27:Fleeting Battle

"They talk of a man betraying his country, his friends, his sweetheart. There must be a moral bond first. All a man can betray is his conscience."

-Joseph Conrad

Kagome was quiet after his declaration, she was being told she had to marry Byakuya?

She wanted to be angry, she sort of wanted to scream; or go out and find these people and beat them senseless…she wanted the chance to yell at him…but he'd already said he was against it.

"How…no…I won't do it. You just said you didn't want to do it either." Kagome immediately jumped to the simple option of no. "I refuse. It's not their right to just give me away or do whatever they want with me. How dare they…those presumptions stuck-up little bastards!"

She stood up. "I need to talk to someone about this right now. Oh, I wish I had some beads of subjugation right now…I'd sit them until they died!"

"Kagome." He moved closer, setting a hand on her arm. Idly wondering in her cursing if she hadn't gone a bit mad with the information. "Please don't act rash, they might decide if you cannot be controlled that you are just a liability."

That made her stop, glancing at his hand and then stepping back a couple steps, it wasn't sweet now…him touching her was a lot less endearing at this moment. "What do you mean? If I refuse they'll kill me?"

"It is possible." He replied with a frown. "I don't like it either, but please try to understand…we are in wartime right now…everyone is on edge. I cannot say what the council of elders and the royal family will decide if you refuse to bend to their will or work on their side. We have had so many losses as of late I fear they would rather see you dead and forced into our service than alive and able to be a thorn in their side."

"But, you could say no…don't they need someone to marry me off to if they're going to do it?" Kagome was grasping at straws, this was insane, it was like some bizarre dream. She was only seventeen, she didn't want to think about being married…she'd only ever even dated two guys and both of those could be arguable as boyfriends. She wasn't even out of high school!

"If I refused they would find someone else." He replied. "I only agreed because perhaps if the war is resolved we will have time to convince them that this is too extreme."

"How much time?" She frowned still, she knew somehow that Byakuya was doing his best and she didn't feel betrayed by him in particular so much as this place and his faceless superiors.

"Once there is an engagement party and the pairing is declared official thhe traditional amount of time called for before an actual wedding is a year and a day." He replied. "I apologize that you've been drug into all of this Kagome."

"I don't blame you." She sighed, she wanted to yell but she knew it wasn't his fault and it was just really a crap situation. She started to rub her temples with the headache threatening given all the stress just piled on her. "I just…I feel so helpless. You knew before…why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I thought…it was just better that way." He answered, not quite saying what he initially started to say, though the end sentiment was mostly the same. "There will be an official battle between a captain and an opponent from outside of soul society tomorrow. I imagine either after that event or within the next few days the engagement will be officially announced."

"Oh…" She sat back down, understanding now just why people tell others to sit down for bad news. It felt like an emotional truck had run her over, backed up, and then ran her over again…get married or get murdered? What sort of choice is that? "What…what should I do? Is there a certain why I need to act, will someone come up and ask me?" "It was my duty to inform you." He couldn't look at her now, that easy smile had been replaced with everything he'd worried it would be. "Most others won't see you but once our engagement is announced formally it will be expected that we spend time together. Not that it's a hard thing given it is also still my duty to teach you….other than that there is nothing in particular that is written in stone."

"I see…" She paused to think about all the new information that she had. She was a little angry he didn't trust her enough to tell her sooner, but at the same time she couldn't figure how she would tell someone such news. She was completely pissed that it was happening at all, if she ever met one of these royals she'd beat the stuffing out of them. "I suppose that is okay…what if nothing changes?"

"I do not know." He replied honestly. "We should wait a while and see what happens. It is the best advice I can give in this situation."

"Well…I gotta admit that you keep life interesting." She offered with another smile, as ticked off as she was she didn't want him moping around…it wouldn't do either of them good. "Should we continue with lessons then?"

"Perhaps dinner? You did seem annoyed with me for missing it before." He replied, he wanted to avoid teaching her anything further until he'd had a chance to read over the scrolls he'd acquired about the Mental Instruction project.

"Hmm, food would also be sorta nice…get away from books for a while." Kagome agreed with another bright smile. "What are we having? I think stew would be good…or maybe stir-fry…"

He listened to her continue to list things she wouldn't mind having for dinner as they walked toward the dining area, he had to pause the smallest urge to smile. "I suppose I should give you more credit Kagome. You have a stronger force of personality than I expected of you."

ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo

It was definitely getting much closer to winter, a gentle frost had settled on the battleground, while it wouldn't stick around once the sun had risen further it was a sign of the cooler weather that couldn't be ignored. While many soul reapers would be fine without coats in such weather, most still had a coat or jacket of some kind. All of which were crafted in heavier versions of the kimonos they already wore, signs of station still openly visible for the member of the thirteen court squads.

Other high ranking members of nobility or royal relation were on the opposite side of the viewing seats, which is where Kagome was sitting near the only visible soul reaper on this side; Byakuya. As both a noble and a member of the guard squads he was still expected to seat himself among the nobles as they were considered the higher station.

"It's chilly…" Kagome commented, blowing into her hands to keep them warmer. She'd been given a fine coat but the thin gloves she was expected to wear to look pretty just didn't do anything to actually keep her warm.

"Try not to fidget." Byakuya whispered back, eyeing the various stares and whispers the pair was receiving. "Everyone is watching you."

"That is suppose to make me less nervous?" She replied in a whisper of her own. "And if my hands are cold I'm going to try to warm them up…I don't care if they wanna stare at me being warm while they are cold."

Byakuya had to admit while she was bothersome the sentiment was vaguely amusing given the amount of the nobility that looked as if they were freezing sitting there.

"Besides." Kagome added with a small snort. "If it's this cold and they want to look good they should have just made it later in the day."

"That wouldn't be possible." Byakuya chose to ignore the poor manners for now, he wouldn't offer the other nobles a glance. "All such challenges are to begin at sunrise. Here come the opponents now…"

"Sesshomaru…" Kagome found that her jaw was suddenly too heavy to close completely after a gasp. "What is he doing -here-? If he fights someone they'll die."

"That is generally the final result of a duel to the death." Byakuya continued the whispered conversation, though was curious himself as to the sudden arrival of the creature that knew Kagome from her world. "Though I would sell no Captain of the thirteen squads short, as much as I dislike Captain Kurotsuchi, he is not without any skill in battle."

"It doesn't matter." Kagome hadn't taken her eyes off of Sesshomaru in his attire from her days in the feudal era. His hair was still cut much shorter, but the outfit was the same…it was as if centuries had barely touched him. Yet, she still remembered that experience near his power a week before…he might not have changed in physical nature but if it was possible he was stronger even when she knew him in the past…and he had the broken hilt of a very familiar sword tucked into his belt. "He has the Tetsuaiga."

Byakuya raise a brow a bit at Kagome and glanced back down as Kurotsuchi appeared from the doors on the opposite side of the field of battle. He too was in his usual attire, though he appeared far less graceful and far more clown like. His face and body painted black and white, odd structures worked into his head and lord knew where else.

There was no sort of announcer, apparently it had been explained to them ahead of time when to start…behind them doors were being sealed. Making Kagome scoot a little forward, biting her lip nervously as she watched Sesshomaru….she knew well what the Tetsaiaga had been capable of in his hands centuries before. It was frightening to consider just what he would be able to do now.

She pushed aside the wave of sadness at the reminder of Inuyasha, the oncoming battle was enough to derail that unpleasant train of thought. "I know that you think highly of your captains…but this is different…Sesshomaru…he's just…a force of nature."

Byakuya almost frowned at the way she spoke so highly and gaped at the creature challenging Kurotsuchi, almost. He instead found his own eyes moved back to the field as a chime announced the opening of the duel.

Sesshomaru simply vanished, for now he was only using the Tensaiga, the blade was drawn during his flicker of moment across the entirety of the field and the powerful strike had sent waves of power humming at the wall of suki-suki rock surrounding the field. Mayuri had barely managed to parry the sudden and instant assault, and still hadn't managed to fully do so. A pool of red beginning to appear around his shoulder where Tensaiga had slashed into the target.

"Lesser creature." Sesshomaru said with his cool tone, face neutral after what he considered a simple attack. "You would do better to let yourself die quickly."

Kurotsuchi then flash stepped himself away from his opponent, holding his blade in front of him. "Claw out, Ashisogi Jizo." The sword warping as it was released into a deformed trident with a screaming face where the hilt and blades connected. "Do not be so certain of yourself…you'll be a specimen in my lab before long. Just a pity I won't get a live one."

Sesshomaru had paused, blinking at Kagome when he saw her. It was the last thing he had expected to see here, though the distraction was short lived when Kurotsuchi made a shallow cut into one of his legs as he dodged away from the slash. Kagome's presence would have to wait.

"Vermin." His tone had changed just a little, it had taken a hint of hatred as his free hand drew the Tessaiga from his belt, the blade transforming as he held it out. "Know your place. Wind Scar."

The yellow burst of energy that tore across the field in the shape of great claw marks made the hum of the seki-seki barrier grow exceptionally and it sparked and began to steam at the areas where the wind scar hit the barrier.

Kurotsuchi, to the clown's credit, was still standing. He'd barely managed to erect a barrier in front of him with one of his many gadgets, though that barrier was now gone and he was bleeding from several cuts of the energy that had made it though. He was now watching Sesshomaru with much wider eyes however, frowning after a moment and pulling his sword close to him again.

"A creature that doesn't waste time I see. If you insist then…I shall show you the true form of my sword. Bankai. Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo." The field changed then, dark purple mist curling around them as the large caterpillar with a baby's face and a halo that served as a bizarre man's bizarre Bankai took it's form.

Sesshomaru watched with a distinctive unimpressed expression…still hesitant as to these barriers that were holding up the walls, glancing toward Kagome again in hopes she would be wise enough to flee if he were to open up and fight more seriously than he had been. "Is this bug suppose to mean something to me? Do you think that this weak poison it's breathing out would effect Lord Sesshomaru? Kagome…get yourself to safety if these barriers break…I will end this now."

Kagome blinked at the direct comment to her and glanced to Byakuya seriously. "It's not safe here anymore."

Sesshomaru didn't hesitate as the large creature charged him, switching his blades again back to the Tensaiga, it was hard to predict exactly how this attack would work here, but he knew that it wouldn't be pretty for them. He leveled Tensaiga in a horizontal line in front of him, glancing to where Kagome was trying to pull the man with her away. Though the charge was getting too close for him to offer her further hesitation. "Dragon Strike!"

It was as if the heaven's themselves tore open, a tempest of blue energy filling the entirely of the battlefield and so great that beyond when the creature within first began to fall to pieces it was hard to make out what happened. The barrier that had been erected screamed suddenly with protest at the power slamming against it's limits, sparking and beginning to disintergrate as the nobles and other captains retreated from the higher seating to behind a second barrier where Kagome had already drug Byakuya then turned back to watch, shaking her head.

"I told you…" She whispered as she squinted at the storm of blue light still playing underneath the surface of the first broken barrier, edging back as the second back-up barrier began to squeal and smoke as the first had. "…and he always thought his father gave him the weaker sword…"

Byakuya added a few things together from the stories that Kagome had told him about her trips to the feudal era and was staying close to her. It wasn't too surprising for a battle between captain level opponents to reach a point where they might breech the first barrier…but to utterly disintegrate it like that…and then greatly stress the back up was definitely a level of power on par with that of the General or even royal blood.

As the light began to die only Sesshomaru remained on the field, the great fang of Tetsuaiga had been place back at his belt though the Tensaiga itself was smoking gently in his hand…making the demon lord consider it curiously…perhaps his father's fang was becoming too weak for his own power.

The only proof that Captain Kurotsuchi had even been there was his broken and bloody Kimono on the ground with the broken up blade of his unchanged zanpakuto. A second series of rings were apparently the signal of the end of the battle, as folks seemed to be fighting with the doors after the immense amount of damage caused by his attack, the rows where people had been sitting to observe were almost completely wiped away.

Sesshomaru didn't give them a chance to come to them, flickering to where Kagome was still standing and watching the battle. "You fail to listen to commands…you waited longer than you should have to retreat."

Kagome blinked in surprise, unable to find her voice. "Did Sesshomaru just chew me out for not being safe enough?"

Byakuya however stood between Sesshomaru and herself, the two expressionless masters staring off for several tense moments before the noble captain spoke. "What business do you have with Kagome?"

"I could ask you the same thing." the demon lord replied, his blood was already boiling, it had been ages sense he fought an opponent of even that level of skill…it was starting to seem more fine if he had to murder this whole place. Though a moment later he was taken back from the thoughts of his blood taking more control than he usually gave over, Kagome inserting herself between them.

"Oh god…he'll kill Byakuya." Kagome nervously settled herself between the two, worried she might end up like the disintegrated barrier if she didn't step lightly. "Hey, hey, it's okay. I agreed to be here Sesshomaru…I just didn't realize I'd see you here…fighting someone to the death…"

"It was a necessary bother." Sesshomaru's neutral tone immediately returned, almost bored. "I was hoping for a better challenge than that. Are you certain you are well Kagome? There is still much I would like to speak to you about."

He could sense the various other soul reapers surrounding them and the energized situation, but he continued to speak to her casually.

"I am…it's uh…fine yeah." Kagome answered. She was tempted to ask him to take her back to her mortal family…but she was too afraid if he did accept that everyone here would die. "I'm not sure when I'll be back to school and such but I'll call you."

"If you aren't back in a few months I'll come looking for you." He answered, not trusting these people to keep an appropriate eye on his self-appointed semi-ward. "I have work though, take care."

Kagome nodded a little, blinking curiously after the demon lord as he hopped back from the wall and joined the escort that had finally made it through the doors below…biting her lip after him…not sure how well it would go if he wanted to cause trouble here.

As he walked off though she felt the eyes of everyone on her instead…he'd made it more than obvious that they knew each other. "Awkward…."

"Come, the battle is over." The general spoke first, he often was the one to get back things into order. "There is a breakfast prepared for those attending in a nearby dining hall. Repairs will need to begin on the duel field immediately."

Even though he was suppose to be below many of the nobles in rank, all of them moved at the general's request, he was still an exceptionally respected member of the soul society and none of the nobles present made a motion to question him.

The soul reapers also started to disperse at the orders, though many offered Kagome and Byakuya both stares before they went, within a few minutes however it was the General, Byakuya, and Kagome still on the second tier of seating.

"You are an interesting woman priestess Kagome." the General complimented seriously. "Though I would like to speak to you of your…friend…sometime."

"Um. Yeah?" Kagome set a hand behind her head nervously, not even realizing that Byakuya was bowing behind her. "Sure thing, anytime."

The older man nodded to her seriously and walked off ahead of them. Kagome shook her head then. "Man…I never thought I'd see Sesshomaru here. He's way scarier than the last time I saw him…it's like the pup has become a full adult."

"You think well of him." Byakuya commented again, odd given his usual dislike of repeating himself. "I apologize for bringing you, if I had known it was your friend, I wouldn't have made you attend."

"Watching Sesshomaru?" Kagome shrugged a little, starting to walk after him as he lead the way toward the previously mentioned hall. "No, it's fine. I don't think I can imagine Sesshomaru losing a battle…and now he has both the swords. I can't figure anyone would be able to kill him."

Byakuya didn't reply, considering himself the events of the morning battle as they made their way to the banquet…moving to settle near Kagome without any expression on his features, settling near her as the General called for the attention of those within the room.

"This is both a sad day for the court squadrons that we would lose a captain but at the same time we must look forward. This time of war is a stressful time but the banquet this morning functions also as a celebration, I was asked to and am glad to announce the engagement of our Captain Kuchiki to the Priestess Kagome." His words set a further silence over the room, a sign that very few had known of the decision before that time. "We do not forget that we face war, yet our soldiers sometimes need time to pull their minds away from battle for a time. Consider this morning a time to relax and enjoy yourselves…you have the congratulations of all of the court guardian squadrons Captain Kuchiki."

It was all exceptionally formal and Kagome was settled in her seat wishing she could turn invisible and hoping that she wasn't expected to actually step out and speak.

The reactions of the rest of the court was many whispers between people as well as a few shocked expressions, though those were sheltered away quickly enough and replaced with the same empty best wishes of people she didn't know. Mostly she nodded or offered awkward false smiles to the people that walked up to her specifically. At least usually people approached Byakuya and she was content for the time being to conceal herself behind his shield of indifference.

The food would have tasted better if it would have felt like a real party, it seemed more like the few times she'd attended a funeral. Thankfully as just a breakfast it didn't last too long, though the announcement that a more formal dinner would be held that evening didn't make her prospects for enjoying a meal something that would be soon.

It all just sorta seemed to move by while she stood around a mask of counterfeit delight over the numbness that had taken over. It was just easier to stay anesthetized toward it, who knew the trouble Byakuya might face if she caused a fuss…and if she spoke too long with any of the nobles and found out they were behind this ridiculous order… Well, she doubted that a fuss would come close to describing what would follow.

Once she got to return to her room she laid back on her bed, it was such a stressful situation…she knew that the best hope for both herself and Byakuya was to play along…but that didn't mean she wasn't still pissed as hell that she was forced to be in these circumstances in the first place.

She was so set in her mental tirade of insults, her mind still trapped between anger and sadness, that she didn't notice the figure slipping from her quarters, the door slightly ajar as she considered a nap after being drug to the duel before dawn. Yawning at the temptation of sleep and curling up next to the pillow.

"Just a few minutes couldn't hurt anything." She mumbled as she let her eyes close.

End Chapter

Whee, the battle with clown guy and Sesshy…I think he might have wiped him out a tad too easy…but man…it's super-sesshy vs. clown jackass…I couldn't help it. Byakuya was just a little jealous as how much Kagome was like 'wow it's Sesshomaru, he's a complete badass'. I thought it was cute.

-Aura

P.S. Thanks for the reviews, helps me get some inspiration when I get nifty feedback. Nasuki - She doesn't want to get him in trouble by attacking anyone. Ihaveprobs - I am aware the necklace plot catch is still around. Enchanted - I hope you liked the battle. Darkryredragon - and as of this chapter Sesshomaru remains unaware of the exact connection of Kagome and Byakuya…