Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha characters. Only the made up characters in this fanfic (such as Hebi Otoko, Hebi Hisu, Ha Jinsoku and Tsukie are mine. Paws Off! Thank you!)
A good whacking of Miroku and some time later, Kagome had explained her situation with this Tsukie that now infested her body. Apparently Tsukie was rather kind, but also enjoyed the hunt and the kill, something that InuYasha and the gang had seen with their own eyes earlier on. Kagome also said, rather sadly, that she herself had no control over the change between Tsukie and herself – all of that was left to the long since deceased demoness.
"Apparently, her mate thought it would be fun to use her spirit in me against you," the miko murmured, biting gladly into an apple. She let the flavor explode on her tongue, not being able to feel it for so long.
Miroku, sporting a black eye and an apparent handprint on his cheek, looked up. "If she don't mind me asking… as well as you, lord Jinsoku," he nodded to the demon sitting some paces away, "what was the cause of Tsukie's demise?"
Kagome closed her eyes, and moved her lips silently – almost as if she was speaking with somebody, which caused shivers running down the present people's spines. Except Haa Jinsoku's, who only smiled merrily, fingering a leaf in his left hand. Sesshomaru stared blankly up at the sky, following the clouds movements.
"She doesn't take offence," Kagome spoke suddenly, opening her blue hues, "and can tell you. But I seriously don't appreciate her sense of humor," she muttered and cast a blaming look on Jinsoku.
"Not my fault, Cherie – she's my big sister."
Kagome huffed. "You just tell yourself that. Either way… oh God, that's terrible!"
"What is?" Shippo, sitting in the priestess' lap, asked.
She shook her head, while softly petting her adoptive son's reddish tresses. "No… I don't want to… Tsukie! I'm talking to you!" The girl suddenly shouted.
Seeing her companions raised eyebrows she flushed. "Sorry. She can be real perverse at times."
"Still not my fault," Jinsoku yawned. Kagome sent the demon a glare, but didn't retort back. With a huff she returned to petting her son with more vigour, causing an amused smile to sprawl across Jinsoku's face. 'Bastard'.
Sweetheart, that's my brother you are thinking about,Tsukie said, sounding amused.
Must run in the blood then, Kagome thought, barring her teeth. Her companions shared worried glances with eachother but didn't say anything.
Technically, it is your blood, honey.
"Shut up," she mumbled.
Kagome felt heavy gazes on her. Looking up she found her friends oogling her, except for Sesshomaru of course. Looking around she frowned. Wait a minute…
"Where did Sesshomaru go?" she asked.
The others looked around as well, shrugging as they saw nothing. "Keh, who cares where that piece of dog dung goes?" InuYasha huffed and crossed his arms. As he did he winced slightly.
"InuYasha!" Kagome shot up from her seat, sending the fox kit tumbling out of her lap. Gently she grasped the silverhaired male's clawed hand, carefully tugging it away. "When did you get hurt?"
He snorted, but couldn't quite hide the blush her closeness caused him. "Hmph. Ask Tsukie's little brother over there," he muttered darkly.
"Jinsoku?" she murmured, glancing over at the reptile demon, before trying to look into her best friend's eyes. For some reason though he was looking away from her. Kagome frowned and pouted. 'Fine. Sure. The normal 'I'm not hurt' act.'
"Well… the dog simply wouldn't lie down," Jinsoku said, gazing down at his deadly claws. Biting into one, he sneered at InuYasha. "A remarkable guard dog, I must say. He is well-trained."
"You little-!"
"Temper, temper, little puppy," the reptile taunted, wagging a finger at the half demon.
Kagome sighed exasperated, running a hand through her wild tresses. Her own brother could be a pest at times, but she sure hoped he would never become anything like Jinsoku.
Now, that's not very nice, her "inner" voice scolded her, though she could clearly distinguish the amusement rolling off the host.
Ignoring her, Kagome glared at Jinsoku. "Whatever you did it's in the past now."
"Kago-"
"But," she continued as though she hadn't heard the hanyou's protest, "nothing alike will happen again, alright?" Not expecting an answer she turned her attention to Inuyasha. "Now, where is the wound?"
The gruff male huffed, looking away from her. "What wound? I don't have any."
Kagome raised an eyebrow, before she poked the hanyou's stomach. The reaction was immediate as the male whined and flinched away from her.
"No wound, huh?" she muttered.
"Kagome-sama, if I may be so bold as to interrupt," Miroku chimed in before she could assault the hanyou anymore. When he got her attention, he continued, "As much as I find it amusing to watch you and InuYasha grabble with each other, isn't the danger at hand of more importance? Such as why Tsukie now is in your very petite body, or of the nature as to why she and her brother are currently here with us, not yet attempting to cause us any harm."
The clearing was quiet for a moment. "Well," Jinsoku spoke up, yawning yet again, "I only really follow my sister; where she goes, I goes, what she do, I do." He chuckled, running a hand through his greenish hair. "Then again, I knew she would be pouting if I followed her in death. So I decided to use my 'Master' to summon my sister back to my side."
Good boy.
"Hmm…" Kagome mumbled, looking at Jinsoku with narrowed eyes. "Then, what was it that your master wanted with us?"
"With you, stupid." More than one pair of eyes turned dumbfounded to stare at the hanyou. "Me, they only pounded the living crap outta me."
Kagome let out a strangled gasp, whereas InuYasha only huffed and poked her head roughly. "I'm still alive, ba-ka. No one can really kill me, ya know."
Jinsoku snorted. "Not yet, yes. But if my master gets what he wants then you just might. Tell me, do you prefer cherry blossoms or the occasional red roses on your funeral?"
"You bastard!" InuYasha jumped up, teeth bared, as he tried staring the calm demon down. "Who is to say it's my funeral, huh?"
The demon sneered while looking the hanyou up and down, before settling on the golden eyes. "Apparently, yours."
"What the h-?" The boy began, but suddenly his knees gave out and he fell forward, about to fall over Kagome. In the nick of time Jinsoku sped across the short distance, grabbed the girl and let the hanyou fall face first onto the awaiting ground.
Kagome stared at the fallen hanyou for a minute, noticing his still breathing form, before glancing at Jinsoku who was gazing down at her with a smile. "T-thank you."
"Hm. This position seems oddly familiar, does it not?" he murmured against her throat, holding her waist with his hand on her stomach, the other gently holding her hand. She blushed furiously as a shiver went through her body, before she launched herself away from him. He laughed loudly, but then had to jump back as a furious wolf kicked out at him.
"The hell do ya think ya're doing, creep?" Kouga barked, sending a cloud of dust up and around him as he drew his foot in a wide circle around him with the force of his strength. Only hearing laughter at his expense, he growled and turned to Kagome. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"
She laughed nervously, gently swatting his hands away as he tried to cup her face in his calloused hands. "N-no! I'm fine, Kouga-kun." Clearing her throat – and ignoring the flash of hurt in Kouga's brilliant blue hues – she looked up at Jinsoku sitting in the tree he had been lounging against, and raised an inquiring eyebrow. "I would also like to know how I got into this mess of yours."
"Ah. Then, cherie, you will get disappointed," Jinsoku said. He let a leg jingle down from the branch as he grasped a leaf in his hand. The demon actually sounded apologetic, Kagome noticed with a frown. "My master's word is absolute; his orders binds His kin to absolute obedience."
"Then, why are you disobeying him now?" Sango inquired.
"You've got keen eyes, flower," Jinsoku murmured, winking at the woman and causing her to blush lightly. He chuckled at the suspicious look the monk sent him. I'm not technically disobeying; he only told me to 'look after' Kagome while she was on her 'mission'. She was not to get hurt, or killed in that matter." He shrugged. "He never said I had to kill you lot on sight."
And since I am dead, he can't command me to anything. Tsukie sounded very pleased with herself as though being dead was a good thing. Kagome frowned thoughtfully at that, but nonetheless relayed the words to the others, seeing their expressions as well. Except InuYasha's of course, since he still was being acquainted with the dirt.
"Why Tsukie?" Shippo voiced, tilting his head with a paw on his chin in thought. "I mean, if she is his mate, wouldn't he rather have her close than away on killing rampages?"
I like that boy. Irritating, but cute, Tsukie murmured, laughing. Say this to him, little girl…
-ooo-
To be a great lord, you have to know when to leave, how to leave and why you are leaving. To be a good lord you have to know at least two of those aspects, and an okay lord you have to know one.
Right now, Sesshomaru felt like a no-good-excuse, as he had fled the battlefield. Or rather, that miko. Ever since her return something had felt weird in his chest, in his stomach. Electric shots through his being, clenching his only fist at the sensation. Not in agony or pain, which was a fact that frightened him the most, but the simple detail that he… felt good. A good sensation, that almost sent him into a killing rampage. Such as the one he was on now, trying to get some steam out of his system.
He eyed the disgusting lower demon before him, seeing how defenseless it was against him. Of course, what did he suspect really? Sesshomaru was a daiyoukai – nearly none other than the Gods could defeat someone like him. Not deeming it worth his poisonous whip, he sliced the beast in half, basking in the agonizing screech that quickly turned into a gurgling.
The action of slaying was meant to release steam, yet it somehow made it grow; sensing those electric shots run up and down his spine, which in turn made his blood boil, whether in rage or fear he wasn't sure. Why was it that such a simple act like slaying those below himself would make him feel this way.
'Maybe father's lessons did have some worth in them.' Because he knew this feeling, having heard of it from his great and terrible father. But the details...
With a snarl he jumped over the carcass before him, running on tree branches and slicing away leaves from interfering with his person. 'Father, what is happening with me?'
A tug at his soul, trying to drag him in the other direction. He would never admit it, but it hurt not to answer the call. Why was it that he, the great Sesshomaru who was lord over the Western Lands, was in pain when he had no mortal wound? If only he could remember…
Letting out a frustrated growl, he summoned his youki-infused cloud and sprinted away, desperately fighting the urge to turn tail and turn back.
-ooo-
"He killed her?"
Kagome nodded, feeling oddly sad at the thought. Tsukie wasn't the most agreeable person and she could be quite… suggestive, to say the least, but the deceased demon didn't deserve such a fate. "Yes. Apparently, Hebi Otoko killed her in a ceremony in order to overtake his father's throne. Which apparently didn't work as well as he thought." The young miko paused as if listening. Then she nodded slowly, looking at the others with tear-filled eyes. "When doing that ceremony you needed to offer your one true love – to become the strongest, you have to offer your strongest emotion. Since both Tsukie and Otoke had an arranged marriage, with no love whatsoever, it was impossible for it to work."
"But why you, Kagome?" Sango asked dully, glaring at her hands as if blaming them for her friend's current situation.
Kagome smiled softly, feeling the angry yet caring aura Sango was radiating. "Because I'm the Shikon no Miko, of course. I'm strange that way, aren't I?" She smiled cutely, earning hesitating smiles from the group. All but one.
"It ain't right," InuYasha huffed, having resurrected from his kissing-session with mother earth. He crossed his arms over his chest, but was careful to do it tentatively this time, not wanting another embrace from the cold earth.
Kagome snorted and smirked at him. "It never is, InuYasha. We, all of us here, know it better than anyone."
At that he could only grumble and hang his head. Sang had lost her whole tribe; Mirkou had a curse that had been with his family for three generations; Shippo, his father and earlier on his mother. Even the wolf had lost many of his brethren, both before and after the Jewel. Hanging his head lowed so his bangs shadowed his eyes he sighed. He himself had lost his love Kikyou and his mother, had never met his father and had a half-brother that hated him. Peeking through his locks to see Kagome speaking solemnly with Sango, he sighed. And Kagome had lost the life she once knew, having to lie to the other side's persons about what she was doing. She had lost her normal life, only to live in danger.
Completely lost on the dark thoughts her friend were having, Kagome nodded. "Of course, it can also be out of spite or something. Hebi Otoko was about to kill me, but didn't succeed. Maybe he thought this would be fun?"
Jinsoku laughed outright, almost falling off his seat up in the tree. "He didn't kill you? My lord must have had one hell of a day for that to happen!"
So did you, if your memories serve you right. Tsukie sounded oddly bored. Your little brother's birthday, the wolf's tickling-attack – Kagome blushed heavily –and… oh.
"What is it?" Kagome asked out loud, not really caring that the other's sent her questioning looks.
You really don't remember? My mate, holding you pinned below him, while he bit into your legs and inserted poison? Tsukie's huff oddly sounded like InuYasha, not that Kagome would tell either of the parties that. Tsukie continued, And then he was thrown away from you and you gazed up into the most lovely of gold? Surely, that is a huge hint!
Not really. I don't know of anyone that would want to save me, other than InuYasha-
I am telling you, girlie, Tsukie cut her off, that there is one other person that has such eyes. And boy, is he handsome!
I don't-
"Kagome is pretty scary when she's talking with Tsukie like that," Shippo whispered from the spot on Sango's shoulder he had claimed after being thrown off Kagome's lap. Absentmindedly he played with the slayer's long ponytail, letting the tresses slide through his small paws as he stared at his surrogate mother's strange expressions.
"I hear you," Sango murmured back, blinking owlishly as Kagome took on a confused expression, before getting a heavy blush and then furrowed eyes and bared teeth. It was worse than when she was angry at InuYasha.
Unbeknownst to Kagome and Tsukie of their onlookers hushed talk, they continued to argue.
How can someone be this dense! Tsukie exclaimed. And I thought the half-puppy was way up his ass – you are almost worse!
Don't talk like that about him! So rude! Kagome hissed back. After a pause she added, a little gentler than before, But you're right – he is a little thickheaded about things.
Yes, yes, I know. Your memories from that cell? The miko felt rather than heard Tsukie tsk in the young girl's mind. Poor baby, that was harsh.
That. Are. Private. Now I'm done speaking with you.
Hey! Don't you want to know who Gold-Eyes is?
It will come in time.
Den-i-al! Tsukie sing-sang. Earning no answer from the girl, the deceased demon sighed. Hey…
Kagome sighed, looked up and suddenly saw the other's staring at her. Blushing furiously, she gave a tight laugh. "A-ha-ha! Hrm, well… ha-ha!" At the looks on her friends' faces, that differed from 'Does she have a fever?' to 'What the hell has been gnawing on her brain?', she gave another forced laugh. "Just, you know, talking with Tsukie?"
Reluctant nods, a gruff reply from InuYasha –"Damn wench, always doing unnecessary things" – and a sort of giggle coming from Jinsoku – funny, she couldn't remember him laughing this much before her new experience as a host – before she nodded to herself and closed her eyes. What?
Silence. Then a small twitter, before Tsukie asked. Want to know why Sesshomaru can't hurt you – us – now? You are so going to love it!
Kagome listened with an indifferent face, before she shot up, standing on trembling legs and screaming, "What?"
Her outburst caused the others to jump slightly, all staring up at her.
"The hell, Kagome?" InuYasha barked.
Hearing his voice and seeing him sitting there caused another blush to seep into her face, covering every centimeter, up to her ears and traveling down her chest. The young miko blushed furiously, before she slapped herself harshly.
"Jinsoku," she called.
"Here, cherie."
Looking up at the amused demon she squirmed uncomfortably. "Ano… what does it mean if... a demon gave you of his blood?"
Elegant pale-green eyebrows rose. "Between men? Nothing other than some sort of bond of brotherhood. Between the opposite sexes?" He smiled brightly. "It means you are mated."
A few moments passed, under which Kagome's cheeks passed the color-stage of a strawberry and went straight for the tomato. "If only one party has taken the blood then?"
"Hm. That's the tricky part, cherie, but I must ask why you are asking me this?"
"Kagome-sama, if it isn't any trouble, we would also like to know. You are beginning to worry us." Miroku spoke up.
A small pang of shame twitched in her stomach as she looked over at those that had been so worried for her for the past few weeks, not knowing if she was alive or were food for demons. But then Tsukie displayed her memory of golden eyes in her memory and she blushed again.
"J-just answer. Please, Jinsoku?" Kagome gazed up at him, using her best puppy eyes at him.
He chuckled. "I will, cherie, but you are not going to like the answer."
"Why is Kagome relying so much on him, Sango?" Kagome heard Shippo stage whisper behind her. What Sango said next made her already burning blush to grow even hotter.
"Well, they maybe had much time together, or maybe she trusts him since she has his sister's soul inside her." Sango murmured. "Or maybe she has gotten over InuYasha?"
"When mated, the mates-to-be need to drink each other's blood," Jinsoku said matteroffactly, as if he, with his sensitive hearing, hadn't heard Sango. Though the miko suspected otherwise as she saw an almost unnoticeable pink splash across his nose. "Should the mating be interrupted, the one who haven't yet drunk will feel a pull towards his or hers intended until he has done what he must. Of course, the blood exchange can be a mistake too; demon blood does have a natural healing ability, but even that is counted as the beginnings of mating."
Now all eyes were on Kagome. 'Damn,' she thought, squirming under their gazes.
You could have asked me, you know. Since I've mated before and all.
You wouldn't tell me! Kagome cried in her mind, still dodging the other's eyes.
"Kagome-sama?" Miroku stared at her with scrutinizing eyes. "Are you alright?"
She whipped her head to him, hearing a small pop from her neck. "What? Oh, um – yes. Yes, I'm fine." Oh god, she felt so embarrassed! If what Tsukie and Jinsoku said was true then…! Her body grew warmer, a hot tingling that started in her stomach and spread out, rushing up and gathering in her head. She almost started to see red.
"Kagome?" She heard the other's call to her, but she paid no head. If what Tsukie told her and Jinsoku filled her in with is true then… then…
The warm feeling began to wear her out, making her lightheaded and slightly tipsy. Her knees suddenly gave out and she landed in a heap… not on the ground, but in the arms of her best friend, who glared down at her, worry evident in his eyes.
"Kagome?" He questioned, gathering her in his lap as he gently tapped her cheek. "Kagome, can you hear me?"
Of course I can, she tried to say. Instead it felt as if she were swimming in liquid, trying to push her arms up to him, show him that she can move, but instead something was weighing her down. Then she understood.
"Oh geez, girl! It's just a little blood, nothing to get all tingly for!" Tsukie huffed, pulling at Kagome's dark tresses that were splattered across her forehead. She then smiled brightly and waved at the gaping onlookers. "Hi, everyone! Missed me?" Then she looked up at InuYasha, licked her lips and moved forward, placing her lips close to his ear. "Not that I mind being in your lap, but can I stand?"
The hanyou's face darkened as his own blush worked its magic. He stood quickly, not really waiting for Tsukie to stand on her own, thus causing her to fall on her rump.
"Ouch! Where are your manners, boy? I do say, when I was young, women were treated with respect and graciousness." Kagome-turned-Tsukie huffed, rubbing her bottom as she stood, but she smiled serenely nonetheless. "Now, how about we go find him, hmm, Kagome?"
What! No! No, no, no, no! He will kill us – me, I mean! Kagome shrieked, wanting nothing more in that moment to strangle the demoness, both for taking her freedom once more, and because of more apparent reasons. What was she thinking, going to find him? He would rather pluck out his eyes than mate with a ningen.
"Onee-san?" Jinsoku jumped down from the tree, landed with a soft thump behind the possessed miko and wrapped his arms around her. "Welcome back." He crooned and burrowed his nose in her flesh, where her shoulder met her neck.
Tsukie smiled dangerously and raised her hand, slowly stroking her little brother's cheek.
"This is so weird," Shippo murmured. Not only did her behavior change, but her scent as well! That explained some things…
Kouga growled warningly at Jinsoku, but otherwise didn't do anything. He, too, could feel the change from the woman he considered his, and he hated everything about it. Hell, he would like to wring both of those demons necks hard enough so that their heads popped off for what they had done. But then, Kagome was in the middle of it, and he would never hear an end to it when he and the miko mated how he had tried to kill her. He had seen how she was when angry. The wolf shivered. Not a pretty sight for the one on the receiving end.
That made a thought pop into his head. He glared at Tsukie, but inside those eyes he held his question, hoping he wouldn't have to voice it.
Tsukie saw, alright. But what she said next made more than one pair of eyes to bulge, almost falling from their eyesockets. "Can you imagine? Little Kagome, about to get mated! Isn't it amazing?" The deceased demon tittered, still cradling Jinsoku's cheek.
No! Don't you dare-!
Tsukie smiled evilly, but didn't say anything more. Kagome breathed a silent sigh of relief, thinking that maybe the demoness also had a heart somewhere in her long-gone body. But then someone had to ruin her relief.
"Who has mated with mama?" Shippo asked innocently, large green eyes gazing up at Tsukie. She stard indifferently back at him, glanced at the others who seemed just as eager to know. Then she looked back down at the kit and smiled brightly. Kagome immediately tensed, however that was even possible, since she was more mind than body now, she didn't know. Still, she felt herself go as still as a violin string.
"Why, someone we all know! Isn't that so, InuYasha?"
Silence. Then a certain wolf flew for the hanyou's throat. "Have you mated with her? You little piece of-!"
InuYasha growled right back, grabbed the wolf's collar, put his naked feet on the demon's stomach and used the growling demon's momentum to throw him over himself. Kouga let out a grunt as his back connected with the recently hanyou-kissed earth, blinking dazedly up at the rapidly darkening sky.
"I haven't touched the wench, damnit!" InuYasha shouted, pointing angrily at Tsukie. "Wouldn't even do it with a stick!"
Tsukie hissed through her teeth and tsk-ed at the irate hanyou. "Someone in here is hurt." She sing-sang, pointing to her chest. "But before either of you say anything; I must remind you hanyou that you technically just did. You know, me, you, your lap?"
The hanyou glowered at her, but didn't say anything. He let out an angry growl before dashing off to sulk by himself.
"Now, where is that gorgeous tall, handsome and stoic?" Tsukie asked, putting a finger to her lips in thought, reluctantly patting Jinsoku's hand around her waist to get him to free her. "Oh I know!" She exclaimed, hitting one closed fist into her other. "I will just follow him~" Then she too dashed off, leaving the rest to breath in the dust.
For some moments no one maybe a move, too dumbstruck to fully take in what had just happened. Then everyone moved at once; Kouga darted off, following Kagome's – Tsukie's – trail, Sango and Miroku jumping onto the transformed Kirara, with Shippo clinging for dear life onto Sango's shoulder. They too began to follow the rapidly disappearing runaway-miko, shouting questions that wasn't answered.
Jinsoku shook his head, amused with his sister's antics. He couldn't blame her though; being dead for over twenty years and then get this new opportunity for life… who could deny it?
He moved to follow the others when suddenly a souring pain went through the back of his head. He let out a gasp as he sank to his knees, clutching his head between his hands in a futile attempt to stop the agony that welled from within, cold spears puncturing through his mind. The reptile shook his head back and forth, slowly, silently denying what was happening.
'I need more time, not now, please not now, she is alive, don't take her, no, no, no'
Then it suddenly stopped. It was so unexpected that the demon fell forward, lying on his side and gasping for air as the pain subsided into a soft hum in his subconscious.
Slowly he gathered himself, pushing off the ground and onto his feet, one knee still on the ground. Without raising his head, he bowed lower. "My lord," he whispered.
First he heard nothing, as always, but then soft footfalls approached rapidly. Still, he didn't raise his throbbing head. If he did, he knew what would happen.
Soon two feet came into his lowered view. Their owner stood before him silent for a moment. Then the person bended forward and touched Jinsoku's dark green hair, a feather light pat, before it disappeared. Taking it as a sign, Jinsoku slowly raised his eyes, gazing up at the battle worn man before him.
"My lord," he murmured respectfully again, bowing ever deeper, but the man stopped him with his hand.
"Where," the old man rasped, "is the girl?"
Dun-dun-dun!
No, not really. But I hope I tied some loose knots together!
Please review!