Chapter 3: Bought
They found it hard to defeat something that was their opposite, a force that was created solely for their destruction. It further made no one want to buy her. He could see the light. Within a few months she would be his to do whatever he desired with. He smirked. He watched as another demon was turned to ash. He had thought he could beat her if he kept his distance, but she had defeated her enemies easier at a distance, especially with her newly acquired bow. She was slowly but surely learning how to wield her powers during her matches. But it also explained why she had barely any scars, with the few exceptions to the star shaped scar on her hip, and the scar from the laceration on her breast. Other than that, she was free of scars. One would have thought that she would have had more scars than that with how often she was forced to fight. There was no day off for her now, even with her recent victories. But she knew why they had her fight everyday. They wanted her to lose. They wanted her to tire out and lose. She knew that they would soon resort to dirty tricks to get her to lose. No one went nearly as long as she did undefeated. They wanted her to lose.
She fired another arrow and he dodged, but it still managed to graze his arm, causing him to hiss in pain. He growled and moved in closer, running in zigzags to confuse her, but she fired her arrow and it went through his shoulder before he grunted in pain and turned to ash on the wind. Another victory for her, one she managed to go without injury to get. She went back into the locker room as the next fighters came forward. She knew her time was getting closer, but still no offers of a teacher. She figured they had done something to scare them off so that when the time did come and no one bought her, that her fighting career would be put to an end and she would be forced to please men for the rest of her life. She didn't want that. She wanted to continue fighting until she was free, and even then she would continue to fight, because it was the only thing she knew how to do. She had no other skills. She wanted to rely on what she knew how to do. The only way she figured she'd be able to do that is if a lord employed her to their army, but there were no lords that would let a female be in their army. She wasn't sure what she would do.
..
He looked at the female. Yes, she was strong, so much more now that he knew she had the powers of a miko. He could get her the training she would need to control all aspects of her power. He wasn't sure where it would go from there but he figured if she proved promising then he'd find a better use for her, beyond that of the west's army. He was approaching the man now that would give Kagome to him when the time was right. He would pay now and the moment she turned fifteen, she would be brought to him. No one would be able to say otherwise.
"Sesshomaru-sama, nice to see you. What can I do for you?"
"I wish to purchase one of your adult fighters." He took a seat in front of the older man.
"Which fighter would that be?"
"The undefeated woman fighter, Kagome I believe her name is."
"Yes, such a promising young woman, beautiful as well." He looked to Sesshomaru. "She will not be had cheaply."
"This I know." He pulled a sack from his haori. "Am I right to think this will suffice?" He placed the sack on the table, in front of the man. He picked it up and weighed it before looking into the contents. It was a nice amount, more than he expected one to pay for her. In fact the fact he had no one coming to buy her was odd, but he wouldn't pass up this amount of money. No one paid this much for any fighter or brothel girl.
"Yes." He placed the money in a drawer. "Shall I have her fetched now?"
"No. I will come to get her the moment she turns fifteen. I am sure you know when that is." The man nodded. "A pleasure doing business with you." He stood and left. He had other things he had to do, like have her room prepared and to inform his father of what he had done. He would also have to track down Totosai. The black smith liked to go missing and usually hid near volcanoes so finding him shouldn't be too difficult. He also had to find a better seamstress. The current one was getting old and often mixed up colors. He had already had to get rid of the pink haori she made for him, when it was supposed to be white with a red sakura pattern. His father kept her around only because she had been employed by the clan for hundreds of years. His father did not wish to get rid of her just yet, but they still needed another seamstress. Having two could not hurt, especially coming closer to the festivals they held. Two would be needed then to make sure everyone was ready on time.
..
Totosai felt a shiver pass down his spine. He gulped and looked around. It seemed that someone was looking for him. He didn't know what to do, but he knew if it was Sesshomaru, that if he ran, Sesshomaru would make him pay, so he would stay where he was. He hoped that Sesshomaru wasn't here to demand a sword that was stronger than Inuyasha's, Sesshomaru's half brother. He sighed when the feeling past. But he jumped when a voice pierced through the sound of roaring flames.
"Totosai, I need for you to craft a sword and bow for me," Sesshomaru said.
"I told you, I will not make you a sword that is stronger than your brother's sword."
"The sword is not for me, and Inuyasha is only my half brother," he said coldly. "The sword and bow are for a miko I am buying from the arena. She is strong and will need a sword that is better suited for her."
"Then there will be a few things I will need for you to retrieve for me before I can craft a sword and bows and arrows." He seemed to be thinking. "It will be difficult for you to get the items and for me to make them. But it can be done."
"What is it I need to get?"
"Let's see, I will need a blessed rosary, the water from the sacred springs on mount Hakurei, the bark from the tree of ages, the hair from a dragon's main, the embers from mount Hiei, the bones from a water nymph, the scales of an ancient dragon, as well as the fang of a dragon. I have everything else I need for the sword and arrows."
"Very well. I must see my father as well." And he turned and left as silently as he had come.
"Something new for me to do." He grinned and gave a cackle. At least it wasn't Sesshomaru asking for a sword that was stronger than his brother's.
..
"Father," Sesshomaru said as he entered his father's study.
"Yes, Sesshomaru?"
"I have bought a new fighter from the arena."
"Where is he so I can have a look at him?"
"It is a female fighter and she will be here in a few more moons."
"We don't need female fighters, Sesshomaru," he tried to reason.
"Even a female fighter that has gone undefeated her whole life?" His father looked up at him. He knew what that look meant. "She is a miko and I have already paid for her and found a teacher for her to learn how to control her powers. I have already found Totosai and will be leaving shortly to gather the materials he will need to make the sword and bows and arrows."
"Why do I think there is more to you buying her?"
"Hn. She seems to be a promising fighter. If she is not then I will find a better use for her, either fighting back in the arena or whatever else I can think of."
..
She fought hard, harder than before and she was close to her first defeat. She did not want to lose so she dodged and rolled before digging deep within herself. She dodged and the fast male demon almost landed a blow, but a barrier came up and blocked the attack before expanding the barrier and throwing him back, purification coating his form and causing him to cry out in pain. He didn't die but he was unable to move and knocked unconscious, naming Kagome the victor of this fight. She left the arena panting, a light coat of sweat covering her skin. She had minor scratches on her body, but those would be gone by morning. She was glad she had no more fights today.
..
The tree of ages, he knew was in his brother's forest. No one knew how old it was but he had to travel through it if he was going to get what he needed. It was easy enough to get the hair from a dragon's main, the bones of a water nymph, the scales of an ancient dragon, and a dragon's fang. His family was on good terms with a group of dragons that resided in the mountains of the west. The leader gave up a few scales while his sons gave a hair and a fang, all three of them were extremely strong. He had to kill a particularly strong and nasty water nymph before he could get the bones.
He approached the tree and looked up at it. It was old and wise so he placed his clawed hand on the bark. It seemed to pulse for a few before it stopped. He removed his hand and the bark there flaked off in large chunks. He picked it up and placed it in Ah-Un's saddle bags with the fang, scales, hair and bones, all of which was in different sacks. He would ask the miko here for a blessed rosary and make his way to mount Hakurei for the sacred water. Mount Hiei would be harder. The fire demons there were said to be harsh and untrusting of outsiders.
"What are you doing here, you bastard?" A voice scoffed at him.
"It concerns you not, half breed," he stated as he headed for the village.
"I'm still talking to you!" He pulled his sword from its sheath.
"I am not here to harm your precious village, Inuyasha. I am here for a word with the priestess." He continued walking and his brother jumped in front of him.
"What do you want with Kikyo?" He growled.
"Nothing that concerns you." He brushed past Inuyasha and saw the miko Kikyo walking around the village, bow and arrows in reach. "Miko," he called.
She turned and pointed an arrow at him. "What do you want, demon?" She spat, eyes narrowed on him.
"I require a blessed rosary."
"A blessed rosary?" She found it odd for a demon to be asking for a blessed rosary.
"Yes."
"What would a demon want with a blessed rosary?" Her eyes narrowed even more on him.
"It is none of your concern," he replied, cold eyes narrowed on her. "It is not I that needs it."
"If that is all," Kikyo said. She lowered her arrow and threw forth a cloth. "What you requested is in there."
He caught it and looked to see the rosary. He turned and walked away, back to his two headed dragon. He placed it in the saddle bags and started back off through the forest.
..
She fought hard, and was rewarded with another victory. She had not gone unharmed, a large gash was placed in her side and across her breast, opposite of the other scar. Both were bleeding freely, but she stood strong and was determined the winner. She had knocked the demoness unconscious and walked back into the locker rooms, a medic coming to her aid. He sat her down and pulled off the leather tunic before looking over the gashes. He placed pressure on both gashes as his assistant came. They both made quick work of sewing up the injuries before placing a salve over both.
She found it odd because the medics usually only saw to facial damage. There must have been someone that purchased her. That was the only explanation, which meant she was getting away from the second path for women fighters. She was not going to be a male's play thing. She was happy and it was what helped her sleep at night.
Author's Note: Here is the next chapter. I'll be posting chapters as I write. I currently have four more chapters for this story, but want to get more reviews and write another chapter before I post the next chapter. But as always, read, review, and ENJOY!