Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha
Beta: Tokahlia (you're awesome!)
"Thank!" to my reviewers: KalGal, Veraozao, KillerQueen18
A White Rose_A Kiss of Desire
Chapter 6
Kagome arrived back to camp just as dawn broke through the horizon. She was greatly surprised when she noted how early it was as she felt very well rested. She really did not want to return to the group mainly because of InuYasha (he was bound to be in a grumpy mood after losing to Sesshoumaru) but she could not abandon her other companions, especially her kit, Shippou. She noticed that InuYasha had not returned yet and was glad for it. A confrontation with him was not what she wanted; especially so early in the day. She made her way to where Shippou laid inside her sleeping bag and sat near him, leaning back on a tree. Kagome made herself comfortable and firstly laced her index finger with her reiki before waving an intricate symbol in the air. The blue symbol hovered in the air and she reached her hand out and into it. Her hand sunk in like water.
"Art of sealing: Memoir of Higurashi Shinou." She whispered.
Kagome pulled her hand back after she felt an object contact her hand and grabbed hold of it. An old leather-bounded book that appeared to be well preserved came out of the seal within her hold. As soon as the object came all the way out the symbol dispersed like a popped bubble, first shimmering out then exploded softly. Kagome watched and could not help but felt very proud of her accomplishment; her aura spiked in satisfaction and happiness. With a smile on her face she leafed though the book and stopped once she found her page-marker. Kagome gingerly lifted the pressed-flower paper to her nose and softly inhaled its scent, the sweet aroma of peach blossoms caused her fingertips to tingle pleasantly Sighing in fulfillment Kagome opened her eyes, which she hadn't noticed she'd closed, and placed the book-marker down and began reading.
Author's note: Peach blossoms means generosity and bridal hope.
It was not until 47 minutes later that InuYasha sneaked back into camp. His effort in making sure that no sticks snapped was for naught, for as soon as he was within a short distance outside of the Inutaichi's camp perimeter Kagome's soft voice chimed through the serene morning atmosphere.
"How was your night, InuYasha?" She spoke airily without looking up from her book.
InuYasha body froze and his heart constricted in fear. This only lasted for a short period however, instinct stubbornly rose to the surface, making him irritated and angry at her 'insolence'. He was the alpha after-all.
"What I do is none of your concern, wench!" he voice carried crudely to her as he entered the camp's clearing stomping open-legged, not minding in the least that he would rudely awaken his sleeping companions. Seeing that Kagome paid him no mind and continue to read as if he was not there caused his pseudo anger to become genuine.
"Where's my breakfast, wench? Make yourself useful before I destroy that scroll!"
'Why did I return again?' Kagome mentally asked herself then soon saw the answer to her question from her peripheral vision. Shippou's serene face that quickly crumpled in displeasure due to the Inu Hanyou's loud voice and rude stomping. 'Maybe I should take him with me...'
"Oi! Pay attention when I'm talking to you, b*tch!"
Kagome's narrowed eyes aimed at InuYasha in a flash. "Osuwari!" she snared and unconsciously practiced infusing her voice with reiki, causing InuYasha fall quadruple in damage. The impact was so strong that the ground shook like a mini earthquake. Kagome exhaled harshly a tussle of blue reiki-like tongues of fire. InuYasha did not have time to registered what happen as he lost consciousness after the fatal fourth* syllable.
"Kagome-sama"
"Ka-go-me...chan"
Kagome turned to the voices and quickly turned away with her teeth clenched at their scared expression.
"I will not apologize. He provoked me." She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest stubbornly. The silence was tense. Kagome was really feeling the pressure and decide to break the silence. "I..." She almost faltered before swelling her chest with air and continuing on. "I have decided to leave this group." she began softly as her hands unfolded and moved to hug Shippou's small form into her body. Her eyes remained on his still sleeping face as she caressed his sunset color hair.
"Why? What? Why? Is it because of InuYasha?" Sango asked rapidly.
Kagome smiled softly, sadly. "Should I stay when my safety is no longer his main concern? Should I allow him to stand aside when a threat on my life gets ignored? My words no longer reach him Sango. What would you do in my place?"
The two females eyes connected and Sango had to looked away in shame. Her selfish desire was for Kagome to stay no matter what. She had all but lost a brother and she didn't want to loose a friend she considered a sister. It took a lot of her, but it was only then that she acknowledged that she had turned a blind eye to what Kagome had to go through. Miroku had remained silent, now turning serious eyes to the time-travelling miko and, shuffling around to seiza position, he bowed to her to hide his eyes.
"Thank you for all you've done for us thus far, Kagome-sama. Though I am saddened to see you break apart from us, I am forced to see that it is for the best." Sango whipped around to stare at him, but his overly formal position and tone kept her quiet. Even though he spoke formally, he couldn't hide the growing sadness in his voice. He looked up and their eyes met. "Just know that our friendship will not change from your departure."
A White Rose_A Kiss of Desire
Ruby red eyes stared blankly at the numerous Shikon fragments that was placed on a compact size mirror that laid innocently on the table before him. Naraku was having one of his down time moment where he let himself forget about everything evil and just let his mind wander. If one of his minions or even an enemy were to see him, which was unlikely, seeing as he knew through his network of spies their each and ever location, they would have to do a quadruple look because none would believe their eyes that someone of Naraku's character, the epitome of evil incarnated, could possibly look so relaxed and... well, un-evil. He did not have a sneer on his face. His aura was not emanating evil: beware-not-to cross-me. He looked like a harmless beautiful doll that you could not help but stare at.
"What are you up to, Miko?" He murmured as his index finger moved to play with one of the darkened Shikon shards, moving it back and forth as he was lost in thought. His hypnotizing red eyes moved to the sharp shard under his fingertip and he brought it up to his eyes, placing it in the light and absentmindedly studied the many colors that reflected from the sun's ray that shined in from the open shoji door to the private garden.
A heavy sigh left his lips and Naraku leaned back, letting his body fall backwards. He took no notice as his body collide none too gently with the tatami floor. His obsidian black hair splayed around him like a dark halo contrasting greatly with his light, sallow skin tone. He closed his eyes and let his body relaxed further. Being evil all the time was really frustrating and tiring. It was at this kind of time that he question as to why he is the way he is. Why was it that he had to act the way he acted? Every one of his questions led back to the bandit Onigumo. He, Naraku, was created from the hatred, jealousy and vengeance of Onigumo. He was an abomination, something unnatural. Was it even possible to be good when you were created from evil? How was it that he came into existence in the first place. Evil is not something tangible. It is more of an idea and intention and actions that would damage others in any shape or form.
Naraku sighed again, this time his mind drifted to a random information that he had came across while reading during one of his many bored hours. The text he read came from the distant land. The text was that of the people's religion and talked about many things, one of which was about the origin of evil, the devil Satan. At the time, Naraku had scoffed and disregard the information all together. The only value he deemed the text was it made good entertainment for his boredom. Really, if Inuyasha and his group had been any slower in finding, then springing his traps Naraku would have to wait another fifty years before his revenge was however, he was mildly tolerant of the idea that he might have came into existence because the devil might just be bored enough to give Onigumo's evil intentions sentience. Naraku smiled at the thought, then he chuckled. 'What are the odds that I was created out of boredom?'
Naraku sat up at a knock on the shoji screen. Setting up the effortless barrier Naraku deemed his usual face and spoke his approval for the one waiting to come in. Kanna stepped into the room, shutting it behind her. Of course Naraku had recognised it was her, she was just a detachment of he, but the fact that she was here with him caused his eyebrows to knit minuetly.
"What is it Kanna?"
Kanna said nothing, she meerly presented him her mirror. Naraku eyed her before he turned his gaze to the shimmering mirror's surface. He watched as the mirror image focused and a projection of Kagome and the Kitsune kit appeared. The two were alone in a field of flowers. Kagome was telling the kit that she would like for him to stay put and not wander off while she practiced her ribbon dance. Naraku frowned at what she said. 'Ribbon?'He was not sure what she was on about until he saw her brought out a string of silk ribbon that was connected to a thin stick. His thin brow raised as his interest was peaked.
Then she moved.
Never in his life had he seen anything like it. His expression betrayed him as a look of absolute fascination appeared on his face. He felt his blood rushed faster within his veins just was his heart would have beat erratically if he was to still have it within his chest. It was a strange mixture of emotions that had him acting like this. For one, he had to admit that she did look a lot like Kikyou, who, even though he hated himself for admitting it, he had once had feelings for. Secondly, his youkai and more calculating side saw how she could be used. She was alone and probably had the power to destroy armies if only trained and broken enough.
His sadistic smile appeared yet again on his face.
Oh yes, and he was the perfect man to break her. He had done it to her predecessor, how hard could a fragile, alone thing like her be?
Just as he began to start scheming on how he should approach her his irritation spiked at the sight of the frustrating, pain-in-his-side, Lord of the West, Sesshoumaru appeared within the mirror scene, silently making his way into the floral clearing that Kagome was currently occupying. The Western Lord leisurely leaned on a tree that gave him perfect view of the miko and watched with interest-as much his stoic face could express.
"Hahaue!" Shippou shouted as he rushed to Kagome's side at the sight of the Western Lord. Naraku watched, an unseen observer of this drama.
A White Rose_A Kiss of Desire
It was the first day after Kagome had left the group and she was determined to figure out her own, close-range fighting style. She was not particularly knowledgeable with the sword or any form of weapon really except for the bow and arrow, but even then she hadn't really mastered that weapon either, yet. Kagome had been pondering on what kind of close range weapon she should use and the only thing that came to mind was her ribbons. It was something that she was familiar with as she was accustomed to it in her gymnastic days. Another reason she was leaning toward her ribbons was because of her fondness for infusing her reiki in her hands and into objects as of late. Once she had perfected the skill it had become kind of addicting, she had realised that she needed to get control of her impulses when she had been infusing her toothbrush because, she had tried to reason, you never knew when a youkai would decide to attack. Still, it was quite funny when she reminisced on that particular thought. Kagome could just imagine the looks on the demons that she would have to face, faced with her choice of weapon. Oh the deadpanned expression. That would be priceless, not that she would take a picture of it. No point in keeping tangible memories of your dead enemy right? Well, maybe of Naraku just cause he was quite attractive. Hey, he may be her arch nemesis but she isn't blind.
Now where was she? Oh right, weapon. Ribbon it was then. Now she just had to see if it would work and that would mean stopping and beginning the actual practice. 'I just hope that I can still do all the moves.'
"Shippou, honey, we'll stop her for a while. Don't wander around okay?"
Shippou gave her a curious look, his head tilted slightly to a side. "Why are we stopping? Are you hungry, mama?" turning his head to sun determining the hour.
Kagome shook her head. "No, I was just thinking that it would be a good time for me to try out something. I want to see if I can use my skills with the ribbon for battle."
Shippou frowned. "Ribbon?" he knew them as objects women tied into their hair, often more than they needed and as things that he used to hold up unruly hair. The young kit worried for his mother for a moment, the toothbrush fiasco replaying in his mind. 'That might be it!' He nodded and let her place him down from her hip. He watched in interest as she drew one of her squiggly symbols in the air and pulled out a...stick? Comprehension came to him when she saw that the then stick was connected to the ribbon, a very long ribbon.
"So what are you going to do with that? I don't get it."
She smirked. "You'll see."
Kagome twirled the ribbon on the ground a few times, then began to try (and fail) at doing a routine she had half-forgotten from before. Seeing the humorous glint in Shippou's eyes she blushed and tried again, only for the ribbon to fall flat.
It continued on like this for a few minutes, until Kagome realised that she should really be practising again, instead of trying to do it perfectly in one go. Over the following days her skills gradually improved until she was able to do one of her simpler routines without the ribbon awkwardly becoming lax or tangling around one of her limbs. By imagining that she was fighting youkai she added more offensive and defensive moves to her steadily growing movements. Often she would just zone out and remember some of the fights she had seen, would replay them in her minds and then begin her dance based on those memories.
It was when she had zoned out like that when Sesshoumaru first saw her.