InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Genuine Desires : Unity ❯ Denial ( Chapter 10 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

By: Scooda

Denial

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Kagome giggled as the children held her hands and tugged on her legs. They all tried to talk at once, some others arguing because they wanted to show her to their parents. Kagome kneeled down and patted one of the boys on the head. Akio, he name was, and he was the youngest boy in the group. That didn't stop him from causing the most trouble before Kagome began watching over the village. Their parents were so thankful when he stayed out of trouble for more than three weeks, and every day they show their gratitude by giving Kagome some of the vegetables they raise. "Now, now, Akio. Why don't you take some of your new friends to meet your parents? I've already met them before. In fact," She looked at all of the children. "I've met all of your parents."

They all groaned and frowned. One little girl squealed and pointed to a tree. "Will the hanyou play with us on the annual Sakura Blossom Festival?"

Kagome smiled and shrugged. "Would you like me to ask him?"

They all nodded.

"Alright, I'll ask him. It's getting late; you all should be getting back home."

Kagome watched as the children ran away, waving to her over her shoulder. She clutched her chest and sighed. She felt the familiar youki right above her, and she rolled her eyes as she continued walking. "Oi! You can't ignore me."

Kagome giggled. "You got that right. You've been watching me all day, haven't you?"

InuYasha hopped down from the trees, following her from a distance as she walked to the well located in the middle of the village. Using the bucket, she strained to lift it up, gasping when InuYasha brought it up with a simple tug. She smiled and took the spoon, taking a long drink with a sigh. "InuYasha . . . the children would really love it if you---"

"No."

She rolled her eyes and took another drink. "Please? They are all looking forward to it, and it's only a couple of weeks away---"

"No. All they are going to do is pull my ears and ask me if they are real. I'd rather not."

Kagome watched as he dropped the bucket, making sure she was finished first. She sat on the edge and massaged her feet with a groan. "I still have a lot of work to do today."

InuYasha kneeled in front of her and took her foot, sniffing it before he began massaging it for her. She blushed with surprise, but didn't say anything as he worked the tense muscles. "Are you sure you're alright?"

She smiled and took her foot from his grasp, slipping back on her slippers. "I'm fine, I told you. I've just been walking around all day."

He didn't look like he believed her. She began walking away from him, and he followed her, falling in stride beside her. "So . . . the young girl . . . what do you think we should do?"

Kagome shrugged. "I mean . . . there has only been one missing girl from our village, and my guess is that she's moved on. It's been days since she's struck."

InuYasha jammed his hands into the sleeves of his haori. "I have a bad feeling about this."

An elder in the village ran up to InuYasha, yanking on his sleeve. "Please, can you help me? My son has been trapped under a pile of logs . . . and my family and I are much too old to move it!"

InuYasha shot Kagome a bored look before he stomped off after the man. She smiled. 'I'm so proud of him.'

'You're exhausted. You're chest is killing you, and you sense something terrible lurking about. Oh, but you're okay?'

'It's nothing I can't deal with.'

'Kagome, last time you felt like this is when you sensed Naraku around. No, you are not okay!'

Ignoring the voice, she began walking home, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Please . . . can you please help me?"

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"I am Isamu Chidori, and by request of the Kuwabara family located east of this village, I ask of your help." The young boy, Isamu bowed before Kagome as she sat down in the hut. InuYasha, who had followed them inside, eyed the boy with curiosity.

"Please---I'd rather you not bow in front of me. It can't be comfortable. Anyhow, what's going on?"

"The daughter of Sir Kuwabara is arranged to marry on the night of the Sakura Festival in the meadow in between these two lands. But after the night she disappeared, she had been acting strange indeed."

"Strange, how?" InuYasha asked.

"She just walks around, not saying anything to anybody. And now she had a weird fascination with flowers. This is truly unlike her, indeed."

Kagome folded her hands in her lap as she pondered a little. InuYasha leaned forward and regarded the boy with the narrowing of his eyes. "So . . . what relationship do you have with the family?"

Isamu blushed a little and shifted nervously. "When I was very young, around the time the Lord's daughter was born, my sister had died of illness, and they took me in. Since then, I have been working for them, trying to prove I am worthy . . . but it has already been decided who shall take her hand in marriage."

"So, you're in love with this girl?"

Isamu blushed. "Me? In love? With her?" He scoffed. "We've been friends her whole life. Besides . . . I am only but a poor servant. There's no way her father would allow her to wed with me."

Kagome smiled warmly when InuYasha snorted and stood on his feet, taking a protective stance behind her. Isamu cowered under the glare of the hanyou, and Kagome dug her nails into InuYasha's feet to get him to stop growling at the young boy.

"So, what does you Lord want us to do?"

Isamu shrugged. "He just instructed me to find you, and beg you to come back with me."

Kagome looked at InuYasha. "We have a monk, and a demon exterminator," InuYasha said slowly. "Try anything and you're as good as dead."

The boy turned a pale color and nodded in understanding. Kagome sighed as she stood up and announced she was going to find Sango and Miroku. InuYasha took his place on the floor in the corner, eyeing the boy with an animosity that made his skin crawl. "So, you and the miko---"

InuYasha blushed. "It's not like that---"

"But she has so much trust in you, and you instinctively protect her from harm . . . I mean it's what anyone would assume---"

"Well assume otherwise you little punk because we're just friends.” He snarled.

Isamu quickly hushed up and didn't say anything else on the matter.

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The wind blew softly as InuYasha stomped after the boy with Kagome on his back. Miroku and Sango, who were riding on Kirara, exchanged worried glances until Kagome began playing with InuYasha's ears. "Why don't you like Isamu?" She whispered into his ear, tickling the appendage and making him shudder.

"He---smells---like---onions---!"InuYasha growled through clenched teeth as Kagome kissed the back of his ear.

She giggled when the rumbling sound began echoing in the forest and clung tightly to his haori. "Just because he smells like onions doesn't mean you have to be so mean to him."

InuYasha snorted. "Onions make my eyes water and it makes me sneeze. If I hate onions, I hate him."

"But you eat them."

"They taste good. They don't smell good, but they taste good. Just like your cooking." He teased.

She flicked his ear playfully with a soft growl, and he fell silent as he slowed down a little. She looked over her shoulder and shot Sango an encouraging smile when InuYasha grabbed Isamu by the collar and practically threw the young man over his shoulder. Kagome groaned and dug her head into his shoulder as InuYasha snarled, but didn't let her go. "Well look who it is . . .”

Kagome sighed and peeked over his shoulder as a whirlwind dropped in front of them, and out came the leader of the wolf tribe, Kouga. Kagome hoisted herself up higher to take a look at the youkai, and InuYasha tightened his hold on her legs. "Hey, Kagome! Are you ready to dump dog-shit yet?"

InuYasha tried to bark, but Kagome took one of his ears and tugged it softly, whispering for him to cool it. InuYasha didn't say anything, instead he just bit his lip as Isamu watched with interest. "This happens every time they meet." Sango whispered.

"What's going on?"

Sango rolled her eyes. "InuYasha loves Kagome, and Kagome loves him back. They just haven't told each other yet. Kouga loves Kagome and wants to take her as his wife. InuYasha raises hell whenever he sees Kouga. And thus, you have what you are witnessing now, except usually it ends with violence and Kagome and InuYasha fighting."

Isamu dared not laughed as Kagome tugged on InuYasha's ears again. Kouga stepped up, and InuYasha stepped back, determined to keep Kagome from Kouga. "I don't have time to fight with you . . . I came to ask Kagome something."

"Go ahead, ask her." InuYasha scoffed. "Nothing's stopping you."

"Kagome, have you heard of the two forbidden youkai, Chiyo and Suzu?"

Kagome gasped and tightened her hold on InuYasha's shoulder. "Yes, I have. Why?"

"My men have found a cave with strange writing on it. . . It seems we can't read it, but there is this strange new being that infiltrated my territory, killing three of my men. I was wondering if you knew about it, since no one else does."

Kagome shrugged. "We've fought the demon before, but InuYasha can't harm her. Why don't you come with us?"

Kouga shrugged and bit his lip. "No, thanks. I've got to avenge my comrades. See you later, Kagome!"

InuYasha watched in a confused state as Kouga disappeared into the trees. Looking behind him, Kagome looked as troubled as Kouga had when he mentioned the two names. "Who are 'Chiyo' and 'Suzu'?"

Kagome shrugged. "They are two youkai I met a long time ago . . . they said there mother used a forbidden power, and they, as well as her, were killed."

"The mother? What was the mother's name?"

"Cassandra."

InuYasha stopped in his tracks and almost dropped Kagome. When she asked him what was wrong, he said nothing and began walking again.

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InuYasha grimaced as he sat high in the branches of the tree overlooking the camp. Thrusting his hands into the sleeve of his haori, his face shifted into the pout as he snorted and pushed aside the common sense that was telling him something was very, very wrong. Biting his lip as he tried to push aside the dreaded feeling that that wasn't simply a wandering soul seeking revenge on those that had done her wrong before she died. This was something far more evil . . . far more sinister . . . especially if the mother of the person whom he hated most in the world was involved . . .

Growling in the change of scent, InuYasha instinctively hopped out of the sanctuary of the tree and wandered deep into the forest. He rested his hand on the tip of Tetsusaiga as the youkai crept out of the bushes. Regarding him slowly, yet thoroughly, InuYasha withheld a growl as he crossed his arms over his chest. His youki wasn't threatening, didn't make InuYasha quiver with rage like usual. So why the change? "InuYasha."

"Bastard."

Sesshomaru wrinkled his nose and took a step forward, causing InuYasha to growl and pull Tetsusaiga out of it's sheath, resting it over his shoulder for extra comfort. Sesshomaru merely looked at the weapon before shooting his brother a bored look, gesturing for him to put the sword away. "I do not have time to quarrel with the likes of you."

InuYasha didn't flinch. Turning Tetsusaiga so that the tip of the blade glowed in the moonlight. "Whatever. Just what do you want? I hope you weren't hear to see Kagome---"

Sesshomaru's blank exterior cracked for a split instant before turning back to his cold stoic expression. Eyes checking his surroundings, Sesshomaru ran his fingers through his long silver tresses, wrinkling his nose and scowling as the wind caressed his face. "She is ripe."

InuYasha growled and rolled his eyes, ignoring the feeling in his gut telling him not to take his eyes off the young woman for an instant when she was alone. Glancing over his shoulder, he sniffed in the direction of the camp; backing a little when that entire he could catch a whiff of was the smoke of the fire. "If you---"

"Worry not, InuYasha. She is the least of my worries. For now."

InuYasha still held his ground and took another step back. Sesshomaru tossed his hair over his shoulder. "Than what do you want?"

Sesshomaru looked sad, almost nervous as he cleared his throat. "I seek information."

"Why does everyone come to me---?"

"Tell me what you know about her."

InuYasha did a double take at his soft tone. Shaking his head, flattened his ears as the sadness enveloped in his brother's youki disturbed him. "Who is her?"

"Do not play ignorant with me, InuYasha. Cassandra; tell me what you know about Cassandra."

"Why don't you just---"

"Tell me what you know about her."

InuYasha could see asking InuYasha for this information was troubling him, indeed. But pressing his brother for answers that was certain to leave deep, cold scars was something he didn't have the heart to do right now. Stifling a whine and hating himself for showing compassion towards his mortal enemy, InuYasha couldn't shake the fact that he looked at him with a pleading emotion. "Not much." He allowed through gritted teeth. "We hardly know anything other than she had two kids named Chiyo and Suzu."

"And does the miko know anything else?"

"How did you know she knew anything?"

Sesshomaru blinked. "I overheard the wolf youkai discussing it, and it struck my interest. I just wanted to know what was going on around the border of my territory."

InuYasha narrowed his eyes at him brother. "Why now? I should have killed you when I had the chance . . . you insulted my mother . . . you made a pass at Kagome and tried to kill me countless times. Why do you come to me know?"

Sesshomaru shrugged. "Father has shown me something that I haven't realized. My days with quarrelling with you shall come to the end . . . very soon, InuYasha."

"You can't have Kagome," InuYasha ground out when Sesshomaru turned on his heels. "I won't let you have her, even if it kills me."

Sesshomaru looked over her shoulder, and tossed a meek, cold laugh at his brother's determination. "Goodbye, InuYasha."

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"You can't have Kagome," InuYasha ground out when Sesshomaru turned on his heels. "I won't let you have her, even if it kills me."

Sesshomaru looked over her shoulder, and tossed a meek, cold laugh at his brother's determination. "Goodbye, InuYasha."

'Keh! Right then; I should have shoved Tetsusaiga so far up his---'

"InuYasha!"

InuYasha grimaced as Kagome's soft voice bounced off the trees in the forest. He slowly approached the camp, dropped down behind her, startling her a bit when he snorted roughly. "Where were you? I woke up and you were gone."

InuYasha scoffed. "I was close enough to come to you when you were screeching, right? Funny, you didn't call me until we were leaving---"

She flushed a dark color and bit her lip. "I sensed you near, but it was still unnerving."

InuYasha rolled his eyes and turned on his heel, helping Miroku put the fire out as Sango began tucking the sheets, sleeping bags and pillows onto the back of Kagome's bag. Isamu grinned at Kagome as he walked over to her, giving her shoulders a soft pat. "How do you feel? I remember you were saying you were really tired last night."

Kagome sighed. "I felt better, until I woke up and the baka was gone."

InuYasha snorted behind the two. "I told you wench---I was but a yard away!"

"Still! If I would have left you probably would have had a baby over it!"

"Wench!"

"Baka!"

"Bi---"

"Don't finish that---"

"---itch,"

"Kagome?"

Kagome turned just as she opened her mouth to condemn InuYasha. Isamu held a confused look on his face, worry etched in his dark eyes. "If . . . she truly is possessed . . . will we have to kill her?"

Sango exchanged looks with Kagome. "No, it shouldn't come to that."

Isamu still didn't look convinced. He didn't voice his worries though as InuYasha tossed Kagome over his shoulder, and told the group to keep going that they would catch up. Kagome pounded on the hanyou's back as he soared through the sky, screaming when he soared past a branch and allowed him self to fall to the ground, landing neatly on her feet. He cringed when she continued screaming, even though he stopped moving. "You can shut up now, wench! I have something to ask you."

Kagome blinked and blush, laughing a bit when InuYasha pushed the bushes past the way and gestured for her to step into the small clearing. She blinked as she looked around. Nothing but . . . "Trees?"

"Do you . . . feel anything?" He asked, scratching the back of his neck.

She closed her eyes and held her breath---nothing. "No, why?"

InuYasha sighed and shook his head. "Nothing . . . it was stupid."

"InuYasha---"

"Let's try to catch up." He said, kneeling so that she could climb on his back. She shot him a nervous glance, climbing on slowly and clinging on to him when she broke into a sprint immediately.

She leaned forward and kissed his cheek, causing him to slow down a bit as she kissed the tip of his ears, also. "I just wanted to let you know---I'm here for you." She mumbled softly.

InuYasha looked over his shoulder, and gave her a shy, yet empty smile. She smiled back.

He broke his gaze from her, focusing on the images whizzing past him as he rushed to catch up with his friends. Why had he only sensed it, the sadness, and the complete utter turmoil that wasn't his? Why did he feel as if the pain and hurt of his brother was radiating into him, that he wanted to offer his brother a smile though he hated his guts? Why . . . at that split moment, had he actually cared about Sesshomaru?

'Like hell! He can rot in a hole in the ground for all I care . . . good for nothing, hella nasty bastard.'

But still . . . it still was unnerving and completely disturbing that the simple glance from his brother made him whine. His sadness was so thick, heavy that InuYasha could hear it melding with his heartbeat, creating a shallow hole that caused an echo to bounce throughout the clearing. His proud arrogant demeanor had been reduced to tatters, he looked like a lost child in the wan moonlight, his usually bright eyes that made InuYasha seethe with fury left him wondering just how much had this youkai actually went through that he didn't know about. InuYasha nearly sighed.

Kagome . . . she had asked him numerous times had he tried to get along with Sesshomaru. He really did. But Sesshomaru always pushed him away, even teased him and constantly picked with him as a child. InuYasha grew up hating his half-brother, and was determined to die hating the man from hell. But why the certain change?

To humans, he denied being related to the youkai. But that was impossible to convince a youkai you weren't of the heritage. Sesshomaru was a force to be reckoned with---to those that hadn't lived more than six years of their life with him. InuYasha knew Sesshomaru like the back of his hands, knows what used to disturb the man, knew that there was a couple of times he got hurt and InuYasha's mother took care of him even though she didn't even whelp the son of a . . .

InuYasha bit back the fury that rose within him. 'I don't care if hell freezes over. The day I give a shit about that bastard is the day I die.'

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A/N

Okay, I'm sorry that this might have took so long, but I had something to do. On my other story, I was very upset with something that happened, and I'm thinking about starting another fanfiction on this site once I finish this one---that's if I decide to go through with the stories I have planned to follow this one. I'm not sure if anyone's reading these, but I ask that you review---if not every chapter just once? I just would feel better if I knew somebody was there.