Seventeen: Our Fearful Trip is Done
With lazy eyes, Inuyasha watched Kagome dress. Was it weird that he liked it almost as much as he liked taking her clothes off? It was something that felt intimate, secret. With the others, he was always there to see them naked, but usually was gone by the time it came for them to cover up again. Yawning, she tugged the white dress on, stumbling a little when it had trouble getting over her head. Inuyasha chuckled and got up, tugging the borrowed dress down.
"There. Now you're modest again."
Her hair was a mess and she had morning breath, but when she smiled, he couldn't help but to take her in his arms. Touching her was as addictive as poppy.
"You're looking at me like we're not gonna make it out of the room."
That made him laugh and he opened the door for her. "I think we've isolated ourselves enough. They deserve to know we're still alive."
"You're right. I screamed so loud last night they might think you killed me."
Sango stood outside with her arms crossed, looking at them like they were playing hooky from work. In a way, he kind of was.
"Is that what passes for pillow talk now?"
"Good morning to you, too," Kagome said, her smile bright and feral.
Would they ever get along? "Any food left?"
"There should still be some porridge and cured beef."
"Good food."
"The fresh stores have run out. We're close to Inu, anyway."
Excited, Inuyasha turned away from his shadow and asked, "Can you see it, Kagome? Fuck, we're so close I can even smell it."
She pouted at him. "I'm only human, you know. My senses don't work like yours."
Inuyasha pointed to the hazy horizon as though that would help. "We'll be back in Dobhar-chú in just a few days."
"Back to the real world." Kagome sounded mournful and abruptly turned her back to the sea.
"Thank the gods," Sango muttered just loud enough for human ears to hear.
His slave's shifting mood puzzled him. Hadn't they been good together since their fight at Hekigan? Better than good. Inuyasha had never been with someone that both made his heart race in excitement and calm in tranquility. There was some kind of harmony she had brought to his life. Kagome just made things that would have been dull and boring before seem worth it. Everything was better when she was around.
"You never know," he said, voice taking on a teasing edge. "We might get delayed."
She blinked at him. Good. He had aroused her curiosity. When he had her good and distracted, he'd get around to arousing the rest of her.
"How? The weather's perfect."
"Could be something else. We could run into pirates."
Her eyes lit up with that glow that always seemed to light an answering glow within him.
"Do they really sail these waters?"
Inuyasha backed away from her and squinted at the horizon, pretending to catch sight of something. "Yep. Damn ocean's infested with the bastards. We'll probably run into some and have a terrifying fight."
"But we have no weapons!"
He nodded. "No weapons and a small crew good for nothing but pointing the boat in the right direction and jerkin' each other off. I'll probably have to kill dozens. Sango will kill some, too. And you better be careful so they don't carry you off."
Kagome scowled at him but she was laughing. "You're just trying to scare me."
"Nope. I'm trying to prepare you. We can get you a dagger from Sango and I'll teach you how to bleed a man." He came close to her and put his hand on her breast, cupping it. "Ya gotta get 'em right there. I doubt any of the buccaneers are as well-endowed as you are, though. That'll make it even easier."
She was fully laughing now and pushed him away. "Quit it! You can't scare me. I already know if there was even a whiff of danger in the air you'd lock me in our room and never let me out."
"We're gonna need every hand on deck," he continued teasing. "Sorry, but you're gonna have to learn how to fight if you wanna make it back alive."
She leaned back on the rail and smiled at him, outshining the sun. "Shut up. You'd never let anything happen to me. You like me too much."
Inuyasha opened his mouth to reply, but before he could even get a sound out, he watched as red bloomed on the bodice of Kagome's borrowed dress. He blinked fast, sure it must be a trick of the light or something. But the red stained further and Kagome's face took on a strained, disbelieving look as she looked down, eyes widening with horror. That was when he knew this must be a dream. Nothing this terrible could be real. But whenever he had that revelation in the past, he woke up.
Instead, Kagome fearfully locked eyes with him as a squelching tentacle burst out of her chest and wrapped around her waist, dragging her into the sea unceremoniously.
"Don't!" Sango said.
But he was already on the railing and ready to jump.
"Inuyasha!" she yelled, desperate and reaching for him. Then her voice turned coaxing in an attempt to beckon him back. "Don't go after her. You saw it, she's gone, she—"
He dove.
Even though the surface of the sea had been as calm and peaceful as the sky above, underneath everything was in turmoil. He didn't even notice how cold it was other than that the icy plunge had shocked his system and given him some much needed clarity and focus. Where the fuck was she? The water was churning all around him and there were bubbles and the salt was stinging his eyes but he couldn't bear to close them now. What if that was the moment he caught sight of her?
If only he could use his nose, then he would have been with her already. He kicked his legs and reached and reached with his arms, seeking her out with what senses he had left. The dark primordial chaos surrounded him and all he could do was plow ahead, her name repeated like a prayer in his mind.
And then he saw it.
Not the woman who tantalized him, and not the beast he wanted to kill, but a light. It was soft and pink and sang a song he felt rather than heard, beckoning him from a distance and from much farther below than he had anticipated, but the slight warmth it gave him made him feel it was exactly the right place to go. Just when his lungs started to burn and he thought she'd be dead even if he did make it to her, there was no way she had breath left in her—his fingertips made contact with a hand he knew better than his own.
The light was gone now and it was too dark to see, even with his enhanced eyesight. Even though he couldn't see her, scent her, or hear her, he knew her. His arms closed around her floating form and the taste of her blood burned his tongue. In a manic frenzy, he swam for the surface. She was limp in his grasp, a beautiful doll, the most precious cargo. It ignited a panic in him that had him madly clawing at the water like the enemy it was, frantic to get them to the safety of the surface. As they left the depths and the light of the sun began to illuminate all around them, a chill that had nothing to do with her lack of response ran down his spine. Pure instinct. Something else sought to hasten her death.
Without even realizing what he was doing, he turned to look behind them and stopped their ascent.
There was the gaping maw of a sea dragon, opened wide and more than ready to swallow the both of them up. Kagome's blood had summoned it to them, the ribboning trail turning into a cloud of traitorous particles that directed predators right to their location. Fuck, but he had been so worried about her that he hadn't even taken steps to camouflage them and consider all the possible dangers of this new territory.
They were much too far away from the surface for both of them to make it. The gears of his mind moved fast looking for ways to save her. He could let go of her, push her away, and cut himself to distract the monster. Then he'd agitate it and maybe annoy it enough to get it away from her. But Kagome was unconscious and showed no signs of waking even when he shook her fruitlessly. She would drown or get eaten alive by something even worse.
He could also leave her to the monster and swim for freedom himself. There was no doubt in his mind he could make it. But what if she woke to see him abandon her? And at least the venom from the sea monster's bite would make everything painless…
Inuyasha determinedly continued to swim even though he knew they'd never make it. Together. He'd harmed her enough that he owed her that. And what was there for him up there without her anyway? Dull parties with dim people and more rules and restrictions from a forced marriage. Inuyasha would much rather have one last adventure with her than a thousand years anchored to some dumb princess.
As the dragon swallowed them whole, the last thing he thought was he wished he could apologize to her for being the reason things ended up this way.
O\o/O
"Inuyasha!" Sango screamed.
Her hands clenched the rail until they were white and pierced full of splinters. What the hell had just happened? Some sort of squid thing had dragged Kagome into the water and then Inuyasha had just thrown himself in after her like some kind of besotted idiot.
"Keep circling!" she ordered the crew, never taking her eyes off the water that betrayed no hint of the madness beneath its surface. "We'll keep to this area until the prince surfaces."
"Taijiya though you may be, this is the sea. You hold no power here," the captain said.
The crew murmured in agreement.
Sango rounded on them, unable to believe what she was hearing. "That is your prince down there! He needs us."
"Seems to me he got exactly what he needed," one of the sailors said.
"Aye. If he wanted to be here, he wouldn't have sacrificed himself like that."
"We all saw the two of them actin' like damn fools this whole journey. Didn't think the palace made men like that, but for a girl like her, I guess anything's possible."
"We're due at port in a week," the captain said. His voice was stern and there was no sign of sympathy on his face. "We've got goods that need to be delivered exactly on schedule. That was the young prince, anyway. The spare. We've still got the heir, so that means our merchandise is more important."
"I'll kill you all," she vowed, voice low and throat tight. "Every single damn one of you. And the emperor will hear how you left his favorite son to die and your families will wish it was you who had been lost to the depths instead of him."
The crew gathered together and suddenly looked very big and menacing.
"We could easily have lost all three of you," the captain said. "Don't tempt me."
Just as she began to draw her dagger, one of the crew tackled her to the ground. It took three of them to disarm her and another two to lock her away in her room.
Sango cried until her tears tasted like blood. A part of her thought she could have fought harder, would have fought harder, if the prince had chosen her.
O\o/O
It was as distasteful to him as the rest of this whole debacle, but Sesshomaru knew if anything were to be done, he would need allies. And who better to tear down a web created by a scheming woman than another scheming woman?
He didn't bother to knock. All the palace was as good as his by birth, and the woman by contract.
"There is something wrong with Rin," he said as soon as he crossed the threshold. "Those fools refuse to see it and they're making it worse."
Instead of the opium pipe or the phallus of another demon like he'd been expecting, there was nothing in her mouth but the acidic words that made her so foul to him in the first place.
"Children grow, Sesshomaru," Kagura said, doing her best to sound bored as she flipped through a book. "Rin is just going through a rebellious stage. Best leave her to it."
What tipped Sesshomaru off to the fact that his wife knew more than she let on was, aside from her shocking sobriety, the movement of her eyes. Or lack thereof. She was just pretending to read, and he noticed the tension of her jaw and how her hand that wasn't turning the pages was clenched.
Other males would have found her beautiful, he supposed. In truth, so did he until Jaken interviewed her servants and he learned all about how truly vile she was. Selfish and self-centered, greedy and vapid, full of a bitter jealousy that lashed out at anyone she deemed stole attention from her. By then, his father had come too far in the marriage negotiations for him to back out. And it wasn't like there were any better options. The rest of the court was just like her. Of course he'd long for a sip of sweet, pure spring water when he'd spent his entire life drowning in a brackish pit.
"You know something," he accused, coming closer to where she sat stiffly at her writing desk. "Tell me."
Kagura closed her book and turned a smile meant to bewitch on him, but he was already immune to her attempts at a connection.
"You're worrying too much over nothing," she said, voice low like she was trying to soothe a skittish dragon. "Come to bed and you'll forget you ever had a problem in the first place."
"I'm not one of the serving lads you leech the life from. Tell me what you've done to Rin."
"Why is it so shocking that the girl you locked away from the rest of the world no longer wants to play house with you?" she said with a sneer, finally letting the mask drop. "You have no one to blame but yourself, Sesshomaru."
"Rin would never leave me unless someone—something—made her. Was it you? Your father? Who is plotting against me and using Rin to do it?"
She was trembling. They were never this close, hadn't been since their last fruitless attempt at intercourse. Her face was all feigned helplessness, like she couldn't understand how they had ended up like this. The bitch knew something and he wasn't fool enough to overlook it just because she pretended to cower in ignorance. No, his wife was anything but helpless. Cunning. Deceitful. He knew her that well.
"Why would I plot against you? I'm your wife!"
"Because you hate me!" Sesshomaru was never one to raise his voice, but this time it just burst out of him. She must hate him. How could she not? After everything he hadn't been for her. They were wrong for each other and chained together anyway. She must hate him like he hated her. He regretted the brief loss of control because Kagura spiraled out into an emotional tornado in response.
She got to her feet and everything near her was caught up in the whirlwind of her magic. The book she had been pretending to read was shredded and fell around them like confetti and the furniture was knocked over.
"All I've done my whole life was love you. Everything I do has been for your sake. Oh, I know, the fact that I dare to feel things for you disgusts you and makes you want to take a hot shower," she ranted. "But that doesn't stop me. I've loved you for so long that I no longer remember how not to love you. Can't you love me just a little bit? Love me like a husband should? If you had only done that years ago then none of this would have happened. We'd have a child, a prince or princess, and this could all have been avoided and Rin would be free and—"
At the mention of Rin, he broke through her wind that cut as sharp as knives, taking small cuts to his face until the blood escaped and stung his eyes. Sesshomaru closed his hand around her neck so hard he could feel the delicate structure of her windpipe. His claws pierced her skin like paper, acid already seeping into her open wounds. The both of them had lost control over the one they loved.
"I swear, Kagura, you'll tell me what you did to Rin and undo it or you will die here and now."
Kagura's eyes were bulging and nearly as red as they were when she abused the poppy. Some garbled sounds left her mouth and vibrated his palm, but they weren't what he wanted to hear. Soon, she couldn't even manage that.
There was motion he was vaguely aware of in his periphery but nothing that suggested a threat. The only thing that he was able to concentrate on was punishment, and no one deserved it more than the bitch in front of him. A clamor sounded behind him but he paid it no mind. Kagura's wall of wind had grown stronger, keeping others out rather than protecting her from him. Just when he knew he was almost there, almost rid of the problem, someone managed to fight their way through the chaos and pull him back hard enough that he let go of his wife and stumbled back a few steps, leaving a small pinprick of light left in her eyes as her body weakly struggled to take in precious air.
Unforgivable.
Sesshomaru lashed out at the one who had prevented that small, sweet victory. He struck with an open hand, claws out, not realizing until he made contact that the one he attacked was his own father.
Tōga flew back so far he hit the wall, leaving a crater in it, before sliding to the floor. A small rivulet of blood left his mouth, dripping to stain the silk of his tunic. Sesshomaru took a step forward, hand outstretched, unsure of whether he wanted to offer help or hit him again. Was he involved too? How many had conspired to take Rin from him?
"The emperor," Naraku said in a hushed voice.
Had the bastard been there the entire time? Sesshomaru stopped in his tracks. His father's closest advisor was surrounded by imps, various servants of his household. There appeared to be nobles and courtiers gathered in the hall outside Kagura's rooms.
"We heard the noises, but never dreamed…" Naraku shook his head and looked at Sesshomaru with an expression that seemed to be molded to suggest pity, but didn't quite fit. Like he wore the face of another and was still unfamiliar with how the muscles worked. "Do you mean to unseat him?"
"Never," Sesshomaru hissed. There were far too many people here and all of them looked at him like he was some kind of criminal. "Anyone could see it was an accident. And Father would never fall from a mere push, even one of mine."
"Out of my way, that's my son!"
He nearly groaned aloud. Of course this situation could only go from bad to worse.
"What's happened?" Inukimi demanded after shouldering her way to the front. In a second, her amber eyes took in the entire scene and pieced it together. "Good gods, Sesshomaru, what have you done?"
Immediately she assumed it was all his doing. It was, but it shouldn't have been her first thought. He knew if it had been Izayoi's son in the same mess they would have considered every other option before thinking of blaming him.
"Tōga!" Izayoi cried out with a sob. She ran into the room and knelt at the emperor's side.
At that, Tōga's eyes fluttered open.
"My queen," he said with a cough. "Something… I fear that something has changed in me."
His eyes slid closed and Izayoi muffled a wail, burying her head in his scarcely moving chest. Everyone else seemed to be touched by the scene, with even Inukimi shedding a tear.
"Oh, and Kagura," the empress said, finally noticing her daughter-in-law. "Naraku, I'm so sorry."
"The emperor is incapacitated," Naraku unnecessarily observed. "I'll call his physician."
"He doesn't have one," Inukimi said. "He's never been sick a day in his life. All his injuries never prevented him from his duties and were healed the same day."
"Then I'd be honored to provide my own. He's the finest practitioner of his craft to be found, I assure you, your majesties."
"I'll take him to his bed," Sesshomaru said.
"You won't be taking him anywhere," Naraku said. "The guards are already on their way."
At that, his tentacles that remained hidden in the shadows most of the time lashed out and wound their way around him, restraining and gagging him with their oily unnatural strength. The more Sesshomaru struggled, the tighter his bonds became.
"What for?" Inukimi asked, glaring at the advisor. "You already caused a scene by bringing us all here and now you want more witnesses? Let's just be done with it already."
"We all saw the crown prince attempt to kill my daughter then do the same to his own sire. None of us are safe until we determine if this is truly an 'accident', like the prince claims, or if this is the uprising it looks like."
"This is ridiculous!" Inukimi protested even as the guards stormed into the room. "You have no right—"
"I have every right. The emperor is unconscious, the crown prince is under arrest for striking him, the young prince is away at sea, and the two of you ladies do not govern outside the bedroom. I must act in the emperor's stead."
"But my son did nothing wrong!" Inukimi said. "When Tōga wakes, he'll make you regret this, Naraku."
"If he wakes."
Palace guards in riot gear prevented the empress from attacking Naraku in much the same way Sesshomaru had attacked Kagura. In all the noise, he just barely made out Naraku ordering a man who appeared to be the promised physician to sedate her before even looking at the emperor. No mention was made of Kagura, who had not stirred from her heap on the floor once during the whole ordeal.
The last thing Sesshomaru saw before Naraku and the guards carted him off to the dungeon was a smirking Rin waving goodbye from among the crowd.
O\o/O
When Inuyasha woke, he wished he had stayed asleep. Everything was dark and reeked of decomposing fish. There were a couple jokes he thought of between gags and tried to shake Kagome awake so he could tell her. What the hell kind of thing were the ship's crew getting into that it smelled so bad? When had they gone from a merchant boat to a fishing boat?
A small glow he first blearily took for the sun brightened until the pink, fleshy space they were enclosed in was completely illuminated. With a jolt, everything that had transpired was brought back to him. The sea monster dragging Kagome into the ocean, him jumping after her, and praying for a quick death as they were eaten by the dragon. This wasn't the halls of the battle-blessed like the Inu priests preached about. So where the hell were they?
Kagome was barely breathing, her dress soaked in her blood. He tried not to hold her so tight, wondering if he was hurting her. His throat closed, hot and tense. She was dying and he couldn't even follow after her right.
"You're awake, prince of the dogs. Good."
Inuyasha growled, instantly on high alert. There was no one visible other than himself and Kagome.
"Who the fuck are you? Show yourself! Set us free!"
The same woman's voice laughed. "If I could do that, then neither of us would be here. It's taking almost all my power just to keep us alive."
"Where are we? It smells like a dockworker's wife's—"
"A sea dragon has seven stomachs. This one is nice enough not to use the one I'm in for the time being."
So they had been eaten by the sea dragon after all. Inuyasha relaxed a little. It hadn't digested them, so there was still a chance. He could claw his way out, destroy the creature from within and swim back to the ship with Kagome. The captain had some rudimentary medical training and supplies. And they were so close to Inu. He could still save her.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the voice said as Inuyasha cracked his knuckles, ready to bust out. "It's just one of its stomachs. If injured, she would have no problem releasing the acid of all its stomachs combined. You'd disintegrate most painfully."
"Restore Kagome or I'll do it and kill us all!" he threatened.
"I'd love to, really, but I can't." There was something genuine in her tone that made him pause. "Not yet, anyway. Not while my instrument of power is separated from me."
"Show yourself then. It's the least you could do." Inuyasha didn't like fighting against an enemy he couldn't see. Crouching protectively in front of a still prone Kagome, his eyes darted around, searching for movement.
It took a moment, but she finally appeared.
A beautiful woman dressed in clothes that would have been fashionable decades before his birth, she carried herself with the grace and elegance of a queen. Her hands were bound in golden chains and she wore a look of such sorrow even he felt it. Oh, and she was also the size of his little finger.
"I am Suijin, goddess of this realm. I need your help, prince of the dogs."
"I don't care about whatever shit you got yourself into, I need a goddamn doctor." His voice shook as did his hands, which were wet with her blood. Kagome's blood covered him as much as it did her. It was all he could smell, taste, feel. It burned his skin and made him feel dirty. And fuck, she was so still, so pale, like one of those princesses in a story that could be woken with a kiss. But her pallor told him no fairy magic could undo this damage.
"If I concentrate, I can stop your paramour's bleeding. It will stave off her death for a time." Seeing that she had caught his interest, she continued, "I can also ask our generous host to deliver you to the one who did this to her. He has in his keeping the Trident of Amakoi, which holds most of my power. Defeat him, bring my trident to me, and I will heal her completely."
He didn't even have to think about it. Kagome was losing her life by the second, so he agreed immediately.
"Anything," he said, never looking away from Kagome's face dotted with blood and perspiration. With the press of his finger, he gently soothed her creased brow. "As long as you save her, I'll do whatever you want." Something occurred to him and he glared at the tiny goddess. "Why'd the fucker go after Kagome anyway?"
Suijin shrugged, somehow managing to make the gesture look as divine as the rest of her. "You'd have to ask him. I've been trapped here for eighteen years and know nothing of the current gossip of the court. It was pure luck I was even in your area."
"So who am I gonna have to kill?" he asked.
"His name is Daija," she spat, eyes growing hard. "An attendant of mine. He knew just what to say, just what to do. And right when I began to trust him, he stole my power while I slept. Be careful of who you take to your bed, prince of the dogs. They might betray you in ways you never expected them to be capable of."
Her meaning was obvious but Inuyasha was deaf to her warning, again occupied with Kagome. The bleeding had crawled to a stop, which was good. The bitch was keeping her word. But Kagome's lips had lost all but the faintest ghost of rose and he wanted to bleed himself if it would keep her healthy that much longer.
"I can't leave her," he said, voice hoarse.
"She will leave you if you don't hurry."
As much as he hated the very thought, it had the ring of truth most of his greatest fears did. Straightening as best he could in the cramped space, he cracked his knuckles and put on his war face.
"Take me to the bastard."
O\o/O
Though it was nightfall and during the colder season, Naraku had ensured none would walk on this beach years ago by buying up the secluded shore. It was for his terrestrial home, one he had bought when he was simply a young father and rising star. Recently appointed to the ambassadorship, he had thought he would make a name for himself by bringing Higurashi into the current century and showing them there was no need to hide from the rest of the world.
He had come so far that he could not remember the way back to who he once was. More than that, he did not want to. Then, he was weak and foolish. Now they were strong and cunning.
It approaches, the spider whispered within him.
Out of the water came the one he had been waiting for. The former sprite smiled at him, unaware of how much more disgusting it made him look with his bloodless skin and lidless eyes. Only going as far as the foam of the sea, Daija held out an open oyster to him. Nestled within it was something that glowed far brighter and was much more precious than any pearl.
For the first time since its birth, they were reunited.
Naraku reached out to touch it, driven by the spider who was pierced with a longing for a woman centuries gone. This was all that was left of her. Their only surviving child, born from his love and her tears, long outliving the one that had come from her womb.
His daze was shattered when Daija snapped the oyster shut before he could make contact with it.
"I know you promised me a delicious little child sacrificed from every village, and it still is a very tempting offer, but I was thinking some on the journey over." His smile widened, showing his sharp teeth and blue gums. "If I used the jewel myself rather than give it to you, I could simply take all the tasty bits I wanted. No more luring kiddies from the depths or attacking passing ships. With the power of the Shikon, I could set fin on land."
Inwardly raging, they simply smiled at the fool.
"This jewel is not for one such as you, a pretend deity. You haven't a clue on how to wield it. The Shikon possesses the weak and defies the strong. The only wishes it truly grants are its own, and it has only ever wished for control and destruction." Like they did.
Daija grew noticeably irritated. "I am grateful to you for helping me overthrow that bitch. That's why I went as far as I did. But give me one good reason why I should hand something so precious over to you now when you weren't even willing to get your hands dirty to get it."
"Tell me, did she suffer?"
"Who?" he asked like the question was from out of nowhere. "Suijin?"
"The keeper of the jewel." Idiot.
Daija would have quirked a brow in confusion if he'd had one. "She was pierced clean through in front of her lover, and then I drowned her in the depths. Seems to me the dog suffered more."
"Good. A broken puppet's strings are easier to pull." Shrugging away thoughts of the girl's resemblance to her ancestor, he continued with forced nonchalance. "I don't care if you hand over the jewel or if I have to take it. Either way, it will come to me. It remembers me. Our fates are entwined, and the both of us know this has been a long time coming. The only one who will lose here is you. Not only will you not get your sacrifices, you will sacrifice your own life."
Daija was not a complete idiot, no matter all his ostentatious posturing. It was why Naraku had invested in him as an ally all those years ago. It only took him a few seconds to come up with what he really wanted.
"Two sacrifices from every remote village, not one. Agree and I'll hand over this menace."
"Absolutely." It's not like they mattered in the grand scheme of things.
At long last, Daija handed over the jewel. The moment its smooth, chilled surface made contact with his skin, there was a spark, and the both of them were warm again.
"I'll see you when it's time for the next round of sacrifices. Until then."
Naraku nodded, not hearing the words but understanding the annoyance was going away. As the false god descended into the ocean depths, they stared deep into the jewel.
Tsukiyomi, can you hear me? Do you see what you've done? You were too weak, too human. Only I can avenge Hikaruyomi. And then you'll see. Then it will all be worth it.
After doing what he must, Naraku took his single dragon back to the palace. No chariot, no attendants. Nothing grand to at all indicate his station. Whenever he descended, simplicity was the best cover of all. The others in the court always tried to make themselves appear powerful and intimidate the terrestrial dwellers with as much pomp as they could manage, but he knew nothing made people avoid someone quite like loneliness.
The moment he left the stables, he was accosted by none other than Inukimi.
"Empress," he said, bowing respectfully to hide his sneer. She would lose her throne soon enough—and her head.
"Release my son at once, hanyō," she said in a low growl. "My son did nothing wrong!"
"That's not quite true," Izayoi said, popping up out of nowhere. "He definitely did something wrong, but it wasn't his fault. Tōga could take a hit like that and a million more at any time in the past. There's something off. And he still hasn't awoken."
That was all he needed to latch on to. "I too believe there's something else going on here. Something bigger. The crown prince is not at fault, not really."
"Oh, thank the gods. Finally some sense out of you!"
"Do you believe it to be poison?" Izayoi said, her lovely face moments away from tears.
He shook his head and tried his best to look concerned. "I can't be sure. Not yet. Whatever the case, I believe this to indeed be an assassination attempt. For now, I am keeping the crown prince in the dungeon for his safety. Doubtless he would have been the one they'd go after next. But if whoever this was thinks we suspect him, then they won't act."
"Tōga's concentration was nonexistent and all his appetites have waned of late," Izayoi said.
"He has been odd. Even for him."
"Is there any family history of disease?" Naraku asked.
"Never," Inukimi said. "His father died in battle at twice Tōga's age. And his brother, the first Sesshomaru, well… Everyone knows how that went."
"Then if it is not a natural existence, I believe we must open our minds to some horrifying alternatives. I'll consult with the doctors who have examined him thus far."
"There's only been one," Inukimi said, hurrying to keep up with him as he started towards the palace proper. "Some little man who just arrived. Says he specializes in canine demons. What was his name again, Izayoi?"
"I believe he said it was Mukotsu."
Naraku smiled. So they had arrived ahead of him.
"Don't worry too much, my ladies. Whoever the perpetrator is, I will not rest until they are found and tortured for their crimes against the emperor."
O\o/O
His chest tight, Inuyasha gave Kagome one last kiss. Even though he had not expected her to respond, he frowned down in worry that she continued to just lay there.
"For luck," he murmured, rearranging her damp waves so they were no longer sticking to her cheek.
Getting to his feet, he was surprised to come face to face with the tiny goddess who hovered near him with a mischievous look in her eye. Before he could even blink, she kissed him. Inuyasha reeled back like he had been struck, careful not to trip over Kagome. Rubbing his mouth with the back of his hand, he spat.
"What the fuck was that about!?"
"I didn't mean it romantically. You're cute, but mammals aren't my type," she said with a shrug. "Just thought you might like being able to breathe water as though it's oxygen. Most people would be grateful for such a thing when being sent on a journey at the bottom of the ocean. You'll only need it for a bit. Only half the court is underwater. There's a pocket of air in the cave that's used as a feasting room out of consideration for those creatures that need it."
"Fine, whatever. Now how the fuck do I get out of here?"
"Just start climbing up the esophagus and she'll vomit you out eventually."
Inuyasha eyed the slimy tube that was just barely big enough for him to fit through. With a shudder, he looked back at Kagome, drawing strength from her. That's right, if he didn't do this right, she was gonna suffer for it.
"Hey," he said gruffly. "If I don't come back…"
Suijin nodded. "I'll give her sweet dreams of you. She'll think she's in heaven until she really is."
He smirked but it was sad. "Better leave me out of it or she'll think she went to the other place. Make her think of her sister."
With one jump, he was gone. The dragon's esophagus seemed to be doing its best to push him back down again, but he used hands, feet, and elbows to worm his way up. He passed the six other stomachs and had to fight through entire schools of fish and waves of ocean water the dragon intelligently deposited into them. By the time he was at the end of the tunnel, he was cold, smelled worse than Higurashi, and would have killed Daija even if he hadn't attacked Kagome.
The sea dragon opened its jaws and spit Inuyasha out into the ocean. At first, he floundered, his eyes stinging with the salt again and having no idea of where to go. But the dragon waved its fin at him and a big push of water had him whirling in the direction he needed to go. He swam as fast as he could, blind and madder than he'd ever been, until he hit rock. Though his nose was useless in the water, and his eyes weren't much better, his ears were still working fine. And his ears told him there was a party going on behind the rock.
Running his hands over the surface of the rock, he soon came to an opening big enough for him. It was a gamble, but he wasn't so claustrophobic that he wouldn't risk getting stuck when it came to saving Kagome's life. He swam, the tunnel becoming narrower and narrower until it scraped his shoulders, but his ears told him he was going the right way and he trusted them.
There was a burst of light and then he went from being squeezed to having so much space he almost forgot how to deal with it. The water was shallow here and he was careful to stay under it, observing what he could from below. He was the only one in the water, but a few fish-looking things were walking around the cave. Inuyasha waited until they left before getting out, sticking to the shadows and lamenting he still couldn't use his nose 'cause everything smelled like rotten fish and salt.
Inuyasha needed to be quick, and he was. He needed to be stealthy, so he tried. And he needed to be deadly, but fuck, he didn't have his fucking sword. Going from room to room, being careful to listen at each one to make sure they were unoccupied, he searched for something to use instead. No weapons. Not even a fuckin' rock. Just a bunch of pillows and seaweed.
There was noise in the hall and Inuyasha cracked the door of his current room open. A group of children led by a fish with legs walked two by two, holding hands as they went down the hall to what sounded like the main party. Thinking fast, he borrowed the hooded cloak from the room's wardrobe and wrapped it around himself so he could follow. Sure, it would probably make him stick out, but a dog demon would stick out more.
"Welcome!" yet another creepy-looking fish guy said, holding out his arms like a gracious host. "Eat and drink your fill, honored guests. The celebration has just begun!"
The children cheered and swarmed the banquet tables like locusts. Most of them looked scrawny and malnourished, typical peasants from the recently conquered lands or those that had yet to become part of Inu. The tables were ladened with meats and bread and sweets. The only thing that seemed to be missing was vegetables, but then again he knew nothing of undersea eating habits. Inuyasha figured he'd wait until Daija had eaten and drank his fill and then kill him when he was fat and drunk. That was the easiest way. He still didn't know what powers the trident had other than that in the right hands it could heal Kagome.
The half-demon lurked and waited, muscles clenched in anticipation, ready to leap into action at the slightest hint of the false god letting his guard down. But the fucker never once reached for his goblet and his plate was fucking bare. He was about to say fuck it and go for it anyway, but one of the kids burped loud and smiled up at Daija like he couldn't tell what a gross monster the thing was.
"I'm stuffed!" he piped up, patting his visibly bulging stomach.
"Finally."
Daija got to his feet, unhinged his jaw, and took a bite out of the boy's side.
It took a second, but the remaining children started to scream. Their friend had been murdered right in front of them and most of him was still there slumped over the table, blood pooling with urine at his bare feet. Daija pinched the skin at the boy's neck and peeled downwards until he had a long strip, ripping it from the still twitching body and slurping it down like pasta. The marine attendants restrained the kids and the nobles laughed, making bets on who the god would taste next. Children kicked and punched and bit, but it was no use. They were tiny and human, and these things were everything but.
Seeing the chaos as the best opportunity he would get, Inuyasha jumped into the fray. The fishy nobles seemed too shocked by his appearance to do anything, so he went straight for the one he was here for and punched Daija right in the fucking face.
"Is that a hanyō? Who let a damned hanyō in my court!?" Daija yelled at the guards. "He smells horrible!"
Inuyasha was more offended than he should have been. "You're the one who smells, you fuckin' fish freak!"
"I'm a snake, you moron."
With a wave of the trident, water surrounded Inuyasha's head in a swirling bowl. Inuyasha smirked and came at the thing with another punch. The wall of water came crashing to the ground.
Daija sneered at him and jumped back, wiping away the blue blood that dribbled from his nose. "That bitch enchanted you, didn't she? Very well. There's a cure for that."
With all his might, Daija stabbed Inuyasha with the trident through the chest.
That made him stop. The trident's prongs grated against his bones, but they had missed his heart just barely. He would live. This wasn't pain. He knew pain now. Watching Kagome bleed out in his arms. Having the chance to save her and being too late. Something like that he would never heal from. But this would be gone in a day or so.
Inuyasha took a step forward. Then another. For the first time, Daija looked frightened. He could hear his bones be shaved by the sharp metal, feel the sinew tear, smell his blood pour out of him. Things inside him ruptured and he could feel his consciousness fading. No, he couldn't pass out. Not when she needed him.
His blood slicked the trident's shaft and covered his fingers, making them slip as he gripped it.
"This is for Kagome, you sick fuck. Blades of blood," he growled, flicking his weaponized blood at the beast.
Daija's face crinkled in what was at first disgust. Whether it was in revulsion of blood itself or that it belonged to a hanyō, Inuyasha would never know. His forked tongue was cut off at once along with most of his face. A garbled scream left his lipless mouth and Inuyasha muttered the incantation again, igniting the magic in his blood until it flared to life and made sashimi of the fucker. He didn't stop until he was seeing spots and the thing's head was severed completely from its body.
Stumbling back, Inuyasha used what remained of his strength to wrench the trident out from him, its hooked teeth catching on his ribs and making him clench his jaw to avoid crying out in pain. Still standing, he took heaving breaths and told himself not to look down. It would only make it worse.
"Let the kids go," he said to the stunned attendants. "Or you'll end up the same way. I don't give a fuck what you do with the dead one, but that's the last kid you fuckers will eat."
"W-we're not hungry," one of the salmon heads popped up. "You can have 'em."
"I don't eat human," he said, pushing past the group of nobles and finding his way back where he'd come.
"We don't either!" Another one piped up. "That was Daija's thing."
"Will you lead us now?"
"If not, please bring the goddess back!"
A crowd of kids and fish people were following him and he wondered if it was worth the effort to kill them too. In the end, he decided it would take too much time.
"Take me to the water," he grit out, his vision going too dark too fast around the edges. "I need to get back…"
"There's no way you'd survive! Come, we'll prepare a room for you."
Inuyasha arrived at the shallow pool he'd first come through. Shaking off the grabbing hands and fins that expected him to be their savior, he lost his balance and fell face-first into the water, losing consciousness at the relief that he'd made it to the water at last.
When he awoke, he knew it was a long time later, and he immediately panicked.
"Kagome!" he gasped, sitting up straight.
Instead, he was met with the face of a frowning Suijin.
"You're big now," he said.
"…I'm going to attribute that comment to blood loss," she replied. "I've brought you near the shore of the Inu capital."
"Kagome? Are you awake yet?" He tried to look around the goddess but she held him in place.
Suijin bit her lip and looked away. "I apologize, prince of the dogs. I never thought you would actually succeed in bringing me my trident, but I had to try. It can do many things, but it can't restore the dead."
"No!" Inuyasha dared to push the goddess aside, crawling for where his nose told him Kagome was.
She was laid out like she was sleeping, pale lips slightly parted and hair a tangled wet mess in a halo around her. Her dress, more different shades of red than white now, clung to her every curve. She was so beautiful. So still, but still so beautiful.
"She can't be dead," Inuyasha choked out, falling to his knees at her side. Taking her in his arms, he held her close, trying to will warmth into her. "Not after everything."
"There is still life within her," Suijin said. "But not much. I don't know if terrestrial healers can help when this much life has escaped, but I'd advise you to go to them now."
"She's strong!" he said, voice breaking. "There's no way she's dying. She said she wouldn't leave again."
"I'll continue to stay the bleeding until you reach land, but after you touch the shore my powers are useless. Thank you again, prince of the dogs. If there's ever anything my kingdom can assist with in the future, you need only ask and it is yours."
He glared at her, eyes flashing red. "There's nothing you could ever give me that could begin to make up for this loss."
O\o/O
Fog hugged the shore and Sango wondered how such a peaceful scene could host such terrifying truths.
"The emperor will hear of this. Mark my words, you will all be executed for this betrayal!"
The men of the crew continued to unload the cargo, the few of them who were paying attention to her laughing.
"Who would believe a woman? Especially an annoying one so full of herself even her lover would rather jump into the ocean than her bed!"
That one stung. "Son of a—" Sango removed her dagger from its sheath, but a hand on her arm stopped her.
"You brutes know nothing of how to treat a lady of her worth!" Miroku said, looking as angry as she felt. He was personally offended on her behalf and it made her stomach twist a little. "Today you sailors have disrespected the finest lady in all the empire!"
"Miroku!" Sango said. "What on earth are you doing here?"
He smiled at her sheepishly. "Waiting for you. Your ship was sighted and I wouldn't miss the chance to be the first to greet you."
That made the stomach situation that much worse. Either Miroku was different or she was. He was no longer so pale, his skin sun-kissed and his muscles defined. His hair had grown out a bit and seemed wilder. He was almost handsome now. But he still looked at her the same, only now it was beginning to affect her. She realized she was staring and she felt her face warm.
"What's wrong?" he asked. "Why were you about to kill the crew?"
That brought back to mind her torturous situation and she grabbed his hand, squeezing it in her desperate panic.
"Oh, Miroku, it's terrible! We were attacked by a monster I've never even heard of before and it took the prince's slave—she sneaked on the boat—and then the prince dove in to rescue her but he never came back! And the captain ordered everyone to just sail on and leave him behind. We didn't even properly look! Gods, what are we to do? How are we going to tell the emperor his son is lost to the sea?"
The eunuch looked pained and gathered her in his arms. It shocked her, but it was nice. Kindness wasn't something she'd had much of and this sudden tenderness made her cry. She'd been under so much stress, suffering alone for so long, and now here was someone willing to share the burden and help her lighten it.
"We can't go to the emperor. Not yet," he said, voice low like it was a secret. "The emperor is… He's not seeing anyone. There are rumors he's gravely ill."
Sango pulled away. "That's impossible. He's the most powerful demon alive. Maybe ever!"
"Not only that, but the crown prince has been imprisoned. They say he's the one who did it. He tried to take the throne but advisor Naraku stopped him."
"This is unbelievable," Sango said, feeling weak in the knees. "The emperor is dying, the heir did it, and the prince is… He's… H-he's…"
"Missing," Miroku finished kindly.
Sango started crying openly. For days she had been holding onto the idea of home. Once she got home, everything would be fine. They would fix everything. She didn't really know who "they" were, but she knew they would step in and solve all her problems.
"And what about Lady Kagome?" Miroku asked.
"Oh, she's definitely dead," Sango said dismissively. They had more important things to worry about. "And he dove in like a fool and followed her into death."
At that moment, there was a commotion onshore. The two of them left the docks and went to see what all the fuss was about, both of them sensing it was important. Pushing their way through the crowd, they were met with a sight that made Miroku stop in his tracks and Sango gasp aloud.
Inuyasha was carrying Kagome in his arms, the both of them soaked as though they'd just walked straight out of the ocean. Kagome was still and unmoving, her dress soaked in blood. Inuyasha's eyes were haunted, his face full of a kind of desperation that was striking. The kind that said he wasn't going to give up even though he knew it was already too late.
"Doctor," he said, ignoring those who called out to him. "I need a doctor. Bring me a doctor."
Sango ran to him, slipping on the wet sand and nearly falling. "I'm here!" she sobbed. "Gods, I thought I'd never see you again. Where were you?"
Inuyasha turned to her, gaze sharpening in recognition. "Get me the best doctor. She needs help."
The shadow looked at the girl in his arms, wincing in sympathy. "My prince, she's… A healer won't help. Can't help. She's gone."
"No. No! She wouldn't. She's strong, she wouldn't leave me. Kagome would never."
"I'd never what?" Kagome yawned. "Let me down, my leg is cramping."
Sango yelped and Inuyasha fell to his knees.
"Kagome!" he said in an awed tone, looking at her like she was a miracle.
She squirmed out of his grip and sat down on the sand, rubbing at her calf.
"I'm so cold! Why am I all wet? Where are we?"
"Are you hurt?"
"No, the cramp's mostly gone now."
"I mean your wound!"
"What wound?"
Inuyasha started frantically unbuttoning her dress.
"Inuyasha!" she squealed, slapping away his hands. "Not in public!"
He ripped her clothes apart anyway, baring her chest. Thankfully, Sango had the presence of mind to cover her as best she could from the curious eyes of the onlookers.
"It's gone," Inuyasha said, voice hushed.
"What is?" Kagome pulled the shredded bodice closed. "Sorry about your dress, Sango."
Both the prince and his shadow saw where before had been a gory hole torn through her torso, there was now only unblemished skin. The only evidence other than their memories that she had been impaled in the first place was the blood everywhere and the hole in the cloth.
Inuyasha barked out a laugh and practically tackled Kagome to the ground, pulling open her dress again and pressing kisses to her bare skin. For a moment, Kagome thought she felt tears hit her, distinguishable only from the saltwater they were covered in by their warmth.
"It must have been a test," Inuyasha said. "The goddess must have been testing me to see if I really cared."
Kagome tweaked his ear until he took his lips off of her. "Look, I don't know what this is about, but I'm freezing and everyone is staring at us."
Inuyasha kissed her mouth, making her squeak in pleased surprise. "Fuck 'em, let 'em stare. I don't give a fuck. You're alive and unhurt. We need to celebrate."
"We need a bath first," Kagome grumbled.
Inuyasha carried her all the way to the carriage and continued to hold her on his lap the entire journey. The two of them snuggled and doted on one another, trading kisses as though they weren't mere inches away from his other lover and a eunuch. Inuyasha couldn't stop smiling and Kagome seemed confused but wasn't questioning the extra attention.
When they arrived at the palace, Kagome finally got her way and Inuyasha allowed her to walk hand in hand with him instead of babying her further. The moment they crossed into the palace, they were met by Inuyasha's mother. Izayoi looked sad and a little tired, but no less beautiful than usual.
"Inuyasha. Kagome." She smiled a little. "I knew you two would find each other."
Kagome shuffled awkwardly. "Sorry for running away."
"That's fine, dear. You did what you needed to do." Turning to her son, she said, "Your princesses have arrived. And you even got a most interesting offer. The queen of Higurashi herself has come to ask your hand."
At that, Kagome could no longer support herself and Inuyasha had to sweep her up in his arms again.
NOTE: Once again, a ginormous thank you to Heartrush/doginabirdcage, who is the coolest person in the world and gives invaluable feedback and edits like she's the only one who knows the language. Does that make sense? Idk but check out her work 'cause it's AMAZING. Knit and Lace is a classic and Ache is everything.