Categories > Anime/Manga > Inuyasha > Unexpected Endeavors
Unexpected Falls
0 reviewsIYFG 3rd Place: Best OC // An unexpected request rocks the shard hunting group when Kagome, mistakenly, agrees to the deal. Now the group must not only deal with the end of their quest but a moody ...
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Title: Unexpected Endeavors
Author: scottishfae
Rating: R
Pairing: Sesshomaru x Kagome
Word Count/Page Count: 4907 Words // 12 Pages
Summary: The shard hunting group is rocked by an unexpected request from Sesshomaru and forced to endure the deal when, by mistake, Kagome agrees to his offer. Now the group must not only deal with the end of their quest but a moody Kagome, an irritated Taiyoukai, and a very jealous half-demon.
A/Ns: Unexpected Endeavors was 3rd place for Original Character (Haru) in the Inuyasha Fanguild. This is the first IY award I've ever won. I want to thank everyone for supporting me and this fic. I can't express my gratitude enough. You people are love!
Warning: My old chapters have been beta-ed and those will be uploaded within the next week. Sorry for the inconvenience, but hopefully this will up the quality of my work. Thanks!
Thanks go to /yuki-hime/, who—even with boggled down with RL issues—took the time to help me out and beta my chapters.
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Chapter Sixteen: Unexpected Falls
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Sango had been surprised when she had walked into her shared tent and found her friend passed out. At first, she had panicked, not knowing what had happened; but she soon calmed at remembering Inuyasha's words. The process Kagome had agreed to undergo would be painful: the more power she held, the more pain she would feel. While Sango couldn't say she was happy with this arrangement, she at least held hope that in her unconscious state, the miko was painless.
She smelled though; quite noxiously actually. The fumes were overbearing for the Taijiya as she stood at the front of the large tent. Kirara had chosen to stay outside, for obviously reasons. “You're Cho?” Sango asked the unfamiliar woman.
Said youkai nodded. “And you're the Taijiya. Your fame proceeds you. My family had more than one run in with your clan through the generations and not always in bad experience. I was sad to learn of their passing from Naraku's trickery. They deserved better than that.”
Sango gave a polite smile, not trusting her voice. Tears were welling up at the mention of her family and she desperately tried to hold them back.
“No one here will think any less of you for mourning, at least no one in this tent. Especially since you are a revered friend of Kagome-san.”
The Taijiya looked oddly at Cho. “Has she so quickly earned your respect too?”
“As a servant of my Lord, my respect for her has always been.”
“And as an individual?”
Cho smiled. She was still bathing Kagome in the second mixture, though parts of it were turning into a glutenous solid. “It is not everyday that a miko, a taijiya, a monk, a hanyou, and two youkai travel together in harmony--”
Sango snorted, knowing that this 'harmony' was mostly fictional.
“Add to that three more youkai, all of whom are from the aristocracy, then one is forced to acknowledge some sort of respect.”
The other woman walked over to the futon where Kagome was lying, and Cho was sitting beside. She too sat beside her friend, and nearly gagged from the smell. The youkai woman took pity on her and handed her a small vile of a transparent cream. “Put this under your nose, it will help drown out the smell.”
The Taijiya greedily took the concoction and smeared it above her lip. She sighed as the smell of fresh herbs wafted to her senses. It was a strong mixture, enough so that she could taste the herbs on her tongue; but anything was better than the vile smell permeating the tent.
“So the other taiyoukai know of Kagome and Sesshomaru's plan? And they don't object?”
“No, they most certainly do. Sesshomaru-sama's own mother is the most adamant against the joining and is trying to garner support for her side with the ladies of the aristocracy.”
Concern and worry washed over Sango's face. “To influence those who rule, one must first influence their wives.”
“Yes,” Cho replied. “And the Lady of the Western Lands has always been good at the manipulation of her peers.”
Looking down at her friend, Sango bit her lip at the silent threat this meant, both for Kagome and for any child she may conceive. And after tonight, and the pain she was willingly going through, there was no doubt that Kagome would be going through with the “deal.”
“My Lord is very wise and, likewise, strong. He's an inuyoukai, and with all those things combined, it will be a feat of the gods to hurt Kagome-san. She will be safe.”
The other woman nodded but still held to her doubts. Kagome was the closest thing to family she had, at the moment. With the fate of her brother uncertain, she relied heavily on their little group to fill the void that was left inside her after the death of her clan. She wanted nothing to happen to them, even Miroku—the lech.
“Sometimes the harder we try to hold onto something and protect it, the more likely it is to get hurt,” Cho said.
Sango's brows furrowed, not understanding. The youkai noticed and expounded.
“You can't protect everyone from everything. Life is painful and from that pain we grow. The hardships of life are just proof that we are alive and that should be celebrated. Kagome-san seems to be very wise beyond her years; she sees with eyes unclouded by prejudice and she accepts that some bad things are going to happen.”
“I apologize, Cho, if I sound rude; but you really don't know Kagome-chan very well. She wants it so everyone can live happily at the end of the day without any hardships or sadness or death.”
The youkai smiled. “I never said that acceptance meant that you had to be passive, nor do I condemn working hard to overcome hardships. This is what Kagome-san seems to do. She accepts that she can't shield people from everything, even though she would much rather see harm come to her own self than to her friends. Instead, she embraces life and the paths that Fate have woven for her; and certainly Those of Fate have chosen an important journey for her.”
Sango stayed quiet, thinking over what the other woman had said. Kagome shifted, though she remained unconscious. “How long will she be like this? And how much longer do you have to bathe in her in that stuff?”
“How far from dawn are we?”
“Four hours.”
Cho seemed to regress into her own mind as she did some calculations. “Given the time my Lord wishes to leave, we shall wake Kagome-san in two hours. Her strength will have left her with this, so she'll need to try and eat something first. Then we'll take her down to the river and allow her to wash. If I may ask you to help her with that task, I can finish off the ceremony in the meantime.”
“Will you be coming with us to the palace?”
“No,” she said with a shake of her head. “I have long since lost the favor of my Lady. To show up in such a place would be my immediate death, protection from Sesshomaru-sama or not.”
“She can just kill you and Sesshomaru couldn't do anything?”
“He could, but he would not. Until Sesshomaru-sama takes a mate, his mother will remain the Lady of the West. She rules that which a lady is to rule; and as a healer, a woman healer at that, I am under her jurisdiction. Without directly challenging his mother and risking the wrath of other Lords, he would have no rights to say anything.”
“But he's the Taiyoukai.”
“Don't try to understand it,” she said. “The youkai courts are confusing. Not even the eldest or wisest understand all that go on within.”
Sango worried her lip, wondering if she should bring up the matter that was deeply disturbing her. Eventually she decided concern for her friend was too great and spoke, “does this mean if Sesshomaru's mother decided to do something to Kagome then he would have no rights to do anything to stop her?”
Cho looked up from her work. She allowed herself to glance over Sango before replying, her eyes going back down to Kagome and the mucky rag that she was dragging over her flesh. “Technically, no; he could do nothing to stop her,” she said, continuing before the Taijiya could interrupt. “However, Sesshomaru-sama is much like his father before him. There are certain.../matters/ that take precedent over jurisdiction rights. My Lady could do nothing about Izayoi-san, Inuyasha's mother, because of the claim InuTaisho-sama had over her. I believe Sesshomaru-sama will invoke the same claim for Kagome-san.”
“Is that how he keeps Rin from harm?”
“On that I have no authority to speak. I have not met the little girl; though from what I hear, she is tolerated as proof of the power Sesshomaru-sama yields.”
“In other words,” Sango supplied. “There is something else going on that Sesshomaru is guarding from the gossipers ears.”
The youkai nodded. “Very astute. I would have to agree, there is something Sesshomaru-sama is holding over my Lady's head to prevent her from attacking Rin.”
“Do you have any clue what it could be?”
“Not at all. While there is no doubt Sesshomaru's mother is intelligent and wise, she is also quite strong. Whatever it is, it must threaten her position as Lady of the Western Lands. From my experience with her, that would be the only thing that would keep her from acting as she sees fit against Rin and Kagome-san.”
The Taijiya sighed. “It’s at least comforting to know that at least Sesshomaru has something that will keep her from hurting Kagome-chan.”
“Hurting physically, yes; but mentally, no. My Lady is a very manipulative person and she will deal blows to Kagome's mind and heart as much as she can to drive her away. I have seen it happen before, and you can see the results of such abuse first hand.”
Sango blinked. “Who?”
Cho looked up again, her head cocked to the side. “Inuyasha-san, of course. Several years after his mother passed on, Sesshomaru asked him back to the palace, as a son of InuTaisho. He, still a rather young boy at the time, was able to withstand the abuse for just over a year before he decided to leave again. Inuyasha-san may be very resilient towards physical attacks, but his mind has never been the strongest, not since the death of InuTaisho; and my Lady preyed on that to her own benefit.”
“Sesshomaru asked Inuyasha to live in the palace?”
“Yes,” she said, going back to her work. “The two brothers used to be quite fond of each other. I can remember seeing Inuyasha-san mimicking everything Sesshomaru-sama did. He, and his mother, were very fond of my Lord and he in turn took care of them.”
“Really?” Sango asked in disbelief.
Cho nodded. “The colours he wears on his clothing now are in memory and respect of Izayoi-san. From my memory, she was probably one of the only people to look after Sesshomaru-sama as a person, no matter if he was youkai or not. She didn't see him as the heir to the Western Lands and a respect and unusual friendship blossomed from that.”
“Wow, the things you learn, who would have thought Sesshomaru was so different growing up than he is now.”
“He's not so different,” Cho said. “He just hides it. The youkai courts can be cruel. Those looking for power will do anything to get it, and those who are in power will do anything to take away the power of their peers. Sesshomaru-sama must be careful so that he can protect that which he needs to.”
Sango nodded. She understood that. In fact, to a degree Inuyasha did the same thing. The hanyou didn't put forward the same stoic mask, instead he covered everything with a thinly veiled layer of rage and irritation; but deep down, he was a very caring individual who wanted to protect those he cared just about as much as Kagome did.
“Actually,” Cho continued after a few moments of silence. “As I think back into my memories, Izayoi-san and Kagome-san have a lot in common and not just the obvious situations. If I didn't know better I could have thought that Kagome-san was a reincarnation of Izayoi-san herself. They certainly have the same kindness of heart and a calmness to their aura that is usually absent from most people.”
Cho stopped, dipping the rag into the bowl and wringing it out. A small, slightly sad smile crossed her face. “I remember my mother once telling me that Izayoi-san's soul was a very old one. It held compassion, love, and strength like no others, and for that reason it was recycled through the ages; probably calling out to those that had been with it from the beginning,” she paused again, chuckling a bit. “Unfortunately there is no way they could be the same. It can take hundreds of years before certain souls are reincarnated, depending on the power needed to anchor the soul to a new body. It is a nice thought, seeing as both Inuyasha-san and my Lord have been drawn to her. But maybe these olds souls call out to those in the House of Inu in general.”
Sango's eyes went wide as she listened, even when Cho faded out into more of self-contemplating tones. The inuyoukai before her had no clue that Kagome was actually from the future and the possibility that she actually was Izayoi's reincarnation was possible. Of course, there was also the fact that most people had already come to a conclusion that Kagome was the reincarnation of Kikyo.
“Cho-san,” she said.
The other woman hummed to acknowledge that she had heard. She kept to her work, however.
“Was Izayoi connected to the Shikon no Tama in any way?”
“No, not that I know of. Why?”
The Taijiya shook her head. “Oh, no reason. Just wondering.”
Cho said nothing, just continued on with her work. Sango sat starting at her unconscious friend. She desperately wanted her friend to be conscious and able to talk. There were a lot of things on her mind now and she wanted to have someone to discuss them with. The boys, of course, were no good for such things; she doubted they would even be awake (or sober) at this point.
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“It should be within the next two weeks that we make our move. The ceremony has taken place and soon he will bed her. Our plans will be for naught if she conceives.”
“I'm aware of that fact, but Sesshomaru travels toward the palace of the West. All we must do is wait until they arrive, and things will take care of themselves. Their joining will not be allowed. Such a disgrace will no longer fall upon the House of Inu.”
“And Inuyasha?”
“He will die, as will the other companions of whom he travels. She I have more interest in. She will be made to suffer.”
“Why her?”
“Because she is one and the same and let no one say I do not hold a grudge.”
“And the other son?”
“He is the one I worry about.”
“Oh? He has none of the strength of his kin, why should you worry over him?”
“Because his allegiances are unclear. A madness boils deep within him and threatens everything we have been working for.”
“Even so, he is nothing compared to our combined strength.”
“It isn't him I am worried over, it is who he has made his allegiances with.”
“Oh, and whom might that be?”
“Naraku.”
The hushed tones of the two conspirators quieted at the name which many of the youkai courts were beginning to fear. Their silence was palpable and tense.
“I will send out someone to take care of Haru at once. He will not make it to the palace with the rest of his party.”
“Good.”
“And what of the other girl?”
The woman laughed. “She will have wished she had stayed dead.”
“You wish to destroy everything the sons of InuTaisho care for?”
“It is my destiny to do so.”
“And what of the miko's destiny?”
“One cannot have a destiny if one is dead.”
The forest shivered at the threat that laced within the elegant voice.
“My men will go out a dawn.”
“And you?”
“Will meet you by and by...”
“...to make the palace mine.”
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With a kind smile and an encouraging hand, Cho had assured her that the process she had just gone through was probably much worse than actual childbirth, at least in terms of the pain threshold. However, Kagome couldn't actually tell if the youkai was just trying to be nice or not. She was certainly sore though. It felt like every muscle in her body had had a 24 hour constant aerobic workout; but other than the soreness, she didn't feel any different than she usually did. Though the looks the three inuyoukai males were sending her were getting more than just a little disturbing.
“Cho-san,” Sango whispered to the female walking on the other side of Kagome. “Is there a reason why they're staring?”
“Kagome-san's scent has changed slightly.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just that, her scent has changed.”
“And they're staring at me for that reason?” Kagome interjected.
Cho nodded but didn't bother to explain further. They were walking through a grassy field towards a thick wood. Sesshomaru had informed them as they left that there were no direct, cut paths to his palace since demons hardly needed them and humans weren't inclined on paying a visit to the Taiyoukai. It was a fact that Kagome accepted, though the long grass was whipping against her legs causing faint lacerations against creamy skin.
“Is it due to the process I went through last night?” Kagome asked.
“No. It was the soap I gave you to wash with. It is much stronger so as to cleanse off the smell of potions,” she explained, keeping her face forward. “With the added benefit of acting as a slight aphrodisiac to the senses of an inuyoukai.”
Kagome faltered in her step. She looked over to the inuyoukai ahead of her. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, walking side by side, were glancing at her only on occasion and trying to be covert about it. Haru, walking slightly behind the other two, was being more obvious, as was Haru's style. Actually, Kagome decided, he was just outright gawking.
“When will you be leaving us, Cho?” the Taiyoukai's regal voice said.
“Within the wood. I fear any closer will be my death upon my Lady's hands.”
Sesshomaru nodded. “Acceptable.”
He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a small satchel made of the same pure white to match his outfit. The weight of the coins disfigured the pouch. “For your work well done, and for assuring Kagome's safety in the process.”
He threw the pouch to her and she caught it deftly. Bowing low at her waist, she replied in turn, “thank you, my Lord. It was my pleasure to serve you.”
“What do you mean, 'assuring Kagome's safety in the process'?” Inuyasha cut in. “You told me that Kagome wasn't in any harm by going through with this stupid ass plan of yours. If you lied to me so help me I'm going to go gut you and--”
“Be quiet halfbreed, she was in so such harm. If I had thought Kagome would be in danger from the preparation and neutralization process, then I wouldn't have even approached her on the subject of bearing my heir. Put more faith in your pack members.”
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, his nostrils flaring with anger. “I have faith in my pack members,” he seethed. “It's you I'm not so sure about.”
Sesshomaru looked over at his youngest brother with disinterest clearing defined on his regal features. “And what have I done thus far to give you reason for this distrust.”
“Where should I begin?”
“Really, you two,” Kagome chided. “Could you both give it a rest?”
Both inuyoukai looked over to see the miko standing with both hands on her hips and an annoyed expression on her face. Inuyasha swallowed, afraid of what might come, especially of a rather terrifying three letter word.
Cho looked on most interested in the way the brothers behaved around each other and around Kagome. It had been far too long since the two sons of InuTaisho were together as such. Fond memories of happier times brought a smile to her face. Looking over to Kagome, she once again couldn't help but note the similarities between the young woman and the former second wife of InuTaisho.
Miroku and Sango giggled lightly at the scene. While the fighting annoyed the Taijiya too, she couldn't help but be amused at how interconnected the Inu-brothers and Kagome had become.
“We need to continue on,” Haru stated.
He was standing apart from the group, looking off to their left where the landscape dropped down to a lower plain.
“Haru?” Kagome asked.
He shook his head, sending a look over to Sesshomaru who was also on high alert. “We should move faster,” the Taiyoukai declared. “We've wasted enough time here.”
“Sesshomaru?” Kagome again inquired.
The miko was being very astute to the unease running through the youkai. Sesshomaru walked over to her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her against his form. “Kit, come with us,” he said, waiting for Shippo to hug Kagome's leg before calling his youki around his feet. “Cho, I bid you farewell until I next need you.”
The female youkai bowed, her brow risen in a silent question: why did he expect to see her again so soon?
“As for the rest of you,” he said. “I would hurry and follow me.”
Kirara changed into her larger form without any prompting. The humans looked at each other curiously but did as Sesshomaru said. Inuyasha and Haru stood waiting for Kirara to take off before following too.
“I'm surprised,” Haru mumbled.
“At?” the hanyou next to him asked.
They were running at top speed, the wind whipping by their ears. They had already reached the forest in which the group had been heading towards.
“What?” Haru said, shaking himself from his thoughts. “Oh, nothing. Just thinking aloud. You wouldn't happen to know who is after us, would you?”
“Why would you think I would know?”
“Well Inu, you do have quite the gruff personality. I wouldn't be surprised if you had many people with grudges against you.”
“Me?” Inuyasha yelled. “What about you, asshole? You've probably slept with at least one person from every noble family, human and demon alike.”
“You're exaggerating now.”
Inuyasha snorted. “You've probably slept with more people than I've even met.”
Haru rolled his eyes. “Well if you're going to be rude, then I'm going to take the high road.”
The hanyou watched confusedly as Haru jumped higher in the canopy of the forest. He let him go without following. He looked back over his shoulder, a chill going up his spine. Whoever had been stalking them was not happy they were running off. Inuyasha sped up as well, keeping his eyes on Kagome as he leaped from branch to branch.
He still wasn't happy about all that was going on. Kagome was his pack member and it was his duty to take care of her. Guilt and jealously mixed in his mind. Deep within him, he felt that he should have been trying harder to convince Kagome against accepting Sesshomaru's proposal, especially after Koga called off his claim on her. Something in the back of his mind acknowledged that anything he said or did wouldn't have worked anyway. And within his heart, which clenched painfully at looking at how she clung to the older inuyoukai, there was some odd feeling of calm. The different emotions whirling around the hanyou's self were distracting and he almost missed the branch he was intended.
Sesshomaru looked back, his brow raised at his youngest brother's misstep. Inuyasha blushed, avoiding his brother's eyes. However, he couldn't help but feel that the Taiyoukai was laughing at him. He didn't get a chance to contemplate this odd behaviour, though, because seconds later an arrow made a resounding thunk as it became lodged into the branch he was currently standing on.
Inuyasha's eyes widened as his memories flashed back. Absently, he heard Kagome screaming his name before he was ripped from the branch and his thoughts.
“Baka,” Haru growled.
The hanyou shook himself out of his stupor. The older inuyoukai was dragging him ahead, away from the flying arrows that were coming at them with more frequency now.
“Inuyasha,” Kagome screamed, looking for some confirmation that he was okay.
Sesshomaru looked at the attackers with disgust. He had halted high in the canopy so he could assess the situation. His arm was locked tightly around the struggling miko, preventing her from going to the hanyou as she wished.
“Haru, Inuyasha,” the elder brother called out. “Take everyone ahead to the palace, I will handle these men.”
“Hell no! There ain't any way I'm allowing you all the glory,” Inuyasha protested.
“Don't be a fool. Someone needs to protect the humans and it would be better if both you and Haru went.”
Haru pulled on the sleeve of Inuyasha's haori. “Don't argue. Let's go.”
The middle brother jumped over and took Shippo before heading westward again. Kirara followed with her passengers, all silent. Inuyasha, still reluctant, jumped over to a branch within reach of the the floating couple.
The teenager looked up at Sesshomaru. Her eyes were filled with worry, as was her nature, and she chewed on her bottom lip. Sesshomaru pulled her hand from his clothing. “Go with him, I'll be with you shortly.”
He leaned down and ghosted his lips over hers. Her lip slipped from underneath her own teeth to try and respond to the touch, but too soon it was gone, and she was being manipulated so that she was clinging tightly to Inuyasha back.
“Be careful,” she called out as the hanyou took off towards the West.
“He'll be fine,” Inuyasha said. “He ain't a taiyoukai for nothing.”
“Careful,” she said quietly into his shoulder. “You almost sound like you care.”
“Keh. I never said I didn't,” he responded.
Kagome giggled. She thanked him for trying to cheer her up.
“You really like him, don't you?”
“I...” she began. “I don't know.”
Inuyasha nodded, keeping silent. Something in her voice made his heart clench painfully. “You can, you know. Like him, that is. You don't have to feel.../obligated/ to anyone,” he said, pausing awkwardly at the end.
“Inuyasha--”
He shook his head. She ignored him and continued to speak. “Do you really think so low of me?”
“I just want you to be happy. If he'll make you happy--”
“You don't have the right, Dog Boy, to say what or who makes me happy. The only one who can determine that is me and let me make it perfectly clear, there isn't just one person who can make me happy.”
“But--”
“No,” she said, reaching up and pinching his left ear. “No buts. You.../everyone/ is very dear to me. I don't know what I'd do without you.”
“You won't have to ever worry about that,” he mumbled.
“What?”
“I talked to Sesshomaru,” he said, slightly louder. “He asked me to look after you if he couldn't.”
“Well that's a silly thing to ask, you do that anyway.”
Inuyasha skewed his face and turned his head so he could look back at the miko riding piggyback behind him. “I guess you wouldn't understand what's going on, but you're switching packs, or maybe just alphas.”
“W-what do you mean--?”
“Inuyasha watch out!”
The hanyou's head turned back around. He cursed as he saw the arrow heading towards him and for not noticing the people that were coming out of hiding around them. Sango, the person who had screamed, was fighting them off with the others who had left earlier.
Dodging the arrow that was coming towards him, he jumped to the side. Kagome's grip had been off since she had pinched the hanyou's ear and she slipped from his back at the sudden movement. Inuyasha watched, horrified, as the arrow struck into her flesh below her left shoulder. She screamed, both from pain and from her plummet towards the forest floor below. “Kagome,” Inuyasha yelled.
He flipped so his feet met the tree trunk he was heading towards. Pushing off he tried to make it to Kagome before she fell to the reach of the enemies that were now flooding the area.
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So who hates me? Yeah. I hate myself too. Sorry for the delay. Things have been absolutely crazy as of late; grad school is kicking my butt, though I'm doing extremely well at the moment (knock on wood.)
Warning reminder: I will be updating all old chapters with beta-ed ones over the next week.
Thanks to everyone for reading and supporting my work. Reviews are love!
Author: scottishfae
Rating: R
Pairing: Sesshomaru x Kagome
Word Count/Page Count: 4907 Words // 12 Pages
Summary: The shard hunting group is rocked by an unexpected request from Sesshomaru and forced to endure the deal when, by mistake, Kagome agrees to his offer. Now the group must not only deal with the end of their quest but a moody Kagome, an irritated Taiyoukai, and a very jealous half-demon.
A/Ns: Unexpected Endeavors was 3rd place for Original Character (Haru) in the Inuyasha Fanguild. This is the first IY award I've ever won. I want to thank everyone for supporting me and this fic. I can't express my gratitude enough. You people are love!
Warning: My old chapters have been beta-ed and those will be uploaded within the next week. Sorry for the inconvenience, but hopefully this will up the quality of my work. Thanks!
Thanks go to /yuki-hime/, who—even with boggled down with RL issues—took the time to help me out and beta my chapters.
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Chapter Sixteen: Unexpected Falls
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Sango had been surprised when she had walked into her shared tent and found her friend passed out. At first, she had panicked, not knowing what had happened; but she soon calmed at remembering Inuyasha's words. The process Kagome had agreed to undergo would be painful: the more power she held, the more pain she would feel. While Sango couldn't say she was happy with this arrangement, she at least held hope that in her unconscious state, the miko was painless.
She smelled though; quite noxiously actually. The fumes were overbearing for the Taijiya as she stood at the front of the large tent. Kirara had chosen to stay outside, for obviously reasons. “You're Cho?” Sango asked the unfamiliar woman.
Said youkai nodded. “And you're the Taijiya. Your fame proceeds you. My family had more than one run in with your clan through the generations and not always in bad experience. I was sad to learn of their passing from Naraku's trickery. They deserved better than that.”
Sango gave a polite smile, not trusting her voice. Tears were welling up at the mention of her family and she desperately tried to hold them back.
“No one here will think any less of you for mourning, at least no one in this tent. Especially since you are a revered friend of Kagome-san.”
The Taijiya looked oddly at Cho. “Has she so quickly earned your respect too?”
“As a servant of my Lord, my respect for her has always been.”
“And as an individual?”
Cho smiled. She was still bathing Kagome in the second mixture, though parts of it were turning into a glutenous solid. “It is not everyday that a miko, a taijiya, a monk, a hanyou, and two youkai travel together in harmony--”
Sango snorted, knowing that this 'harmony' was mostly fictional.
“Add to that three more youkai, all of whom are from the aristocracy, then one is forced to acknowledge some sort of respect.”
The other woman walked over to the futon where Kagome was lying, and Cho was sitting beside. She too sat beside her friend, and nearly gagged from the smell. The youkai woman took pity on her and handed her a small vile of a transparent cream. “Put this under your nose, it will help drown out the smell.”
The Taijiya greedily took the concoction and smeared it above her lip. She sighed as the smell of fresh herbs wafted to her senses. It was a strong mixture, enough so that she could taste the herbs on her tongue; but anything was better than the vile smell permeating the tent.
“So the other taiyoukai know of Kagome and Sesshomaru's plan? And they don't object?”
“No, they most certainly do. Sesshomaru-sama's own mother is the most adamant against the joining and is trying to garner support for her side with the ladies of the aristocracy.”
Concern and worry washed over Sango's face. “To influence those who rule, one must first influence their wives.”
“Yes,” Cho replied. “And the Lady of the Western Lands has always been good at the manipulation of her peers.”
Looking down at her friend, Sango bit her lip at the silent threat this meant, both for Kagome and for any child she may conceive. And after tonight, and the pain she was willingly going through, there was no doubt that Kagome would be going through with the “deal.”
“My Lord is very wise and, likewise, strong. He's an inuyoukai, and with all those things combined, it will be a feat of the gods to hurt Kagome-san. She will be safe.”
The other woman nodded but still held to her doubts. Kagome was the closest thing to family she had, at the moment. With the fate of her brother uncertain, she relied heavily on their little group to fill the void that was left inside her after the death of her clan. She wanted nothing to happen to them, even Miroku—the lech.
“Sometimes the harder we try to hold onto something and protect it, the more likely it is to get hurt,” Cho said.
Sango's brows furrowed, not understanding. The youkai noticed and expounded.
“You can't protect everyone from everything. Life is painful and from that pain we grow. The hardships of life are just proof that we are alive and that should be celebrated. Kagome-san seems to be very wise beyond her years; she sees with eyes unclouded by prejudice and she accepts that some bad things are going to happen.”
“I apologize, Cho, if I sound rude; but you really don't know Kagome-chan very well. She wants it so everyone can live happily at the end of the day without any hardships or sadness or death.”
The youkai smiled. “I never said that acceptance meant that you had to be passive, nor do I condemn working hard to overcome hardships. This is what Kagome-san seems to do. She accepts that she can't shield people from everything, even though she would much rather see harm come to her own self than to her friends. Instead, she embraces life and the paths that Fate have woven for her; and certainly Those of Fate have chosen an important journey for her.”
Sango stayed quiet, thinking over what the other woman had said. Kagome shifted, though she remained unconscious. “How long will she be like this? And how much longer do you have to bathe in her in that stuff?”
“How far from dawn are we?”
“Four hours.”
Cho seemed to regress into her own mind as she did some calculations. “Given the time my Lord wishes to leave, we shall wake Kagome-san in two hours. Her strength will have left her with this, so she'll need to try and eat something first. Then we'll take her down to the river and allow her to wash. If I may ask you to help her with that task, I can finish off the ceremony in the meantime.”
“Will you be coming with us to the palace?”
“No,” she said with a shake of her head. “I have long since lost the favor of my Lady. To show up in such a place would be my immediate death, protection from Sesshomaru-sama or not.”
“She can just kill you and Sesshomaru couldn't do anything?”
“He could, but he would not. Until Sesshomaru-sama takes a mate, his mother will remain the Lady of the West. She rules that which a lady is to rule; and as a healer, a woman healer at that, I am under her jurisdiction. Without directly challenging his mother and risking the wrath of other Lords, he would have no rights to say anything.”
“But he's the Taiyoukai.”
“Don't try to understand it,” she said. “The youkai courts are confusing. Not even the eldest or wisest understand all that go on within.”
Sango worried her lip, wondering if she should bring up the matter that was deeply disturbing her. Eventually she decided concern for her friend was too great and spoke, “does this mean if Sesshomaru's mother decided to do something to Kagome then he would have no rights to do anything to stop her?”
Cho looked up from her work. She allowed herself to glance over Sango before replying, her eyes going back down to Kagome and the mucky rag that she was dragging over her flesh. “Technically, no; he could do nothing to stop her,” she said, continuing before the Taijiya could interrupt. “However, Sesshomaru-sama is much like his father before him. There are certain.../matters/ that take precedent over jurisdiction rights. My Lady could do nothing about Izayoi-san, Inuyasha's mother, because of the claim InuTaisho-sama had over her. I believe Sesshomaru-sama will invoke the same claim for Kagome-san.”
“Is that how he keeps Rin from harm?”
“On that I have no authority to speak. I have not met the little girl; though from what I hear, she is tolerated as proof of the power Sesshomaru-sama yields.”
“In other words,” Sango supplied. “There is something else going on that Sesshomaru is guarding from the gossipers ears.”
The youkai nodded. “Very astute. I would have to agree, there is something Sesshomaru-sama is holding over my Lady's head to prevent her from attacking Rin.”
“Do you have any clue what it could be?”
“Not at all. While there is no doubt Sesshomaru's mother is intelligent and wise, she is also quite strong. Whatever it is, it must threaten her position as Lady of the Western Lands. From my experience with her, that would be the only thing that would keep her from acting as she sees fit against Rin and Kagome-san.”
The Taijiya sighed. “It’s at least comforting to know that at least Sesshomaru has something that will keep her from hurting Kagome-chan.”
“Hurting physically, yes; but mentally, no. My Lady is a very manipulative person and she will deal blows to Kagome's mind and heart as much as she can to drive her away. I have seen it happen before, and you can see the results of such abuse first hand.”
Sango blinked. “Who?”
Cho looked up again, her head cocked to the side. “Inuyasha-san, of course. Several years after his mother passed on, Sesshomaru asked him back to the palace, as a son of InuTaisho. He, still a rather young boy at the time, was able to withstand the abuse for just over a year before he decided to leave again. Inuyasha-san may be very resilient towards physical attacks, but his mind has never been the strongest, not since the death of InuTaisho; and my Lady preyed on that to her own benefit.”
“Sesshomaru asked Inuyasha to live in the palace?”
“Yes,” she said, going back to her work. “The two brothers used to be quite fond of each other. I can remember seeing Inuyasha-san mimicking everything Sesshomaru-sama did. He, and his mother, were very fond of my Lord and he in turn took care of them.”
“Really?” Sango asked in disbelief.
Cho nodded. “The colours he wears on his clothing now are in memory and respect of Izayoi-san. From my memory, she was probably one of the only people to look after Sesshomaru-sama as a person, no matter if he was youkai or not. She didn't see him as the heir to the Western Lands and a respect and unusual friendship blossomed from that.”
“Wow, the things you learn, who would have thought Sesshomaru was so different growing up than he is now.”
“He's not so different,” Cho said. “He just hides it. The youkai courts can be cruel. Those looking for power will do anything to get it, and those who are in power will do anything to take away the power of their peers. Sesshomaru-sama must be careful so that he can protect that which he needs to.”
Sango nodded. She understood that. In fact, to a degree Inuyasha did the same thing. The hanyou didn't put forward the same stoic mask, instead he covered everything with a thinly veiled layer of rage and irritation; but deep down, he was a very caring individual who wanted to protect those he cared just about as much as Kagome did.
“Actually,” Cho continued after a few moments of silence. “As I think back into my memories, Izayoi-san and Kagome-san have a lot in common and not just the obvious situations. If I didn't know better I could have thought that Kagome-san was a reincarnation of Izayoi-san herself. They certainly have the same kindness of heart and a calmness to their aura that is usually absent from most people.”
Cho stopped, dipping the rag into the bowl and wringing it out. A small, slightly sad smile crossed her face. “I remember my mother once telling me that Izayoi-san's soul was a very old one. It held compassion, love, and strength like no others, and for that reason it was recycled through the ages; probably calling out to those that had been with it from the beginning,” she paused again, chuckling a bit. “Unfortunately there is no way they could be the same. It can take hundreds of years before certain souls are reincarnated, depending on the power needed to anchor the soul to a new body. It is a nice thought, seeing as both Inuyasha-san and my Lord have been drawn to her. But maybe these olds souls call out to those in the House of Inu in general.”
Sango's eyes went wide as she listened, even when Cho faded out into more of self-contemplating tones. The inuyoukai before her had no clue that Kagome was actually from the future and the possibility that she actually was Izayoi's reincarnation was possible. Of course, there was also the fact that most people had already come to a conclusion that Kagome was the reincarnation of Kikyo.
“Cho-san,” she said.
The other woman hummed to acknowledge that she had heard. She kept to her work, however.
“Was Izayoi connected to the Shikon no Tama in any way?”
“No, not that I know of. Why?”
The Taijiya shook her head. “Oh, no reason. Just wondering.”
Cho said nothing, just continued on with her work. Sango sat starting at her unconscious friend. She desperately wanted her friend to be conscious and able to talk. There were a lot of things on her mind now and she wanted to have someone to discuss them with. The boys, of course, were no good for such things; she doubted they would even be awake (or sober) at this point.
-----
“It should be within the next two weeks that we make our move. The ceremony has taken place and soon he will bed her. Our plans will be for naught if she conceives.”
“I'm aware of that fact, but Sesshomaru travels toward the palace of the West. All we must do is wait until they arrive, and things will take care of themselves. Their joining will not be allowed. Such a disgrace will no longer fall upon the House of Inu.”
“And Inuyasha?”
“He will die, as will the other companions of whom he travels. She I have more interest in. She will be made to suffer.”
“Why her?”
“Because she is one and the same and let no one say I do not hold a grudge.”
“And the other son?”
“He is the one I worry about.”
“Oh? He has none of the strength of his kin, why should you worry over him?”
“Because his allegiances are unclear. A madness boils deep within him and threatens everything we have been working for.”
“Even so, he is nothing compared to our combined strength.”
“It isn't him I am worried over, it is who he has made his allegiances with.”
“Oh, and whom might that be?”
“Naraku.”
The hushed tones of the two conspirators quieted at the name which many of the youkai courts were beginning to fear. Their silence was palpable and tense.
“I will send out someone to take care of Haru at once. He will not make it to the palace with the rest of his party.”
“Good.”
“And what of the other girl?”
The woman laughed. “She will have wished she had stayed dead.”
“You wish to destroy everything the sons of InuTaisho care for?”
“It is my destiny to do so.”
“And what of the miko's destiny?”
“One cannot have a destiny if one is dead.”
The forest shivered at the threat that laced within the elegant voice.
“My men will go out a dawn.”
“And you?”
“Will meet you by and by...”
“...to make the palace mine.”
-----
With a kind smile and an encouraging hand, Cho had assured her that the process she had just gone through was probably much worse than actual childbirth, at least in terms of the pain threshold. However, Kagome couldn't actually tell if the youkai was just trying to be nice or not. She was certainly sore though. It felt like every muscle in her body had had a 24 hour constant aerobic workout; but other than the soreness, she didn't feel any different than she usually did. Though the looks the three inuyoukai males were sending her were getting more than just a little disturbing.
“Cho-san,” Sango whispered to the female walking on the other side of Kagome. “Is there a reason why they're staring?”
“Kagome-san's scent has changed slightly.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just that, her scent has changed.”
“And they're staring at me for that reason?” Kagome interjected.
Cho nodded but didn't bother to explain further. They were walking through a grassy field towards a thick wood. Sesshomaru had informed them as they left that there were no direct, cut paths to his palace since demons hardly needed them and humans weren't inclined on paying a visit to the Taiyoukai. It was a fact that Kagome accepted, though the long grass was whipping against her legs causing faint lacerations against creamy skin.
“Is it due to the process I went through last night?” Kagome asked.
“No. It was the soap I gave you to wash with. It is much stronger so as to cleanse off the smell of potions,” she explained, keeping her face forward. “With the added benefit of acting as a slight aphrodisiac to the senses of an inuyoukai.”
Kagome faltered in her step. She looked over to the inuyoukai ahead of her. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, walking side by side, were glancing at her only on occasion and trying to be covert about it. Haru, walking slightly behind the other two, was being more obvious, as was Haru's style. Actually, Kagome decided, he was just outright gawking.
“When will you be leaving us, Cho?” the Taiyoukai's regal voice said.
“Within the wood. I fear any closer will be my death upon my Lady's hands.”
Sesshomaru nodded. “Acceptable.”
He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a small satchel made of the same pure white to match his outfit. The weight of the coins disfigured the pouch. “For your work well done, and for assuring Kagome's safety in the process.”
He threw the pouch to her and she caught it deftly. Bowing low at her waist, she replied in turn, “thank you, my Lord. It was my pleasure to serve you.”
“What do you mean, 'assuring Kagome's safety in the process'?” Inuyasha cut in. “You told me that Kagome wasn't in any harm by going through with this stupid ass plan of yours. If you lied to me so help me I'm going to go gut you and--”
“Be quiet halfbreed, she was in so such harm. If I had thought Kagome would be in danger from the preparation and neutralization process, then I wouldn't have even approached her on the subject of bearing my heir. Put more faith in your pack members.”
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, his nostrils flaring with anger. “I have faith in my pack members,” he seethed. “It's you I'm not so sure about.”
Sesshomaru looked over at his youngest brother with disinterest clearing defined on his regal features. “And what have I done thus far to give you reason for this distrust.”
“Where should I begin?”
“Really, you two,” Kagome chided. “Could you both give it a rest?”
Both inuyoukai looked over to see the miko standing with both hands on her hips and an annoyed expression on her face. Inuyasha swallowed, afraid of what might come, especially of a rather terrifying three letter word.
Cho looked on most interested in the way the brothers behaved around each other and around Kagome. It had been far too long since the two sons of InuTaisho were together as such. Fond memories of happier times brought a smile to her face. Looking over to Kagome, she once again couldn't help but note the similarities between the young woman and the former second wife of InuTaisho.
Miroku and Sango giggled lightly at the scene. While the fighting annoyed the Taijiya too, she couldn't help but be amused at how interconnected the Inu-brothers and Kagome had become.
“We need to continue on,” Haru stated.
He was standing apart from the group, looking off to their left where the landscape dropped down to a lower plain.
“Haru?” Kagome asked.
He shook his head, sending a look over to Sesshomaru who was also on high alert. “We should move faster,” the Taiyoukai declared. “We've wasted enough time here.”
“Sesshomaru?” Kagome again inquired.
The miko was being very astute to the unease running through the youkai. Sesshomaru walked over to her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her against his form. “Kit, come with us,” he said, waiting for Shippo to hug Kagome's leg before calling his youki around his feet. “Cho, I bid you farewell until I next need you.”
The female youkai bowed, her brow risen in a silent question: why did he expect to see her again so soon?
“As for the rest of you,” he said. “I would hurry and follow me.”
Kirara changed into her larger form without any prompting. The humans looked at each other curiously but did as Sesshomaru said. Inuyasha and Haru stood waiting for Kirara to take off before following too.
“I'm surprised,” Haru mumbled.
“At?” the hanyou next to him asked.
They were running at top speed, the wind whipping by their ears. They had already reached the forest in which the group had been heading towards.
“What?” Haru said, shaking himself from his thoughts. “Oh, nothing. Just thinking aloud. You wouldn't happen to know who is after us, would you?”
“Why would you think I would know?”
“Well Inu, you do have quite the gruff personality. I wouldn't be surprised if you had many people with grudges against you.”
“Me?” Inuyasha yelled. “What about you, asshole? You've probably slept with at least one person from every noble family, human and demon alike.”
“You're exaggerating now.”
Inuyasha snorted. “You've probably slept with more people than I've even met.”
Haru rolled his eyes. “Well if you're going to be rude, then I'm going to take the high road.”
The hanyou watched confusedly as Haru jumped higher in the canopy of the forest. He let him go without following. He looked back over his shoulder, a chill going up his spine. Whoever had been stalking them was not happy they were running off. Inuyasha sped up as well, keeping his eyes on Kagome as he leaped from branch to branch.
He still wasn't happy about all that was going on. Kagome was his pack member and it was his duty to take care of her. Guilt and jealously mixed in his mind. Deep within him, he felt that he should have been trying harder to convince Kagome against accepting Sesshomaru's proposal, especially after Koga called off his claim on her. Something in the back of his mind acknowledged that anything he said or did wouldn't have worked anyway. And within his heart, which clenched painfully at looking at how she clung to the older inuyoukai, there was some odd feeling of calm. The different emotions whirling around the hanyou's self were distracting and he almost missed the branch he was intended.
Sesshomaru looked back, his brow raised at his youngest brother's misstep. Inuyasha blushed, avoiding his brother's eyes. However, he couldn't help but feel that the Taiyoukai was laughing at him. He didn't get a chance to contemplate this odd behaviour, though, because seconds later an arrow made a resounding thunk as it became lodged into the branch he was currently standing on.
Inuyasha's eyes widened as his memories flashed back. Absently, he heard Kagome screaming his name before he was ripped from the branch and his thoughts.
“Baka,” Haru growled.
The hanyou shook himself out of his stupor. The older inuyoukai was dragging him ahead, away from the flying arrows that were coming at them with more frequency now.
“Inuyasha,” Kagome screamed, looking for some confirmation that he was okay.
Sesshomaru looked at the attackers with disgust. He had halted high in the canopy so he could assess the situation. His arm was locked tightly around the struggling miko, preventing her from going to the hanyou as she wished.
“Haru, Inuyasha,” the elder brother called out. “Take everyone ahead to the palace, I will handle these men.”
“Hell no! There ain't any way I'm allowing you all the glory,” Inuyasha protested.
“Don't be a fool. Someone needs to protect the humans and it would be better if both you and Haru went.”
Haru pulled on the sleeve of Inuyasha's haori. “Don't argue. Let's go.”
The middle brother jumped over and took Shippo before heading westward again. Kirara followed with her passengers, all silent. Inuyasha, still reluctant, jumped over to a branch within reach of the the floating couple.
The teenager looked up at Sesshomaru. Her eyes were filled with worry, as was her nature, and she chewed on her bottom lip. Sesshomaru pulled her hand from his clothing. “Go with him, I'll be with you shortly.”
He leaned down and ghosted his lips over hers. Her lip slipped from underneath her own teeth to try and respond to the touch, but too soon it was gone, and she was being manipulated so that she was clinging tightly to Inuyasha back.
“Be careful,” she called out as the hanyou took off towards the West.
“He'll be fine,” Inuyasha said. “He ain't a taiyoukai for nothing.”
“Careful,” she said quietly into his shoulder. “You almost sound like you care.”
“Keh. I never said I didn't,” he responded.
Kagome giggled. She thanked him for trying to cheer her up.
“You really like him, don't you?”
“I...” she began. “I don't know.”
Inuyasha nodded, keeping silent. Something in her voice made his heart clench painfully. “You can, you know. Like him, that is. You don't have to feel.../obligated/ to anyone,” he said, pausing awkwardly at the end.
“Inuyasha--”
He shook his head. She ignored him and continued to speak. “Do you really think so low of me?”
“I just want you to be happy. If he'll make you happy--”
“You don't have the right, Dog Boy, to say what or who makes me happy. The only one who can determine that is me and let me make it perfectly clear, there isn't just one person who can make me happy.”
“But--”
“No,” she said, reaching up and pinching his left ear. “No buts. You.../everyone/ is very dear to me. I don't know what I'd do without you.”
“You won't have to ever worry about that,” he mumbled.
“What?”
“I talked to Sesshomaru,” he said, slightly louder. “He asked me to look after you if he couldn't.”
“Well that's a silly thing to ask, you do that anyway.”
Inuyasha skewed his face and turned his head so he could look back at the miko riding piggyback behind him. “I guess you wouldn't understand what's going on, but you're switching packs, or maybe just alphas.”
“W-what do you mean--?”
“Inuyasha watch out!”
The hanyou's head turned back around. He cursed as he saw the arrow heading towards him and for not noticing the people that were coming out of hiding around them. Sango, the person who had screamed, was fighting them off with the others who had left earlier.
Dodging the arrow that was coming towards him, he jumped to the side. Kagome's grip had been off since she had pinched the hanyou's ear and she slipped from his back at the sudden movement. Inuyasha watched, horrified, as the arrow struck into her flesh below her left shoulder. She screamed, both from pain and from her plummet towards the forest floor below. “Kagome,” Inuyasha yelled.
He flipped so his feet met the tree trunk he was heading towards. Pushing off he tried to make it to Kagome before she fell to the reach of the enemies that were now flooding the area.
-----
So who hates me? Yeah. I hate myself too. Sorry for the delay. Things have been absolutely crazy as of late; grad school is kicking my butt, though I'm doing extremely well at the moment (knock on wood.)
Warning reminder: I will be updating all old chapters with beta-ed ones over the next week.
Thanks to everyone for reading and supporting my work. Reviews are love!
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