InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Flower Girl ❯ Antipathy ( Chapter 46 )

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

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Inuyasha.

---oOo---

Sesshoumaru stared down at the flower on the lip of the well, and his eyes narrowed angrily.

Purple carnation... antipathy. Someone is showing hatred - and being left here, it can only be towards my miko.

Slowly picking it up, he glared at it, then crushed it in his hand and let his acid eat into it, not wanting Kagome to see this tangible statement of hatred.

She should never be tainted by such... hatred is the antithesis to all that she is, and I will not allow her to be touched by it.

But who would hate her so?

Only one answer could he come up with - Kagura... or Naraku, whichever name fit now.

He glanced around, opening his senses to their furthest reaches, but found nothing threatening, which meant that whoever had done this was long gone. That was good - his miko was due to return any moment, and he did not want her to get back while he was busy dismembering someone.

Anger raged through him momentarily, as he allowed the beast within free reign to howl out his hatred of those who would harm her, and then he tamped it down, returning to his usual stoic mein as he felt his brother's aura heading for the well at breakneck speed.

"Sesshoumaru!"

Inuyasha came flying into the clearing, Tessaiga already drawn as he searched for whatever had caused his aniki to howl in such a manner, and came to a skidding halt when he found...

Nothing.

Looking confused, he approached the well, staring at his brother.

"Uh, what the...?"

Sesshoumaru looked up at him, motioning for him to step forward, and said, "There is a threat to the miko."

His voice was hard and diamond-edged, cold - and Inuyasha shivered, an atavistic thrill of fear chasing down his spine even as he heard the words his brother spoke, and his own rage flared.

"Who?" he asked, his own voice going cold.

"I cannot say for certain, however, I believe it to be the Kagura/Naraku composite."

Inuyasha looked around, wondering how he knew this, and spotted the burned area on the ground. Sesshoumaru's poison...

"Someone left something..." he trailed off. It wasn't really a question.

The youkai lord nodded. "Hai. A purple carnation. It stands for antipathy - hatred. I destroyed it - Kagome need not know."

"Bad idea, Sesshoumaru. I've known Kagome longer than you," he held up a hand as his brother growled, "I'm just sayin' the truth, it's not a dig, and I'm telling you, you'll tick her off if you hide things from her." He shuddered, then. "You really don't want her to get mad at you."

He stared at his brother consideringly, thinking on his words. He speaks true... she has a temper, my miko. I would not want to have it turned upon me for less than excellent reasons. Perhaps I should mention it to her... after all, she is not a child.

But still... I do not want to taint her happy aura with hatred...

Inuyasha watched his brother debate with himself over the correct way to deal with the situation with empathy - Kagome could be difficult to protect at times because she refused to hide from anything - she wanted to know everything that was going on, even those things that would normally be kept from her so that the knowledge would not make her unhappy. It was inu nature to protect what belonged to them in all ways - and his brother was definitely all inu.

"Just remember - Kagome's not going to be hurt that Naraku hates her, Sesshoumaru - I think she's already figured that out," he said, wryly amused.

A single brow arched as Sesshoumaru took that in, and he nodded finally, acknowledging his brother's wisdom in this.

"It seems as though you understand the miko very well, Inuyasha - now that the dead miko is not around to cloud your thinking."

The hanyou flinched, but nodded. "Yeah... well, I'm thinking a lot clearer these days." He shrugged. "It's a little too late for it to make any difference between her and I, but I want you to know, brother, that I'll always love her - and if you hurt her as I did..." he didn't finish, knowing his brother understood.

Before Sesshoumaru could say anything in return, the well flared with soft blue light, and Kagome's aura swelled over the two males.

Leaning down, Sesshoumaru held out his hand, waiting for her to take it, and nodded at his brother in acknowledgment - of his words, and his warning.

Kagome grinned at the two as she cleared the rim of the well, then frowned at the looks on their faces. "Okay... what's going on?"
Sesshoumaru set her down gently on the ground, then caught her eye. "Kagura has taken to leaving you messages of hatred, miko. She apparently wants you to know that she feels a certain disdain for you."

Kagome just laughed. "As if I didn't know that already. So what? Is that supposed to scare me? Or hurt my feelings?" She shrugged the whole thing off and started for the village, calling back over her shoulder, "You didn't really think I'd be worried, did you?"

Inuyasha shot his brother a smug glance.

"Told ya so."

The daiyoukai scowled at his brother, then turned on his heel, settling mokomoko more firmly against his shoulder, and followed after the still cheerfully smiling Kagome, ignoring Inuyasha, who laughed, and trailed the two.

Sesshoumaru eyed the back of his miko as she traipsed merrily towards the village, almost resigned to her strange way of looking at things.

So the half-breed was right - she was not bothered by the disregard of the wind witch.

It is strange - she seems so fragile - and yet, there is a core of diamond within her. She will not break.

Despite his reluctance to have such anger directed at her, he was proud that she was so strong.

She is certainly no shrinking violet. It is fitting for the courted of a daiyoukai to be strong... perhaps that is one of the reasons why I find myself so fascinated by her?

Her strength - and her contrasting softness...

There is no other like her, and I have always liked that which was unusual.

---oOo---

A/N: Sesshoumaru is getting to know more about Kagome and her personality - and realizing that Inuyasha has knowledge of her that he could benefit from.

Amber