Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, or Breathe by Anna Nalik.
Last Time:
"Because I"m in charge and I said so." Amaterasu turned her attention back to Unmeikeirai. "So what are you doing with those rebels?"
Unmeikeirai smiled. "Well, here's my idea. . ."
Inugami left then, grumbling about the unfairness of it all.
CHAPTER 14: THE SOUTHERN REBELS
Lord Chidori of the Southern Lands, also known as the Fearless Dragon of the South, was worried. "And you're sure that they're no where to be found?"
"Yes Chidori-sama." One of his attendants said. "They were last known to be near the Western border, and then they disappeared."
Chidori growled. "Which means they've probably ended up in the West. And with Sesshoumaru disappeared and the Western Palace burned to the ground, they're very susceptible to attack right now." He thought for a moment, then stood. "Send an emissary to the Western Palace, and tell them of the Southern Rebels' movements. They should at least be made aware of the situation."
"Yes, Chidori-sama." The attendant hesitated. "Should we tell them of the change in leadership?"
Chidori thought for a moment. "Yes. They will be all the more dangerous because of it."
!# Sesshoumaru #!
Sesshoumaru's eye twitched. And twitched again. And again. And kept twitching as Rin continued her ministrations. In between twitches, he shot a glare at Kagome, who was barely holding in laughter. "And you tie it off, and. . . Rin is done, Lady Kagome!"
Holding back laughter, Kagome walked up to Sesshoumaru and inspected the bandages and poultices on Sesshoumaru's arm. After a moment, she smiled. "Very well done, Rin. Just a few mistakes."
Rin's smile drooped a bit. "What did Rin do wrong?"
Kagome smiled soothingly. "On a demon like Sesshoumaru, it won't matter because he'll heal on his own." She pointed to the bandages. "But on a human, these bandages would cut off circulation. That would stop the bleeding, but would also kill the limb." She untied the bandage and unwound it. "You want to make it tight enough to place pressure, but not so much that it makes the person's fingers turn purple." She pointed to the poultice on the arm. "You picked out the right poultice, by the way. Very well done on that." Rin grinned. "However, a little goes a long way. Just put on a small dab, okay?"
Rin nodded, still looking down. With a small sigh, Kagome held out the bandage to Rin. "Now, why don't you try again?"
Rin smiled. "Really?"
Kagome smiled back. "Really. How else are you going to learn?"
With a small squeal, Rin rushed over and began to bandage Sesshoumaru again. After a few minutes, she stood again. "Better?"
Kagome examined the bandage and smiled. "Very good, Rin. You pass." Rin squealed and hugged Sesshoumaru tightly.
"Did Rin do good?" She asked, gazing up at Sesshoumaru hopefully.
With an internal groan, Sesshoumaru placed a hand on Rin's head. "Yes, Rin. You did well." She smiled. "Perhaps you could practice some more on the kitsune."
"Okay!" She ran off to find Shippou.
Kagome couldn't hold it in anymore. She laughed, not even stopping when Sesshoumaru towered over her. "You find the torture of this Sesshoumaru amusing, wench?"
Kagome sobered for just a moment. "Yes, I do actually. Especially when you're being tortured-" laugh "-by-" laugh "-a little girl!" She fell to the ground, unable to help herself any longer.
Sesshoumaru was surprised to find that he wasn't even angry at the miko for laughing. The sight of her on the ground laughing was. . . enjoyable.
After a moment more, Kagome stood. "Besides, it was your own fault you were injured."
Sesshoumaru's amusement vanished. "This Sesshoumaru was not injured."
Kagome rolled her eyes. "Of course not. You had some other demon's blood poring out of the hole in your skin." With a giggle, she headed after Rin. "Rin! You can't use that on someone who's not injured!"
Sesshoumaru felt his lips twitch, and was astonished to find that he was almost smiling. He quickly froze his facial muscles. The last thing he needed was for Kago- the miko to catch him smiling.
Once he had rid himself of the smile, he found a demonic aura rushing towards him. For a moment, Sesshoumaru tensed, then relaxed as he recognized the aura. Only to tense again when he realized why his personal bodyguard would be looking for him. There was only one person in the world who was allowed to yell at him, and that was his personal bodyguard, Kai.
Sesshoumaru waited only seconds until Kai burst through the tree lines. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" He cried, bowing quickly before getting in Sesshoumaru's face. "Where the hell have you been? I go on vacation for one month, and when I come back, the Western Palace is buried to the ground, Jaken is dead, and you and Rin have disappeared! This is why I don't go on vacation! Arg! you have some serious explaining to do, Sessh-" Kai's rant was cut off by a purifying arrow that just barely missed his shoulder. He whirled to see Kagome standing a few feet away.
"I don't know who the hell you are, but I suggest you back down." Kagome called.
"Who the hell are you?" Kai shouted.
"Kagome, Miko of the Shikon and apprentice miko of this village." Kagome called back. "I am familiar with all demons in this area. You are not one of them. State your business, or be on your way." She strung her next arrow. "I will not hesitate to purify you."
Kai laughed. "As if you could possibly purify me!" He lunged forward, and Kagome shot. Kai moved too quickly for her to get an accurate shot, but it managed to graze his shoulder. It was enough to freeze Kai in place and have him yowling as his right arm disintegrated. He stared at his arm in horror. "You. . . purified my arm!"
"I warned you." Kagome strung another arrow. "Now, state your business, or next time I won't miss."
"If the two of you are done acting like children?" Sesshoumaru's voice quickly cut between them before anymore damage could be done.
Kagome glared at him. "He tried to attack me."
"And you defended yourself. Quite well, actually, for a human."
Kagome stared at him. "Did you just compliment me?"
"I recognized your skill." Sesshoumaru hedged.
Kagome smiled, dropping the bow. "You complimented me. Unbelievable. Maybe I'm actually getting through to you." She refocused her attention on Kai, who stared at the two of them in shock. "You still haven't answered my question."
"He is my personal bodyguard." Sesshoumaru explained. "He was searching for me."
Kagome raised an eyebrow. "You didn't tell anyone where you were?" Before Sesshoumaru could answer, she hastily cut him off. "Oh, stupid question. Sorry. I wouldn't want anyone knowing I was here either." She turned to Kai and bowed. "I apologize for assuming the worst. These are bad times to be human."
Kai growled at her. "You shot my arm off!"
Kagome scowled. "You attacked me first. And I warned you! You'll just have to deal."
Kai snarled. "You arrogant little-"
"Sesshoumaru, make him shut up." Kagome said, annoyance in her voice. "Really, how could such a whiner be made your personal guard."
Kai sputtered, and was only stopped from killing her by Sesshoumaru's commanding. "Kai. If you cannot speak, then do not attempt to."
Kai stared at him, and saw his glare at Kagome, who blushed red. "Sorry! I didn't think that would count!"
"Perhaps you should word your phrases more carefully." Sesshoumaru growled, though Kai could tell he wasn't really angry.
Kagome's blush grew deeper. "I said I was sorry."
"What in the name of every god is going on!" Kai demanded.
"You really should explain it, Sesshoumaru." An amused voice made them all turn, and Sesshoumaru growled as he recognized Amaterasu. "After all, we wouldn't want people to think you've become like your father, falling in love with a human."
Kagome sputtered. "You. . . He. . . I. . . GAH!" She shot an arrow at the goddess, only to have it deflected. "You have got to be the most annoying goddess to have ever existed! I hope your entire plan, whatever it is, gets messed up so badly that you lose your goddessdom!"
Amaterasu cocked her head. "Firstly, goddessdom is not a word." Kagome stuck out her tongue, making Amaterasu giggle. "And secondly, it is my job to be annoying."
"We know." Sesshoumaru growled, and Amaterasu smiled at him.
"And thirdly and finally, you better hope my plan works. Because otherwise, you'll be stuck with each other for eternity." Seeing Sesshoumaru about to speak, she cut him off. "And don't say 'I just have to wait for her to die.' Because when I make a curse, it doesn't just go away." Taking on her mostly godly voice, Amaterasu spoke. "Hear me, O mortals. The curse I have placed upon ye is limitless in its-"
"Either say what you mean or go away." Kagome snapped.
Amaterasu slumped. "Fine. The curse lasts until its broken. If Kagome dies, then the curse gets transferred to her reincarnation. And then the next. And the next. And the next. Until you finally learn your lesson."
Sesshoumaru was frozen for a moment. "You mean to tell me that this Sesshoumaru is stuck with this human forever!"
"Hello! What the hell about me!" Kagome screamed. "Why am I being punished too?"
But Amaterasu had already disappeared. Kai whirled on the two of them. "Was that Amaterasu?" Sesshoumaru nodded. "If you don't explain what the hell's going on, I'm quitting!"
Kagome giggled, and Kai whirled. "What's so funny?"
"You're going to quit?" She burst out laughing. "I just can't imagine the puppy dog over there letting someone quit!" She turned away, running down the hill. "Rin, I said you can't use that on someone who doesn't need it!"
Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes as Kagome ran down the hill. Kai stared at him. "Sesshoumaru. Explain."
Sesshoumaru sighed. "It's a long story. . ."
!# That Western Lands #!
Sarra watched the progression of the new palace. "Hey you! Watch that! If you ruin this new place, I will kill you."
"Sarra!" The new voice made Sarra turn. "We've got company!"
"Tell me later, Tamika." Sarra said in annoyance. "I've got three rooms being built at the same time, while those water idiots do the plumbing. And meanwhile, you're annoying me with-"
"There's a messenger from the South." Tamika cut in, glaring at her. "I'm not stupid, you know. I wouldn't interrupt you for something stupid."
With a small sigh, Sarra turned. "Alright. Let me just-" A crash resounded through the in process palace. Sarra cringed, keeping her back turned to the palace. "That better be fixed when I get back!" She yelled. "Or I will replace all of you!"
She grabbed Tamika's arm. "Alright. Lead the way."
Tamika led her to the Southern messenger, who she'd left in the only room that remained after the fire, Sesshoumaru's study. Sarra entered the room and smiled at the poor messenger. "I am Sarra, and currently leader here. I will take your message."
"Yes, I was told that you would be in charge for a while." The messenger extended a rolled up scroll, which Sarra accepted.
"I'm afraid I can't offer you our normal accommodations." Sarra said with a small smile. "But if you go to the array of tents, Tamika will be happy to attend to you as best she can."
The messenger smiled. "Thank you. It would be very much appreciated."
After the messenger left, Sarra opened the scroll. Her face went pale as she continued to read it. "By the kamis." She whispered. "We're in trouble now."
!# Kagome #!
Kagome was ready to kill Kai. For the last hour, all he'd done was moan and groan about his arm, blame her for the curse, or gripe about the unfairness of it all. She shot a look at Sesshoumaru every once in a while, but all she could see on his face was amusement. And she was pretty sure that he thought it was hilarious how Kai was torturing her.
"And another thing!" Kai started again. "How am I supposed to properly guard Sesshoumaru-sama with one arm?"
"Oh for the love of the kamis!" Kagome shouted. "Just shut up!" She grabbed his arm and tried something she'd read in an old miko text of her grandfather's. Using her miko powers, and a diagram she'd seen in one of her medical textbooks, she weaved her power into the form of an arm. As the demon screeched and cried about being purified, she poured her power into his arm. With a bright flash of light flesh, bone, and muscle grew to replace the purple weaving. After a moment, Kagome released his shoulder. "Now shut up, or I'll re-purify your arm!"
And then she fainted.
Kai stared down at his arm, flexing it carefully. "Does it work?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"Yeah." Kai said in awe. Experimentally, he called poison to his claws. "She regrew my arm." After a moment, a frown filled his face. "Wait a second! She could have done it all along, and she chose to let me suffer!"
"Kai. Shut up." Sesshoumaru couldn't believe Kai was complaining. He'd gotten his arm back. Staring down at the miko that lay on the floor, he sighed. Carefully, he used his one arm to gently pick her up and place her on her bed. Seeing that she shivered slightly, he pulled the nearby blanket on her and placed the kitsune cub and Rin beside her for body heat.
He turned back to Kai to see him looking at him, frozen in shock. "Is there something you wish to say, Kai?"
"You're smiling." With a start, Sesshoumaru realized he was. He quickly wiped it from his face, replacing it with his usual calm.
"You will repeat this to no one." Sesshoumaru warned. Kai merely nodded, knowing that this was one of those times when Sesshoumaru's orders had to be followed. Sesshoumaru walked to the doorway, and paused to give Kai one last order. "Guard the humans and the kitsune."
Kai nodded dumbly, watching Sesshoumaru leave. As soon as Sesshoumaru left, Kai was at Kagome's side. "What is it about you?" He whispered. "What has changed Sesshoumaru-sama so greatly?"
"Who the fucking hell are you!" Kai turned at the sound of InuYasha's voice. InuYasha started when he saw Kai's face, to which Kai smirked. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Just looking after Sesshoumaru-sama, InuYasha." Kai said with a smirk. "You don't look happy to see me."
"Who'd be happy to see you?" InuYasha snapped back, though smirking slightly. He'd liked Kai the few times he'd met him. He went to Kagome's other side, sniffing her carefully. "Why is her aura so subdued?"
Kai shrugged. "It might be because of this." He lifted his arm, which InuYasha stared at curiously.
"What's that got to do with anything?"
"She purified it off." InuYasha smirked, and Kai pressed on before he could comment. "I annoyed her so much that she finally just restored it."
InuYasha smiled fondly. "Yeah. She tends to do stupid stuff when she's annoyed."
Kai tried to cuff InuYasha, but only went through him. "InuYasha?" Kai shouted in alarm.
"Shh. You'll wake Shippou, and then he'll wake Kagome, and then you'll wish an arm was the only thing you lost." InuYasha whispered. "And yeah. I'm a ghost. Been one for about three years now."
Kai looked at him sympathetically. "I'm sorry."
"I'm not. Except that it makes Kagome sad." InuYasha smiled again. "She wants me to pass on, be at peace and all that."
Kai stared at InuYasha as he stood. "Tell her I had to go away for a while. It's my three and a half year anniversary tomorrow."
Kai nodded, and InuYasha walked away. Kai sighed. "Poor guy. I wonder if he knows why he's here."
!# Sarra #!
Sarra had the head of the palace guard, Yuri, in Sesshoumaru's office with her. He looked up at her in alarm as soon as he'd finished reading. "You're sure about this?"
"It came directly from the South." Sarra said calmly. "You know how well Lord Chidori and Lord Sesshoumaru get along. That information could only be more accurate if we heard it from the Southern Rebels' own mouth."
Yuri sighed. "We need Sesshoumaru-sama here. Where the hell did he disappear to? We need him here now."
Sarra nodded in agreement. The two of them sat in silence for a moment, before Yuri jumped up. "Wait a second. Isn't Kai out there looking for him?"
Sarra smiled. "That's right! I'll bet he's found him by now."
Yuri laughed. "Maybe we're not as dead as we thought."
!# Sesshoumaru #!
Sesshoumaru sat beside Kai, watching Rin and Shippou play. Kagome played with them, her laughter filling the clearing easily. "Sesshoumaru-sama, why do you linger here?" Kai asked.
Sesshoumaru turned a glare on him. "I have explained the limitations of the curse to you. I will not repeat myself."
Kai nodded. "Yes, yes, I understand. But why not just force the miko to come with you? She is powerful, I will admit, but not up to your standards."
"When she will embarrass me by ordering me to return?" Sesshoumaru pointed out. "It is not worth the risk."
Silence returned between the two as Kai tried to find a loophole. "What if I brought her back, and kept her under lock and key. She'd still be within earshot, and she wouldn't be able to order you."
"If I can hear the order, I still have to follow it." Sesshoumaru pointed out.
Kai growled. "Can't I just kill her?"
"No."
Kai growled again. "Sesshoumaru-sama, surely you won't stop me."
"I wish for this curse to end quickly. Not have to wait another hundred years for her reincarnation."
"Oh." Kai sat. "Darn it. We have to get back eventually. I mean, what if there's an emergency." As if the gods had heard Kai's statement, (though in reality, Kai just has really bad timing) Kai's pendant began to glow. It grew brighter until a gold beam shot from it, forming the image of Yuri. Curious, Kagome came closer, unnoticed by the pair of demons.
"Oh thank the kamis, Kai. You found him." Yuri bowed to Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru-sama! We've been worried. Where have you-"
"How cute!" Kagome rushed forward, poking at the image. "It's like an early hologram!" She pouted slightly. "Although I really wish I could touch you. Your fur looks really soft."
Sesshouamru wanted to smack her. Instead, with an incredible force of will, he merely reached forward and lifted the miko from in front of Yuri's image. "Miko, are you a child or an adult?"
Kagome whirled on him. "I am an adult, thank you!"
"Then act like one." Sesshoumaru snapped. He returned to Yuri's image, ignoring his look of shock. "Yuri, what is your report?"
"Trouble from the South, Sesshouamru-sama." Yuri said mournfully. "Lord Chidori has sent word that they have lost the Southern Rebels somewhere near the Western Border. Given their new leadership, they fear that they are headed for the Western Palace." He paused, then continued. "Or at least what's left of it."
"Did my office survive?" Sesshoumaru demanded. That was really his only worry. Everything else could be replaced, but he had things in his office that were priceless.
"The spells around it held, Sesshoumaru-sama." Yuri assured him. "I assume you know that none of the staff were killed." Sesshoumaru nodded, and Yuri continued. "Sesshoumaru-sama, we need you to return. There is no way to fight them off, especially with the new leader."
"This is the second time you have mentioned it." Sesshoumaru said. "I can only assume that you believe it to be relevant."
Yuri nodded. "The new leader is your uncle, former Prince Kaimaru."
Sesshoumaru's fist tightened. His uncle? He hadn't seen that idiot in over three hundred years. He could have sworn that his uncle would have learned his lesson by now, but apparently he was like InuYasha: He never learned his lesson.
"Sesshoumaru?" He turned to Kagome, who looked up at him speculatively. "Are these Southern Rebels an actual threat?"
Sesshoumaru snorted. "No. The likelihood of their success is relatively low. There are protections surrounding the palace, and that is the only way they could actually take control of the Western Lands."
Yuri cough, drawing the attention of the miko and taiyoukai. "Not to correct you, Sesshoumaru-sama, but those protections only exist as long as the lord himself is in residence."
Kagome sighed. "Great. Okay, how many people are there?"
"Several hundred." Yuri answered, earning himself a glare from Sesshoumaru.
Kagome sighed again. "Okay. We'll leave tomorrow."
Sesshoumaru turned his glare on her. "Yuri, prepare basic defenses. I'm sure you will be able to handle yourself against the motley crew of the Southern Rebels. After all, they've been nothing more than a minor annoyance for the past hundred years. I doubt they will be much more now."
Reluctantly, Yuri bowed. "As you wish, my lord." With that, his image faded.
Kagome whirled on Sesshoumaru. "Why aren't you go-" She stopped. "Are you kidding me? You're not going to go protect your people because of this stupid curse?"
Sesshoumaru didn't answer, knowing that whatever answer he gave would only make things worse. Apparently, silence was not his best option. "I can't believe you! You're going to let your stupid pride get in the way of your duties? That has to be the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!" She whirled and stormed off, mumbling to herself about arrogant taiyoukais with egos the size of Canada.
Kai turned to Sesshoumaru after she left. "My lord, I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I agree with the miko. Perhaps you should consider returning."
Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Not while this curse is in place."
!# Unmeikeirai #!
Unmeikeirai glared at Kaimaru in disgust. The little inuyoukai was absolutely disgusting. In the week she'd known him, he hadn't showered at all, constantly killed anything that got in his way, and kept giving her this look that said "I want to jump you." He was really giving her the creeps.
Just help him control the Western Lands. Then everything will work out.
"So, my dear Unmeikeirai." Unmeikeirai barely held back a shiver as Kaimaru turned his attention on her. "Do you have anything to add to our plan?"
Unmeikeirai had not heard a word, but assumed that it would work. "No, you've done well enough on your own."
Kaimaru smiled. "Then let the games begin."
!# Kagome #!
Kagome sat in her hut, trying to meditate, and failing miserably. With a sigh, she opened her eyes and went to her bag. With a smile, she pulled out her handy dandy ipod. Whenever she had trouble meditating, she would play her meditation play list. It worked like magic.
Slipping the headphones on, she pushed play, and was soon enveloped by Anna Nalik's Breathe. Without knowing it, she was soon deep in meditation, reciting the words in her head to help her relax.
"Cause you can't jump the tracks we're like cars on a cable
And life's like an hourglass glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button girls
So cradle your head in your hands
And breathe."
She breathed in, allowing the music to lull her into a simpler place where she could untangle the mess in her head.
Sesshoumaru watched her, understanding as she softly sang that she was lost to the conscious world. He'd learned early on that she only meditated when she had to, since she really had no talent for it. And if she grabbed the music thing and played that song, it meant she was having trouble meditating, which meant she really needed to meditate. From all this, he gathered that she was really annoyed by his refusal to return.
As if a human could understand demonic pride, or demonic duty. He didn't know why he had expected her to. Though now that he though about it, he was rather impressed that she could even understand that the curse's impact on his pride that had fueled his refusal to go.
Kai entered the room. "Sesshoumaru-sama, why are you watching the human girl? We should be devising a plan to reject the Southern Rebels."
Sesshoumaru ignored him, more interested in watching Kagome's power fluctuate as she worked to control it in meditation. She had come along way from the little girl who had tried to challenge him in his father's tomb. It took mere moments for her to pull her power into her skin, and start sorting through her power, getting it under control once more. It was rather impressive. . . for a human.
"Bad dog."
Sesshoumaru crashed down, coming back up with a snarl. "Miko!"
"You had that 'She's just a human' face on." Kagome said sweetly. "And you do remember what I said about looking down on humans?"
Sesshoumaru growled. "Miko-"
"You know, i like this form of punishment. It really makes a person learn." Kagome said sweetly, rising from the ground. "Oh well. For now, I'll just keep it like this until you have that attitude adjustment."
Sesshoumaru's eye twitched as Kagome left the hut, calling for Shippou and Rin. Kai looked at Sesshoumaru in amazement. "Sesshoumaru-sama, you're going to let her get away with that?"
"Do I have a choice?" Sesshoumaru snarled.
Kai decided to let the subject drop. Especially when his pendant glowed again, and a rather battered Yuri appeared. "This is a recorded message, sent to Lord Sesshoumaru-"
A cuff to Yuri's head cut him off as another figure entered the scene. "Hello, Sesshoumaru." Kaimaru said, a smirk filling his face. "I'm back."
------------------------------------------Author's Rant------------------------------------------
Obsessive_Goddess: Haha. I am so evil.
Sesshoumaru: Human, what is with you and your obsession with making this Sesshoumaru lose his title?
Obsessive_Goddess: I have no idea what you're talking about.
Kagome: He's right. This is the second story where this happens. You did it in When You Can't Escape the Past.
Obsessive_Goddess: Ha! Wrong! I did it in the sequel, When You Can't Escape the Future! So take that.
Sesshoumaru: You just proved our point.
Obsessive_Goddess: Well. . . I . . . Oh, shut up! It's fun to make Sesshoumaru lose!
------------------------------------------Author's Rant------------------------------------------
