A/N: I do not own Inuyasha or Goblin: the Lonely and Great God
Chapter Twelve
Kagome sat up slowly, noticing how Sesshomaru ignored her movement and continued to look off into the distance. Her lips upturned into a gentle frown, unsure if her falling had upset him or not. Looking away abashedly, she sighed.
"Thank you, for catching me."
His reply was a hummed 'hn'—his character response. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting but, a sort of nostalgia came with the curt reply. A small giggle bubbled from her lips and that drew his attention to her. His brow cocked and his golden eyes held a questioning sort of puzzlement that told her he was unsure of as to why she was amused.
"It's just, when I look at you, you seem so different from the Sesshomaru I knew." She ran her fingers slowly through her long raven locks, combing the hair off her shoulders. "But then you responds with just a simple grunt and it makes me think that maybe you haven't changed as much as I thought."
The white-haired male did not respond, instead he turned his head back to wherever he had been previously gracing with his attention. But still, the lines around his eyes smoothed and disappeared, and his lips were no longer taut but relaxed. Perhaps she had assuaged some of his distress? Could it be that her opinion had relieved him? She highly doubted that because no one's opinion of Sesshomaru had ever mattered to him. Yet still, he did not seem as upset as before. It made her feel...happy that she had provided him some assurance, even if it was in her imagination that she had seen it affect him.
Inhaling the crisp air, Kagome laid back, her head resting on the ground. As she looked up, the treeline of reds, oranges, yellows, and browns dappled the baby blue sky. It was a beautiful sight, and one that she much preferred to the city line of Tokyo. It was almost reminiscent of Edo, and that pleased her greatly. Closing her eyes and taking in the scents of nature, she allowed herself to quiet next to what she presumed to be a brooding Sesshomaru. He had always valued quiet over anything, at least second to Tessaiga back when he wanted it for his own, so she did not mind keeping a sort of reverent companionship between them at the current moment. A lot still bothered her. Past-time Sesshomaru would not have allowed her to keep him company in this way, she was sure. He would have either dismembered her (if he was in a foul mood) or simply gone away, bothered by her presence (that was if he was in one of his surprising and gracious moods). But he sat just as quietly as she, either not paying attention to her or paying attention to everything around them at once.
"Goblin," he said tiredly, after some time. His voice was heavy and it interrupted her thoughts at the sudden sound of his baritone.
"I'm sorry?" She cracked open one of her eyes to look at him, confusion furrowing her brow.
He still looked away from her, out towards a cold looking bay where sailing ships bobbed up and down like toys in a calm bathtub.
"Goblin," he stated again, this time his tone was hushed and there was an emotion that she could not believe he was expressing. It sounded almost like regret. "This one has been cursed to live out his life as a Goblin."
She sat up then, giving him her full attention. "I'm not sure I quite understand."
"I did not at first," he murmured, closing his eyes to hide the gold orbs beneath his eyelids. "But it took much studying of mainland culture to figure out that I had become something called a dokkaebi. Roughly meaning Goblin."
Kagome blinked slowly. "So that's what you meant about no longer being Inu."
He shot her an annoyed look. "You are slow, woman."
"I am not slow!"
"It took you this long to realize this one literally meant he is no longer a Inu daiyoukai."
Puffing her cheeks in annoyance, the miko looked at him bitterly before softening her expression and tilting her head to the side with curiosity. "Well, what does being a Goblin mean?"
"In short," he grumbled, a sudden storminess crossing his eyebrows. "I grant wishes."
Oh she knew he would kill her. He had been so patient with her up until now—scarily so. But this crossed the line, she knew that. Yet she simply could not stop the hard laughter that broke past her lips. She doubled over, her arms bracing her stomach while she shook. Her eyes squeezed together as her mirthful sounds rang through the park they were in. Nothing could falter her smile. Not even when the Goblin cleared his throat with an irritated look.
"Amused yourself?" He grunted with an agitated tone.
Wiping the tears from her eyes, she nodded, sitting up straight again. "I assume you don't literally mean granting wishes?"
"It depends if I'm feeling generous or not," he slid his finger along the underside of her jaw, brushing the soft tip against her throat. "Just like whether or not this one feels generous enough to spare your life for laughing at him."
Kagome gave him a no-nonsense look after she rolled her eyes. "In this day and time? You think common law will let you get away with that?"
"Humans have done far worse and have escaped justice," for a brief moment he smirked darkly at her before waving his hand. "However you are correct. This one has no desire to go through any tedious legal precautions."
Lazy, she snorted. "So are you going to clarify?"
With a nod, Sesshomaru reclined back, his hands bracing against the grass. "This one had been cursed by the deities for his violent conquests and an overall distaste for the living. Something my father tried to prevent by gifting this Sesshomaru with Tenseiga."
"But you had Rin," the miko pondered, her eyes confused. "Was that not enough proof that you had changed? Or had begun to, at least."
"The sentiments were there," he sighed, before shaking his head. "But it was not enough. I had tried hard to continue to expand my empire by striking down those before that. In the end, it brought distrust among the other lords towards myself. It ended with the death of the Inu known as Sesshomaru and, well—"
"I can guess Inuyasha's fate if he's not here with you," she interrupted him with a sad tone and an even more sorrowful glance. "Keep going."
"Very well. In the end, it led towards this one becoming a Goblin. Burdened with the capabilities of something like a small deity. This Sesshomaru grants, to only those I should deem fit of my assistance, aid."
"Whoa, the mighty Sesshomaru? You're almost like a genie!"
"Did you not listen to this one, woman? I said only those this one deems fit. They must work hard to earn my attention in the first place."
"Oh, so you're more like a guardian angel!"
With a sigh, Sesshomaru gave her a sideways glance. "Must you interrupt this one with interjections that are not as insightful as you think?"
Pouting, the miko rested her fists on her lap. "Rude."
"Needless to say, that is this one's punishment," he looked away from her. "To help those who are weak and tired for an eternity with powers this one did not earn, pulled far away from the identity of his once daiyoukai self."
"You said that with all the powers you have now...you're like a small time deity, isn't that a high step than a daiyoukai?"
"In many regards yes," he responded, his eyelashes fluttering as he blinked, a rueful appearance in the way that he gazed off. "But this Sesshomaru worked hard for every ounce of strength as he gained as a daiyoukai. Every ounce of strength I earned through my own sweat and blood. As a Goblin, all of this is meaningless since it is the gods ways of punishing this one."
Humming softly, Kagome tilted her head to the side and thought about it. Except for trying to use a false arm, Sesshomaru had never borrowed powers that were not his, in the past. He had not sought the Shikon no Tama, either. Only desiring Tessaiga because he believed he had earned it. As she thought about it, in all of the mighty daiyoukai's conquering, he only did so with his own resources and means. He had learned his lesson once, after seeking help from Naraku and that had been enough. When she realized it, her main conclusion about the Inu was that he had been very self-resourceful in a way that maybe her hanyou best friend had lacked. And the more she thought about it...the more she considered the curse upon him. It seemed so unfair. Sesshomaru had not necessarily been evil. Well maybe at one point he had been, but towards the end, with the fight against Naraku—when things became very serious and decisions really mattered; he had always come through for them.
"Let me help you," she said suddenly, looking up at him with eager eyes and a bright smile. "It's a curse right? Then that means there's a way to break it!"
A pain struck his chest where Bakusaiga was wedged agonizingly in his sternum. Sesshomaru reached out and pat her head as he would have Rin. What a simple girl.
"Look upon this one's chest, do you see anything? Use your miko powers if you must."
Straining her eyes, Kagome gave her attention to the spot he had pointed out. She didn't see anything so she used her reiki, brushing it along him. A shock trembled through her and she discovered a familiar pulse of energy.
"That's the sword! Your sword from that time Naraku almost killed you!"
Ignoring the sting at his ego, he realized he had not necessarily expected her to answer. Not even the most powerful of demons had been able to sense his sword in his chest. Only other Goblins and even creatures such as the Shinigami could sense such things. Because his sword had been touched by a god, it was unseeable to a normal mortal. But this woman...this human, she had been able to see it. Was it her purity as a miko?
"Is there any clue as to how to break your curse?" Kagome leaned forward, a smile brighter. "Maybe since we're both here in this time now, I can help you! After all, you helped us in the past! It's almost like we could consider this as a start to our friendship."
It seemed, then, as though the earth slowed its pace and did not resume any normality for a solid minute. The world seemed to revolve around her in that exact moment. How could this young girl, whom he had seen crying along a beach front be so strong and ready to help him end his suffering. Did she know what she was implying, by ending his curse? But the expression across her face was so hopeful, so ready to help. He couldn't help but feel taken aback as he stared into the warm brown of her eyes. They drew him in and made him feel as though he could try again. Actually try to do something about the aching fate that had been dealt to him.
"The only clue this one was provided," he started gently. "Is to find the Goblin's bride. She is the one who will be able to pull Bakusaiga from my chest and end this curse."
Her face fell a little bit at the word bride, but she masked it quickly and easily, as if she had been doing so for a long time. Sesshomaru felt something he never thought he would. Endearment.
"How do we find her?" Kagome asked softly.
Taking her hand in his, the Goblin stood, tugging her up with him. "Let us worry about that later. This one has time and you are young."
He led her away from the park then, entering back into the main city of Quebec.
"Where are we going?" she demanded, following him with a puzzled frown and several tossed looks to her hand.
"Enjoying the sights of the town," he responded with his characteristic monotone. "Is that not what friends do?"
a/n: Wow, this was a significantly longer chapter than I meant it to be:O whoops. I hope y'all like this one! We finally have some good development. There will be fluff and fun in the next chapter!
Leave a review and let me know what you thought of this chapter3
Thank you, takk fyrir, arigato, and many many other ways of saying thanks, lovelies! It really means a lot to know y'all are reading this story:)