InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Flower Girl ❯ False ( Chapter 33 )

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

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Inuyasha.

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It had been several days since the fall of Naraku, and the group was once more back at full strength - except Kagome, who had fallen and sprained her ankle when walking back from the meadow the night Sesshoumaru had declared himself her permanent protector.

Because of that, she was being forced to ride Ah-Uhn with Rin - Sesshoumaru was adamant that she not walk on it any more than absolutely necessary - which, with him around, was pretty much not at all.

She sighed, bored.

I guess it's a good thing that we're heading back to the well - momma's not going to be happy, but she knows how important it is that we do this. After all, if we don't get rid of the jewel, our era might not ever come to be - and I could never allow that.

For some reason, though, while I was born in that era, it seems that the kami felt that I was needed here more - and have gone about creating a life for me in the here and now, instead of there in that far-distant future.

She looked up, and directly ahead of her, as usual, she found swaying silver hair.

He's so beautiful, she thought vaguely. I really don't want to leave him, anyway. Maybe there's no future with him, although...

Her thoughts turned to the day that the children had asked her to be their mother, and his intensity while waiting for her answer - and his response to her question when she'd asked if it was okay.

"I would not have assisted them in gaining the flowers if it were not, miko."

Why would he agree to something like that with his ward if he had no intention of her being around to watch the child grow? It gave her hope - along with the fact that he was sticking around even now that Naraku was gone - just to protect her.

"Inuyasha is no longer your protector - and as long as I am counted among the living, he will not be in that position again. You are mine to protect."

Just the memory of those words made her shiver in pleasure. They sounded so... permanent.

After everything she'd been through in the last several years, permanent sounded wonderful.

Sesshoumaru was well aware of her eyes pinned to his back as the day wore on, and he found that he enjoyed the knowledge that she watched him so much - he had found himself studying her more and more as time had gone on. It was good that it seemed to be a mutual preoccupation.

He reflected back on his words to her, the promise to protect her for as long as he lived, and knew that he meant them. There was no hesitation within him over that vow to her.

And that's what it was, he realized. He intended to protect her until he died.

Without warning, a swirl of wind kicked up, and a strong, but shielded youki became apparent. He moved back quickly as he was pulled from his thoughts, placing himself in front of his miko and ward.

When the wind died down, Kagura stood before the group, and Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango were all instantly circling her, weapons drawn.

The wind witch looked around with seeming amusement, before shifting her gaze to the youkai Lord before her.

"So... Naraku's gone, and I'm free - and I have you all to thank for it." Looking over Sesshoumaru's shoulder, then, she met Kagome's narrow-eyed gaze. "Going to search for the jewel again, miko?"

Kagome's eyes narrowed even further at the intensity in the kaze's gaze, as the others all began yelling at Kagura - until Sesshoumaru motioned for silence. There was something off about this encounter...

"Kagura." His voice was pure ice - he didn't like the way she was eyeing Kagome at all. "The jewel, and its fate, is none of your concern. You have your freedom. That is what you longed for - take it and trouble us no more."

The wind kaze shifted her gaze back to the icy aristocrat, and pouted. "I had planned to ask if you would let me join you, Lord Sesshoumaru," she said, in a sultry voice. "I could always be of some... use to you, I'm sure." She looked him up and down in a very blatant manner, and everyone was aware of just what she was offering.

Kagome slumped then, sure that she was about to be ditched. After all, Kagura was attractive, and a pure-blood youkai - unlike she herself - and that would probably be very palatable to him.

Sesshoumaru stared at her consideringly for a moment, then said "Only a woman of questionable virtue would offer her body so freely for gain, and this Sesshoumaru has no need of such a female. You are a construct," he raised a brow at her angry flush, and the snickers of the rest of the group, "a doll, created by Naraku. No part of that abomination will ever be allowed to touch me. Leave."

With that, an enraged, humiliated kaze plucked a feather from her bun, and hopped on it as it enlarged. "You'll regret that," she hissed, before she disappeared in another swirl of wind, and everyone breathed sighs of relief and put their weapons away.

Kagome stared at Sesshoumaru's back, rather shocked at the words he'd just said, and then looked back down to the spot Kagura had stood in - the same spot the daiyoukai was also looking - and stared at the haze there.

It cleared, her miko powers once again clicking in to warn her, and in place of the haze, there was a yellow lily.

False.

Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully, a frown forming as she remembered her first reaction to Kagura's appearance. Just then, Sesshoumaru glanced back at her questioningly, and she met his gaze, knowing what he was asking.

"I see it. It means 'false'. I don't think that was really Kagura," she said slowly, still frowning. "Something about that encounter wasn't right."

Inuyasha snorted at that. "The whole encounter was wrong." He looked up at his brother with a jeering light in his eyes. "So part of Naraku has a thing for you, eh, brother?"

"Be silent, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru was obviously still busy with his thoughts, and he turned and began walking once again, as though nothing had happened. "We continue on."

As everyone fell back into line and began walking, Kagome once again thought over that little meeting.

False... Something about it was, that's for sure.

But what?

---oOo---

A/N: Maybe things with Naraku aren't as cut and dried as the group had thought, eh?

Amber