FicWad

A/N: Just a bit of a warning, there is some shounen-ai within this chapter. It isn't predominant and it doesn't last long; but I'd thought I'd give you a warning all the same.

I am starting a new policy for my writing. Every Thursday I'm going to update/upload a new chapter or story. It may not always be for Unexpected Endeavors since I have a couple projects going and bi-weekly challenges; but hopefully it won't be too long between updates any longer. I will be updating my LJ community, scottishfae_fic, whenever I finish a chapter--no matter the time of week. Feel free to go and join that.


Chapter Fifteen: Unexpected Discovery

-----

Kagome shifted uncomfortably on the lush pillow she sat upon. There was a strained and tense silence within the tent as the bear youkai, Kin, explained the progress of the construction. Jiro, his human counterpart, was sitting behind him but slightly to the side--a position usually meant for the wife. He kept his eyes downcast, and was nursing an injured arm. That was compliments of Sesshomaru who had attacked the human after her tried to greet Kagome.

The young miko smiled a little. She sincerely hoped Sesshomaru's ears were still ringing from the yelling she had done at him for such absurd behavior. They were lucky that Kin kept well-equipped healers on the area. Jiro was already bandaged up and hopefully healing well.

However, the Taiyoukai's anger towards Jiro wasn't the only thing making the large tent uncomfortable. Haru seemed to be out of sorts. He too hadn't taken kindly to Jiro and was acting hostile to both he and Kin.

Kagome started when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked over to see Inuyasha looking at her. They were both sitting slightly behind Sesshomaru, she on his left and Inuyasha on his right. Haru sat further off to Inuyasha's right at the same position.

"Wanna get out of here?" he whispered. "It's making me go crazy in here."

Kagome looked around. She was pretty worthless here. Shippo sat in the corner eating his dinner. Miroku and Sango had left earlier; Miroku to go talk to the men from the village and Sango to make sure he didn't get himself in trouble. Or killed--Kin kept some rather pretty female youkai around, of his own species, and they probably wouldn't take kindly to being propositioned by a human.

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind stepping out for a moment or two."

She reached forward, grabbing at the wrist of Sesshomaru sleeve and tugged. He paused in his speaking to look at her, his head just slightly turned. "Inuyasha and I are going to step outside for a bit of air. Do you need either of us?"

Sesshomaru shook his head. "Don't wander off on your own," he whispered back.

She smiled at him while bringing a hand up to trace his ear. Of course now she felt bad for yelling at him; but the moment he showed any kindness or worry over her she tended forget past grievances.

She didn't notice Sesshomaru's hitch of breath at the contact, nor Haru's chuckle. She did, however, notice Inuyasha's gruff attitude as he pulled her away and outside. Kagome only quickly got to politely excuse herself from the tent before disappearing behind the flaps. Seconds later a thud was heard as she 'sat' the hanyou for his rudeness.

-----

"She is certainly a very interesting little--"

"You're comments on the matter are unneeded. Stick to your purpose,"

Kin narrowed his eyes, looking over at Haru, who had just spoken. Sesshomaru too was looking upon his half-brother with curiosity.

"Haru," the Taiyoukai said. "Keep your personal matters out of my business."

He returned his gaze to Kin. The bear was looking on edge and it was quite obvious why. Sesshomaru resisted the urge to groan. He stood up, making the others do the same out of respect.

"I will not tolerate this behavior in my presence. Work out whatever it is that is going on and do so quickly. I will return by midnight to finish the discussions."

"So late," Kin questioned. "Surely the miko will be tired by then. Wouldn't it be better to wait for morning?"

Sesshomaru growled. "The miko is none of your concern. I will be back by midnight. We will be leaving in the morning for my palace. The next I return here, I expect this site to be completed to my exact specification."

Kin bowed, Jiro following suit. Sesshomaru turned to look at his half brother. "Whatever pettiness you hold should be rid of /now/."

With that the eldest youkai left, striding out to find his miko. It didn't take very much. She was standing next to the river with two people. Scenting the air Sesshomaru realized who the other person was. He winced, this could end badly for him.

Inuyasha turned as his brother approached them. Kagome was talking friendly to the youkai woman and she in turn was being polite and kind.

"I see you have found us, Cho."

The woman turned and bowed. She was small in stature and her age was catching up with her. Her once black hair was turning a fine shade of gray-silver. It was elegantly maintained in an elaborate braid that wrapped around the crown of her head. If she undid the braid it would have revealed two ears much like Inuyasha's.

"I am sorry it took me so long, my Lord. Many of the herbs are quite hard to find and then the concoction takes time--"

Sesshomaru waved off the reply. "It matters not, you're immediate presence has not been needed."

"But my Lord, the new moon will be upon us--"

"Um, things have been a bit complicated, I'm afraid," Kagome stepped in.

Her hands were clasped in front of her, her thumbs nervously playing with each other.

Cho nodded, not asking for any further explanation. "Is there a private tent that the women may take for the night?" she asked.

Sesshomaru nodded. Three tents had been raised on their arrival. There was a large one meant for the Taiyoukai himself, and then two at either side for the men and women of their group. He pointed Cho towards the one on their right.

She bowed to him and then to Inuyasha. "Please, Lady Miko, if you will follow me, we can start on the procedure."

Kagome chewed on her lips, looking down at her feet. She was toeing at the ground with the tips of her brown shoes. She looked up at Inuyasha. "Um, good night then, I suppose. I'll see you tomorrow."

Both brothers looked at the miko with a bit of surprise. "Kagome," the hanyou said quietly. "You don't have to do this, you know."

She smiled at him. "I know, but it's my choice to make."

She reached over and squeezed the flabbergasted hanyou's hand. He squeezed back, his eyes downcast. He was hesitant to let her hand leave his as she pulled away. She was shyer around the Taiyoukai, keeping her face half averted.

"Goodnight," she whispered again.

Cho and she left to go to the tent together.

"Well I'll be damned," Inuyasha mumbled to himself.

"I must say," the other added. "I am perplexed as well."

"Why? You're the one who tricked her into making the agreement."

Sesshomaru looked over at his brother briefly before looking out over the river to the western horizon. "Stipulations."

"What?"

"Stipulations. The wolf broke his claim with the stipulation that it would have to be her choice to continue."

Inuyasha sighed, his ears dropping against his head. "I'm never going to understand stupid court etiquette."

The edges of Sesshomaru's lips rose to a very slight smile. "One can live a hundred lifetimes and not understand them. Our father finally decided that he didn't care and went on his own path, hence your birth."

"Hey!"

He turned to the hanyou. "It was not meant as an insult, Inuyasha."

The younger inuyoukai sputtered, not sure how to respond to that. He changed the subject instead, turning towards the tent they had both left earlier. "So what's going on in there? What's Haru's problem?"

"I believe Kin used to be one of Haru's lovers."

Inuyasha blanched. "I thought that was just a joke."

Sesshomaru shook his head. "Unfortunately not. From the reports I was given, Haru was quite enamored with the bear; though I never did find a reason why they parted."

"Haru doesn't seem to be able to stick with anyone for very long."

"True."

"So Haru's problem is that Kin has taken that human for his new lover?"

"Hardly a lover," Sesshomaru said. "There scents are not intermingled."

"No but the position he was sitting at..."

Again Sesshomaru allowed himself to smile. "Very good," he complimented his brother. "You're picking up on some of the more subtle nuances."

Inuyasha huffed, sticking his hands in his sleeves. "I'm not stupid."

"No," he said. "You are not."

Sesshomaru looked up, judging the journey of the moon in the sky. "There are several hours before I must return to Kin's. I will retire for a while in my own tent. Please tell your other companions of what is going on, especially the Taijiya since Cho is in their tent."

Inuyasha nodded. The Taiyoukai, saying nothing else, left for his temporary quarters. The hanyou was more than a little confused at the attention he was receiving from his brother. It was as if Sesshomaru was trying to make amends and, once again, become a family.

-----

Haru did the best he could to ignore the other two in the tent. He had no intention of having any interaction with the other two. Shippo had not left with the others, enjoying his meal too much. He now sat over with the kitsune, watching him as he devoured the rest of the rabbit.

"He's a little young for you, isn't he?" Kin said.

Haru rolled his eyes. Kin was sitting on his pillows looking calm as ever. A brush in hand, the bear was writing eloquently down a page. Jiro sat to his right, looking nervously between the two older youkai.

"Excuse me," the human said. "I'm just a bit confused. What's going on?"

Haru guffawed. Kin narrowed his eyes in a silent warning. The inuyoukai ignored it completely. "You mean he doesn't even know? Real suave there?"

Jiro looked confusedly between the two.

"Shut up Haru. My business is none of yours, leave it."

"Oh but shouldn't he at least /know/? I mean, everyone else will have gotten the point with the position he took earlier."

Kin slammed his brush down. "I told you to shut up."

Haru ignored him. "You are aware that even now you're sitting in the position that claims you as Kin's lover?"

Jiro's eyes widened. Kin stood up angrily, his whole body shaking. Shippo, seeing that this was an 'adult' conversation, scurried out of the tent.

The bear youkai marched over to Haru and hauled him to his feet. Gripping his shirt with his hands, he brought the inuyoukai close to his face. "Fuck you Haru--"

"Unfortunately for you, that privilege is no longer yours?"

"Because you're too fuckin' obsessed with your brother."

"Don't speak of things you have no understanding of," Haru growled but not struggling from the grip he was being held in.

"I know you better than anyone else, Haru of the House of Inu. I was with you for too long. You may play the loving brother but there are darker parts of you that yearn to see him destroyed," Kin said in a whisper. "You're angry and jealous of him and would devote your whole life to succeeding in your goals, giving up everything and everyone that you hold dear. It will destroy you and you know it."

Haru looked straight into the bear youkai's eyes. His eyes were glazed over making him look crazed. "I will tell you again, do not speak of things you have no understanding of."

Kin snorted, throwing the inuyoukai down to the ground. Haru grunted from the rough treatment but did not reciprocate. "Be it a sign of my friendship towards you that I have not mentioned a word of this to Lord Sesshomaru."

Haru gave a bark of laughter. He looked up, a dangerous glint in his eyes and a smirk on his mouth. In a dry, husky tone he replied, "you do not tell my brother because you know it will be the death of you. Don't even pretend there is any friendship left between us."

The bear youkai growled and raised his foot to kick the other youkai. He stopped when a hand grabbed his arm. He looked behind him to see Jiro standing there. "He's egging you on. He wants to be hurt like that."

Kin looked over. Haru was looking down. His hair, only down to his shoulders as he tried to keep it short, fell forward into his face. His hands were digging into a pillow, the sharp claws ripping through the fabric. "Why?"

They looked down on the grounded inuyoukai. "Why what?" Jiro asked.

"Why? He tricked you, why do you still help him?"

The human looked over to Kin and then back at Haru. He simply shrugged.

"It's the same with them too," he continued to whisper. "He tricked her and yet she still agrees to stand by him. I don't get it. What's so great about him to deserve such a creature?"

Jiro took a few steps closer and kneeled down. He reached out and brushed the silver strands away from his face. "I think that answer resides within the miko, not within Lord Sesshomaru."

Haru looked up. His eyes met Jiro's. They were silent for a moment before the inuyoukai spoke again. "You're not very handsome, at least not compared to me."

Kin growled, grabbing the human and pulling him back up. Jiro just rolled his eyes. "Now I think you're just purposefully trying to pick fights."

Haru rolled onto his back, a smirk lighting his face. His eyes were still dark, however. "I have to come up with some way to occupy my time."

"Occupy it in someone else's tent, I have things to discuss."

Haru barked laughter once more before leaving the tent.

"He changes his moods too easily," Jiro said.

Kin nodded, his worry for his former lover once again nagging in his mind. "It's gotten a lot worse. I'm beginning to fear for the state of his mind."

The bear looked over at the human. He was walking over to the table to grab some of his stuff. "Listen, Jiro--"

The human looked up, before sighing. Crossing the room again, he spoke. "I've never been very good with words," he said.

Without any further ado, Jiro leaned forward bringing their lips together in a chaste kiss. Kin's eyes were wide. "Please, don't feel you're obligated to show me any affection after all of this."

The human just smiled. "I do not. Now shall we get some work done before Lord Sesshomaru returns?"

Kin smiled. "No, I don't think we shall."

The bear youkai moved forward and captured the weathered-beaten lips of his partner. Jiro happily reciprocated.

----

Haru walked speedily away from the tents. He jumped across the banks to the island and then continued walking westwards for a mile. He sat down in a field, clearing his senses and feeling out for anyone near. His hair stood on end when he felt the familiar aura of the person he had come to meet.

"I see the miko has decided to go on with the agreement," the cool voice of the man said.

He remained hidden in the shadows. Haru said nothing.

"You will continue on with your part of the deal and I will follow through with mine."

"Must I always reiterate that I did not make a deal with you, Naraku," Haru growled.

The hanyou stepped out into the moonlight, the white pelt glowing. "No but you made it with Taimou and now that he is bound to my body, you too are bound to me."

Haru growled, fisting the grass and soil underneath.

"Do not forget I am doing you a favor," Naraku said. "Especially with how things are going now, your rule of the Western Lands would not be guaranteed if I did not extend the deal to both Sesshomaru and Inuyasha. And now it seems that I must once again extend my part by agreeing to get rid of this 'heir' that the miko has promised to bare."

Haru looked harshly over to the side. He avoided looking directly into the face of the pelt, knowing that only a puppet lay beneath. "What do you want this time, for the extension of the deal?"

While he could not see his face, the inuyoukai got the distinct impression that Naraku was smiling at him. "Why nothing.../much/," he said. "All I want is the miko."

Haru stood. "No."

"Ah," Naraku purred. "You have been taken by her as well, I see. Unfortunately you do not have the benefit of being able to object."

"What do you want with her?"

Again the feeling of his slithering smile overtook Haru. He shuttered, not sure he wanted to know the answer anymore and was glad when the hanyou ignored it.

"I will send a.../friendly face/ to lead the miko away from her pack. You are to make sure no one interferes with her journey."

Haru looked away. His eyes were screwed shut and a grimace of pain overtook his face. He nodded his head, though it was hesitant.

"Good, Haru. You shall be rewarded. Now go, return before they notice you are missing."

The baboon pelt disappeared in the quiet of the night. Haru collapsed to all fours. He fisted the ground once more, his forehead resting on the dirt. With all of his might he screamed his pain, not caring if the people only a mile away could hear him or not.

-----

Kagome looked up in panic at the heart wrenching sound. It sounded like a howl of a wild beast but so much anguish was interlaced that it made her sensitive soul shiver.

"Kagome-san," Cho said, politely.

The miko turned her attention to the youkai. Cho had immediately begun to make herself at home when they entered the tent. She had removed an outer traveling cloak to reveal an outfit that looked surprisingly like the dress of mikos. Her hair was also unbound, though still in two long braids down her back, to show off the white, triangular appendages on top of her head. However, she had explained that she wasn't a hanyou. It was simply a trait of her family's to be born with ears as such.

"You must relax, Kagome-san. Bring your attention back within this tent. Right now what goes on outside does not matter."

Cho was pouring a putrid looking liquid inside of a tall, clay cup. It frothed as she poured it, threatening to spill over the top. She sat the cup down on a low table in front of Kagome. The miko looked at it with distaste. She had to physically stop herself from throwing her hands over her nose. How am going to drink that? she asked herself.

"You will have only two weeks at most to conceive before this treatment wears off," Cho said. "Once it is flushed out of your system, any child conceived will be immediately purified by your miko nature."

Kagome nodded, having already been told this once, earlier. She looked down at the cup, seriously feeling her resolve to fulfill her agreement with Sesshomaru waver.

"Um," she spoke up.

Cho looked up from where she was preparing something in a bubbling pot. She cocked her head to the side, a friendly smile on her face. Kagome couldn't help but smile back. She was grateful, to say the least, that the youkai was kind.

"I'm just wondering...I've never," she started but lost her nerve and slumped forward.

She noxious fumes from the drink filled her nose and she sat back up quickly, coughing. Cho laughed lightly, going back to her work. "You do not need to worry over anything," she said. "Our Lord will guide you."

"Oh," she said. "So then, he's.../experienced/ in these things then?"

Again Cho laughed. It was a light noise, like that of a bell. It filled the tent and made the young miko relax even more. "One can not live as long as our Lord has and not have had some experience. Not to mention that being Taiyoukai grants him many.../privileges/ others do not necessarily have. Though Lord Sesshomaru was never one to indulge himself in those privileges often."

It was weird for Kagome to think that Sesshomaru had already slept with someone. It wasn't that she hadn't expected it, in fact she was pretty sure the only male in their group who still was a virgin was Shippo, or at least that was what she hoped. It was more the fact that sometime within the next two weeks she would be lying with Sesshomaru in the most intimate, and yet most embarrassing moment of her young life.

Fear began to wash over her. How was she going to be able to go through with it?

"Do not worry, Kagome-san," Cho said again.

She was very astute on others' emotions, Kagome decided. Every time her mind would wonder, the youkai would be there to bring her back to reality.

"I am almost done with this part," she said. "I must remind you, that this will not be painless. It never is."

"How exactly does all this work? You never did explain that to me."

Cho looked up. Her hand was reaching across the pot for a ladle to poor the liquid in a bowl. "Did our Lord not tell you?"

Kagome shook her head. "Silly pup," Cho quipped.

"In order to neutralize the abilities of your miko nature, we infuse the youki of Sesshomaru-sama within the herbal treatments I'm giving you. Many of the herbs I'm giving you will increase your fertility, and bond with the elements within you that are distinctly female. It is through this bonding that we trick the body into accepting the youki."

"How do you infuse youki with anything? It's not like it's a tactile thing."

Cho smiled. "You are very wise, Lady Miko. I can see why you were chosen."

Kagome flushed at the compliment; that, and the steam from the cup. It was starting to make her lightheaded.

"However, I can not explain it to the fullest. I do not have the rights to speak of them all."

"But I could ask Sesshomaru, right?"

The youkai nodded. She was now ladling the other mixture into the bowl. "I must ask you to divest of your clothing, Kagome-san. Once you've done that, you may sit down. It will be only a moment more before we can begin."

Kagome stood, blushing. She turned from Cho and slowly began to take off her clothing. Her shoes and socks had already been placed next to her yellow bag. She took off her shirt, folding it neatly and placing it on top. Her skirt followed, sliding down her legs to hit the covered ground. She laid that over the shirt.

Hesitating with her underwear, she looked around nervously. Cho wasn't watching her but gathering the last of the materials she would need. Reaching back, Kagome unhooked her bra. Slowly she removed it, placing it under her skirt. The cold hit her skin and she crossed her arms across her chest. Sucking in her breath, she reach down and divested herself of the last of her clothing. She repeated the process with her panties, laying them under her skirt for modesty's sake.

"Please, Kagome-san, lie down," the youkai said.

She turned, moving quickly to the futon, feeling utterly exposed. She kept her arms wrapped around her, trying to find some sense of her lost modesty.

"There is nothing to worry over. This is the tent for women only. I shall allow none of the males in, not even our Lord."

Kagome nodded, though she was far from at ease.

"Now, please, drink all that is within the cup and do so quickly. Once you have finished, lie down completely. From there all you must do is relax your mind."

Kagome nodded. She sat down on the futon laid out for her. The smooth fabric of the silks were cool under her nude form.

Picking up the cup, Kagome closed her eyes. There was a slight pause of doubt before she brought the cup to her lips and swallowed as much as she could in one gulp. She gagged a bit, coughing, but Cho patted her back and encouraged her to drink the rest quickly. With another two gulps the entire mixture was downed and she began to feel lethargic and dizzy.

"Lie down, Kagome-san," Cho said, guiding her to the futon.

The young miko soon found that her movements were limited. She concentrated on moving her fingers, but found that they wouldn't respond.

"Do not panic," the youkai said. "All will return by morning. Now, it is time to start the next process."

Cho reached over for a gray rag. She dipped into the bowl she had prepared earlier. It was the second mixture. Picking it up, she wrung it out before bringing it over to Kagome's body. The cloth hung over her stomach, the youkai trying hard not to let any drip on the naked flesh.

"I will begin now, Kagome-san. Be prepared. For this will be painful."

A small droplet of the mixture fell through Cho's hands and down to Kagome's abdomen. The miko's eyes widened and she tried to throw her head back in pain. She could neither move her head nor vocalize the agony she felt as fire and heat scorched her body before being washed over by the feeling of biting cold. Trapped within her mind the pain became overwhelming and she passed out.

Cho looked worriedly over the miko, checking for breath and a pulse. Seeing as the miko was still alive, she continued with the process. "You have certainly found a strong one, Sesshomaru-sama, for there to be so much pain," Cho muttered to herself.

-----

TBC

I've had many people try and tell me that Naraku was not alive back during my flashback chapters. I'm very much aware of that fact, but you'll also notice that I never said that it was Naraku. I hope that this chapter cleared up some things for people.

Thank you for all the support.
Reviews are Love!