~Hi, everyone! Mattaki here, to apologize for this chapter being late. I had a lot of college work and not enough time to write. To make up for it, this chapter is a bit longer than usual. Enjoy~
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After a few hours, Kagome's precision and strength had improved. She had yet to perfectly hit the arrows embedded within the tree. However, they no longer fell as quickly, and she had yet to miss. Sesshomaru could see the increase in power each time she shot.
"We shall end for the day," he announced, when Kagome shot a final arrow. It stuck for a moment, before angling down. It did not fall completely, and Kagome sighed with relief.
"All right," she answered, when she was sure the arrow wouldn't fall. "Thank you, Sesshomaru." Kagome turned, and bowed. "This has definitely improved my shooting. I haven't practiced shooting small targets much, after hunting dangerous youkai for so long." She went to retrieve her arrows from the tree, along with a few strewn in the grass. "It's good to know I can still learn."
"You are welcome." Sesshomaru watched her place the arrows back in her quiver, noting that they would need to be sharpened after such vigorous practice. The sun was high enough to wake their companions, and the children would soon demand breakfast. They had to move quickly and continue on Naraku's trail.
Sesshomaru stepped forward to leave, and halted.
"Hm?" Kagome turned to face him. "Sesshomaru? What's wrong?" She noticed him inhaling, and followed suit, smelling the air around them. She wretched, covering her nose, and wondered how such a powerful stench could appear so suddenly. "What the-?"
"Naraku," was all Sesshomaru said before he leaped into the air. He ran through the branches, and launched himself into their camp from the treetops, landing harshly and waking everyone.
"Jaken," he said, grabbing the imp. The small youkai yelped, still half asleep. "Protect them," Sesshomaru said, releasing him to the ground and returning to the sky. It took only moments to appear before Kagome once more, his sword, Tokijin, at the ready.
Kagome had determination etched into her face, grasping her bow tightly. "Let's go."
Upon their first encounter, Sesshomaru would have insisted she stay behind and protect the children. But the look in her eyes did not lie. Kagome would fight alongside him.
"This way." Knowing his sense of smell was more developed, Sesshomaru summoned the cloud beneath his feet and began to fly in the direction of the venomous miasma. Kagome tucked her bow into the quiver, and ran underneath his path, weaving in and out of trees and bushes.
As they followed the stench, Kagome felt a pull in the back of her mind, and a voice spoke. Are you ready for this? Her inner self, doubting her abilities.
I am, she thought, jumping into a tree and beginning to take pursuit on the heavy limbs. She had never attempted it before. Her eyes watched both Sesshomaru and the branches beneath her, tracking them as she traveled from one tree to the next after the daiyoukai.
Truthfully, her youkai was correct. She didn't know if she could do this. Her heart beat rapidly at the thought of fighting Naraku directly, using youkai abilities she barely touched. The bow would be excellent for long range and the purpose of purification, but she would need an up close attack to deal damage. Her miko powers were useless against Naraku at his peak. He had to be weakened first.
You will fight, and prove to Sesshomaru that you are capable.
Kagome almost stumbled, and right herself. What does that have to do with anything?
He has not yet seen you in serious battle. You can show him your skill.
She scoffed at her inner self, wishing it were truly a different person, so she could avoid feeling foolish. Naraku was the focus, and there was absolutely no point in thinking of how this might benefit her situation with Sesshomaru. The great daiyoukai could wait until after Naraku was slain.
Though, if they could slay him, Kagome did not think it would happen today. Naraku continued to lure them in and push them away, only to lure and push again. It was a hopeless game of cat and mouse that they never seemed close to winning.
The sad fact was, they had seen neither hide nor hair of Naraku in the past year. It was part of why Inuyasha was so tense and uptight with Kagome. He thought they should be finding more shards, and that it would lead them to the evil hanyou. The infant that held his heart was hidden somewhere, and as long as it survived, Naraku would live. That meant, essentially, that Naraku could fight them as long as he liked because he couldn't die. The fact that he was hiding made Kagome nervous.
And to suddenly detect his miasma made her nerves crawl.
There had been several more attempts on their lives before Naraku vanished. Youkai continued to be corrupted by jewel shards, and some of them were obtained by the group, but most fell back into the spider's clutches, to be absorbed back into his large section of the jewel. Besides teasing them with what appeared to be random shards, only for the youkai in possession of them to be in Naraku's service and the shard lost, Hakudoshi claimed that there was a shard left between the worlds of living and dead.
Kagome hadn't thought about that in a while.
It had been three years, after all. When the child incarnation of Naraku first informed them of this, it stunned and depressed them. To find something not in their world seemed impossible. While they continued to find and purify the few shards left in the mortal world, Naraku was working to get his hands on the shard that would be most difficult to obtain. Kohaku still served under Naraku, and Koga would die before he let the spider take his shards.
All the hanyou needed for the last shard was a path. As soon as he reached the world between living and dead, the jewel would be nearly complete. A few stray shards and what Kagome possessed were another stepping stone in his eyes.
That was why, when Naraku and the white child Hakudoshi disappeared, it unsettled everyone, most especially Inuyasha. They could always fight the hanyou or his servants. They had been injured and lost the trail, and continued to press forward. But when Naraku was gone completely, it meant they lost any hope of defeating him.
Kagome felt that hope return when Sesshomaru claimed the spider was ruining his lands and turning his people against him. It was terrible. And it was a chance at finding Naraku. Kagome ran a hand over the strap of her quiver. They had to find him, or at least some form of evidence.
The scent grew stronger, and Kagome covered her nose. They were approaching the origin of the stench. Sesshomaru descended from his traveling cloud, running through trees that had begun to clear. Soon there were barely any trees at all, and Kagome leaped to the ground. What she saw when she looked up brought bile to her throat.
Kagome had never seen a youkai village. The occasional youkai lived within proximity of humans. Sometimes a hanyou lived a shunned life on the outskirts. The first time the miko laid eyes on a community of lesser youkai, she froze in fear.
The buildings were much the same as in human villages. Built from larger logs and more reeds, but essentially identical. Baskets sat in the street, filled with crops and goods. Vendors were set up to sell products to anyone who would take them. Beyond the village, on the hill, were rice fields, the large bodies of water shining in the sun. It was peaceful, if not for the miasma.
The purple smoke that accompanied the poison was not visible. However, the smell was impossible to miss. Along every street, in front of many houses, fathers and mothers, girls and boys, sat coughing and wheezing. Children complained of pain, and noses burning from the stench. Infants cried. Young men ran through the town, trying to find the source of the poison and destroy it.
Sesshomaru's people were dying.
"These aren't crops," Kagome whispered, thinking of Sesshomaru's words. "He's not killing the crops, he's killing the people." She felt tears prick the corners of her eyes, and she quickly blinked them away. These youkai needed someone strong.
"This Sesshomaru was not told of this." The daiyoukai growled, too low for anyone but Kagome to hear. He stepped forward to the low gate surrounding the houses, pushing it open and entering without pause. Kagome followed closely, gripping her bow. Naraku had gone too far.
The villagers stopped when they saw their lord, and bowed. Even the young ones showed respect without prompting from their mothers. Sesshomaru walked passed, surveying each youkai. The only noise was that of babies that wouldn't stop crying. The daiyoukai paused beside a mother trying to quell her daughter, the small body refusing to still. The woman kept herself bent low, afraid to stand in Sesshomaru's presence, and shushed the baby.
Kagome watched Sesshomaru. He stood in front of the mother, as if he expected her to quiet the baby and show every ounce of respect that she should. The miko had no doubt that Sesshomaru led his lands well, but if this was how he acted with individuals, it was no wonder he was feared.
She stepped around him, and knelt beside the mother. "Hello, miss."
The youkai started, and looked up at Kagome. "My lady," she said, bowing again.
Hm. News of Kagome and Sesshomaru's bond had spread further than she thought. Kagome ignored it, and said, "Are you having trouble with the little one?"
"I'm sorry, my lady!" the woman said immediately. She rocked her baby even as she continued to bow. "The poison, it hurts her. I can't . . ."
Kagome smiled, and touched the woman's shoulder. "It's all right. May I see her?"
The youkai hesitated, daring a glance at Sesshomaru without looking into his eyes. The daiyoukai remained where he was. She looked to her baby, and nodded. Kagome pushed on the woman's shoulder gently, guiding her to a standing position, and took the little girl into her own arms. The mother watched, her eyes flicking between the baby and Kagome's smile.
"Hush little baby, don't say a word," Kagome cooed, bringing a finger to the girl's nose. Touching it, Kagome's finger glowed a soft blue. The mother opened her mouth, but said nothing. "Your little cries have been heard," Kagome continued, taking her finger away. The infant hiccuped, and quieted.
The mother stared as Kagome handed the baby back. "I cleared the miasma from her nose," she said, "but keep a light cloth over her face, so she doesn't breathe in more. It's dangerous for someone that young." The miko smiled again. "Have a good day, miss."
Hesitating again, the woman nodded, and bowed. "Thank you, my lady."
"Call me Kagome."
Sesshomaru observed the interaction in silence, somewhat surprised when Kagome was able to concentrate her powers on the baby. To use miko powers on a youkai without harm, especially with a delicate child, showed immense control. And Kagome's soft expression as she was thanks made her joy in helping obvious.
For someone who instills fear in his subjects, a kind mate like Kagome could do wonders.
The daiyoukai scoffed at his inner self. He did not need advice. His subjects were loyal to him and no one else. Sesshomaru did not need another person to ensure his kingdom's welfare. Tell that to the subjects blaming you for Naraku's crimes, his youkai chimed. Sesshomaru ignored the comment.
"We must be going," Sesshomaru said. "To the village leader," he added for clarification.
"Yes." Kagome nodded to the mother one last time, and fell behind the daiyoukai once more. "Naraku isn't present," she said as they walked through the dirt roads. Youkai bowed and whispered as they passed. "How recently do you think he was here?"
"That depends on how he dispersed the miasma," Sesshomaru said. "Judging by the lack of his direct scent, this Sesshomaru would determine the poison was placed here without Naraku having to pass through. The coward has likely hidden."
Chills crawled up Kagome's spine. If the hanyou could spread such a dangerous poison while remaining hidden in a protective shell somewhere, they were in for a hell of a job. She thought back to the camp, with the children, Jaken, and Ah-Un. Placing a hand on her chest, she prayed they stayed safe in their absence.
After a few minutes, they arrived at the largest building in town. Several dozen youkai, all male, stood in front of the doors in polite bows. No doubt they were rioting to see the leader and demand he fix the problem, before Sesshomaru arrived.
He passed them all without glancing. Kagome smiled and waved as politely as she could, hoping they would fear her less than Sesshomaru. At her kind looks, some of the youkai seemed puzzled, and a few gave tentative waves back. Being treated as such by leaders was unfamiliar.
The front doors of the home were closed. The moment Sesshomaru stepped up to them, they opened, and an older male youkai faced him. His black hair was streaked with gray, and the green eyes looked tired. He bowed, and said, "My lord, it is a pleasure to see you."
"Indeed. What is the meaning behind this?" Sesshomaru gestured to the village behind him.
"It happened a few hours ago," the village leader said, not standing from the bow. "It began slowly, my lord. We had not noticed it until the scent had permeated the village. Several women and children are already sick."
"You may stand," Sesshomaru said, as he surveyed the village once more. "Why has the chaos not been managed? Every youkai save for the warriors should be indoors."
"I am aware, my lord. But I have been dealing with some of the healers, they say the poison is a kind they have not encountered before."
Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "Your duty is to ensure the safety of those not infected before attending to the wounded."
The man was shaking. Kagome looked to the villagers, their fear of both the miasma and their powerful lord. If this continued, the village leader appeared to be in danger of fainting. She chose this moment to step forward, and address him herself.
"What is your name?" she asked, ignoring the subtle look Sesshomaru gave her. If they were to be equal partners, she had to deal with the subjects as directly as he was.
The man raised his eyebrows at her. He had not seen her behind the daiyoukai, and immediately bowed again. "It is Isao, my lady."
"Stand straight, Isao," Kagome said, smiling. "You are trying your best for your village. But this miasma is not something that can be dealt with by average means." She clasped her hands in front of her. "I am going to purify it."
Sesshomaru turned to her. "Kagome, the amount is too much for you."
She gave him a determined grin. "We'll see." Kagome faced the village leader again. "Isao, where is the highest point in the village?"
He thought for a moment, and said, "The temple."
"Perfect." She removed her bow and quivers from around her shoulders. "Sesshomaru, would you mind holding these?" She held the weapons out to him. The daiyoukai raised an eyebrow, and took them.
"I do not think this will produce the desired effect," he said.
"It doesn't hurt to try," Kagome said, turning and scanning the sky. The temple was easy to spot, it's roof towering over the tiny huts. She ran a few steps, and leaped into the air. Kagome was quickly growing to love the feeling of jumping so high, and could understand why Inuyasha often traveled in the tree tops instead of the ground.
A few more leaps, and she was standing at the top of the temple. She gave a silent apology to any gods that might be worshiped in the building, knowing they would not take kindly to her using it as a vantage point. She had to be high for this to work.
Kagome looked around the village, at the stunned faces turned to her. She had to be careful. One slip, and her miko abilities would burn any youkai in her path. The miasma would not be cleared any way other than purification. She held her hands in front of her, closing her eyes and willing her energy to pour into them.
The familiar blue glow flowed into her fingertips. Kagome envisioned the village leader, the mother she had helped, the children crying in pain. The blue increased in volume and intensity. The miasma was poisoning them. Killing their crops. Forcing them to look at Sesshomaru and blame their lord for lack of any solution.
Kagome could feel the energy churning within her. Hopefully, her transformation into a youkai would help more than Sesshomaru when it came to her powers. They couldn't be singled out to specific youkai before. They would simply purify what came in their path. But Kagome was a youkai now. Her abilities had to have a distinction between youki. The miasma was dangerous. These villagers were not.
The glow began to manifest as ethereal smoke, winding its way down Kagome's body. It touched her hips, thighs, knees, and her feet, as it wound down and hovered over the roof of the temple. Kagome took a deep breath, remembering the stink of the poison. Destroy it, she thought, feeling the essence of her power drift downwards. And leave them safe.
It stopped at the edge of the roof, and began to curl around. It traced a circular path, connecting back on itself to form a ring around Kagome. The miko opened her eyes, and saw the villagers once more. They cowered. They knew of mikos, how they killed youkai. She gave one final smile to reassure them, closed her hands into fists, and slammed her arms together above her head.
The smoke hardened, shifting into a beam of pure energy, and pulsed outward. The ring rushed over the village, a sweeping wind behind it. Villagers screamed, ducking their heads. Bins toppled. Houses creaked. Kagome could feel the miasma against her barrier, fighting it. She clenched her teeth and hands, willing the energy to move forward and eliminate the poison.
As the energy cleared the village gates and the wind stopped, Kagome smelled the air. It took a moment for the movement to settle, and she could not place any scents. She waited, and sniffed again.
There was no longer a smell of miasma. She breathed with relief, and glanced at the villagers again. Her stomach sank.
Almost every one of them was groaning in pain. The children were crying louder. Many nursed their limbs, which were visibly pink and irritated where the skin showed. Kagome's eyes widened, and she jumped down from the temple roof.
"Kagome!"
The sound of that voice struck fear into her heart. Kagome froze in the middle of a street, and saw both Sesshomaru and Isao walking towards her. The village leader had the same pink irritation on his skin as the other youkai. Sesshomaru was unmarked.
To anyone else, Sesshomaru had a slight frown. But Kagome knew better when looking at the constantly stoic expression. If he were showing emotion at all, Sesshomaru would be raging inside. Kagome sighed, placing her hands together in front of her.
"What is the meaning of this?" Sesshomaru glared as they approached, stopping just in front of her. Kagome kept her head low, trying to block out the sounds of the villagers' pain.
"I dispelled the miasma," she said, in a deadpan tone. "But I could not control my powers well enough. On their own, they might have killed the villagers. I was only able to exert enough control to prevent that. Unfortunately, they were still harmed."
"That poison was killing us," Isao said, grasping his arms. He winced at the contact, and said, "But replacing one harm for another is not what I wished."
"I'm sorry!" Kagome bowed, her heart beating fast. She hadn't meant to hurt anyone. Especially not on this scale. An entire village. She didn't even know if there was a way to treat the burns. "Please, Isao, believe me when I say that I did not intend this. I wanted to help your people."
"Your apology is acknowledged, my lady," Isao said, bowing in return. "I am aware that you wanted to provide assistance." He stood straight, looking around. Kagome did so as well. The villagers were staring at them, some still rubbing their injuries. "However . . ."
"I'll fix this," Kagome said. "I know I can, I just-"
"No."
Both youkai turned to Sesshomaru, who narrowed his eyes. "Kagome, you will do nothing more. I will send a healer from my palace to bring medicine and treat the wounds. Village leader Isao." He faced the man. "As Lord of the West, it is my duty to be rid of Naraku and the plague he brings to the lands. It is also my responsibility to control my mate." His emphasis on the word made Kagome twitch. "She will not be allowed to use her powers without my strict instruction from here on."
Isao smiled with relief, and bowed to Sesshomaru once more. "Thank you, my lord, for your help. We are eternally grateful."
"Come." Sesshomaru thrust Kagome's bow and quiver at her, and she caught them. "We must alert Jaken of this and have him send for a healer."
Kagome didn't say a word, nodding silently and following Sesshomaru through the dirt paved streets. Some of the villagers glared as she passed, careful enough to not look directly at her and avoid accusation of disrespecting royalty. The guilt in Kagome's heart grew with each step.
She had been doing well. She was making progress with her newly found youkai powers, and the way her miko abilities were developing alongside them. Kagome was confident. In the years of being with her friends, she practiced and hit her mark almost every time. Kagome could always purify the jewel shards and act as a proper miko is training.
This was a wake up call. Kagome was not in a fairytale, and she was not the princess blessed with gifts by faeries upon birth. She had to work at her skills. She couldn't trust her instincts and be correct every time.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, as they left the village gates and began the walk back to the camp. There was no need to run back, knowing Naraku was not in the area any longer and his miasma gone.
"As you should be," Sesshomaru said, not looking at her as they walked. "I did not expect you to dispel the miasma. That was a well accomplished feat." Kagome didn't have long to revel in the compliment, as Sesshomaru followed with, "But harming my citizens is not easily forgiven. Your attitude led me to believe that you knew what you were doing. Inform me if you are going to attempt something new."
"Yes." Normally, Kagome might have argued her case. Even if she had messed up, she got the job done. However, this wasn't the time for that.
"You are not to use your miko abilities unless I tell you to."
This time, Kagome's anger flared, and she frowned. "Sesshomaru, I can handle my powers. I know how to shoot arrows and purify. I understand if you don't want me trying new things until I know how they work, but I'm going to-"
Sesshomaru turned, grabbing her arm and yanking her forward. Kagome yelped, inches away from the daiyoukai's face. Anger seeped from his aura, making her shudder. "Listen to me, wench," Sesshomaru said, the insult curling on his tongue. "You are the female, and you will do as I say. If you make a mistake, and I dictate that you are not to risk it in the future unless I allow it, you will not question my decision."
"That isn't-"
He shoved her back, resuming his walk toward camp. "End of discussion," Sesshomaru said.
Kagome gripped her arms, the sore muscles protesting the rough treatment. She opened her mouth to retaliate, and thought of the villagers again.
Moaning in pain. Because of her.
She stood still, remembering the feeling of power in her fingers. The release as it covered the village. Her prayers that it wouldn't harm anyone.
Sesshomaru was right. Kagome did not know what she was doing. Naraku was threatening to destroy them and anyone in his path. It was not the time for testing. Kagome had to know what she could do and how to control it.
Kagome began following Sesshomaru once more. She would not allow herself to be so foolish again. And she would not allow Sesshomaru to tell her how to use her powers.
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Hey-o, everybody! Mattaki again, at the end of another chapter. It's come to my attention that this story almost has more chapters, and will probably be longer, than its previous incarnation. But because the chapters are significantly shorter, I suppose it's no surprise that we're much further back in the plot. I plan to make progress, in both the romance and the underlying plots, from here on out. You'll also be receiving a fair share of the other character's lives as they all hunt down the big bad that we love to hate.
I've been reading up on 'Inuyasha: The Final Act,' which is the finishing of the Inuyasha anime. Knowing how the story truly ends, it makes me feel a little bad about writing an alternate universe. In truth, I enjoy the cannon story, especially since it's better than anything I could ever write.
For those who want to know, the official label of this Inuyasha story is that it branches from the cannon after the end of the first Inuyasha anime, and the manga chapter that's equivalent to it. I never read the manga, though I plan to do so, and was only aware of where the first anime ended when I started writing this tale of whimsy. So, that is why events that happen in the later anime and manga may or may not be happening here. I've also tweaked some details about the jewel shards and Naraku to better fit my plot.
But enough rambling! I will post the next chapter early, around Oct. 20th, because the weekend after that, I will be extremely busy with college work once more. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please review to let me know what you thought.
Ja ne~