InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Spark ❯ Tonic ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter Five

 

Tonic

 

 

 

A high-pitched scream stalled InuYasha's flight.

 

“Damn it all to hell!” he swore.

 

He really didn't feel like being a hero right now. Drawing in a deep breath, he walked slowly away from the direction the scream had come from.

 

His ears flattened against his skull.

 

Another scream. And of course, it was a child's cries of terror. Naturally.

 

“Of all things…,” InuYasha muttered as he turned back toward the child in peril.

 

When he burst into a large clearing, the sight that greeted him wasn't what he expected.

 

Sesshomaru's lackey lay in a crumpled bloody heap at the feet of a really tall, really pissed of taiyoukai. The little creature's green body was decidedly less green and blacker and crisper than the last time InuYasha had seen him. Jaken's body was smoking, and also twitching, so InuYasha assumed the imp…toad…thing was still alive.

 

Wailing with tears streaming down her red face, was Sesshomaru's brat. The kid's hands fluttered over Jaken. Obviously she knew better than to touch him when he was burned so badly. “Master Jaken! Please, please don't die!”

 

“Silence, wench! Now, listen, and listen well,” the taiyoukai said, “I will spare the imp if you come with me without a fuss. He's severely injured, but still capable of recovering. Should I hit him again however….”

 

Rin stopped crying, her face screwing up into a menacing scowl. “I will not come with you! I belong with Sesshomaru-sama! And when Sesshomaru-sama gets here, he will pound your face in!”

 

InuYasha ran up to the taiyoukai, his hand on the pommel of Tessegia. He understood Sesshomaru's odd message now. The prick wanted him to marry Rin to keep her safe. InuYasha guessed that was a noble enough reason. How Kagome figured into that whole mess didn't make sense, but he was sure there was a rational explanation. Maybe. Rational and Kagome didn't always mix well.

 

“Actually,” InuYasha piped up as the taiyoukai sensed him and turned around. “The brat belongs to me. She's…my fiancé.” He tried not to wince when he said it. Oh, he had no intention of actually marrying the kid, but he didn't mind lying to this jerk-off.

 

“Well, well. You must be InuYasha.” The taiyoukai gave him an appraising look. He snorted. “I must say, I'm a bit disappointed. If you are the girl's suitor, then I will challenge you to a duel for her hand as is custom. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Raiju, Lord of the North. Prepare yourself, hanyou.” He smiled broadly, revealing the pointed fangs of his canines. InuYasha thought he might've been a weasel youkai, but maybe that was just because he didn't like him.

 

Before InuYasha could draw Tessegia and put an end to this ridiculousness, Rin stomped between them, her grubby hands curled into tight white-knuckled fists. She pointed a finger first at Raiju, then at InuYasha. “I'm not marrying either one of you!” she shouted. “I'm going to marry Sesshomaru-sama!”

 

Raiju gave her a thin-lipped smile, ruffled her top-knot, and then shoved her away, sending the lanky girl tumbling to the ground with an indignant huff. “Draw your blade, boy.” The taiyoukai held up a slender hand, lightning dancing on his clawed fingertips. His long, unbound, black hair was stirred by the sheer power of his youki. His eyes glowed like green fire, and he bared his sharp teeth.

 

InuYasha smirked. “Your funeral, asshole!” He pulled Tessegia free, the blade singing as it left the scabbard.

 

The lightning flaring between Raiju's fingers sputtered and died. The skin under his eye twitched. “You…intend to fight me with that rusted piece of junk?”

 

InuYasha blinked. He looked down at Tessegia. It had failed to transform. “Oh, shit.”

 

 

#

 

 

Sango waddled down the well-worn path towards the mid-wife's hut. Every step took effort, and with every step she hated Miroku just a little bit more.

 

With her first pregnancy, she'd been so excited and relieved to be finally living some semblance of a normal life most of the troublesome things like heartburn, stretch marks, sharp pains in her side, swollen ankles, and strangely losing lots of hair on only one side of her head, were easy to ignore. Well, Sango wasn't excited now. Her son Kohaku was still a baby, and she'd not been ready for another.

 

“Stupid Miroku,” she grumbled, pausing on the path to catch her breath, pressing her hands into the small of her aching back. “He wouldn't want a big family if he was the one having the babies.”

 

Looking up at the perfect blue of the sky, feeling the soft breeze of spring kissed with the smell of young grass, Sango sighed. She had absolutely nothing to complain about. She had everything. A good man who loved her, a healthy baby boy…and shining perfect life.

 

Not everyone was so lucky.

 

Sango burst into guilty tears. Really, pregnancy did something insane to her emotions. Everything made her cry. Laughing and shaking her head, she wiped her tears away and continued to Azami's hut. The eccentric mid-wife had better be home. The old witch's tonic seemed to be the only thing that helped her heartburn.

 

Luck was on Sango's side. She spotted the stooped crone gathering herbs in her small garden. Azami waved a gnarled hand at her. “Needing more of my tonic?” she asked.

 

Sango laughed. “Yes, I'm afraid so. Everything I eat seems to upset my stomach.”

 

Azami nodded and opened the door to her hut, gesturing for Sango to come inside. Letting the old woman help her into a chair, Sango looked around the dim interior.

 

She gasped.

 

“Having pains, child?”

 

Sango shook her head and pointed a trembling finger at a stack of ramen cups on the old woman's table. “Where did you get those?” The only person Sango had known to have had ramen, was Kagome, but Kagome hadn't been to see her since Kohaku was born…and that was nearly a year ago.

 

“I gave them to her,” said a voice from behind Sango.

 

As quickly as she could, which wasn't very quickly considering her ever-expanding girth, Sango turned around. There, in the doorway framed by the bright noonday sun, was Kagome…and Sesshomaru.

 

Sesshomaru?

 

Kagome gave her a feeble smile and waggled her fingers at her. “H-hey, Sango-chan.”

 

Sango waited for Kagome to explain why Sesshomaru was standing behind her with his hand on the small of her back. Sango shook her head. Why was his hand on the small of her back? In fact, the demon lord didn't even spare her a glance. His golden stare was fixed on Kagome's face, his expression a mixture of adoration and despair. He gave a lofty sigh.

 

“Kagome? Is something the matter?” Sango asked, struggling to get to her swollen feet.

 

Her friend chewed her lip, eyes darting about the hut. Kagome swatted at Sesshomaru's hand, and he promptly withdrew the offending appendage, though, and Sango was pretty sure she was imagining things, he looked hesitant to do so. Sesshomaru sighed…again.

 

“Oh, Sango-chan…,” Kagome said with such a defeated expression on her face that it made Sango rush to her side and put her arm around her friend. “I really screwed up this time.”

 

She gave Kagome's arm a squeeze. “I'm sure it isn't as bad as all that. We'll fix it, whatever it is.”

 

Kagome took a deep breath. “Sango…I traded some ramen for a love potion. I was going to use it on InuYasha, but then he told me he didn't love me the way I loved him, so I threw it into the woods, and...Sesshomaru picked it up.” She was speaking so fast Sango had to strain to hear her. “Now he thinks he's in love with me, and the only way to break the spell is to…is to…is to…,” Kagome stuttered, her face turning an alarming shade of red. The girl was fanning her face, eyes on her shoes.

 

Sesshomaru cleared his throat. “In order to break this curse, the miko must sleep with this Sesshomaru.”

 

Kagome made a sound that was a cross between a shriek and a groan and buried her face in her hands, sobbing.

 

“Oh dear, Kagome-chan. That is bad. But…why would you try to trick InuYasha like that?”

 

Kagome looked up at her with a tear-streaked face. “I just wanted to…well, I'm eighteen! I'm tired of being…of never…you know!”

 

Sango nodded sagely. “Of course, Kagome-chan. There comes a time in every woman's life when she-“

 

Holding up a hand, Kagome said, “Not now, Sango.”

 

Behind her, the witch snorted. “Bah! You all are acting foolish. Why wouldn't you want to have relations with the youkai? He's quite handsome.”

 

Kagome stamped her foot. “Because!”

 

“Because this Sesshomaru does not want to be forced into shaming himself.”

 

Kagome whirled on him. “Hey! That's not how you were acting earlier! `Perhaps this Sesshomaru does not wish for the spell to be broken'. Remember that, you jerk?”

 

Sango winced. She didn't think her friend was being all that wise. Sesshomaru's face twisted into an ugly snarl, and a growl rumbled deep in his chest. It didn't seem to faze Kagome, but it made all the hairs on her neck prickle. “Azami…is there an antidote for this love potion?” Sango asked turning away from the feuding pair.

 

Azami scratched her balding spotted head. “Love potion? What I gave the crazy girl isn't a love potion! It's a potent poison.”

“A what?” Kagome shrieked.

 

“Well, is there an antidote or not?” Sango demanded.

 

The crone smiled, revealing blackened gums. “No. Save for bedding the youkai. If the girl refuses him, he will weaken and die a slow and painful death…preceded by terrible madness, of course.”

 

Sango sighed. “Of course.”

 

Kagome stepped in front of Sango. “Why would you give me a poison when I asked for a love spell, you old bat? What if I'd given that to the person I'm actually in love with?”

 

Azami shrugged. “I didn't think it was a big deal, girl. You said you would be careful. And you said that you would be certain to sleep with him.”

 

“How long does this Sesshomaru have?”

 

“A week before the madness sets in. But if the girl has no intention of saving your life, then the two of you really shouldn't travel together.”

 

“And why not?” Kagome asked.

 

“He'll become increasing more aggressive in his pursuit,” Azami said. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I must make a tonic for lady Sango's heartburn.”

 

“Wait a minute!” Kagome sputtered. “What if I…um…you know, consummate the spell? How will he feel afterwards?”

 

Azami tapped her chin. “Why…I'd imagine he'd revert back to how he felt before.”

 

Kagome's face turned a shade of grey. “Oh…I'm dead.”

Sesshomaru scoffed. “You think this Sesshomaru so dishonorable that I would kill you for saving my life?”

 

“Yes,” Kagome said without hesitation. “I'll bet that you'll be pretty mad that I put you under a spell, even if I didn't do it on purpose.”

 

Sango watched as Sesshomaru's face did a series of odd contortions. A myriad of expressions ranging from rage to hurt flitted over his features. He quickly regained his composure, turned his back on them, and stalked out of the hut.

 

“That was a bit rude, Kagome. I think you hurt his feelings,” Sango said gently. Sango didn't see any point in reprimanding her friend for her foolishness. She was sure Kagome felt bad enough as it was. And really, she blamed InuYasha. That idiot had strung Kagome along for years, letting the girl believe that there was a chance. That was certainly enough to drive a sane person crazy…and Kagome's sanity was questionable at best.

 

Kagome's shoulders slumped. “I know, Sango-chan, but that doesn't make it any less true.” She turned to Azami. “There isn't another way?”

 

“I'm afraid not, child. I did tell you to be careful.” Azami picked up a cup of ramen, smacking her lips with an audible `pop'. “I must say it was an excellent trade, however! When I lost my teeth last year…well, everything I ate just bothered my gums. But this ramen! The noodles are so soft. And the broth is quite savory!”

 

Kagome gave a strangled cry and fled the hut, presumably to find Sesshomaru.

 

Sango crossed her arms over her chest and pinned the mid-wife with a seething glare. “My tonic?”

 

#

 

Kagome found Sesshomaru farther down the path resting against a tall slender tree. She approached him, her steps slow and unsure.

 

I really ought to be nicer to him, she thought. If I do go through with this…being a jerk now won't help my cause any later.

 

She plunked down in the tall grass in front of him. Unable to meet the intense fire of his gaze, she decided she was tired of looking at her old shoes, and looked at the soles of his boots instead.

 

“Sesshomaru…look, I'm sorry for what I said in there. You are an honorable person..er youkai. But you have to admit…you're going to be really, really mad at me. Maybe even mad enough to kill me. You tried to kill me earlier, and that's under the effects of the spell!”

 

He didn't say anything, didn't move, and when she peeked up at him through her lashes, she noticed he didn't even blink. Huffing, she plucked at the grass, tossing fistfuls of it at his shoes. “And another thing…I don't even know why that stupid potion worked on you anyway. It just doesn't make sense. I mean, you would've had to have some attraction to me in the first place. Ha!”

 

Sesshomaru opened his mouth slowly as though he were going to say something. Then, he snapped it shut again with a click.

 

Kagome's eyes widened. “No!”

 

The corner of his mouth quirked up in a ghost of a smile. “You find it so unbelievable, miko? Or do you think so poorly of yourself?”

 

She was so flabbergasted she didn't even rise to the bait of his barb. “You've always been attracted to me?”

 

A fine line appeared between his brows. He pursed his lips slightly, then he looked away.

 

Kagome grinned. “Oh, come on!”

 

“This Sesshomaru might have…noticed your legs on one occasion, miko.” His voice was tight, and he actually looked like admitting it was painful.

 

“That's it? Yeah, we're for sure going to have to find another way out of this.” Kagome stood, brushing off her jeans. She waited for him to say something else, but he remained silent, his gaze fixed on the horizon. Sighing, she walked away to go find Sango…who was apparently pregnant again.

 

#

 

The first bolt of lightning struck him in the shoulder. The pain was explosive, sizzling down his nerves. InuYasha's entire body gave a shudder and a jerk, but he ground his teeth through the agony. He wouldn't let that bastard think he'd wounded him.

 

His fire rat robe saved his flesh from burns, but his right arm from the shoulder down was completely numb, and he couldn't feel Tessegia in his ever-slackening grip.

 

“Hey kid, why don't you get the hell out of here,” InuYasha said to Rin who was still hovering over Jaken's body. The girl shook her head, chin jutting out defiantly. “Run, dumb ass!”

 

She stared wide-eyed at him for a moment, lowered her head, then nodded. She took off into the cover of the trees.

 

InuYasha grunted. His right arm was uselessly hanging at his side now. Raiju had a smug grin on his angular face as he raised his hand high over his head, gathering lightning in his palm.

 

“Why don't you come over here and really fight? Or are you too weak?” InuYasha knew he wasn't weak. He could feel the dark power of Raiju's youki tingle all over his skin. It soured his stomach. But if he could just get the bastard to stop flinging that damned lightning at him….

 

Raiju quirked a heavy brow at him. “Do you need a vulgar display of power, hanyou?” Raiju lowered his hand and drew a short blade, a wakizashi that glowed with demonic power. “So be it.”

 

Damn. I gotta learn to keep my yap shut, InuYasha thought as he sheathed Tessegia. He took in a deep breath and gave his knuckles a good crack. This was going to hurt.