InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Absolution's Pursuit ❯ A Minor Sacrifice of Blood ( Chapter 11 )
[ 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: 03.31.2010 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.9K | Visits: 365 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama / Adventure | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 03.31.2010 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.9K | Visits: 365 | Status: Work In Progress
Absolution’s Pursuit
A Minor Sacrifice of Blood
A quick note on my OC, Oshiikame: One of my lovely reviewers mentioned that the word “Oshii” translates to mean “Regrettable” and that “Kame,” means tortoise. Well, according to the online Japanese to English dictionary I have been using as a reference, the word “Oshii,” in addition to translating as “Regrettable,” can also translate as “Precious.” This is the definition I had in mind when I named her. “Precious Tortoise.” I don’t speak a word of Japanese, so this was my attempt at coming up with unique name.
_________________________________________________________________ _______
“Oshiikame.”
Surprised, Kagome looked to the demon lord before turning back to the tortoise again. He knew this creature? The daiyoukai had not been so gracious as to disclose where they were going and why, so happening upon this massive, awe inspiring youkai was a complete surprise to her.
Delicate streams of water still trailing from her face and neck, the creature leveled the weight of her gaze upon Sesshoumaru. Her dark eyes, intense and impenetrable, spoke silently of centuries upon centuries of age and wisdom, the likes of which neither of them would ever know.
“This place…” the creature finally announced, her voice deep, melodic and scarcely eroded with the centuries, “Has never been highly traveled. Therefore, I can only surmise that your presence here is not coincidental.”
With amazement, Kagome took note of the fact that the tortoise’s mouth did not move as she spoke. Was she projecting her thoughts directly into their minds somehow?
“It is not.” she heard Sesshoumaru say, and in a manner she would not have expected from someone of his apparent prominence, the inu lord bent at the waist and gave a curt but respectful bow. Shocked, Kagome managed to regain her composure after a second or two before taking his cue and executing a similar bow of her own.
Oshiikame narrowed her eyes, though the gesture was only slightly menacing. Mostly it was a look of contemplation, still focused entirely on Sesshoumaru.
“You seem familiar to me young inu.” her rich voice sounded again. “Tell me, who are you?”
“I am Lord Sesshoumaru of the western lands.” then, almost as an after thought he added, sparing a glance to the female beside him, “And this is Kagome. She is currently under my guardianship.”
As if she had not noticed her presence until now, the tortoise turned her attention to Kagome as well. “Hmm…” she murmured thoughtfully, “A miko under the guardianship of a daiyoukai… how very unusual.” She sounded faintly amused. Turning back, she studied Sesshoumaru again. The silver hair and golden eyes sparked something in her memory. Even his very youki was familiar to her, but for the moment she could not quite place it. “The western lands you say? Then you must know of DaiGin?”
Barely keeping the surprise from his face, the demon lord gave a curt nod. “He was my father.”
“Was…?” Oshiikame repeated. “So he is no longer among the living I presume.” she muttered quietly, her eyes becoming slightly distant.
Sesshoumaru did not bother confirming her summation, choosing instead to allow her conclusion to stand on its own.
For a moment, the silence stretched out between them before the tortoise seemed to reemerge from her thoughts. “Well,” she said at last, “Tell me why you are here.”
“I require a portion of your shell.” the demon lord intoned, his voice firm and free of hesitation.
For the first time, Oshiikame’s eyes widened, surprise writ clear on her face. “Oh, and I am to simply hand over something as precious to me as the very shell on my back?”
Seemingly undaunted, the daiyoukai blinked languidly before correcting, “No, I only need a single piece. If you require compensation…”
The tortoise’s musical chuckle vibrated the air, her large eyes sparkling with her apparent mirth. “Compensation? I require nothing but solitude and you have already robbed me of that!” she told him, her merriment dying out. “So tell me, why should I surrender any portion of my shell for the sake of one such as you?”
From the corner of her eyes, Kagome watched as a shallow crease spread over Sesshoumaru’s brow. He was silent for several moments which left the untrained miko with the impression that he was at a loss for what to say.
“Umm… Oshiikame-sama,” she thought to add the honorific at the last moment. Sending a nervous glance to her companion and then back to the tortoise she ventured, “I… I’m sure he has a good reason for asking. Sesshoumaru… he’s not a bad person so he wouldn’t use it for anything evil..”
“Oh?” the tortoise challenged, “And tell me young miko, do you even know why he would required such a thing? Has he even bothered to tell you?”
Startled by the question, Kagome released a light gasp, quickly trying and failing to think of how to respond to that. “Umm… well, not exact--”
“Silence Kagome!” the inu lord barked, his impatience with her interference having finally reached its end.
“Oh!” the miko gasped stepping away from him, her expression the picture of shock. Apologetic, she placed the tips of her fingers against her lips, afraid she had said something wrong.
“Young inu,” Oshiikame chimed in, interrupting their tense exchange. Their attention was instantly drawn back to her, allowing them to see that the great tortoise was lowering her head, her eyes sliding closed. “Come closer.”
Pillowed in the grass now, the tortoise rested her impressive head, its crown outmatching even Sesshoumaru in its immense height. Stepping closer, the inu paused just inches from where she lay.
“Do you see the scale at the center of my forehead?”
Sesshoumaru looked carefully, studying the cluster of large scales on the center of the tortoise’s brow. It took a moment, but he soon realized that one was a bit more prominent than those that surrounded it. Additionally, the color was of a slightly different hue. The daiyoukai moved a little closer.
“Touch it.” she commanded, her eyes still closed; posture relaxed.
Demonic energy lifting him from the ground, Sesshoumaru hovered over Oshiikame for only a moment before leaning in to place his palm against the scale. He watched, eyes widening slightly as the scale began to emit a soft green glow.
Oshiikame allowed the inu’s youki to flow in through the enchanted scale, studying every nuance of his aura to truly discover the secrets of why he had come to her.
He was very proud, she realized, even to the point of arrogance. His demeanor was cool and calculating, his actions rarely invoked by raw impulse. He possessed a willful nature, was persistent in acquiring what he wanted, yet he held a soft spot for women and children. Though extremely young compared to herself, the inu was quite jaded most of the time and tended to make himself emotionally unavailable to those around him. It was this final discovery that inspired Oshiikame to look a little deeper, and when she did the ancient tortoise found something there she truly did not expect.
Buried very deep in his psyche, beneath the layers of cool detachment, beneath the odd sense of honor, beneath the simmering guilt for some crime she did not know, was a tiny sliver of loneliness; so miniscule and so deep that even he may not have been aware of its presence. Perhaps, without even realizing it, this tiny, suppressed emotion had played a role in him taking the young miko as his charge.
Deciding to leave this discovery for later contemplation, the great tortoise also noted that the young daiyoukai was looking for something; something of great importance, yet it was intangible and illusive. She suspected that, whatever it was, he did not have the slightest idea of how to attain it.
Additionally, he was gradually losing his demonic power. At the rate he was going, the entirety of his youki would fade within the next year, maybe less. Perhaps… he was seeking a means to restore it. Did he understand that her shell could not provide a permanent solution to such a detrimental predicament?
The delicate green glow began to fade and Sesshoumaru looked on as Oshiikame slowly opened her eyes. Feeling the pinch of fatigue, the inu lord landed, returning to the side of his traveling companion as he waited to see what the ancient tortoise would say.
“I see…” she murmured quietly, her eyes refocusing on the male. For a long moment she said nothing further before her large dark eyes slid over to the miko. “I can only imagine that you have your reasons for not disclosing your… situation to your young charge. I will not do so in your stead, but I believe you understand that, as she is under your protection, she does have the right to know.”
Sesshoumaru gave a curt nod, though there seemed to be a slight downward turn to the corners of his lips. “Your assessment is duly noted.”
“Hn,” the tortoise snorted, fully comprehending the fact that he had neither agreed nor disagreed to what she had said. “If you are able to remove it, you may have a portion of my shell young inu. However, know that its benefits will be limited for you.”
“I am aware of that.” he told her, moving closer to inspect her shell.
“Choose carefully,” Oshiikame warned, “The strength of my shell is not distributed evenly. The quality of your new armor will be greatly affected by the portion you claim for yourself.”
“Armor?” Kagome echoed quietly.
The tortoise seemed to smile with only her eyes. “Of course. What else would he use the shell for?”
Kagome blushed and folded her hands behind her back, an uneasy chuckle escaping her lips. Really, he hadn’t told her a thing so she didn’t have the slightest idea what he needed the shell for.
Her tension gradually fading, the untrained miko watched as Sesshoumaru leapt onto Oshiikame’s shell.
Sharp golden eyes scanning its textured surface, the demon lord carefully studied the shell as it passed beneath his feet. The tortoise was correct. The light sound created by his footfalls, very clearly spoke of varying depths and strengths. He quickly discovered that the shell was thinnest around the edges, and that it became increasingly dense as he neared the center.
Once he had arrived at the shell’s highest point, the inu decided that the hexagon shaped section upon which he stood, held the greatest strength and density. This was the piece he wanted. It seemed however, that actually procuring it could be problematic. There did not seem to be any visible groves that would allow him to simply pry it loose, and his sword, as formidable a weapon as it was, would either destroy the tortoise and her shell completely, or would do nothing at all. His father, knowing that he possessed such an impressive weapon, had warned that he would not be able to harm the great creature, so it might be prudent to heed the general‘s words.
Kneeling, Sesshoumaru placed a palm against the shell’s surface, moving it from one side to the other as he considered how to proceed. Initially, he attempted to use his sharp claws together with minute traces of acidic poison to create a divide which would allow him to remove the selected portion. This course yielded no results as the shell remained unaffected, even when a the full potency of his poison was used.
The thoughtful expression he wore was not missed by his traveling companion. Though reluctant to interfere, Kagome wanted to help. He seemed to be having trouble, and Oshiikame, it seemed, was not inclined to offer anything in the way of advice. Thinking it over as she watched the demon lord attempt to use his sword to pry the section of shell from that which surrounded it, the miko gathered her nerve and cautiously approached.
“Oshiikame-sama?” she asked softly. “W-would it be okay if I tried to help?”
The furrowed lids of her enormous eyes lifted to half-mast, her dark, penetrating gaze falling upon the young female. Not entirely comfortable beneath the tortoise’s intense scrutiny, Kagome never the less stood tall, just barely repressing the urge to fidget. After a moment, Oshiikame’s eyes seemed to smile again and the miko was left with the impression that the great creature had been waiting for her to ask this particular question all along.
“As his charge, it is undoubtedly in your best interest to do so.” Oshiikame told her. “If he is willing to accept it, you may lend him your aid.”
Nodding, Kagome looked up to see that the demon lord now staring down at her, his expression mildly pensive.
A dubious brow lifted into his bangs and he stared at her for at least a moment before deciding that nothing could be lost by accepting her aid. For the sake of expediency, the demon lord leapt from the tortoise’s shell, and before she could register what had happened, the iron band of his right arm was secured about Kagome’s waist. The ground was suddenly no longer beneath her feet and then rapid winds whipped a combination of black and silver hair into her eyes.
A split second later, the pair landed on Oshiikame’s shell, the slightly dizzy miko quickly being released and forced to steady herself as Sesshoumaru stepped away. It had all happened so quickly that she didn’t even have the presence of mind to shoot him an indignant glare for his abrupt handling and apparent reluctance of touching her. She hadn’t asked him to pick her up! The least he could have done was let her get her balance before just moving away like that!
Bending at the knees, Kagome knelt and removed an arrow from her quiver. From the right and slightly behind her, Sesshoumaru watched as her small hand tightened on the wooden shaft, her knuckles paling with the effort. The metal tip, sharp and deadly, began to emit an unearthly pink glow, and without meaning to do so, the inu lord made a small noise in the back of his throat. The glow grew brighter and brighter, and he heard the miko’s breathing grow swift, yet it remained steady. To his surprise however, just as she was about to rear back and jam the arrowhead into the tough shell, the female paused.
“O-Oshiikame-sama? Are you… are you sure this is okay? I don’t want to hurt you.” she said, sincerity and traces of concern evident in her small voice.
Light and melodic, a faint chuckle met their ears, in spite of the fact that the tortoise did not seem to move. “Do not worry yourself child,” Oshiikame assured her, “This old body can take far more punishment than you could ever hope to dole out.”
Surprised by her blunt response, the miko, very absently wondered if she should be offended by what the great creature had just said. Giving herself a light shake, she decided that it wasn’t important to dwell on that now. She took a deep breath and again focused on summoning her powers. The arrowhead flared again, brighter this time and Kagome’s muscles coiled in preparation. She was so focused on the task at hand that she did not notice the small, retreating steps of her companion who, at the moment, was not feeling entirely comfortable with the excess of power she was currently shedding.
Gritting her teeth, Kagome brought the arrow level with her right shoulder before plunging it into the thin line where the center hexagon met with the segment to her immediate right. The collision of metal against the shell was loud, though there seemed to be no signs of the shell splitting. Infusing more power, Kagome lifted the arrow and performed another strike. This one yielded similar results and so, slightly frustrated, she lifted the arrow a third time. This time, her eyes were narrowed, her heart racing and her determination running high. She lifted the arrow high, and, aiming for the same spot she had hit twice before, she brought the arrow down. But, the force was too much and her hand slipped down the shaft. Before she could stop it, her delicate palm slid over the sharp arrowhead, her skin immediately parting and freeing large, red drops of her blood.
Hissing in pain, the miko snatched her hand away, cradling it against her body as she fell back onto her bottom. Tears saturated her dark lashes, though they did not spill down her cheeks. Her blunt human teeth were bared as her sharp breathing continued.
Sesshoumaru studied her for a moment or two before his attention was drawn back to Oshiikame’s shell. He knelt, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the spot where she had performed her final strike.
“Did it… did it work?” he heard her ask, and he glanced over to see her looking expectedly at the same spot. She was still cradling her hand and he could smell her blood as it continued to seep from the wound.
Turning back, Sesshoumaru moved the now bloodied arrow and was surprised to see what he thought was a thin fault line beneath the glossy red circles of the miko’s blood. With careful fingers, he smeared the blood away and immediately discovered that there was indeed a fissure there. Oddly, it did not appear to be the result of force, such as the miko had been attempting. The line was very clean, almost as if the seam had nothing to do with the arrow at all. It was also worthy of note that the line tapered and ended with the smear of Kagome’s blood. How… vexing.
Refocusing his attention more fully on the shell, Sesshoumaru sank his claws into the shallow groove, and with immense effort on his part, the segment eventually began to lift. Even with his still formidable strength, it was some time before the selected portion was finally pealed away. Though he did not show it outwardly, Sesshoumaru was both pleased with his accomplishment and also slightly winded. The shell clasped in his right hand, he folded his left arm over the bend of his left leg, closed his eyes, and took a moment to regain his breath.
When he opened them again, he focused on the dark, empty space left behind by the segment’s absence. To his surprise, the space did not remain empty for long as a faint green glow precceeded the regeneration of the very same piece. A slight crease in his brow, Sesshoumaru ran his free hand over the new shell, realizing right away that this new shell was not quite as strong as the one he held.
His mission accomplished, the inu lord stood, recalling at the last moment to collect the miko. She was standing now, a small smile on her lips and a sense of accomplishment in her eyes. No words were exchanged and he again wrapped his left arm around her before leaping to the ground. Hissing again as they landed, Kagome tightened her grip on her injured hand. Letting her go to stand on her own, the daiyoukai now focused on the thin rivulets of blood that spilled down the edge of her palm.
“Let me see.” he said, and Kagome looked up at him, surprise writ clear on her face.
She hesitated for only a moment before extending a bloody palm to him. “I don’t think it’s very deep.” she told him, though in reality, she had no way of knowing. She had been too afraid to look at it herself.
Sliding back into the water now, Oshiikame’s voice reached them again. “Miko, you may feel free to cleanse your injury in my lake. The water holds minor healing properties and should stem much of the bleeding.”
Nodding, Kagome turned toward the lake and noticed that now only Oshiikame’s head, and the uppermost portion of her shell was visible above the water. She went to the edge of the pool, dipping her hand in the cool water and watched as the blood was washed away. She used her remaining hand to remove the rest and was relieved that the pain was not as severe. When she stood, she noticed that the cut appeared more shallow than it felt. The wound was not healed entirely and her delicate probing caused the bleeding to start up again. Sighing, she was about to dip her hand in the lake again when she noticed a clawed hand extended in her direction.
“Wha--?”
“Your hair tie.” the demon lord said and she wondered why he looked somewhat agitated.
Confused, she frowned at him and repeated, “My hair tie?”
“Yes, give it to me.”
Still not understanding his request, Kagome nevertheless pulled the white tie from her hair. She immediately handed it over and watched as Sesshoumaru placed the shell on the ground at his feet before accepting it. She was surprised when he, very carefully covered her wound, wrapping the cloth several times before finally tying it off.
Blinking up at him even as he turned away to retrieve his shell, the miko was momentarily speechless. Even though his movements had been quick, clinical, and done with the least amount of skin on skin contact, she was thoroughly surprised that he had taken the time to bandage her wound.
“Th-thank you Sesshoumaru. You… didn’t have to do that.”
“Do not mention it.” he replied brusquely. “Now let us get going.”
“R-right. Umm…” she turned back, seeing the smiling eyes of Oshiikame as they sank beneath the waves. “Thank you, Oshiikame-sama.”
The tortoise did not answer, merely closed her eyes and sank beneath the waves. Kagome smiled at the spot where she had been before turning and breaking into a light jog to catch up to Sesshoumaru’s retreating form.
_________________________________________________________________ _______
I don’t know about you guys, but for some reason I really like this story! Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and please review!
A Minor Sacrifice of Blood
A quick note on my OC, Oshiikame: One of my lovely reviewers mentioned that the word “Oshii” translates to mean “Regrettable” and that “Kame,” means tortoise. Well, according to the online Japanese to English dictionary I have been using as a reference, the word “Oshii,” in addition to translating as “Regrettable,” can also translate as “Precious.” This is the definition I had in mind when I named her. “Precious Tortoise.” I don’t speak a word of Japanese, so this was my attempt at coming up with unique name.
_________________________________________________________________ _______
“Oshiikame.”
Surprised, Kagome looked to the demon lord before turning back to the tortoise again. He knew this creature? The daiyoukai had not been so gracious as to disclose where they were going and why, so happening upon this massive, awe inspiring youkai was a complete surprise to her.
Delicate streams of water still trailing from her face and neck, the creature leveled the weight of her gaze upon Sesshoumaru. Her dark eyes, intense and impenetrable, spoke silently of centuries upon centuries of age and wisdom, the likes of which neither of them would ever know.
“This place…” the creature finally announced, her voice deep, melodic and scarcely eroded with the centuries, “Has never been highly traveled. Therefore, I can only surmise that your presence here is not coincidental.”
With amazement, Kagome took note of the fact that the tortoise’s mouth did not move as she spoke. Was she projecting her thoughts directly into their minds somehow?
“It is not.” she heard Sesshoumaru say, and in a manner she would not have expected from someone of his apparent prominence, the inu lord bent at the waist and gave a curt but respectful bow. Shocked, Kagome managed to regain her composure after a second or two before taking his cue and executing a similar bow of her own.
Oshiikame narrowed her eyes, though the gesture was only slightly menacing. Mostly it was a look of contemplation, still focused entirely on Sesshoumaru.
“You seem familiar to me young inu.” her rich voice sounded again. “Tell me, who are you?”
“I am Lord Sesshoumaru of the western lands.” then, almost as an after thought he added, sparing a glance to the female beside him, “And this is Kagome. She is currently under my guardianship.”
As if she had not noticed her presence until now, the tortoise turned her attention to Kagome as well. “Hmm…” she murmured thoughtfully, “A miko under the guardianship of a daiyoukai… how very unusual.” She sounded faintly amused. Turning back, she studied Sesshoumaru again. The silver hair and golden eyes sparked something in her memory. Even his very youki was familiar to her, but for the moment she could not quite place it. “The western lands you say? Then you must know of DaiGin?”
Barely keeping the surprise from his face, the demon lord gave a curt nod. “He was my father.”
“Was…?” Oshiikame repeated. “So he is no longer among the living I presume.” she muttered quietly, her eyes becoming slightly distant.
Sesshoumaru did not bother confirming her summation, choosing instead to allow her conclusion to stand on its own.
For a moment, the silence stretched out between them before the tortoise seemed to reemerge from her thoughts. “Well,” she said at last, “Tell me why you are here.”
“I require a portion of your shell.” the demon lord intoned, his voice firm and free of hesitation.
For the first time, Oshiikame’s eyes widened, surprise writ clear on her face. “Oh, and I am to simply hand over something as precious to me as the very shell on my back?”
Seemingly undaunted, the daiyoukai blinked languidly before correcting, “No, I only need a single piece. If you require compensation…”
The tortoise’s musical chuckle vibrated the air, her large eyes sparkling with her apparent mirth. “Compensation? I require nothing but solitude and you have already robbed me of that!” she told him, her merriment dying out. “So tell me, why should I surrender any portion of my shell for the sake of one such as you?”
From the corner of her eyes, Kagome watched as a shallow crease spread over Sesshoumaru’s brow. He was silent for several moments which left the untrained miko with the impression that he was at a loss for what to say.
“Umm… Oshiikame-sama,” she thought to add the honorific at the last moment. Sending a nervous glance to her companion and then back to the tortoise she ventured, “I… I’m sure he has a good reason for asking. Sesshoumaru… he’s not a bad person so he wouldn’t use it for anything evil..”
“Oh?” the tortoise challenged, “And tell me young miko, do you even know why he would required such a thing? Has he even bothered to tell you?”
Startled by the question, Kagome released a light gasp, quickly trying and failing to think of how to respond to that. “Umm… well, not exact--”
“Silence Kagome!” the inu lord barked, his impatience with her interference having finally reached its end.
“Oh!” the miko gasped stepping away from him, her expression the picture of shock. Apologetic, she placed the tips of her fingers against her lips, afraid she had said something wrong.
“Young inu,” Oshiikame chimed in, interrupting their tense exchange. Their attention was instantly drawn back to her, allowing them to see that the great tortoise was lowering her head, her eyes sliding closed. “Come closer.”
Pillowed in the grass now, the tortoise rested her impressive head, its crown outmatching even Sesshoumaru in its immense height. Stepping closer, the inu paused just inches from where she lay.
“Do you see the scale at the center of my forehead?”
Sesshoumaru looked carefully, studying the cluster of large scales on the center of the tortoise’s brow. It took a moment, but he soon realized that one was a bit more prominent than those that surrounded it. Additionally, the color was of a slightly different hue. The daiyoukai moved a little closer.
“Touch it.” she commanded, her eyes still closed; posture relaxed.
Demonic energy lifting him from the ground, Sesshoumaru hovered over Oshiikame for only a moment before leaning in to place his palm against the scale. He watched, eyes widening slightly as the scale began to emit a soft green glow.
Oshiikame allowed the inu’s youki to flow in through the enchanted scale, studying every nuance of his aura to truly discover the secrets of why he had come to her.
He was very proud, she realized, even to the point of arrogance. His demeanor was cool and calculating, his actions rarely invoked by raw impulse. He possessed a willful nature, was persistent in acquiring what he wanted, yet he held a soft spot for women and children. Though extremely young compared to herself, the inu was quite jaded most of the time and tended to make himself emotionally unavailable to those around him. It was this final discovery that inspired Oshiikame to look a little deeper, and when she did the ancient tortoise found something there she truly did not expect.
Buried very deep in his psyche, beneath the layers of cool detachment, beneath the odd sense of honor, beneath the simmering guilt for some crime she did not know, was a tiny sliver of loneliness; so miniscule and so deep that even he may not have been aware of its presence. Perhaps, without even realizing it, this tiny, suppressed emotion had played a role in him taking the young miko as his charge.
Deciding to leave this discovery for later contemplation, the great tortoise also noted that the young daiyoukai was looking for something; something of great importance, yet it was intangible and illusive. She suspected that, whatever it was, he did not have the slightest idea of how to attain it.
Additionally, he was gradually losing his demonic power. At the rate he was going, the entirety of his youki would fade within the next year, maybe less. Perhaps… he was seeking a means to restore it. Did he understand that her shell could not provide a permanent solution to such a detrimental predicament?
The delicate green glow began to fade and Sesshoumaru looked on as Oshiikame slowly opened her eyes. Feeling the pinch of fatigue, the inu lord landed, returning to the side of his traveling companion as he waited to see what the ancient tortoise would say.
“I see…” she murmured quietly, her eyes refocusing on the male. For a long moment she said nothing further before her large dark eyes slid over to the miko. “I can only imagine that you have your reasons for not disclosing your… situation to your young charge. I will not do so in your stead, but I believe you understand that, as she is under your protection, she does have the right to know.”
Sesshoumaru gave a curt nod, though there seemed to be a slight downward turn to the corners of his lips. “Your assessment is duly noted.”
“Hn,” the tortoise snorted, fully comprehending the fact that he had neither agreed nor disagreed to what she had said. “If you are able to remove it, you may have a portion of my shell young inu. However, know that its benefits will be limited for you.”
“I am aware of that.” he told her, moving closer to inspect her shell.
“Choose carefully,” Oshiikame warned, “The strength of my shell is not distributed evenly. The quality of your new armor will be greatly affected by the portion you claim for yourself.”
“Armor?” Kagome echoed quietly.
The tortoise seemed to smile with only her eyes. “Of course. What else would he use the shell for?”
Kagome blushed and folded her hands behind her back, an uneasy chuckle escaping her lips. Really, he hadn’t told her a thing so she didn’t have the slightest idea what he needed the shell for.
Her tension gradually fading, the untrained miko watched as Sesshoumaru leapt onto Oshiikame’s shell.
Sharp golden eyes scanning its textured surface, the demon lord carefully studied the shell as it passed beneath his feet. The tortoise was correct. The light sound created by his footfalls, very clearly spoke of varying depths and strengths. He quickly discovered that the shell was thinnest around the edges, and that it became increasingly dense as he neared the center.
Once he had arrived at the shell’s highest point, the inu decided that the hexagon shaped section upon which he stood, held the greatest strength and density. This was the piece he wanted. It seemed however, that actually procuring it could be problematic. There did not seem to be any visible groves that would allow him to simply pry it loose, and his sword, as formidable a weapon as it was, would either destroy the tortoise and her shell completely, or would do nothing at all. His father, knowing that he possessed such an impressive weapon, had warned that he would not be able to harm the great creature, so it might be prudent to heed the general‘s words.
Kneeling, Sesshoumaru placed a palm against the shell’s surface, moving it from one side to the other as he considered how to proceed. Initially, he attempted to use his sharp claws together with minute traces of acidic poison to create a divide which would allow him to remove the selected portion. This course yielded no results as the shell remained unaffected, even when a the full potency of his poison was used.
The thoughtful expression he wore was not missed by his traveling companion. Though reluctant to interfere, Kagome wanted to help. He seemed to be having trouble, and Oshiikame, it seemed, was not inclined to offer anything in the way of advice. Thinking it over as she watched the demon lord attempt to use his sword to pry the section of shell from that which surrounded it, the miko gathered her nerve and cautiously approached.
“Oshiikame-sama?” she asked softly. “W-would it be okay if I tried to help?”
The furrowed lids of her enormous eyes lifted to half-mast, her dark, penetrating gaze falling upon the young female. Not entirely comfortable beneath the tortoise’s intense scrutiny, Kagome never the less stood tall, just barely repressing the urge to fidget. After a moment, Oshiikame’s eyes seemed to smile again and the miko was left with the impression that the great creature had been waiting for her to ask this particular question all along.
“As his charge, it is undoubtedly in your best interest to do so.” Oshiikame told her. “If he is willing to accept it, you may lend him your aid.”
Nodding, Kagome looked up to see that the demon lord now staring down at her, his expression mildly pensive.
A dubious brow lifted into his bangs and he stared at her for at least a moment before deciding that nothing could be lost by accepting her aid. For the sake of expediency, the demon lord leapt from the tortoise’s shell, and before she could register what had happened, the iron band of his right arm was secured about Kagome’s waist. The ground was suddenly no longer beneath her feet and then rapid winds whipped a combination of black and silver hair into her eyes.
A split second later, the pair landed on Oshiikame’s shell, the slightly dizzy miko quickly being released and forced to steady herself as Sesshoumaru stepped away. It had all happened so quickly that she didn’t even have the presence of mind to shoot him an indignant glare for his abrupt handling and apparent reluctance of touching her. She hadn’t asked him to pick her up! The least he could have done was let her get her balance before just moving away like that!
Bending at the knees, Kagome knelt and removed an arrow from her quiver. From the right and slightly behind her, Sesshoumaru watched as her small hand tightened on the wooden shaft, her knuckles paling with the effort. The metal tip, sharp and deadly, began to emit an unearthly pink glow, and without meaning to do so, the inu lord made a small noise in the back of his throat. The glow grew brighter and brighter, and he heard the miko’s breathing grow swift, yet it remained steady. To his surprise however, just as she was about to rear back and jam the arrowhead into the tough shell, the female paused.
“O-Oshiikame-sama? Are you… are you sure this is okay? I don’t want to hurt you.” she said, sincerity and traces of concern evident in her small voice.
Light and melodic, a faint chuckle met their ears, in spite of the fact that the tortoise did not seem to move. “Do not worry yourself child,” Oshiikame assured her, “This old body can take far more punishment than you could ever hope to dole out.”
Surprised by her blunt response, the miko, very absently wondered if she should be offended by what the great creature had just said. Giving herself a light shake, she decided that it wasn’t important to dwell on that now. She took a deep breath and again focused on summoning her powers. The arrowhead flared again, brighter this time and Kagome’s muscles coiled in preparation. She was so focused on the task at hand that she did not notice the small, retreating steps of her companion who, at the moment, was not feeling entirely comfortable with the excess of power she was currently shedding.
Gritting her teeth, Kagome brought the arrow level with her right shoulder before plunging it into the thin line where the center hexagon met with the segment to her immediate right. The collision of metal against the shell was loud, though there seemed to be no signs of the shell splitting. Infusing more power, Kagome lifted the arrow and performed another strike. This one yielded similar results and so, slightly frustrated, she lifted the arrow a third time. This time, her eyes were narrowed, her heart racing and her determination running high. She lifted the arrow high, and, aiming for the same spot she had hit twice before, she brought the arrow down. But, the force was too much and her hand slipped down the shaft. Before she could stop it, her delicate palm slid over the sharp arrowhead, her skin immediately parting and freeing large, red drops of her blood.
Hissing in pain, the miko snatched her hand away, cradling it against her body as she fell back onto her bottom. Tears saturated her dark lashes, though they did not spill down her cheeks. Her blunt human teeth were bared as her sharp breathing continued.
Sesshoumaru studied her for a moment or two before his attention was drawn back to Oshiikame’s shell. He knelt, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the spot where she had performed her final strike.
“Did it… did it work?” he heard her ask, and he glanced over to see her looking expectedly at the same spot. She was still cradling her hand and he could smell her blood as it continued to seep from the wound.
Turning back, Sesshoumaru moved the now bloodied arrow and was surprised to see what he thought was a thin fault line beneath the glossy red circles of the miko’s blood. With careful fingers, he smeared the blood away and immediately discovered that there was indeed a fissure there. Oddly, it did not appear to be the result of force, such as the miko had been attempting. The line was very clean, almost as if the seam had nothing to do with the arrow at all. It was also worthy of note that the line tapered and ended with the smear of Kagome’s blood. How… vexing.
Refocusing his attention more fully on the shell, Sesshoumaru sank his claws into the shallow groove, and with immense effort on his part, the segment eventually began to lift. Even with his still formidable strength, it was some time before the selected portion was finally pealed away. Though he did not show it outwardly, Sesshoumaru was both pleased with his accomplishment and also slightly winded. The shell clasped in his right hand, he folded his left arm over the bend of his left leg, closed his eyes, and took a moment to regain his breath.
When he opened them again, he focused on the dark, empty space left behind by the segment’s absence. To his surprise, the space did not remain empty for long as a faint green glow precceeded the regeneration of the very same piece. A slight crease in his brow, Sesshoumaru ran his free hand over the new shell, realizing right away that this new shell was not quite as strong as the one he held.
His mission accomplished, the inu lord stood, recalling at the last moment to collect the miko. She was standing now, a small smile on her lips and a sense of accomplishment in her eyes. No words were exchanged and he again wrapped his left arm around her before leaping to the ground. Hissing again as they landed, Kagome tightened her grip on her injured hand. Letting her go to stand on her own, the daiyoukai now focused on the thin rivulets of blood that spilled down the edge of her palm.
“Let me see.” he said, and Kagome looked up at him, surprise writ clear on her face.
She hesitated for only a moment before extending a bloody palm to him. “I don’t think it’s very deep.” she told him, though in reality, she had no way of knowing. She had been too afraid to look at it herself.
Sliding back into the water now, Oshiikame’s voice reached them again. “Miko, you may feel free to cleanse your injury in my lake. The water holds minor healing properties and should stem much of the bleeding.”
Nodding, Kagome turned toward the lake and noticed that now only Oshiikame’s head, and the uppermost portion of her shell was visible above the water. She went to the edge of the pool, dipping her hand in the cool water and watched as the blood was washed away. She used her remaining hand to remove the rest and was relieved that the pain was not as severe. When she stood, she noticed that the cut appeared more shallow than it felt. The wound was not healed entirely and her delicate probing caused the bleeding to start up again. Sighing, she was about to dip her hand in the lake again when she noticed a clawed hand extended in her direction.
“Wha--?”
“Your hair tie.” the demon lord said and she wondered why he looked somewhat agitated.
Confused, she frowned at him and repeated, “My hair tie?”
“Yes, give it to me.”
Still not understanding his request, Kagome nevertheless pulled the white tie from her hair. She immediately handed it over and watched as Sesshoumaru placed the shell on the ground at his feet before accepting it. She was surprised when he, very carefully covered her wound, wrapping the cloth several times before finally tying it off.
Blinking up at him even as he turned away to retrieve his shell, the miko was momentarily speechless. Even though his movements had been quick, clinical, and done with the least amount of skin on skin contact, she was thoroughly surprised that he had taken the time to bandage her wound.
“Th-thank you Sesshoumaru. You… didn’t have to do that.”
“Do not mention it.” he replied brusquely. “Now let us get going.”
“R-right. Umm…” she turned back, seeing the smiling eyes of Oshiikame as they sank beneath the waves. “Thank you, Oshiikame-sama.”
The tortoise did not answer, merely closed her eyes and sank beneath the waves. Kagome smiled at the spot where she had been before turning and breaking into a light jog to catch up to Sesshoumaru’s retreating form.
_________________________________________________________________ _______
I don’t know about you guys, but for some reason I really like this story! Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and please review!