InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Absolution's Pursuit ❯ The Great Totoise, Oshiikame ( Chapter 10 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Lady Sianna 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama / Adventure | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 03.09.2010 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.9K | Visits: 400 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama / Adventure | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 03.09.2010 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.9K | Visits: 400 | Status: Work In Progress
Absolution’s Pursuit
The Great Tortoise, Oshiikame
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The next morning, the miko found herself being shaken awake by a firm hand on her right shoulder. Moaning in protest, the female rolled away from the one who sought to rouse her, her need for rest clearly not sated, despite the fact that she had slept for several hours of the previous day and the entirety of the night.
In the serenity of her dreams, Kagome was safe, was happy… was truly at peace. She dreamed of Inuyasha. She knew she was only dreaming, but she wanted to hold on to his illusory, comforting presence for as long as possible. In her dream, the hanyou’s eyes were large and sad, his form slightly blurred about the edges. They met on the watery, faded stage of his forest, just beneath the Sacred Tree. He didn’t say a word, only smiled sadly and pulled her into his arms. Choking on a bitter-sweet sob, Kagome accepted and returned his embrace.
She could feel him, feel his solidity, but he wasn’t as warm as he should have been. Silent tears streamed from her eyes, though if they were tears of pain or joy, she could not say. Tangling her fingers in the rough, red fabric of his signature clothing, the young miko held on as if her life depended on it.
“Inuyasha…” she finally choked out, her voice soft but slightly hoarse. “I wish… I wish you could have waited for me.” the tears were streaming down her face now, and the already hazy clearing around them became even more blurred to her tired eyes. “Why did you leave me, Inuyasha? Why did you leave me?”
“I didn’t mean to.” he told her after a moment. “I… I didn’t think you were coming back. I thought you had left me.”
“NO!” she denied vehemently. “I would never leave you!” she pulled away to look at him and was further dismayed by his now nearly transparent form. “I promised, remember? I… I don’t know what happened. The well, it… it forced me…” she trailed off as he pressed as silencing finger to her lips.
“I know that now. I just… I wish things could have been different, you know.”
She fell against him again, tightening her embrace as she allowed her tears to soak into his clothing. “It’s not to late…” she said quietly.
She heard him scoff softly. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
She looked up at him again, her face stained with tears. “Take me with you.”
He smiled, but she could see the sadness there. “Don’t be stupid.” he chided gently. “I made a promise too, and I ain’t gonna break it. Not even now.”
Knowing that she would only cry if she spoke, Kagome settled for a quick nod. It was both euphoric and tormenting to be here with him like this. She knew it wasn’t real, but she wished, so desperately that it was. Closing her eyes, she again sought out the solidity of his form only to find that he was no longer there. Panic gripped her heart as she frantically searched for his familiar form.
“Inuyasha?!” she called out, her voice colored with fear and desperation. The clearing in which they had stood was growing darker now, the shadows seeping in from every corner. “Inuyasha!”
“It wasn’t meant for me to follow you through the well and it’s not meant for you to follow me now.” she heard his voice echoing through her mind. “I don’t know why things turned out the way they did, but I think there was a reason for it.”
A shuddering breath escaped her just as her eyes began to open. Her bleary gaze was met with that of Sesshoumaru, the crisp gold of his eyes jolting her more fully into consciousness. He was kneeling just in front of her, his hand and striped wrist moving away almost the instant her state of awareness was confirmed. In the early hour of dawn, thin beams of sunlight spilled into the clearing in which they’d spent the night, their translucent rays soft and faintly comforting, even though the young miko was hardly in the mood to appreciate it.
The creature before her, a male she scarcely knew, stared at her in silence. Though Kagome absently noted the small bundle clutched in his right hand, her gaze became locked with his as she vainly attempted to discern what he might be thinking. Familiar only in color, his eyes were narrow, pensive and cool. They told little to nothing of his inner musings, leaving her to feel as if she was completely alone, in spite of the fact that she obviously was not. Turning away, she pulled herself upright and ran a hand through her sleep mussed hair. Irrationally, she found herself slightly annoyed, though she was not sure if it was because he had awakened her so early or because he dared to look at her with those eyes that were so similar, yet so vastly different from the ones she knew so well.
“What is it?” she asked, discontent coloring her tone.
The demon lord seemed to take no note of the edge in her voice, opting instead to rise to his full height and turn away from her. For a moment he did not speak and Kagome simply stared at him, her level of annoyance on the rise until he pivoted slightly and tossed the soft package he had been holding at her feet.
“Collect your things.” he announced shortly. “We are leaving.”
Kagome frowned. “Why so early?” she asked, rubbing her eyes tiredly. When it became evident that he had no intention of answering her, Kagome glared at him, barely resisting the urge to wrinkle her nose in annoyance. Folding her legs beneath her, she collected her bow and arrows from where they had been neatly lying beside her. Once she had settled them in their proper position on her person, she turned her attention to the package.
“What is this?” she wanted to know, her previous exasperation placed on hold as she determined to sate her curiosity.
Sesshoumaru glanced down at her over his shoulder and Kagome could not help but notice how arrogant he looked in that moment. “Open it.” he commanded softly.
The untrained miko hesitated for only a moment before she undid one of the thin ties. The remaining strip of cloth was soon to follow and then she carefully peeled away the thin layer of silk. Folded neatly inside was a pristine white kimono and matching kosode. She was initially hit with a wave of confusion until further inspection revealed a bright red hakama and a pair of geta sandals.
“What’s this for?” she asked, placing the items back as they were and re-tying the bundle.
A single brow lifted into the shadow of his silver bangs. “You are a miko.” he stated simply. “As long as you remain in my company I will expect you to dress according to your station.”
Kagome frowned again. “But I’m not a real miko. I… I never received proper training. I took a few lessons from Kaede, but…”
“It is your innate power that makes you a priestess, not the training.”
Kagome’s expression became pensive. “No,” she disagreed, “I think both play a pretty important part.”
Sesshoumaru seemed to consider this. “Perhaps,” he conceded, “Never the less your current attire is… inappropriate for travel.” he finally managed, not quite keeping the traces of frustration from his voice.
Though he was not accustomed filtering his speech in this way, the daiyoukai also knew that he could not risk insulting the girl. She could refuse to wear the clothing, or worse she could reverse her decision to travel with him all together. He had promised to protect her and was bound by his honor to do so as long as she remained in his company. However the connection between them was extremely fragile and she was under no obligation to stay. His offer of protection could easily be rejected should she become cross with him and decide to return to her friends.
He did not like it, but for now a minor sacrifice of pride was the price he would have to pay, at least until he was able to obtain the portion of Oshiikame’s shell needed to create his new armor.
Kagome was giving him a dubious look. ‘Inappropriate for travel?’ she wondered mutely. She supposed he had a point. She had never really given much thought to it when she had trekked the lands of feudal Japan years ago in her school uniform, but thinking on it now, she could certainly recall a few occasions where more modest attire would have come in handy.
Besides, she thought, melancholy; it was probably a good idea to get used to the clothing of this time seeing as how the well refused to take her home again.
“Okay,” she finally answered, her voice small and almost timid. “But I’ll need a bath first. Do you know where…?”
“Come.” he said, cutting her off and turning on his heel.
Tired and slightly annoyed, Kagome instantly became distracted by the long, silvery flow of hair that delicately fluttered behind him when he pivoted and began to walk away. It was… stunning. She’d never really seen it up close before but now that she had, she could scarcely stop herself from staring at it. Somehow, managing to escape her mild stupor, the priestess frowned and ran a hand through her own dark tresses. Upon doing so, the thin line that marred her brow only deepened as her fingers snagged in the tangles there.
An unhappy look gracing her face, Kagome reluctantly trailed after him.
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It was perhaps an hour later when Kagome, bathed and fully clothed was using the water’s glasslike surface to check the state of her hair. Opting to forgo the side-locks Kikyou always seemed to prefer, Kagome had pulled her now tangle free tresses into a low que using one of the thin white hair ties she had previously overlooked in the package given to her by Sesshoumaru.
After their hasty departure from the clearing, the untrained miko had followed the inu lord into a nearby forest. They had traveled for less than a quarter of an hour before they made it to a small basin. Branching off from a shallow stream, the water was cool and clean, apparently serving as a water source to the neighboring village whose early morning cooking fires made its presence known, in spite of the fact that she was not close enough to see it.
Once he had led her to the water, Sesshoumaru had turned to her, advised that he would return soon and had suggested that she be prepared to depart by then. He didn’t bother telling her where he was going and because he left so abruptly, Kagome was not given the opportunity to ask. She supposed it didn’t really matter and so had given a cursory scan to her surroundings before she’d began to disrobe and submerged herself in the chilled water. She was not provided with any bathing supplies and so she had to make due with just the cool water. Previous stays in this era had accustomed her to such things as a certain hanyou was not always understanding of her need for things like soaps and shampoos.
When she was reasonably satisfied with her state of cleanliness, the miko had exited the pool and carefully donned her new clothing, trying in vain to ignore how the new, slightly stiff cloth clung to her damp skin. In the pursuit of drying her hair, she had sacrificed the thin sweater she had previously been wearing to towel dry it as best she could. It was still a little damp, but at least now it would not soak her new clothing.
Sighing, Kagome tucked a few stray strands behind her ear and stood. Her skin was not as damp now and so her clothing was not quite so clingy. The day was young but it was already growing warmer. Even her sweater, which she had placed over a large rock was nearly dry as it sat beneath the unfiltered rays of the sun.
Searching the area again, Kagome noted that there was no sign of the demon lord. Only now did she begin to wonder where he had gone and how soon he would return. Seating herself next to the stone that was currently serving as her clothing rack, the untrained miko sighed again and brushed imaginary debris from her hakama. She ran a hand over the lightly textured cloth, absently marveling at the quality stitching and material. It occurred to her, very distantly that it was pretty nice of Sesshoumaru to procure such high quality clothing for her, even though she hadn’t actually ask for it. Like the kimonos she had always seen Rin wearing, the clothing was not extravagant by any means, but it was clearly of a higher quality and craftsmanship than most people of this time were able to afford. She’d have to thank him; whenever he made it back.
As if summoned by her thoughts, the swell of powerful youki signaled the daiyoukai’s return even before she turned to face him. Its intensity caused her heart to skip a beat before she was reminded that, as odd as it seemed, Sesshoumaru was no longer her enemy. She stood, brushing a few dried leaves from her hakama before she pivoted to look up at him. He paused just a few feet from where she stood, seeming to take a moment to study her face. She watched, oddly nervous as his eyes scanned her from top to bottom and back again before he gave a nearly indistinct nod of acceptance.
From his shoulder, he casually removed a medium-sized satchel that she had not previously taken note of. Refusing to meet her gaze, he turned slightly before extending a striped hand in his own jaded manner of offering. Curious but opting to maintain her silence, Kagome took the pack, lifting the thick, suede-like flap to peer inside. She was surprised to find several pieces of fruit, including a few luscious looking peaches and two large apples. There was also a sizable sack of what appeared to be rice, a medium-sized water canteen and a carefully wrapped bundle of what she soon discovered to be dried meat, though the exact variety was unclear.
“I…” she began, slightly flabbergasted. “Thank you Sesshoumaru,” she said at last. Then looking down at her new clothing and then back to him again she added, “For everything.”
He had been gazing off into the horizon but upon hearing her words of appreciation, he allowed his golden eyes to slide away from their aimless stare into the distance to land on her faintly smiling face. “Do not mention it.” he told her before he turned fully and began to walk. Then, after what was apparently a moment of contemplation he added, “However, know that in the future you will be expected to acquire your own provisions.”
“R-right,” she muttered, slipping the bag over her shoulder and hastily falling in step behind him.
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Traveling with Sesshoumaru turned out to be as tedious an affair as the miko would have expected it to be, had she ever given it a moment’s thought. Conversation was all but non existent, a situation which allowed Kagome to dwell in her own less than pleasant thoughts.
Three additional days had passed since the day they’d set out. Three nights in which she had slept, dreamlessly beneath the stars, occasionally waking in a mild start and looking for Inuyasha. He was never there of course, and had not appeared to her subconscious mind since that first night. He was scarcely far from her thoughts though.
She missed him so much.
Sesshoumaru, though not a very good companion from what she could tell so far, did seem to understand that human beings did not possess the seemingly endless energy of youkai. He never directly addressed her state of fatigue, however he did call fairly frequent halts to their traveling, allowing her a time to rest before they would resume their journey. Even though he was the one who had invited her to travel with him, Kagome hoped that she was not slowing him down too much. He always made sure they camped near a water source in the evenings and even seemed to pass areas where wild fruits were readily available. She didn’t dare ask, but the young miko wondered if this behavior was a habit he’d picked up during the years he’d spent with Rin. She wished he’d kept the adorable young girl with him. She had always seemed extremely upbeat and pleasant. She certainly would have provided better company than the demon lord himself.
For the most part, he was never more than a few feet away from her, even when she was sleeping, but he always seemed extremely distant. He would occasionally wander off, typically during their breaks, but he never went so far away that she could not feel his youki.
Kagome, an inherently friendly person, did not really know how to feel around him. There were times when she wanted to strike up a conversation with him, just to break the silence, but she usually stopped herself at the last minute, certain he would not bother to indulge her.
Staring down at her sandaled feet as they moved through the sparse grass beneath her, the untrained miko was completely taken by surprise by the striped wrist that suddenly darted out in front of her, instantly bringing her to a halt. Her breath forced from her body, more from surprise than from the back of his arm against her belly, Kagome looked up with wide eyes, wondering what was happening. Years ago, she would have lost her temper and demanded to know why he couldn’t have thought of a better way to gain her attention, but years of traveling with an extremely protective hanyou had conditioned her to understand such behaviors.
Still as a statue, Sesshoumaru did not retrieve his arm, even when it was clear she had stopped. He stared straight ahead, his chin lifted slightly as if he was able to see something she could not.
“What is it?” Kagome whispered quietly, urgently; her hand moving to grip the bow she still carried over her shoulder.
For a long, tense moment he did not answer, simply maintained his position, the occasional blinking of his eyes the only indication that he had not turned to stone.
“Stay behind me.” he finally said, his arm falling back to his side as he began to move forward once more. Swallowing, Kagome gave a quick nod of agreement, moving to trail him as they slowly weaved their way through the trees and brush.
Her fingers still gripping her bow, the miko watched the demon intently, looking for cues in his body language to let her know when or if she should ready her weapon. She did not sense any malevolent youkai in the area, but evil demons were not the only creatures that could be considered a threat in these dangerous times.
As they broached the edge of the forest in which they’d been traveling, an enormous clearing came into view. Surrounded by lush vegetation on all sides, a sizable lake rested in its center, the water tinted a pale greenish hue. Through the peppering of trees, yellow rays of sunlight spilled in, blinding Kagome for only a moment before she moved into Sesshoumaru’s shadow. Without warning, the ground began to shake, nearly causing the untrained miko to loose her footing and go sprawling to the ground. Conveniently, the inu lord’s pelt happen to be within easy reach and without really thinking, she grabbed hold of it just in time to keep herself upright.
She steadied herself quickly, in spite of the fact that the ground still shook beneath them. And, forgetting his warning, she moved to his side, her curiosity getting the better of her as she stared at the lake. This seemed to be the source of the disturbance and she watched its rippling surface, her lips slightly parted as she waited to see what would emerge.
Slightly annoyed that she had not obeyed his command, the daiyoukai slid a quick glance to the female beside him, taking note of her white knuckles as her hand gripped her weapon.
Another earthshaking jolt captured his attention and he too refocused on the lake. The surface soon broke, a brownish-grey dome rising, allowing the cool water to spill down and over as the object continued to rise from the depths. Lifting higher and higher, the object towered over them, partially blotting out the sun even as it continued to rise. A pattern was now visible on the brown-grey surface, one that tickled the miko’s mind with distant familiarity.
“A… tortoise…” she finally realized, awe coloring the soft whisper of her words.
The creature’s rounded head, a dusty green color and spotted with darker green scales of various size and shape, gradually rose from the pool, supported by a long, thick neck.
The pair watched with interest as the water continued to fall away, spilling back down into the lake from which it had come. Moving toward the bank, the creature parked the upper portion of its enormous body in the thin grass, it’s head lowering slightly; almost as if to acknowledge their presence. Large, dark and oddly feminine, the creatures eyes slowly began to open, its ancient, gently weathered face angling to look down at them.
His lips barely seeming to move, a quiet utterance spilled from the demon lord’s lips.
“Oshiikame.”
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Dear readers, please forgive this Sianna for her gross lack of motivation as of late. If I had had any doubt that I would retire from writing upon the completion of this story and Remnants, I now know without a doubt that I will be. Because I don’t want to leave my works incomplete, I will really try to get these last two stories done, but I don’t know how often I will update. I’ll try to do so every other week.
Thanks for reading and please review!
The Great Tortoise, Oshiikame
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The next morning, the miko found herself being shaken awake by a firm hand on her right shoulder. Moaning in protest, the female rolled away from the one who sought to rouse her, her need for rest clearly not sated, despite the fact that she had slept for several hours of the previous day and the entirety of the night.
In the serenity of her dreams, Kagome was safe, was happy… was truly at peace. She dreamed of Inuyasha. She knew she was only dreaming, but she wanted to hold on to his illusory, comforting presence for as long as possible. In her dream, the hanyou’s eyes were large and sad, his form slightly blurred about the edges. They met on the watery, faded stage of his forest, just beneath the Sacred Tree. He didn’t say a word, only smiled sadly and pulled her into his arms. Choking on a bitter-sweet sob, Kagome accepted and returned his embrace.
She could feel him, feel his solidity, but he wasn’t as warm as he should have been. Silent tears streamed from her eyes, though if they were tears of pain or joy, she could not say. Tangling her fingers in the rough, red fabric of his signature clothing, the young miko held on as if her life depended on it.
“Inuyasha…” she finally choked out, her voice soft but slightly hoarse. “I wish… I wish you could have waited for me.” the tears were streaming down her face now, and the already hazy clearing around them became even more blurred to her tired eyes. “Why did you leave me, Inuyasha? Why did you leave me?”
“I didn’t mean to.” he told her after a moment. “I… I didn’t think you were coming back. I thought you had left me.”
“NO!” she denied vehemently. “I would never leave you!” she pulled away to look at him and was further dismayed by his now nearly transparent form. “I promised, remember? I… I don’t know what happened. The well, it… it forced me…” she trailed off as he pressed as silencing finger to her lips.
“I know that now. I just… I wish things could have been different, you know.”
She fell against him again, tightening her embrace as she allowed her tears to soak into his clothing. “It’s not to late…” she said quietly.
She heard him scoff softly. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
She looked up at him again, her face stained with tears. “Take me with you.”
He smiled, but she could see the sadness there. “Don’t be stupid.” he chided gently. “I made a promise too, and I ain’t gonna break it. Not even now.”
Knowing that she would only cry if she spoke, Kagome settled for a quick nod. It was both euphoric and tormenting to be here with him like this. She knew it wasn’t real, but she wished, so desperately that it was. Closing her eyes, she again sought out the solidity of his form only to find that he was no longer there. Panic gripped her heart as she frantically searched for his familiar form.
“Inuyasha?!” she called out, her voice colored with fear and desperation. The clearing in which they had stood was growing darker now, the shadows seeping in from every corner. “Inuyasha!”
“It wasn’t meant for me to follow you through the well and it’s not meant for you to follow me now.” she heard his voice echoing through her mind. “I don’t know why things turned out the way they did, but I think there was a reason for it.”
A shuddering breath escaped her just as her eyes began to open. Her bleary gaze was met with that of Sesshoumaru, the crisp gold of his eyes jolting her more fully into consciousness. He was kneeling just in front of her, his hand and striped wrist moving away almost the instant her state of awareness was confirmed. In the early hour of dawn, thin beams of sunlight spilled into the clearing in which they’d spent the night, their translucent rays soft and faintly comforting, even though the young miko was hardly in the mood to appreciate it.
The creature before her, a male she scarcely knew, stared at her in silence. Though Kagome absently noted the small bundle clutched in his right hand, her gaze became locked with his as she vainly attempted to discern what he might be thinking. Familiar only in color, his eyes were narrow, pensive and cool. They told little to nothing of his inner musings, leaving her to feel as if she was completely alone, in spite of the fact that she obviously was not. Turning away, she pulled herself upright and ran a hand through her sleep mussed hair. Irrationally, she found herself slightly annoyed, though she was not sure if it was because he had awakened her so early or because he dared to look at her with those eyes that were so similar, yet so vastly different from the ones she knew so well.
“What is it?” she asked, discontent coloring her tone.
The demon lord seemed to take no note of the edge in her voice, opting instead to rise to his full height and turn away from her. For a moment he did not speak and Kagome simply stared at him, her level of annoyance on the rise until he pivoted slightly and tossed the soft package he had been holding at her feet.
“Collect your things.” he announced shortly. “We are leaving.”
Kagome frowned. “Why so early?” she asked, rubbing her eyes tiredly. When it became evident that he had no intention of answering her, Kagome glared at him, barely resisting the urge to wrinkle her nose in annoyance. Folding her legs beneath her, she collected her bow and arrows from where they had been neatly lying beside her. Once she had settled them in their proper position on her person, she turned her attention to the package.
“What is this?” she wanted to know, her previous exasperation placed on hold as she determined to sate her curiosity.
Sesshoumaru glanced down at her over his shoulder and Kagome could not help but notice how arrogant he looked in that moment. “Open it.” he commanded softly.
The untrained miko hesitated for only a moment before she undid one of the thin ties. The remaining strip of cloth was soon to follow and then she carefully peeled away the thin layer of silk. Folded neatly inside was a pristine white kimono and matching kosode. She was initially hit with a wave of confusion until further inspection revealed a bright red hakama and a pair of geta sandals.
“What’s this for?” she asked, placing the items back as they were and re-tying the bundle.
A single brow lifted into the shadow of his silver bangs. “You are a miko.” he stated simply. “As long as you remain in my company I will expect you to dress according to your station.”
Kagome frowned again. “But I’m not a real miko. I… I never received proper training. I took a few lessons from Kaede, but…”
“It is your innate power that makes you a priestess, not the training.”
Kagome’s expression became pensive. “No,” she disagreed, “I think both play a pretty important part.”
Sesshoumaru seemed to consider this. “Perhaps,” he conceded, “Never the less your current attire is… inappropriate for travel.” he finally managed, not quite keeping the traces of frustration from his voice.
Though he was not accustomed filtering his speech in this way, the daiyoukai also knew that he could not risk insulting the girl. She could refuse to wear the clothing, or worse she could reverse her decision to travel with him all together. He had promised to protect her and was bound by his honor to do so as long as she remained in his company. However the connection between them was extremely fragile and she was under no obligation to stay. His offer of protection could easily be rejected should she become cross with him and decide to return to her friends.
He did not like it, but for now a minor sacrifice of pride was the price he would have to pay, at least until he was able to obtain the portion of Oshiikame’s shell needed to create his new armor.
Kagome was giving him a dubious look. ‘Inappropriate for travel?’ she wondered mutely. She supposed he had a point. She had never really given much thought to it when she had trekked the lands of feudal Japan years ago in her school uniform, but thinking on it now, she could certainly recall a few occasions where more modest attire would have come in handy.
Besides, she thought, melancholy; it was probably a good idea to get used to the clothing of this time seeing as how the well refused to take her home again.
“Okay,” she finally answered, her voice small and almost timid. “But I’ll need a bath first. Do you know where…?”
“Come.” he said, cutting her off and turning on his heel.
Tired and slightly annoyed, Kagome instantly became distracted by the long, silvery flow of hair that delicately fluttered behind him when he pivoted and began to walk away. It was… stunning. She’d never really seen it up close before but now that she had, she could scarcely stop herself from staring at it. Somehow, managing to escape her mild stupor, the priestess frowned and ran a hand through her own dark tresses. Upon doing so, the thin line that marred her brow only deepened as her fingers snagged in the tangles there.
An unhappy look gracing her face, Kagome reluctantly trailed after him.
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It was perhaps an hour later when Kagome, bathed and fully clothed was using the water’s glasslike surface to check the state of her hair. Opting to forgo the side-locks Kikyou always seemed to prefer, Kagome had pulled her now tangle free tresses into a low que using one of the thin white hair ties she had previously overlooked in the package given to her by Sesshoumaru.
After their hasty departure from the clearing, the untrained miko had followed the inu lord into a nearby forest. They had traveled for less than a quarter of an hour before they made it to a small basin. Branching off from a shallow stream, the water was cool and clean, apparently serving as a water source to the neighboring village whose early morning cooking fires made its presence known, in spite of the fact that she was not close enough to see it.
Once he had led her to the water, Sesshoumaru had turned to her, advised that he would return soon and had suggested that she be prepared to depart by then. He didn’t bother telling her where he was going and because he left so abruptly, Kagome was not given the opportunity to ask. She supposed it didn’t really matter and so had given a cursory scan to her surroundings before she’d began to disrobe and submerged herself in the chilled water. She was not provided with any bathing supplies and so she had to make due with just the cool water. Previous stays in this era had accustomed her to such things as a certain hanyou was not always understanding of her need for things like soaps and shampoos.
When she was reasonably satisfied with her state of cleanliness, the miko had exited the pool and carefully donned her new clothing, trying in vain to ignore how the new, slightly stiff cloth clung to her damp skin. In the pursuit of drying her hair, she had sacrificed the thin sweater she had previously been wearing to towel dry it as best she could. It was still a little damp, but at least now it would not soak her new clothing.
Sighing, Kagome tucked a few stray strands behind her ear and stood. Her skin was not as damp now and so her clothing was not quite so clingy. The day was young but it was already growing warmer. Even her sweater, which she had placed over a large rock was nearly dry as it sat beneath the unfiltered rays of the sun.
Searching the area again, Kagome noted that there was no sign of the demon lord. Only now did she begin to wonder where he had gone and how soon he would return. Seating herself next to the stone that was currently serving as her clothing rack, the untrained miko sighed again and brushed imaginary debris from her hakama. She ran a hand over the lightly textured cloth, absently marveling at the quality stitching and material. It occurred to her, very distantly that it was pretty nice of Sesshoumaru to procure such high quality clothing for her, even though she hadn’t actually ask for it. Like the kimonos she had always seen Rin wearing, the clothing was not extravagant by any means, but it was clearly of a higher quality and craftsmanship than most people of this time were able to afford. She’d have to thank him; whenever he made it back.
As if summoned by her thoughts, the swell of powerful youki signaled the daiyoukai’s return even before she turned to face him. Its intensity caused her heart to skip a beat before she was reminded that, as odd as it seemed, Sesshoumaru was no longer her enemy. She stood, brushing a few dried leaves from her hakama before she pivoted to look up at him. He paused just a few feet from where she stood, seeming to take a moment to study her face. She watched, oddly nervous as his eyes scanned her from top to bottom and back again before he gave a nearly indistinct nod of acceptance.
From his shoulder, he casually removed a medium-sized satchel that she had not previously taken note of. Refusing to meet her gaze, he turned slightly before extending a striped hand in his own jaded manner of offering. Curious but opting to maintain her silence, Kagome took the pack, lifting the thick, suede-like flap to peer inside. She was surprised to find several pieces of fruit, including a few luscious looking peaches and two large apples. There was also a sizable sack of what appeared to be rice, a medium-sized water canteen and a carefully wrapped bundle of what she soon discovered to be dried meat, though the exact variety was unclear.
“I…” she began, slightly flabbergasted. “Thank you Sesshoumaru,” she said at last. Then looking down at her new clothing and then back to him again she added, “For everything.”
He had been gazing off into the horizon but upon hearing her words of appreciation, he allowed his golden eyes to slide away from their aimless stare into the distance to land on her faintly smiling face. “Do not mention it.” he told her before he turned fully and began to walk. Then, after what was apparently a moment of contemplation he added, “However, know that in the future you will be expected to acquire your own provisions.”
“R-right,” she muttered, slipping the bag over her shoulder and hastily falling in step behind him.
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Traveling with Sesshoumaru turned out to be as tedious an affair as the miko would have expected it to be, had she ever given it a moment’s thought. Conversation was all but non existent, a situation which allowed Kagome to dwell in her own less than pleasant thoughts.
Three additional days had passed since the day they’d set out. Three nights in which she had slept, dreamlessly beneath the stars, occasionally waking in a mild start and looking for Inuyasha. He was never there of course, and had not appeared to her subconscious mind since that first night. He was scarcely far from her thoughts though.
She missed him so much.
Sesshoumaru, though not a very good companion from what she could tell so far, did seem to understand that human beings did not possess the seemingly endless energy of youkai. He never directly addressed her state of fatigue, however he did call fairly frequent halts to their traveling, allowing her a time to rest before they would resume their journey. Even though he was the one who had invited her to travel with him, Kagome hoped that she was not slowing him down too much. He always made sure they camped near a water source in the evenings and even seemed to pass areas where wild fruits were readily available. She didn’t dare ask, but the young miko wondered if this behavior was a habit he’d picked up during the years he’d spent with Rin. She wished he’d kept the adorable young girl with him. She had always seemed extremely upbeat and pleasant. She certainly would have provided better company than the demon lord himself.
For the most part, he was never more than a few feet away from her, even when she was sleeping, but he always seemed extremely distant. He would occasionally wander off, typically during their breaks, but he never went so far away that she could not feel his youki.
Kagome, an inherently friendly person, did not really know how to feel around him. There were times when she wanted to strike up a conversation with him, just to break the silence, but she usually stopped herself at the last minute, certain he would not bother to indulge her.
Staring down at her sandaled feet as they moved through the sparse grass beneath her, the untrained miko was completely taken by surprise by the striped wrist that suddenly darted out in front of her, instantly bringing her to a halt. Her breath forced from her body, more from surprise than from the back of his arm against her belly, Kagome looked up with wide eyes, wondering what was happening. Years ago, she would have lost her temper and demanded to know why he couldn’t have thought of a better way to gain her attention, but years of traveling with an extremely protective hanyou had conditioned her to understand such behaviors.
Still as a statue, Sesshoumaru did not retrieve his arm, even when it was clear she had stopped. He stared straight ahead, his chin lifted slightly as if he was able to see something she could not.
“What is it?” Kagome whispered quietly, urgently; her hand moving to grip the bow she still carried over her shoulder.
For a long, tense moment he did not answer, simply maintained his position, the occasional blinking of his eyes the only indication that he had not turned to stone.
“Stay behind me.” he finally said, his arm falling back to his side as he began to move forward once more. Swallowing, Kagome gave a quick nod of agreement, moving to trail him as they slowly weaved their way through the trees and brush.
Her fingers still gripping her bow, the miko watched the demon intently, looking for cues in his body language to let her know when or if she should ready her weapon. She did not sense any malevolent youkai in the area, but evil demons were not the only creatures that could be considered a threat in these dangerous times.
As they broached the edge of the forest in which they’d been traveling, an enormous clearing came into view. Surrounded by lush vegetation on all sides, a sizable lake rested in its center, the water tinted a pale greenish hue. Through the peppering of trees, yellow rays of sunlight spilled in, blinding Kagome for only a moment before she moved into Sesshoumaru’s shadow. Without warning, the ground began to shake, nearly causing the untrained miko to loose her footing and go sprawling to the ground. Conveniently, the inu lord’s pelt happen to be within easy reach and without really thinking, she grabbed hold of it just in time to keep herself upright.
She steadied herself quickly, in spite of the fact that the ground still shook beneath them. And, forgetting his warning, she moved to his side, her curiosity getting the better of her as she stared at the lake. This seemed to be the source of the disturbance and she watched its rippling surface, her lips slightly parted as she waited to see what would emerge.
Slightly annoyed that she had not obeyed his command, the daiyoukai slid a quick glance to the female beside him, taking note of her white knuckles as her hand gripped her weapon.
Another earthshaking jolt captured his attention and he too refocused on the lake. The surface soon broke, a brownish-grey dome rising, allowing the cool water to spill down and over as the object continued to rise from the depths. Lifting higher and higher, the object towered over them, partially blotting out the sun even as it continued to rise. A pattern was now visible on the brown-grey surface, one that tickled the miko’s mind with distant familiarity.
“A… tortoise…” she finally realized, awe coloring the soft whisper of her words.
The creature’s rounded head, a dusty green color and spotted with darker green scales of various size and shape, gradually rose from the pool, supported by a long, thick neck.
The pair watched with interest as the water continued to fall away, spilling back down into the lake from which it had come. Moving toward the bank, the creature parked the upper portion of its enormous body in the thin grass, it’s head lowering slightly; almost as if to acknowledge their presence. Large, dark and oddly feminine, the creatures eyes slowly began to open, its ancient, gently weathered face angling to look down at them.
His lips barely seeming to move, a quiet utterance spilled from the demon lord’s lips.
“Oshiikame.”
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Dear readers, please forgive this Sianna for her gross lack of motivation as of late. If I had had any doubt that I would retire from writing upon the completion of this story and Remnants, I now know without a doubt that I will be. Because I don’t want to leave my works incomplete, I will really try to get these last two stories done, but I don’t know how often I will update. I’ll try to do so every other week.
Thanks for reading and please review!