InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Simple Legacy (II) ❯ Chapter 14 ( Chapter 14 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: elle6778 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Action | Type: Fanfiction Sequel | Uploaded On: 04.25.2007 | Pages: 6 | Words: 5.8K | Visits: 947 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Action | Type: Fanfiction Sequel | Uploaded On: 04.25.2007 | Pages: 6 | Words: 5.8K | Visits: 947 | Status: Completed
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Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.
A Simple Legacy II by elle6778 - Chapter 14
Where was he?
Kagome looked around the clearing for what seemed like the hundredth time. She had not seen Sesshoumaru ever since he had stormed off a few hours ago, leaving her too stunned to do anything but to gape at his retreating figure.
Sighing dejectedly, she sat down on the trunk of a felled tree. Maybe she should not have asked him those questions. But she had really been curious about it and she just wanted to know more about what was happening. Youkai mating seemed to be so different from the human version of it. At that time, he had been rather short but she had thought that he was being his usual reticent self.
Now that she thought about it, it was obvious that Sesshoumaru had been really uncomfortable with her questions.
How was she to know that he would blow up like that? He had barely shown any emotion the whole time she had known him, in battle or otherwise. Why would a simple line of questioning fluster him so much?
Kagome glowered. But that was hours ago. Surely he would have gotten over it by now?
An uneasy thought suddenly occurred to her. Maybe he had decided to leave her there by herself. Maybe he finally had enough of her company, shards or not.
She gritted her teeth. Oh well, if that was what he wanted, who was she to stop him? She could always try to make it back to the castle by herself.
Then another thought occurred to her, enveloping her in a feeling of anxiety. What if he had somehow hurt himself? What if he was not back yet because he could not?
But this was Sesshoumaru, right? He was the strongest youkai she knew.
He would be fine, she insisted to herself.
Trying to still her apprehension, Kagome began to pick at a single loose thread on her hakama as she continued to wait.
To her relief, it was not long before she sensed a familiar presence.
When he appeared, she jumped to her feet. “Where have you been?” she asked, searching his expressionless face.
He did not respond. Instead, he simply walked past her.
To her alarm, she could smell a faint metallic tang from him. “Sesshoumaru, are you hurt? I smell blood,” she asked worriedly as she ran to catch up with him.
“The blood does not belong to this Sesshoumaru.” His tone was flat and full of disdain.
Her eyes widened as realization dawned. “You spent the last few hours killing things out there?” she exclaimed incredulously.
He glanced at her briefly before he turning back to the direction he was heading in, not bothering to reply to her question.
Kagome glowered. “You can't just go around killing things, Sesshoumaru!”
He stilled. Without looking at her, he said, “This matter does not concern you, Miko.”
Biting her lips, Kagome lowered her gaze. Sesshoumaru sounded so cold about it. And she supposed he was right. It was none of her business who he chose to kill as long as it was not her or any of her friends. But as far as she knew, Sesshoumaru did not indulge in senseless killing.
She took a deep breath, unable to stop herself from asking, “Why?”
…***…***…***…
Several low level youkais who had the audacity to cross him had taken the brunt of his displeasure. The sensation of his claws piercing their bodies and the sound of terrified scream amidst tearing flesh had done little to alleviate his irritation. It had only provided a small amount of distraction for him.
So he had continued to walk and only returned after he had satisfied himself that he could maintain his calm.
He did not understand why the entire event had unsettled him so thoroughly. It was strange how the miko's earlier line of questioning had inflicted such a large impact on his composure. During the hunt, he had questioned himself on the cause of it. The pheromones from Kouga's female had dissipated long before he had lost his calm, so that could not the reason. Furthermore, as a taiyoukai, although he would be affected by those pheromones, he would never succumb to it.
Therefore, it must only be the result of the miko's effect on him.
Sesshoumaru's lips tightened as he continued to head towards Kouga's scent. The miko's influence on him was growing intolerable. A further inspection of his behavior for the past few days had reinforced the fact.
Said miko now ran beside him, occasionally throwing him a glance. She had voiced her displeasure at his kills but he had no intention of justifying his actions to her. After all, he was a youkai. Hunting down prey and killing them was not something out of the ordinary.
The miko, being human, would not understand this.
“Why?” she asked again.
He had had enough of her questions to last him a long time. Gritting his teeth in irritation, he finally replied, “It would be wise for you to hold your tongue, Miko.”
She looked taken aback.
At the look on her face, he felt compelled to add, “For the moment.”
The miko's expression cleared. “Alright,” she said thoughtfully. Then she forced a smile to her lips. “So, are we going to find Kouga?”
“Hn.”
He knew that he should wait another day before approaching Kouga, at least to allow the wolf and his new mate some privacy. But he had no intention of spending more time than necessary in this region. His demand was simple and therefore should not interrupt the wolf for long provided that the wolf cooperated.
It did not take long for him to track down the scent of the wolf mingled with the one belonging to his new mate.
A cave came into view.
So, the wolf had finally managed to find shelter, Sesshoumaru thought dryly.
Standing some distance away, Sesshoumaru called out, “Kouga.”
A prolonged silence ensued and Sesshoumaru's impatience grew when the wolf did not present himself. As he was about to call out again, Kouga finally stepped out, looking disheveled and smelling of the scent of rutting.
The wolf stopped some distance away. “This is not a good time, Sesshoumaru,” he bit out tightly.
Sesshoumaru kept his expression impassive. “This Sesshoumaru simply came for the shard.”
The miko stepped forward. “We'll leave you alone soon, Kouga” she said softly.
Kouga's eyes flickered in an unnamed emotion as he gazed at the miko. Then he nodded. Bending down, he extracted the shards and stepped forward. He directed a quick glance at Sesshoumaru before he held his palms out to the miko, displaying two jewel shards.
“Here. They're yours.”
Sesshoumaru watched as the miko took the shards with a grateful smile.
“Thank you, Kouga,” she said.
With a nod to the wolf, Sesshoumaru spun around and began to walk away. They had gotten what they came for. Without looking back, he called, “Miko.”
He heard her bid the wolf goodbye before she appeared by his side.
Holding her by the waist, he called upon his cloud and they soared into the night sky.
…***…***…***…
Koug a had not said anything to her but Kagome had not failed to notice his discomfiture. He had handed over his shards without much protest and without touching her a single time. She guessed that Sesshoumaru was right. Kouga had definitely been caught, hook, line and sinker. At least now she did not have to worry about that overzealous wolf chasing after her.
It had taken them the entire night before they arrived back in the Western Lands. Since then, they had taken a day to quickly check over the area but she had not detected any shards. It occurred to her that Sesshoumaru had done a remarkable job of it considering that he could not even sense the shard.
Remembering the scent of blood on him, Kagome grimaced at the thought of just how he had obtained those shards.
When his cloud brought them back to the castle, Sesshoumaru had simply dropped her off at the entrance and launched off again without a word. As she watched him float away against the backdrop of a night sky, she wondered if he was still angry at her for her questions. Knowing that there was nothing she could do about it, she simply shrugged and headed for the castle.
She smiled a greeting as she walked past the guards at the entrance.
“Where's everyone?” she asked one of them.
“Inuyasha-sama and the forest youkai are in the courtyard,” the guard told her.
She raised a brow. Inuyasha-sama? It sounded strange, but she guessed it was his rightful title. It was hard to imagine Inuyasha as a lord in any form. She was surprised that he was still there. She could understand why Moriko would chose to remain, since leaving would only mean risking capture by Naraku. But Inuyasha?
Kagome went in, nodding her greetings at the guards posted around the place. As she stepped out into the courtyard, the first thing Kagome heard was a harsh exclamation from Inuyasha.
“NO! You're lying!”
Kagome's eyes widened as her footsteps faltered. His voice came from a behind a tall bush, so she could not see him. What was going on in there? Inuyasha sounded as if he was ready to kill someone.
A second passed, and then Moriko's tentative voice sounded. “Inuyasha. I'm not lying.”
“I couldn't have done that. Of all things, not that!”
Moriko let out a sigh of exasperation. “You were possessed by your demon blood. Your demon side was the one who did it, not your human side. There's no need to feel responsible for it.”
“I don't believe you.”
Slowly, Kagome ventured closer to find Inuyasha glaring furiously at Moriko. Moriko just stared at him, looking hurt.
“Um…guys? What's wrong?” Kagome asked cautiously, glancing at them one after another.
Her gaze still pinned on Inuyasha, Moriko replied in a strained voice, “Inuyasha doubts my words and the wisdom of the forest.”
Inuyasha bristled. “I did not hurt her! So don't tell me I did!” he yelled.
Even more confused now, Kagome frowned. “Who are you talking about?”
Pointing angrily at Moriko, Inuyasha bit out, “She said I wounded Kikyo. And that Naraku and gotten to her and killed her while she was hurt. That's why I haven't seen her around lately.”
Kagome gasped. Could it be true?
“Inuyasha, I'm not lying. You asked me if I've heard of Kikyo's whereabouts. I'm just telling you what the trees whispered to me. That a red-eyed hanyou with white hair slashed her with his claws and left her in the forest.”
Kagome watched with bated breath as Inuyasha glared at Moriko. The forest youkai returned his glare without saying another word. Then with a snarl, Inuyasha swept out of the cavern.
Silence descended upon them.
Kagome was still shocked over Moriko's revelations. From the sounds of it, Inuyasha had unwittingly injured Kikyo while he had been possessed by his youkai. She felt a pang of sadness in her heart. Although Kikyo had tried to get rid of her, Kagome could not find it in her to hate the undead miko. After all, Kikyo did not ask to be brought back to life with a clay body. And no one deserved to be killed by Naraku.
A frown graced her features. But if Kikyo was dead, then what of that piece of soul she possessed? Kagome did not remember that part of her soul returning to her. Perhaps Moriko had been mistaken. Perhaps her trees had seen some other miko. It was not impossible.
A loud sigh brought Kagome out of her contemplations. She turned to see Moriko sitting on the grass with a sad look on her face.
“Hey, it's okay,” Kagome soothed softly. Having been on the receiving end of Inuyasha's temper, she could sympathize with the forest youkai. Kami only knows what Inuyasha had said to Moriko earlier. Whatever it was, it must have been ugly. Inuyasha never quite learnt how to control his temper or his mouth.
Moriko looked up at her with miserably. “I was speaking the truth.”
Kagome sighed wearily. “I know, Moriko. But Inuyasha…he's always like that. He'll be fine in no time.”
Shaking her head slowly, Moriko mumbled dejectedly, “I don't think so. You know, I should have known better than to…” Faltering, she averted her eyes.
Curious as to what the forest youkai had left unsaid, Kagome prodded, “What?”
She shook her head again. “It's nothing.”
After a few moments of silence, Kagome began to wonder why the forest youkai was so quiet. Turning around slightly, she gazed at the side profile of the girl. Moriko seemed to be deep in contemplation.
“Moriko? Is everything alright? Apart from the Kikyo thing, I mean.”
To Kagome's bewilderment, instead of replying, Moriko simply lowered her head. It was obvious that something was bothering the other girl.
“You can tell me, you know,” she coaxed.
Moriko finally turned a pair of worried light brown eyes to her. “I know. But I don't know how to start.”
“Um… from the beginning?”
The forest youkai sighed. Then she began slowly. “It's about you and Inuyasha.”
Kagome's eyebrows shot up. She did not know what she had expected to hear but this was definitely not it. “Huh? What about me and Inuyasha?”
“I know the two of you have been through a lot. I heard the stories from the trees.”
Kagome laughed uncomfortably. There were too many embarrassing moments between her and Inuyasha for her to even count. “Ah…I suppose.”
Moriko gave her a pained smile. “You're going to hate me for this. And you've been so kind to me from the beginning. I shouldn't even be bringing this up with you, but I need to ask.”
Completely lost now, Kagome just blinked at her.
Averting her gaze, Moriko mumbled, “Please don't hate me for this.”
Kagome's brows furrowed. “What is it, Moriko? I'm kind of confused.”
“I know you love Inuyasha and he loves you, but I can't help feeling what I feel. Hiding it from you makes me feel terrible, like I'm lying to you.”
Kagome gasped as the coin dropped. So, this was what it was all about. Moriko was interested in Inuyasha but felt bad because she thought that there was something between her and Inuyasha. Even though she no longer felt that sort of feelings for Inuyasha, she still felt an odd pang in her heart at the thought of Inuyasha with Moriko. Things between her and Inuyasha had always been complicated. But apart from Kikyo, she had not thought about him being with someone else.
But things were very different now.
Turning away from Moriko, Kagome stared up at the sky, watching the twinkling stars against the inky black backdrop. A glowing crescent moon presided over them, dignified and aloof.
It reminded her of Sesshoumaru.
Ever since Sesshoumaru had entered her life, she had changed a lot. Her interactions with the stoic taiyoukai had taught her many valuable lessons, the most important being the growth of her confidence in herself. Indirectly, Sesshoumaru had been the one who had given her the courage to finally tell Inuyasha the truth.
Or perhaps it was the natural change brought on simply by her age. After all, she could hardly be feeling exactly the same as she had done as a naïve fifteen-year-old. And people matured, right?
And did it mean that she had stopped loving Inuyasha?
No. She still loved the brash hanyou, but only as a friend.
Moriko's stricken voice jerked her out of her contemplations. “I'm sorry, Kagome.”
She quickly turned to the forest youkai, wanting to dispel her doubts. “Listen. There might have been something going on between me and Inuyasha in the past. But we're now just good friends.”
Moriko looked skeptical.
“Really,” Kagome insisted. “Things are not the same anymore.”
“But…”
Pasting a firm look on her face, Kagome interjected, “Look. Inuyasha will not admit his feelings until it is way too late. And if you want him, I suggest you make the first move.” Then she grinned. “And I think both of you look good together.”
Moriko blushed. Then she quickly stood up. “Where's Sesshoumaru? I need to tell him about Naraku's stronghold.”
Knowing that Moriko was embarrassed, Kagome decided to drop the subject. “He has gone off somewhere but he'll be back soon, I think.”
…***…***…***…
The raised voice filtering through the screen brought him out of his rest. Sesshoumaru's brow furrowed as he opened his eyes and sat up on his futon.
The voices belonged to the miko and his half brother. Judging from their tones and the volume of their voices, it was obvious that they were arguing outside in the courtyard. As he concentrated on the words, Sesshoumaru managed to catch a few phrases. They were apparently reaching the end of an argument about something the forest youkai had told Inuyasha.
How curious.
The forest youkai had delivered what she promised. He had arrived back in the castle last night to find her waiting for him at the entrance. She had been eager to tell him that Naraku had just shifted his stronghold to the east. There would be a barrier around it, hiding the stronghold from view, but the forest youkai knew the approximate location.
Sesshoumaru allowed a smirk to seep onto his expression. It was a good time to launch the attack on Naraku. After all, the hanyou should not be moving anytime soon.
He would need to talk to the miko and Inuyasha about the attack. It galled him to find that he required the hanyou's assistance. However, Sesshoumaru had every intention of covering all his bases where Naraku was concerned.
Unfolding his long legs, he stood up. Clad only in his hakama, he walked towards the neat pile of folded silk on the chest at the corner of his sleeping chamber. As he reached down for his kimono, the sight of a small wooden box caught his attention.
With a flick of his fingers, the lid on the box opened, revealing the armband nestled within. Picking it up, he inspected the armband intently. The jewels embedded in it seemed familiar but he could not quite place it. The ancient spell in the armband, however was something he recognized. It protected against those who sought to bring harm to the wearer.
Placing it back in the box, he picked up his kimono. Before he could dress himself, his senses sharpened at the approach of the miko's presence. A while later, a soft tap sounded from outside.
“Sesshoumaru?”
“Enter, Miko,” he said just a moment before he realized that he was not fully dressed.
He pulled on his kimono just as the screen slid open to reveal a troubled-looking miko. To his displeasure, she was once again clad in her clothes from the future. The kimono she wore was far too indecent, exposing her long legs to his gaze.
He quickly tore his eyes away.
“Sesshoumaru,” the miko began, her brows furrowed worriedly.
Then he saw her eyes landing on his bare chest. The fact that she was staring at him in such an inappropriate manner unsettled him. As those brown orbs remained there, he willed himself not to react and calmly folded his kimono across.
When she failed to remove her gaze, he said evenly, “Miko, you are staring.”
Startled, she jerked before averting her gaze, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Um...sorry. I was just thinking.”
Knowing that she had a reason for entering his chambers so early in the morning, he prompted, “What troubles you, Miko?”
She took a deep breath. “I think you need to talk to Inuyasha.”
Sesshoumaru stiffened, his fingers stilling over his yellow and blue sash. “Why?”
Letting out an exasperated sigh, she explained, “He's beating himself up because Moriko told him that he hurt Kikyo a while back. It was when his youkai blood had taken over. It wasn't as if he wanted to do something like that. And Moriko also said that while Kikyo was hurt, Naraku had taken the chance to kill her. The thing is, through all of this, Moriko actually likes Inuyasha. And like his usual stubborn self, he refuses to see it.”
“Hn.”
It did not surprise him that Inuyasha's youkai had tried to harm the undead miko. After all, it was her who had sealed the hanyou to a tree for fifty years. Inuyasha's human side might still accept her, but his youkai side would not be as tolerant.
It also did not surprise Sesshoumaru that the forest youkai had taken a liking to the hanyou. Furthermore, he suspected that Inuyasha would not need much persuasion to return the youkai's feelings.
“You think you can talk to him?” She paused, and then added hesitantly, “He listened to you the last time. You know, when he objected to us hunting the shards together? So I thought that maybe he'd listen to you this time as well.”
He mulled over her words as he fixed his armor into place. It was true that he had gotten some sense into the hanyou at that time, but would he listen this time? His youki in Tetsusaiga could possible influence Inuyasha again. Sesshoumaru's brow furrowed. Inuyasha had to be made to calm himself, considering that they would soon depart to hunt Naraku down. It was of utmost importance that Inuyasha concentrated on the battle rather than his foolish thoughts on the undead miko.
“Sesshoumaru? I really think he'll listen to you. After all, you're his older brother and things have been going quite smoothly between the two of you lately.”
A slight frown graced his brows. It was true that he and Inuyasha had reached some sort of unspoken understanding recently. He had not felt the urge to beat the hanyou senseless for some time now. And consciously or not, Inuyasha had proven himself to be capable of overseeing things in the past few weeks while he and the miko were on the hunt.
“Please, Sesshoumaru.”
Turning to her, he said, “Very well. This Sesshoumaru will speak to Inuyasha.”
The miko brightened instantly. “Thank you.”
“You should prepare yourself. We will be departing at dawn tomorrow for Naraku's stronghold.”
Her eyes widened. “So soon?”
“The forest youkai has confirmed his location. Any further delay is unnecessary.” He paused for a short while as something came to him. Then he said, “Do you recall the last battle we had?”
She gave him a curious look, and then nodded hesitantly. “Why?”
“We will attack Naraku with our merged powers.”
Her lips parted in surprise, forcing his attention to the damp pink flesh. Again, he forcibly tore his gaze away, irritated at himself for allowing the distraction.
Her eyes flickering nervously, she said, “B-But…we have only done it once! Should we practice or something?”
“It only requires our energies to merge. Practicing would achieve nothing but destroy the castle compound.”
The miko laughed weakly, shuffling her feet as she did so. “I guess you're right. It was quite powerful the last time we did it.”
“Indeed,” he replied absently as his eyes went to her bare legs again.
Quickly averting his gaze, he made his way to the shoji screen. As he placed his hand on the frame, he halted and turned to look back over his shoulders. “Before we depart, you should clothe yourself in a more suitable attire.”
An indignant gasp sounded behind him as he walked out of his chambers.
To his consternation, Sesshoumaru felt his lips twitch at the sound.
…***…***…***…
He found Inuyasha sitting on the branch of his usual tree in the courtyard. The dejected line of the hanyou's shoulder confirmed the miko's assessment. Lips tightening, Sesshoumaru wondered how Inuyasha had allowed himself to be brought down just by the simple mention of the undead miko.
Inuyasha did not even look down when he arrived at the base of the tree.
“Inuyasha. You will cease your sulking.”
“I'm not sulking,” the hanyou muttered as he turned to face the other direction.
Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth in annoyance. Inuyasha was behaving like a kicked pup. The undead miko had been dead once already, and it was only natural that she remained dead instead of tainting the world of the living with her presence. Sesshoumaru glanced briefly at Tetsusaiga, willing the katana to calm Inuyasha enough to listen to reason.
“You are sulking. And this Sesshoumaru does not understand why you feel the need to do so.”
Inuyasha turned to glare at him. “I won't expect someone as coldhearted as you to understand what it's like to kill someone you love.”
Coldhearted, was he? Sesshoumaru's brow quirked. “Do you love the miko you knew fifty years ago or the one made out of clay and bones?”
“What's the difference? They are both Kikyo!” Inuyasha snarled.
“No. One's alive and one's an undead shell stealing souls to live on,” Sesshoumaru pointed out. “You are living in the past, Inuyasha. Perhaps you should consider letting go.”
Inuyasha shook his head slowly. “I…I can't.”
Sesshoumaru bit back the urge to beat some sense into his foolish half brother. Instead, he willed Tetsusaiga to persuade Inuyasha to listen. “As a hanyou, you will live long. Are you telling this Sesshoumaru that you will continue to mourn the death of someone who had died more than fifty years ago for the rest of your life?”
Inuyasha did not reply.
His irritation mounting, Sesshoumaru said, “You should consider the life ahead of you before throwing it away so carelessly. There are others who need you.”
Inuyasha gave him a questioning look.
Wondering just how blind the hanyou could be and hating how he was reduced to having this conversation, Sesshoumaru bit out, “The forest youkai has formed an attachment to you.”
Eyes widening, Inuyasha simply gaped at him. Then he sputtered, “What are you talking about?”
“Moriko has feelings for you,” Sesshoumaru snapped impatiently. “Perhaps you should concentrate on the living and forget about the past.”
Glancing down at his feet, Inuyasha's ear flattened against his head and he fell silent.
Sesshoumaru's lips tightened. It would not do for the hanyou to remain in this state. “You are the son of the great Inu-no-Taishou. Act like it.”
Inuyasha finally looked up, his eyes widened in surprise.
Not willing to water anymore time in trying to get the hanyou to see sense, Sesshoumaru said, “Prepare yourself. We will depart at dawn. Naraku will meet his death soon.”
…***…***…***…
< br> The four of them departed for the east as soon as the sun peeked over the mountains in the horizon. Communicating with the trees as they approached the east, Moriko guided her, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha onwards.
A quick whisper to Moriko secured her with a short detour to the taijiya village. Kagome knew that Sesshoumaru would not be too pleased, but there was no way that she would leave Sango and Miroku out of this. As expected, the taiyoukai had graced her with a pair of narrowed golden gaze when he realized what was happening.
When the tall wooden walls came into sight, Kagome ran ahead with Inuyasha as Sesshoumaru fell back, his annoyance only evident in the way his eyes gleamed. Kagome chose to ignore it as she banged on the wooden gate with her fist.
“SANGO! MIROKU!”
“Oi, you two! Get out here before I go in and drag you out,” Inuyasha yelled.
The sound of rapid footsteps reached them before the door creaked open to reveal a smiling Miroku.
“Ah! It had been weeks since we last met,” the houshi greeted. “Come on in. We haven't repaired everything yet, but we managed to fix up Sango's place.”
At that moment, Sango decided to make an appearance. “Kagome-chan!” she exclaimed as she rushed forward for a hug.
Laughing, Kagome returned the hug. She had not realized how much she had missed her taijiya friend.
Sesshoumaru's voice reached Kagome. “We will not waste anymore time, Miko.”
Miroku and Sango gave Sesshoumaru a nervous glance, clearly still wary of the taiyoukai. Kagome did not blame them. Sesshoumaru was wearing that cold, intimidating look again.
She rolled her eyes at his impatience before she turned to Sango and said, “We're tracking down Naraku. I thought you would like to come.”
Determination flashed across Sango's face. With a nod, she said, “Count us in.”
They waited for a short time while Sango and Miroku prepared themselves. When they departed again, the sun was already high upon the sky. The trees continued to rustle, whispering to Moriko in a language only understandable to them.
Then Moriko's steps slowed. “We are close,” she whispered.
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he cracked his knuckles. “Naraku will die by my hands.”
“You're mistaken, little brother. It is this Sesshoumaru who will deliver the hanyou to hell.”
Kagome rolled her eyes. Those two had more in common with each other than they cared to admit.
Moriko's words gave her a rush of adrenaline in her body. This was it. Soon, they would face Naraku on his own turf and end this madness. Her steps became more determined and her anticipation grew as they walked further into the depth of the forest.
“Isn't this Inuyasha's Forest?” Sango suddenly whispered.
Startled, Kagome halted in her tracks. Now that she thought about it, the forest seemed strangely familiar.
“Yes,” Moriko replied, confirming Sango's suspicion.
“Silence,” Sesshoumaru suddenly bit out.
Kagome instantly felt an ominous tingle running down her spine.
Keeping her eyes focused on their path, she continued to walk with her senses on high alert. But as she carried on, nothing out of the ordinary happened and the tightness between her shoulders began to ease.
Then a faint sound of commotion somewhere in the distance halted her in her tracks.
“Guys?” she called out apprehensively before she turned around.
No one was there.
Apprehension began to seep in as she glanced around. Where was everyone? How did she end up being separated from them? She could have sworn that Sesshoumaru was right beside her not long ago.
A clash of metal against metal reached her ears, making her gasp. Did they walk into an ambush? Without further delay, she ran towards the sound, desperately hoping that her friends were alright.
Her eyes immediately widened in horror at the sight which greeted her.
This could not be happening, she thought as she stared disbelievingly at Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha.
They were fighting. And from the expression on their faces, they had every intention of killing each other. She thought that they had agreed to get along for a while until Naraku was destroyed. What could have happened to cause them to change their mind so suddenly?
Sesshoumaru's eyes glinted coldly as he delivered a deadly attack at Inuyasha. In retaliation, Inuyasha raised Tetsusaiga and brought it down with a roar. Silver and gold clashed in the middle of the clearing.
“Stop it!” she yelled desperately, taking a step towards them.
…***…***…***…
A Simple Legacy II by elle6778 - Chapter 14
Where was he?
Kagome looked around the clearing for what seemed like the hundredth time. She had not seen Sesshoumaru ever since he had stormed off a few hours ago, leaving her too stunned to do anything but to gape at his retreating figure.
Sighing dejectedly, she sat down on the trunk of a felled tree. Maybe she should not have asked him those questions. But she had really been curious about it and she just wanted to know more about what was happening. Youkai mating seemed to be so different from the human version of it. At that time, he had been rather short but she had thought that he was being his usual reticent self.
Now that she thought about it, it was obvious that Sesshoumaru had been really uncomfortable with her questions.
How was she to know that he would blow up like that? He had barely shown any emotion the whole time she had known him, in battle or otherwise. Why would a simple line of questioning fluster him so much?
Kagome glowered. But that was hours ago. Surely he would have gotten over it by now?
An uneasy thought suddenly occurred to her. Maybe he had decided to leave her there by herself. Maybe he finally had enough of her company, shards or not.
She gritted her teeth. Oh well, if that was what he wanted, who was she to stop him? She could always try to make it back to the castle by herself.
Then another thought occurred to her, enveloping her in a feeling of anxiety. What if he had somehow hurt himself? What if he was not back yet because he could not?
But this was Sesshoumaru, right? He was the strongest youkai she knew.
He would be fine, she insisted to herself.
Trying to still her apprehension, Kagome began to pick at a single loose thread on her hakama as she continued to wait.
To her relief, it was not long before she sensed a familiar presence.
When he appeared, she jumped to her feet. “Where have you been?” she asked, searching his expressionless face.
He did not respond. Instead, he simply walked past her.
To her alarm, she could smell a faint metallic tang from him. “Sesshoumaru, are you hurt? I smell blood,” she asked worriedly as she ran to catch up with him.
“The blood does not belong to this Sesshoumaru.” His tone was flat and full of disdain.
Her eyes widened as realization dawned. “You spent the last few hours killing things out there?” she exclaimed incredulously.
He glanced at her briefly before he turning back to the direction he was heading in, not bothering to reply to her question.
Kagome glowered. “You can't just go around killing things, Sesshoumaru!”
He stilled. Without looking at her, he said, “This matter does not concern you, Miko.”
Biting her lips, Kagome lowered her gaze. Sesshoumaru sounded so cold about it. And she supposed he was right. It was none of her business who he chose to kill as long as it was not her or any of her friends. But as far as she knew, Sesshoumaru did not indulge in senseless killing.
She took a deep breath, unable to stop herself from asking, “Why?”
…***…***…***…
Several low level youkais who had the audacity to cross him had taken the brunt of his displeasure. The sensation of his claws piercing their bodies and the sound of terrified scream amidst tearing flesh had done little to alleviate his irritation. It had only provided a small amount of distraction for him.
So he had continued to walk and only returned after he had satisfied himself that he could maintain his calm.
He did not understand why the entire event had unsettled him so thoroughly. It was strange how the miko's earlier line of questioning had inflicted such a large impact on his composure. During the hunt, he had questioned himself on the cause of it. The pheromones from Kouga's female had dissipated long before he had lost his calm, so that could not the reason. Furthermore, as a taiyoukai, although he would be affected by those pheromones, he would never succumb to it.
Therefore, it must only be the result of the miko's effect on him.
Sesshoumaru's lips tightened as he continued to head towards Kouga's scent. The miko's influence on him was growing intolerable. A further inspection of his behavior for the past few days had reinforced the fact.
Said miko now ran beside him, occasionally throwing him a glance. She had voiced her displeasure at his kills but he had no intention of justifying his actions to her. After all, he was a youkai. Hunting down prey and killing them was not something out of the ordinary.
The miko, being human, would not understand this.
“Why?” she asked again.
He had had enough of her questions to last him a long time. Gritting his teeth in irritation, he finally replied, “It would be wise for you to hold your tongue, Miko.”
She looked taken aback.
At the look on her face, he felt compelled to add, “For the moment.”
The miko's expression cleared. “Alright,” she said thoughtfully. Then she forced a smile to her lips. “So, are we going to find Kouga?”
“Hn.”
He knew that he should wait another day before approaching Kouga, at least to allow the wolf and his new mate some privacy. But he had no intention of spending more time than necessary in this region. His demand was simple and therefore should not interrupt the wolf for long provided that the wolf cooperated.
It did not take long for him to track down the scent of the wolf mingled with the one belonging to his new mate.
A cave came into view.
So, the wolf had finally managed to find shelter, Sesshoumaru thought dryly.
Standing some distance away, Sesshoumaru called out, “Kouga.”
A prolonged silence ensued and Sesshoumaru's impatience grew when the wolf did not present himself. As he was about to call out again, Kouga finally stepped out, looking disheveled and smelling of the scent of rutting.
The wolf stopped some distance away. “This is not a good time, Sesshoumaru,” he bit out tightly.
Sesshoumaru kept his expression impassive. “This Sesshoumaru simply came for the shard.”
The miko stepped forward. “We'll leave you alone soon, Kouga” she said softly.
Kouga's eyes flickered in an unnamed emotion as he gazed at the miko. Then he nodded. Bending down, he extracted the shards and stepped forward. He directed a quick glance at Sesshoumaru before he held his palms out to the miko, displaying two jewel shards.
“Here. They're yours.”
Sesshoumaru watched as the miko took the shards with a grateful smile.
“Thank you, Kouga,” she said.
With a nod to the wolf, Sesshoumaru spun around and began to walk away. They had gotten what they came for. Without looking back, he called, “Miko.”
He heard her bid the wolf goodbye before she appeared by his side.
Holding her by the waist, he called upon his cloud and they soared into the night sky.
…***…***…***…
Koug a had not said anything to her but Kagome had not failed to notice his discomfiture. He had handed over his shards without much protest and without touching her a single time. She guessed that Sesshoumaru was right. Kouga had definitely been caught, hook, line and sinker. At least now she did not have to worry about that overzealous wolf chasing after her.
It had taken them the entire night before they arrived back in the Western Lands. Since then, they had taken a day to quickly check over the area but she had not detected any shards. It occurred to her that Sesshoumaru had done a remarkable job of it considering that he could not even sense the shard.
Remembering the scent of blood on him, Kagome grimaced at the thought of just how he had obtained those shards.
When his cloud brought them back to the castle, Sesshoumaru had simply dropped her off at the entrance and launched off again without a word. As she watched him float away against the backdrop of a night sky, she wondered if he was still angry at her for her questions. Knowing that there was nothing she could do about it, she simply shrugged and headed for the castle.
She smiled a greeting as she walked past the guards at the entrance.
“Where's everyone?” she asked one of them.
“Inuyasha-sama and the forest youkai are in the courtyard,” the guard told her.
She raised a brow. Inuyasha-sama? It sounded strange, but she guessed it was his rightful title. It was hard to imagine Inuyasha as a lord in any form. She was surprised that he was still there. She could understand why Moriko would chose to remain, since leaving would only mean risking capture by Naraku. But Inuyasha?
Kagome went in, nodding her greetings at the guards posted around the place. As she stepped out into the courtyard, the first thing Kagome heard was a harsh exclamation from Inuyasha.
“NO! You're lying!”
Kagome's eyes widened as her footsteps faltered. His voice came from a behind a tall bush, so she could not see him. What was going on in there? Inuyasha sounded as if he was ready to kill someone.
A second passed, and then Moriko's tentative voice sounded. “Inuyasha. I'm not lying.”
“I couldn't have done that. Of all things, not that!”
Moriko let out a sigh of exasperation. “You were possessed by your demon blood. Your demon side was the one who did it, not your human side. There's no need to feel responsible for it.”
“I don't believe you.”
Slowly, Kagome ventured closer to find Inuyasha glaring furiously at Moriko. Moriko just stared at him, looking hurt.
“Um…guys? What's wrong?” Kagome asked cautiously, glancing at them one after another.
Her gaze still pinned on Inuyasha, Moriko replied in a strained voice, “Inuyasha doubts my words and the wisdom of the forest.”
Inuyasha bristled. “I did not hurt her! So don't tell me I did!” he yelled.
Even more confused now, Kagome frowned. “Who are you talking about?”
Pointing angrily at Moriko, Inuyasha bit out, “She said I wounded Kikyo. And that Naraku and gotten to her and killed her while she was hurt. That's why I haven't seen her around lately.”
Kagome gasped. Could it be true?
“Inuyasha, I'm not lying. You asked me if I've heard of Kikyo's whereabouts. I'm just telling you what the trees whispered to me. That a red-eyed hanyou with white hair slashed her with his claws and left her in the forest.”
Kagome watched with bated breath as Inuyasha glared at Moriko. The forest youkai returned his glare without saying another word. Then with a snarl, Inuyasha swept out of the cavern.
Silence descended upon them.
Kagome was still shocked over Moriko's revelations. From the sounds of it, Inuyasha had unwittingly injured Kikyo while he had been possessed by his youkai. She felt a pang of sadness in her heart. Although Kikyo had tried to get rid of her, Kagome could not find it in her to hate the undead miko. After all, Kikyo did not ask to be brought back to life with a clay body. And no one deserved to be killed by Naraku.
A frown graced her features. But if Kikyo was dead, then what of that piece of soul she possessed? Kagome did not remember that part of her soul returning to her. Perhaps Moriko had been mistaken. Perhaps her trees had seen some other miko. It was not impossible.
A loud sigh brought Kagome out of her contemplations. She turned to see Moriko sitting on the grass with a sad look on her face.
“Hey, it's okay,” Kagome soothed softly. Having been on the receiving end of Inuyasha's temper, she could sympathize with the forest youkai. Kami only knows what Inuyasha had said to Moriko earlier. Whatever it was, it must have been ugly. Inuyasha never quite learnt how to control his temper or his mouth.
Moriko looked up at her with miserably. “I was speaking the truth.”
Kagome sighed wearily. “I know, Moriko. But Inuyasha…he's always like that. He'll be fine in no time.”
Shaking her head slowly, Moriko mumbled dejectedly, “I don't think so. You know, I should have known better than to…” Faltering, she averted her eyes.
Curious as to what the forest youkai had left unsaid, Kagome prodded, “What?”
She shook her head again. “It's nothing.”
After a few moments of silence, Kagome began to wonder why the forest youkai was so quiet. Turning around slightly, she gazed at the side profile of the girl. Moriko seemed to be deep in contemplation.
“Moriko? Is everything alright? Apart from the Kikyo thing, I mean.”
To Kagome's bewilderment, instead of replying, Moriko simply lowered her head. It was obvious that something was bothering the other girl.
“You can tell me, you know,” she coaxed.
Moriko finally turned a pair of worried light brown eyes to her. “I know. But I don't know how to start.”
“Um… from the beginning?”
The forest youkai sighed. Then she began slowly. “It's about you and Inuyasha.”
Kagome's eyebrows shot up. She did not know what she had expected to hear but this was definitely not it. “Huh? What about me and Inuyasha?”
“I know the two of you have been through a lot. I heard the stories from the trees.”
Kagome laughed uncomfortably. There were too many embarrassing moments between her and Inuyasha for her to even count. “Ah…I suppose.”
Moriko gave her a pained smile. “You're going to hate me for this. And you've been so kind to me from the beginning. I shouldn't even be bringing this up with you, but I need to ask.”
Completely lost now, Kagome just blinked at her.
Averting her gaze, Moriko mumbled, “Please don't hate me for this.”
Kagome's brows furrowed. “What is it, Moriko? I'm kind of confused.”
“I know you love Inuyasha and he loves you, but I can't help feeling what I feel. Hiding it from you makes me feel terrible, like I'm lying to you.”
Kagome gasped as the coin dropped. So, this was what it was all about. Moriko was interested in Inuyasha but felt bad because she thought that there was something between her and Inuyasha. Even though she no longer felt that sort of feelings for Inuyasha, she still felt an odd pang in her heart at the thought of Inuyasha with Moriko. Things between her and Inuyasha had always been complicated. But apart from Kikyo, she had not thought about him being with someone else.
But things were very different now.
Turning away from Moriko, Kagome stared up at the sky, watching the twinkling stars against the inky black backdrop. A glowing crescent moon presided over them, dignified and aloof.
It reminded her of Sesshoumaru.
Ever since Sesshoumaru had entered her life, she had changed a lot. Her interactions with the stoic taiyoukai had taught her many valuable lessons, the most important being the growth of her confidence in herself. Indirectly, Sesshoumaru had been the one who had given her the courage to finally tell Inuyasha the truth.
Or perhaps it was the natural change brought on simply by her age. After all, she could hardly be feeling exactly the same as she had done as a naïve fifteen-year-old. And people matured, right?
And did it mean that she had stopped loving Inuyasha?
No. She still loved the brash hanyou, but only as a friend.
Moriko's stricken voice jerked her out of her contemplations. “I'm sorry, Kagome.”
She quickly turned to the forest youkai, wanting to dispel her doubts. “Listen. There might have been something going on between me and Inuyasha in the past. But we're now just good friends.”
Moriko looked skeptical.
“Really,” Kagome insisted. “Things are not the same anymore.”
“But…”
Pasting a firm look on her face, Kagome interjected, “Look. Inuyasha will not admit his feelings until it is way too late. And if you want him, I suggest you make the first move.” Then she grinned. “And I think both of you look good together.”
Moriko blushed. Then she quickly stood up. “Where's Sesshoumaru? I need to tell him about Naraku's stronghold.”
Knowing that Moriko was embarrassed, Kagome decided to drop the subject. “He has gone off somewhere but he'll be back soon, I think.”
…***…***…***…
The raised voice filtering through the screen brought him out of his rest. Sesshoumaru's brow furrowed as he opened his eyes and sat up on his futon.
The voices belonged to the miko and his half brother. Judging from their tones and the volume of their voices, it was obvious that they were arguing outside in the courtyard. As he concentrated on the words, Sesshoumaru managed to catch a few phrases. They were apparently reaching the end of an argument about something the forest youkai had told Inuyasha.
How curious.
The forest youkai had delivered what she promised. He had arrived back in the castle last night to find her waiting for him at the entrance. She had been eager to tell him that Naraku had just shifted his stronghold to the east. There would be a barrier around it, hiding the stronghold from view, but the forest youkai knew the approximate location.
Sesshoumaru allowed a smirk to seep onto his expression. It was a good time to launch the attack on Naraku. After all, the hanyou should not be moving anytime soon.
He would need to talk to the miko and Inuyasha about the attack. It galled him to find that he required the hanyou's assistance. However, Sesshoumaru had every intention of covering all his bases where Naraku was concerned.
Unfolding his long legs, he stood up. Clad only in his hakama, he walked towards the neat pile of folded silk on the chest at the corner of his sleeping chamber. As he reached down for his kimono, the sight of a small wooden box caught his attention.
With a flick of his fingers, the lid on the box opened, revealing the armband nestled within. Picking it up, he inspected the armband intently. The jewels embedded in it seemed familiar but he could not quite place it. The ancient spell in the armband, however was something he recognized. It protected against those who sought to bring harm to the wearer.
Placing it back in the box, he picked up his kimono. Before he could dress himself, his senses sharpened at the approach of the miko's presence. A while later, a soft tap sounded from outside.
“Sesshoumaru?”
“Enter, Miko,” he said just a moment before he realized that he was not fully dressed.
He pulled on his kimono just as the screen slid open to reveal a troubled-looking miko. To his displeasure, she was once again clad in her clothes from the future. The kimono she wore was far too indecent, exposing her long legs to his gaze.
He quickly tore his eyes away.
“Sesshoumaru,” the miko began, her brows furrowed worriedly.
Then he saw her eyes landing on his bare chest. The fact that she was staring at him in such an inappropriate manner unsettled him. As those brown orbs remained there, he willed himself not to react and calmly folded his kimono across.
When she failed to remove her gaze, he said evenly, “Miko, you are staring.”
Startled, she jerked before averting her gaze, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Um...sorry. I was just thinking.”
Knowing that she had a reason for entering his chambers so early in the morning, he prompted, “What troubles you, Miko?”
She took a deep breath. “I think you need to talk to Inuyasha.”
Sesshoumaru stiffened, his fingers stilling over his yellow and blue sash. “Why?”
Letting out an exasperated sigh, she explained, “He's beating himself up because Moriko told him that he hurt Kikyo a while back. It was when his youkai blood had taken over. It wasn't as if he wanted to do something like that. And Moriko also said that while Kikyo was hurt, Naraku had taken the chance to kill her. The thing is, through all of this, Moriko actually likes Inuyasha. And like his usual stubborn self, he refuses to see it.”
“Hn.”
It did not surprise him that Inuyasha's youkai had tried to harm the undead miko. After all, it was her who had sealed the hanyou to a tree for fifty years. Inuyasha's human side might still accept her, but his youkai side would not be as tolerant.
It also did not surprise Sesshoumaru that the forest youkai had taken a liking to the hanyou. Furthermore, he suspected that Inuyasha would not need much persuasion to return the youkai's feelings.
“You think you can talk to him?” She paused, and then added hesitantly, “He listened to you the last time. You know, when he objected to us hunting the shards together? So I thought that maybe he'd listen to you this time as well.”
He mulled over her words as he fixed his armor into place. It was true that he had gotten some sense into the hanyou at that time, but would he listen this time? His youki in Tetsusaiga could possible influence Inuyasha again. Sesshoumaru's brow furrowed. Inuyasha had to be made to calm himself, considering that they would soon depart to hunt Naraku down. It was of utmost importance that Inuyasha concentrated on the battle rather than his foolish thoughts on the undead miko.
“Sesshoumaru? I really think he'll listen to you. After all, you're his older brother and things have been going quite smoothly between the two of you lately.”
A slight frown graced his brows. It was true that he and Inuyasha had reached some sort of unspoken understanding recently. He had not felt the urge to beat the hanyou senseless for some time now. And consciously or not, Inuyasha had proven himself to be capable of overseeing things in the past few weeks while he and the miko were on the hunt.
“Please, Sesshoumaru.”
Turning to her, he said, “Very well. This Sesshoumaru will speak to Inuyasha.”
The miko brightened instantly. “Thank you.”
“You should prepare yourself. We will be departing at dawn tomorrow for Naraku's stronghold.”
Her eyes widened. “So soon?”
“The forest youkai has confirmed his location. Any further delay is unnecessary.” He paused for a short while as something came to him. Then he said, “Do you recall the last battle we had?”
She gave him a curious look, and then nodded hesitantly. “Why?”
“We will attack Naraku with our merged powers.”
Her lips parted in surprise, forcing his attention to the damp pink flesh. Again, he forcibly tore his gaze away, irritated at himself for allowing the distraction.
Her eyes flickering nervously, she said, “B-But…we have only done it once! Should we practice or something?”
“It only requires our energies to merge. Practicing would achieve nothing but destroy the castle compound.”
The miko laughed weakly, shuffling her feet as she did so. “I guess you're right. It was quite powerful the last time we did it.”
“Indeed,” he replied absently as his eyes went to her bare legs again.
Quickly averting his gaze, he made his way to the shoji screen. As he placed his hand on the frame, he halted and turned to look back over his shoulders. “Before we depart, you should clothe yourself in a more suitable attire.”
An indignant gasp sounded behind him as he walked out of his chambers.
To his consternation, Sesshoumaru felt his lips twitch at the sound.
…***…***…***…
He found Inuyasha sitting on the branch of his usual tree in the courtyard. The dejected line of the hanyou's shoulder confirmed the miko's assessment. Lips tightening, Sesshoumaru wondered how Inuyasha had allowed himself to be brought down just by the simple mention of the undead miko.
Inuyasha did not even look down when he arrived at the base of the tree.
“Inuyasha. You will cease your sulking.”
“I'm not sulking,” the hanyou muttered as he turned to face the other direction.
Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth in annoyance. Inuyasha was behaving like a kicked pup. The undead miko had been dead once already, and it was only natural that she remained dead instead of tainting the world of the living with her presence. Sesshoumaru glanced briefly at Tetsusaiga, willing the katana to calm Inuyasha enough to listen to reason.
“You are sulking. And this Sesshoumaru does not understand why you feel the need to do so.”
Inuyasha turned to glare at him. “I won't expect someone as coldhearted as you to understand what it's like to kill someone you love.”
Coldhearted, was he? Sesshoumaru's brow quirked. “Do you love the miko you knew fifty years ago or the one made out of clay and bones?”
“What's the difference? They are both Kikyo!” Inuyasha snarled.
“No. One's alive and one's an undead shell stealing souls to live on,” Sesshoumaru pointed out. “You are living in the past, Inuyasha. Perhaps you should consider letting go.”
Inuyasha shook his head slowly. “I…I can't.”
Sesshoumaru bit back the urge to beat some sense into his foolish half brother. Instead, he willed Tetsusaiga to persuade Inuyasha to listen. “As a hanyou, you will live long. Are you telling this Sesshoumaru that you will continue to mourn the death of someone who had died more than fifty years ago for the rest of your life?”
Inuyasha did not reply.
His irritation mounting, Sesshoumaru said, “You should consider the life ahead of you before throwing it away so carelessly. There are others who need you.”
Inuyasha gave him a questioning look.
Wondering just how blind the hanyou could be and hating how he was reduced to having this conversation, Sesshoumaru bit out, “The forest youkai has formed an attachment to you.”
Eyes widening, Inuyasha simply gaped at him. Then he sputtered, “What are you talking about?”
“Moriko has feelings for you,” Sesshoumaru snapped impatiently. “Perhaps you should concentrate on the living and forget about the past.”
Glancing down at his feet, Inuyasha's ear flattened against his head and he fell silent.
Sesshoumaru's lips tightened. It would not do for the hanyou to remain in this state. “You are the son of the great Inu-no-Taishou. Act like it.”
Inuyasha finally looked up, his eyes widened in surprise.
Not willing to water anymore time in trying to get the hanyou to see sense, Sesshoumaru said, “Prepare yourself. We will depart at dawn. Naraku will meet his death soon.”
…***…***…***…
< br> The four of them departed for the east as soon as the sun peeked over the mountains in the horizon. Communicating with the trees as they approached the east, Moriko guided her, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha onwards.
A quick whisper to Moriko secured her with a short detour to the taijiya village. Kagome knew that Sesshoumaru would not be too pleased, but there was no way that she would leave Sango and Miroku out of this. As expected, the taiyoukai had graced her with a pair of narrowed golden gaze when he realized what was happening.
When the tall wooden walls came into sight, Kagome ran ahead with Inuyasha as Sesshoumaru fell back, his annoyance only evident in the way his eyes gleamed. Kagome chose to ignore it as she banged on the wooden gate with her fist.
“SANGO! MIROKU!”
“Oi, you two! Get out here before I go in and drag you out,” Inuyasha yelled.
The sound of rapid footsteps reached them before the door creaked open to reveal a smiling Miroku.
“Ah! It had been weeks since we last met,” the houshi greeted. “Come on in. We haven't repaired everything yet, but we managed to fix up Sango's place.”
At that moment, Sango decided to make an appearance. “Kagome-chan!” she exclaimed as she rushed forward for a hug.
Laughing, Kagome returned the hug. She had not realized how much she had missed her taijiya friend.
Sesshoumaru's voice reached Kagome. “We will not waste anymore time, Miko.”
Miroku and Sango gave Sesshoumaru a nervous glance, clearly still wary of the taiyoukai. Kagome did not blame them. Sesshoumaru was wearing that cold, intimidating look again.
She rolled her eyes at his impatience before she turned to Sango and said, “We're tracking down Naraku. I thought you would like to come.”
Determination flashed across Sango's face. With a nod, she said, “Count us in.”
They waited for a short time while Sango and Miroku prepared themselves. When they departed again, the sun was already high upon the sky. The trees continued to rustle, whispering to Moriko in a language only understandable to them.
Then Moriko's steps slowed. “We are close,” she whispered.
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he cracked his knuckles. “Naraku will die by my hands.”
“You're mistaken, little brother. It is this Sesshoumaru who will deliver the hanyou to hell.”
Kagome rolled her eyes. Those two had more in common with each other than they cared to admit.
Moriko's words gave her a rush of adrenaline in her body. This was it. Soon, they would face Naraku on his own turf and end this madness. Her steps became more determined and her anticipation grew as they walked further into the depth of the forest.
“Isn't this Inuyasha's Forest?” Sango suddenly whispered.
Startled, Kagome halted in her tracks. Now that she thought about it, the forest seemed strangely familiar.
“Yes,” Moriko replied, confirming Sango's suspicion.
“Silence,” Sesshoumaru suddenly bit out.
Kagome instantly felt an ominous tingle running down her spine.
Keeping her eyes focused on their path, she continued to walk with her senses on high alert. But as she carried on, nothing out of the ordinary happened and the tightness between her shoulders began to ease.
Then a faint sound of commotion somewhere in the distance halted her in her tracks.
“Guys?” she called out apprehensively before she turned around.
No one was there.
Apprehension began to seep in as she glanced around. Where was everyone? How did she end up being separated from them? She could have sworn that Sesshoumaru was right beside her not long ago.
A clash of metal against metal reached her ears, making her gasp. Did they walk into an ambush? Without further delay, she ran towards the sound, desperately hoping that her friends were alright.
Her eyes immediately widened in horror at the sight which greeted her.
This could not be happening, she thought as she stared disbelievingly at Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha.
They were fighting. And from the expression on their faces, they had every intention of killing each other. She thought that they had agreed to get along for a while until Naraku was destroyed. What could have happened to cause them to change their mind so suddenly?
Sesshoumaru's eyes glinted coldly as he delivered a deadly attack at Inuyasha. In retaliation, Inuyasha raised Tetsusaiga and brought it down with a roar. Silver and gold clashed in the middle of the clearing.
“Stop it!” she yelled desperately, taking a step towards them.
…***…***…***…