~Freak Attraction~
Chapter 7: Decisions made alone, Resolutions made together
*rated T for mild language
When Kagura woke up, she wished she hadn't. Her chest burned and her head was throbbing. Her arms were like lead beside her; she couldn't yet feel her legs.
The damn mutt - when did he get a demon weapon? She fumed, thinking of how he had toyed with her, pretending he was weak to lure her into false confidence so he could deliver a killing blow. She had been thrown back into the tree-line by the blast and had quickly lost consciousness. She could have died for all she knew, but there was something between then and now that she could remember feeling: fur and the wind on her face. Had it been a dream?
But something had happened, for now she could feel cloth underneath her fingers and a softness cradling her head. Carefully she cracked her eyes open, giving them time to adjust to the low light around her, and saw wooden beams over her head.
'… Where am I?'
The soft sliding of a wooden door caught her attention, and suddenly a soft, deep voice sounded through the otherwise empty room.
"You've regained consciousness already. It seems Tetsusaiga wasn't at its full strength then."
Alarm swept through her at the feel of a very powerful demonic aura approaching, and she tried in vain to lift her head to see what was sure to be her executioner. The sick bastard had probably brought her here and kept her alive until she was well enough to be tortured. Or maybe he just liked his meat fresh.
Kagura heard the rustle of fabric, and suddenly a shadow was looming over her. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust in the dim candle-light, but when they did, she nearly gasped as her eyes met yellow ones so similar to the eyes of the Dog-Man.
His silver hair fell around him as he looked down at her with a cold and calculating gaze, a large fur draped over one shoulder and covering part of his regal attire. What similarities he at first bore to the half-breed were quickly forgotten as she noticed the pride with which he carried himself.
This was a full demon, and a strong one at that.
"W-who are you?" Kagura managed to croak out, glaring defiantly up at him. Just because he was strong didn't mean she was going to roll over and die without a fight; never mind that she still didn't have the strength to move. "Why did you bring me here?"
He raised a sharp eyebrow at her attitude, but didn't respond right away. Instead he gazed lower, evidently examining the wounds across her abdomen. She couldn't see them, but she could certainly feel they were there.
"That half-breed," he began, his tone reserved yet curious, "was able to use the sword after all. I gather though that he remains unaware how to fully access it's power, otherwise the sword would have easily disintegrated a demon such as you."
Kagura clenched her teeth. Whoever he was, this dog-demon was getting on her nerves. Oh how she wished for her fan at that moment, to teach this arrogant bastard a lesson! She internally groaned at the realization that her only weapon had probably been left behind, or worse – destroyed in the fight.
At least she still had her voice.
"What makes you think vermin like him could kill me that easily? I am the wind you fool! I had the half-breed at my mercy… until his damn sword changed."
Sesshomaru's piercing gaze turned quickly to hers, and she paused. "And when, exactly, did the sword change? What prompted its transformation?"
Kagura was taken aback at his demanding tone, her anger stirring to life in response. "How should I know? As if I concern myself with what the mongrel does. All I know is that he was right where I wanted him after we captured his little girlfriend… until my… companion proved to be incompetent." She wasn't about to reveal to such a stately demon that her plans had been thrown off by a mere fox.
But Sesshomaru smiled mockingly anyways, as if reading into what she had not said. "You captured his human companion? Unfortunately for you, by doing so you gave him the very opportunity he needed to destroy you. You were lucky he is yet inexperienced."
Glaring at the smug expression, Kagura yelled hoarsely "What would you know of it? I don't recall you being there. And why the interrogation?"
Scoffing lightly, Sesshomaru said sternly "Your transparent ineptitude is not something I would need to have been present to pick up on. That the half-breed escaped and you could not defeat him is proof enough of that."
Kagura found some of her strength was already returning as her hand clenched into a fist.
"Besides" Sesshomaru continued, turning away and starting towards the open doorway "that sword should have been mine. However, under the circumstances, I am obliged to watch it be misused and mishandled by a worthless half-breed. As such, I merely wished to know of his progress with it."
Finding she could now slightly lift her head, Kagura watched the dog-demon go, her face a look of confusion at his words.
Reaching the opening to the empty hall, Sesshomaru paused and looked back at Kagura, her red eyes blazing even as she lay prone on a lush futon. "Once you are able to walk, you will leave this place. No doubt your circus master will be requiring your presence."
Kagura's eyes narrowed, wondering how he knew where she was from, but a quick glance down to see bandages wrapped around her torso informed her that her circus coat had been removed – he must have recognized the crest from somewhere.
The reminder of the circus though only served to fuel her anger, the reasons for her fight with the Dog-man coming back to her mind as she said "I have no intention of going back to that place."
Sesshomaru shrugged, as if to say she was making a wrong decision, and then said "It is no concern of mine. However, I can tell there is magic on you which is tracing you back to a specific power source – most likely your master. You may not be able to break the connection on your own."
Kagura felt a tinge of fear at the idea of being tracked – she had suspected as much before, but to have it confirmed was disheartening.
Even away from Naraku's presence, she had never felt so trapped.
"Might I suggest" Sesshomaru continued in a wholly aloof manner "that you rethink your choice of allies and foes, and seek the assistance of the one who struck you down."
Kagura's mouth fell open in outraged shock. Of all the things to suggest! Go to the freak-show for protection after he had almost killed her? She was just about to let loose a tirade at this presumptuous demon when he spoke again in a more forceful voice.
"Don't underestimate him. On his own he is weak, but with that sword and a reason to use it, he could one day be a formidable foe. It would be foolish to ignore that power after it has already reduced you to this."
And with that he swept from the room, leaving Kagura with a whirlwind of thought.
Could the mutt really be strong enough to take on Naraku? That blade of his seemed powerful, but Naraku was full of tricks, and he was utterly ruthless. But… what if the half-breed could kill him? If he did manage to do so, would he then turn and destroy her too? He certainly had no reason not to. Perhaps it would be better in the long run if she weren't on the opposing team.
Kagura couldn't tell how long she'd been asleep in this place, or how many hours had passed since her last night outside, but she figured either way she'd have to find the Dog-man soon if she wanted to face him one on one again. The lunar month would be starting any day now, and after that she knew where he would be, and how hard it would be to talk to him.
"Kohaku, let me see if I understand this correctly." Byakuya began in a controlled voice, his smile empty, "You lost Kagura, failed to retrieve the dog, and then decided it would be a good idea to bring a young fox to join our troupe?"
Kohaku didn't respond, his face a perfect mask of indifference.
He could feel Shippo shaking from where he hung by his tail in the older boy's grasp, but was determined to remain emotionless. 'Just a little longer' he pleaded in his head, 'just let me hold onto myself a little longer!'
Byakuya rubbed at his temples, a weary sigh passing his red lips as he gave Kohaku an imploring look. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but the Ringmaster isn't going to be pleased to hear of the outcome of your little… venture. And I don't think this fox is going to soften his mood any. And with my luck he'll be taking it out on the both of us."
Kohaku stared at the moth demon with as blank an expression as he could muster, willing the man to believe that he was still being controlled, still lost to hypnosis, and not at all frightened out of his mind.
With another heavy sigh Byakuya covered his face with a hand, his shoulders slumping in defeat as he said "Alright, we'll tell the Ringmaster that you were attacked and tricked by this fox – you're a human so he should believe it – and that Kagura left you to find the half-breed herself. I'm guessing no matter what we tell him, truth or lie, he's not going to be very happy with her if she ever makes it back."
The grip on Shippo's tail tightened slightly as Kohaku tried to control his relief. 'Maybe I'll get out of this with my mind free' he thought wistfully. Byakuya's next words froze his budding elation however with "Just to be sure this kind of thing doesn't happen again, I better reinforce the spell… I'll most likely be blamed for this anyways, but just as a precaution…." His hands lifted suddenly to grab Kohaku's face, holding the boy still as he stared into his eyes. Byakuya's eyes glowed, his aura pulsing, and Kohaku cried out in his mind as he felt the familiar veil creeping over his consciousness before the spell took over completely and he no longer felt anything.
Dropping his hands and stepping back to inspect his work, Byakuya nodded and said in a much lighter tone than before "Alright, take the fox to Hachiemon's tent. We'll let the raccoon-dog figure out what to do with it – I suppose another clown couldn't hurt. Then report back here immediately – I'm not facing Master Naraku on my own."
Kohaku didn't even nod as he moved back out through the small tent's opening, turning and weaving through tents and stalls on his way to his destination.
Finally sensing that they were far enough away from the moth demon, Shippo let himself relax. He had been worried for a minute there that their plan wasn't going to work, but Kohaku had come through. Now it was Shippo's job to keep a low profile and fulfill his end of their bargain.
Taking a moment to observe his new surroundings, Shippo found his eyes widening at the sights of the circus around him. The food stalls smelled delicious, and the performers walking amongst the crowd, breathing fire and juggling knives were fascinating to the little fox. But all too soon they had left the main thoroughfare and were weaving between dingier looking tents belonging to the workers.
Having finally found the correct destination, Kohaku stepped between the flaps of fabric and suddenly there was a flurry of activity as the occupants of the tent sprang to their feet, shouting Kohaku's name.
Before Shippo could even bother to look up he was lifted high in the air as Kohaku presented him to the small gathering. "This fox will be joining the monk and the raccoon-dog." Shippo blinked at the figures before him; indeed, there was a man dressed in purple monk's robes and a large, fat raccoon beside him. And there was a woman there too, who looked like she was being restrained by the monk.
The heartbroken look on her face as she gazed at the brainwashed young boy stirred something in Shippo's memory, and he guessed that this must be the sister Kohaku had spoken of.
Before anyone could say another word, Kohaku had dropped the fox and left the tent, and Shippo squeaked as he was nearly run over by the young woman who raced after the boy before the monk caught her arm.
"It's no use Sango – he's still under the spell."
Sango's eyes didn't leave the tent opening, but she stopped straining against Miroku's hold. She knew he was right, and she knew it would do neither her nor Kohaku any good to cause a scene.
But at the sight of tears welling in the woman's eyes, Shippo found himself springing to his feet and saying loudly "He's under it now, but he wasn't earlier."
All eyes turned curiously to him, and suddenly he found himself very self-conscious. Kohaku had trusted these people, but they were new to Shippo. Not even Inuyasha had known them. Shippo felt his tiny heart squeeze at the memory of the half-demon and sweet, wonderful Kagome. He missed them both, but… if this all worked out, he'd be able to help them soon.
Squaring his tiny shoulders, Shippo stood a little straighter on his fox toes and said with all the authority he could muster "I… I have a message from Kohaku."
Sango gasped, and suddenly Shippo was being held in her gentle hands as she stared into his face with eager eyes. "What is it? What did he say?"
The other two were watching in anticipation as well, but Shippo ignored them for a moment to smile and look reassuringly at Sango, saying "I have a lot to tell all of you, but Kohaku wanted to make sure that his sister got to hear this message first: he said he loves you very much."
Kagome's eyes were stinging as she fought back her tears yet again – it had been hard for her to keep her composure ever since their battle and little Shippo's disappearance. But the missing little boy had only been the catalyst to her now churning emotions, and it seemed that suddenly she was hyper aware of how dangerous and bleak their situation was. She was worried about her family, worried about Shippo, and worried that others would come seeking the circus runaways.
And Inuyasha… he didn't notice at all.
Sniffling softly, Kagome glanced across the fire to see the half-demon with his back turned to her as he sat examining his sword. He'd been obsessed with it ever since the battle, and had the presence of mind for little else.
Kagome felt her anger bubbling up again; she'd been so snippy with him the past few days, and she would have felt bad for it, only he didn't even seem to care. He barely even spoke to her lately, let alone argued with her.
The tears were welling up again, threatening to spill over, and Kagome sniffled loudly as she lifted a heavy sleeve to dab at the moisture. She thought she noticed Inuyasha stiffen and turn back slightly, but soon enough he was engrossed in his weapon again. She sighed resignedly. Usually he was at her side in an instant if there was ever a hint of tears, but she had cried so much after Shippo vanished that he must have assumed she was still upset over the little fox.
'Or maybe he just doesn't care anymore.'
There was a popping hiss from the fire, startling Kagome out of her thoughts, and with a sigh she decided she'd had enough melancholy thinking for one night. She might as well rest and put the tiresome day behind her.
She didn't even bother approaching Inuyasha. She had found out two nights ago that she would get no rest leaning against him while he was constantly sheathing and unsheathing Tetsusaiga. "I'm sorry Kagome, but I have to figure this out" was what he had said, and she had smiled understandingly and gone to lie beside the fire, her hands a poor pillow in comparison to his warm body. Once again positioning herself as close to the fire as safety allowed, Kagome removed her outer kimono and folded it up to cushion her head. She shivered at the cold air against her back in sharp contrast with the warmth of the fire before her, but she did nothing to remedy it. Maybe it was petty, but… she was hoping that stubborn dog-man would notice… and maybe give her his coat… or hold her.
Rubbing away tears once again, Kagome scrunched her eyes tight and willed herself to sleep before the inevitable singing in her head started up again. She hadn't told Inuyasha that the chanting "Kagome Kagome" had returned, and that every night she slept away from him it haunted her dreams and had her waking with a gasp. If he ever noticed, he didn't mention it, and if he didn't notice, she didn't want to alarm him. Either way, she didn't see a reason to bring it up. The last thing she wanted was for him to be annoyed by how weak she was; as if that wasn't the case already.
Inuyasha stilled again as he heard Kagome settle in for the night, grimacing as her sad sniffles reached his ears. He knew he was hurting her by being so aloof, but there was no helping it. Despite every fiber of his being aching to have her resting against him, he knew it would only hurt her more in the end.
He just hoped she wouldn't despise him too much in her memories.
Mentally pushing such thoughts of her aside, Inuyasha looked back at the banged-up sword. No matter what he tried or how he looked at it, the sword refused to change. He had wracked his brain over the past few days, trying to figure out what he had done – how he had been holding it, what he had said, what Kagura had said – to try and determine what had caused the weapon to transform in the first place.
But nothing he tried yielded those same results.
He knew it was obsessive, knew it was eating him alive, but it was crucial he get the sword working again. He had felt so much power when he attacked Kagura – power he'd only dreamed of! And that power had opened up doors to him that he had been trying to break into for years. Now he had the means to fulfill his ultimate goal – revenge.
It was well into the middle of the night, and the fire was dying. With a heavy sigh Inuyasha sheathed Tetsusaiga a final time, setting it close to the fire, near Kagome. Tomorrow he would enact his plan, and he would just have to hope that Tetsusaiga decided to work again. They were close to the old fortress, and if he didn't go through with this soon then… he didn't think he'd ever get the nerve back to try.
It was an especially dark night – the moon was waning, and was merely a sliver in the sky – but Inuyasha could still make out Kagome's small form huddled on the ground. Her eyes and forehead were scrunched in a pained way, and an occasional whimper passed her lips, along with snippets of a melody that by now was very familiar to him.
His battered heart broke to see someone as bright and joyful as her in such a distressed state, and he approached her before he could stop himself. He couldn't allow himself to give her such comfort during the day, but now… she was deep in sleep, and besides… he would be gone before she woke up.
Crouching down behind her, he leaned over and gazed at her face for a moment, trying to commit it to memory. He would never forgive himself if he forgot her face. At such close proximity her bright and tangy scent which he already loved so much became intoxicating, and he couldn't help but lean down further, his nose almost in her hair as he took a long whiff.
She hadn't reacted yet to him being there, sleep still fully claiming her, so he let himself stretch out behind her, shielding her back from the cold night air and warming himself at the same time. Tentatively he lifted his hand, and it hovered over her shoulder a moment before venturing slightly lower and resting softly against her waist. He let loose a breath he'd been holding as she didn't so much as stir, and slowly reached around her to encircle her middle with his arm, pulling himself a little closer to her.
The ribbon in her hair tickled his nose, and he leaned up a bit to allow his other hand to pull at it, loosening the bow and pulling it away completely. He reached to put it by her head, but then paused, before swiftly tucking it into his shirt.
She wouldn't miss it - not like he'd miss her anyways.
Breathing in deeply, Inuyasha buried his nose in her now freed black hair, unable to get enough of her scent. While he worried time might corrode the image of her face, he knew nothing could ever wipe away the smell of her. He would remember that till his dying day.
He hadn't meant to fall asleep, and so as he stirred at the first rays of sunlight and chirps of morning birds, he cursed himself for letting his guard down. That seemed to happen a lot around the human girl, who was blessedly still asleep. If he had had to face her as he left, actually say goodbye… he wouldn't be going anywhere.
Hoping to get away while he still had the willpower, Inuyasha made a move to pull his hand away from her, but found that he couldn't. Sometime during the night his hand had moved away from her waist and was now being cradled by one of her own hands against her soft cheek.
His breath caught in his throat at not only the sight of his dangerous claws against her pliant skin, but at the look of absolute peace and serenity that now adorned her face. No hint of night terrors or frustration or tears remained; only the most open, vulnerable, trusting expression he'd ever seen or figured he would ever see again.
The warmth of her cheek burned his palm, and the idea that she could be so utterly comfortable with his claw-tips poking her skin froze every function of his body.
He almost gasped as he finally took a breath.
They couldn't stay like this – he knew she was still asleep, but it wouldn't be long before the light or the birds or even the wind woke her up, and he couldn't let himself be here when that happened. He had fought with himself for a long time, ever since their encounter with Kagura, and he had finally made up his mind: it was too dangerous for her to stay with him. He would not allow her to be used and attacked again as had happened with Kohaku. That had been one mistake he would not let himself make again.
From what Kagura had said, it seemed he really was the only target they were after, and so as long as he was away from Kagome, she'd be off their list. There were several villages within a few miles which he could sniff out, and any one of them would be big enough to be able to help her find a way back home. Kagome was smart, and resourceful; she'd be alright.
He had told himself that mantra so many times he was finally starting to believe it.
Leaning up slightly and propping his head on his hand, Inuyasha gazed down at Kagome once more, his heart reveling in the sight of his hand beneath her head, her own hand holding it there gently. There was so much he wanted to say to her – 'thank you' being at the forefront - but he knew he would never be able to express it all in a way that she'd understand… and he knew if he were to express to her everything he was feeling, things would never be the same.
Either she'd give him that indulgent look of understanding, as if to say 'oh, you poor thing, I care for you a lot, but not in that way', or maybe she'd finally turn on him like everyone else and call him out for the disgusting beast that he was for assuming she could ever love a half-breed. While his heart told him this would never happen, the pattern of events in his life thus far almost dictated that the worst scenario would be reality.
They could never be together, not like the happy human couples in his village growing up, or even like the passionate demon pairs who sometimes took outings to the circus – he wasn't like her, she wasn't like him, and the gods seemed to be sending him a message that it would be better to go their separate ways. He'd curse the gods later, but for now he'd listen.
Taking one last lingering look, leaning in one last time to smell her hair, Inuyasha pulled his hand ever so gently out of her grasp, letting his fingers brush her skin and linger a little as it was to be his last time touching her. Silently he rolled away from her, his body suddenly cold at the loss of her form pressed up against his, and stood on shaky limbs. He picked up the sword in its black sheath and was about to tuck it into his belt, when an idea struck him, and he quickly untied the sash of his coat, taking the thin strip of red cloth, so much like her hair ribbon, and laid it beside her head.
With an extra strip of black cloth he re-tied his coat, secured his scabbard to it, and quietly ducked into the tree-line.
It wasn't until late in the afternoon that Kagome figured she'd finally cried herself dry.
At first when she'd woken up she figured Inuyasha had gone off to hunt breakfast, and so she waited, busying herself around camp by restarting the fire and gathering more kindling from nearby trees. It was about then that she'd noticed her hair falling in her face, and discovered her ribbon was missing. A quick inspection of the camp had yielded the discovery of another, different red ribbon: one she recognized as the same cloth as Inuyasha's mother's coat.
Realization hit her then, and she'd panicked. She'd searched the surrounding woods, calling his name frantically, always returning to the fire-pit in the hopes that he'd be sitting there, cleaning a catch and saying he just wanted a change in wardrobe, but her hopes were always crushed to find the small clearing just as empty as when she left it.
After more than an hour of fruitless searching, she'd slumped down by the fire, dropped her head in her hands, and let flow all the tears that had been building since that very first night when she had stumbled upon the dog-man and grabbed his ears.
He had left her. After all they'd been through, all she'd done for him, all he'd come to mean to her… he'd just left in the middle of the night. There were no explanations, no goodbyes, no attempts to even try to fix whatever it was that had driven him away… he'd just left. And the worst part was that no matter how mad she was at his thoughtless departure, at his leaving her here to fend for herself in the empty woods, she couldn't be angry at him. She just wanted him back.
But she had no way to find him now – she didn't have his sense of smell, she couldn't track the path he had taken, and she didn't even know where she was let alone whether there were villages nearby where he might have gone. If he really wanted not to be found, she was powerless to make things otherwise. So she sat in the clearing, waiting and hoping beyond all hope that he would come back; that he would return to his senses and realize that he needed her as desperately as she needed him. And her hope was rapidly wearing thin.
The sun was already low in the sky by the time Kagome decided to move on. Either he would come back, see that she had moved and follow, or she would travel until she found a village, and figure things out from there.
She was already far from the original camp when she heard gunshots.
Her heart sped up and she spun, searching the air desperately for the sound, for an indication of which way to go. Briefly she realized someone might just be hunting, or there could be a dispute between villages, but something louder in her heart told her this was different. Shots rang out again, and Kagome was quick to follow the sound, running blindly into the trees. On one hand she hoped he wasn't there – the last thing she wanted was for him to be in danger – but if there was even the slightest chance that she might see him again, she'd go through hell and back to do so.
Kagome ran for a good mile before the tree-line broke and the wooden posts of a fortress wall rose up out of the earth before her. The shots were coming from inside. A sudden memory hit her of their encounter with his demon brother, and she instantly flared out her spiritual aura, searching for his demonic one. She thought she felt it at one point, but it was faint, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't see him. But time was too precious to waste trying – she'd have to go look for herself.
Examining the perimeter, Kagome noticed the main gate was slightly ajar, tilted at an angle on its overhead swinging post. She wondered for a moment if it was being held open by something, but realized that the surrounding wooden posts were crooked from age and settling, making the heavy swinging door gape. It wasn't enough to let in an army or even a single horseman, but for a young girl….
She headed for the opening without a second thought. She had seen no guards, and didn't think there would be any – old castles and mansions like this had become decrepit villages with the fall of the samurai, and whoever lived here now was in no danger of clan attack.
But they could have been in danger from something else.
"Monster!" "FILTH!" "Wicked Bakemono!"
Kagome followed the all-too-familiar shouts with rising anticipation. He was here! She would see him soon! Her legs were burning and her lungs ached more than they ever had, but she pushed her body further, the need to be with him again crowding out her pain. She ran between dusty streets and dilapidated huts before stumbling into a square in front of a small hill, an ancient-looking mansion perched atop it.
There was a crowd gathered, holding muskets and brandishing rocks, but Kagome ignored them as she ran through to the center. And there he was.
Inuyasha cursed the useless sword lying in the dirt beside him. It had failed to transform yet again, giving those dirty peasants the chance to attack. He could dodge their bad aim well enough, but there were too many of them, and soon his natural agility was undermined by the sheer volume of projectiles launched at him. A musket ball had hit the side of his head, his tough demon skin and bones the only thing preventing it from shattering his skull, and he had fallen mid-leap, dazed and stunned with his ear ringing painfully. He could feel blood oozing from the wound, his temple pulsing wildly as blood gushed from the open skin and torn muscle. They had descended on him then, kicking him, throwing rocks, but not doing any more damage than dirtying his clothes and giving him a light bruise or two. His head was still reeling though, and he couldn't hear anything beyond the ringing, so he let them have their way until he could think straight again.
He was surprised though when the weak attacks of the villagers subsided, and he almost felt them move away. The throbbing in his skull subsided slightly at the momentary respite, and he cracked his eyes open to see that the villagers had stepped back. Groaning, he lifted himself into a crouch – and then he noticed the scuffed black shoes and fluttering green hakama of the schoolgirl standing protectively before him.
Eyes wide with horror at the sight of her, Inuyasha couldn't help but think 'No! This wasn't supposed to happen!' She was going to get hurt again, and it would be his fault! But the stubborn girl would never let him have his way, and no joy in seeing her again could outweigh the fear he felt for her safety.
Her own safety was the last things on her mind though as Kagome stood with arms outstretched before the half-demon. She couldn't believe on first seeing him that he had been hurt badly enough to incapacitate him, and her anger had flared at the sight of all the blood on his face, her spiritual aura flaring in response and scaring the crowd into backing away from the hurt man as she pushed her way to his side.
The cowering villagers watched her with fear and Kagome glared back in return. One of the older men, strong and stern-faced, stepped forward with his shoulders squared and said in a gravelly voice "Step aside girl. That's a monster – it's not worth protecting."
Kagome's arms lowered, her hands clenching into fists as she fought her temper. She tried to tell herself they were just humans, that they were reacting out of fear, that… that maybe Inuyasha wasn't really hurt as badly as he seemed to be, despite all the blood…. But no matter what she told herself, no reasoning could excuse their actions.
"Why don't you check your facts again? Because the way I see it, the only monsters here are all of you!"
The villagers looked stunned and shocked by her outburst, but Kagome was only getting started. "I can't believe that a whole village would attack a single man. How could you be so barbaric as to beat him while he's on the ground? Now leave him alone, or you'll have me to deal with."
The men of the village scoffed, some grinning and others raising their weapons, eager to take her up on her offer. Kagome didn't so much as flinch, but Inuyasha, shielded behind her as his hearing and equilibrium returned, felt his blood boil at the looks they were giving the young girl.
Like hell anyone would so much as touch her.
Beside him Tetsusaiga pulsed, but he was so caught up in eyeing the crowd that he didn't notice.
A few of the men stepped forward, and Inuyasha coiled, ready to spring into attack. His sword pulsed again, more forcefully, and this time he felt it. Quickly he reached out and grabbed the hilt, and the familiar shock-wave of power swept through his system.
And suddenly he understood why Tetsusaiga transformed.
One of the men charged Kagome, brandishing his musket, but before Kagome could react Inuyasha was in front of her and the gun was cut clean in half, the man falling onto his backside as Inuyasha towered over him, the giant fang-sword held high and ready to swing again.
There was a flurry of movement as the villagers ran off, dropping their weapons and hiding themselves in their huts, all bravado gone as their prey became the predator.
Inuyasha scoffed derisively at their cowardice, sheathing his sword as it returned to its rusty state and turning sharply back to Kagome. He turned too sharply though and quickly lost his balance, falling to the ground as his head wound decided to make itself known again. Soft hands held his shoulders to steady him as Kagome knelt beside him, and Inuyasha opened his eyes to give her a grateful look –
Only to be met with the angriest expression he had yet seen on her. She looked ready to kill, and he lamented that this face would be the last one of hers he'd see – it sure wasn't as nice as the one from that morning.
"You idiot…" she seethed, and he was surprised that the venom in her voice hadn't done him in alone, "You COMPLETE IDIOT! How could you DO that? Why did you just LEAVE?"
He flinched at her yelling, his hurt ear ringing again at the noise. He wasn't about to let her know though, and he yelled in return "It was for your own good! You heard what Kagura said! Those circus goons are after me, not you. You'd be safer on your own!"
Kagome stared at him as realization dawned on her face. "You've been planning this, haven't you?"
Inuyasha cringed at the hint of betrayal in her voice. Didn't she understand?
"You've been planning to abandon me! After all we've been through, you just couldn't wait to get rid of me!"
The anger on Inuyasha's face took a backseat to confusion as he processed her words, and it was only a moment before the look turned disbelieving. "Are you stupid? Do you think I wanted to leave you?"
Her voice was bitter as she responded "Well didn't you? You certainly haven't seemed to care much for my company these past few days."
Inuyasha's eyes softened, but his gaze was firm as he said "If I had really wanted to leave, do you think I would have bothered to take this?" Reaching into his shirt he pulled out her red ribbon, and finally her anger started to subside. She had guessed he took it as a token to remember her by, but it was nice to hear him admit it himself. However… he still wasn't getting her feelings.
"And if I had wanted you to leave," she mimicked, reaching up to pull at the end of the sash tied into a bow in her hair for him to see "do you think I would have bothered to keep this?"
The fact that she had kept the sash, had realized what it was and kept it and used it, was not lost on him. He still wanted to argue with her, to tell her it was too dangerous and she should just forget him, but he was beginning to realize that it just wouldn't do any good. She was going to follow him whether he liked it or not. Hadn't she proved that enough times already?
He would always worry about her, would die to protect her, but now that he had discovered Tetsusaiga's secret... maybe he wouldn't have to worry quite as much. Maybe his dad really had given him a gift: a way to protect this girl.
"Now that that's out of the way…."
His musing was suddenly and violently broken off as Kagome's body collided with his, nearly knocking him over as she wrapped her arms tightly around him, her face buried in his chest. He stared at her, stunned, until she mumbled out a soft "I missed you…."
The blush that came at her words hurt his still bleeding head as he stuttered out "S-Stupid! I wasn't even gone a day!"
"I know…" She whispered softly, and with a shake of his head he allowed himself to wrap his arms around her too.
And despite the tender feelings washing through him in that moment, he couldn't help the smirk on his face as he thought 'I hope those damn villagers are watching this!'
At the thought of the villagers, the reason for Inuyasha's being in the rundown fortress in the first place came rushing back, and regretfully he pried Kagome away from him, looking into her soulful eyes as he said "Kagome, my life's not going to get any easier, and there are plenty of people outside the circus who would love to see me dead, but… if you really wanna stay with me, then… I won't stop you. I'll always protect you. I promise."
Kagome's eyes went wide, her mouth gaping slightly, but she nodded resolutely, and with an affectionate smile brought her hand up to dab at the blood on his face with her sleeve as she said "I'm staying."
With a cocky smirk Inuyasha rose to his feet, holding out a hand to help Kagome up as well. "I still say it's a mistake, but if you're sure… then follow me."
"Where are we going?"
Adjusting his sword at his belt, Inuyasha's eyes grew dark and his tone serious as he said "I've got a score to settle."
The sun was just touching the tips of the mountains as they approached the main doors of the mansion on the hill. Inuyasha didn't bother calling out or announcing his presence beyond smashing the sliding wood doors to splinters, but no one came to investigate. Kagome followed him down a dark hallway lit only by tiny lamps which were few and far between. She could tell there were people in the mansion, but they seemed to be avoiding the trespassers. Doors clicked shut at their approach, and whispers followed them down the halls. Kagome would have asked where they were headed, but Inuyasha didn't seem to be in a mood to talk. He held the transformed Tetsusaiga in his clenched hand, eyes stony as he followed a scent she couldn't pick up.
Finally they reached the end of a long, wide hallway, and stopped before a large door. Inuyasha stared at it for a long moment, until a smooth male voice called out from inside "Come in, demon."
With a growl Inuyasha sliced through the wood, the door falling to pieces before him. Kagome peered over his shoulder to see a middle-aged man wearing the old robes of a Lord, kneeling on a mat in front of the far wall. His dark hair was graying slightly and wispy, but as he raised his eyes to meet theirs Kagome noticed a fire in them.
Resting a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder, she was surprised to find him shaking. A quick glance at his face told her the rest: he was enraged. Something about this man had him angrier than she'd ever seen him before, his fangs bared and neck muscles strained, and for just a moment she could clearly see the demon in him.
"Well well…" said the man, his tone cool as running water, "so the abomination finally finds his way to his wretched mother's home. It's been a long time."
Inuyasha didn't respond, but Kagome could hear him growling under his breath. As for Kagome herself, she was starting to piece together where they were and why they were here, and her stomach dropped at the thought of what Inuyasha was planning to do.
"I wondered what had happened to the bastard-whelp; I admit I had hoped you died during the raid, but then, we never found your body. Only your poor mother's."
In three long strides Inuyasha was before the man, Tetsusaiga's sharp tip pointed right between the man's eyes. Inuyasha was seething as he ground out "I recognize your stench. It was you. You shot my mother that day." He bit back another angry growl, schooling his features back and saying snidely "I had hoped you were still alive – 'cause then I could have the pleasure of killing you myself!"
"Inuyasha, no!"
Racing across the room, Kagome grabbed a handful of red fabric, peering up into his face and pleading "Inuyasha, you can't kill him! Please, don't do this!"
His eyes flashed as he looked back at her, his body still trained on the man beneath his sword.
"Kagome, you don't understand. This is something I have to do."
Her eyes watered as she shot back "Of course I understand, but I can't just sit back and let you kill a man!"
He turned an angry face on her, biting out "This man murdered my mother, Kagome."
"So now you're going to become a murderer too?"
"He deserves to die!"
"Those villagers said the same thing about you! That doesn't make it right!"
"Like HELL it doesn't-"
Their arguing was abruptly cut off at the rising laugh from the man before them, and both turned a glare on him as he said mockingly "So, the mongrel has found himself a bitch, has he? And here I thought Izayoi was the only one foolish enough to involve herself with dogs."
Kagome gaped in shock, and he only laughed again at her look. His laughter died, though his smile remained, as Inuyasha shoved Tetsusaiga under his chin, the point barely nicking the flesh but presenting an obvious warning.
"I would shut up if I were you old man. You're only still breathing because this girl won't let me kill you, and you're not doing yourself any favors by insulting her."
The older man's smile fell and his eyes turned serious again as he said calmly "So kill me. There's nothing for me here anymore. The clan has long been disbanded, our once proud lineage sullied by your disgraceful birth. I leave nothing behind worth caring about. Besides… I always figured you'd come seeking revenge one day. Isn't that usually the way of things?"
Inuyasha glared down at the man, his fire put out by the other man's complacent demeanor. He felt a tug at his shirt and heard Kagome whisper to him "You're better than this Inuyasha. You're better than him. Don't stoop to his level."
Was he though? Ever since the night his mother had died, he'd wanted revenge. As he'd sat in that cage, demons mocking his heritage, he'd thought of revenge. When he'd been freed and given open air and a weapon, he'd planned on revenge.
But did he really need it? Would it really solve anything? It wouldn't bring mother back, and it wouldn't take away the pain of not having her around. It wouldn't erase the memories of watching her die; of leaving her to die.
But there was something – no, someone that he did need, someone that softened those memories, that made him think fondly of his mother instead of bitterly. Someone that let him know he could forgive himself for leaving his mother, because he would never leave someone like that ever again.
And with a start he realized she was right.
He was better than this man.
Because he had Kagome.
Somehow knowing that he, a miserable, parent-less, filthy half-breed, was in a better place than this human who had once had a whole clan at his beck and call gave Inuyasha the strength to sheath his sword and hold his head high, saying dismissively "You know what? If you really wanna die so badly, I think I'll just let you live and suffer."
Looking over briefly, he caught the relieved smile on Kagome's face, which prompted a small smile of his own.
They both missed the sinister smile of the man still kneeling on the floor.
"Wrong choice, half-breed."
At those words a foot-army of men in old samurai armor rushed into the room, quickly incapacitating both the human and the half-demon.
Inuyasha fought back, cursing himself for not having smelled them approach, and with a sinking feeling of realization deep in his stomach, he felt his strength draining away.
'No, no, no, NO! Not now!'
They were both bound with strong ropes and carried bodily down another hallway before exiting the mansion and being thrown into a small store-room made of heavy wooden beams, the guards calling out boldly "Lord Takemaru has given us permission to kill you if you try anything, demons!"
A solid wooden door slid shut over the opening, and Kagome sprung to her feet and rushed toward it, but it was bolted before she could reach it, and her arms were still bound at her sides.
"Inuyasha, give me a hand – If we can get these ropes off, I think we can get out –"
She paused as she received no response and looked back to see the half-demon on the floor, breathing shallowly and cursing under his breath. "… Inuyasha?"
He looked up at her through eyes hazy with pain, and she was by his side in an instant. Despite his condition, he sat up and motioned for her to move closer saying "I'll get your ropes… then you untie mine…."
Slicing the binding with his claws took more effort than it should have, and as she undid his ropes he slumped to the floor, clutching his head in his hands.
"Inuyasha… what's wrong? Your injury is still hurting you?"
He grimaced, hating the worry in her voice, and tried to sound tough as he muttered "S'fine… musta jogged my sore ear or somethin'… it'll be fine…."
Before he knew it she was kneeling beside him, and suddenly her hands were on his shoulders as she dragged his head onto her lap. She turned him slightly so that his rapidly warming cheek lay against her legs and his red face (thankfully) faced away from her, and with the gentlest of touches she began to massage his hurt ear.
His first thought was to protest, but she was so careful with her fingers, and her touch was so light and calming, that he couldn't help but let her continue. She had long since wiped the blood from the wound, and the skin had already stitched itself back together, but it was sensitive to the touch, and the muscles around his ear were tight.
And from the growing ache deeper in his head, he guessed his bones hadn't quite finished mending yet.
Just great. He'd be injured until morning.
Kagome hummed lightly as she tended to his ear with one hand, indulging herself a little and brushing through his long white hair with the other. Inuyasha let her do as she liked, too groggy with pain to care anymore, and too anxious to try and warn her of what was coming.
There was no helping it. He'd seen the last glow of the sun fading behind the horizon right before they'd been thrown in this cell.
She'd find out soon no matter what he did.
Sure enough, there was a light gasp from the girl above him, and he turned his head slightly to see her staring at his hair between her fingers – hair that had turned black. She gasped even more violently as the ear she had been rubbing moved beneath her hand, the furry flap shrinking and changing as skin and bone adjusted until a human ear sat on the side of his face.
Once yellow eyes blinked tiredly up at her, their hue now deep indigo, and Inuyasha gave her a hesitant, fangless smile as he said uncertainly "Uh… surprise?" before his eyes rolled back and he slipped into unconsciousness.
*Author's Note:
I wanted so badly to keep going, but I need to save something for the next chapter. I have this unofficial goal in my mind to have this story finished by Halloween, but I'm kinda thinkin' that's not gonna happen. Would be cool though! And if you're gonna be sad to see this end, just know there WILL be a sequel. Think of that what you will.
Also, a couple notes for those who care: If there are any major errors, let me know. I try to edit these things as much as I can, but I get impatient and sometimes just kinda… churn them out after editing only a couple times. I do the same things with essays, only I don't really edit those at all. They turn out alright though. But anyways, at some point in the future I may go back and re-edit the story (probably after it's finished) so I'm not gonna worry too much until that point comes. It's fanfiction for crying out loud. I'm not getting paid.
Also also, I've done a ton of art for this chapter and previous ones on my tumblr (my url is the same as my penname) so you can give those a look if you're interested!
And also also also, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for those who have reviewed thus far! I'm sorry if I don't respond – I'm not used to getting lots of reviews (my other stories in other fandoms have like... 5… maybe 10) so I don't really know what review etiquette is, but if you've reviewed or faved or followed or even read this far, THANK YOU! Your support keeps me going, and gives me motivation to write! I'm so glad that so many of you are enjoying this story as much as I am! :3
Until next time!