A/N:
Sorry for the long wait, folks! I just couldn't find a good way to put this angst filled, and yet charming, chapter into words. Though I do like the look of it, I would love to hear your thoughts on it. So Read, Enjoy and Review!
One thing, all I can say is poor Miroku.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha!
Hidden Beneath a Smile
Chapter Sixteen: Without Reason
Breath, nice and slow, just breath, Sesshoumaru's mind intoned firmly as he fought to release his hold of the woman in his arms. Eyes slowly bleeding red and for once the inuyoukai were unsure for the reason. Were it because he had a name to place to the man he had been pursuing for years or were it for the simple fact that Kagura was trying to extract herself from him? A growl rumbled in his chest and to distract himself from the last thought he inquired stiffly as he still tried to work his arms from her form. "Houjo, his name is Houjo," as this name formed upon his lips he felt acid build in the back of his throat. "What is his position, tell me everything that you have learned of this man?" He requested, and though he knew that they should be seated for such a conversation, he could not yet let the woman go.
"Let me go," she murmured trying to press herself from his firm embrace despite the fact that she truly did not want to leave. "This is hardly the proper position for this type of talk." Kagura added when he did not immediately do as she commanded.
To release her was a difficult task indeed, because when his arms fled from her body, when her warmth fled from his flesh, he felt as though he had allowed her to fall beyond his reach. Could the woman he had watched over, had cared for and provided for truly mean to walk away from him? The thought caused his eyes to flash briefly, though it went unseen by the wind youkai as he had shut his eyes out of frustration. "Right this way miss proper," Sesshoumaru bade as he lead her to a plush chair, she took the seat with a little laugh, and he on the other hand did not feel the need to take a seat.
"Humph," Kagura snorted, "restoring to name calling just like the old days. You haven't called me that in so long…" that was the inuyoukai's pet name for her when they had been growing up. A name he had not uttered to her in ten long years, a name that he only ever spoke out irritation, a name that he had given her due to -what he claims- her excessive need to not act in any way that would be considered ill-appropriate.
"And you haven't cared for such things in so long."
She grunted at the haughtily spoken comment, shooting her long time companion a heated glare. "I am going to ignore those words for now, because I know that you're not insinuating my ethics have fallen. You're just trying to be a bastard." She replied surly, sticking her nose up in the air trying to look down upon the taiyoukai from her seated position she inquired stiffly. "Do you want this information I have or not?"
Sesshoumaru tried to keep his frown, but his eyes smiled ruining the whole effect. The picture that the woman presented lightened the air a moment for amusement, only Kagura would try to talk down to him in such away in such a position. It was something he had always admired in her personality even if at times it could prove to be quite irritating. "By all means, Kagura, continue." He drawled, he was feeling light for the time being and he was going to enjoy it before reality would come crashing back in and steal the small comfort away.
"Now you want to know more of Houjo," she queried more to reaffirm the knowledge rather then to seek it, at Sesshoumaru's nod she went on. "He is my boss, of course you already know that, his position being the head of internal affairs, however he is always hinting at another hidden position that he holds." Kagura snorted, "says even most of the higher ups are non the wiser to it's existence. It was one of the many comments he had made that lead me to this conclusion. Every time I'm in his presence something crawls up my spine, it is almost like being in the presence of true evil, except that aura seems to dissipate when he is before a large group of people. When he has you, alone you feel as though he is starring straight into your soul, as though he is trying to grasp at it, to own it. I'm not sure if he is the man that has terrorized us for so long, but there's this feeling that I have that makes me believe that Houjo might be the one."
Impassively Sesshoumaru had stood and listened to Kagura's story, swallowing back the growl that nearly spilled from his throat as the fear in her scent wafted towards his sensitive nose. The wind youkai was never fearful of anything, even if she were she would never show it to such a degree that both her countenance and scent screamed of it with such a height that he himself could feel her terror. "I will have his background dug up, I will make inquiries, but for now Kagura I want you to stay away from the agency until we have things figured out."
Kagura leapt up from the chair, knocking it over with force she had exuded in standing to challenge the teriyaki's order. "How dare you, because of your insecurities I will not give up my work." She would not give up her one chance at proving herself without a tooth and nail fight.
In that moment he was tempted to tell the infuriating woman he had known since his earlier years the truth of the mission he had given her, the mission that so clearly gave her a sense of strength. Normally he would have blurted out the words to snuff out that fire, however he could not bring himself to do so, and instead said. "If Houjo is truly what you believe then it is too dangerous for you to remain in his services." No, he could never crush that fire in her eyes, would never forgive himself if he were the cause of death to her spirit. The wind.
Bringing herself closer to him, narrowing her eyes further, she blurted out more information that she intended to keep to herself in her anger. "I could spy on him for you, I could report on his actions his movement, he trusts me enough not grow suspicious if he sees me hanging around. He wants me to work for him, I mean really work for him, and if I pass all of the tests he keeps throwing at me then I could be valuable to you for once and we'll know for sure." She pleaded, "let me prove myself to you for once."
Something burned in Sesshoumaru's chest, something that he could not put a name to as he watched the wind stand before him with a stoic gaze. Yes the wind stood before him, beautiful, peaceful, forceful, soft, and utterly wonderful to be in the presence of, the wind was free and no one could stop the wind from moving as it wished. That was another part that he disliked, he could already tell that were he to deny her this, a part of her would disappear, the part that made her as blissful and serene as the wind. "Do you truly wish to leave me, after all I have done for you," he whispered and then spoke something completely at odds with the wounded breath that washed over her moments before. "The wind is free, never meant to be caged, but too be allowed to flow in time traveling the world unrestrained, in utter bliss. Your are the wind, an elemental youkai so completely tied to her element, that it would be a sin to force you into something, to cage you." Suddenly he looked tired, "do as you wish I will not stop you. Be free Kagura." He turned to leave before his youkai got the better of him and took back all of his words, demanding that she never leave his side.
Swiftly Kagura caught his arm, turning him around to face her. "Your such a baka, I don't want to leave you." Looking away to hide the crimson stain that steadily became brighter as it slashed across her cheeks she spoke words she had always dreaded to say in his presence. "I want to prove myself to you, I want to be worthy of you."
"Why?" His voice was hushed in the sudden tense silence of the room, everything whether it breathed or not seemed to wait upon batted breath as the elemental woman opened her mouth to spout out declarations of some kind. Oddly, Sesshoumaru found his chest squeezing in an unfamiliar way, both being pleasant and unpleasant.
"I-I mean were friends aren't we, I want prove that you can count on me as well, I don't want to be something useless to you." Kagura stuttered out feeling very unsure of herself as those amber eyes stared into her own revealing nothing of their thoughts to her, for the first time she found herself unable to read her childhood friend.
Although the fiery woman before him claimed friendship he could not help but feel as though she meant it as something more. "I have always trusted you, near above all others, there is no need to prove yourself."
"Humph," Kagura quickly looked away from his intense gaze, "yes, you trust me to bring you your coffee and morning news paper. I want the type of trust that you have in Miroku and Sango, hell the trust you have in Kouga would suffice!" She snapped.
Not being able to hold it back Sesshoumaru chuckled lightly, "you do not want the trust I have in Kouga," he stated firmly. "That type of trust would have you the furthest away from me, yes I give the wolf semi-important jobs, but that is only for the fact the he is good at what he does." How did he get the fool woman to believe that she was one of his most trusted, how did he get her to believe that she never was and never will be seen as something useless to him? Perhaps a more blunt approach would sway her hand; "I've never viewed you as useless Kagura."
Crossing her arms as well as her legs, she huffed, "You say that I am the wind, well the wind can seep through the cracks unnoticed as the enemy. Please Sesshoumaru, I have to do this."
Suspiring heavily, the taiyoukai moved across the room to stare out the large windows that always stood at his back while he worked. Those, bullet proof, windows he had installed because Kagura was the wind and he could not imagine having the woman work with him in armored building with no views to the outside. "If I allow you to spy upon Houjo you have to promise me one thing."
Leaping to her feet Kagura came to stand at his back, her ruby eyes watching their reflection cast upon the window as day light rose across the horizon. "What is it, I'll do anything," she queried breathlessly, was he finally going to see things her way? Though she knew that hope was too much to try to grasp at, she still did so.
"That you will not die."
Kagura froze, "I-"
"If you cannot promise then I will not allow you to go through with this plan of yours." He said firmly mistaking her stiff posture for uncertainty in being able to comply with such a wish. Sesshoumaru had to swallow hard in order to squish the growl that almost came bubbling forth, she could not die, he would not lose another piece of his soul.
"I promise, " that I will try. She finished the rest wordlessly, knowing that the stubborn inu would never agree unless he had her full unanimity. She hated omitted things from him, but she would do so if in the end she could get him to believe her to be worthy. She watched as Sesshoumaru let the breath he was holding free and felt herself soften, there was never a day since she had first meet the youkai that she had not felt her heart ache for him. Seeing that he made no moves to do anything else but to stare out the window, Kagura decided that it was time to leave him before he resolved to change his mind and deny her what he had moments ago allowed.
"Kagura," she paused questioning whether or not she should make a run for it, but stopped turning to face him. She was not a coward she would not run from him, not if she was to prove herself worthy. "Have you noticed that Rin is rarely around lately." She could hear the concern heavily laced in his tone and it tore at her chest.
"She and I rarely ever see each other, not since…" not since our fight over you. It was stupid really, and it had ended the many years of friendship with her only best friend other then Sesshoumaru. Every time she saw Rin lately she felt that pang of guilt in her chest, she had been the one to initiate the fight over a rumor, and had the tangible need to reach out, to make things right between them. Kagura just was not sure, if the human girl really wanted their friendship mended; however, the elemental youkai did not want things to stand as they were. "Why do you ask?"
"I have not seen her these past few days, and like you, she had got it in her head to be independent when in actuality her problems were too large to handle on her own." Pinching the bridge of his nose, he moved to seat himself in the large desk chair suddenly seeming very tired despite the fact, for all appearances he was the invincible taiyoukai he always was, she could see it in the gentle slump of his shoulders. "Do me a favor, despite that you both are at odds, find her and try to divulge the reasons for her disappearance from her." Everything seemed to be falling apart at the seams and it felt like he was powerless to stop it.
"I will," she promised as a sting of worry bit at her heart, Rin never withheld anything from Sesshoumaru or Inuyasha. Could the news of his death have troubled her so much that she went and did something stupid? So deep into her thoughts, as she left the office, Kagura did not notice the haunted man that walked passed her to see the taiyoukai.
Sesshoumaru however did notice, and watched impassively as the man strode forward slamming the file upon his desktop wordlessly, waiting for it to be acknowledged and read. Taking the document in hand, he flipped it open and immediately his amber gaze scanned down the perfectly type words. "Were you given any trouble?"
The answer was slow in coming, "no. However I did shove this pistol down Naraku's throat for a comment about Inuyasha, and you don't have to worry about complaints," he forestalled the angry reply, "as then Narku would have to admit to his crime." Miroku then tossed the gun to Sesshoumaru whom caught the weapon effortlessly, looking the smooth metal over thoughtfully before tossing it back.
"Keep it I have another mission to send you," and then went back to reading the document. According to the documentation, Hakujo Higurashi had stolen something of import, but exactly what the object was lied in mystery. There were several places were they spoke of a disk that had the specific information he sought, but that too, had been taken by the elder Higurashi. One line however had his explicit attention, and he read it a few times in order to wrap his mind around its meaning, 'the object had the ability to the destroy the entire society in one fell swoop.' Sesshoumaru shuttered, it didn't matter what the piece was all that the inuyoukai knew was he had to have it before 'he' found it and put it's possible abilities to use. "Apparently your father really did manage something worth killing for, something that may be able to single handily destroy the society. Recall, Miroku, did your father ever mention such a thing or even hint at it."
The monk hesitated in answering again, "as I said four days ago the time for secrets is passed. If were going to get this miscreant then you need to know everything, things I was sworn to secrecy to keep." The ex-agent fingered the gun's hilt from its place in the holster as his side ideally as he tried to put into words his thoughts, "the day my father died he told me under no uncertain terms am I allowed to let harm come to my sister. I did not think that it was important, except that, his final hours were spent with Kagome, and she was there for the chase and even saw him die. She disobeyed and saw everything, still the only thing I was told to do was allow no harm to come to my sister and I failed." The last few words were spoke with such forlorn note that even Sesshoumaru, against his will, felt a pang in his heart, he, too, had failed in his elderly brother duties. "Do you think," the question was slow in coming, reluctant to leave Miroku's mouth, "that perhaps she knew without realizing the knowledge she had?"
"Damn," Sesshoumaru cursed; in a rare show of the limited foul words he knew and would dare to let fall from his lips. "I hope then that she was the only way they could find this said object as I do not think that what ever this object is can be replicated easily or they would not have gone to such lengths to recover it."
"Obviously whatever it was is a lost cause at the moment, perhaps we should concentrate on the disk, maybe its whereabouts are easier to locate." He began to pace in his torrid thought and then said, as he stopped, "the shrine home. My father's office, there was a place hidden in the back that he would keep his most important case files, he had it built because Kagome had a tendency to dig around in there reading things she wasn't suppose to know. She had always been a curious girl." He could not help the found smile that twisted his lips nor he could remove the haunted look of his eyes as he thought about her and little brother.
"I'll have the kitsune's look into it."
"No," he put his hands up in a pacifying manner, "I mean no disrespect Sesshoumaru-sama, its just that there is a booby trap placed round the hidden enclosure that had been placed a few days before my father's death. It is what leads me to believe that the disk might be hidden there and the only way to open it is Higurashi blood."
"Fine then, shall I have the kistunes' give you a warm family welcome or would you rather I have them leave on a family outing?" The question was purely meant for the monk to decide his own mental stability, the youkai was not about to send his second best man out on a mission that would break him. Therefore, the glare thrown in his direction was much unappreciated. "I ask this out of consideration for what you may desire, not for my own amusement. Had I need of amusement I would visit the wolf still at infirmary." He snorted amber eyes upon the documents in his hands, making a mental note to have the spider try to delve deeper into the matter. Sesshoumaru was determined to have the power of which 'he,' obtained, and that of which Hakujou Higurashi had stolen.
"I apologize, Sesshoumaru-sama, for my disrespect." Miroku murmured obediently.
The youkai grunted, "see that you do not repeat it. I could have very well made the decision myself." Under normal circumstances that is the road he would have taken, he was not weak with human emotion and would not have his position questioned, nevertheless Miroku was a family friend. More precisely a dear friend of his brother's, a useful subordinate, and for that reason, the man could practically get away with anything. That little fact was never spoken aloud as knowing him, as the taiyoukai did, he would use the knowledge to his advantage anyway possible.
Unsure, the monk piped up, "do I still have a choice to make, because if I do I would prefer them no to be there."
"Hai, I will make the necessary preparations, as knowing those idiots down stairs, they'll get something wrong like they've been doing nearly all week." Seeing the monk's look Sesshoumaru suspired heavily as he tried to keep the growl from his voice, "Rin is no were to be found and Kagura has got it in her head to be our spy in the CIA."
Normally a remark would have been made from his lips about the taiyoukai's woman troubles, Miroku just did not have his normal zeal to speak such things and so kept silent in that area. "Having been in that line of work, would you like me to speak with her, there is no way that I could return but I can worn her of the dangers she is facing." He offered off-handily.
"Not at the moment no," Sesshoumaru replied lowly, "you already have enough on your plate this evening. Before you go the shrine handle this errand first." He commanded as he placed the papers back into the yellow folder they had received from the spider, then placed the neatly put together document inside his desk drawer that had a magically sealed lock. Only the inu youkai brothers could open it. "We have a traitor in our midst," he began, "a bull youkai that seems to be feeding 'him' information about our movements, or more precisely yours and Inuyasha's." He tossed the ex-agent a colored photo to view, and it was caught single handily. "That is the bull, disgusting isn't he," he spoke acidly towards the bulging figure that looked better suited to be a couch potato then in the high risk job he had chosen, "the new recruit Bruno. Apparently he excels in hacking, more then excels as he had been looking into the resent files that had been created for the two you had stowed away into Inuyasha's penthouse. I call you for this mission as I figure that you would want a semblance of revenge for your fallen siblings, perhaps it will have you on your feet and out of this strange place you've found yourself." His amber eyes watched the unmoving form studiously for any change, and finding none, he went on to say, "for this mission you'll need a special gun made for taking down a youkai of his bulk."
Reaching around beneath his desk Sesshoumaru found what he sought and tossed the long barreled gun to the monk for his inspection. Sleek in appearance, it was quite light for such a large sight, and fit his hand rather comfortably. Taking it all in, the heft, the trigger and the down side of barrel, he determined that it would be an average difficulty for accuracy in long and mid rage but slightly burdensome on short. The length of the gun could easily be cut down by youkai claws or even a sword. Eyeing it under a heavier scrutiny Miroku changed his assessment, this was weapon was fortified with the youkai's own blood. Starting, his eyes flew up to meet intense amber, "I see this revenge is not only mine." He remarked lightly.
"No, it is not, I too want the betrayer to be punished painfully since Inuyasha is not here to do it and I can not stray too far from the office now that Kagura has made this fool hardy choice." Miroku nodded his understanding, knowing the youkai's heart towards the elemental woman even if, like most males, he never spoke of it. Miroku had knack for knowing these things. "These are the bullets for the weapon," he slide the case across the lacquered top of his desk, "they are specially made for the gun, or really the gun for them."
Sliding a bullet from its place among the others, he was shocked to see it winged with tinny blades, and they too were laced with the youkai's blood. "I have never seen-" he cut off with a hiss and dropped the bullet that burned his flesh with a horrible pain. "What the hell was that?" He queried furiously, angered gaze switching the smug youkai before him in question.
"My poison," he answered simply, "they are laced with the venom the drips from my claws."
"Really," cobalt eyes swung to the deadly piece, "then how do you expect me to handle it, I only have human flesh you know?"
Tough leather gloves were thrown towards him, "with these, they were developed for Inuyasha, but they will work for you."
Miroku donned them quickly, "I thought Inuyasha was immune to your poisons?" He curiously inquired, picking the bullet he had previously dropped; he slammed it in to the six-part chamber of the gun.
"He's immune to the effects, but it still burns the flesh worse then acid." Sesshoumaru replied distracted, as his mind was focused upon forcing the remembrances of his battles against his younger brother far from his mind as, despite his want, they were too painful to recall anon. For a half-youkai, Inuyasha was immensely strong, and always gave his elder brother a good work out during their sparring sessions, even winning a few. All of the younger brother's wins were hard earned, as Sesshoumaru was not one to lose to boost up another's ego, even if that someone was a sibling.
"I see," having loaded the gun to its full capacity, he pocketed the other bullets swiftly, placing the gun through his belt loop, "consider the traitor dead." Miroku stood from his seat, taking the black envelope from the youkai's out stretched hand. Having played the assassin a few times before, he knew that envelope contained the details of his mission, everything that the taiyoukai himself had not said, time was of the essence. He could learn of the mission as he walked toward it.
"You are to meet with him on my behalf at the technology unit located on the east half of the docks, he will think it is a request for a job and will be expecting you in two hours." Miroku merely nodded to explanation.
Consciousness came to the inu-hanyou in layers, and he laid in his position upon the floor for a moment as he sorted through his memories for the reason why he had been unconscious in a room that smelled of heavy alcohol and medicinal herbs. As though being bright sided by his brother's fist, everything came to Inuyasha in a flash, and just as quickly he was upon his feet pointing an accusatory finger toward the woman who had slugged him with her famous right hook. "Damn you Kikyou, why'd you have to go and do that?" He queried ferociously; rubbing at his singed cheek that had not even come close to healing.
"Don't you dare take the tone with me," Kikyou began murderously, "how dare you fake your death. Better yet how dare you make me feel the tiniest bit of sadness at you being dead for nothing." Her voice rose shrilly as she paced about the tinny room, clenching, and unclenching her tiny fists.
Immediately Inuyasha descended upon her, slapping a hand over her mouth, "Keep your voice down," he commanded and hissed quietly when her human teeth bit into his hanyou skin. He let go, "what was that for?"
"Don't pretend like you don't know," she growled, "don't you dare touch me again without my permission or else I will run to Narku screaming at the top of my lungs." The miko warned a deadly note to her tone, muttering under her breath. "Only for you do I lose control of my temper, oh how I hate you."
"Look," Inuyasha began, "I don't much like you either, but I'm in a bit of a jam and need some help."
Surprise flashed across the miko's visage; "you need my help? What about your brother, or Miroku, why continue on with this farce when you are so obviously alive?"
He shrugged the comment off, and remarked off-handily, "I've my reasons." With a sigh he pinned Kikyou down with a pointed look, he was not going to leave without first getting the miko to agree to help him and not say a word about it to her mate. That last one was going to take a long battle before he got those words of agreement tumbling from her dark painted lips. "Look," he said leaning against the nearby wall, "I've got three people to cloth and feed not including myself, but I don't really matter. You may not want to help me, but would you turn down Shippo?" He added purposely touching upon a sensitive subject for the miko.
Kikyou narrowed her eyes, "fine, what is it you want?"
Inuyasha grinned, fangs over lapping his bottom lip, "just some cloths for two little boys and a girl around your size and enough food to last the week." He then frowned, the girl was awake again, and he could feel it in the little ball of her resting in the back of his mind. "Don't get none of that crap you wear, I don't want the girl to look like she walked out of a sleazy horror flick."
With holding a scandalized gasp, Kikyou returned naturally. "You never know, she might like it, I mean you are the only one whom does not like how I dress."
Inuyasha barked a laugh, "that's cause you dress in a way that's meant to draw the eyes of other men despite the fact that it covers everything, I don't see how Naraku can stand it, he has nearly just as strong of youkai as myself."
Looking at the hanyou through a slitted gaze, Kikyou suddenly became sly, as she answered humorously, "Are you saying that you hate the way men look at me Inuyasha, are you saying that you have a crush on me?"
The hanyou made a face, "don't joke like that, it's just disgusting. That's like saying I want my sister, if I had one, and that ain't right." He shuddered violently, and then eyed the woman suspiciously, "just don't get her anything like that, I know she won't like it," and Miroku would hate it. He justified to his mind, actually his youkai might not be able to stand being around her without having peculiar thoughts, and he was already having enough of those. Inuyasha was not admitting that he found Kikyou attractive in her outfits, nor was he admitting that his eyes wandered about her form, all he knew was that Kagome would be problematic to be around if she dressed like the Miko Witch. It was already difficult enough having her in his head, having his youkai always thinking of her, mourning being so far away from her when he should have been there for the girl waking up the second time. "Don't get anything that shows too much skin, preferably things cover her completely."
The miko eyed him oddly, "Inuyasha you're acting strange. What have you done?" She moved across the room from where she retreated to keep her distance, when she was annoyed with the hanyou she usually decked him with a miko charged fist. If they were going to get through the conversation she had to keep her distance, this time, however she made an exception as she pulled his face down to better see the irises. He protested to the movement trying to pull away, after a moment she released him, having already seen what she needed to see. "What did you do," she whispered, a feeling of dread welling in her gut, "you have so much guilt and there's something different about your youkai. It's pulling you somewhere, acting against you, what did you do?" She questioned once more.
Inuyasha remained silent as he thought about what to say, he could not lie, as with Kikyou's powers she would be able to sift it out before the fib even before left his mouth. Still what did he tell her, what could he allow that would be close enough to the truth it went undetected. "Some stuff happened and I thought she was going to die," he removed his gaze from the miko to settle upon the door, "I did what was necessary to keep her alive."
"Yes, but at what expense," Kikyou murmured lightly.
Since she understood what he had done, Inuyasha replied icily, "she doesn't have to know. I'll keep her from it and she can remain free."
"Little wonder why your youkai is acting against you," she said airily, "look I'll get what you need together and say that I am gathering it for the societies orphanage for the old lady that stopped by." At his odd look she added, "I know that you'll want this transaction to remain a secret, though I cannot promise that Narku will not find out. If my mate asks me directly you know that I must tell him." At Inuyasha's curt nod, she added, "good then put your charm back on, Narku is getting curious by all of the emotions running through me. Only you could get me to lose my control you know."
"Keh, I doubt he'll start questioning whether or not I'm alive," the hanyou returned after having slipped the charm over his head, "this thing ain't got much time left, meet me over by the International storage unit." His now old sounding voice croaked, he opened the door the room they had been conversing in and left. Kikyou glared at the closed door more then a little miffed that the hanyou would question the intelligence of her mate, then again Inuyasha though himself untouchable.
Leaving the room a while after her cloaked friend, the miko headed toward the storage room toward the way back of the bar where she kept the spare clothes that she could not help purchasing. Ever since that day four years ago when she found out that her womb would never carry a baby, Kikyou had made it her mission to care for every orphaned child that found it's way into the society's orphanage. Hand resting upon the door handle, she sighed sadly, knowing that she would never hear the pattering feet of her own children or the gales of happy laughter echoing from their throats.
Hands rested themselves upon her shoulders, warm breath at her ear. "Koishii, what is wrong, I'm feeling so many things from you right now. It's hard to decipher." Kikyou leaned back into the warmth of her mate, taking comfort from his presence. "Why the sudden anger, why the sadness?"
Kikyou sighed a forlorn note, "there is just so much on my mind right now." Pulling away, she turned to face her mate head on, dragging her emotions under control, she said faintly. "An old woman with the orphanage came by asking for donations, I bought a few things last time I was out and now would be a good time as any to bring them in."
Naraku's lips upturned just the tiniest bit, "I hope that mutt understands what your risking for him and appreciates it." The spider chuckled at the surprise that flashed a crossed his mate's visage. "I pay attention to detail, Koishii, it is my job. You never donate on Fridays, opting for Sunday right before the school days begin so that the children have something nice to wear for school. The dog is only one on this planet that can cause you lose your cool so quickly other than myself, not to mention small traces of his scent cling to you." The amusement she could feel in the back of her head, the space reserved for all that was Naraku began to take its effect over her until she was smiling slightly, trying to resist the urge to laugh as well. "You punched him again didn't you?"
This time Kikyou did laugh, "I did," her mate was getting entirely to much enjoyment out of the situation.
Leaning forward, his lips brushed lightly against her, "for the that alone I shall keep my silence. No one shall hear of this from me, just don't get caught Koishii." The spider implored before leaving his mate to her own devices, she watched him go with a small smile before disappearing behind the door to gather some clothing, guessing entirely for the boy as Inuyasha had given no details to his size.
The office was pitch black despite the fact that it was two in the afternoon, the heavy curtains were drawn forward blocking out the light of the sun from entering the room creating a dismal atmosphere. The old man pacing his way across the burgundy-carpeted floor was at the peek of his annoyance; he had known nothing greater since these past few days. Akihito Houjo snarled fiercely as he thought about it, his own foolish mistake, and the constant disappearances of his grandson. There had been no one of higher intelligence that he could converse with, make other plans with, and that alone would have been enough to set of his short leashed temper. This development had the old man trembling with barely suppressed rage and he had no one to release it on.
Forcing his body still in movement, he tried to wash the anger from his limbs, but it would not leave. Hearing someone enter the room from behind him, Houjo rounded upon the intruder, eyes flashing in his rage. Seeing whom it was he roared, "Where on earth have you been boy?"
Taken aback, Haku responded slowly, cautiously, "I have been around, what has you so angered grandfather?" Truthfully, he had just gotten back on another outing with Rin, the wonderful girl whom was slowly beginning to restore his soul bit by bit. He was going to see her again latter that night to watch the world through her living room window like they had done together ever since that night, such a peaceful experience with her, hearing her even breath as he lost himself in the stars.
"You're disappearing every five seconds and you want to know what has me so angered!" Akihito was practically frothing at the mouth as he slammed a fist upon his desk that he stood beside, "where is it that you're always running off to?"
"I'm always disappearing and you've never had an issue with it before, what really has you so upset?" Haku's voice became steel as he recognized another one of his grandfather's famous tantrums, "snap out of this fit and became the man I know you to be and not a five year old boy." He chastised harshly, gentleness would do nothing for his grandfather, a man that was tougher then diamonds.
For a moment, Haku feared that the old man would say nothing and continue with his rampage throughout the day, but his grandfather surprised him with soft mournful words. "I killed her Haku, the girl, I killed her."
Breath seized in his throat, he was unaware that his grandfather could feel remorse, then dread filled Haku's heart. Who had his grandfather killed? "Grandfather," he questioned slowly, "whom are you talking about?"
"That night, I punished them for your folly, but I didn't realize that it was only the children of the traitor." He bemoaned, "that child, she knows where it lies, but she is dead!" All at once, the rambles made sense to Haku, his grandfather had not suddenly grown a heart, and rather he mourned the loss of their secret weapon against the secret society. The young man felt ill, and with out saying a word of leave, Haku egressed from the extremely stuffy office as the old man wept upon the floor over his loss. Quite abruptly, he felt the need to see Rin's innocently smiling face.
The slosh of the ocean washing up against the docks was music to the ex-agent's ears, the smell of the sea breeze washing over his form pleasantly left him in a state of euphoria. Miroku did not remember ever being so relaxed before an assassination assignment, he was nervous before the act of ending life came about, but in a disturbing way he was looking forward to it. The bull youkai deserved an end such as this for taking Kagome and Souta from the world, from him, and the monk was only so happy to give it.
Patting the gun's hilt that was a heavy weight in his belt upon his left side, Miroku moved away from the dock's edge, treading further towards the unit's entrance. It was this place where he was to meet his pray, as it was this place were his justice would be bestowed upon the miscreant that had taken his away his heart and soul through traitorous betrayal. Ingressing through the eastern technological unit, for the technologies that were sent throughout their own country, Miroku eyed around the quiet enclosure for his prey. Within this thick-walled confines no one would be-able to hear the bull youkai scream out his final breath, nor would they see him fall into death.
"Monk, I hear that Sesshoumaru has need of my services."
Turning to the sound of the question, Miroku chuckled darkly as he eyed in person the creature that had ripped away his last remaining happiness. "You are correct," his hand made its ways to his left side enclosing around the wooden hilt of the gun Sesshoumaru had given him, "and that is to die." Swiftly he shot the bull's leg, insanely; he wanted the creature to know absolute anguish before he put the youkai out of its misery.
"What is the meaning of this," the bull cried out putting pressure upon the wound in his thigh, "I've served the Taiyoukai fatefully--"
Another shot rang out in the storage unit causing the words to die in the creature's throat, "fatefully? You call selling out to 'him' fateful, you're a spy for the enemy and for that the punishment is death." Miroku chuckled at the dear caught in the headlights, the bull finally realized it was about to be run over, "you told him about my sister, about my brother, and now they rest peacefully in heaven." Another projectile was spun through the corkscrew nozzle; the blade studded bullet ripping through the bull's fleshy stomach as though it had been drilled through. The poison of Sesshoumaru's claws must have been taking effect as the hideous creature tried to claw his way toward him after falling from the last blow to make an offensive strike. Miroku fired again as he spat his disgust; "may you find suffering in hell."
His limbs shook as he continued to fire, six shots, reloading it he began again unable to bring himself to stop. He wanted to stop, Miroku could hardly stand the sight of the bloody mass he had created, but he could not bring himself to stop. The bull deserved it, his siblings had been consumed in the fire, their flesh burned beyond recognition. He still had yet to see them, still had yet to make the arrangements for a proper burial, he could not bring himself to go like he could not bring himself to stop firing.
"That's enough," a female voice cried out, "he's dead already!"
In his crazy haze Miroku registered the voice as a threat, spinning on his heal he shot the last blade studded bullet causing the female to cry out in pained surprise. As his bloody haze vision cleared the ex-agent gasped in horror, rushing to the injured woman's side, he fell to his knees hands hovering but not touching. "S-Sango, I…" he breathed fear causing his limbs to shake uncontrollably. Where was the point of entry, he could not find the wound with his eyes as he searched her form madly. "Where…."
Sango chuckled faintly, "its not that bad," she murmured pulling down the hoodie she had acquire from the time he last saw her, revealing her left arm. A long red gash marred her tanned skin, blood spider webbing down the length of flesh, causing Miroku's heart to palpitate in alarm at the amount of oozing crimson. "Don't worry about it," she tried to assuage, but nothing could calm him in that moment, "it only grazed me." If only that were the truth, if only she did not look so pale, if only she did not look about to fall unconscious.
"Sango, It was laced with Sesshoumaru's poison," he managed through his strangling breath. What had he done? In his madness, he had erased another treasure out of his life.
"Oh," Sango whispered, breathless, "is that why I feel so faint?"
He wanted to touch her just to assure himself that her skin was still warm with life, but could not bring himself to touch her with cursed hands. "I'm so s-sorry s-" before he could even finish the sentence, his final treasure pitched forward, conscious light fading from her eyes. Miroku caught her shoulders, shaking the assassin lightly, "Sango?" He questioned, trying to grab her attention, to rouse her to wakefulness. "Sango!" He suddenly screamed, shaking her madly. Seeing her head lifelessly flail to the side, the monk forced himself to stop his hysterical antics, trying to force a semblance of calm to reside over his heart. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he pulled out his cell-phone, dialing in a well-used number.
"You've got a mess, well clean it up, no matter how acidic," the voice claimed cheerfully, "how can we help you?"
Under normal circumstances Miroku would have remarked on how the cleaning crew of the organization copied the kitsunes' in how they answered the phone, but now was not normal. "We've got an enemy down that needs cleaning up, and a friendly whose poisoned with Sesshoumaru's blend." His voice was calmer then he felt, on the inside he was ragging with negative emotion, "the location is the eastern docks of the society, storage unit number two-thirty five-six, homeland technology." He barely registered the reply before he hung the phone up tossing it to the side as he carefully laid Sango prone across the concrete floor.
Leaning forward, a grimace set across his visage, Miroku sealed his lips over the small but deep wound trying to draw up the lethal poison. Sucking, he spat her blood out, then began again his heart beating feverishly. In the back of his mind a voice whispered of his possible death in continuing to perform this action, a voice he barely heard or paid any mind toward. All that he cared to know at the moment was that Sesshoumaru's poison was fast acting and fast spreading, and that if he did not draw enough out Sango had no chance of living. Spitting out one more time, Miroku pressed his ear to the assassin's heart listening closely for the sign of life.
He breathed a sigh of relief when he could still hear the organ's steady beating, drawing a finger down her cheek he whispered faintly. "Sango, don't you dare let go, who else will protect the female population from my wandering hands?" Although he made a slight joke, Miroku did not laugh. "You look cold," shrugging off his long leather jacket Miroku spread it over the upper half of her body, taking the girls dark hoodie over her legs. "There, that's better." Still not satisfied, he drew Sango into his arms, rocking back and fourth as though she were a baby, whispering words of courage, of clinging to life. If not for her then for the mere pleasure of smacking him around every now and then, Miroku made promises to her as well. The most stunning being to cage one side effect of his curse for her, something murmured so softly and so brokenly that he himself did not even realize he spoke it.
There he sat, in unbroken silence, brooding miserably over what he had done for what seemed an eternity and then not long enough. His father always stressed one thing, when charging after an unfriendly when too emotionally involved, and that was never to charge ahead with boiling blood. Though he was the coolest head under Sesshoumaru, it would seem that even he was not enough under the control of his emotions to assassinate -without issue- a man that had aided in the death of his siblings. Knowing the thoughts and feelings that had been running around his conscious, Miroku should have refused the job, but because of his own need to feel the blood of vengeance run through his fingers he ignored protocol for such a situation as his.
Now Sango lay at death's door, and there was nothing else he could do at the moment, other then to wait, to keep her from crossing the thresh hold of this world to the next. Smoothing down her hair he place a chaste kiss at her temple, murmuring more words of apology and regret, all the while hoping that even in her unconscious state the words would make it through.
Miroku barely noticed that the team had entered clothed in their dreary gray, blue, and black uniforms to clean the mess of the bull he had made. A barely distinguishable mass of flesh that had been nearly all burned away by Sesshoumaru's venom, a fate for Sango, had he not acted so quickly to suck the poison from her veins. Being human the assassin would not be able to fend the effects the poison had already taken upon her body with her healing abilities alone, medication and time at the infirmary would be needed for that. Death was still a good possibility for her; however, because he had drained the venom from her she had no risk of dissolving into liquid flesh.
"Sir," a voice began softly at his side, "the unit has been made spotless, the only thing left is to administer the vaccine and transport the taijya to the infirmary."
"All right," the monk replied dazedly.
After a moment the voice was back tinged with impatience, "sir, in order for us to complete the mission you must release your hold of the taijya."
"No."
"Listen," the irritating sound returned, "Sesshoumaru-sama was informed of the situation and has ordered that we are to treat the lass immediately, and should you refuse, we are to detain you until he is able to see you himself. Which is it to be?"
Miroku chuckled humorously as he lifted sightless eyes to the voice that spoke with him, "you try that and I will blow a hole through your head." He said, voice void all feeling, he waved the empty gun around before standing with Sango secured in his arms. The ex-agent moved to leave the unit toward the van that he knew had been waiting for them, he stopped and turned toward the blonde-haired person that had deigned to threaten him, a man that appeared to stand around the same level as himself though a bit on skinny side. "Aren't you coming, I don't want to explain anything, I just want silence, so you are going to tell them that I will administer the vaccine and you all are to leave us be for the duration of the ride."
Being emotionally unstable, visibly so, seemed to ward away all unwanted conversation as well as kept any human and youkai presence alike three feet from his person. He slipped the needle through the skin of Sango's upper arm, trying desperately to ignore the squeamish sensation that had erupted within his gut at the action. The act of physically stabbing something through the girl did not sit right with him, only he had not known that it would cause him to grow nauseous in the end until he had done so.
After making it back to headquarters Miroku refused meetings with anyone whom sought his presence, even the Inu-Taiyoukai himself, unwilling to be wrested from the assassin's bed side until he saw her beautiful cinnamon eyes open from their lengthened time closed. He did not want her wake and be alone; he did not want her to think that his shooting her had made no lasting impression upon his mind. Therefore, with her hand in his, he would wait before dealing with anyone else.
Disbelief still ran through her mind as she climbed the four little steps that lead up to a cute little porch, decorated in a befitting manner for it's owner. Flower pots lined the brick wall at least three feet behind the porch swing, a fantasy Kagura had been privy too years ago. The girl wanted to sit upon that swing with the love of her life and gaze up at the full moon atop a sky blanketed with bright glowing stars. The elemental youkai remember fondly teasing the young romance struck girl when she had shoved both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru from her porch swing when they had sat down to wait for her while she got ready for another one of their adventures. Kagura had teased the teenage girl endlessly, and thinking back on it know she wondered how on earth she had let such a grand friendship fall apart.
Three strong knocks upon the door, no more and no less, a sign of her being on the other side of the wall and not some nameless fiend that sought her attention. Then again, perhaps she know fell under that category, would Rin even disclose such information to her or would she send her away? Before Kagura could ponder the thought at a greater length, the door slowly opened to reveal a very stunned bright eyed, brown haired girl. A woman that the wind youkai had no idea how much she missed until faced with the countenance of the friend she had not long ago cast aside.
"Hello Rin," Kagura murmured, unsure, "are you going to let me in or are you stare at me all day long? Personally I don't have all day and you wouldn't want me tell Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru about this would you?" The elemental youkai laughed merrily as the Rin suddenly tossed the door wide-open gesturing, and pulling, her inside. "Threats like that always got you so animated," she teased, like it were the old days, as she walked into the living room from the entryway.
"Why are you here?" Rin queried slowly as her brain tried to processes seeing her long time, and lost, friend at her front door after so many months of heated separation.
Kagura did not know what to say in response to the question, why was she there? Well, she did want to make sure that Rin was all right after hearing of her sudden disappearance, but more than anything she longed to speak with her good friend once more. "I've missed you," she found the words tumbling from her mouth before she could stop them.
She would have laughed at the stunned shock that passed across the younger girl's visage would it not draw an ill reaction when she wanted nothing to go wrong for this reunion. "Kagura I…" Rin paused at a loss for words, "what are you saying exactly?" She pressed. Kagura moved to remove the charm from around her throat, wanting to have the conversation as her youkai-self and not the human she appeared to be. "Wait, keep it there," and then signed too quickly for human eyes to follow that she had another visitor in the house that was not of the society.
Bemused, Kagura asked, "who could that possibly be?"
"I met him in the park over a week ago, he help me the night I found out my grandfather had died." She explicated, "since then he and I have become something of friends."
"Oh, Rin," the elemental suspired mournfully, "I'm so sorry that I wasn't there for you, that I allowed a stupid rumor to tear apart our friendship."
"It's okay," she whispered in reply a whisper that was saturated in emotion.
"No, it's not!" A pained look crossed her eyes as she looked at her gently smiling friend whom was trying to assuage the hurt in her chest with a look when the woman should want nothing more with her after the incident. "Don't look at me like that, after everything with your grandfather -I know how much you adored him- and now Inuyasha, I should have come to you sooner. After I heard that you'd disappeared without a trace I-" She cut off at the confusion written across Rin's face-"What's with the look?"
Rin opened her mouth for a breath to speak, hesitated nervously, and then asked slowly, "what do you mean about Inuyasha? Kagura what happened," unease and distress were drastically worming there way through her heart the longer the wind youkai stared at her with that pitying agonized look. "Tell me!" She intoned urgently.
Breathing deep Kagura took Rin by the hands and lead her to sit upon the little hunter green sofa in her living room, such information would not be broken well to the girl while they stood. After getting as comfortable as one could get with the level of distress hanging in the air, the youkai let the scalding words slide from her tongue as gently as she was able. "Inuyasha… he's dead." A mixture of tormented disbelief crossed Rin's visage, Kagura could smell the tears that misted her vision long before they became visible, and she felt her heart cry out as it had for the great Taiyoukai. "Sesshoumaru… he's very upset even though he's trying not to show it, and he's really worried about you. I… just talked to him okay, you…. Your presence calms him more then my own."
Though she was upset Rin felt the compelling need to set her friend's mind at ease while she wept both visibly and within her own heart for her dearest friend, her adopted brother. "That's not true, it's knowing that we were both okay that sets that dog at ease. If something were to happen to you his pain would be more tragic then what he would feel if it were me." Tears burned her eyes and spilled over one by one despite the amount of force she incorporated in trying to keep the moisture at bay. "I appreciate you being here Kagura, and I forgive you and I hope that you forgive me and we can try to get back what we were, but I need to be alone for a while."
The elemental youkai stood with a tremulous smile, "I understand," and together they both made way to her front door. Once Kagura was on the other side and Rin was sure the youkai was far away, she place a hand to her mouth as she cried out falling to her knees, tears crashing all around her as her heart tried to vent it's pain in the form of sobbing. Her shoulder's shook, her breath heaving that it became difficult to take in air through her lungs, she barely noticed arms grasping her firmly against a chest. "Haku," she whimpered, "please… just," she was going to ask him to let her be but he placed his hand against her mouth shaking his head. When she made no other words, he held her smoothing down her hair, trying to quite her misery.
He had heard everything from his place just out side of their vision and now knew that the girl he held in his arms held a deep connection to his enemies. What was he to do with such information? Did he tell his grandfather and use her to his advantage? For some reason or another, he never spoke of Rin's connection and proceeded to drive the knowledge from his mind. Still, he could never completely forget, and the information always lingered in the back of his mind taunting him.
Inuyasha leaned against the steel wall of the unit; patience seeping through his pours as patience left him while he waited for Kikyou to show. His charm had long ago worn off and he constantly worried about a youkai member of the society catching his scent upon the wind. He took great pains in staying pressed to the wall out of reach of the slightly moving wind. Still, that was not what had the hanyou in his present foul mood, it was something other then the long wait the miko was giving him; there was another far darker reason in his opinion.
In the back of his mind, the little piece that Miroku's sister had claimed as her own, was stirring with so many emotions that it was making his skin itch. It was always jumping from one thing to the next and Inuyasha could not help the annoyance he felt, why can't she just pick something and stay with it! Even as he thought this he also found himself quite curious of her activities, just what in the world was going on that her emotions would just keep changing at the drop of a hat.
"Inuyasha?" Pushing from the wall the hanyou gave a grunt of acknowledgment, half of his mind trying to puzzle out the things he could feel from that part of his head that now belong to a human girl. Kikyou rolled into view two large suite cases of supplies, and as Inuyasha made a grab for his prize, the miko pulled them back charging with a painfully familiar light. "I'm going with you," before he could make a sound of protest she held up a hand to forestall his words and spoke just as quickly, "I want to make sure the clothes fit. You weren't exactly very specific about sizes, so I've brought along quite few to be sure, and I want to know if I have to revisit my stock. Knowing you, Inuyasha, you won't say a word and allow those poor children to walk around in outfits that are either five sizes to big or too small."
The hanyou snorted, folding his arms over his chest, he shoved his nose in the air, "what would it mater? It's not like they'd be going anywhere anyhow, no one is going to see 'em."
Kikyou gave a small sigh of annoyance, "exactly my point," she punctuated with the smack of her hands. "If they're going to be held up in that safe house for as long as you're going to foolishly keep them their then they at least deserve to be in comfort."
Grunting as he gave in, Inuyasha stiffly inquired, "were you at least smart enough to bring a dark blindfold?"
"Hai, dog," she affirmed, "I wouldn't have made the suggestion had I not. Your so paranoid, isn't my word good enough?" With that irritating smirk she knew well coming into place as his mouth moved to form an answer, Kikyou shook her head roughly, "no, do not answer that?"
His dark eyebrows shot upward, "why ever not Kikyou? Are you afraid of what I might call you on?" His eyes watched her as she moved to place the blindfold over her eyes, and he himself take the suite cases in hand as well as the pack he know noted was strapped to her back. His grin became predatory, "I seem to recall this one time when you and I were sent to Peru….Ack!" He howled as miko energized pebble was tossed at his ear and his hand immediately went to massaging the abused part of his physique as he turned glaring eyes to the Miko Witch demanding hotly. "What the heck was that for?"
"We agreed," she replied acidly, "never to speak of that moment again."
"Tch, it was only in jest and no one else was around," the hanyou sulked," come on lets go." The woman dragged her feet, irritated Inuyasha barked, "what's your deal?" He knew however, having spent so many years in Kikyou's company, and waited for her to start blabbering of shame and pinkie swears.
Pulling her arms from his rough hold, Kikyou returned, "Promise me that you will not mention Peru again." Her lips pursued tightly she added, "I don't want that night to be spoken of to anyone, my own mate even, so I do not want it getting to whomever your hiding out with."
"Your that ashamed, personally, I didn't think it was so bad and neither did Jakostu, who might I add bore your offense quite well." Inuyasha smirked widely, and though she could not see it, her limbs trembled with rage. Most likely that fury had more to do with his sentence rather then the insolent placement of his lips. "Come on, don't get all hormonal on me Miko Witch, I probably should have mentioned Jakotsu's status in the dating world. Though I don't see how you could miss it with the way he kept," Inuyasha shuttered, "eyeing my rear."
"Shut up," Kikyou finally screeched, outraged, "stop taking about this. We don't have time for a trip down memory lane, don't you have people to feed and cloth?"
The hanyou chuckled merrily, "I always have time to revisit old times with you Kikyou," a quick glance around as he suddenly felt a very foreboding feeling in his gut turned up nothing out of the ordinary. Realizing that it was from the emotion's he was getting in the back of his head, the ones that belong to Kagome, had Inuyasha worrying his bottom lip in concern. "Come on, let's get going."
Hearing the stern, almost worried note to the hanyou's tone, Kikyou asked with her own note of urgency. "Is something wrong, did some one see us?" She moved a hand to her blind fold, but was stopped by a strong clawed hand.
"Don't," he said firmly, "nothings wrong. I just left them alone while they were sleeping, who knows what they're doing now. For all I know they could be trying to find a way out of the safe house." Inuyasha knew that was not true, Shippo would see to it and explain the importance of staying inside. At least, the hanyou hopped the kit would comply to his want and keep inside instead of playing around in the sewers.
"Since when did you care about anyone other then yourself," Kikyou snidely remarked as he put his arms around her waist. She was still a bit sore over the conversation of Peru and had yet to bring her tactful self out in the open.
Lifting up the miko, Inuyasha dropped them down the manhole, ignoring her outraged shrieks as nasty water sloshed up all around them. "I never started," trying to walk in higher ground and breath as little of stagnant air as possible he replied distractedly, "their Miroku's siblings." As he neared closer to where the girl he bound himself to for eternity his awareness of her become so intense that it began to drag his youkai to fore. Even as he felt Kikyou tense in his arms he made no moves to assure her as he could not find anything to assure himself at the moment that his youkai would stay on the lease he had placed it under. Tetsusaiga was currently in the hands of his brother and of no use to his current predicament so far away.
Something's wrong.
His youkai voice insisted, such strong intangible words, nearly brought his hanyou body to its knees. There's nothing amiss, he murmured in his mind. There was nothing wrong, everything was perfectly fine, but he knew that his words were a farce to keep his beast at bay. He could not afford to free it with Kikyou in his arms, out of fear she would probably purify him to his human self. He would be a worthless protector then.
There was something very off about the trek to his temporary abode, back there in between the units, he had felt Kagome's distress and now in this putrid place he could feel nothing but darkness, emptiness, pain. She was in pain before the nothing had befallen her, that signaled unconsciousness, that was not as concerning to his youkai as the pain was. It was not death that had blanketed her body from wakefulness, but the pain could have been a multitude of occurrences. The fact that it was a physical hurt tugged even more at the confines of his youkai, and for a brief moment Inuyasha was sure that the beast was close enough for his eyes to flash red. It was good thing that Kikyou had been blindfolded.
She is in pain.
His inner voice bemoaned such a force that despite his want, he felt it to very depths of his soul. What in the world had possessed him to believe that binding himself to the girl in such an ill-effecting way would be beneficial? Miroku's pain had possessed him, and briefly, Inuyasha wondered what it would be like to take the girl fully as his own. How much worse would this awareness be, would he actually know the exact cause of her danger this moment? The mere idea caused him to both shuttered in horror and growl in delight. Apparently, the beast inside thought that such an insane idea was a good one, but then again, the youkai half of himself thought many crazy and strange things were ideal.
Coming to the metal door, Inuyasha set the Miko Witch down briefly to type the correct coding into the panel, waiting impatiently for the door to move aside. Thankfully, Kikyou, knowing the tenseness of his caged creature, kept silent during the entire trip. The door booming to the side, Inuyasha shoved the woman through the door dropped the supplies and rushed through the safe-house nose in the air. He sorted through the scents locking on to the sweet smelling one that he had bound himself to, and made a beeline for its owner.
Kikyou removed her blindfold, and watching in pity as the hanyou, she had known since early childhood made his way frantically through the house. She followed behind at a safe distance, taking in the sights, knowing that if she strayed to close it might push his youkai even further from its chains. Despite the abounding irritation Inuyasha constantly feed to her, she did feel a since of caring for the inu-hanyou, and could not help but feel a sense of sorrow. She knew how the mating worked, and eventually, if he did not take the girl fully as his own, he would be driven insane. Kikyou goose bumped at the thought, and to take her mind from it she took in the sight of the quaint underground home. The entrance, great room, and Kitchen were one large mass in front of the door, and then branching onto either side were two long winding hallways. Inuyasha had made a run for the hall on the right and so Kikyou assumed that it was the one where the girl is located. Feeling curious, she kept following, but never got so close that she would be considered in the hanyou's personal space.
Deep calming breaths seemed to quell the sleeping beast, and Inuyasha tossed open the girl's room to see the kit and the brother weeping over Kagome's sleeping form. "What the hell is going on?" Inuyasha's voice boomed, made powerful by the intense urgency he was getting from his instincts, newly made ones that had arisen after creating the blood bond.
"She was fine a moment ago," Souta informed tearfully, "then she cried out, saying her side hurt, and then fainted."
Nodding, the hanyou moved more fully into the room, coming to rest at the dark haired girl's side looking her over with his eyes. "Kikyou," he breathed, unwilling to speak above a quite whisper least the pain in his voice be known, "show the runts what you brought for them." He ignored her quite gasp knowing that is was made for saying her name without the usual rancor in his tone, he always called her Miko Witch otherwise.
After the boys were ushered from the room, he drowned out their chattering voices as they moved further and further away from the room. In trepidation he ambled onto the bed at her right, it was obvious his blood had exhausted her body beyond normal heights to heal her completely. Why her side still pained her he could not be sure of, but it could be that she healed so quickly that her body had not quite grasped the idea that it no longer had a gapping wound. Without his say, clawed fingers began to trace the out line of the girl's jaw in gentle touches. She was not that bad to look at, but the hanyou refused to entertain such thoughts, not for Miroku's sister. At least not without first gaining the permission of his friend, and he would never ask something of this magnitude from the leach.
This girl, he thought tiredly as he was watched her peacefully slumbering features, was going to be the death of him. He could feel it, as well, he lay propped up by her side, and he was already contemplating doing something that would ease her pain while entrenching her more firmly to his person. Though his youkai screamed for him to do so, wanting anything that would draw him closer to the girl, he himself balk at the idea. The reason mates felt so at ease in the presence of there other half was that they both shared blood. Especially potent if the two were both youkai or one was youkai and the other Miko, the ability to heal was stronger and entirely more soothing when in the aura of the other. Though she was only human, if he took her essence into his system, her aches would be soothed away no matter how intense they were. Apart they would hurt like the fiery depths of hell.
The girl groaned beneath him, her eyes fluttering open shining confusion. "Do you still hurt?" Inuyasha inquired softly, trying to remain as still as possible least he awakened more thoughts that he did not want to contend with. For some reason, his blood called to him so strongly within her veins that he was -in this short time- finding his resistance-crumbling bit by bit. He, however, was determined to stand strong despite his urges to do otherwise and he refused to break.
Remembering the occurrence that had caused her to loose touch on consciousness, Kagome sat up quickly, her eyes searching wildly for the frightened faces she was so sure to find. "Where are Souta and Shippo, I didn't scare them did I?" Moving down the length of the bed, or she would have had she not been restrained, Kagome stared upon the hanyou an askance.
Inuyasha snorted in disdain, upset that she was more worried about her sibling and the kit then her own well being, while finding the sentiment admirable. Such confusion his mental state had become from bonding, or nearly bonding, to the girl that it was difficult for him to separate his own emotions from that of his instincts were causing him to feel. Then again, as he watched the quite worry swim within her depths, he wondered how much of it was actually instinct. "Tch, you should be more worried about yourself, girl," he responded harshly, and then seeing the upset surrounding her as well as feeling the cascading emotive drown him as though it were his own before he softened for her again. It was utterly preposterous, she was adding her humanity to his own, making him turn to mush on the inside while he could barely grasp unto his cold outer exterior to save face in front of her. "Those runts are fine, I've got Kikyou keeping them busy with the crap I had her bring over." Why try to assure her of anything? He had never done so before, never caring to place anyone at ease; but then again, he had not nearly mated -married in human terms- another person. He had never acquired for himself such a connection with another living entity, one cementing the soul to another, reveling all of the other to it's owner. Inuyasha was just ecstatic that he could control his side of things, made sure, due to being a youkai and having to worry about mind readers and the like, that he could place mental blocks around his mind. However, it did help that he had not taken her blood into his veins as well.
Not for the first time, the hanyou questioned what it would be like to have solidified this union. How much more intense could this binding tie amount to were he to do so? He watched through half distracted eyes as the young woman's face scrunched in confusion, "Kikyou?" Kagome inquired, and then shook herself from awaiting an answer, "I should still see if they're okay." The raven haired wench swiftly bypassed his staying arm, a well practiced movement of her body, and made as if to leap from the bed but the hanyou had another thing in mind. Although, his life essence had healed her wounds and was steadily making her stronger then a normal human, such creatures still found exhaustion fatal to their health.
A growl tearing form his throat, Inuyasha pounced upon the girl, pinning her to bed. "You," he emphasized with a nip on the nose causing her still, barely keeping himself from biting at her throat, "need to stay in bed. Even if the skin isn't broken, you still gotta rest. My blood took a lot outta ya apparently if you're passing out from the merest of exertion." This is gonna be a long week, Inuyasha thought merrily, as he found from this experience that he was going to have trouble containing himself in more ways then he had now. Pack instinct, did not some one he had heard conversing upon the subject say such a thing does not occur with a human until at least a week into the process? Sensing the unease and shock in Kagome, the dog-eared hanyou pulled back from her form and muttered a quick "sorry," beneath his breath.
Settling back down, Kagome looked upon the dog in consternation, questioning stiffly. "Well, sense you won't let me leave without attacking me, can you at least get Souta and Shippo to come in here so that I can see for my self that they're all right?" Getting a weird sense in the back of her mind, a balled mass of something foreign that Kagome would leave to question later, she knew that hanyou was going to refuse her request. This tingling sensation was something akin to what she had felt before waking the second time; the thought echoed distantly in her mind as she spoke hotly before the hanyou could come up with his reply. "Don't you dare refuse me," she cried, "or else I won't rest and I'll work myself to the grave!" The threat was stupid, it had the man growling deep in the back of his throat eyes flashing red, but for some reason Kagome could not bring herself to back down. Some strange emotive urging refused to release its hold upon her will. Yes, she wanted to make sure the two were all right with her sudden feinting, however, Inuyasha looked positively murderous currently from her verbal attack. The raven-haired girl knew that if it were not for these strange strands pulling at her from that intangible spot at the back of her head, she would have consented immediately to the rage spewing to the surface in the man.
"What was that," Inuyasha snarled, a guttural sound, fangs bared. It was the most idiot coercion the hanyou had ever had thrown his way, a harm to herself, and yet it had pulled at his ire worse then any other he had ever had the grace of hearing. It was inherent, deeply ingrained, to attack and kill anything that threatened a mate's health and the moment she herself had just done so. The bonding ritual had never been completed; there was no reason for him to be feeling such ancient and primitive instinct. He had no love for the wench, he had no deeper ties then the monk with her, and yet his blood insisted, demanded, that he make her more then an almost mate. The confusion surrounding him, suffocating him began to fuel the fire of Inuyasha's rage.
What ever it was that had Kagome to act in foolish bravery fled causing her to eep out with a wide-eyed stare, "nothing!"
Bringing himself up in height for intimidation reasons and nothing else, "It sounded like you were threatening your own health to get your way." He snorted, "brat." He spat.
"Inuyasha," a voice shrieked from the doorway causing his plush white dog-ears to plaster themselves to his skull, "if you can't handle your actions then vent somewhere else your scaring the girl's brother with your brusque treatment." The hanyou turned to see the Miko Witch standing at the doorway hand upon her hips, foot tapping impatiently on the floor, and two runts freshly clothed hiding behind her none to successfully.
Plopping down upon the bed, bringing his arms to cross over his chest as a petulant frown pulled at his lips, Inuyasha replied sulkily. "The wench was the one threatening her own health, not me." He ignored the outraged squawk from the girl at his derogatory name.
Kikyou shot the dog-eared man a sympathetic look, having first hand experience with the contract of which he had sealed with his blood, there were countless times were she had to face the same with Naraku. The feeling was maddening to contain, unsatisfied without finding some small egress to express itself. "I understand, but they don't," she whispered in level that only Inuyasha and Shippo would be able to catch in stale air of the safe house. "Now scram dog-boy, so I can fit her for an outfit as well, and don't you dare start growling at me or I'll tell your brother your still alive." Kikyou grinned at the hanyou he snapped his mouth shut; finally, she had found a way to silence that irritation.
Jerking from the bed, Inuyasha grumpily ambled past the Miko Witch, muttering for her ears lowly, "she finds out anything of what it means to share blood and Peru won't be a distant memory any longer." The hanyou took pleasure in the way her eyes nearly bugged from her head and the gasp that fell precariously from her painted lips. Stalking from the room, still carrying the airs of a predator, he left the two women to their own devices.
The two had spent hours upon hours in the room alone, the Miko Witch placing a ward against listening around their enclosure, which irked Inuyasha to no end. Constantly he had been wondering over the tales that Kikyou could possibly feed the girl of his character, most of, which were hardly pleasant and even less of good testament to his personality. When the time came for the miko to return home, the two had spoken for well over twelve hours, only stopping because the woman claimed to feel Naraku's worry at her prolonged absence. When asked what their conversation had entailed, he had been utterly refused, causing Inuyasha to worry over the topic, especially seeing that Kagome kept shooting him odd looks. As the hanyou laid down for bed after the long day, he realized that he had forgotten to demand to see the clothing the Miko Witch had provided for the girl, he would just have to see to it on the marrow. Inuyasha just hopped that it was not something closely relating to Kikyou's own wardrobe. That would be disastrous, both for his and the miko's health that is if he survived long enough to inflect any deadly harm upon Kikyou.
A/N:
Sorry again for the long wait, again, I just couldn't figure out how I wanted this chapter to go exactly as there were so many major points going on that I wanted it all to flow just right. I'm still not sure of whether or not I have exactly gotten that effect, bit I am satisfied with it. Tell me what you all think! I eagerly await your comments and thoughts on this chapter.
Thanks to: wah so, MyFav. Anime, fire and Demon Exterminator Barbie for your wonderful reviews, I truly love reading them. They always brighten my day to see one in my email inbox!