InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Angel ❯ Emotions Gone Haywire ( Chapter 61 )

Chapter Sixty-One:

Emotions Gone Haywire

Kagura watched as the green substance landed inside of the large cauldron of rabbit soup. Briefly, the boiling brew glowed a bright green, before once more returning to its rich brown coloring. Kagura could feel Vishious' smugness wash over her in ugly waves.

She felt cold inside, down to her very bones, and sick to her stomach.

Taking a breath, she hardened herself. She had to do this. For Ensei's sake.

'That is more than enough, Kagura. Do not use all of it,' Vishious cautioned her inside of her head.

Lifting the vial upright, Kagura replaced the stopper and returned the vial to the pocket inside of her kimono sleeve.

"Kagura, there you are,"

Ensei's deep voice nearly made her jump out of her skin. Kagura turned to face him, her heart pounding.

"Ensei, what are you doing here?" she asked, trying to make her voice to sound as calm as she didn't feel.

"I waited a while for you to come back, and when you didn't I figured I'd come look for you. A servant said they had seen you headed for the kitchens,"

"Right…I um, I was asked to help out here for only a moment. They needed help with the, uh…seasoning for the rabbit stew,"

Ensei smiled.

"Then I will be sure to have a large helping of rabbit stew when it is ready,"

Kagura felt her insides clench with dread, and the cold feeling inside of her increased, crawling over her skin like a million spiders underneath her flesh. Vishious' laughter echoed in her ears, and Kagura had to fight the urge not to place her hands over her ears and scream her head off.

"Come," Ensei said, holding out a hand to her, "Let us rejoin the festivities,"

Kagura hesitantly took his hand. As he led her from the kitchens, her eyes remained glued on the cauldron of rabbit stew.

Her mind remained distracted the entire night, the clenching, tightening and twisting in her gut increasing as the hours passed and the banquet approached.

She had absolutely no idea what the green substance would do to everyone and she dreaded to find out. Her hands twisted together in agitation as her mind ran rapidly over all the possible consequences of her actions.

Maybe they would all die a gruesome death at the very first spoonful. Kagura could imagine their eyes liquefying and their faces melting off.

Or maybe they'd all go to sleep tonight and never wake again.

She shook her head. Nay, that would not be something her creator would do. That was way too easy, and he would chance killing Kagome if he had done so, and he would never let that happen.

Soon, too soon to suit Kagura, it was time for the banquet.

Kagura was seated next to Ensei at one of the tables for the nobles as the first course was served. To her relief, it was not the rabbit stew. Kagura ate in tense silence, too nervous to even try and carry on a conversation with anyone at the table, not even with Ensei, though he tried several times to engage with her.

Each time he asked if she was okay, she would paste on a stiff smile and ensure she was fine.

He assumed she was nervous because she was seated at a table for nobles and her being a commoner, a servant no less, being seated at the table might ruffle the feathers of more than a few snobbish nobles seated at the table. Kagura had no inclination to correct his assumption.

Let him think that, it was better than telling him the truth or worse, lying straight to his face.

By the third course, Kagura was wound up tighter than a bow and thought she would snap in twain when the servants began serving the guests a healthy bowl of rabbit stew. Her own bowl was set before her, and Kagura paled as another was set before Ensei.

Her breath was stuck in her lungs as he picked up his spoon.

Kagura opened her mouth to stop him.

'Open your mouth and he is as good as dead,'

Kagura's mouth snapped shut as the threat whispered over her mind like the crack of a whip. Her eyes widened in horror as Ensei dipped his spoon in the stew and began to eat. Vishious' laughter once more filled her ears.

Kagura turned away, a burning in her chest as her eyes looked over the room at the guests who were eating their soup as well.

Sesshomaru and Kagome, one table over, seated next to InuTaisho and Elder Toramaru were all eating their soup, next to them Lord Yamiko and his baby sister were eating it as well, across from them, three female fox youkai were merely sipping their own soup. A few chairs down Shusui and Sinjaku were busy eating while listening to Lord Sarinji, who had not touched his stew and InuYasha, seated next to them seemed a bit too deep in thought to even touch his soup.

Kagome's friend Sango and the male next to her, Miroku if she recalled his name correctly, were eating their soup with relish as they conversed.

There were a few that did not eat their soup, but not many. Everyone that was eating seemed unable to stop. Among those that she knew, only InuYasha and Lord Sarinji did not eat their soup.

"Aren't you going to eat your soup, Kagura?" Ensei asked, "It is delicious and seasoned to perfection,"

Laughter from Vishious once more, Kagura ground her teeth. Kagura raked her brain for a valid, inconspicuous reason not to.

'Eat it,'

Kagura lifted her spoon and dipped it in the brown liquid as chunks of vegetation and rabbit flesh floated around.

After a brief hesitation, she took a sip.

The warm soup was like nothing she had ever before tasted. It was delicious, so warm, it melted in her mouth. The season was perfect, blasting her tongue in sensation, the rabbit meat was tender and easy to chew, the vegetables seemingly fresher than any she had ever consumed.

It was the green liquid. She knew it because she had to make a conscious effort not to dip her spoon once more for another taste.

"I'm not…very hungry," Kagura told him, setting her spoon down, though her mouth burned, yearned for another spoonful.

"I'll finish it for you," Ensei said, snatching her bowl.

Kagura looked up at him in surprise as he began to eat the rest of her soup with relish, his eyes flashing a bright green an instant before once more becoming their normal brown.

Kagura felt sick to her stomach.

The banquet went on without so much of an incident, though more than a few people asked for seconds on the rabbit stew, even thirds until there was nothing left of the stew. Once the banquet was over, the guests retired for the night, giving their thanks to their host and hostess before turning in.

That night, after sharing a passionate kiss with Ensei and saying goodnight, Kagura could not sleep.

Her heart pounded with worry and dread. She expected at any moment for the sip of soup she took to take affect in some obvious and horrible way.

She was finally convinced that nothing extreme was to happen when the sun rose high the next morning and she was still intact, though restless, despite her sleepless night.

Kagura got up and dressed for another day of activity and fun. Today, Kagome had a few events planned.

She was too worried to remember what they were.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kagome rinsed her mouth with a glass of water and spit it out in the chamber pot. Goodness, now was a fine time for her to begin to have morning sickness. And here she'd thought to escape it for another month. What was strange, the taste in her mouth was not bad at all. It sort of tasted like that delicious rabbit stew she had had last night.

She must have thrown it up. Too bad, that had been one of the best meals she had ever tasted in her life. She shook her head and turned back to brushing her hair, thankful she hadn't gotten any vomit on her kimono.

Sesshomaru had already dressed and left to meet with the Lord Yamiko, Lord Sarinji, Lord InuTaisho, and Elder Toramaru to speak on the events occurring within their lands.

Despite the fact that this was a festival meant for happy chatter and laughter, Kagome had to concede that it was a good a time as any for them to discuss the tragedy occurring outside the safety of the walls of the Western castle.

Standing up from her vanity, she left the room in search for Kagura and Shusui to help her start today's events. Kagome smiled in anticipation. Today, she had a scavenger hunt planned. The guests would be divided into groups of two to six and sent off to scour the gardens, forest and castles for the items on the lists they would receive. The hard part was that in order to figure out what item they needed, they'd have to solve the riddles.

For those who did not wish to participate, she would allow them free reign to entertain themselves.

Each list had different riddles, that way, no one could cheat. The first team to get all the items on their list won the grand prize, and as the teams finished, they would receive a prize.

Kagome thought it was a great idea.

She found Shusui and Kagura already ordering the guests to form their team with no more than six members and had already begun to hand out lists to those that were ready. Within moments, twenty teams were formed and ready to go.

Most of the formed teams, Kagome had no clue who the people were, but she recognized those she did.

Sango and Miroku were teamed up with two males she didn't know, but by their dress and manner, they seemed like human nobles. One was tall with a bald head; he wasn't very handsome but seemed to have kind dark brown eyes. The other was of medium height and build with shortly cropped hair and average looks.

InuYasha was in a group with Yamiko's little sister, Jolicia, a feline male youkai and a young fox youkai that Kagome had never met before. The young fox seemed to be clinging to InuYasha's arm, bringing a flush to the young male's cheeks while Jolicia glared daggers at the girl. The male feline youkai was busy looking at the map with an excited gleam in his brown eyes.

Shusui and Sinjaku were teamed up with a fox youkai that looked similar to the one tugging on InuYasha's arm and a rather mousy looking human male.

Ensei and Kagura were teamed up with yet another fox female, and Kagome herself.

Once everyone was teamed up and had their list, the teams began their search. Kagome, Ensei, Kagura and the fox female named Yuko sat on a hill a distance from the castle, and read the first riddle.

"My life can be measured in hours, I serve by being devoured. Thin, I am quick, Fat, I am slow, Wind is my foe," Kagome read aloud, her brow wrinkling in thought as she repeated the riddle over and over in her mind.

"Wind is my foe," Yuko repeated aloud, "I don't get it,"

The group was quiet for a moment, each person digesting the clues in hopes of coming up with an answer to the complicated riddle. Silence reigned for a moment before the answer came to Kagura.

"It's a candle," Kagura said.

"A candle? How do you know? It makes no sense to me,"

"A candle lasts only a few hours, it is devoured by fire, if the candle is made thin it burns faster, if it made fat there is more to burn so it burns slowly, and of course, wind is its foe because wind can extinguish its flame," Kagura explained.

"Ohhhhhh, "Yuko said with a smile, "Now I see. You're very smart Kagura, is she not, General Ensei?"

"Aye, she is that," Ensei agreed.

Kagura blushed at that, Kagome merely smiled.

"Well then, since we know what it is now, why don't we go inside to see if we can find a candle that can be spared," Kagome suggested.

"Why don't we split up?" Ensei asked instead, "You and Yuko can find the candle while Kagura and I figure out the next riddle,"

"That's a good idea," Yuko said with a cheerful smile, "Come my Lady, we will find the best candle there is. We'll be back in but a moment,"

To Yuko's way of thinking, having Ensei and Kagura alone together could only help their relationship. Before Kagome could agree or disagree, Yuko looped her arm through hers and tugged her towards the castle.

Kagura watched the two disappear inside before turning to Ensei. Before she could speak, he wrapped an arm around her waist and brought her close against his body. Kagura gasped in surprise, her eyes looking up into his own heated brown eyes.

"Do you understand the depth of my feelings for you? Do you know how much I desire you?" he asked huskily, "Why do you continue to tease me so?"

Kagura's brows wrinkled in confused surprise.

Tease him?

What the devil was he talking about? Sure she was only a few months old but she knew what he meant by teasing. She had seen many a noblewoman teasing other males, playing coy; fluttering their lashes and letting loose bubbling giggles. To Kagura the whole teasing thing seemed only to succeed in wasting time, making the female look foolish and frustrating the male.

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean. I am not, nor have I ever teased you,"

His grip tightened and his eyes fairly smoldered.

"You damn well know what I mean," he said fiercely, his eyes taking on a bright green glow "You want me as much as I want you and yet you deny me. You deny us both with your constant teasing and coyness,"

Anger, hot and burning clawed up her spine before she even realized it. How dare he accuse her of teasing and coyness!

With an angry shove, Kagura tore herself from his arms, her eyes, unknowingly flashing a bright green. She was so angry, SO damn angry and she had absolutely no idea why she was so angry, only that she was. The anger came as such a surprise that she did not even notice when it happened.

"I do not tease, and I am not coy!" she hissed at him, her face contorted in anger, "Fuck you, Ensei,"

"If you had fucked me already we would not be having this discussion would we, Kagura?" he sneered, "You're damn sure not a virgin, so why not lay back and spread your legs for me?"

The anger pumped bright and hot through her veins, blinding her, bringing a bright angry flush to her face. She opened her mouth to speak and could say nothing. The irrational anger was choking her.

Once more she found Ensei's strong arm wrapped around her waist, the hard bulge of his erection spearing her stomach.

He leaned down to her ear, nuzzling the soft skin there.

"Fuck me Kagura, you know you want to," he whispered angrily, "Stop being a teasing bitch,"

Kagura pulled back and shoved him. He reached out and grabbed her upper arm, pulling her back towards him.

Staring up at him, Kagura huffed angrily, her breathing becoming labored as anger consumed her, her chest matching the heaving of Ensei's chest. They stared at each other, anger apparent in their eyes. Irrational, exaggerated and completely uncalled for burning anger that neither knew where it came from.

"Is everything okay?"

The sound of Kagome's voice broke the tension, and both angry individuals turned to face her. She and Yuko stood a few feet away, a long, fat candle clutched in Kagome's hand.

Kagura snatched her arm away from Ensei, before turning to Kagome.

"Everything is fine," she said, "I think I've had enough fun for one day. Finish the scavenger hunt yourselves,"

"Kagura, what-"

"Mind your own goddamn business!" Kagura hissed, her anger turning to Kagome.

The anger was alive and consuming, and thoughts, angry thoughts, thoughts that she had buried deep inside her sprang forth. This was her fault. Kagome was to blame for everything! If her creator Vishious had not desired her Kagura would not be in this mess in the first goddamn place. Her crimson eyes burned on her heavy extended belly. Her and those damn pups, she blamed them all.

With an angry glare at all three individuals, Kagura stomped off.

Kagome stared back at her with surprised brown eyes, hurt and confusion shining and yet Kagura felt no twisting guilt in her pit of her stomach. She felt only anger, blessed, unnatural anger, and she couldn't say she didn't like it. She felt exhilarated, exalted, things she had never felt before in her entire life.

It never occurred to her that she was feeling the effects of the green substance she had consumed the night before. The thought had not even crossed her mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sango looked up into the tree with impatience. How long did it take to pull a damn green apple from a tree?

In the tree, Miroku climbed the somewhat sturdy branches. The apple at the top of the tree hung on a less than strong looking branch.

After figuring out the answer to the first riddle, the four of them had argued over who was to climb the tree and pluck the apple. Sango had flat out refused to go up there and had instead demanded one of the males to go. That had started up another argument between the males and so Sango had gathered three sticks and let each man pick one. Lucky Miroku had picked the shortest stick and after throwing Sango an angry glare, he had silently begun to climbing the tree.

Even though he had just started, Sango found herself unusually impatient. And the longer it took him to get up the damn tree the angrier she became with him and everyone else around her. She had no clue where the anger was coming from, nor could she seem to care.

Again she glared up into the tree at Miroku as he stumbled on a branch. She shook her head, her eyes narrowed in anger as her hands came to rest on her hips in irritation.

Some times she swore that a man was as useless as a sack of bread.

Her eyes turned to the human males standing around. They too were useless. Instead of looking at the next riddle and trying to figure what the answer was, they were too focused on Miroku up in the tree, waiting for him to fall and possibly kill himself.

Idiots.

A branch cracking and a muttered curse brought her attention back to Miroku up in the tree. Balancing himself on a ledge, he was reaching out for the apple dangling a few inches away from his fingers. Her heart began to beat as the sound of another crack filled the silence. Fear, as strong as the anger began to overtake her, clawing its way up her spine.

Good Lord what if he fell?

He could break his neck or be crippled!

Wringing her hands, Sango began to pace as fear and panic nearly choked her. Another crack had her heart was working overtime. Her breathing grew labored, her chest heaved, and her palms grew wet with sweat.

She was shaking and afraid and damned if she knew why she was so damn scared. Her mind was spinning out of control. Calmness eluded her.

Her heart slowed only when his hand wrapped around the apple, and he pulled it from the thin branch. As he began to make his way down the tree, Sango went to stand underneath it to await his descent. She glanced back only once to look at the two humans Toho and Lang. They looked a bit disappointed that Miroku was not on the forest floor riving in pain.

She didn't care. Everything was okay, Miroku was okay.

As his feet touched the ground, she could no longer hold back the overwhelming relief and happiness that came over her. Flinging her hands around his neck, she kissed him soundly on the mouth.

Pulling back, she looked into his surprised eyes. At first they shined back with desire and happiness and then suddenly clouded over to something close fury. His lips tightened as he tossed the apple to Toho, the tall bald male before he rather rudely detangled himself from her arms and took a step away. His eyes blazed green for but a moment before he spoke.

"What's this, Sango? Suddenly public displays of affection are okay between us?" he asked, sarcasm oozing from his lips, "Since when do you let others see the desire between us?"

Within an instant that burning anger was back, and her eyes blazed bright green a brief second.

"I was merely glad you made it out of the tree without killing yourself!"

"What the hell do you care, huh? Were you worried about me or were you worried that your secret sex toy would be injured?"

Lang and Toho looked at each other in surprise before turning back to the heated argument.

A red, angry blush bloomed in Sango's cheeks. Embarrassment and anger washed over her in crashing waves. How dare he say such a thing!

"Well we wouldn't have to be secret lovers if you had a more respectable reputation, you womanizing pig!"

"Oh and I guess your reputation is any better? Violent, hot tempered and too damn masculine for half the males in the castle, even the damn soldiers comment on how rough around the edges you are! Ninety percent of them think you prefer women!"

Shock rippled up her spine.

They thought she preferred women? She shook her head in denial.

"That's ridiculous!"

"Is it? You don't respond to any males attentions, and you rough around with the soldiers more than a woman should. What the hell are they supposed to think?"

"They should think about minding their own fucking business is what they should think! You know damn well I do not prefer women!"

Miroku shrugged.

"So what if I know? They don't and that's because you have some stupid idea that our relationship should be kept a secret,"

"Well it's not a secret any more!" Sango exclaimed, sending a heated glare at the two men watching them silently.

"And whose fucking fault is that? Not mine,"

"Well it certainly isn't mine!"

"The hell it's not! You're the one that jumped all over me and kissed me!"

"I was glad you didn't fall out of the damn tree and die!"

"That doesn't mean you have to kiss me! Don't blame me for your own stupid mistake," he said, "Besides, I don't give a damn if anyone knows about our relationship, you're the one that doesn't want anyone to know. This is your problem not mine,"

Sango ground her teeth as the anger consumed her, crashing over her in merciless waves. She didn't want anyone to know about their relationship simply because….because….

Good Lord, now she didn't even remember why she wanted it to be a secret!

"You're a real jerk, you know that?"

Miroku merely shrugged.

"At least I know what I want, at least I'm not the one playing games here," Miroku said.

"I am not playing any games!"

"Sure you are Sango, you fuck me every night and yet you bulk if I even kiss you on the cheek in public. Games, Sango, I'm getting damned tired of the games. Maybe it's time to find myself a real woman, eh? A feminine woman that does not play games,"

Shock overtook her anger, and pain overtook her shock. Would he really do that to her?

He couldn't! She shook her head.

"You would never do that!" she exclaimed.

"Wouldn't I? You claimed I'm nothing more than a womanizing pig, why shouldn't I live up to your view of me?"

Her eyes widened slightly at his words, and Sango reached down, trying to summon the anger from before back up to the surface. It didn't come. Instead, what came was a heavy sadness and she felt the overwhelming need to cry.

Gods, what was wrong with her? What was wrong with both of them?

As a fat tear landed on her cheek, her mind no longer cared about what was wrong with them, only that she wanted to cry.

She was no longer in control of her emotion or her mind.

She saw his eyes soften and fill with guilt at the sight of her tears.

"Sango, I-"

Not wanting to hear anything he had to say, Sango turned and fled, her tears blinding her as she ran.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sesshomaru sat slouched in a comfortable cushioned chair, the writing utensil in his hand twirling over his fingers. He watched his father underneath hooded eyes as he spoke. The words he spoke drifted in one ear and out of the other.

Lord Sarinji sat next to Lord Yamiko on his left and Elder Toramaru and his father sat on his right. The study had never been so tight with tension. There was tension between Yamiko and Sarinji as usual, however, the amount of tension there was, was a bit unusual, even for those two. Elder Toramaru seemed a bit more quiet and reserved than normal, and InuTaisho seemed a bit more controlling than he usually was.

The five had decided to meet up to go over possible plans to stop the killing in their respective lands or at the very least to identify where the threat was coming from and if it were part of the Evil Six. Sesshomaru was more than a little sure it was, however, without proof they could not safely draw that conclusion.

So far his father had been drowning on and on about the evidence, or lack there of and had yet to speak of a course of action.

His patience, usually not so easily broken was beginning to wear thin. He was tired of his father's voice, tired of his father taking control of situations that he himself had taken control of in the past, back when his father had been pronounced dead.

Those days seemed so long ago.

With every intention of being rude, Sesshomaru spoke up, cutting off his father.

"This Sesshomaru proposes that we send ten soldiers to at least half of the villages in our own territories to take up residence and report any strange occurrences inside any of the villages," Sesshomaru interrupted.

His father stopped mid-sentence, his amber eyes narrowed on his son, his displeasure at such rudeness apparent in his expression. Sesshomaru regarded him with an arrogant raise of a silver brow, daring him to respond to his rudeness, daring him to chastise him as if he were naught but a disobedient child, daring him to give him a reason, to give him an excuse to slay his own father.

He was itching for a reason, his claws curled at the thought of drawing his blood. He had no idea where this bloodlust was coming from all of sudden. Sure he had always been someone that had a love of violence, but this, this was something different.

He couldn't control it.

It was pulsing through his blood and mind unchecked and that was unusual for him.

"That would not be a wise decision, son," InuTaisho said with a slight sneer that had Sesshomaru's claws flexing, "We know not what we are dealing with, and until we do-"

"How are we to know what we are facing if we do not take steps to find out? Waiting and discussing our lack of evidence is getting us nowhere, the time for action has come,"

"There is no need to get innocent soldiers killed,"

"Soldiers know their duty and should they fall, they fall with honor serving their territories," said with narrowed eyes, "Thousands have already died, are still dying, it is imperative that we make a move to bring a stop to it. Now,"

"We need to wait until Lady Kagome has birthed the pups and can once again aid us with her abilities,"

"This Sesshomaru's mate will not use her abilities to aid us while we sit back and depend so heavily upon her for answers and guidance. This Sesshomaru's mate will be busy with the caring of our pups. She is not a tool to be used against the Evil Six. I will not have her placed in danger,"

"She is already in danger,"

Sesshomaru growled low in his throat, his patience being stretched so thin he felt as though he would snap at any second. His father seemed intent upon testing him this day, and Sesshomaru was more than happy to give him the confrontation he seemed to be pushing for. In fact, he needed it almost as much as needed to draw his next breath.

"My mate is not in danger as long as I breathe her and she will remain protected as long as this Sesshomaru draws breath," he growled, "I will not allow anyone to place my mate in danger for any reason at all, and that is the end of it,"

"Your mate will-"

"Do as this Sesshomaru bids her to do," Sesshomaru spat, "When it comes to this Sesshomaru's mate, you, father, have no authority over her,"

InuTaisho's nostrils flared, and a dangerous light entered his eyes at the level of disrespect and contempt his son was showing him. He knew what that ungrateful pup was about. He was goading him, testing the limits of his restraint and by God he had reached them. InuTaisho curled his fingers into tight fists. Anger pulse through his veins.

If it had been anyone other than his son, he would have severed his head from his body at the first hint of an insult.

But Sesshomaru was indeed his son, as ungrateful as he was.

And InuTaisho was getting sick and tired of walking on eggshells around his pup, tired of that centuries old grudge he was so damn determined to hold onto and throw in his face.

Sesshomaru had pouted for way too damn long.

His mother was long dead, and no grudge would change that fact, no grudge would change the events of the past. Why in the hell couldn't he see that? Why in the fuck was he so damn stubborn?

It didn't matter anymore. InuTaisho had come to a decision.

He wanted his place as Lord of the Western lands back and he would have it back. He had not died so the title still belonged to him. Of course he would not turn his son and Lady Kagome out of his castle, but he would not be made a second or "co-Lord" over his own territory. Enough was enough. It was time to reclaim his throne.

He would mend his broken relationship with his son afterwards.

It would all work out.

Inwardly he shrugged. Somewhere in the back of his mind, his thoughts struck him as wrong and selfish, but at the moment, with anger and resentment pulsing so heavily in his veins, he couldn't find it in him to care.

"I believe it is in our best interest to go along with Lord Sesshomaru's proposal," Lord Sarinji said after a long, choking silence.

"I have to agree," Lord Yamiko said, "I'm sick of sitting around and doing nothing while people are dying. We can't afford to wait any longer,"

InuTaisho looked to his brother, wondering who he was siding with, but Toramaru said naught, merely stared off out of the window, buried deep in his thoughts. He had said very little today, and that was not his brother.

"Then we are agreed," Lord Sesshomaru said, smugness clear in his voice, "This meeting is complete. At the end of this festival, we will meet to go into more detail,"

The meeting ended tensely and swiftly. As everyone stood to leave, InuTaisho's eyes burned a hole in his son's back. He would not overlook this incident, this snide, sneaky attack from his son.

This would end now.

"I would have words with you, Sesshomaru," InuTaisho said before he could leave.

Sesshomaru stopped and turned, the smug expression still upon his face. InuTaisho clenched his teeth, his jaw locked so tight he felt sure he'd shatter his teeth. His eyes flashed bright green briefly.

"I will not take such disrespect from you, pup," InuTaisho fairly snarled.

Fire lit Sesshomaru's eyes, and his lips turned back in a blatant snarl.

"This Sesshomaru is no pup; do not make the mistake of assuming so,"

"No matter how big you get you always be my pup,"

Sesshomaru snorted at that. If InuTaisho had not been so damn angry he would have been shocked to hear such an undignified sound coming from his son.

"Say what it is you have to say, father and be done with it,"

"Fine, it is time I had my say," his father said with narrowed eyes, "I am your father, and you will show me respect. I am sorry about what happened with you, your mother and I, but I cannot change the past, and I will not continue to be penalized for century's old mistakes,"

Sesshomaru's own eyes narrowed as his father spoke, blood rushing in his head, bringing a reddish haze to the front of his mind.

"And I am going to take my rightful place as Lord of the Western lands," his father said, "I am entitled to these lands and I shall no longer pretend as though I do not wish to reclaim my proper status,"

Silence reigned supreme in the study. The fire in Sesshomaru's eyes blazed out of control. The markings upon his face turned ragged, and his eyes flashed a bright green once before turning a blazing crimson. Sesshomaru stepped forward slowly, the air around him crackling and stinging with unchecked angry energy.

Face to face, nose to nose, eye to eye, he stood before his father, his jaw clenched so tight he could barely forced the words through his tight lips.

"You will become Lord of the Western lands when this Sesshomaru's dead body lies cold in the earth and not a moment before,"

With those cryptic words, Sesshomaru turned and stomped from the room, irritation apparent in each step.

InuTaisho watched him leave with no small amount of anger. He would rather die than let him reclaim his rightful place.

Stubborn fool.

With a growl, he turned to the window, uncontrollable anger crawling over his skin. He was right and his son was wrong, and when he took his rightful place as Lord of the Western lands he would have no choice but to accept it.

And if not…

Well….if he had to remove his own son from his path to Western title then so be it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Laughter rang through the empty dark hall.

Shoulders shaking, stomach tightening, Vishious looked once more at the mirror and burst into another fit of hysterical laughter. Tears came to his eyes, and the pain in his sides increased.

Never in his life had laughed so hard.

Sitting up, he wiped tears from his eyes and struggled to hold back his mirth. The liquid was working perfectly. The fluid was designed to bring forth intense emotions while repressing a person's control. Once the emotion is brought forth it is intensified, amplified, blinding the individual of all rationality. Thoughts that are normally kept inside the mind are forced through the lips.

He had always wondered what would happen if a person was stripped of the control of their emotions and private thoughts. How society would handle being forced to be brutally honest, when phony smiles were replaced with sneers, when the thoughts you held private were common knowledge, when no one could hide the darkness that lurked in their hearts, the darkness many a person would just as soon pretend was not there.

Now, he would find out and the thought brought forth even more laughter.

This would be a learning experience for them all. And the lesson would be this:

They were no better than he. That the evil he let shine forth unchecked was deep inside their own hearts, they only needed a bit of help showing it.

He smiled.

He was more than willing to help.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter!

Until next time.

Laters

~Sessakag