Freak Attraction
Chapter 5: New Friends and Blood Relations
"M-Milord! Pardon the interruption sire, but –"
Cold yellow eyes turned from a weathered scroll of parchment to glance at the small, toad-like creature in brown robes standing in the doorway.
Receiving no answer but understanding he now had his lord's attention, the creature continued in a rush "Milord, there are trespassers in our land! Several in fact! One of them is that pesky fox that keeps getting to the chickens."
With an icy smile the yellow-eyed man turned his stare to the wall saying with deadly calm "So Jaken, you continue to fail me in securing the perimeter of this place. The fact that you cannot prevent one little fox from infiltrating my Father's territory is most unacceptable. And now there are others you say? Tell me, just how many of these 'guests' have you let waltz up to my home this time?"
Jaken sweat profusely, unable to meet the piercing gaze of the demon lord before him.
"Th-the others do not seem to be aware that they are in demon territory Milord…. In their current trajectory they will pass through your land without happening across this place."
"You are assuming they will not sense the demonic aura. Need I remind you that the external barrier is the only thing masking the feel and scent of this place? The barrier which, according to your information, they have already crossed?"
"Er, uh… I hadn't thought that would be a problem Sire. A-after all, it's only a young girl and a half-demon."
The Demon-lord flashed suddenly dangerous and narrowed eyes at his servant, his calmness gone as he repeated in a calculating tone "A half-demon?"
"Aye Milord… the scouts said he seems to be a, uh… half-dog-demon, to be exact."
A momentary look of confusion passed over Jaken's face as his wooden staff suddenly disappeared from his hands, before the carved faces connected with his own beaky one and he was sent flying across the room with a squeak. Sitting up with a groan and shaking the stars from his eyes, he looked up to see his lord standing over him, long silver hair haloing his form as his eyes bled murder.
"And you assumed a dog would not be able to sniff out this place? Really Jaken – I honestly didn't peg you for such idiocy."
Eyes watering not from pain but from the fear of disappointing the volatile demon, he fell on his face, groveling as he said in a pathetic voice "Please forgive me Milord! I'll make it right, I swear! I'll have them terminated right away! Don't you worry, they won't know about your domain Lord Sesshomaru!"
"I want them brought to me."
"Of course Milord, I… what?"
"Are you deaf? Bring them here. Do as you please with the human and the fox, but I want to see this half-demon myself."
Jaken stared from his place on the floor, shocked by the very strange request from his usually reclusive master, but another sharp glance shook him from his reverie, and he hopped up, grabbing the discarded staff before making a hasty retreat yelling "As you wish Sire!"
It was a golden morning – golden in the hues of the forest and golden in the mood that saturated the air. The bird-song was just as sunny as the yellow light filtering through the leaves above, and the bright rays were only made brighter as they bounced off the mist still lingering over the cold ground.
But the colors and the birds and the golden glow were only a part of the reason for the radiant smile on Kagome's face.
The fire had long since burned out and she could feel the dew settled over the heavy weave of her kimono, teetering on the edge of absorbing into the fabric. She resisted a shiver at the cool sting of the drops against her skin and silently pleaded for the stiffness in her limbs to go away as her head rose and fell with the soft movement of her living pillow.
It was the third morning she'd woken to find Inuyasha asleep beside her, and she wasn't about to let anything ruin that moment.
For almost the entire two weeks they'd been traveling together he'd let her fall asleep against his shoulder, since his presence seemed to chase away the ghostly melody that otherwise plagued her thoughts; but she'd always awoke to find him cleaning a catch or cooking breakfast or just standing and sniffing the air. But three nights ago she'd been shocked to wake up and find him sitting next to her, lightly dozing – that was until her startled and happy squeal jolted him awake and he sprang to his feet.
The next morning she woke before he left as well, but under the circumstances, he couldn't have left even if he'd wanted to. Sometime during the night the two had fallen from their seated position, leaving her half-sprawled across his chest as he lay on his back, and this time it was she who sprang away, sitting up with a violent blush as he slowly came-to, blinking in the early light before his eyes widened at being met with tree canopy. He quickly caught on to what had happened and for the rest of the morning had sported his own blush, and Kagome feared it would be the last time she'd wake next to him – not to mention the last time he'd let her sleep near him, period. However, that very night they sat side by side on a log near the fire, and as she tentatively leaned against him and he didn't so much as flinch, she smiled and wrapped her arms softly around one of his, her eyes closing as sleep claimed her.
She was overjoyed to find him not only still beside her the next morning, both of them on the grass before the fire-pit, their backs against the log, but there was a warmth enveloping the hand she had been resting against his arm. As subtly as she could, she looked down to see her fingers wrapped in the larger, callused hand of her half-demon friend.
Kagome marveled that her furiously pounding heart hadn't already woken him. Those ears of his didn't miss a thing - he must have been sleeping deeply. The fact that her ever-cautious companion was letting himself sleep so soundly in her presence was not lost on her, and it only made her cheeks warmer. Breathing deep to get her heartbeat back to something less embarrassing, Kagome let her mind wander back to everything she'd been through lately.
She'd had the biggest birthday surprise of her life when her stunt of playing hooky from school landed her in a wide-awake nightmare, her only saving grace being an angry young man that wasn't even fully human. Of course, in all actuality, it had been her who saved him, but that was yet another mystery constantly weighing on her mind. Kaede said she had spiritual powers. Well, her grandpa was a 'priest' in the most technical sense, but she had never believed he really possessed any special abilities. For her to have 'powers' was something she still wouldn't have believed… had she not already destroyed a demon with them.
While the concept was hard to come to terms with personally, Inuyasha seemed to just accept it, and lately had been insisting she practice using them.
"Don't want you purifying me in my sleep or nothin'" he had said with some sarcasm, but she didn't miss his real meaning: she was powerful, and she'd better get a handle on that power soon before something serious happened. The idea that someone with super-powered demon blood thought of her as possessing any kind of threat… well, it was more than a bit of a confidence booster.
With a few pointers on balance and agility from her friend, Kagome had already begun trying to focus her energy at targets, and had managed to imbue a piece of sharp, straight wood with enough spiritual energy to form a small crater after she hurled it at a lone stump. Inuyasha didn't make a sound as they had stood reeling from the blast, but she hadn't missed the sweat on his brow as he stared wide-eyed at the smoldering pit. She had a smug grin on her face the rest of that night, and even as she settled in the crook of his arm to sleep, he still seemed a little hot and bothered over the matter. She'd assured him before falling asleep (still with a bit of a smirk) that she'd never turn her powers against him. He called her an idiot, and she wondered whether or not that was truly what had got him so worked up.
Looking up at him now, his eyes gently closed and mouth opened slightly with his steady breaths, she found herself marveling (not for the first time) that such a being as he even existed. Sometimes he seemed like a character from a fairy tale – his exotic looks and outrageous strength set him so far apart from everything she'd ever known that she almost felt, out here alone in the woods, that she was in a different world and had left her ever-developing Japan behind. But then he'd open his mouth and say something so crass that she wondered if he was really one of her old schoolmates in disguise, or even perhaps that old man on the corner near the market, penniless and manner-less but complaining about everything and everyone all while wondering why he didn't get more alms.
She laughed a bit at the image, but at the same time realized it didn't fully fit him – he was rude sure, and he had put his foot in his mouth so many times she was beginning to think he liked making her angry, but there was more to him than that. He was considerate without ever making a show of his concern. He'd do things for her without a second thought and without expecting any kind of reward, like cut up a log for her to sit on, or carry the food bag before she could even think to complain of its weight, or even carry her when she started to stumble a bit from all the walking. Occasionally he'd throw in a sarcastic remark, and his language would have her mother tugging on his ear if she could hear it, but he was never truly mean.
He was so different from the boys back home. They were all about show and class. The ones that had tried to court her had been nice enough, but their gifts and affections always came with a clause: I did something for you, now you owe me. Even if they just wanted her praise, she didn't like feeling bought. Hojo had been like that. Oh not overly so; he was a sweet boy and did truly like her, but his attentions were just so pushy, and seemed to more serve his own need to feel needed than to really help or please her in any way.
But this boy… this young man next to her didn't bother with trivial thoughts of whether his services would make him look good, or whether she'd shower him with thanks. He just did what he deemed needed to be done, and what needed to be done in his mind was taking care of her.
If circumstances had been different… if they had met at school, or during a town festival… she would have pulled him into conversation, fiddling with the edges of her long sleeves as all the girls did when flirting, and he would have caught her hint and smirked, and told her to meet him by the statue in town-square, and being the bad-boy he was he soon would have had her the talk of the town as they made pests of themselves, harassing the foreigners in their outlandish styles, or bothering street vendors with ceaseless questions and never buying a thing, and he would have challenged her to a game and she'd play along and do her best but let him win in the end because his smile was just so nice, all the while not realizing he was trying to let her win too….
She almost shook her head as her fantasies continued to grow, chiding herself for sounding like such a smitten school-girl. She had forgotten he wasn't normal. Well, what others considered normal anyways.
Even after making it back home, she wouldn't be able to parade around the streets with him without causing a panic, and... that was assuming he'd stay with her at all once he finally took her home. She missed her family and thought of them often, but recently her concerns had been more about wishing they knew she was alright than wishing she were actually somewhere else. With a sad sigh that surprised even her, Kagome reminded herself that her time with him wasn't indefinite. She'd go home to her family, and he'd go off to… to… well, wherever it was he was headed.
And she couldn't even understand why this bothered her so.
It wasn't like he really needed her anymore. She had helped him escape and helped him procure some clothes, and now she helped around camp in whatever way she could, but… she wasn't really doing anything that he couldn't do himself. So what if they cuddled at night? It was to keep warm! Autumn was hard upon them, and a blanket would just be too cumbersome to carry. He encouraged her spiritual abilities, but only because she was a threat and he darn well knew it! And yes, she found him attractive. He was tall and nicely muscled, with gorgeous hair and shining eyes, equal parts alluring danger in his claws and endearing cuteness with his dog-ears –
But it was pointless to dwell on; it's wasn't like he thought her pretty in return. The few times she'd convinced him to stop so she could take a quick bath in a river or (when she was lucky) hot-spring, he'd been the perfect impatient gentleman and hadn't even attempted to peek. She was grateful, honestly, for his respect of her privacy, but… it was hard to take that he didn't consider her anything worth looking at.
Boys back home found her appealing, but she didn't want or need their good opinion. She just wanted his.
A faint groan and twitching of the hand wrapped around hers startled Kagome out of her thoughts, and with baited breath she watched in silence as Inuyasha's face scrunched slightly before he seemingly got comfortable again and settled back to sleep. She released a sigh, and smiled faintly.
She was being silly. Even if he didn't like her the same way she liked him – and by this point she could admit that she liked him very much – he trusted her, and that was what really mattered. If he could trust her, smile and laugh with her, be happy in her presence, consider her a friend… well, that would be more than enough for her.
It would have to be.
Suddenly she felt the arm she was holding raise slightly, and she released it to allow Inuyasha to lift his arms over his head in a long stretch that arched his back and had him clenching his jaw reflexively. Kagome tried hard not to stare as he did so.
Blinking back the golden sunlight he lowered his arms and looked down at her sleepily.
She smiled warmly at him, saying cheerily "Good Morning Inuyasha!", and his cheeks reddened a little before he responded 'morning' in a voice rough from sleep.
They were in no rush as they ate breakfast and broke down their camp, and as Kagome yawned loudly just before they set off, Inuyasha didn't even say a word as he knelt before her and offered her his back. She was too sleepy still to offer any verbal thanks as she clambered on, but she squeezed his shoulders slightly as he jogged off at a brisk pace, and she hoped he got the message.
Inuyasha was starting to think those mushrooms at breakfast hadn't been as innocent as they'd looked. There was just no other explanation for his companion's crazy laughter and erratic spinning than an ingestion of hallucinogenic poison.
Kagome paused in her twirling to look over at her straight-backed companion still standing on the road, staring at her as though she'd sprouted wings.
"Don't be such a spoil-sport. Come join me!"
He ignored her beckoning hand with a speculative look, saying "Join you doing what? Making a fool of yourself?"
She laughed again, knowing she looked silly, prancing mindlessly around a field of yellow flowers, but was enjoying it too much to care. "No Dog-boy; having fun!"
He gave her a look similar to the one he'd worn when she first asked him to sing.
"I don't 'have fun'."
She rolled her eyes but kept her smile as she said teasingly "More like you don't know how to have fun."
He bristled a little, but she only laughed again and ran up to him, kicking up pollen and petals as she did, making his nose twitch at her approach. Panting a bit as she caught her breath, she said through a smile "C'mon Inuyasha, just try it! Get out there and let loose a little!"
He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at her suggestion, not looking the least bit amenable to it.
Hands on her hips, Kagome peered into his face, wondering how to help her uptight friend to lighten up. Doing a quick mental inventory of everything she'd learned of him so far, she was suddenly hit by a ray of inspiration, which quickly evolved into a plan that made her lips curl and her eyes twinkle with mischief. Stepping up close to him, she stared him straight in the eyes, her smile still firmly in place.
Inuyasha leaned back a bit as she invaded his personal space, and even though he blinked at her repeatedly, she never blinked back. If he didn't know any better, and didn't know that she didn't know better, he would have said she was… challenging him. And then she was backing away, slowly, never breaking eye contact, and for some reason unknown to him, he felt the need to advance. He was watching her every subtle move, when with a sudden girlish squeal she turned and fled a few feet, before looking over her shoulder at him with the most inviting expression he'd ever seen. And then he understood, and his eyes grew wide as his own words from weeks ago came back to him: "There's no demon alive that can resist the thrill of a chase."
She watched as an amused grin worked its way onto his face, before morphing into an almost sinister smirk that had her running again, only this time she didn't have to look back to know he was following. He was in front of her in a flash, and she skidded in the dirt before whipping around to run in a different direction, her heart pounding with adrenaline and excitement and – had she ever enjoyed something this much?
He was toying with her, letting her get away from him only to appear in her path without a sound, and she was loving every minute of it, getting lost in the sunlight and yellow flowers, constantly seeking the red and white and black of her demon pursuer. She saw the field lengthen out ahead of her as she turned again, and with a zealous push of her muscles she took off in a dead sprint, thankful her square heels weren't catching in the soft dirt of the flower beds.
Her heart raced as every sense sat on edge, waiting for that blur of silver hair to rush past her – and so she was unprepared for the arm that wound itself around her midsection, lifting her effortlessly off the ground with a spring as she let loose a delighted yell. For one magical moment they were suspended in air, then suddenly Inuyasha's feet touched ground and he landed in a crouch, accidentally bringing her down with him at an odd angle and throwing off his balance, causing them both to tumble backwards into the flowers.
Kagome was incapacitated with laughter as she fell back against him, clutching her stomach desperately as tears leaked from her eyes and her lungs gasped for air. Inuyasha watched the girl with a somewhat confused smile as she threw her head back in her uncontrollable state, lying across his abdomen and trying (and failing) to gain back her control. He could feel the vibrations of her laughter against his body, and as though it flipped a switch, he suddenly found himself amused by her abandon, and before he knew it… he was laughing too.
She felt it first – an uneven, choppy rising of his chest beneath her, and her own laughter subsided as her ears caught the beautiful sound of Inuyasha's surprisingly soft yet sincere laugh. Kagome watched him with soft eyes as he quieted down and rubbed at his head self-consciously, a smile still firmly on his face. Turning slightly and leaning over him, she gazed down at his boyish expression unabashedly, trying to memorize that smile framed by waves of silver and lock it away in her mind to remember again if ever she felt sad.
His smile grew slightly crooked as he looked back at her and said in a sheepish tone "Uh… caught ya?"
Her own smile grew wider and she opened her mouth to say… to say… to say what, she didn't know. And she didn't have much time to think about it before a strange, squeaky voice spoke up next to them "Nah, looks to me like she caught you."
Two sets of startled and embarrassed eyes shot up to lock with their audience: a very little boy with rust colored hair in a fur vest over a teal shirt and dark blue hakama, staring at them and chewing thoughtfully on a dried persimmon.
Inuyasha scrambled to his feet, knocking Kagome over slightly in his haste, and stood tall and intimidating over the boy, who gulped and took a small step back.
"Just what the hell" he seethed, making sure to bare his fangs to the strange intruder "do you think you're doing, runt?"
With a hint of fear in his eyes but an equal amount of mischief, the little boy answered casually "Just enjoying the show" before taking another bite of persimmon.
Inuyasha cracked his knuckles menacingly, and Kagome's face erupted into a heavy blush, but as her eyes lowered she caught sight of the dried fruit and looked into the distance behind the boy, seeing their traveling bag lying in the dirt of the road – open.
"Hey! That's our food!"
The boy yelped, shoving the rest of the fruit in his mouth before beating a hasty retreat. He wasn't fast enough though, and Inuyasha quickly caught hold of – Kagome gasped as she noticed for the first time – a bushy auburn tail. Bringing the boy up to meet his eyes, Inuyasha set him with a glare before asking in a rough voice "So. What're you supposed to be, ya little thief?"
The boy glared back with angry green eyes, yelling in a high voice "I'm a fox, isn't it obvious?"
Inuyasha scoffed, saying "I've seen better fox tails sold at carnivals" as he gave the boy a little shake.
"Inuyasha, that's enough!" Kagome said imploringly. She'd been watching the little fox-boy carefully, entranced by his bushy tail and diminutive size, and despite his food theft, she wasn't altogether approving of Inuyasha's disciplining.
"What, you're just gonna let the robber go? We don't have much food Kagome, and that fruit was from Kaede!"
"I know," she said softly, getting taken in by the fox's sad blue eyes, "but I'm sure he was just hungry! Weren't you? Poor thing, must be hard to hunt when you're so small!"
Inuyasha rolled his eyes with a loud, exasperated groan – he was all too familiar with fox trickery, and Kagome was just too tenderhearted.
The kit sniffled showily, saying through his crocodile tears "That's right… I hafta fend for myself, and" he sniffled again, loudly "I'm all alone!"
Kagome cooed sympathetically, saying softly "Oh, that's so sad! Don't worry, we'll get you something to eat!"
The fox-boy immediately brightened, kicking his furry feet at Inuyasha's wrist, and the half-demon let go without a fuss as the fox leaped into Kagome's waiting arms. Inuyasha was more than a little ruffled when Kagome all but ordered him to go fetch their bag from the road, seating herself and the small boy in the middle of the flower field.
By the time he got back with the bag, they were deep in happy conversation.
"So your name is Shippo? How cute!"
The kit smiled brightly, and this time genuinely, responding "Yeah, my father gave it to me! He was a great, brave fox demon!"
Kagome's smile grew sad as she said "But he's not around anymore?"
Reaching over to grab a cleaned and lightly roasted root from the bag, Shippo responded stoically "He died about six months ago. He was killed by some demons in the mountains where we lived. Mom… hasn't been around for a while, and I had no one else, so I came down here to fend for myself."
Kagome's face was full of sympathy, but Inuyasha took on a firm demeanor as he said roughly "And yet here you are stealing from travelers. Doesn't seem like you're fending too well if you ask me."
"Inuyasha!" Kagome's angry face was uncomfortably jarring to the half-demon, but he held his ground, continuing "I'm just sayin', he's never gonna be able to take care of himself if he has to rely on stealing! It's not something you should fall back on, and it's wrong."
'You almost did it yourself' Kagome thought reprovingly, but knew better than to say it. After all, he was right.
"C'mon kid, didn't your father teach you to hunt for yourself?" He seemed to be trying to help at this point, so Kagome decided to let the matter slide.
Shippo looked down with pensive eyes, before responding "It's… it's not that. There's not much to hunt in these parts."
"And why's that?" Inuyasha asked, his unbelieving tone making the kit bristle.
"Because there's a High-ranking demon in these parts, and he puts up a barrier around his land to keep out humans and other demons and animals too."
"… So why not just go outside the barrier?"
"Stupid! It's around the barrier too! And it's not… it's not like you can see the barrier, or really tell where it is, cuz otherwise it'd be found too easily…."
"That's ridiculous! What kind of barrier is so weak that you can't even tell where it is? What's the use if it won't even keep people out?"
"It's because they know when people cross it, even if you don't!"
Kagome looked thoughtful, saying "That sounds like a trap to me."
But Shippo shook his head, saying "I don't think they want people finding it though – I've crossed it before, and they always catch me, but all they ever do is kick me out or lock me away somewhere."
Inuyasha raised a dark eyebrow and said tauntingly "Then how come you're here right now and not locked up still?"
Shippo glared at the unimpressed half-demon, saying angrily "I'm not completely helpless ya know!"
Muttering something that sounded suspiciously like "coulda fooled me" Inuyasha returned to eating a radish, deciding the conversation no longer concerned him. That, and he hated to suddenly see all of Kagome's attention focused on the 'little fur-ball' as he'd deemed the fox, instead of concentrated on… other people.
Turning to Kagome's inquisitive look, Shippo continued "I think whoever it is just wants to be left alone."
Kagome's look only turned more puzzled though, as she asked "But Shippo… why do you keep going back then?"
Suddenly the boy turned nervous, and even Inuyasha lent an ear to find out just what had the kit so flustered. "Well, ya see… there's this chicken coop…."
Inuyasha's mirthful snort earned him glares from both the girl and the fox, but he didn't stop his ill-concealed chuckling as Shippo continued "Not all demons eat animal meat like that, so I figured they wouldn't notice… and you get a lot of use… from the meat and the eggs… it's not like it's weird or… anything… WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING?!"
Inuyasha was clutching his stomach at that point, reminding Kagome sharply of her own behavior from not all that long ago, and despite her disapproval over him laughing at the fox-boy, she couldn't help but find the sight of him so tickled… cute.
"Chicken coop? You're such a fox!" Inuyasha managed through his guffaws, his laughter renewed as he found the situation funny all over again.
Shippo however was not amused. He shot to his furry toes, glaring at the still laughing man with all the anger his little form could muster before spitting out "Oh yeah? Well… you're just a half-breed!"
Kagome gasped, her mind conjuring memories of the revelers at the circus, and she cringed; she had forgotten that demons seemed to detest half-demons. "Shippo, that's uncalled for. You should really treat Inuyasha with more respect!"
But Inuyasha didn't seem to care as he rubbed at his eyes, still chuckling despite the change in mood. "Yeah runt, respect me, 'cause even though I may be only half demon, I could still beat you to a pulp without breakin' a sweat."
Shippo's glare lessened, and he actually looked a bit self-conscious as he sat in their small circle, fiddling with the pit of the peach he had eaten… the peach they'd given him. "I… I'm sorry."
Kagome smiled at the boy, and Inuyasha said only a quick "Don't mention it" before packing up the food sack and slinging it over his shoulder as he got up and walked away.
Shippo sat still among the flowers, hearing but not responding as the half-demon called back "Hurry it up back there." The little fox felt suddenly very alone, and would have probably sat in that field forever, had a soft touch not nudged his arm. He looked up to see Kagome's smiling face peering down at him as she offered a hand and whispered happily "I think he means both of us."
It took a moment to sink in, but when it did, the little fox-boy couldn't contain a smile as he hopped up off the ground and jumped lightly onto the black-haired girl's shoulder.
"This place smells a lot like you."
Inuyasha stopped walking to stare with arched eyebrows at the fox-child who had been perched happily on his shoulder for quite some time. "… Come again?"
With wide innocent eyes, Shippo responded "Don't you smell it? These woods smell like dog. They always have actually."
Turning away from the little boy, Inuyasha took a deep breath, closing his eyes to concentrate better on sifting the scents.
There was Shippo's earthy scent (he guessed the kit had been sleeping in one too many old musty burrows) and Kagome's smell wafting back to him as she walked ahead of him, her step light as she hummed an airy tune. Her scent was naturally sweet like wild berries, with a bright tanginess that reminded him of sunlight. She reminded him of sunlight. He breathed that scent in a little deeper, almost sighing as thoughts of her filled his head. He would never admit it to her, but she smelled heavenly. He shook his head and continued sifting through smells – it was dangerous to linger too long on thoughts like that. He could easily get lost in her aroma. That was dangerous for everyone.
There was his own scent, as familiar to him as his own name. And – yes, there it was. Drifting to him on the air… another dog-demon. It was so close to his own scent, that he had completely overlooked it.
"Well?" Shippo piped up from his shoulder, leaning forward to turn and peer closely into Inuyasha's face, "you smell it, don't you? It's a dog, right?"
Inuyasha scoffed, trying to hide his embarrassment at having missed such a thing with an angry "It's a dog-demon Shippo. Can't you tell the difference?"
Shippo cocked his head, saying with obvious confusion "But I don't feel any demonic aura."
"Well of course not! The smell is old; a dog-demon has been through these woods, but it's not here now. Believe me, you woulda known."
Kagome looked back at the two boys, intrigued. "So… does every demon have an 'aura'? Do you?"
Inuyasha stared at her incredulously. "Wha- you mean you haven't noticed?"
She looked startled, then ponderous, and she turned away slightly, her eyes staring off as she seemed to be focusing on something in the air. After a moment or two of silence, she responded hesitantly "I… guess I feel something… different. But… I think it's Shippo I'm sensing. I'm sure I'm feeling your aura too, but…" she shrugged, a small smile lighting on her face, "I guess I'm just used to it by now!"
Inuyasha frowned slightly at her, unsure whether her senses were weak or if... or if she just didn't find his demonic aura unsettling enough to notice. That would certainly be a first.
Never one to pass up a chance for mischief, Shippo spoke up teasingly "You probably can't sense his aura 'cause it's so weak!"
Inuyasha shot him a scathing look. "Oi, runt, you wanna keep getting a free ride, you better shut your trap. Or do I need to teach you a lesson in respect?"
With a yelp Shippo hopped from the angry half-demon to the young woman sighing in exasperation. He tucked himself firmly under her dark hair, and she couldn't help but roll her eyes at the childish pair.
"Now now, there's no need for –"
She was abruptly cut off by a deep, rolling growl from Inuyasha. Any thoughts and words vanished as she looked over at him, wondering what on earth had set him off, only to see him glaring into the woods, his posture tense and coiled, as if ready to spring. She thought to ask him what was wrong, but then she felt it: it was like ink being poured across her senses, blanketing them in a haze of opaque darkness, blotting out the warmth of the sun overhead and the crispness of the breeze until all her awareness was covered with a black sheen.
"I… is that…."
She couldn't finish, and she didn't have to, as Inuyasha confirmed for her "Yeah… that's a demonic aura."
It turned out to not be one single aura, but instead the combination of many. Inuyasha smelled them coming before anyone saw a thing: frogs, snakes, oni, a variety of mediocre demons were headed for them. Inuyasha cracked his knuckles in preparation for a fight, positioning himself resolutely in front of Kagome as she cradled the trembling Shippo.
There was a whistling sound in the air, coming from several directions, and Inuyasha whirled, arms raised and claws gleaming as he cut through first one projectile, then two more, before his mind registered the black clouds that burst from the shattered shells. He cursed, moving to cover his nose even though he knew it was too late. The overwhelming smells invaded his mind, exploding behind his eyes and shutting his body down. He thought he heard, as the ground rushed up to meet him and before his mind went black, Kagome frantically screaming his name.
The blackness around him was lifting – he was starting to make out shapes surrounding him on all sides; tall and thin, and grouped together… trees? They were moving past him… no, he was running. Where was he going?
The distant sounds of swords and gunfire reverberated in his mind, and with shocked realization, he knew where he was: he was running away from the village – away from his dying mother.
But… this wasn't real. With a strange sense of disconnect, he was duly aware of his own dreaming state, watching his memories playing out before him. He could see himself now, a much smaller version with a childish face, feet covered in dirt, hair tousled and tangled with leaves, and cheeks wet with tears he didn't realize he was crying. He fell in the dirt but didn't get up; instead he lay there panting, hyperventilating and (Inuyasha remembered only too well) trying to forget just what it was he was running from.
It was too much for a child's mind to think about at once; he shouldn't have had to think about it at all.
Suddenly there was a crunching sound in the brush before him, and the little boy jerked his head up, lungs still gasping for breath, to see a tall figure with the face of a white baboon. The figure extended its hand, and Inuyasha could see the pink skin of a human, a long white sleeve extending up the arm. Looking up again, he noticed that the bottom half of the baboon-face was that of a smiling human: a human wearing a mask.
And that smile chilled him to the bone.
He tried to growl at the proffered hand, but he was out of breath and his head was spinning.
"You must hate them" crooned the figure above, in a voice deep with malice. "They attacked your home… killed your poor mother… you have every right to despise them all."
He didn't stop to think that this stranger knew too much; that someone who had seen all that should have stopped to help instead of following him out here. But he was too overcome with rage to think clearly. Those men on horses… in a single night they had ruined his life… he did hate them.
"Come now, you are hurt. I can help you… I can make you strong… you can get revenge."
Yes… revenge… that was what he wanted. That was what he needed. Those men… that clan… they didn't deserve to live.
Watching his younger self glare up at the man offering such promises of strength, Inuyasha wanted to kick himself for having ever been so weak.
Naraku was crafty – he knew just when to strike.
He knew exactly what to say to trick a young half-demon into signing on for a life of humiliating captivity without a second thought.
The scene before him began to fade, and Inuyasha felt sensation creeping back into his body: he was coming to. Survival instinct had him assessing his situation before he even opened his eyes. He remembered sensing those demons, smelling them, then his sense of smell going dead knocking him out as he was assaulted by that black powder.
And Kagome… screaming.
Kagome!
His limbs ached as he tried to stretch them, willing all his energy into making his body move.
Opening his eyes took more effort than he cared to admit, and at first his vision was blurry, but it cleared fairly quickly to be met with immaculate tatami mats. Dragging his gaze across the floor, he noticed a shape standing before him. It was a person, his clothing rich and highly detailed from head to foot, not extravagant but obviously lordly, with a long fur draped over one shoulder. Inuyasha strained slightly to focus on the figure's face, and when it finally cleared to his vision, he froze.
Framed by silver hair longer and brighter than the hair on Inuyasha's head was a set of golden eyes that he knew mirrored his own, though the face surrounding them was much sharper, older and colder. But it wasn't just the looks that were familiar; the scent alone confirmed the man as a dog-demon, and the aura he was giving off was so similar to his own… only much more powerful.
Adrenaline fueled the return of strength to his limbs, and he pushed himself into a defensive crouch, growling low in his throat as he eyed the man with whom he bore striking resemblance.
But the man only seemed amused at his display, and made no move towards him. "So, you've finally regained consciousness. I'd expected you to come to earlier but, given your pathetic heritage, I suppose that's asking too much."
Inuyasha's growling turned into a snarl at the stranger's caustic insults.
"Just who the hell do you think you are?"
The man scoffed lightly at him, glancing down his nose at Inuyasha in a way that had the half-demon wanting to rip said nose off his face.
"I suppose you wouldn't know me – we've never met, and I would have liked to have kept it that way. I didn't think you'd ever come to me Inuyasha, but that's the way with vermin: they tend to get into where you least expect them."
Inuyasha's growls were cut off abruptly at the realization that this man apparently knew his name.
Seeing the half-demon at a loss for words and growls, the demon lord chuckled mirthlessly. "Yes, I know who you are – even if your features and stench didn't give you away, that crest on your back was all the evidence I needed, though how you could stand to wear the emblem of your miserable mother's people, I don't know."
By this point Inuyasha was seeing red. He didn't know who this damn dog was, and at this point he didn't care.
"What would you know about my mother you bastard? You say somethin' like that again and I'll kill ya!"
The dog demon smiled icily, responding with infuriating calm "I'd like to see you try… little brother."
There was silence from the young man on the floor. His stare bored holes into the man before him, his brow quirking as the man's words echoed through his head over and over.
'Brother? … what the HELL?!'
Kagome groaned as awareness came back to her, trying to reach for her throbbing head only to find her arms bound. Wiggling her fingers to assess the bindings, she brushed against soft fur, and glancing back saw a small, fur-covered foot.
"Shippo!" She whispered fiercely "Shippo!"
She felt the fur at her fingers shift as the high voice responded quietly "Oh, Kagome! You're awake! I was worried…."
She smiled softly before asking "Shippo, do you know where we are?"
"Yeah, we've been captured by those demons, remember? They threw some kinda scent-pellet; it made me weak so I couldn't fight back, but it knocked Inuyasha out cold. He must have a really sensitive nose."
Kagome's heart clenched, the sight of Inuyasha falling like dead weight against the unforgiving ground burned into her memory. She had immediately run to his side, trying to check his vitals – he couldn't just die – before something had slammed against the back of her head and she slumped across his back. Her head throbbed painfully at the memory of the blow, but she did her best to ignore it.
"Shippo… you said you'd been captured before, right? How did you escape those other times?"
Shippo jostled her hands slightly, and she realized they must have been tied together.
"Well, usually I escape using my fox-fire. I just burn through the cords and do a few quick transformations to sneak my way out. But I don't think I can use fox-fire this time; I might burn you!"
Kagome thought over the new information, her eyes widening in awe as she repeated "Transformations? You mean… you can transform? Really?"
The little fox sounded bashful as he responded "Yeah… but I'm still not too good at it. My tail always shows."
Smiling softly, wishing she could give the little boy a confidence-boosting hug, Kagome reached out a finger to wrap around one of the tiny hands tied next to hers. "Don't worry Shippo, we'll figure something out! We have to get out of here and find Inuyasha."
Shippo was silent for a moment before his voice fluttered up to her through the quiet room "You know… I think I remember hearing one of the demons saying that he was being taken to the lord here."
Chewing nervously on her lip, Kagome could feel her worry rise; the thoughts of Inuyasha, alone and hurt and surrounded by demons who surely hated him just as much as the ones at the circus had tears welling up in her eyes, but she refused to start crying now. "Shippo," she said with quiet but fiery determination, "burn the ropes. Don't worry about me. And… do you think you could transform to look like one of the guards?"
The fox-boy's startled response was cut off as he thought on her request and started to piece together her plan. "But Kagome… what if I hurt you?"
She smiled ruefully, knowing he couldn't see it. She was expecting it to hurt. But pain wasn't important right now. Inuyasha needed her.
Her voice was calm and sure as she said "Don't worry, really. I trust you."
Shippo's green eyes widened at her words, and then hardened with resolve. He wouldn't let her down; her or Inuyasha.
Inuyasha stood still as the older demon prowled around him, sizing him up, no doubt planning an attack. The half-demon was anxious for an attack. All this talk was getting annoying.
"Our father seemed quite determined to keep you safe… even sacrificed his own life to protect your worthless one." Sesshomaru stopped before the younger man, eyeing the white dog-ears with obvious disdain. "You possess a portion of his great power, however" he paused to once again look down his nose at Inuyasha "you are pathetically unable to access it."
Inuyasha ground his teeth, seething, but managed to calm his temper enough to grind out "How the hell do you know so much about me?"
"Hmph, don't think I care about what happens to a half-breed such as yourself. I am merely well informed. Many demons know of that disreputable circus and its freaks."
With a snarl Inuyasha lashed out, his claws just narrowly missing the dog-demon's face.
"Why so angry, little brother? Has your incarceration made you so barbaric that you can't even hold a conversation without resorting to violence?"
"Do you mean to tell me," Inuyasha said with a sinister growl, "that you knew I was trapped against my will, since the time I was a kid, and you didn't even think to try and get me out? And you claim to be my brother?!"
"I'm not your brother by choice, cretin."
Sesshomaru easily dodged the younger man's punch, effortlessly sidestepping each swing as Inuyasha advanced on him with ever increasing fury.
"You – damn – BASTARD!" he roared, interjecting his words with yet more punches and stabs of his claws. He had a brother – a brother! He had never known…. And the sick joke that was his life only got worse as he discovered that his only demon relation hated him just as much as any other demon he'd ever met.
So much for blood-ties.
He had hoped it was a lie, but his eyes and his nose confirmed Sesshomaru's story only too readily. Anger swept over him as he once again realized how alone he was in the world, and a sudden hatred burned in him for this side of the family just as strongly as it burned for those human murderers. With an enraged yell Inuyasha's attacks increased, and with no little satisfaction he noticed Sesshomaru's cool demeanor slip ever so slightly as he continued to dodge the attacks. Inuyasha's temper was drawing thinner as the demon-lord refused to fight back, but suddenly the man lashed out, his claws gauging Inuyasha's arm as it rose to strike. Hissing as an unfamiliar burning sensation swept out from the cuts, Inuyasha suddenly found himself on the defensive as his half-brother turned the tables. It was all Inuyasha could do to get away.
Leaping backwards, Inuyasha fell to his knees, gripping his arm as it continued to burn. He spared a glance down at the wound, seeing the leather ripped open and the wound sizzling. 'So' he thought grimly, 'the bastard's got poison acid in his claws. Didn't get that from father.'
"Are you done?" The dog-demon said, his calm tone laced with annoyance, "Or do you need more proof of just how weak you are?"
Inuyasha scoffed, cracking his knuckles as he spit out "I'm just warmin' up." His whole body was aching to fight; all of the anger and hate he'd felt in the last few minutes was building to a boiling point and pounding in his ears, begging for an outlet, and he figured putting a hole through this jerk's gut would be just enough to sate the feeling.
"Hm. Your stubbornness is impressive… as is your stupidity.
"Just shut up and fight me already, you coward!"
Launching himself at the dog-demon, Inuyasha spun quickly as he was side-stepped, and brought his claws down in an arc. Sesshomaru was quick to dodge, but Inuyasha managed to just catch the fur draped over the demon's shoulder, tearing a clump of the hair away as he moved in to attack again.
"Miserable vermin" Sesshomaru spat coldly, his claws glowing an unearthly green as they narrowly missed Inuyasha's cheek.
Barking out a laugh, Inuyasha lunged again and caught his claws in the other man's outer kimono, leaving three long tears, but not quite reaching skin.
"What, mad that you're losing to a half-breed?"
Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, and before Inuyasha could say another word, the other demon was before him, his hand wrapped around the half-demon's throat in a tight grip.
"Now, what was that about losing, little brother?"
Inuyasha clawed at the hand choking him, alternating between pulling at the appendage and marring the skin with red gashes, but Sesshomaru only tightened his hold, lifting the half-demon off the floor. Inuyasha felt his strength waning as poison flowed from those fingers directly onto his skin, the burning sensation now on his neck as well as in his emptying lungs.
"I had hoped," the cold voice drawled "that you would have become stronger from so many years fighting to survive. But if this is all you're capable of" his fingers curled, claws digging a little deeper into Inuyasha's neck, injecting the poison acid straight into his blood "then you may as well die."
But Inuyasha didn't hear him, for at that moment a scent found its way to his nose, working through his muddled consciousness to strike him right in the heart. It was a scent he'd only known for two weeks, but knew he would never, ever be able to forget.
Kagome….
A shoji door to his right burst open, and there she was, chest heaving as if she'd run for miles. She spotted him quickly, and at her distraught expression he felt his heart clench. 'Run you fool! Stop trying to save me and save yourself for once!' But it was no use, he couldn't warn her – with the poison burning around and inside his throat, he wouldn't be able to talk for some time… assuming he first made it out of this alive.
Kagome seemed frozen to the spot, the little fox hiding behind her ankles as she stood shaking, and Inuyasha tore his hand away from clawing at Sesshomaru's to motion for her to leave. But in his weakened state and to her panicked eyes, the gesture seemed more like a plea for help. Sesshomaru had watched the wordless exchange in calculating silence, but his grip never wavered. The gesture had broken the spell on Kagome however, and with a heart-wrenching cry of "Inuyasha!" she sprang forward into the room, towards him.
Inuyasha saw the hatred flit through Sesshomaru's eyes, saw his left arm rise, already glowing with vicious poison, saw that hand aiming for Kagome….
Sweet, selfless, terribly mortal Kagome….
And he moved.
The sounds of a muted thud and a strangled feminine gasp filled the room only to be replaced with a hollow silence.
The hand around Inuyasha's throat shook and loosened, lowering him back to the floor and all too slowly left his throat completely, allowing the half-demon to slump to the ground, taking ragged breaths that hurt his damaged throat much more than the claws. He closed his eyes, concentrating on getting air back into his empty lungs, but after a moment he began to pick up on a faint sound; a slow but steady drip of something hitting the tatami mats in front of him.
Knowing what the sound was but needing to witness it for himself, he cracked his eyes open to see an ever growing pool of blood on the floor, next to which lay a pale, severed arm. He cursed that he didn't even have the energy to smirk. He wished he could at least lift his head enough to see the shock on that bastard's face.
There was a tentative fall of footsteps, and suddenly Kagome's black shoes entered his vision as she knelt beside him, Shippo's fox feet following uncertainly behind her. His eyes closed again as she carefully maneuvered him to lean his head against her collarbone, her arms wrapping softly yet protectively around him.
A thought crossed his mind to tell her to buzz off – she was only making him look weak – but he dismissed it with a snarl. He was weak, and he couldn't tell her anything even if he wanted to; besides, it helped to not have to hold his head up anymore.
"Who are you? Why would you do this to him?"
Kagome's angry voice cut through his momentary peace, and he managed a faint version of a growl at her dangerously defiant attitude, but she didn't get the hint. Thankfully Sesshomaru only ignored her, turning his head and calling towards the open doorway "Jaken".
There was a sound of muffled squealing and an unsteady shuffle of feet, and suddenly Jaken appeared from the hall, his hands bound behind him by a bright ribbon and a spell scroll over his mouth. From Shippo's faint snickering, Inuyasha guessed the enchantments were the fox's doing. The toad-like demon tried desperately to call out to his lord for assistance, but his pleas went unanswered as Sesshomaru ordered, his tone as calm as ever despite his bleeding stump of a shoulder "Bring Tetsusaiga." The little demon stared with questioning eyes until with a glare from Sesshomaru he squeaked and scampered out of the room, falling several times as he did so.
Shippo cowered behind Kagome as the dog demon turned his attention back to the huddled group, and Kagome tightened her hold around Inuyasha, her gaze unwavering as she glared at his attacker who was trying to hide a pained grimace.
"So," he started in a chillingly casual tone "this is what it takes to get you to fight? A useless mortal girl? Pathetic really, that you can't attain such incentive by yourself."
Inuyasha tilted his head to glare up at the man, but the sight of blood still dripping steadily from the wound kept him from trying anything else. Let the bastard keep talking. Maybe he'd bleed to death while up there on his soap box. His temper quickly dissipated though at Sesshomaru's next words.
"However, seeing as you were able to overcome me… you have proven yourself worthy of our Father's legacy."
His words sounded forced and not the least bit pleased, but Inuyasha's harsh breathing stilled in awe anyways, and Kagome's eyes grew wide as she looked from one man to the other, her thoughts racing.
'Father? … Does that mean… they're brothers? How can that be? How could he try to kill his own brother?'
Her musings were cut short as Jaken reappeared, his hands now unbound as they pulled at an oblong bundle of cloth. With a nod from Sesshomaru, the imp deposited the package in front of Inuyasha and Kagome, scoffing as haughtily as he could with a sutra still plastered over his beaky mouth.
Kagome glanced warily at the object, but with a nod from Inuyasha, she reached out, hesitantly peeling away the dark folds of cloth until her fingers touched the cool, polished black wood of a scabbard. With a shaky breath she wrapped her hand around the sheathed sword, lifting it gently until she could grasp the tattered hilt of an old katana. Hesitantly, she pulled on the hilt, and the sword resisted a bit until with a tug a few inches of steel were revealed.
Kagome had seen a few swords in her days of living on a shrine, but even with her limited experience, she could tell a good sword wasn't supposed to look this… well… bad.
Inuyasha's incredulous stare and raised eyebrows spoke the volumes that his vocal chords couldn't.
Snatching the hilt from Kagome with his uninjured hand, Inuyasha pulled the sword from its casing and held it close to his critical gaze, his expression growing more disbelieving by the second. His lips pulled back in silent snarl, and he whipped his arm to stab the sword into the mats beside him, making Kagome jump as he used the sword to pull himself into an upright position. The blunt sword barely nicked the reed mats.
Two sets of eyes, one confused and one aggravated looked up at Sesshomaru, who stood watching with a very bored expression.
"It's forged from Father's own fang, and is a sword of ultimate destruction. It was his wish that you receive it once you proved yourself strong enough to wield it. However… you're welcome to leave it if it doesn't suit your liking."
Inuyasha was feeling more than willing to leave the useless weapon (could it even be called a weapon?) with this insufferable man, but… his brother looked a little too eager to get the thing back, and if the jerk really wanted it that badly….
Call it payback for leaving him trapped in that nightmare circus; he was taking the damn sword.
Taking the scabbard from Kagome, he re-sheathed the katana – Tetsusaiga, was it? – and stood on shaky legs, Kagome holding worriedly onto his arm as Shippo jumped onto her shoulder. Sesshomaru stepped forward slightly, and Inuyasha tensed, his hand reaching for the hilt of the sword, despite knowing it would do him little good should another fight break out.
The dog-demon's cold gaze locked with his younger brother's angry eyes, and with a curt nod at Tetsusaiga, said "Take the sword and leave. I want you out of my domain by morning. And should I find you trespassing on these lands again, I won't hesitate to kill you.
Grinding his teeth, Inuyasha's eyes hardened as he stared the man down with growing hate. So then… that's how it would be. No catching up, no apologies or reconciliations, no chance at learning more about his father or dog-demon heritage. He was being dismissed, leaving with no more than painful wounds, a rusty old sword, and more resentment than he'd felt in a long time.
But at least he was leaving with his life… and with Kagome's.
Placing a hand at Kagome's back, he gently urged her towards the open doorway, more than ready to get out of his brother's presence.
Once the group had left the room, the trick-scroll across Jaken's mouth disappeared with a pop, and the little demon immediately turned questions to the stately dog-demon.
"Milord! T-Tetsusaiga! You're… you're really giving your Father's powerful sword to that-that-"
"Have you forgotten, Jaken," Sesshomaru began in an emotionless tone that nevertheless set the imp shivering, "I am unable to use that sword. Father himself said it was to be given to the whelp, that only one possessing human blood would be able to hold it, let alone use its true power. What use have I for a sword I cannot wield?"
Cowering slightly in his master's imposing shadow, Jaken said shakily "O-of course, L-lord Sesshomaru."
Turning a calculating gaze to the empty door and vacant hallway, a devious smile crept across Sesshomaru's face as he added "Besides… I doubt Tetsusaiga will work for the half-demon either."
Jaken looked up with blank confusion, asking timidly "Why is that?"
"Couldn't you sense it? The half-breed is consumed by rage. I could see it in his eyes – he bears hatred towards those worthless humans who killed our Father; the ones with whom he shares blood. Tetsusaiga will not obey him so long as he harbors such feelings towards humanity."
"B-but… he had a human with him… what if he is able to use it after all?"
Sesshomaru glanced down at the imp who yelped and hid behind his thin wooden staff, but after a moment passed and nothing happened, Jaken chanced a glance back at the demon's face.
"Indeed… perhaps he will surprise us yet. Either way, it is no longer of concern to me."
And with that he turned and swept out of the room his fur trailing behind him, leaving a very confused Jaken in his wake. It was only in that moment that Jaken became aware of the blood trail following his master's footsteps, and of the severed arm lying beside him on the ground.
The shriek that followed reverberated through the mansion walls.
Inuyasha's ear flicked at the faint sound of a yell, but his attention was quickly drawn back to the girl beside him whose head whipped comically back and forth as her brows drew in confusion.
"Maybe it was… but I don't remember seeing that corridor… Shippo, did we pass this doorway? No wait – that lantern looks familiar, doesn't it?"
Shippo turned wide eyes at the girl on whose shoulder he sat, saying with some surprise "Everything looks the same to me. What gives Kagome? You were so sure of the way when we went to help Inuyasha – how come now you don't know which way to go?"
Inuyasha too turned an interested expression on the girl, eager to know how she had managed to find him in this maze-like building.
She colored under the scrutiny, and her mouth opened and closed as she attempted an explanation, but her words caught in her throat. With a resigned sigh, she tried "This is going to sound kind of… weird… but… I could see Inuyasha."
At the blank expressions of her two companions, Kagome smiled hesitantly, fiddling with her hands as she continued "I mean, when we first got here I sensed something was different, and I realized I wasn't feeling your uh… aura anymore" her eyes met Inuyasha's, and he looked a bit stunned, "and so I tried to… reach out with my powers and find it… I'm not sure how, but once I felt it, I could see you. Through the walls. And I knew which direction to go."
Inuyasha stopped walking, and she stalled too, looking back at him hesitantly. She didn't want him thinking she was crazy, but… she had to tell him the truth. Her fears burst away into a torrent of butterflies however as he leaned back, crossed his arms, and gave her a look she recognized easily: pride.
He was impressed with her.
Her heated blush was quick to disappear however as he turned and nodded expectantly at the corridor stretching before them, and the irritated frown he gave her upon hearing she couldn't quite get the technique to work again squashed all those little butterflies that had been flitting around her insides.
Whether by a stroke of luck or simply poor timing, the small group was quickly made aware of an angry squawking heading down the hall towards them, and it was by the unknowing hand of an irate Jaken, cursing loudly and brandishing his staff, that they finally made it out of the building and through the courtyard, a large wooden gate slamming forcefully behind them as they stood in the open night air.
*Author's Note:
This was a beast to write, but I finally got it all out, and it turned out even better than I planned. Super excited for the next few chapters!
After much deliberation, I've decided to use Tetsusaiga instead of Tessaiga. Why? Cuz I grew up watching the dub (well... and the sub too, but the dub and I have a special connection) and that's how I write it in all my notes, and that's how I'm gonna keep writing it. And that's my story.
Also... fyi, line breaks connote a time skip. Usually I break up time skips with side-plots, but this chapter was just too darn long to put side-story in. Next chapter we'll get back to the other characters - their stories are gonna start to coalesce. :3 It'll be fun. I think.
and THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU EVERYONE for all the reviews, follows, faves, and even just reading. Your reviews inspire me to write when I'm in a funk, and the faves and follows are very much appreciated! You're all awesome, and I'l so glad you're enjoying this story!