InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Another Opens... ❯ The Price ( Chapter 20 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Chapter 20-The Price


No, Inuyasha isn’t mine, but Atae, Yotogi, the Hamayami, and Onjou are!


Recap: Naraku’s threat is gone at last with his mate‘s demise. Kagome turned full youkai though, and is being taken home by her friends and pack to mend. The Dokueki remain, as does Kouga. What about the souped up Swords of the Fang? What happens now? Read on!


They returned to the Keep, Hochi landing lightly and nervously right inside the main courtyard. They were met by Lady Atae, an improved Kirara, and guards...who instead of eating the raccoon as he feared, simply offered respects to Inuyasha as Second Lord. Kagome was gently turned over to healers, and settled into her bed. Inuyasha was chased out by Kaede, who sensibly told him to go bathe. After being held in the same clothes for days...even the mortals thought the Monk and hanyou were a bit-whiffy. The youkai, well, they were too courteous to say what their more sensitive noses told them.


Sango had been put to bed as well, she’d worked as hard as Kagome in pulling this off, and even if she‘d allowed herself to get caught...she’d still put up a fight to maintain appearances. Hochi and Kirara were watching over her and Mushin, the exhausted monk had fallen asleep on the raccoon’s back and just been put into a bed. So, Miroku took Inuyasha’s elbow and sighed.


“Come on. They do have a point,” the monk said, nodding in emphasis. Sesshomaru had actually gotten here first, and was, it was said-in seclusion. Whatever that meant.


“Yeah,” he sighed with a worried glance at the door to Kagome’s chambers, but he allowed the monk to pull him along. Miroku saw no reason not to take a private bath, and impishly selected Kagome’s bathing house to clean up in. He reckoned smelling her would ease the poor hanyou a bit, knowing his nose.


The monk didn’t figure on someone else having the same notion. So when he opened the sliding doors, there was a soft splashing. Sesshomaru frowned as he looked up, having been soaking and lost in thought.


“Hoshi. Packsecond,” he said flatly in greeting, eyebrow raising as he sat in her hot spring.


“Uh...” Miroku went to leave and shut the door, but a clawed hand absently gestured for them to enter if they liked. Both monk and hanyou glanced at each other-but stepped in, shutting the door behind them. No other choice, really. It was a polite gesture on Sesshomaru’s part, and well...a new one for them. They’d bathed together often, of course, as Sango and Kagome had, but never with Lord Sesshomaru. Never in such opulent surroundings, either. One area looked newer than the rest, where Kagome had thrown that youkai through the wall, but it was all well worth a look.


It was quite a place. An octagonal building with a peaked roof and high, slated windows along all sides to allow air and light in, with wooden walls below the high windows, paper above to allow the maximum amount of light while remaining private. Bright, delicately crafted lanterns were scattered about on the walls surrounding the weirdly perfect circular spring in the exact center. Steps led into the steaming water, while two of the eight walls held shelves with all sorts of bathing things. Soft, thick towels, buckets, and a smaller tub was to one side of the room, with a wide, ornately carved bench opposite it. Two beautifully painted freestanding screens stood ready to dress behind if the bather wished. Combs and brushes, along with bathing items from her time were on another bench directly opposite the door.


Miroku was impressed as he reckoned up the cost of such a place. The probable total, given that the spring itself was likely created by magic...was staggering. Only the finest workmanship and the highest quality had gone into everything he saw. This was clearly a gift to her from her packleader, as the baths he’d used here before as ‘surety’ were nothing like this, fine enough, but not half as decadently luxurious. He wondered briefly how anyone pried Kagome out of here.


Inuyasha was coming to a similar conclusion. Kagome’s scent was all over the place here. Just hers and a whiff of another woman who probably cleaned it, no Kouga, and only a fresh overlay of Sesshomaru’s. This was her private bath, and no mistake. He’d hardly gotten a glance in when she’d thrown that Inu through the wall. No wonder she’d been so pissed. The hanyou had never known anyone as addicted to bathing as Kagome was, and she probably loved this little building more then anywhere else in the Keep. The pair stripped and got in, sitting quietly with none of their usual talk.


Sesshomaru noted with a slight trace of amusement that Inuyasha was quite uncomfortable. In truth, so was he, but had seen no other course when they had entered. His little brother...he still had problems with him, and vice versa. Reasonable enough, even if they were pack now. And-the pervert. A brave pervert, but pervert nonetheless.

“Kagome?” he asked finally, sinking up to his neck in hot water, silver hair floating around him like wet silk.


“They believe she will be fine with rest, according to Kaede. The Temple, Lord Sesshomaru?” Miroku asked in return, watching them both with interest. He’d always firmly believed they should put the past behind them. He had noted, though he made a point of not staring rudely...that the amputation was one of the cleanest he’d ever seen. Miroku had never seen the youkai Lord’s stump like this before. In point of fact-neither had Inuyasha since taking the arm while defending Kagome in their Father’s tomb.


“I am here,” Sesshomaru said, meaning, Miroku realized, that the deed was done.


“Kokuzoku is dead too, isn’t he?” Inuyasha asked, and there was a nod. Sesshomaru would tell him-later, about the madman’s claims regarding their respective Mothers, if they could be proven. If so...he did not know how he felt. Why would he have done that? His Lady Mother, perhaps there would be reason, politics or somesuch, but Izayoi? He saw no purpose to it. Sesshomaru hadn’t cared for her at all, could understand wanting to kill her even...but he did not recall Kokuzoku ever even meeting the little mortal woman his Father had brought home so briefly. “Well. That’s settled at least,” Inuyasha noted tiredly.

“Naraku’s truly gone at last. Odd. I never imagined it would end like this,” Miroku commented with a wry smile as he leaned back, admiring the place, “or that I’d ever bathe in someplace this rich.”


“Kagome enjoys it,” Sesshomaru commented.

“I believe it,” the monk answered, sighing as muscles began to relax. He’d slept all the way here, and the bath was definitely helping after the night’s labors.


“You built this place for her?” Inuyasha asked, and Sesshomaru nodded, “she-must like it.”


Damn it! He’d wanted to talk to Miroku about the letter, about intimate matters, and get his opinion on that Hojou crack in it. Find out if he thought it possible that she’d shared herself with another but preserved her maiden status...but he couldn’t now. Sesshomaru saw the disturbed expression, and wanted to hit him again. Baka. He could guess what it was.


“Something troubles you...little brother.”


“No,” he answered. That was a lie, of course.


“Hmp,” Sesshomaru shot a look of utter disbelief at him.

“Inuyasha. If you can’t talk to your best friend and your own brother, who can you talk to?” Miroku asked. Instead of answering the question, Inuyasha turned away, folded his arms on the edge of the decking and rested his chin on them, ears drooping.


“It is the letter, of course,” Sesshomaru noted, watching the sulking with annoyance.


“Ahhhh. The-who was it-‘Hojou’ section? Extremely harsh words, I’ll grant you, but I doubt she meant them, Inuyasha. Most of it seemed to be designed to keep Ayami off balance-and as a code. Besides, she came to rescue us, when it would have been very simple for her to leave us there,” Miroku nodded.


“Agreed,” Sesshomaru sighed, closing his eyes. He was as tired as they were, really. Inuyasha looked at both of them with almost pathetic hope lurking. Both of his companions saw right through his pretense.


“All of it was a lie...do you think so?” he asked hesitantly. One golden eye opened.


“If I did not-do you believe she would still live after such insults?” Sesshomaru asked. Dog ears that had gone flat-lifted.


“Eh...no.”


“Spec ulation has no purpose until she is awake. Then,” a slight scowl crossed his elder brother’s face, “our packsister will explain matters to our satisfaction and accept any punishment that is merited. As her packsecond, she must obey you if you order her to tell you what you wish to know. But then...I assume you are aware of this,” Sesshomaru clearly didn’t assume any such thing, and...damn it!


“It’s all very fucking funny for you, isn’t it?” Inuyasha scowled at the amusement he saw lurking on his sibling’s face.


“That you have continued to uselessly obsess about your possibly lacking sexual performance? Actually... yes,” Sesshomaru answered mildly. Miroku couldn’t help it, he did laugh, the bastard! A clawed hand shoved him under the water.


***


Ensconced in the family quarters again, now mostly repaired after the attempted assassination, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru hardly left Kagome’s side as she lay in her rooms healing. The female drifted in and out of consciousness, looked after by both Kaede and Lady Atae. Her wounds, coupled with deep exhaustion, had taken their toll.


The warm, spacious chambers Kagome called home had surprised Inuyasha. Like Sesshomaru’s, it boasted a sitting room, sunning porch, and a bedchamber, with a small room Kagome apparently used for writing and such instead of the dressing room it was intended to be. Soft murals on the walls, delicate furnishings, lanterns and elegant screens in the classical style-and things from out of time were scattered about. A surprising amount, really, she must have been collecting them for months and ferrying them back in time. One thing did keep catching his eye though and made his heart lift. Sentimental wench.


She’d packed some of the hangings he’d given her as courting gifts in her backpack...and displayed them here in her bedchamber.


Yotogi’s entire pack was here, and Sesshomaru’s guard had been arrayed at the Wolf border. The battlefield where Kagome had lured in the Dokueki to them...had been a messy one. As far as they could tell from reconstructing the aftermath, roughly half of the wolves had escaped with Kouga. They had slain two Dokueki outright, injuring two others of the snakes, one of whom had died of the wounds. The remaining Dokueki had pursued, but no one knew what had happened once they crossed the Wolves’ proper border.


Sesshomaru had heard from Atae what the wolf had demanded, and had approved of Kagome’s handling of the matter. The dishonorable wretched creature!


He dared stoop to mere blackmail! The opportunistic coward, demanding Kagome’s submission to him as mate for help in a task that served both peoples! After she had assisted the idiot himself more than once! Fool. A dangerous one at that, and a sad excuse for an adult, using threats to obtain her. Kouga would pay for this with his life, of course, if his own did not turn on him for the debacle. What Inuyasha had said on the topic...Sesshomaru hadn’t heard some of those oaths since Father had passed on. He had inherited Lord Inutaisho’s temper indeed, and his gift for colorful invective.


The Lord of the Keep did note, however, that no one seemed overly willing to speak of what else she’d been up to that drained her so. Or of why Yotogi was spending so much time with the craftsmen brought in to repair the Keep...and gleefully discussing things with them. His holding required work, yes, but it would be both a difficult and costly undertaking, hardly something the Yotogi he knew would relish.


The outline of her stunningly successful rescue plan was known, cleanup was well underway, but questions remained. Like why no one was willing to discuss part of it, or knew the secret of evoking their sword’s new powers...or apparently where his Lady Mother’s sword was. Or Toujikin. Or Totosai. Or why Kagome had worn her school uniform not only to save them-but to apparently go with Kouga. Or, to Inuyasha’s mind...the ‘other things’ the hanyou had known about bed matters. She had much explaining to do, and would, as Sesshomaru had said-to their satisfaction for once! Thanks to Miroku, partially.


“Jaken. You will tell me what has happened here,” Sesshomaru ordered at last, sitting with his half-brother in her chambers and watching her sleep.


The servant paused as he set down the tray of tea he’d carried in, and looked uncomfortable.


“My liege, you should be most proud! Lady Kagome did wonderfully! Er...I fear the honorable Musha, or perhaps Lady Atae and Lord Yotogi would be the ones to speak to, they acted as her working council-along with the tajiya,” he shuffled his tiny feet nervously.


“A working council? One that included Totosai and the Armsmaster. Interesting. I had wondered who had given her such sword instruction,” Sesshomaru noted.


“Er...yes...?” Jaken answered.


“There’s an armsmaster? How many people do you have working here?” Inuyasha asked, making a face.


“Less than our Father did. He used far too many servants,” Sesshomaru answered. They looked at each other. Three days of Kagome tending, and being stuck in Ayami’s cell before that...and Sesshomaru had said ‘our father’, without a bitter undertone. As a casual statement. Neither of them discussed the changes, it was too odd for both of them. That they both were here looking after an injured packmate without a single angry look or cross word between the pair in days...and damn it! Jaken had snuck out when they looked away!


“She is most troublesome,” Sesshomaru noted. He looked at the girl, now in a tank top and cotton shorts and lying under a lightweight green blanket from her native time. Her ears twitched in her sleep. With the scent of her packmates in her nose, she’d slept soundly for the first time in weeks...and had indeed wrapped every scrap of blanket around herself. But no, she wasn’t a blanket thief. Right.


“Keh. You ought to have tried to look after her as a mortal,” Inuyasha noted gruffly, scooting a bit closer to her mat as he spoke and peering down worriedly.


“However did you manage to keep her alive?” Sesshomaru asked.


“Wasn’t easy. Crazy wench.”


“Indeed. But then you had...your allies to assist you with her.”


“My friends. Her friends,” Inuyasha corrected absently.


“Hm,” a pause, “I do not...disapprove of them now.”


“What...?” he asked, eyeing Sesshomaru in confusion.


“A monk, a tajiya, and yet another of your mortal Priestesses. They seemed unsuitable. Improper associates,” at that admission, Inuyasha scowled.


“Another...fine talk from someone with an Imp and a little mortal girl trailing after him into battle,” he barked back.


“You dare-” both leaned forward as their voices rose.


“Um...” a sleepy yawn as golden brown eyes opened to see her packmates arguing over her head. Her ears flattened as they both stopped and looked down. Kagome looked from one to the other. So very alike, really.


“You awaken,” Sesshomaru noted.


“About damned time!” Inuyasha seconded, frowning at her. She smiled slightly and reached out to take their hands in hers. They let her, privately relieved to see her awake and smiling.


“You’re both alright,” Kagome said with a sigh, looking around and realizing she was home.


“Of course. What’d you expect?” Inuyasha snapped.


“That you’d both come home to me, of course,” Kagome answered, smiling wider. His heart turned over, even as Sesshomaru nodded.


“You are awake. Now,” he frowned, and her eyes widened slightly, “you will explain matters as you eat, Kagome,” he informed her in a tone that brooked no argument, summoning a servant.


“Explain...?” she sounded bewildered, an expression that cleared when he spoke again.


“Kuroi-Yaiba’s location. Toujikin’s. The...Meidou Zangetsuha?” Sesshomaru continued as Inuyasha broke in, eyes hard as they studied her.


“The Kongoukessou.”


“Totosai as well. He has vanished, after being in a working council, the members of which proclaim ignorance of details...and what exactly is the cause of Yotogi‘s constant amusement. I forget something, do I not, packsecond?”


“The letter. Don’t forget that,” the answer came out in a growl.


“Ah, yes...of course...a shibi might not remember such things. Is that not so, packsister?” Kagome had gone pale. She tried to let go of their hands and scoot away, and they didn’t let her. The last time she’d awakened to both of them staring at her-they been worried. They had been this time, yes, but now their expressions were just a bit alarming.


“Well, we’re just ignorant, pigheaded, stubborn Inutaisho bloods who ruin crap. Can’t expect everything, Sesshomaru.”

“Perhaps not, Inuyasha,” Sesshomaru nodded. Oh, no...they smiled at each other?


“Now you two decide to work as a pack?” Kagome wailed plaintively.


“Pack means family, does it not?” Sesshomaru asked silkily.


“Family doesn’t do this to each other! Let me up!” Kagome tried, and there was a yelp!


*flick* “Ow!”


*flick* “Hey!”


*flick* “Quit it!”


“Talk, wench!” Inuyasha flicked her ears again as she squirmed.


“Let me up first!! Oh-osuwari!” she snapped, and nothing happened. She glanced over...and down at herself-he was wearing beads...and so was she. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru both smiled again. “Oh no,” she groaned.


***


They let Kagome up when a meal was brought to her. She was still rubbing her ears and making faces, at least until Sesshomaru pointed out that they could simply use the word until she elected to tell them, even as they saw to it she was comfortable and well settled.


“You won’t like it,” Kagome warned.


“Kagome...” Inuyasha gritted, and she wilted.


“Well, um-I had to agree to a few things while you both were gone. You did leave orders saying I was regent once I got home, Sesshomaru,” she began, and he frowned.


“What was done?”


“Well, when the Swords were sent back, I sent for Totosai. He agreed to help me, but he put a price on it. I didn’t have any choice! I mean, the Swords were so strong, and all of them wanted me to do things, it was horrible. Hard too, but I needed him to make them even stronger and teach me how to use them.”


“All of them?” Sesshomaru asked, and Kagome nodded as she ate carefully.


“Yes. When he saw I could use all three-I think he freaked out a little though, and I think that might have been part of why he did what he did.”


“Which was?” her packleader asked tightly. Inuyasha had Tetsusaiga. Souunga was banished. Tenseiga was useless-or had been...and yet another hanyou in his life had held what amounted to the Swords of the Honorable Ruler! The world was an unjust place. Most unfair. Yet, she returned them, well-most of them.


“He agreed to strengthen the Swords as long as I gave him...Toujikin to destroy it finally? He found out...um...how? But you have the Meidou in Tenseiga now, it’ll send an opponent right into the afterlife! Quite something,” she explained with a wince and a bright smile.


“You...gave him my sword, my Toujikin, and permitted him to destroy it,” Sesshomaru said very carefully.


“Kagome-where’s the other one then?” Inuyasha asked, looking a bit alarmed at the fury in his half-brother‘s eyes.


“Kuroi-Yaiba? Well, it’s part of Tenseiga now. He needed it to give it the power of the meidou. So-um-it’s still around, just not like it was,” she said with a nervous wince.


“Tell me all of it,” the youkai Lord said, and it was not a request.


“Only a couple of things, very small really! Yotogi had to agree to let me use his lands as a staging point, and he helped so much with finding out about the Temple-I sort of agreed to have the Clan coffers pay for-eh...”


“Rebuilding his packholding. What else?” he asked with a grinding sound, and Kagome gulped. Those were Sesshomaru’s fangs grinding together, she knew it.


“M-m-maybe this could wait...?” A pause as she peered at him, “or not.” Kagome sighed, “um, nothing big...Onjou, you remember him? I sort of...promoted him.”


“The asshole with the letter? You rewarded him for saying that shit!?” Inuyasha snapped, and she tapped her clawed fingertips together nervously.


“Well, he did go in alone, you know! And he was pretty brave...he’s um...Guard Captain now. Plus he’s not to be harmed for that! Besides, he’s Lady Atae’s nephew by mating, so her pack’s pretty pleased-it was good politics!”


“Agreed. What else?” Sesshomaru repeated.


“I got a new arrow! It‘s called the Hama-ya, but I don’t know what it does yet. Totosai didn’t say, but he said it was strong, I got it when I killed that Panther.”

“What did Totosai want for all this, Kagome? Your new arrow, our Swords...what was it?” Inuyasha asked, familiar with the Smith’s methods.


“Oh, the arrow was free! He told me right out, no strings, I think he was impressed I’d mastered the other arrows so fast.” Kagome realized this statement was a mistake as Inuyasha’s face congealed. Just told her! No strings, no hoops to jump through, just told her!


“Really, now?” he scowled.


“He did say...um...” she hesitated, and they both looked ready to pounce. Steeling herself, she told them. “I can’t tell you how to use the new powers of your swords. He made me promise. I also agreed that you two wouldn’t go after him to find out. He’s moved his workshop too...said that well-you weren’t ready to learn them yet,” a pause as she seemed to shrink in on herself, “sorry.”


The yelling began soon after.


Hearing it, youkai winced, lesser Inu howled...and mortals trembled.

Author’s notes-Now, you really didn’t think Totosai was just going to give them the new powers! He never did in the anime, anyway, always making Inuyasha do something for them in one way or another. And he did set a price for the upgrades a couple of chapters back. So it seemed about right. Quite different from current cannon, but still. I hope you enjoyed, and thanks for reading!-Namiyo