Hey, people! My computer is still broken, but my parents let me borrow their laptop for writing. So, here is chapter four!
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Rin struggled, desperate to free herself from the grip of the youkai that had shown itself so suddenly. Only moment afters Lord Sesshomaru left, it seemingly appeared out of thin air in front of them, grabbing Rin and running. Jaken and Ah-Un had no time to react.
"Heh. If you want to live, I suggest you stop struggling," the youkai that held her warned. She stopped, staring at him. He had two massive heads, both of which spoke at the same time. His misshapen hand crushed her, barely allowing her to breath. The humanoid feet shook the ground.
Rin felt hot tears fall down her cheeks. She had never been taken like this before, though attempts had been made on her head. Many youkai assumed that she was Lord Sesshomaru's weak spot. But Jaken and Ah-Un together were always enough to protect her when Lord Sesshomaru was gone. But the suddenness of this attack had not given them the chance.
The youkai stopped, and Rin began to feel strange. A burst of light flashed, blinding her.
When she opened her eyes, they were in a different place. A swamp. Gases bubbled from the depths, the stench making her wretch. The youkai smirked, pounding one foot harshly.
The water bubbled again, and two eyes appeared. Rin gasped. From the filthy liquid, a creature resembling a snake surfaced, black as midnight and a hungry look in his eyes.
"The girl," the snake hissed, flicking his tongue. The youkai held his hand out, forcing Rin above the foul water. She almost puked.
"Give me the shard, as you promised. If I have one more shard, then I will surely be able to take over this area."
"Power does not interest me," the snake hissed. "But it will surely be a pleasure to know that I am feasting upon the loved one of the youkai that forced me from my home in the west." He was the only snake Rin had ever seen that could grin, and it sent chills down her spine. "I have the shard here," he said, lifting up his tongue. Rin saw a glint of sunlight. Looking harder, she could see something shiny embedded under the slimy appendage.
"IRON REAVER, SOUL STEALER!"
The cry caught the attention of the youkai for one moment, before the attack came barreling through, slicing the air and tossing both youkai. Rin was released, hurdling and screaming in terror.
"Gotcha!" Rin thumped against something, forcing the air from her lungs, but saving her from a terrible fall to the ground. She peered behind her to see a smiling woman. She wore a youkai slayer's clothes, with her hair tied into a pony-tail.
"Keh, as if a couple youkai could get away with killing a human." Inuyasha landed gracefully, Tetsusaiga in it's full form. Kagome stood beside him, notching an arrow.
"Huh?" the youkai asked stupidly, rubbing one of his heads. "Hey!" he growled. "Give me the girl! She's mine!"
"I don't think so." Inuyasha swung his sword, confident. "Where's the shard, Kagome?"
"In his chest," she said without hesitating. After a moment, she said, "There's another one around here too. It's . . ." She looked, and saw the snake recovering in the swamp waters, shaking algae off it's body. "There! In the snake's mouth!"
"You get him, I'll take care of this guy." Inuyasha leaped in front of the two-headed youkai, smirking. "You're gonna pay. WIND SCAR!"
Using his most famous attack, Inuyasha was sure he had killed the youkai.
"I'll purify you to Hell," Kagome muttered, pulling her arrow tight. The snake hissed. Before he could move, Kagome released the arrow, calling out, "Hit the mark!"
The dust of the wind scar settled, and the light from Kagome's arrow faded. Both youkai were gone.
"Think you can get rid of us that easily?"
Kagome and Inuyasha spun around, seeing the two youkai behind them, both grinning. The snake hissed, raising his tail. "You will be vanquished," he said.
"Damn youkai!" Sango raised her weapon, ready to attack.
"Violent pond scum." Before Sango could move, a green light illuminated their vision, and suddenly the youkai split into pieces, falling to the ground.
Sesshomaru landed, the poison dissipating from his claws.
"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin cried with joy. Sango released her, and Rin dove into his arms, ignoring the piles of rotting youkai flesh. Sesshomaru hugged her briefly before releasing her.
"Thank goodness." Kagome approached the youkai, carefully pulling out both shards. They glowed, and she smiled. "That was wonderful, Sesshomaru. Thank you very much." She bowed.
"Hn. I was simply retrieving my ward."
"They saved me, Lord Sesshomaru," Rin announced. "I would have been killed if they hadn't showed up. Thank you, miss." Rin bowed her thanks to Kagome.
"You're quite welcome." Kagome patted Rin's head. "I wouldn't let a girl like you come to harm."
Sesshomaru, not seeing any value in this, hoisted Rin into his arms and began to summon his cloud.
"Let me see the shards!" Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's backpack, trying to pull it open.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome pulled the backpack away, but the top flew open. A wooden box fell to the ground, flipping open upon impact.
"Lord Sesshomaru, look!" Rin squealed, pointing at the group. Sesshomaru halted, almost ready to take off. He saw the the miko bend down to pick up the box, and caught site of what was in it.
He put Rin down and rushed over, snatching the box from Kagome.
"Hey!" Kagome stood, grabbing for the box. Sesshomaru easily held her back with his hand. "You'll get burned!"
Sesshomaru, never one to heed threats, removed the rose and tossed the box.
He waited, but nothing happened. "Burned?" he questioned. "It appears you are mistaken, wench." He twiddled the rose between his fingers.
"But, wait, the rose burned everyone else." Kagome peered at the rose, keeping a distance from the dangerous inu youkai. She noticed that it was the same deep purple as the crescent moon imprint on Sesshomaru's forehead. "I suppose I was right when I thought you might be connected to it."
Sesshomaru eyed her warily. "Miko, you will explain to this Sesshomaru exactly where you found this."
"She don't have to explain nothing!" Inuyasha jumped in front of Kagome. "I don't care who can touch that stupid rose or why. Get out of here before I slice yer face off," he snarled.
Sesshomaru paused. "Very well," he replied, "but I am taking this rose."
Understanding dawned on Inuyasha. "You want it? Why?"
Kagome sighed at his predictability. Inuyasha only wanted to know so he could take it and foil whatever plans his brother had.
"What he means, Sesshomaru," she said, stepping in front of Inuyasha, "is that we have been wondering what that rose is, and why I'm the only one capable of touching it." She tried to imbue as much civility into her voice as possible, to appeal to Sesshomaru's regal side. "If you are also capable of handling the rose, it must mean something."
Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. The wench was presumably connected to the rose.
"Father, why do you spend time doting on that woman?"
He paused, a voice from ages ago invading his mind. His voice. It was a question, posed to his father about his human mistress. But why the old conversation came to him now was a mystery.
"Miko," he said, realizing that he had hesitated, "I do not answer the questions of humans. But I will be taking this rose into my possession. If you are lucky, I will not slay your group any time soon." His threat posed and his status as a powerful youkai reinforced, Sesshomaru snatched Rin and left.
"Get back here, bastard!" Inuyasha tried to pursue, but the youkai cloud was too fast. He had no hope of catching his brother.
Kagome watched him leave, thoroughly confused. Her suspicions of Sesshomaru being connected to the rose were confirmed, but the way he left made it seem as if he knew less about it than she did. He may have fooled her friends, but her miko skills had also helped train her in the art of reading people's speech. He had hesitated. He did not know why he could touch it, or how they were both connected with it.
Inuyasha was blind to that fact, chasing his brother through the forest.
"Arrogant fool," Kagome muttered. To Sango, she said, "Let's get going. We've got two more shards, and those are two that Naraku won't have. We need to keep looking."
"All right." Sango hopped onto Kirara. "Inuyasha will find us later."
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Sesshomaru landed swiftly in the camp. Jaken was lying against a tree, his shirt torn in places, but no visible wounds. Ah-Un jumped to his feet when he saw his lordship descending.
"My lord!" Jaken sat up, sweat still glistening on his brow. "The girl was just here, and I-" He stopped, watching Rin run to hug Ah-Un. "You rescued her. I mean, of course you did! You are the most powerful youkai-"
"Shut up." Sesshomaru was not in the mood for listening to the imp. He was more concerned with the rose he now held in his hands.
The miko was connected to it, and if her words of no one else being able to handle this flower were true, then he was connected to it as well. And Myoga had told him to inspect his brother's group for new objects. The color of the rose was suspicious enough on its own.
Myoga had also mentioned his father's human mistress, although he had explained nothing behind why he mentioned her.
"You and your father, you are more alike than you think."
His father. Mention of the human mistress. And this rose that was connected to both himself and the miko.
Sesshomaru's brows raised, though he was careful to hide the expression from the others. It did not take a genius to figure out what Myoga was insinuating, and Sesshomaru was far from stupid. Does the flea honestly expect me to believe that I am to take a human mate, the way my father did?
The Lord of the West was not about to disgrace his family that way. It hardly mattered that they were seemingly connected. After all, it was a flower. And Sesshomaru would be damned if he would let a plant put any strange meaning to his life.
Besides, he could not recall any such flowers in his father's possession. This would most likely be coincidence. His power was great. It would not be a challenge to overcome an enchanted rose that harmed others. And it was quite probable that the miko's abilities were what kept her safe from the nature of the rose. He was not bound to a simple human in any way.
Are you quite sure?
He growled. His inner youkai was back. Leave me alone, he threatened. The voice did not respond.
Satisfied, Sesshomaru tucked the rose under his clothes. He would summon the flea, and have his suspicions confirmed when the flea told him that the rose had nothing to do with how the Inu no Taishou came upon his mistress.
Either way, it was clear that the miko had feelings for his brother. Sesshomaru had tried to kill her on more than one occasion, and his brother protected her. It was obvious which of the two she would choose as her own mate.
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Hi again! As I said above, my parents are letting me use their computer for writing. I will try to continue with weekly updates.
Ooooh, Sesshy's being bad, stealing flowers and aggravating hanyous. Well, at least Kagome is being a good sport about it. She doesn't seem too upset, though I expect her to get mad eventually, ha ha. This story is quite different, if you compare it to the other story (I suggest you don't, the other story's writing is much worse .). I'm pretty happy with how it's going so far.
Please keep reading, and please review, so that I can get some feedback. Feedback is what helps this story keep going. Thanks so much, everybody! Ja ne!