InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Betrayal's Gift ❯ Chapter 21

21

 

It was four hours til dawn approached and Inuyasha found himself arriving into his lands. He was still furious over his argument with his brother.

 

“You need to place the blame on yourself Inuyasha and stop blaming everyone else for your stupidity; you had plenty of time to tell the wench how you felt.”

 

`Who the hell does he think he is? He doesn't know anything. It's my fault? I took my time to tell her because of that bastard Naraku.'

 

Than he flashed back to a conversation he had with Miroku.

 

“Inuyasha, do you realize how much you hurt lady Kagome when you run after Kikyo? Do you know how much it hurt her heart when you mourned Kikyo's death again for the second time when Naraku killed her? You left lady Kagome alone feeling unworthy.”

 

“You don't understand…when Kikyo had come back she was different because of Kagome, but, I promised Kikyo that I would protect her this time, she died alone…again because of me.”

 

“Inuyasha were you going to die with Kikyo after all this time you spent with Kagome?”

 

“…”

 

“Inuyasha?”

 

“No alright…I was just hoping that Kikyo…well being that she was different from when that damn witch brought her back that we would all be able to work together, I was hoping that she'd find peace when we did kill Naraku finally, but, again…again he was steps ahead of us and killed her first.”

 

“He did it because he knows how you are and he already knows how Kagome feels for you, he did it to hurt Kagome and get her to leave you don't you see that?”

 

They paused and sat quietly for a while Miroku wanted to make sure that Inuyasha got all this into his thick skull.

 

“Kagome…she loves you…can you not see that? If you keep holding her back and pushing her away…she'll move on…with or without you Inuyasha.”

 

“What the hell would you have me do huh monk…keh…like you know anything, I don't know why I'm here listening to you anyway you're a lecher, you don't know anything.”

 

“I know love when I see it. Inuyasha…I know what your feeling for I feel the same and so do stupid things to make her distance myself. Naraku is still out there and if he knew for sure how deeply you feel for Kagome, he might take her too, but, if you keep running from Kagome… if you lost her you'd have no one to blame but yourself.”

 

Inuyasha came out of his walk on memory lane and looked up at the night sky, it was clear and the full moon shone brightly overhead sending it's comforting beams down on Inuyasha in an embrace.

 

Inuyasha exhausted knelt into the crunchy white snow and made a fist, emotions welling up inside of him. Emotions he's locked away for a long time.

 

`It wasn't my fault; she betrayed me and he…he was supposed to be my best friend…they both betrayed me, it wasn't my fault.'

 

“IT WASN'T MY FAULT! DO YOU ALL HEAR THAT, THEY BETRAYED ME, SHE BETRAYED ME!”

 

`He was a lecher, he always pawed at her, but she, she said she loved me, that she wouldn't leave me…she knew me, therefore she should have known. It wasn't my fault.'

 

Finally he made it to his home and the guards let him in. Inuyasha quickly made it to his bedroom and began removing his fur, his armor and untying his black robes so that he can crawl into bed and forget about his pain.

 

He regretted drinking more of the warm intoxicating liquid before he headed home. He thought at that time he could fuel his anger and would get home faster. It did help him, but, now his head hurt and he was tired from using a lot of his ki to get home fast.

 

He pulled back the covers when he noticed someone in the bed, a female than her light sweet scent of Irises hit him.

 

“What the hell is she doing here?”

 

Now angry again he stormed out of his room to Shippos' room for explanations.

He barged in on a sleepy fox with a couple of wenches in his bed.

 

“Shippo! What the hell is she doing here and in my room!

 

Shippo sat up groggily and rubbed at his green eyes.

 

“What time is it?”

 

Inuyasha was growling now baring his fangs when Shippo finally woke up fully.

 

“Oh, you mean Hotaru.”

 

He climbed out of the bed and strode his naked body over to his robe that was discarded on the floor. The two wenches woke up and he told them to leave.

 

Inuyasha stood there as patient as he could be, but when the wenches kept taking their time he growled out at them that he'll sell them if they didn't hurry their little asses up. That got them out of the room in a flash. Shippo scowled a little until Inuyasha returned his attention to him.

 

“Calm down Inuyasha, look, there was no more room, all those youkai lords and ladies and dignitaries that have been passing through all week have been lodging here. Earlier today I took a walk because well, you know how it is…anyway, I heard a scream and then purple light. I investigated and it was Hotaru, she was jumped by the headman's son…Inuyasha…she was with pup.”

 

“With pup?”

 

“Yeah, from what I gathered, the men caused her to lose the baby and she killed them, Inuyasha it was nothing like I've ever seen before, they were grossly killed, she had been banished from the village, because they fear that she might have been possessed or something, that she must've been carrying a youkai child in her womb to have killed the men the way she did. Inuyasha she's in really bad condition.”

 

“So what am I supposed to do with her?”

 

Shippo looked at him with disgusted shock at his tone of voice and question for it should have been obvious.

 

“She's Kagome's daughter; you didn't expect me to leave her out in the cold to die did you?”

 

“…”

 

“Inuyasha, you had compassion once where did it go?”

 

“It left the minute I realized not to trust another woman or human ever again Shippo or did you forget?”

 

“Did you forget that your mother was human?”

 

Shippo got slapped hard for that one. He looked Inuyasha square in the eye.

 

“Shippo, you don't know what kind of night I had, so don't start with me.”

 

“Your mother just shed her tears of shame in the afterlife right now and I'm ashamed of you right now.”

 

With that said he went back into his room to get away from Inuyasha. He hated to be around him when he acted this way.

 

“Feh, you stupid runt you should mind your business!”

 

Inuyasha walked back to his room angrily why was everyone attacking him. He turned on a burner and looked over at his bed. It was a very elaborate bed made of gold and the softest mattresses he's ever had the pleasure of sleeping on. He had brought it with him from Arabia; he had brought a lot of wealth with him from his travels and put them into his castle.

 

His castle was equivalent to a big estate, but smaller than a palace. Sesshomaru had the palace, Inuyasha's home was modest in comparison, however, he took is knowledge of the things he's seen in Kagome's time to add indoor plumbing to his home and used curtains and rushes to hang on some walls to keep the heat in. Fire places instead of pits and wood ovens in his kitchen area. Sesshomaru was so impressed that he had his brother update his home.

 

But right now Inuyasha was looking at the small woman who lay in his bed. He edged closer and did notice that she had the smell of fresh blood on her and that her face was so bruised that he couldn't recognize her.

 

“The baby…my poor baby…” She whispered.

 

Inuyasha stopped breathing as his heart constricted a memory from so long ago filtered through his mind and held on forcing him to remember.

 

~Flash Back~

 

He was getting beat up badly from a group of bigger boys during a festival. They were kicking him and calling him a freak when Inuyasha's mom had come and intervened pushing some of the kids away and snatched up her son.

 

“Get away from him; I will notify your parents of your cruelty.”

 

“Like they'll do anything to us you demon lover.” Said the eldest boy in the group arrogantly.

 

“I'm the princess I could have your skins taken from your back.” She said heatedly with promise.

 

“Pfft, you're a princess in name only, even your father won't back you up, you shamed this entire village with your love for the youkai monsters.”

 

Some of the other kids threw some small rocks at her as she shielded her child within her arms. When they left she began to cry.

 

“My baby…my poor baby…”

 

She cooed as she stroked a black haired Inuyasha.

 

He was brought from his flashback when he heard the screen door open up.

 

“Ino what are you doing here.”

 

Ino was a healer from a very noted youkai tribe. Only those who were powerful and wealthy enough had a healer like her.

 

Ino had many souls however, when a female ancestor died they would place their spirit into the body of the next healer and they would all share the body thus allowing the knowledge that was attained to remain with that person.

 

When speaking to Ino she always responds saying we instead of I. At first this got on Inuyasha's nerve until Myouga explained to him about this youkai tribe of healers.

 

Ino was a beautiful creature. Her skin was a very pale blue glitter; her hair was sea foam green and always had the appearance of air moving through it and her eyes were white. When she spoke her voice was like a myriad of female voices talking in unison at one time. She also spoke pronouncing every syllable so it seemed like she was talking slow and prophetically.

 

Her robes were dark blue with a silver under robe and a silver obi. Stitched into her robes in silver were dragon flies over a lily pad that had a flower on it.

 

“We have been caring for the girl since she has arrived. She was in very bad condition.”

 

“I heard about the baby, what happened?”

 

“The child did not survive, we had to remove it from her body using our skills, yet we are feeling drained of energy and we do not know why.”

 

Inuyasha thought about what she had said and it seemed that he too was really very tired. At first he thought it was because of the sake, but now…

 

“Will she be able to bear pups again?”

 

Sadly they cleaned her face again with a towel drenched in herbal water.

 

“We do not know since humans heal at a different rate than we do. However, this girl puzzles us.”

 

“Why?”

 

“She heals faster than other humans we have studied and we don't understand why this is so.”

 

“Hmm, maybe it's her spiritual powers.”

 

She shook her sea foamed head.

 

“We've studied her kind many centuries before; priestesses are normal human being with highly strong spiritual energy that is all.”

 

She gathered up her things and gave Hotaru another sip of herbal medicine to drink again for the pain.

 

She picked up the bowl and turned to leave when Inuyasha stopped her.

 

“Ino, why is it that you and your kind show such compassion, yet we other full blooded youkai don't possess it?”

 

She stopped and looked at him puzzled at first than answered.

 

“All youkai possess compassion lord Inuyasha, they choose not to use it.”

 

“I don't understand, I've always thought…”

 

“We are a lot like mortals lord Inuyasha except for our strength and our ability to use supernatural powers and nearly immortal lives, but, if we are pricked do we not bleed also?”

 

“But we're youkai?”

 

“Yes we are that was why we were created to protect those who are weaker than us, like older siblings.”

 

“Than what has changed?”

 

She thought back for a moment going through all the ancestors to find the answer to his question.

 

“The one with the black heart started it all.”

 

Inuyasha looked at her confused.

“The one with the black heart, what the hell does that mean?”

 

“It was a very long time ago, he realized that he was more powerful than the mortals and so decided to dominate them, but the light of hope sealed him away.”

 

“The light of hope? Who was that?”

 

“The first warrior priestess.”

 

Inuyasha smirked could it really be that simple.

 

“Let me guess, was her name Midoriko?”

 

She stood there and thought for a moment than nodded her head.

 

“Yes, it was, she sealed the black hearted youkai away with her soul to protect what was already good, but he had already twisted the minds of lower level youkai. He called them his children and since then we have become separated from the mortals we had loved. They began to fear us and mistrust us because of those youkai. Thus, more priestess and priest came and hunted us down, fearing that we were unclean in the eyes of god.”

 

“Hmph, figures they would brandish all the blame on us youkai.”

 

The youkai looked at him as if looking through his soul.

 

“We do not understand what you mean. Do you not do the same thing lord Inuyasha?”

 

He didn't respond to that question but instead dismissed the healer and thought about what she said as he looked at Hotaru one last time before going to bed in a big comfortable chair.

------------------------------------------------

 

Hotaru woke up and noticed that she was surrounded in comfort, she's never felt this before. It was like she was sleeping on a cloud.

 

`Am I sleeping on a cloud, am I in heaven?'

 

She peeked her eyes open and found that hard to do. Her head was splitting with a headache. She grimaced as she realized that what had happened the previous night actually happened.

 

“So, you are awakened then Hotaru.”

 

The voice alone scared the crap out of Hotaru. It sounded like an angel was talking to her why with the multiple voices coming from the being. She opened her eyes again to see curious white eyes looking at her and sparkling pale blue glitter skin.

 

“Are you an angel?”

 

The woman smiled genuinely.

 

“That would be the first time a human has thought that of us. No we are a youkai, our name is Ino.”

 

“A youkai?”

 

“Yes, how do you feel little priestess?”

 

Hotaru looked sad as she closed her eyes, a tear leaking through.

 

“My baby…it is…?”

 

“Yes, we are sorry; there was nothing we could do.”

 

“To think that I almost…that I almost…this was to punish me for the horrible thing that I had almost did.”

 

“Lady, if you don't mind us asking, what horrible thing were you going to do?”

 

“I was going to abort the baby, I mean… I almost let it happen and this…this is why I am punished for it now.”

 

Hotaru looked up at the youkai woman her sorrowful violet eyes filling with unshed tears.

 

“I was going to have someone who loved me unconditionally, I was going to have someone who would love me…for me and now…”

 

Hotaru began to sob uncontrollably. Ino looked at her with a heavy heart and placed her fingers on Hotaru's temples causing Hotaru to fall asleep to relax her nerves.

 

Ino hated the fact that people suffered needlessly when old age would rob them of their lives. She looked upon the sleeping girl again before she left the chamber and she could tell that even while the young woman slept, it wasn't peaceful.

----------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------

“Yuy, what is happening?” Screamed Nobi.

 

“I can't move!” Screamed Waka.

 

Yuy found that he couldn't move his hand either when he tried to slit her throat.

 

“Damn you witch, what are you doing?”

 

Evilly the girl underneath him smiled as her dark hair shielded her eyes.

 

“I believed you were warned that if you continue you would be hurt well now, you've done your damage watch as I do mine.” She purred out ever so satisfactory.

 

She had grabbed them with her purple energy and formed boa constrictor like grips on the men. The next thing they knew was that it had turned into small purple flames that licked and hissed along their bodies eating away at their flesh slowly.

 

Hotaru laughed pleasurably as if she were drunk on their suffering.

 

`What is going on here? What…what am I doing stop!' Said a worried Hotaru in her mind but it seemed like she was sinking into a black abyss.

 

`Why should we stop Hotaru, they killed your baby, the baby you saved from me, humph I told you to leave everything to me if you had only listened you wouldn't have suffered so. When you suffer it makes me lose my energy and now I am getting it back with interest.'

 

`This is wrong stop it Hitomi stop it!'

 

Hotaru heard their screams ringing in her ears.

 

`Oh is it the noise that they are making that's bothering you, I could fix that.'

 

With a swirl of energy she had plugged up their mouths so that they couldn't make another sound.

 

`There, happy my god your so weak and pathetic. No wonder people treat you the way they do. You're an open door mat Hotaru.'

 

`That's not true.'

 

`No, you wouldn't be here now if it weren't for Fuu and Ken and their whole little party, but, it doesn't matter, you will realize that you don't belong here, just go to sleep and I will take care of us if you would only let…me…out.'

 

Hotaru still heard their grunts especially Yuy since he was on top of her.

 

`No, I wont let you do this, I can't let you hurt these people!'

 

Hitomi laughed maniacally then responded with a soft purr.

 

`Like you could stop me. You couldn't stop me when I pushed your grandmother down the stairs.'

 

Hotaru's eyes widened with realization and tears immediately sprung fresh in her eyes for her grandmother who was still in bad condition. A lighter purplish white energy submerged through the darkness and started to eat away at the dark purple. Hotaru's body felt hot all over as if she was on fire.

 

“What are you doing? Hotaru…he killed your baby they all did they deserve their deaths, they were going to kill us!”

 

“No, I will save them, it's not right…they need to meet their punishment another way!” Hotaru voiced out in firm determination. She pushed further with her spiritual energy.

 

The dark purple energy pushed against the lighter one when finally a bright light engulfed the entire scene they were in. Hotaru and Hitomi screamed out in pain in unison and all was quiet.

 

Hotaru woke up suddenly her heart racing and nearly pumping out of her chest and noticed that all the candles were burnt down low and the fire place that was in the room needed to be stoked. She turned in the bed and placed her small feet onto the fur rug that lay under the bed. She recognized that there was a flint to light a candle on what she called a night stand. Lighting the candle she looked around the enormous room and took in the opulent beauty of it. The bed was made of gold and the mattress was heavenly. The furniture around the room was definitely what would be considered antiques in her time. The wood she could tell was dark and very solid but finely crafted and molded. All in all the style was very masculine not a hint of a females touch fluttered the room, not that she would have wanted it to for the room was beautiful just the way it was.

 

She realized that she was chilly being that she was in a thin yukata and so hurriedly looked for her clothes, however they were no where to be found.

 

`Well, they must've been damage during that night.'

 

Then she remembered her dream. `Was it a dream or a memory? Wait, no that did happen…oh my god…I killed those men…Naoko did come out and…and…I can't go back to the village ever again. I remember now, that strange young man the youkai fox he brought me here.'

 

(“Don't worry Hotaru, Inuyasha will take care of you, he has a really good healer just hang in there alright?”)

 

She sunk to the floor as the realization hit her full force. She lost her baby to the very man that she killed. Did that make her a murderer on top of being a freak?

 

 

(“Why do you hate me so much, I've done nothing to you?”)

 

Fuu in livid anger picked up the girls head and whispered in her ear.

 

(“Don't play that game with me, you know what you did to me, you had my parents send me to a shrink for a year until I started lying. Oh, I plotted against you, you tried to kill me… You've suffered just like I suffered and you deserve it you freak.”)

 

 

These memories brought a sob to escape Hotaru's throat.

 

`That's right, Fuu said I tried to kill her, she said she suffered because of me…how did I try to kill her?'

 

She thought back on it traveling her mind as she picked through each memory when all of a sudden she remembered, it was like her mind was trying to get her to see what happened. Fuu was picking on a little girl named Yoko. Yoko was the only little girl who had talked to Hotaru and was friendly with her. One fall afternoon Hotaru noticed the girl Fuu in their class hitting the girl and finally pushed the girl so hard on the ground that Yoko was knocked out.

 

“Leave her alone.”

 

“Oh, so what are you going to do about it Freak?”

 

Fuu picked up a stone and threw at in Hotaru's direction when Hotaru had pulled up her hands to block the attack; however, she came to realize that she never felt the impact of the object, the rock never made it. In fact, the rock stood in mid air between the two.

 

The two of them looked shocked as the rock stood in mid air unmoving. Fuu in a stubborn mood picked up another and that was when Hotaru had gotten mad.

 

In a voice that did not resemble Hotaru's she spoke out

 

“You dare try to hurt me? Well let's just see how you like it when the shoe is on the other foot.”

 

The rock flew backwards and hit Fuu in the throat knocking her back on her backside. Hotaru walked slowly to the girl but she seemed like she levitated.

 

“You better stay away from me freak, I'm going to tell on you.”

 

“How would you say anything to anyone little girl…”

 

Hotaru's eyes flashed dark purple almost black as she sniffed the Fuu and smiled off of her fear. Then close to Fuu's ear she continued…

 

“When I burn the skin off your bones and eat your flesh.”

 

With that, dark purple energy covered the girls' mouth. Fuu fought like a hellion but the energy formed arms and hands with claws and scratched at the little girl to keep her still. When that didn't work the dark purple energy formed into a dragon while Hotaru stood behind it her hair flowing wildly around her head like a mass of ravens flying toward the heavens. Hotaru's pupils voided over and left purplish black orbs in it's place. But expending all that energy left Hotaru's mind weak where now a meek and shy Hotaru had regained consciousness and sat there looking at a frightened and scarred little girl that hated her from that day forward.

 

“Oh my god, Naoko was right I am possessed. I have to be who could do something like that?”

 

She looked at herself in the giant golden framed and eloquently adorned mirror that was in the room. She was pale, her hair was loose and spilling over her shoulders in a wild fashion. She seemed small and weak as she sat in a thin yukata that was too big for her.

 

`No wonder…oh my god…no wonder I am punished. I…I must've hurt my parents… my mother…no wonder why she tried to purify me…I nearly killed my grandmother…I can't go back home…I am a monster.'

 

She sat there and cried herself a river than she began to worry about the people who took care of her now at the present. What if she hurt Ino the healer who cared for her, or Shippo who brought her here or even Inuyasha who so kindly let her make use of his room and healer.

 

 

`No, I can't stay here, maybe…maybe I have some kind of personality disorder…yeah and being that both my parents are from spiritual background…yes that's it. If I can just mediate on keeping that spiritual energy at bay and go see a doctor…I'll get better. I can drive Hitomi away…but I have to leave here and go home.'

 

 

She stood up and frantically searched the room for clothing when she spotted a chest. She threw it open and found what she was looking for; however, they were far too expensive looking, than she spied a red rough material. She pulled on the pants and actually had to tie a thin rope around her waist to keep them up and the long jacket that when over it.

 

She opened the door and sticking her head out she looked down both corridors and went left when she noticed that it was empty. As she continued down making some turns here and there she heard some people talking and so stood up straight against one of the walls and prayed that nobody noticed her.

 

“Oh my, I can't believe mutt face would have a pretty thing like you in here.”

 

“Well my lord, let me show you what other pretty things he has that I can share with you.”

 

“Hey, I like the sound of that.”

 

The couple opened the screen door; however, Hotaru noticed something that he left outside the room. She looked down at her bare feet and thought about the conditions outside.

 

`Buddha forgive me, I don't mean to steal…no…no…I'm borrowing these items right now, once I get to back to the well and get better I'll bring them back with a gift.'

 

She thought to herself as she quietly took the fur boots. She wished she had her backpack because she would have left this person an IOU. She tip toed out of the hall and found a door leading out through the kitchens. It was late so it seemed that everyone who worked in there left for the night. She noticed that the boots were big on her feet and so had to find something to tie them on too and while she was at it took some provisions for nourishment since she didn't exactly know where she was.

 

It was snowing lightly when she left and she felt glad for that, because she can leave there without anyone tracking her. What if she hurt someone again? Through the beautiful moonlit sky and the soft falling snow, Hotaru's mind wondered about with bleak and horrible memories of the stuff she couldn't remember doing at one time.

----------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------

 

Inuyasha returned into the room after having a hot bath in his private heated pool. He hated to have meetings with Kouga. Kouga always managed to piss him off by saying stupid things like…

 

“Why did you have to run off my woman? And, couldn't take it mutt face that she rather be with a human than to have been with a half breed mutt like you, or, I should've taken her with me instead of letting an idiot like you take care of her.”

 

But there was no helping it. If it weren't for the fact that Sesshomaru and Kouga were trying to make alliances, Inuyasha would have slit the wolf boy's mangy throat. Inuyasha showing loyalty to his brother had to swallow his tongue than to make the wolf prince mad.

 

However, the wolf would be gone in the morning and Inuyasha wouldn't have to see him for a long time and that brought him some mental release. Now that he was back in his chambers he went to go check on the girl, because if she was alright he would have her moved to other quarters and reclaim his room. He wondered how the girl was going to react on her staying in his home for much longer than she intended and for reasons that she more than likely would find appalling. He had spoken with one of Sesshomaru's servants and it was made clear to keep the girl under surveillance. Inuyasha would have liked to kill her and be done with it, but Sesshomaru made it clear that they were not going to kill this girl without cause because they did not know the reason the well that traveled time allowed her to come.

 

He remembered that he thought his brother was getting soft now that he was married with children, but he would never say that out loud to one of the servants of Sesshomaru for he wouldn't disrespect his brother behind his back, it just wasn't his style. But, it gave him something to sit on when he needed to argue with someone.

 

He walked into the room sliding the screen quietly and noticed that the fires were going down and that the room had gotten cooler so he stoked the fire and lit some of the candles only to find that she was gone.

 

“Damn, now where did that wench go?”

 

He went out into the hall and banged on Shippo's door.

 

“Oi Shippo where is the pathetic human?”

 

Shippo came to the door baring his naked chiseled chest and rubbing at a sleepy green eye.

 

“I don't know Inuyasha…”

 

He yawned and than thought about it for a second. When he opened his eyes again it was to find that Inuyasha was getting thoroughly annoyed.

 

“Um, maybe she woke up and was hungry.”

 

“Yeah, I suppose your right.”

 

Shippo yawned again and went to close the door when Inuyasha stopped his movement.

 

“By the way Shippo, Hotaru has become my prisoner.”

 

“What?!”

 

“Yeah, Sesshomaru believes that she might be the key as to why some lesser youkai have gone missing in this region and why the dimension is weakening. So…what I'm saying is, if she starts acting weird or doing anything that is weird you'll have to kill her.”

 

“I…I can't do that!”

 

Inuyasha looked the maturing fox in the eye. Shippo has grown so much from his cub days. Inuyasha made sure that he noticed that every time he looked onto the red haired adolescent. In some ways, Shippo would always be that young fox cub who tried to be so brave and was so frightened. He would always remember the little fox cub who looked up to him and tried his best to be as brave as he was without letting on that he admired him. But right now before Inuyasha he had to look at Shippo as a man, because if Shippo failed to understand…than he was afraid that he would have to do what his duty dictates.

 

“This is a command Shippo and if you fail to accomplish this task well I would have to…damn it Shippo if you don't do what is asked of you than you will be deemed a traitor and will have to be put down as well do you understand?”

 

“But Inuyasha!”

 

“If you think you will run and hide and helped this girl, Sesshomaru's forces will hunt you down and kill you, but I promise you this Shippo…if you disgrace me…I will find you before they do. She's a human and not just an ordinary human girl, she is the daughter of Miroku and Kagome that makes her plenty powerful enough so that she can possibly exterminate our entire way of life and everything we've been trying to accomplish to distance ourselves from the humans, she is a possible threat and enemy do you understand that Shippo?!”

 

Inuyasha flatly said not allowing any more room for argument. Shippo frowned in defiance and stood his ground staring Inuyasha in the eye. Eye to eye they both stood until Shippo cast his eyes down in recognition. Slumped shoulders he shook his head in the positive that he indeed understood what Inuyasha had said.

 

“Feh.”

 

And with that Inuyasha returned to his chambers to get some sleep. Hotaru will come back to the room when she was finished. He wasn't too worried about her absence since he knew that he had already raised the red flags about his new prisoner under house arrest.

 

Inuyasha woke up the next morning hearing a lot of shouting going on.

 

“Where is that mutt face?!”

 

“Lord Kouga he's in his chambers.” Said the female panda youkai who acted as one of the caretaker of Inuyasha's room.

 

“Is there anything I can do for you?” She continued trying to appease the wolf who was yelling the house down.

 

“Yeah, go get me that damn mangy mutt, someone stole my boots and I bet he has something to do with it!”

 

“What the hell is going on here Kouga?”

 

“You…you set me up with this wench here so that you can steal my boots.”

 

Inuyasha looked at the wolf lord with a bored expression very similar to his elder brother.

 

“What the hell are you talking about wolf? Do you know how utterly idiotic you sound right now? Why in all the seven hells would I want your damn boots?”

 

“You don't want me to make it to your brother's estate, because you don't want for me to offer one of my sons in marriage to one of your nieces, you don't want an alliance at all!”

 

Inuyasha yawned and then looked the wolf in the eye.

 

“Kouga…that is the most stupidest thing I've heard. I want you outta here, I don't care if Sesshomaru takes your damn son or not, it doesn't concern me. Now I don't know where the hell your boots are but…”

 

“Lord Inuyasha…pardon the interruption…but…the prisoner…she is gone.”

 

Inuyasha whirled around to look at his lieutenant who was a great dane youkai.

 

“You incompetent son of a…damn it how long ago did she leave?”

 

The youkai looked down in shame.

 

“We don't know exactly my lord, but she was spotted by Toushi's eagle heading north. She was wearing your fire rat robes sir.”

 

“Well, I think I know who took your damn boots. I'll go get her back here.”

 

But, when he finished saying that Kouga was already gone, Inuyasha just spotted the familiar whirlwind that was his enemy.

 

`Damn it all to hell.'

 

With that he took off to find the priestess wench first.

----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------

 

Hotaru had stopped under a canopy of evergreens and ate a loaf of bread she took with her. She was still suffering from guilt of killing those men and everything else she has done in the past. Even though it wasn't really she who had killed them, she was the instrument.

 

`I have to find out what is going on. I mean am I possessed or do I have a dual personality, I just don't know what's going on.'

 

Than she looked around, she didn't recognize any of the area she was currently in. It didn't seem like she traveled long when Shippo brought her to the castle, but then again from what she has learned about youkai, they can be very fast. But still, shouldn't she be close to the well? Hotaru stood up and gathered her things getting ready to continue traveling.

 

“Well now look what we've got here.” Said a thick husky voice.

 

Hotaru cringed as she heard the voice. She looked up and saw him standing there. A tall dark haired youkai wearing brown fur and she looked closer at him noticing his piercing blue eyes looking her over appreciatively. He wasn't ugly by any means, in fact, he was ruggedly beautiful, however, she definitely didn't like the way he was looking at her. He was practically licking his lips while he watched her. Hotaru backed up some getting ready to run.

 

“Now now, no need to fear me, I don't eat mortals… anymore that is. I gave it up a long time ago.”

 

He smiled reassuringly at her but she didn't care. She looked around for something to use to ward him off when she spied a big thick branch from a tree buried some in the dirt. She hurriedly picked it up and waved it at him. He smiled of coarse.

 

“Leave me alone youkai I mean it… I'll…I'll purify you and I don't want to do that.”

 

“Purify me? Ah I see you're a priestess than? Hey, I knew a miko once…”

 

“Look I don't care about the last miko you knew, just leave me alone alright, I'm just trying to get back home.”

 

“Well maybe I can help you get there pretty wench, or maybe you'd like to come home with me, I could make you one of my favorite concubines.”

 

“What?!”

 

“You know you remind me of someone, I can't put my finger on it.”

 

“Leave her alone you flea bag wolf, she's with me.”

 

Every one turned their attentions to the top of the hill above Hotaru. There in red robes with white flowers on one sleeve and a white furry boa wrapped around the other stood Inuyasha with his armor his eyes glowing amber-gold and one hand on the hilt of his sword.

 

Kouga smiled as he walked casually up to Hotaru and placed his heavy muscled arm over her shoulders.

 

“Ah seems like old times huh Inuyasha?”

 

“Get you damn filthy hands off her!”

 

Inuyasha broke in between the two and pressed his forehead into Kouga's.

 

“I told you she's with me.”

 

“Move it mutt face, it doesn't matter to me that she's your concubine, you lend out all your other ones, the one last night kept my bed warm, seeing how much trouble she is I could take this one off your hands. Let's see what will she cost me.”

“What?!” Both Inuyasha and Hotaru said in unison.

 

“Oh come now Inuyasha, sell her to me then, I mean do we really dislike one another…come on you can't still be mad about what I said about Ka…”

“Shut up wolf, I'm not selling her, she's my prisoner by order of my older brother not my concubine you stupid wolf. He suspects her for all the stuff that's going on.”

 

“Oh I see, well then I guess I'll just go, but if it turns out she's innocent I'll still buy her from you.”

 

“Over my dead body stupid wolf.”

 

Kouga made to go when Inuyasha stopped him.

 

“Oi don't forget your damn boots!”

 

Kouga turned around and smiled handsomely.

 

“No, it's alright she can keep them to remember me by.”

 

“Not so fast, Hotaru take off those damn boots.”

 

“Inuyasha really, it's cold, she could keep them.” Kouga said incredulously.

“I'll carry her back to the castle. Hotaru lets go take them off!”

 

Hotaru did as she was told. She had no idea what was going on but she was still shocked that they spoke about her like she wasn't even there. Did they really sell women like that? Than he said she was a prisoner, was that for real or was that just to get rid of this youkai who was demanding that he buy her.

 

“Get on my back wench.”

 

The cold snow on her feet made her obey.

 

“Really Inuyasha that wasn't necessary. She could've kept them.” Kouga said disgustedly now in Inuyasha's direction.

 

“We're not far from the castle and I don't wish to smell your nasty scent any longer.”

 

Kouga bit out a smile and winked an eye toward Hotaru.

 

“You do remind me of someone I know, til next time beautiful raven.”

 

And off he went in a whirlwind toward his destination. As soon as the wolf was out of Inuyasha's sight and sense of smell he threw Hotaru roughly on the ground. She fell on her back into the snow and sputtered.

 

“I…I don't understand…why are you putting me down, my feet will get cold.”

 

“I don't give a shit wench. I said that merely to get rid of the damn wolf.”

 

“But…”

 

Inuyasha turned around and looked at the girl shivering in front of him.

 

“Look, you're my damn prisoner got that, like I told the wolf, you're suspected of killing some lower level youkai and destroying our dimension.”

 

“How do…do…you…figure…that?”

 

“Look I would as soon kill you and than figure if anything has changed or remained the same, but, my brother wants to keep you alive…for now. Hurry up wench we ain't got all day.”

 

Hotaru looked down at the ground and watched as her feet began to turn red already.

 

“I'm going to get frost bite on my feet…I thought you were taking care of me? That fox guy said…”

 

“I was only allowing you time to heal, you ran away…so you must be feeling better. On top of that you stole from a guest and from the person who was providing you shelter, food and better health. I could give a rat's ass if you get frost bite, which should teach you not to steal and try to run away.”

 

“I didn't steal anything and I wasn't running away!”

 

“Keh, you're wearing my robes, you stole that mangy wolf's boots and you're out here.”

 

Inuyasha stated harshly while holding his hands out and making a circle to prove his point. Hotaru looked down and bit her lips as she played with a strand of hair.

 

“It's not what it looks like alright, I couldn't find my clothes and I needed to get home. I want to see my family.”

 

“Well, your not going anywhere for a while until we get some things cleared up. Now let's go wench I ain't waiting for you, for all I care you could freeze your tiny little ass out here.”

 

“I should purify you where you stand bastard.” Hotaru said hotly.

 

Inuyasha turned around and smiled darkly, in fact he smile very dangerously as he got real close in her face. His mouth inches from hers.

 

“You can't wench; I sealed your miko powers when you were laying up in my room. I can't allow you to be in the youkai dimension with those kinds of powers.”

 

He pointed to the beaded necklace around her throat that she hadn't noticed. She looked down and saw it. She tried to take it off but it wouldn't come off above her head. She tried pulling it but it wouldn't budge.

 

“You did what? Look, I just want to go home, just take me to the well and I could leave here and I won't return ever!”

“Like I told you, I can't do that you're my prisoner.”

“Damn you.”

 

Inuyasha laughed as they continued to walk.

 

“Oh and by the way…I am a bastard.”

 

Hotaru gasped at his comment as he continued to walk in front of her laughing as he could smell the fear emitting off her.