Chapter Two- Mysteries with the Night
Kagome woke up. The sun was setting in a pool of pinks and purples. She could sense Kyouko waiting by the fire. Her sensitive ears could hear the two nekos in the distance, they would be here soon. Breaking her concentration, a white dove landed on the ground in front of Kagome nodding at her quickly.
"Kyouko I will take the watch get some rest will you." Kagome knew that the dove wanted to talk to her. Kyouko didn't hesitate, after climbing into his bed he was soon sound asleep.
Two nekos descended to the ground behind the dove as Kyouko fell asleep. A tall black neko stayed away and walked over to Kagome, while a younger dark blue neko went and slept beside his new master, Kyouko. Kagome stood as the black neko stayed where he was, Keeping watch on the forest.
When Kagome and the dove were alone he transformed. He stood in front of her in his cloaked form ready to talk his face off.
"That was quick." Kagome mocked him gently knowing he wouldn't take it to heart. Her old playful self returned he was one of the only one's she really trusted enough to be herself.
"I believed it was urgent. I want to stay here with you in youki form. You cannot get hurt during this little spat." His voice was cold yet comforting to her. She continued walking until she was an arm length away from the well.
"My use to you is over." Kagome couldn't look at him she knew he was disappointed, but it was true. She had tried to show Sesshoumaru what love was, but it had failed.
"You-…"
"I tried to show him how to love and I tried to my fullest. Kami I fell I love with him just so that he would hurt me? I don't think so. I will not go through it again." Kagome cut him off quickly.
"I agree," he replied calmly. "But friend to friend I do not want to see you hurt. Kyouko needs you and so does this world. " His voice was laughing at her.
"Fine, you can stay." She mumbled. "What shall I call you." Kagome didn't want to fight. she couldn't. Not tonight. She felt drained from the lack of sleep she had been getting and her temper was short.
"I don't know Kagome make something up you're smart." He could tell she was getting stressed and very annoyed.
"Fine I'll call you Gakuto. Get it. Got it. Good." Kagome said while waving her hands in the air wildly.
"Fine but Kagome, he is almost here let us get back to Kyouko. After his brother Shinya entered the lake of mirrors I am not sure he will be aware if Sesshoumaru took his life." Kagome hadn't thought about that, why would she bring Kyouko into this?
"Is he alone?" Kagome devised a plan quickly.
"Yes."
"Good. Now take me back to my camp and get Kyouko out of here until I send my new neko friend to find you." Kagome began to quickly move back to camp but Gakuto was in front of her within seconds.
"I am not leaving you." His figure grumbled. He shifted his form to a black haired inuyouki. He was short and even gentle looking.
"Do as I say Gakuto, now. Will you have me accountable for the death of both Shinya and Kyouko." Her anger was growing as she crunched up her brows. Her aura flared violently.
Gakuto stared at the ground. "The death of young Shinya is not in your hands. It is in the hands of the bastard that killed him." He didn't look at Kagome, just lowered himself so she could climb on his back. She had changed so much since he first remembered her. She didn't care about her own life. She was so concerned with the life of her colleagues that she didn't seem to realize the danger she was walking into. He had once thought of her as selfish but she was not. He could tell now that she was in so much pain she could help her anger and hatred towards Sesshoumaru.
The travel was quick. Kagome was no sooner upon Kyouko, shaking his body slightly. She might have changed in appearance, but she could also mask her scent. Though she knew that Kyouko scent had change he couldn't hide hid identity like she could.
"Kyouko you must leave with a friend of mine." Kagome shook his grown body more. His eyes fluttered open and he stared upon the stone cold expression of his mistress.
"Who's your friend." Kyouko eyed the inu demon fiercely.
"His name is Gakuto. He is a youki that still follows my command. You are to follow him on your neko and leave here." Kagome's voice was demanding so he didn't argue. He knew she was right.
A midnight colour neko jumped from behind Kagome and dove towards Kyouko purring loudly. "His name is Arashi." Gakuto told him, smiling at the cat's reaction. Kyouko just nodded and stood, Arashi at his heels transformed and let out a growl. Arashi was covered in midnight blue. His eyes a deep green, making his dark coat more vibrant. The neko stood tall and proud beside his new master.
"He is coming. Sakai you take good care of Kagome you got that." Gakuto looked sternly at the female neko as she nodded her head. Sakai transformed into a pitch-black neko, her eyes were the color of a clear blue sky giving her the look of danger and authority. Kagome would bet that she was the mother to Arashi. She couldn't help but think Sakai's form suited her own perfectly. Kyouko and Arashi left first. Gakuto had stayed behind to say good-bye.
"If I sense any danger upon you I will see to it that I kill you myself. I will not have you put your life on the line just because of a stupid game of recognition. I think you should just tell him who you are and leave it at that." Gakuto warned her in a fatherly caring kind of way.
"Thank you for the comfort." Kagome reached up and hugged him tightly. "Now off with you, even I can sense that he is watching us." Gakuto backed up and nodded as Kagome hopped on Sakai and walked up to the well.
The well was at peace as Kagome sat and waited for Sesshoumaru's grand appearance. She had been sitting there with Sakai for several minutes but she knew that Sesshoumaru was tempting her patience so she continued to sit on the edge of the well and stroke the neko's back, talking to the cat in a gentle voice.
She could faintly make out soft footsteps on the grass as she felt his presence make itself known though no words were said out of his mouth.
"Here I thought you backed down Sesshoumaru." Kagome let his name roll of her tongue slowly.
"Your scent is masked it was hard for me to track down." His excuse was believable but Kagome knew that he had been watching her since she came back to Kyouko.
"You lie through you teeth." Kagome mocked as she stood up and faced him. Watching him as he charged her with his lightning speed, trying to hold her against a tree. Kagome easily dodged it and let out a small laugh as he stopped in front of the tree expecting to see her squirm in his grasp. "Still vile as ever Sesshoumaru."
"Do not mock to me wench just tell me where my mate is." His tone was dripping with hate and anger.
"You never had a mate Sesshoumaru. You cannot fool me I know that Lady Kagome was never your mate. Even if she was she died the minute you touched your lips to that snake Kyo." Kagome had always loved to piss the lord off it gave her the adrenaline she needed to become faster and stronger then her original state was.
"You know nothing of this Sesshoumaru and his mate." Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed red as he tried to calm his anger.
Kagome laughed again, it sounded like a shallow flute as it echoed angelically through the lands that she had traveled countless times. Sesshoumaru rage took over his body forming him into his true demon self. A huge white fearless dog. Kagome's laugh stopped but she was not intimidated, she knew that he wouldn't kill her.
He dove forward trying to catch the wench in his paws but the woman was too fast. She dodged to the side. This went on for several moments. Sakai watched by the well entrance laughing inwardly at her new mistress's talent with pissing off the dog.
Kagome could feel another presence coming near, followed by another. Two presence's that she knew all to well. 'Inuyasha.' Kagome froze. Poison dripped off of Sesshoumaru's claws as he took the chance to sweep his paw across her body tossing her literally through the forest as she hit the Goshinboku. The tree trembled as Sesshoumaru's body retransformed into his normal youki self. He could feel the presence of two other figures. One was an inu youki, the other his very own brother.
Gakuto was the first to be by Kagome's side. He lifted her and searched for life, he found none. Not even his partner in the lake of mirrors could save her this time. Her scent had not been unmasked yet and he knew that he should tell Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru walked in to scene looking upon the youki and the miko. Gakuto stood and stared at Sesshoumaru in rage. "What the hell did you do to her you fool!" Gakuto ran up to Sesshoumaru quickly and punched the lord. "You killed her! You stupid fool she is just a human and you killed her!" Gakuto's anger flared as he grabbed the tensusaiga that hung on the lord's belt and bolted back over to the woman. He could feel the sword pulse by his touch. 'Tensusaiga.' He swept the sword over Kagome's limp body, the demons of hell were gone but Kagome still didn't respond. She wouldn't wake up until Sesshoumaru knew what he had done to her.
"Who are you?" Sesshoumaru biting voice lashed out to Gakuto.
"It doesn't matter-…" Gakuto didn't move from his spot. Sakai had entered the clearing and ran up to her mistress, worried. She had already called to Arashi and told him to come as soon as he could.
"How did you know about tensusaiga." Sesshoumaru bolted towards the shorter youki. Gakuto jumped up and caught Sesshoumaru, throwing him into a tree. He picked up Kagome's ken and charged the cocky lord.
"Learn your place boy!" Gakuto barked in a deadly tone. Sesshoumaru looked down at the ken. His eyes showed utter shock.
"Lady Kagome!" Kyouko jumped off Arashi and ran towards him now breathing mistress. "Lady Kagome wake up Gakuto is in trouble." But her body didn't move.
"Kyouko get out of here, leave on Arashi now!" Gakuto voice was violent.
"Kagome?" Inuyasha moved towards the body.
"Get away from her!" Kyouko unsheathed his ken quickly. Both brothers stopped as both nekos jumped between them and Kagome.
Sesshoumaru stared at the woman. Nothing else mattered now, that was how she knew so much about his mate. She was his mate. "She masked her scent so I wouldn't notice her." Sesshoumaru said dumb stuck.
"She was protecting herself from the likes of you." Gakuto watched Sesshoumaru's face relax then harden in frustration.
"Protecting herself from-... me?" Sesshoumaru looked in the face of the inu that held him shamelessly against the tree.
Kagome's body moved, Kyouko was by her side within moments, stroking her hair, calming her. Her eyes fluttered open. Looking around her eyes fell upon Sesshoumaru and Gakuto. Slowly she unmasked her scent and struggled to get up. Kyouko helped her up but then left her as she walked up to Gakuto slowly, putting a hand on his trembling shoulder. "Release him Gakuto. We're leaving." Gakuto hesitated but withdrew the ken and placed it back in Kagome's hands.
Kagome sheathed the ken and turned away, tears threatened to fall as the past finally caught up with her. The group turned to leave also. Kyouko carried Arashi and Gakuto held Sakai tight so that she wouldn't make a run for Sesshoumaru and get herself killed.
"Kagome?" Sesshoumaru was in front of her in a flash. Sakai growled fiercely. Sesshoumaru grabbed her shoulders and hugged her tightly. He could feel her body tense at his touch.
"Leave her alone!" Kyouko screamed at the vile lord. Sesshoumaru made a grabbed for him but Kagome had her katana at his throat before he could act upon his thoughts. He looked into her eyes that were full of hate. She was cold and emotionless just as he had been, but things were different now.
"Kagome it's me remember?" Sesshoumaru tried to read her emotions but there was so many. Hurt betrayal, happiness, sadness, and anger. They all flashed upon her face at once. The katana dug deeper into his flesh, drawing blood, but she had yet to flare her miko powers into it.
"I remember all too well Sesshoumaru." Her voice was cold like she had used when the royals were visiting, but her eyes were not afraid of death, nor were they afraid to kill. "Where is Kyo these days?" Kagome had seen the lady of the sea come into Kagome's old room from time to time, laughing at Kagome's loss. The lock on the door that was between the lords bedroom and Kagome's had been opened by the wench and Sesshoumaru didn't even know it, someone could easily kill him and he won't have a clue.
"She works for me in the palace." Inuyasha broke in. He missed the cheerful happy Kagome, this was the blood hardened Kagome. Who had fought many battles and killed so she could survive, changing her into a miko that was no longer afraid of her powers. She was the Kagome that he had thought he wanted. Strong, dependant, not so emotional, but his heart ached for the Kagome he had once known.
"Joy." Kagome smile a small mocking smile then turned to Sesshoumaru's face, hiding her tears under years of practice. "I bet you're loving that aren't you." Kagome shook her head and tried to take a step forward. Something made her freeze and her body crumpled to the ground. 'Saito' The world was spinning. She could feel her eyes on her. Saito was watching her again. She had been tracking Saito for the last year. After they met and Kyouko tried to convince Saito to give the quarter of the shikon jewel to Kagome but Saito had taken off. Telling Kagome that she would be watching to see whether or not Kagome was worth the jewel. Was this Saito's test, or was she doing this for the hell of it.
"Lady Kagome!" Kyouko cried as Kagome fell to the ground. Gakuto let a small chuckle as he scanned the forest. 'Saito wants them to be together just as much as I do.'
Sesshoumaru watched the older youki's face. He scanned the forest but found nothing. His gaze turned back to Gakuto and brought his claws up. "You did this to my mate." His tone was deadly but Gakuto didn't even flinch.
"I would not have harmed her she is like a daughter to me." Gakuto turned around and started to walk into the forest. "And Sesshoumaru, she isn't your mate." Everyone watched as Gakuto transformed into a dove and hovered over Kagome as if saying good bye. With one last look at the brothers he flew into the air gracefully.
The night had settled in and Kagome still hadn't shown any signs of waking. Her body was emotionless just as it had been not hours before. The cool winds nipped at her face and body.
He had been watching her gently hoping and knowing that things would turn out somehow, but how could he make her see the truth. He loved her wasn't that enough? He moved over to her shivering body and wrapped his tail around her waist pulling her slightly closer to him and pulling her on his lap.
[Kag's dream
Kagome opened her eyes and laughed half-heartedly. "I guess I really never change."
"No you don't. Still as stubborn as always." Gakuto glared at her with his yellow hooded eyes. "You should have listened to me and just told Sesshoumaru that you were Kagome."
Kagome shook her head. "It wouldn't have really mattered. I would have fought till the death anyway. Why did you save me?" Kagome felt a tinge of sadness.
"I couldn't leave you dead. I told you I would kill you myself after all didn't I?" His humor died when he seen a tear fall from Kagome's face. "Kag's?"
"I don't want to go back to him, I don't need him anymore Gakuto." Kagome looked up, her eyes filled to the brim. "I don't want to fall in love with him again."
Gakuto just smiled. "Kagome he didn't betray you and you know that." His voice sounded so confident but she wasn't. She wasn't sure of anything anymore.
"I don't care I don't need him. I never did I only did it because you asked me too!" Kagome crossed her legs and sat on the ground, pouting.
"You know that is not true. You love him for him and he loves you for you." Gakuto knew she wouldn't see it yet, but it was true.
"I don't love him anymore. I loved him once upon a time." Kagome tried to melt the water around her, trying to fall into death and not come out alive. She hated life and she wanted nothing more than to give it up right them and there. She water began to melt the ice around her body softened. Kagome started to fall into the water, but she could feel something wrap around her wrist.
"You will not die because you are not strong enough to face your heart's desire Kagome!" Gakuto's voice was angry as Kagome started to fight his grip.
"I don't want to face life anymore. I am sick of it!" Kagome wanted him to let her go but she knew he wouldn't, he loved her like a daughter and she loved him like the father she never knew. "Gakuto the choice is mine to make. Leave me be." But all Kagome could do was just start to pound the ground in front of her, not paying attention as Gakuto crouched on the ground.
"Kagome." His arms wrapped around her body. "It's ok Kagome, It'll be alright."
[End of kag's dream
Kagome's body began to thrash. Tears came from her eyes, rolling down her face then falling onto someone's lap.
"Kagome." A hushed voice sounded. He wrapped his arms around her violently moving body. Holding it tightly to his own. "It's ok Kagome, it'll be alright." Kagome's body stopped moving but her tears didn't stop.
[Back to kag's dream
Kagome stopped fussing but her tears wouldn't stop falling. An image of Sesshoumaru stopped itself in front of her and played. Gakuto could feel her body tensing as she saw Kyo enter the room.
"Can may I help you?" he asked her, breaking her gaze.
"Oh my lord. How rude of me, I am Kyo. Lady of the seas." She said gracefully then barged into the room. Looking up at the ceiling that held a powerful youki.
"You will leave now!" Sesshoumaru demanded. Shocked at this wench's lack of manners.
"Oh no, look at our dear lady Kagome. It is a shame that I didn't get to kill her myself." Kyo turned and smiled at the lord who was slowly waking over to her.
"You will remove yourself from my presents." He said fiercely again. She just walked up to him and pulled on his collar.
Kyo could feel it, the miko's presents was returning. Kagome let out a sigh, Sesshoumaru looked over, ready to rush over to Kagome and see if she was all right. Kyo could feel the lord tense. Quickly she reached for his chin and brought it towards her, meeting him with a deep kiss.
Kagome opened her eyes. Looking at the noise that was coming from the other side of the room, only to see her mate kissing a total stranger. 'I really did mean nothing to him.' Tears rushed from Kagome's eyes.
Sesshoumaru could smell the faint scent of salt. Pushing the inconsiderate demoness away, he looked towards Kagome. Seeing the tears stain her cheeks once again twisted his heart. Kyo just smirked in victory, looking over at the pained human.
"I'll see you soon, Sesshoumaru." She taunted, making her way out of the room gracefully.
Sesshoumaru acted as if he had never heard the stranger's last words, his focus remained on the face of the one he loved. "Kagome-…"
Kagome stopped the image and cried harder. 'He didn't betray me. He tried to get her to leave without killing her.' Kagome's breath was coming out short and fast. Gakuto held her tighter trying to her get to calm down. Slowly Kagome's legs went numb as she almost fell to the ground.
'Only she could fall unconscious in the lake of mirrors.' Gakuto rolled his clear yellow eyes amused. He held unto her bridal style and walked into the mist.
[End of kag's dream
Kagome stopped breathing hard and returned to her natural state. Her sleep was now at peace just like Sesshoumaru had tried to do hours before. 'She hasn't changed as much as she would like to believe.'
"Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha burst into the clearing breathing hard. "The demoness has been spotted. She has followed us now since Kagome has passed out but the boy won't tell us why. Says he doesn't know and only Kagome knows."