InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Assassin's Hope ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
Assassin's Hope
Chapter 6
A/N: Yikes! It's been a long time since I've updated! So I'm back! Even lots of work cannot keep me away from the word processor. Although my neighbor banging around upstairs might keep my sanity away. It's like living under an elephant! AN ELEPHANT HAVING SEX! The guy can't get that much booty can he?! <deep breath> sorry.. needed that little rant for a moment. Anywho. Chapter 6 away we go!
Chapter 6
Inuyasha arrived back at the manor shortly after leaving the shrine. As he walked the familiar path through the property to his private annex he smelled an unfamiliar scent coming from a guest bedchamber.
It smells ningen, he thought. But Sesshoumaru would not allow a ningen near the manor.
Inuyasha stepped closer to the bedchamber door and inhaled slowly.
“It's a woman!” he exclaimed.
“Step away from the door, half-breed,” Sesshoumaru's voice warned.
Inuyasha whirled around to glare at his brother, “Sesshoumaru what is a woman doing in the manor?”
“This is not your concern,” Sesshoumaru answered coldly.
“She's human you bastard! What do you have planned for her? You're not going to kill her are you? Is she a miko?” Inuyasha demanded.
“Stay your tongue, Inuyasha,” Sesshoumaru retorted coldly, moving to brush passed the young hanyou.
“I have a right to know if you plan on killing a miko on father's lands!” Inuyasha spat out, refusing to let his brother pass.
“Sesshoumaru-sama?” a small voice called a few feet from behind Inuyasha.
Inuyasha spun around to see a young woman standing in the open doorway of the bedchamber. She glimpsed the hanyou and gasped softly.
“I'm sorry. I heard voices arguing,” she said lowering her head. “I just wanted to make sure you were alright, Sesshoumaru-sama.”
“You may go back in your room, Rin. Inuyasha has only forgotten his place again,” Sesshoumaru responded casting a look of disdain Inuyasha's way.
“Inuyasha? Oh! Your Sesshoumaru-sama's brother!” the young woman looked up with a smile. “My name's Rin.”
She extended her hand in Inuyasha's direction. Inuyasha could only gape at her for a few seconds before recovering, “Keh. Half-brother.” He did not shake her hand but opted instead for thrusting his hands into the sleeves of his haori.
Rin looked slightly dejected before turning to Sesshoumaru, “May I take a bath?”
“This Sesshoumaru will have a bath drawn for you shortly. Jaken will retrieve you,” he stated softly, causing Inuyasha to narrow his eyes at his older brother.
“Okay, um, nice meeting you Inuyasha-sama,” Rin said with a small smile, turned and closed the door.
Inuyasha turned disbelieving eyes on the daiyoukai, “You fucking hypocrite!”
“Enough Inuyasha!” Sesshoumaru bit out. He was careful not to raise his voice to alarm Rin again.
“You hate humans! Why would you keep one here?” Inuyasha demanded.
“This Sesshoumaru answers to no one, especially not a worthless hanyou,” he responded icily and pushed his way passed Inuyasha.
“How long is she staying?” Inuyasha directed towards his back.
“As long as this Sesshoumaru allows,” was the answer before disappearing down the hallway.
What the hell is going on? Inuyasha thought. Sesshoumaru hates humans! Why would he have a human stay in the manor? And a woman one at that?
Inuyasha shook his head and began walking to the annex. He lay down his katana next to his futon before laying down himself and stared up at the ceiling. The human woman staying in the manor reminded him slightly of the young woman he just left. The young woman he could still smell on his fire rat robe. The one he could still taste on his lips.
Inuyasha fell into a fitful slumber thinking of his sweet Kagome.
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“Kagome! You'll be late for school!” Souta called through her door.
Kagome groaned and rolled over, “School.”
I will come to you tomorrow night, Inuyasha's words echoed in her mind. She sat up smiling, suddenly energized enough to get the day started. After all, the sooner the day began, the sooner it would end and she'd be able to meet Inuyasha again.
She showered and dressed in her uniform in record time and dashed downstairs passed the kitchen.
“Bye Mama! Bye Grandpa! Bye Souta!” she called while dashing out the door.
“Kagome! Your…” her mother called, “lunch. I swear she'd forget her head sometimes.”
“She's just excited about her priestess training,” Grandpa said from behind.
“Yeah, Grandpa. I'm sure that's it,” Souta said rolling his eyes as he began his own walk to school.
Kagome couldn't wait to meet her friends at school and make plans. Yuka was the first one she saw in the school courtyard a few minutes later.
“Yuka!” she called waving her hand high over her head.
“Oh, hi Kagome. Wow! You're actually early today,” Yuka commented after glancing at her watch.
“I'm not always late,” Kagome said frowning slightly.
“Did I just hear that right?” Eri asked, walking up behind the two with Ayume. “Did Kagome just say she's not always late?”
“Oh come on you two,” Ayume sighed. “Give Kagome a break, she's probably had an exhausting weekend.”
“Thanks Ayume,” Kagome smiled. “Actually, I'm glad all three of you are here. What are you doing tomorrow night?”
“Well, it's a school night, Kagome. We'll probably be at home,” Eri said.
“Speak for yourself,” Yuka reacted, sticking her nose up in the air.
“Why Kagome?” Ayume asked.
“Well, I'd like you three to meet my… er, friend,” Kagome said blushing slightly and finding the ground of great interest.
“A friend?” Yuka asked instantly intrigued.
“Yes. He's really special to me, and I'd like for you to meet him,” Kagome answered slowly. “Actually, he's the one that wants to meet all of you.”
“What's his name?” Ayume asked.
“Inuyasha,” Kagome said slowly.
“How come we've never heard about him before?” Yuka asked incredulously. “He wasn't even at your party.”
“Well, we've just met really. When I told him about my friends from school he said he'd like to meet all of you,” she answered.
“How sweet,” Ayume beamed. “Where did you meet him?”
“He saved Grandpa from getting hit by a car a few nights ago. He's kind and strong, modest and… well different,” Kagome said quietly.
“He saved your Grandpa? Wow! Sounds like you're really hung up on this guy,” Eri said.
“What about Houjou?” Yuka asked eyebrows raised. “You don't have time for him but you have time for this Inuyasha guy?”
Kagome frowned at Yuka's question, “He's helping me with my priestess training. That's how I can spend time with him.”
Yuka shook her head, “Let me get this straight. This guy saves your grandpa from getting hurt OUT OF THE BLUE, and now… now he's helping you train to be a priestess?”
“He's the one that helped me realize I was a priestess,” Kagome said defensively. “It was a coincidence I guess, our meeting.”
“Yuka that's enough. Kagome's friend just wants to meet us. After all, he is just a friend,” Eri intervened. “And Kagome said she'd go out with Houjou after her training.”
“I did?” Kagome asked her eyes widening.
“Sure you did, Houjou's a great guy!” Ayume added.
“So when do we meet this guy?” Yuka asked frowning just slightly now.
“Tomorrow night, if you all are free that is? We can all go for ice cream or something,” Kagome said lightly.
“That sounds great!” Ayume said smiling. “How about 8 o'clock?”
“Great Ayume, thanks,” Kagome sighed with a bit of relief. “Can we all go to class now?”
“Higurashi!”
Kagome groaned, “Not Houjou?”
“Oh, it's Houjou alright,” Yuka grinned.
“Hey Kagome!” the young man said cheerfully as he jogged up to the group of girls.
“Hi Houjou,” Kagome said plastering on a smile.
“Houjou you're just in time! Kagome was just inviting us all out tomorrow night to meet a friend of hers. Wanna join?” Yuka asked.
Kagome shot her a glare before looking at Houjou for his reaction. He frowned slightly, “What about your training? Won't you be exhausted?”
“Oh I'm sure Grandpa won't mind one night with my friends,” Kagome answered.
“Who's this friend of yours?” Houjou asked innocently.
“He saved Kagome's grandfather from getting hit by a car!” Ayume said enthusiastically.
Houjou's eyes widened, “I had no idea Higurashi-sama was almost in an accident!”
“It was late one night, he was out for a walk, it just happened. But Inuyasha was able to help him,” Kagome said quietly.
“Inuyasha? He's the one you want us to meet?” Houjou asked.
“Kagome speaks so highly of this Inuyasha guy. She thinks he's kind, modest, and strong,” Yuka chimed in. “Of course she'd want us to meet someone so close to her!”
“If you're free tomorrow night,” Kagome began, “I'm sure you have something better to do with your time. After all it is a school night.”
“Don't be ridiculous, Higurashi,” Houjou said waving his hand in her direction, “I must shake the hand of the man that has touched you in such a way.”
Kagome's cheeks warmed at Houjou's innocent statement. You have no idea!
“Great Houjou, we'll see you tomorrow night at eight. That new ice cream shop around the corner from the shrine just opened up and should be a great place to go,” Eri said brightly.
“I'll see you then girls,” Houjou said as he jogged off.
Kagome sighed and turned to go into school. Great! I'm sure Inuyasha could have handled the girls, but what about Houjou?
“Worried about what Inuyasha will think about Houjou?” Yuka asked slyly.
Kagome stiffened a bit, “Why are you being like this, Yuka?”
Yuka frowned, “Houjou's an older guy and he wants you. What do you do? You break his heart! And now there's another guy?”
“Houjou's heart looked fully intact, Yuka,” Kagome answered. “If you really like him why don't you ask him out tomorrow night?”
Yuka sputtered and headed down the hall to her locker. Kagome shook her head and headed off to her own classes.
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Inuyasha had been awake for hours and training in the dojo. It was the only way he could get his mind off of Kagome.
He had opened his eyes a little before dawn; his body fully regenerated after only a few hours of sleep and his mind had already wandered back to the young miko. I can't wait to see her tonight. What is this? It's almost painful to be away from her.
His thought process was interrupted by another female's scent drifting in from the corridor. He sheathed the Tetsusaiga and exited the dojo.
“Woman,” Inuyasha called harshly.
Rin turned slowly, “I'm sorry Inuyasha-sama did I disturb you? I was just on my way to class at the university.”
“Inuyasha,” he ground out.
“I'm sorry?” Rin asked taking a small step forward.
“You can call me Inuyasha. Drop the `sama' that shit's for my brother,” he scowled.
“Oh,” Rin answered in a small voice. “Well, I guess I'll be going.”
“Why are you staying here?” Inuyasha asked sharply. His almost hissed question caused Rin to jump slightly and step back.
“Sesshoumaru-sama has asked me to stay. I was… hurt in the park. He saved me,” she finished almost whispering.
“Sesshoumaru saved you?” Inuyasha asked incredulously.
“Yes,” Rin said, her eyes never wavering. “He protected me and brought me here. The least I can do is stay here to keep him company.”
“Company? Like he needs a human around for company!” Inuyasha scoffed.
“He told me I could stay here!” Rin said defensively, “And I guess, well, I like being wanted.”
Guilt swept over Inuyasha when he saw the woman on the verge of tears, “Fine, you can stay here. If only to be a distraction to my brother, I'm tired of him being up my ass constantly.”
Rin stiffened a bit at his vulgar language but breathed a sigh of relief, “Thank you Inuyasha-sa… Inuyasha.”
“Keh!” Inuyasha retorted and stalked in the opposite direction of the young woman.
Stupid bastard is going soft for a woman, he thought.
“It seems we have more in common than I ever thought,” Inuyasha mumbled making his way to the great hall.
Entering into the enormous room, Inuyasha spotted his brother lighting incense in homage to their father in the small area of remembrance set up on the far right wall of the great hall.
“Why do you pay him respect when he's clearly dead?” Inuyasha growled.
“Because he deserves it halfling,” Sesshoumaru answered evenly.
“Why keep the woman around?” Inuyasha questioned.
“Why keep your miko around?” Sesshoumaru countered.
Inuyasha growled, “She said you saved her. Why?”
“I was simply testing the Tenseiga to see if the flea had been correct. She was convenient,” Sesshoumaru answered, still keeping his back to the hanyou.
“She's convenient enough to keep around here that's for sure,” Inuyasha grumbled.
“I wish to see Tenseiga's full power,” Sesshoumaru said stoically.
“Whatever. Does she know what you really are?” Inuyasha asked.
“She knows what I allow her to know,” was the response.
“How do you expect to keep her in the dark? She's not stupid you know if she's going to the university. She'll figure out what the fuck is going on here, and then what do you think she'll do? She'll run screaming from the monster you are!” Inuyasha yelled.
Sesshoumaru moved faster than Inuyasha had anticipated and had him pinned by the throat against the wall, “You will stay your tongue half-breed!”
Releasing Inuyasha so he hit the floor hard, Sesshoumaru began walking away.
“You know I'm right! Are you threatening her to keep her here?”
“The onna stays of her own accord,” Sesshoumaru answered taking leave to his own quarters.
Inuyasha picked himself up off the floor and called out to his brother's retreating form, “The shikaku are over by allowing your woman sanctuary here! Would you sacrifice the prophecy for her?”
“Is that not what you do with your miko, Inuyasha?” Sesshoumaru called back.
“Damn him!” Inuyasha cursed as he burst through the doors into the corridor. “I don't sacrifice the prophecy! I'm trying to stop it! I don't invite Kagome in here willingly!”
But you did tell her everything, his mind lectured.
“That's different! She needed to know, to help me!” Inuyasha answered aloud.
Maybe your brother needs help too.
“That's bullshit!” Inuyasha spat as he entered the annex. “I need to get out.”
Inuyasha jumped from his window and headed in the direction of the shrine with one thought, Kagome.
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Will the chimes just ring already?
Kagome sat in math class willing the clock to go faster. Finally, the day was over and she could escape school for one more day!
She ran to her locker and stowed her books quickly and hoped to make an escape before she saw any of her friends. Kagome successfully made it out of the school courtyard and halfway down the road when someone grabbed her from behind and suddenly the ground was growing farther away.
“Don't scream, Kagome,” the soft whisper tickled her ear. She relaxed slightly in his strong arms.
“Inuyasha!” she gasped as they landed on a roof of a building not far from school. When he let her down she spun in his arms poking a finger at his chest. “What do you think you're doing?! You scared me half to death!”
Inuyasha smirked down at the irate woman in his arms, “I won't let you fall.”
His husky statement took some of the air out of her sails, “Why are you here anyway? You said you'd come by tonight.”
Inuyasha's smirk faded a bit, “I needed to see you.”
Kagome smiled warmly and placed her hand on his cheek, “Inuyasha, what happened?”
“Keh! My brother's being a bastard. Leave it at that,” he ground out.
“Well, I was going to head to Kaede's this afternoon,” Kagome said thoughtfully.
Inuyasha frowned slightly, “Who's this Kaede?”
“She's a friend of my grandpa's and she's helping train me to be the shrine's priestess. I told her I'd come this Saturday but I'd like to visit today,” she explained.
“Would you like me to take you to her?” he asked hesitantly.
“I would like that very much, Inuyasha. Kaede would probably like to meet you,” Kagome said shyly.
Inuyasha bent down to help Kagome onto his back and took off in the direction she pointed. Kagome was amazed at how quickly the city flew by below them. Before she realized it Inuyasha had landed softly on the ground just outside the city limits.
“How far wench?” he asked over his shoulder. Kagome gave him directions and they landed outside Kaede's house only a few moments later. Before Kagome had made it halfway up the path Kaede stepped out of the house.
“I expected ye, young Kagome,” Kaede said with a gentle smile. Her expression faltered a bit after noticing Inuyasha a few steps behind the young miko.
“Kaede, this is Inuyasha,” Kagome began slowly.
“Hurry children! Inside!” Kaede shooed the two into her house. “Has anyone seen ye?”
“No, I don't think so,” Kagome frowned slightly. “Kaede what's going on?”
The old woman hurried to shut and bolt the door, “Hush child, until I can make sure no one can hear.” Kaede made her way through the house closing windows where she could and pulling down shades. When she turned back to Kagome and Inuyasha she let out a small sigh of relief.
“Now child, tell this old woman why you've brought me the son of the Inu no Taisho, an assassin, into my home?” Kaede asked moving into the living room.
Kagome heard Inuyasha's sharp intake of breath before turning to see the shock registered on his face.
“How do you know me, woman?” he ground out.
“I know ye not. It was your father I knew,” Kaede began. “Would you two like some tea?”
“Keh,” Inuyasha responded for both of them and watched the old woman's every move as she walked to the kitchen to prepare the tea.
“What is your name?” Kaede asked raising her good eye to pierce Inuyasha with a steady look.
He began to growl lowly until Kagome nudged him slightly. “Inuyasha,” he finally gave.
“Well, Inuyasha. You look a great deal like the Inu no Taisho, except for those ears,” she said amusedly.
“How do you know my old man?” Inuyasha asked barely keeping his temper in check.
The older woman poured hot water into the teapot and smiled affectionately at Kagome as she came forward to help her. Moving into a small dining room Kaede made a great effort to kneel in front of a small table.
“Come sit down children,” she said quietly. When they did so she continued, “The Inu no Taisho granted me spiritual immunity long ago.”
“Spiritual immunity?” Kagome asked.
“Am I correct in assuming ye know the mission of the shikaku?” Kaede asked Kagome.
“Inuyasha explained the reasons for the assassins, yes,” she answered honestly.
“Then ye know for the prophecy to be fulfilled a miko must be used?” the two nodded at her question.
Kaede sighed and chose her words carefully, “When I was very young, much younger than both of ye are now I was told I had been chosen to train as a priestess along with my elder sister, Kikyou.”
“Like I am to be trained,” Kagome barely whispered.
“Aye, child. Kikyou was a young woman then, while I was a mere child. We were taken from our family and went to live at a shrine, very much like yon child's,” she nodded at Kagome. “We trained every day, meditated every night, and soon learned the ways of the shrine.”
“Hurry it up woman,” Inuyasha said gruffly.
“Inuyasha! Kaede's trying to help,” Kagome chastised him.
Kaede cleared her throat, “As I was saying, Kikyou grew much stronger than I had over time, after all, I was merely a child then. The priest took notice of Kikyou's abilities and asked to speak with her privately one day. When I asked her later she said the priest had asked her to protect something of great value.”
“What was it?” Kagome asked her voice filled with wonder.
“The Shikon no Tama, the Jewel of Four Souls,” Kaede answered in almost a whisper.
“What's the Shikon no Tama?” the young miko asked quietly.
“In the same ancient prophecy that Inuyasha and his line has fought against, there is mention of an evil youkai coming to power only through the use of a powerful jewel. This jewel and the Jewel of Four Souls is one in the same. With it, human and youkai alike, would grow to have unimaginable power. It was Kikyou's appointed duty to keep it as pure and as chaste as she could,” Kaede explained carefully.
“And?” Inuyasha said impatiently.
Kagome shot him a look as Kaede continued, “Kikyou and I grew in spiritual strength and power together as I grew in body and mind as well. I was not yet Kagome's age when something terrible happened.”
“What happened?” Kagome whispered.
“The shrine was attacked by an evil creature. Not yet demon, but no longer a man,” Kaede began to explain.
“A dirty hanyou,” Inuyasha muttered under his breath, Kagome reached her hand over to cover his own.
“He was no hanyou, Inuyasha, at least not a hanyou created by a youkai-human union. He was a monster,” Kaede shuddered, turning her gaze out the window. “A horrible monster that destroyed the shrine in search of the jewel, slaughtered every miko and priest save one, and left that one with this.” Kaede pointed to her covered eye.
Kagome covered her mouth in dismay, “Oh, Kaede.”
“Everyone in the shrine tried to protect Kikyou who held the jewel in her possession but it was no use, they were all slaughtered in the end. Kikyou hid me on the shrine grounds and returned to the fight. Using every last ounce of her energy she dealt a critical blow to the monster. Before disintegrating he struck my sister in the shoulder. By the time she reached me again she was dying.”
Kagome moved from where she was kneeling to kneel next to the old woman, wrapping an arm around her.
“Kikyou only asked of me one thing: to burn the Shikon no Tama along with her body so that it may be destroyed and never used for evil,” Kaede finished and slouched a bit, seemingly drained from the tale.
“Kaede I'm so sorry,” Kagome said, tears standing out in her eyes.
“You still haven't said how you know my old man!” Inuyasha demanded.
“Inuyasha! Have a little sympathy!” Kagome admonished.
Inuyasha flattened his ears and frowned at her before turning towards the old woman, “I'm sorry you lost your sister, Kaede-baba.”
“I met the Inu no Taisho shortly after I set the pyre to burn,” Kaede explained. “Yon father had heard about the shrine being destroyed and the rumors of the Shikon being hidden there. He explained who he was and the purpose of the shikaku. I became afraid, thinking he would slay a miko thoughtlessly. It was Kikyou that had saved me in the end.”
“Keh,” Inuyasha said. “How's that woman?”
“By instructing me to burn the jewel I had taken a part in turning the prophecy around. If there was no jewel, there would be no youkai to rise to power,” she explained.
“I see,” Kagome agreed. “You had helped the assassins by destroying the jewel. The Inu no Taisho granted you immunity because you had helped them a great deal.”
Kaede nodded, “More than my young mind could comprehend at the time. The entire shrine was aflame by the time our own authorities arrived.”
“Wait old woman! Are you telling me the prophecy can't happen now because you destroyed the jewel? I have miko blood on my hands because of this fucking thing!” Inuyasha bellowed rising from the floor.
“Inuyasha,” Kagome uttered softly.
“Nay, Inuyasha,” Kaede held up her hands towards him. “Can ye not feel it? Do ye really not know?”
“Know what, baba?” Inuyasha growled.
“When I set the jewel aflame it was not destroyed. Like a phoenix it rose from the ashes,” Kaede smiled gently.
“What are you yammering on about?” Inuyasha scowled at her.
“The jewel, Inuyasha. It has been reborn,” Kaede explained slowly.
“Oh great! Just fucking great! Now you're gonna tell me I have to find the damn thing!” Inuyasha spat, turning around and heading for the door.
“Nay, Inuyasha. Ye have already found the jewel,” Kaede called after him. He whirled around staring at her incredulously. Kagome rose from her place on the floor and shot Kaede a questioning glance as well.
“What do you mean woman?” he asked slowly.
“Can ye not feel it Inuyasha? The jewel. It has been reborn… in Kagome.”
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A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger! Don't hate me! Sorry it took so long for an update I sort of got writer's block for awhile. I even had like 3 different endings to this chapter.