The Prettiest Lie

Chapter 3: Decisions, decisions.

Kagome kicked another demon in the face, watched him roar, and fall back. Then she was yanked back to fall on her own ass. "Hey, do you mind?" she screeched at the white blur behind her.

"No, do you?" Sesshoumaru answered, slashing another demon to ribbons. He wondered why the demons were attacking now. Usualy they'd back off knowing who they were up against, but now that he had the miko with him, it seems every demon in the 20 mile radius became suicidal.

The sun didn't even rise yet, it was still pretty dark, and they walked through out the night, not stopping. He was pretty sure the miko was tired despite the fact that she was jumping around purifing anything she touched like a psychotic fairy on crack. He almost felt sorry for the demons. Almost.

A huge boar demon broke through the trees, running faster then his great bulk should allow towards Sesshoumaru, taking his eyes off the miko, he swung the sword. Surprizingly, the boar moved out of the way just in time, continuing his charge towards the tall demon lord. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed dangerously. That, he was going to take personally. His claws dripped poison, and he slashed towards the boar youkai as soon as he was close enough. The boar screeched, and stopped, some of the dirty skin melting with the toxins. Then, a second later he was charging again. It seems he wouldn't stop until he literally couldn't.

Sesshoumaru frowned. Why was that stupid pig still alive? His sword was ready, and he slashed down, energy speeding towards the injured demon. He didn't have time to dodge. With a squeel, he dissapeared in a cloud of dirt, hitting a tree across the clearing. The dust cleared, and he lay still. Sesshoumaru smirked. About time.

Just then a highpitched scream broke through the noise. "Seshoumaru!" He turned around to see the miko hanging in the air in front of a lizard demon. His claws were wrapped around the miko, not allowing any movement. He quirked a brow at her. "Help me!" She screamed at him.

"Why would I do that?" he asked her, amused at the fact that she was clearly frustrated. She growled at him, shaking her head at him. "I wasn't aware you were suicidal. Or are you forgetting something?" She yanked her foot, which in turn vibrated the chain all the way down to his own foot.

With a low growl, he took out his sword, slashing at the lizard youkai, not very carefully, cutting off the claws that was holding the miko. He almost laughed when she landed on her behind. She, however, was clearly unhappy. "You jerk!" She yelled, even though her eyes were on an aproaching rabbit youkai with unusually large claws.

He almost rolled his eyes, eyeing the group of deer youkai that were aiming for him. Honestly, she got chained to him, and she fancied him her bodyguard? That would be a cold day in hell.

Kagome huffed. Where were all these demons coming from? She could barely stand straight from not getting any sleep in over 24 hours, and now she had to fight of psychotic demons who thought she was a bedtime snack. Honestly! This was getting ridiculous. She purified another low level youkai, and noticed their receding numbers. Then she noticed the demon behind her. A moment too late. "Ahh!" she cried out, as the crow youkai slashed her arm. "You bastard!" she cried at the mocking bird. Picking up a rock, she charged it with purifying energy and threw at the bird. It squaked when hit, and dissintegrated to dust before hitting the ground. "That's right!" she cheered, then grabbed her arm in pain. Just wonderful, she thought.

Most youkai were gone, dead or in the process of running away. Her arm was still bleeding, she noticed. Her fingertips glowed, and she traced them over the cut, healing it instantly. She sighed, trembling on her feet.

"Miko." she turned back to see Sesshoumaru, covered in blood, a few paces ahead of her. "Let us leave this place." She eyed the bodies of dead demons and nodded. It was disgusting to say the least.

They walked for a half an hour before Kagome collapsed against a tree. "I can't.." She trailed off, her eyes closing. Taking a deep breath she opened them again. "I can't go any more." She told him. He looked at her for a moment. Then, slowly, he nodded. He expected this, maybe for a few hours already. He was surprized she had it in her to get this far.

She slid down the tree, breathing deeply. She spend too much energy, with the fight with Naraku, with all the other demons, with the blood loss. She felt so heavy. And the chain around her foot just made her feel miserable. But not as miserable as what was on the other end of that chain. She was sure right this minute he was calling her every name he knew in his head for being too weak to continue. Closing her eyes, she let her head tilt back against the tree. What did she ever do to deserve this?

Sesshoumaru lowered himself to the ground to a tree opposite of the miko. She didn't look well. Her skin was rather pale, and she looked exhausted. He wondered what would happen if she died right there and now. Would he have to live with dragging her dead body around until some stray demon chewed it off? Or would he die as well. The last though left him displeased. He had the whole Western Land's to take care of. He could not be bothered dragging around an evil miko. He looked back at her, and saw she was already asleep.

He looked towards the horizon. It would be a few hours before the sun rise. He would wake he then.

Damn her for slowing him down!

---------------------

Kagome woke up to an anoying poking sensation . First she brushed it off as her imagnation, but then it got harder, and she decided that there was definetly some poking being done. She turned away, mumbling out "Just five more minutes." The poking stoped, only to start a moment later, more insistant then before. "I said 5 more minutes, damn it!" She growled, opening sleepy eyes and glaring in the direction where the poking was coming from.

There was an awkward moment of silence before .. "YOU'RE POKING ME WITH A STICK?" was heard through out the forest. Birds flew for cover.

There stood Sesshoumaru, in all his stupid glory. And in his hand, was a very blunt, very long, and very obvious STICK. Which clearly, was what has disturbed her beauty sleep. She couldn't believe her eyes.

"Yes?" he told her. Throwing the stick to the side, he turned on his heel and started walking away. It was moments later that the chain yanked her away from the tree and she was unwillingly dragged behind the demon lord. "Wait!" she screamed, scrambling to her feet. She ran after him, grabbing the sleeve of his kimono. "Explain to me why, exactly, you couldn't wake me up with your HAND?"

He sniffed, a rather anoying gesture, she noted in the back of her mind. "Perhaps I didn't want it purified?" He told her, not looking at her once.

She huffed. Well maybe she should just purify him anyway. It certainly would make her feel better. The rubbed the spot on her arm that received most of the poking. The bastard...

"Miko." Sesshoumaru spoke, interupting the beggining of a few very unlady like thought. "Where are we going?" Kagome looked around, recognizing the now familiar path. They were a few hours away from the well.

"You'll see." she told him, and at his glare she almost smiled. "We're a few hours away."

They walked in silence for almost an hour. They were getting closer and she was getting more nervous by the second. How was she supposed to tell him that she lived down a well?

Sesshoumaru stopped, making her bump into his back. "What the hell?" she mumbled, rubbing her nose. Looking up at Sesshoumaru, she saw his eyes narrow. Then, it hit her. "Demon." she whispered, feeling goose bumps rise up her arms despite the summer heat. It was powerful, and advansing towards them at lightning speed. No way could they take this thing on with a chain hanging between them.

He looked down at her, his eyes flickering between emotions, and for once he didn't have to talk to know they were thinking the same thing. This was bad news.

"Okay, um... what the hell are we gonna do?" she whispered fiercely. His eyes were searching the trees, freezing on the point where the trees moved like they shouldn't. It was getting close.

"Get on my back." He told her. She stared at him, dumbfounded. "What?" she asked, forgetting about whispering, demons and everything besides the crazy request.

He growled in frustration. "Get on my back, I can't kill this thing with you moving like a snail!" She blinked a few times. "Right!"

He kneed on the ground, waiting for her to get on. She moved closer, wrapping her arms around his neck, then her legs around his torso. Moving his hair behind her she wiggled around to get a tighter grip on him. "Okay."

A second later the trees exploded, and there stood the UGLIEST bear youkai Kagome has ever seen. It was a dark brown, with large red eyes, and a mouth that looked like it could bite a tree in half. It was drooling something toxic onto the ground, melting everything. She shuddered. The claws were already covered in blood.

Sesshoumaru's muscles tensed under her arms. She took a deep breath and tightened her arms around him. She moved her mouth closer to his ear, and whispered. "He has two jewel shards in his right shoulder. If you can get me close enough to take them out, then we can take him down no problem." His eyes turned to her for a second, and he gave the barest of nods.

A moment later they were off, moving fast enough to make her dizzy. Sesshoumary took his whip out, slashing at the youkai. It roared a few times, but didn't seem to be effected much.

Kagome eyed the shoulder that had the tainted glow of jewel shards.If only they could get close enough! Sesshoumaru hit him with the whip again. He roared, but didn't slow down. The shards were healing him too fast!

Then, it seems, it got tired of waiting as well. After the last attack it charged right away, and Sesshoumru was left to make a split second decision. Take the hit, or let the miko on his back take the hit. He wouldn't have enough time to dodge the claw attack. Making up his mind he turned towards the demon.

Kagome watched the demon slash Sesshoumaru across the chest and jump back. It sniggered as the blood seeped through the clothes. The cloth was turned scarlet in mere seconds, and she almost cried. This couldn't be happening. This was Sesshoumaru! She tightened her arms around his neck, moving her mouth back to his ear. "We can still get him, just get me close enough." He cringed as the blood kept flowing but nodded at her request. Barely loud enough to be heard, he whispered, "Get ready." She tightened his arms around him once and looked back towards the youkai.

In seconds they were moving towards the surprized demon, and she was ready this time. Moving her arm out, she pushed the purifying energy out, burning the youkai. It didn't heal. She grinned. "Again" she whispered to Sesshoumaru.

They flew at the demon again, and this time she send a bolt of energy towards him, leaving a rather impressing gash in his stomach.She was grinning like a cat now. The demon was slowing down, but so was Sesshoumaru. Lowering her head, she whispered, "Last time." He nodded.

They flew at the demon whose eyes widened, and he screamed savagely when her hand, buring with purification, struck his shoulder. She was grinning like mad now, her hand dripping with blood, but when she opened her hand, two jewel shards sparkled in them. The demon seemed to notice it as well because all of a sudden he started shrinking down in size, and all the injuries seemed to finaly catch up with him. A few seconds later, he gave a last pitiful roar and collapsed in a heap of blood and bones.

Kagome slipped of Sesshoumaru just as he pitched forward. She grabbed his blood soaked shirt, keeping him in the air and moved in front of him. "Sesshoumaru," she whispered, looking into his half closed eyes. "Stay awake," she said as she tore the shirt off. "I can help, I can heal you!" she whispered fiercely. "You can't die on me!"

The ripped shirt came off and she gasped at the deep gashes. How could he still stand with those? she wondered. It would've killed her on impact. He couldn't hold up like this. She wrapped one arm around him, putting his head on her shoulder and keeping him from falling. Her other hand was on his chest, in the middle of the bloody gashes. Closing her eyes, she concentrated. Slowly, she pushed her energy out, and it poured over the wounds, a pale blue. The wounds started to close, slowly. Breathing deeply she kept doing it until only a few scratches remained. A few seconds later, they dissapeared as well. Unfortunately, white lines from where the gashes were still appeared.

Kagome opened her eyes and sighed in relief. Thank god. She looked at his face, realising he was no longer concsious. Slowly she lowered him to the ground and tried to move away. Something stopped her. Looking down, she saw his claw fisted around the corner of her tank top. She would have laughted if she didn't feel like crying. She knew he could've easily let her take the hit. And even though she knew if he did both of them would now be dead she couldn't shake the feeling. Moving back, she lifted his head and placed it in her lap as she sat back against a tree. He moved his head, burrowing his face in her stomach. She almost giggled. He was more like his brother then he would like to admit. Slowly, she placed her arms around his shoulders.

So maybe they weren't the best of friends, she thought as she watched the setting sun. Maybe he wasn't her prince in shining armour, and she wasn't the perfect girl. But something happened in those few moments when she almost lost him, and now, as the sun dissapeared behind the trees, and the sky glowed in the last rays, she wondered, what now?

They were something else. Not enemies anymore. Looking at the demon lord in her lap, she traced his markings on his face. His silver hair glitered in the last of light, and for a few moments she forgot that she hated him just hours ago. She forgot the chain, the past, the future. All she remembered was this man, who almost gave his life to save them. And he looked like an angel.

The sun completely dissapeared, and everything seemed to go to sleep. The moon appeared in the dark sky, full and proud, shining down on them.

Kagome looked at the moon and thought of an old story her mother used to tell.

"Once upon a time there was a miko. And once upon a time there was a demon lord. And once upon a time they fell in love."

Her eyes fluttered closed, and she tried to remember how the story went. But she was so young then, and so tired now. She fell asleep watching the moon. But the first line of the story floated through her tired mind before she drowned in her dreams.

"And once upon a time they fell in love."