Chapter Four
"Wake up!" Inuyasha yelled at the sleeping group only to receive groans in response.
"DEMON! WAKE UP!" he yelled louder and to that, the monk, the demon slayer and Kitsune leapt up from slumber now bereft of fatigue and on alert. Sango was already reaching for her hiraikotsu and Miroku was clutching his staff. Shippo however had just jumped up screaming taking refuge on Sango's shoulder, his large emerald eyes searching vigorously for the danger.
"Where?" Miroku was scanning around trying to sense the presence of a demonic aura to no avail.
"We don't have time to sit around sleeping! We need to find Kagome!" Inuyasha explained angrily now that he held their attention.
The three companions sighed deeply.
"We understand. We truly do, but we searched all night and we're exhausted. We need some rest, Inuyasha." Sango explained drowsily and guilt ridden. "We are only human."
She was just as anxious to find Kagome but she couldn't fight her need for sleep any longer and judging by the position of the sun, they must have only gotten an hour or so sleep.
"We are just as eager as you to find Kagome, Inuyasha, but we don't have the same endurance as you do." Miroku tried to explain gently with a large yawn. Shippo just remained quiet. He may have been full demon but he was only little and he himself needed rest, despite how badly he wanted to find Kagome.
"The sooner we find Kagome, the sooner we can get back to finding the shards and Naraku." Inuyasha told them pressingly.
"Is that what this is about? The stupid jewel and Naraku? How about her life, Inuysha?" Miroku flared up at his companion.
"I-"
"And what if we find her dead? All you can think of is your own selfish needs! I don't know what Kagome sees in you sometimes!" Sango added.
"No I didn't – " Inuyasha tried to defend himself but once again, he had upset the group.
"Do you even care about Kagome at all?" Shippo crossed his arms angrily sticking his nose to the air.
"OF COURSE I DO!" he yelled.
"Then start acting like you do!" Sango retorted.
Inuyasha growled.
"Will you get off my back?! It's not like she's dead! She wouldn't be stupid enough to walk off if she was dying! She's probably just sulking somewhere being angry at me!" he defended, folding his arms in his haori like a petulant child. It bothered him that they always assumed the worst when he said the wrong words. It was because he cared so much that he had to keep some form of focus otherwise the anguish was going to suffocate him. His heart rate had barely decreased yet and even for a demon that much adrenaline could be overwhelming on the organ. Focus was the only tool he had to find some composure, and composure was the tool needed to find Kagome.
"Inuyasha can be so stupid." the orange haired Kitsune declared. The others all nodded in agreement.
"Well, where were you guys during the battle, huh?" he scolded. "Taking your fucking time at the village! That's where!"
"Sit!" Sango yelled. Inuyasha braced himself for the impact with the ground. It never came.
"Don't do that!"
Sango 'humphed' folding her arms, turning her head to the right and nose to the sky.
"Inuyasha's right though. Kagome wouldn't wonder off if she was that badly injured no matter how angry she was." Miroku ignored the exchange and attempted to ease the tension. He had seen the amount of blood left behind but he knew Kagome was smart and wouldn't risk her life. He had to believe that.
"I don't understand why Kagome would leave with any wound." Shippo sniffed sadly. He missed the girl he looked up to like a mother.
"Inuyasha said last night that Naraku just came to attack. There's something more happening here and I bet it has to do with him. We may need to contemplate the possibility this was his plan all along." Miroku suggested ominously. He folded his left arm to the side so he could support his right arm that was reaching up rubbing his chin absentmindedly while he theorized.
"You think Naraku may have captured Kagome?" Sango had turned to him, fear evident in her chocolate hues. Inuyasha stood with his arms still folded without a word. How could he have missed that? How had he neglected to see behind Naraku's deceit once again? He was so stupid! He should have seen it sooner. If he had just stopped for one second, he could have saved both Kikyo and Kagome. It was all his fault.
He finally spoke. "It makes sense. Naraku's attack was out of character. There was no purpose to it."
His head dropped and he growled at himself.
"We will get her back Inuyasha." Sango stepped towards him and placed her hand on his shoulder offering comfort.
…
Dawn broke and Kagome awoke to the sounds of chirping birds. She blinked her sapphire eyes open and realized she was the first one awake. Rin was still nestled up next to her in a peaceful slumber and Jaken was over near A'un, staff still in hand and snoring loudly. Slowly she moved her gaze upon the sleeping Sesshomaru. She didn't know what she had expected a sleeping Sesshomaru to look like but she hadn't expected it would look like that. She watched him carefully and could see his chest rise and fall gently. He didn't look dangerous in the least. On the contrary. He looked gentle, kind and peaceful. He looked…beautiful. Her fair cheeks reddened deeply at her summaries. His breathing was calm and almost melodic. Kagome couldn't help but be captivated by the sight. How could someone look so beautiful and peaceful and yet be so deadly? This proved just how dangerous the demon Lord was. He was like a flame to a moth. Deceptively warm and inviting, but get too close and he was fatal.
She stood slowly and gently as to not wake Rin. She didn't understand why such a sweet child would be so happy to follow Sesshomaru around. Every time she had encountered Rin, she had been ecstatic to see Sesshomaru and followed him willingly and eagerly. What had changed with the Inu-daiyokai that he would take on such a responsibility as an innocent human child? She scrambled to her bag to pull the appliances she needed to heat up some tea. She had a long journey and needed some nourishment. Although, thinking about it, she had absolutely no idea what her journey now entailed. She was supposed to be recovering the Shinkon no Tama. She couldn't just abandon her mission. It was her fault after all that the Shikon jewel was broken in the first place. But would Sesshomaru have an interest in helping her? Naraku was on the brink of possessing all the shards and Kagome had no chance in defeating him on her own.
She would have to approach him somehow when he awoke. In the meantime, she needed to relieve herself. She quietly left the camp while the water heated over the fire to get some privacy. She did love Feudal Japan but she hated the lack of plumbing. She hadn't taken a shower or toilet for granted since she had first fallen down the well.
She wondered not too far away and was about to start her business when a silver haired demon suddenly stood before her. She screeched so loud she could put a banshee to shame and Sesshomaru only barely refrained from covering his ears.
"Are you trying to run again, Miko?" he asked with a bored yet threatening tone, ignoring her screech. Not that he really cared but he was not done with the priestess. Kagome blushed a deep red due to her complete mortification.
"What are you doing?" she screamed. "If you don't mind I will need some privacy!" her yelling caused a small flock of nearby birds to take refuge in the skies. There was a pause as the demon lord took a moment to understand. When it finally dawned on him, he averted his eyes quickly to conceal his own horror that had turned his normally composed face into one of shock. He silently thanked the Kami that he had not interrupted her in a more compromising positon as he headed intently back to the camp, eager to put this mishap behind him. Due to the interruption, Kagome's morning ritual was slightly delayed. When she returned to camp Sesshomaru was standing stoically watching the sky, just as he had done the previous night. Rin and Jaken were still in deep slumber and so she decided she had no choice. It was now or never.
"Ahem." She signalled for his attention wearily.
"You do not need to alert me of your presence. I am quite aware." He informed her arrogantly.
Kagome glared daggers at his back.
"I need to talk to you."
"Oh?"
God, why did he have to be so…so...ARGH!
"My mission was – well is…to recover the Sacred Jewel."
"And why would this be of interest to me?"
"Well, I wondered if…well…perhaps, you could…er…assist?" how was she supposed to suggest this to Sesshomaru. She knew him well enough to know he didn't do anything unless it was beneficial to him and she had no idea what she could possibly offer him in return. Human sacrifice? She joked internally.
"Is this not Inuyasha's problem? I have no interest in the jewel." His voice was still as disinterested as ever.
"Well, you see…It was kind of my fault the Jewel shattered in the first place, and it was I who was supposed to guard it. So it's kind of my responsibility. And seeing you won't let me leave…"
"I see." He replied. There was a silence between them whilst Kagome waited.
Was this why Tenseiga wanted her alive? It was her duty to restore the balance? Was returning her to the living making this his responsibility? He really did need to think these things through better. He could send her off back to the hanyou. What did it matter whether she was present or not? He was not so incapable to need her to reveal Tenseiga's intentions, but she was in a very small sense beneficial regardless. Although he no longer desired Tetsusiega, he did desire the knowledge behind his father's incentives and he suspected she knew more on the subject. He mentally sighed. Either way he was not obligated to assist her purely because he had saved her. Sesshomaru turned to stare at the human girl. She was fidgeting with her strange, immodest garments which still sported a large hole revealing the flesh beneath. Sesshomaru felt something turn in his stomach and it made him uneasy.
"My objective is to find Naraku." he informed her simply in his own vague way of declining.
"Well you see, that could work. Naraku has most of the jewel shards. Practically the entire thing, so the two kind of fall hand in hand you see..." She bargained impishly. There was another long pause. God how she wished he would just be more of a conversationalist so she could at least attempt to discern what he was mulling over in that pretty head of his. Wait - what? Pretty? What the hell was going on with her? Dying had surely sent her into a state of insanity, she was sure of it. After a long silence he finally spoke.
"I shall assist you. But in return, you must agree to remain in my company until I deem it fit for you to leave."
"What?! You're going to hold me captive?"
'Been there, done that. Too many times.' she thought.
"Do not be ridiculous. I have no need for captives. It is merely a temporary alliance, if you will. Until I get what I seek from this arrangement and then you may return to my brother or wherever it is you wish to go."
Er…
"Um…" well this was awkward. An alliance with Sesshomaru? If Kagome was honest, she'd admit there was something alluring about the idea. She remembered the first time when she witnessed him protect Rin, a mere human child. She had wondered back then if a change was occurring in him and Kagome being Kagome found this to be intriguing and curiosity lead her to wonder if she could uncover more of it. Something deep down craved to. Despite his coldness and their confrontation the previous night, there was a certain part of her willing her to trust him. Even more perplexing, a part of her already did. Surely an alliance wouldn't be all that bad, and truth be told, she needed to be separate from Inuyasha right now.
"Fine." She accepted. "But… Well, there's more. I kind of need to return home on occasion to you know…" she hesitated.
"I do not."
"Stock up on things and tend to my normal life. Which I need to do soon, as…well… as my clothes are wrecked and I need to…er...get more?" She explained nervously. She was feeling so incredibly awkward. She may have felt a smidge of trust for him but the Kami knew he was still intimidating. There was a decent silence and he glared at her. But it was kind of between a glare and a sigh, she was unsure of which. Now that she thought about it maybe that was his version of a sigh. He didn't really seem to have a vast facial expression vocabulary so to speak.
"I will permit this."
'Oh how gracious of you.' she internally snapped.
"Where is it you live? We will depart when Rin awakes so you can remedy the situation regarding your garments. If that is what you could call them."
Kagome scowled. He was insufferable. She feared for her sanity by the end of this so called alliance.
"Just North of Edo. In the forest of Inuyasha." She spoke through gritted teeth whilst rolling her eyes, choosing not to retort. It seemed the safest course of action considering their last confrontation.
"Your dwelling is in the forest my brother was sealed?"
"Er. Kind of…"
Nodding, he turned his back on her signalling the end of the conversation and assuming his position starring at the sky whilst Kagome returned to her back pack to organize her belongings. She wondered what fascinated him so much about the sky, and perhaps one day she would enlighten him to how man had ventured beyond.
…
The group had been searching the surrounding woods for any evidence to suggest where Kagome could have been taken. They were convinced Naraku abducting her was the only explanation to her disappearance. Inuyasha could barely catch so much of a whiff of Kagome's possible whereabouts and his anxiety was past breaking point and the group was hearing about it. It was around midday when they spotted a tornado heading straight for them at immense speed.
"Oh come on! We really don't have time for this!" Inuyasha growled, recognising the familiar scent rapidly approaching.
Before the others could question him, Kouga had halted to a stop in front of them. He wore the yellow-green head band and fur at his waist. Typically, his chest was bare except from the black armour and his jet black hair was tied in a knot on top of his head and reaching down to the small of his back.
"Where is Kagome, you pathetic mutt?" the wolf demon growled demandingly. His fist was raised and he was fuming, azure eyes glaring cold and deadly.
"None of your business you stupid whelp! I don't have time to deal with you right now so you better just BACK OFF!"
"Not on your life, mutt! I found a puddle of Kagome's blood and I need to know my woman is ok."
"She's not your woman! So just head back in the direction you came before I kill you!"
"No, don't tell me." His eyes widened in realization. "You don't know where she is, do you? You reek of uncertainty! You stupid mutt! How could you be so careless with my Kagome?" Kouga growled, levelling his face to Inuyasha's.
Inuyasha closed the gap between them so their foreheads were barely an inch apart and retaliated with his own growl.
"Not true. We believe Naraku has captured her." Miroku divulged.
"WHAT?!"
"Guys! We don't have time for your childish antics! Kagome is in trouble and standing around arguing is not going to get her back any faster! How about, just this once, we co-operate?" Sango suggested. The wolf and the hanyou turned to face her with disbelief on both their faces, heads still practically touching. It was Kouga who pulled away first.
"Not a chance will I work with that mutt. I'll find and rescue Kagome by myself. He clearly can't protect her!" he said with an air of his usual smugness. He stood up and looked intensely at Inuyasha, blue hues meeting gold. "If anything happens to Kagome, I will make you wish you never existed mutt." and with that, Kouga turned and took off in a whirlwind.
"Hey! Get back here, flea bag!" Inuyasha growled after him futilely.
…
"You reside in a well?" Sesshomaru would have looked surprised if he was anyone else. What kind of human was she? There were the bones of lowly dead demons down there and she claimed to live in that filth. There really was no end with this girl. Inuyasha sure knew how to pick them.
"Not exactly…" she nervously laughed. "It's on the other side."
Sesshomaru just stared, raising a single eyebrow. Kagome knew she needed to elaborate. His expression was becoming impatient. Rin was picking more flowers by A'un while Jaken leaned up against one of his legs, looking beyond the trees.
"You should pick some flowers with me Master Jaken!" Kagome heard Rin giggle.
"Stupid girl! Stop bouncing about!" Jaken scolded towards the child. His demands met deaf ears. Kagome refocused her attention to the demon Lord in front of her with a sigh wondering how she was going to explain her origins.
"I'm kind of…from the future." She smiled awkwardly. Sesshomaru just stared at her for a long moment while his eyebrows attempted to disappear behind his bangs.
"The future…?" he repeated questioningly, his baritone voice laced with its usual boredom. However Kagome swore there was a hint of curiosity or surprise squirming its way in.
"Yes. Five hundred years to be exact."
To be honest, Sesshomaru had no idea this girl held so much power. Well, he knew she was a powerful Miko. He wasn't idiotic enough to not be able to sense that, but the girl lacked control so he had no idea how she managed something like time travel. He decided it didn't matter either way, so he nodded and turned.
"You have until sundown tomorrow to return." Kagome heard from his retreating back. She sighed yet again as she sat on the edge of the wooden lip, legs dangling inside as she took a glance back towards her new companions before letting herself drop down.
The familiar pink mist engulfed her as it carried her five hundred years in the future, carrying her home. As she fell through time she contemplated the idea of never returning. What did she really have left here anyway? Aside from her stupid sense of duty and the need to right her wrong. Sesshomaru came to mind and her guarantee to him that she would stay with him until he had his answers. It wasn't the most important quest and sure was no threat to the world but nevertheless, she had given him her word. Something inside her also gave her the feeling he was lost and Kagome being Kagome, wanted to help him. She felt there was much more to the demon Lord than blood lust and power and she yearned to discover exactly what that was. Her feet met dirt gently and she looked up to see the ceiling of the well house and smiled. Home.
Sesshomaru smelt her immediate scent disappear, replaced by a lingering one. He knew she was gone but curiously and casually walked back over to the well and peered down. She was nowhere to be seen. Curious indeed. The daiyokai had been learning several things of late that were becoming increasingly intriguing, peeking his natural sense of curiosity. He had even discovered himself falling fascinated by the Miko that had up until recently been travelling with his brother. Perhaps there was more to this human that met the eye? He realized his trail of thought and barely held back a growl. Ridiculous. She was merely just a mortal girl that potentially had knowledge of the answers he sought. Nothing more, possibly less. And yet...No.
He walked away from the well without glancing back, knowing his entourage was following behind.
A/N: So here is Chapter 4. It's another Chapter intended for Character development. I procrastinated posting this one as I wasn't sure if it needed more so I do hope you guy's enjoy it. I have always loved the Kouga/Inuyasha/Kagome dynamic so I couldn't leave him out of the loop. hehe.
Let me know what you guys think. And thank you so much to the people who have reviewed. I'm so glad you guys have enjoyed the story thus far.
Chapter 5 is just about ready also with a bit more action. I hope to get it out to you guys soon.