InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Changing the Past, Changes the Future ❯ In Bloom ( Chapter 16 )

A/N: This is NOT a new chapter. While editing this story, I added a little extra to almost every chapter, but what I added to chapter 5 made it twice the size as any other chapter, so I split it in half. The new content in that part is in chapter 5 and 6. The next chapter is the new one.

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, and I don't make any money from the writing of this or any of my stories.

 

Chapter 16: In Bloom

“Look at this flower, master Jaken!” Rin shouted as she held up a purple flower.

Jaken scurried over to her and giggled as a yellow butterfly landed on his beak. “That's a pretty flower, Rin.” He looked over and picked a red flower. “Look at this one, Rin.”

Shippo was a few feet from them picking flowers for Kagome.

Not too far away, Kikyo and Miroku were sitting in the sun watching the three as they ran through the field, picking wild flowers.

“I think he likes picking flowers as much as she does.” Miroku smirked at the woman sitting next to him.

Kikyo smiled back at him. “The thought has also crossed my mind.”

She had gotten tired of listening to Koga and Sesshomaru pick on Inuyasha. It was true that he could take care of himself, but that didn't mean she had to sit there and listen to it. So, when Rin had asked if she could go pick flowers, Kikyo had instantly volunteered to take the girl. Of course, Sesshomaru stopped one of his verbal sparring matches with Koga long enough to tell her she had to take Ah-Un and the monk with her.

It was obvious to Kikyo that Sesshomaru worried that she would hand the girl over to Naraku. While Kikyo wasn't sure how she felt about the demon lord, it hurt that he didn't trust her. Of course, she had no reason to blame him. After everything she had done, she was surprised that Inuyasha trusted her.

Jaken had claimed to join her, because he wanted to catch some fish, but Kikyo knew it was because he wanted to pick some flowers.

Little Shippo had offered his protection to them. He had said that he needed to look after them because they had people who cared so much about them.

She still wasn't sure why Miroku had offered to join her. Besides the fact that Sesshomaru had all but commanded him to go. Maybe he was sick of what was happening too. Perhaps, he just thought she needed a friend. Whatever the case, Miroku was always welcome company. She did, however, always keep what Inuyasha told her about Naraku finding out and going nuts, in the front of her mind. She would never be able to forgive herself if Naraku hurt Miroku, because he thought there was something between them.

“What troubles you, Lady Kikyo?” His blue eyes were full of genuine concern.

The breeze played with Kikyo's long ponytail. She looked very far away from him, even though she was sitting next to him.

A sigh escaped Miroku's lips. It was so hard to communicate with someone that didn't want to talk. Sometimes he thought he'd have a better conversation speaking to Kilala than to Kikyo.

“Much troubles me, Miroku.” Her voice was soft, and almost hard for Miroku to hear.

“Ah. I see.” Really he didn't. Not one bit at all. “Do you wish to speak of it?”

“Not really. I don't even know where to begin.”

Miroku did. Inuyasha had returned with Kagome, but Kikyo and Sesshomaru had never come back. He didn't really believe that anything sexual had occurred, but it would be a good conversation starter. “I noticed that you and Lord Sesshomaru didn't return to camp until we were all awake this morning.”

Kikyo's head snapped toward Miroku and her green eyes were wide with shock, before they narrowed. “I'm surprised my screams didn't wake you up. Inuyasha was sure bitching about them this morning.” Kikyo's voice was serious.

Miroku gaped at her. His mouth was wide open. He couldn't believe that she had just told him that. He had thought nothing went on between them. “I can't believe it.”

Kikyo rose to her feet. “Good, then don't. Nothing happened.” She smirked down at him.

“Wait!” Miroku scrambled to his feet. “If that didn't happen, then what did? I don't believe that you and Sesshomaru have very long, wordy, and involved conversations.”

Kikyo regarded him for a second. “Why don't you ask Sesshomaru what we did last night?”

“Because he'll kill me. You might slap me or ignore me, but he would kill me,” Miroku was matter of fact.

Kikyo pondered that for a moment and decided he was right. “Inuyasha came and got Kagome they left. Then Sesshomaru sat down next to me.”

“And…” Miroku motioned for her to continue.

“And I rested on my back in the grass and fell asleep. He woke me when he could smell the food cooking…”

 

Miroku's eye brows shot up. “He sat next to you the entire night, while you slept?”

 

“Yes and then he said we needed to return to camp. Those were the first words he spoke to me since he made the comment about adding me to his collection of pottery.” Kikyo was amused.

“Ah. That was quite funny when he said that. I knew it hurt you, but…”

“Hurt me? That was hilarious. I had to get up to leave so he wouldn't kill me for laughing.” Kikyo laughed. It was one of the few times when Miroku had seen her actually laugh. It made him smile to know that he could make someone as sad as Kikyo laugh.

Miroku cleared his throat and grabbed Kikyo's hands. “I have an extensive collection of pottery. Perhaps you would like to become part of my collection.” Miroku barely managed to keep a straight face as he repeated Sesshomaru's words in his own way.

Kikyo began to laugh hysterically. She pulled away and took a few steps from him. “I don't know, Miroku. I'll have to think about it.” She was clearly joking, although her voice was full of sexual innuendo.

Her laughter died the instant a black blur slammed into the monk, tackling him from behind.

Miroku got a mouth full of grass and dirt, before he was violently flipped onto his back. He spit the stuff from his mouth and instantly felt his airway tighten from the way the clawed hands clamped around his neck. He stared up at the man pinning him to the ground in shock.

The being's usually beautiful face was contorted with a rage that Miroku had never seen.

And he knew the other man's face so well. It had haunted his nightmares and many of his waking moments for almost everyday of his life.

Red eyes glared down into Miroku's. Miroku watched as the other man's long black hair snapped around in the wind. Miroku wasn't sure if the wind was real or from his aura. His vision was starting to blur. Miroku always knew this demon would be the one to kill him, but he didn't think it would be because he choked him to death with his bare hands.

Lethal fangs, dripping with saliva, were bared at the monk that had propositioned his woman.

Kikyo was his.

His to destroy, his to love, his to hate, his to fuck.

No one else would touch what was his.

Somewhere in his fuzzy mind, Miroku registered the sound of Rin's scream for Sesshomaru.

“Naraku!” Kikyo ran toward the two men. “Let him go! He wasn't serious! I wasn't serious! We were just joking!”

She ran into his side hard enough that she knocked Naraku off of Miroku.

Miroku's burning lungs filled with the precious air. He rolled onto his knees and gasped for air.

Kikyo scrambled to roll to her feet, only to have a tentacle snake around her ankle and drag her back down. She looked to where Jaken, Rin, Shippo, and Ah-Un were. She waved them away, and watched as Ah-Un took to the sky, flying high above them. Then she looked back to the monk, struggling so hard to breathe.

“Run Miroku! Run back to Inuyasha and the others!” Kikyo shouted at him as she dug her hands into the earth, trying to pull away from the slimy tentacle around her ankle.

Miroku rose to his feet. “It would be useless for me to run, Lady Kikyo. With my wind tunnel, he could kill me from anywhere, if he so chose to do so.”

Everyone present flinched when Naraku began to laugh. He released Kikyo and rose to his feet, charging at Miroku. Had his reflexes not been so fast, he would have impaled himself on the blade being pointed straight at him by the bored looking demon lord.

“You attack a mere monk over an undead priestess? You are truly pathetic, Naraku.”

“Lord Sesshomaru.” Naraku snarled. “To what do I owe this visit?”

Kikyo ran past them and over to Miroku. Sesshomaru fought the urge to growl when she began to touch Miroku's throat. “Are you okay, Miroku?”

Naraku was beyond livid. “You were correct, monk. I do have the power to kill you whenever I see fit, but after today, I will not kill you in that fashion. Oh no, monk, after today, I will torture you, then choke you to death with my bare hands.”

“That was a pretty speech, Naraku. Perhaps you should take up writing romances.” Inuyasha mocked him as the rest of them approached. His eyes glanced skyward to see Naraku's insects and Kagura, Kanna, and Kohaku seated on Kagura's feather simply watching.

“Inuyasha.” He spat.

“That's my name, don't wear it out.” Inuyasha drew the Tetsusaiga.

Naraku jumped back from Sesshomaru and stared at the woman next to Inuyasha. She wore a cut off pair of blue pants that were even more indecent than the little skirt she pranced around in. The top she wore was sleeveless and red. Long black hair was pulled back in a high ponytail.

Naraku stared at the mating mark that was proudly displayed on her throat. “You seem very proud of that mark, Kagome.” It was one of the few times that Naraku had addressed her by her name.

She smiled at him. “Why wouldn't I be?”

Naraku glared at Inuyasha. “You have claimed another, despite the fact that you already have claimed a mate.” His nostrils flared as he inhaled sharply. “At least this time, you have claimed her body as well.”

Both Inuyasha and Kagome blushed, and didn't say a word.

“You will cease this loathsome discussion of the half breed and the wench's mating habits at once.” Sesshomaru frowned slightly. He found the topic of this conversation very distasteful. He knew he had to draw Naraku's attention away from Kagome and Inuyasha.

They couldn't afford to lose either to Naraku and still defeat him.

“What were we talking about before?” Sesshomaru asked. “Ah yes, the monk and the clay pot.”

“Don't speak about Kikyo in that fashion.” Naraku's defense of Kikyo truly amused Sesshomaru, although it did not appear on his face.

“Don't tell me that you feel threatened by a human, Naraku.” Sesshomaru deliberately taunted.

“Surely you jest, Sesshomaru. I feel no threat from that worthless monk.” Naraku growled.

“Good. It would be a shame for you to destroy the monk when he isn't the one that Kikyo spent last night with.” Sesshomaru told him.

Kikyo grabbed his sleeve. “What are you doing?” She hissed.

Naraku looked at the other males in his presence. He knew that Sesshomaru meant Kikyo was having an affair with one of the others.

“Oh man. Don't tell me that the two of you are fucking again.” Inuyasha was clearly disgusted.

“Inuyasha!” Kagome shouted.

Miroku had walked back over to the group and he struck Inuyasha on the back of the head with his staff.

“Ow! What the hell did you do that for?”

Naraku glared at Sesshomaru, then at Kikyo. “You were sleeping with him the same time that you were caring for Onigumo.”

“He came looking for Inuyasha to kill him, and I couldn't let him do that. He thought I was Inuyasha's woman and knew it would hurt him just as bad if he took me.”

“Once again, you chose Inuyasha over me.”

“Why do you blame everything on him?” Kagome asked Naraku.

“Because everything is his fault. It is Inuyasha's fault that I became what I am now. Had Kikyo simply given me the sacred jewel and Tomi come with me, Inuyasha would have been left alone. Once they both chose a vile half demon over me, I had no other option.”

Everyone in the group was silent. They had never known Naraku had this kind of unreasonable vendetta against Inuyasha.

Sesshomaru's eyes briefly flicked to Inuyasha, then to Kikyo. “What do you want, Naraku? Surely you weren't simply passing by and just stopped in when you heard the monk and Kikyo's obviously distasteful conversation. Nothing is that simple with you half breed. You must have a hidden motive of some kind.” Only boredom and slight disgust was apparent in Sesshomaru's voice.

“Actually Lord Sesshomaru, that is indeed what has happened. However, I now require Kikyo's presence. Seeing her, I think she may be able to help me with a problem I have been having.” Naraku ground out.

“Like hell!” Inuyasha shouted.

Sesshomaru's eyes shifted to Inuyasha for barely a second and Naraku made his move.

He moved forward and his hand snagged Kikyo's wrist. He rose in the air with Kikyo in his arms. The only sign of distress Kikyo was showing was the fear and disgust in her eyes.

“You bastard!” Inuyasha raised Tetsusaiga and prepared to unleash his Adamant Barrage against Naraku. That would destroy the bastard's barrier.

“Stop Inuyasha!” Kagome shouted.

“Don't be foolish, Inuyasha,” Sesshomaru said. “An attack such as that will destroy Kikyo.”

Kagome looked at Sesshomaru for a split second. That was the second time Sesshomaru had referred to Kikyo by her name in this altercation. Her head jerked back to Naraku and Kikyo as Naraku's nightmarish and haunting laughter echoed.

Then Naraku vanished.

Taking Kikyo with him.

“Kikyo! Kikyo!” Inuyasha shouted enraged, staring at the spot where they had just been.

“Kagura.” Sesshomaru's voice called to the wind demon. Inuyasha's head whipped to the side. He had forgotten they were there.

The expression on Kagura's face was priceless. She kept opening and closing her mouth, much like a fish. She had clearly no idea what had just happened.

“Where has Naraku taken the priestess?” Sesshomaru questioned her.

She shook her head and the veil fell over her visage. “How the hell would I know? Naraku does as he pleases.”

With that she was gone, leaving the group in silence. The insects soon follow.

“What do we do now, my lord?” Jaken's voice shook as he asked the question.

Sesshomaru ignored him.

“We go back to the camp and regroup. We need to form a plan, and then we need to go save Kikyo.” Sango's hand joined with Kagome's as Miroku stood by her side, rubbing the bruises on his neck.

“I hope he isn't so angry that he really hurts her.” Kagome was clearly worried.

“Don't worry too much, Kagome. Naraku could never hurt her in the past. Physically at least. He won't be able to now.” Inuyasha used the words to reassure Kagome that Kikyo would be safe.

Even though he wasn't so sure himself.