Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Last Time:
Amaterasu's grin widened. "Alright. And when she tames him before she dies, you get reincarnated as a woman, AND you have to eat three hundred pieces of chocolate!"
"Deal!" Inugami said with a laugh. They shook on it, each certain of victory.
CHAPTER 3: IN THE BEGINNING
Kagome opened her eyes hesitantly. Please let that be a dream. Please, please, PLEASE let me have had some random crazy dream.
Kagome saw InuYasha standing over her, and she smiled hesitantly. "So. . . what's up?"
InuYasha glared. "So, something you want to tell us?"
Kagome smiled. "I had the craziest dream. Sesshoumaru was on trial with the gods, and we were called up as witnesses, and he got sentenced to death." She winced, remembering her bizarre dream. "And of course, stupid me, I went on a rant about how even the gods don't have the right to kill Sesshoumaru. And then he was bound to me so he could learn the value of life!" She laughed. "Crazy huh?"
"Yeah it is." InuYasha said, his glare becoming more heated. "Especially since it's all true!"
Kagome froze. "You mean. . . it wasn't a dream?"
"No." The quiet voice behind her made her squeak and whirl around. Sesshoumaru stood behind her, obviously seething, his hand twitching with the urge to kill something.
With a shout, Kagome dove through InuYasha. "Save me!"
"You know, just because you can go through me now, doesn't mean you should!" InuYasha berated her. "You have no idea how weird that feels!"
Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. "So the rumors were true."
"Damn right they were!" InuYasha shouted, drawing a translucent Tetsusaiga. "You got a problem?"
Sesshoumaru growled and drew Tenseiga, ready for a fight. . . only to have the sword burn into his palm. A calm, voice boomed through the clearing. "Rule number three: Sesshoumaru may not harm any of Kagome's friends." Damn the woman.
InuYasha smirked. "This is going to be fun!" He raised Tetsusaiga. "Wind-"
"Sit boy!" Kagome shouted, just before InuYasha released the windscar. One of the many things they did not understand was how InuYasha could still use the windscar even though he was dead. Not that they'd really tried to find out.
"What'd you do that for?" InuYasha demanded. "I could have killed him."
"InuYasha, he doesn't want to be here anymore than you want him here." Kagome pointed out. "I think being stuck with a human is more than enough punishment without you taking advantage of his predicament."
Sesshoumaru seethed. How dare some pathetic human attempt to defend him! As if he wasn't perfectly capable of defending himself! Poison began to gather in his palm at the thought.
"Kagome, have you forgotten that he's tried to kill you before?" InuYasha demanded.
"InuYasha, have you forgotten that you've tried to kill me before?" Kagome countered. "As did Sango? And Miroku and Kouga tried to kidnap me? And Shippou tried to intimidate us?" InuYasha sputtered, but could make no real argument. "That's what I thought."
Sesshoumaru stared at her. All that, and these people were still her friends? Obviously, there was something wrong with the girl's retribution drive. Too bad for her. She wouldn't be able to live long enough to develop one.
Kagome ignored InuYasha and turned to Sesshoumaru. Showing her amazing capacity to be completely. . . well. . . Kagome, she got over her fear of Sesshoumaru. "Well, if you're going to be around for a while, you should come down to the village. I live there now, which means you'll be stuck there until the spell breaks."
She started walking, then turned to see Sesshoumaru still standing there, glaring at InuYasha. She remained oblivious to the fact that he was fighting the command not to harm her with all his might. "Well, come on! Don't just stand there!" She glanced at InuYasha, who was in a similar pose. "You too, InuYasha. You know, I still have a few ramen packs left."
"Ramen!" InuYasha shouted. He ran down to the village, and Kagome laughed.
"Maybe I shouldn't remind him that since he's a ghost, he can't eat." Kagome said, laughing again as she walked forward.
Sesshoumaru felt a small twinge of amusement at her ability to manipulate his half-brother so easily. Of course, that feeling was overshadowed by rage when his body once again moved against his will in accordance to her command to come with her.
"Lady Kagome!" About ten children tackled her to the ground, and she came up laughing.
"Well, well. What have we here? What devils, attacking a poor defenseless woman like myself!" The children giggled, running around her in circles. That is, until one of them screamed.
"Demon!" Kagome knew who it was, having been sensing the area since she woke up.
"It's okay. This demon is special. He's a. . . he's an acquaintance of mine." She explained, knowing that the word friend was stretching. Really stretching. "Sesshoumaru, come say hello to everyone."
He felt himself come forward, and could feel the words rising from his throat. "Hello." The word dripped with malice, making the children cower back even further in fear.
Kagome glared at him, but decided that she'd let it go. A little flexibility was needed, especially when dealing with a blood thirsty taiyoukai. With a sigh, Kagome leaned down. "You know, I think I saw a ghost running towards the market. He said something about not wanting to see some strange group of kids. . ."
The children giggled, and ran, intent on finding the village spook. Not that they would ever know that the real ghost was in their miko's home. Kagome turned back to Sesshoumaru. "We have got to work on your people skills."
Sesshoumaru's glare could have melted steel, and he growled softly. Only Kagome's particular brand of stubbornness and her immunization of growling from Kouga and InuYasha stopped her from backing down. "This Sesshoumaru is not a trained dog."
Kagome rolled her eyes. "I never said you were, and I have no intention of treating you like one. But if you insist on threatening every person you see, then I'm going to take measures. I'm the only person here besides Kaede who can help them, and I like doing that. I can't do that if you scare everyone away."
"That is not this Sesshoumaru's concern."
"Oh, yes it is. Because you can ask InuYasha, and he'll tell you the same thing. I am a BITCH when I'm pissed off. And I will be pissed off if I can't help people because you're scaring everyone away." Kagome turned on her hell and started walking to the village, only to be grabbed from behind and thrown against a tree.
"Do not think you can speak to me in such a way." Sesshoumaru's eyes had started to bleed red, and for a moment, Kagome felt a shiver of fear. But it was banished quickly, and her fear was replaced by resolve.
"Let go of me." She saw the wavering in his eyes, and kept her will firm. "Let me go."
Straining every muscle to resist, Sesshoumaru removed his hand from her arm. Hatred filled his eyes as he struggled not to let his youkai take control.
Kagome sighed. "Look, I'm sorry that this happened to you. I'm not any happier than you about this. But if you keep trying to kill me, neither of us will be happy. So let's just make the most of it." She headed down towards the village again.
Then a thought crossed her mind, and she froze. "Oh my goodness!" She whirled on Sesshoumaru. "Don't you travel with a little girl?"
Sesshoumaru froze. "Rin." He whispered. How could he have forgotten her? She would be worried, especially because he disappeared without a trace. . .
"You have to go get her!" Sesshoumaru jerked towards Kagome, shock filling his eyes. "I mean, you obviously don't have to bring her back if you don't want to. But you can't leave her by herself with Jaken! The little toad couldn't even beat me when I was fresh from the future! There's no way he'd be able to protect that little girl! Go make sure she's safe. If you want, you can bring her here, but that's up to you."
For the first time, Sesshoumaru actually listened to her. Why would she worry about a child that she knows nothing about?
"Get moving!" Kagome shouted. For once, Sesshoumaru didn't fight the command.
Rin
Rin stared out into the forest, practically willing Sesshoumaru to reappear. Sesshoumaru-sama, where are you? Sesshoumaru-sama. . . Sesshoumaru-sama. . . Sesshoumaru-sama. . .
"Rin. What are you doing?" Sesshoumaru's voice sounded from behind Rin, who twirled around to see Sesshoumaru standing there.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin shouted, grabbing onto his leg. "Rin had a bad dream!"
Sesshoumaru patted the small girl on the head, encouraging her to talk. "There was an evil lady named Amaterasu!" Sesshoumaru froze.
She didn't. . . she couldn't. . .
"And she was going to kill you! But then InuYasha-san's friend saved you. And if she calls you a bad dog you go WHAM!"
So help me, I'm going to kill that woman if it's the last thing I do.
"Sesshoumaru, you giant jerk!" Had he been anyone else, he would have cringed at Kagome's approach. She stumbled into the clearing where Rin and AhUn had been staying. "You drag me all the way out here, and then dump me in the middle of nowhere!"
Had he a choice, she would have stayed in that pathetic human village. But as soon as he'd gotten a good distance away, he suddenly hit an invisible barrier and was dragged back several feet. The entire time a voice boomed. "Rule number two: Sesshoumaru must stay within calling distance of Kagome."
Since he still had to go to Rin, he'd decided use the only loophole he could find. Which meant kidnapping Kagome, gagging her so she couldn't use any commands, and then running to Rin. He'd dropped her as soon as he was sure the spell wouldn't drag him back.
"I'm going to-" Kagome saw Rin. "Hello. You're Rin, right?"
Rin nodded happily. "Yup! Rin is Rin. You are Lady Kagome! You used to travel with InuYasha-san!"
Kagome nodded with a smile. "That's right. I'm surprised you remember me. It was three years ago." She pretended to think for a moment. "That would make you. . . twenty years old now, right?"
Rin giggled. "Lady Kagome is silly! Rin is only eight!"
"Only eight!" Kagome exclaimed in mock surprise. "You seem so much older! You must be at least fifteen!"
Rin laughed and hugged Kagome. "No! Rin is only eight!"
Kagome smiled and hugged her back. "If you say so, Rin."
Rin stepped back and walked over to Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru-sama, do you have to go away again?"
Sesshoumaru wanted very much to tell her no. Especially when she used that pleading face she had developed over the years with him. It was even more effective than the puppy dog pout. But he had never lied to her, and he wouldn't start now. "Yes."
Rin nodded, trying not to look sad. "Am I going back to the castle?"
Sesshoumaru nodded, gesturing to AhUn to come forward. Rin climbed on his back slowly, hoping that Sesshoumaru would change his mind. "Rin." Sesshoumaru warned. He was not in the mood for her games and delays.
"Sorry, Sesshoumaru-sama." Rin said, settling in on AhUn. "Come back soon, okay?"
Sesshoumaru didn't answer, and instead let AhUn carry her up. Be safe, Rin.
"You know, you could have invited her to stay with us." Kagome pointed out. The look of pure contempt and hatred that radiated from him was hard to ignore. But she was starting to get used to it. "Oh, and if you ever kidnap me again, I will start using orders."
She turned away, and started to walk out of the clearing. Then stopped when she realized she had no idea where she was. "Hey, Sesshoumaru-" She turned, but he was no where in sight. "Oh you did not just leave me in the middle of some strange forest to find my own way home!" She shouted, furious. "Well, two can play at this game. Bad dog!" She listened closely, and heard the sound of a body hitting the dirt close by. "Now, get out here, or I'll find you the old fashioned way." There was no answer. "Bad dog!" Another thump, this one farther away. Encouraged, Kagome ran towards the sound. "Bad dog!" Another thump to the right. She kept running. "Bad dog!" Closer, but more towards the left. "Bad dog!" The loudest yet. She ran forward, and found a furious taiyoukai face down in the dirt.
"I warned you." Kagome chided.
Sesshoumaru rose, his youkai sparking around him. Would death really be much worse than this?
Probably
not. His inner youkai answered.
But something tells me this was
Amaterasu's plan all along.
The
conversation did nothing to calm either one of them, and Sesshoumaru
was just about ready to let his youkai go. . .
A fact that Kagome saw immediately. Five years in the Feudal Era had not been for nothing. She knew when a demon was close to losing control. For a moment, she was confused. If InuYasha didn't lose it, then why would Sesshoumaru. . .
Except Sesshoumaru was not InuYasha.
"I'm sorry." Kagome whispered, just loud enough for Sesshoumaru to hear.
He froze. Did she just. . . apologize?
"I guess I forgot who I was dealing with for a moment." Kagome explained. "I keep thinking it's like dealing with InuYasha all over again, but it's really not. So I can't treat you like I would treat him." She bowed slightly. "I'll try to do better to remember in the future."
Sesshoumaru wasn't really sure how to respond to that, so he remained silent. After a moment or two, Kagome sighed. "Um, Sesshoumaru, it's kind of getting late. Do you think you could help me find the way back to the village? I didn't pay attention to how we got here, and I'm bad with directions anyway. I really need to get back."
Sesshoumaru glared. Why does she bother asking. It's not like I have a choice.
I think she's trying to be nice.
Foolish human. I could and will kill her when all this is over. She shouldn't bother.
"Please, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked quietly. He started walking away, and she sighed and dropped to the ground. "Great."
"Are you coming, miko?" Sesshoumaru shouted. "I was under the impression you desired to return to your village."
Kagome stared for a moment, then jumped up with a smile. "Lead the way!" Sesshoumaru glared, and she clamped her hands over her mouth. "Sorry, sorry! Please show me the way back!"
The Palace of the Gods
"Aw!" Amaterasu squealed. "He's being nice!"
"You obviously did not hear the tenor of his thoughts." Inugami argued. "He's planning to kill her once the spell is removed."
"But the only way the spell will be removed is if he dies or he learns his lesson." Amaterasu pointed out. "And if he learns his lesson, he won't kill her."
"You're forgetting that the spell would end if Kagome dies." Inugami argued, waiting for her to complain about the flaw in her own logic.
"No. It's a specially made spell that binds Sesshoumaru to Kagome's soul." Amaterasu grinned evilly. "So when she'd reincarnated, he'll be bound to her again."
InuTaisho watched the two gods go back and forth and sighed. He really hoped that Sesshoumaru got his act together soon. If he didn't, InuTaisho was pretty sure that he'd end up killing himself just to end the torture. And he didn't just mean Sesshoumaru.
----------------------------------------Author's Rant----------------------------------------
Kagome: SOTK, I'm sorry I tried to kill you.
Seraphina of the Kamis(SOTK): [Looks at Kagome suspiciously] Really?
Kagome: Really, really. With lots of ice cream and caramel on top.
SOTK: Not buying it.
Kagome: But I'm serious!
SOTK: Then let me hear you say "Sess/Kags are the best fanfictions in the world. There should be way more of them, and the people who write them should actually update once in a while!"
Kagome: Sess/Kags are the best fanfictions in the world. There should be. . . way more. . . of. . . Aw Hell! Just drop the shield so I can kill you!
SOTK: No way! [Turns back to computer screen] "Sesshoumaru. . . come. . . back. . . with. . . my . . . clothes. . ."
Kagome: I'm going to destroy you!
----------------------------------------End of Author's Rant----------------------------------------
