very much needed bath. She gently scrubbed at her body, removing the dirt and grime from the few days' travel. She had walked little because of her ankle, but the dust from the roads was enough to leave her dirty. She tilted her long hair into the water and scrubbed it as well, then combed through it with her fingers to get all of the tangles out. Afterward, she layed back and decided to look at the healing progress of her ankle.
It was no longer purple, but slightly red and swollen. She let her hand flare up with a blue light, the powers she used for healing, and probed her ankle for a little while. The knot was right above the ball of her ankle, and spread out and around to the other side. She surmised that it would be gone in another week and began to get out when she felt a presence in the trees. She paused, recalling that her bow and arrows were in the grass with her clothes. She concentrated on the presence and sighed in relief.
"Why are you here, Sesshomaru-sama?"
A package was tossed from the bushes and landed on her clothes.
His voice came from behind a tree, "I have taken the liberty of purchasing more suitable attire for you." There was a slight pause, "Do you need any assistance?"
"No!" she blushed and lowered herself further into the steaming water. She realized what she said and slowly reworded, " ...I mean... no, milord. I am in no need of assistance. I will return to camp momentarily."
"Very well."
She heard him turn and go out of the range of the hotspring back to camp. She decided that this would be the best time to get out and dressed before someone else decided to come and check on her. She absolutely hated being worried about. It made her feel weak. She quickly jumped out of the hotspring, putting more weight on one side, and walked with a slight limp to her clothes and the package that lay on top of them.
She picked up the package and felt it's weight. It wasn't too heavy, so she figured that whatever was in the package was silk. She also distinguished a pair of sandals along with it. She knew he wasn't a pervert, but just the thought of a man buying her clothes just screamed hentai.
She heaved one last sigh and untied the thick cord that held the package closed. Pushing aside the parchment packaging and lifting up the black sandals.
She gasped.
It was indeed silk, and it was a kimono with three different layers and a pair of black hakama. The first layer was a black underkimono-which was comforting. The second layer was silver, and the final layer was light blue and seemed to be the same color as her eyes. A black obi and a pair of black tabi, along with a blue ribbon for her hair and the outfit was complete. She gaped at it for a moment before she realized that she was still naked and concluded that a naked miko in the middle of a clearing in a forest full of demons wasn't a good idea.
She quickly dressed, tying the elaborate knots and slipping the fresh tabi over her feet. She slid into the sandals with ease and wondered how the demon lord knew what size her feet were before heading back to camp. As she went she tied her hair into a loose ponytail with the ribbon.
She entered camp to see Souta sitting next to the fire, slipping cleaned fish onto sticks and placing them close to the flames to cook. Sesshomaru was taking saddle bags off of Ah-Un for the night's rest. His back was to her. She went to her pallet of fur and gently sat so as not to get her new clothing dirty.
"Sesshomaru-sama, how long until we reach the Western Lands?" she asked boredly.
Finishing his work, Sesshomaru answered, "We will be taking to the skies to hasten the pace, so it will most likely take a few more days-" He turned and nearly let his stoic facade fall into a look of surprised facination.
She looked beautiful... Other than Rin, he couldn't think of a time when he saw someone who looked this gorgeous. He realized he was staring when she blushed and he looked away.
"After you've eaten you should rest immediately. We leave when day breaks."
--
The man in red growled. He couldn't understand how his followers could be so dense. The orders were breeched by distrust of the demon messanger that he had sent to gather his followers. For this transgression, he currently had his clawed hand wrapped tightly around the little fire demon's throat.
"I said to send half of them to the demon and the other half to the miko," he growled as his grip tightened, "I didn't say to send them here for consultation!"
"I-I'm sorry, milord!" the demon rasped, "They refused to leave without your personal order."
"I don't give a damn!" he howled, "Send them away or I'll be forced to kill the messanger for his outright stupidity!" He chunked the demon, causing him to hit a wall, "Send them off, I said!!"
The demon yelped and quickly ran out of the room. The man gave an exasperated sigh and ungracefully plopped himself down on a feather-filled cushion. He would most likely have to do this particular job himself. If things had gone as he had first planned, the woman would be with him now. That pathetic excuse for a demon lord had no use for a miko as beautiful as she. If he coveted her, as well as the Tetsusaiga, then Sesshomaru would have to give one of them up. The Tetsusaiga would cause for trouble with his lands, for once he had it he planned to wipe out Sesshomaru's defenses and take over the Western Territories for himself.
The girl would be a significant loss as well. It was well known in the demon realm that if a miko was complient enough to bear children with a demon, that the offspring would most definately be full-blooded. If this happened, then Sesshomaru would have a healthy and suitable heir to the throne, thus causing Inuyasha to lose his inheritance. That most definately would not do.
He propped his head in his hand as his elbow rested on his bended knee. He had to find somewhere secluded where he could send his demons to attack her. Then his plan would begin to unfold as it should have in the beginning.
The wench is as good as mine! his mind screamed conceitedly.
