InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Cherries ❯ Shadows Against A Screen ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter 6: Shadows Against A Screen

Kagome was mildly surprised when Sesshoumaru showed back up behind the screen and sat down next to her, picking up the spare set of chopsticks. Her eyes rounded in shock when he plucked a piece of fruit off of the tray for two reasons; one being that there had been fruit and she hadn't even noticed it, and the other reason was that Sesshoumaru was eating with her, though she wasn't sure why that shocked her.

Grabbing a piece of fruit herself, she inched closer to Sesshoumaru until their arms were touching. She couldn't understand why, but she felt better when they were touching. She picked up a piece of melon with her chopsticks and placed it in her mouth, a small drop of juice escaping her mouth and sliding down her chin. Kagome was about to wipe it away when Sesshoumaru's hand under her chin, turning her face towards his, stopped her. She raised her eyes up to his and watched as he lowered his head to hers.

"You're very messy," Sesshoumaru said just before his tongue snaked out of his mouth and licked the juice from her lower lip. He sucked her lip into his mouth and nibbled on it for a moment before he released her lip and chin. He sat back and picked up another piece of fruit like nothing had happened.

Kagome opened her mouth and was about to ask what had just happened between them, but he spoke before she could say anything.

"I want you to stay back here and be quite while the visitors are here, no matter what you hear or what happens," Sesshoumaru said, staring straight ahead. He knew she wouldn't like the idea, but he couldn't have her attacking the person, not just yet. He needed to find out why they were there.

Kagome wanted to protest with what he was telling her to do, but she saw the serious look on his face. She looked at him and was about to ask why he wanted her to stay there, but was interrupted again.

"No matter what. Do you understand?" he asked, looking at her.

Kagome was speechless for a moment at the intensity in his eyes, but shook herself out of her stupor. "I'll stay back here," she said quietly.

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Good. I have to leave you back here now, but I will be sitting right in front of you, so you don't have to worry."

His statement made Kagome worry, even though he said she shouldn't. "Why would I worry?" she asked.

Sesshoumaru shook his head before he placed a quick kiss on her cheek, stood up, and disappeared in front of the screen.

Kagome stood up and was about to run around front and demand that he tell her what he was talking about when she came to a dead stop, not of her own free will. She took a small step back and looked carefully, becoming angry when she saw the glimmer of a barrier in front of her. She was about to try to break through it when she remembered what he had asked of her and the look on his face when he had done so. She reluctantly went back to the large cushion and sat down, comforted only by the fact that she could see his shadow against the screen in front of her.

A few moments later, there came a quick rap against the door before it swung open. Kagome swiveled her eyes in the doors direction to see four shadows through the screen that kept her concealed; two larger ones, and two smaller ones. One of the smaller ones, she knew, had to be Jaken, but as for the other three, she wasn't sure. They were the wrong size to be Sango, Miroku, and Shippou looking for her, which was her first thought. Plus, Kirara would have been with them. And she would not have felt the presence of the Shikon no Tama like she did now.

Jaken led the figures to the opposite end of the table from Sesshoumaru and was dismissed by a wave of Sesshoumaru's hand after the visitors were seated. Now Kagome was left with Sesshoumaru and the three unknowns. They sat there in silence for a few minutes, probably having a staring contest, leaving Kagome to concentrate on the new figures and noticed that two, one of the taller figures and the one remaining shorter person, were standing, one on either side of the third person. She also noticed that they were both female. One, the taller female standing on his right held something that looked like a fan at her side, restlessly flipping it open and then closed. The shorter girl held perfectly still, her hands in front of her and it looked like she might be holding something, though she didn't move a muscle as far as Kagome could see.

Finally, as her attention moved to the third person, Sesshoumaru spoke, leaving her to concentrate on what was being said rather than trying to find out who the mystery guests were. If she could recognize one of their voices, she might be able figure out who it was.

"What business do you have here?" That was, of course, Sesshoumaru.

"I merely came to offer an alliance against Inuyasha. It seems his little miko has disappeared in the last day or two and their power is now considerably weakened. Now would be the perfect time to attack." Kagome nearly gasped, the only thing keeping her quiet was her promise to Sesshoumaru that she would remain quiet. But, that sounded like Naraku. But he had disappeared; they couldn't find him anywhere. Not even Kouga and his wolves had been able to track the evil hanyou down, and now he showed up in Sesshoumaru's castle.

But if Naraku was there, that meant the other two had to be Kagura and Kanna. That could be a deadly combination for Sesshoumaru.

"What makes you think I would want to make an alliance with you?" Kagome smiled a bit, glad to know that Sesshoumaru's common sense hadn't been overridden by his hatred for his younger half brother.

"I'm sure you could be convinced to help." Kagome couldn't believe it; they would blackmail him into fighting Inuyasha if they had to?

"You do remember how easy it was for me to take that little human girl of yours?" Kagome's eyes widened. That was Kagura. They wouldn't do anything like that again, would they?

"And you should be grateful you are still alive."

"Yet you let us into your home." Kagome couldn't believe how bold Naraku was being. Kagome heard the slight growl that Sesshoumaru let slip before he got his emotions in check again. Apparently, that statement had ticked him off, as well.

Kagome watched as Sesshoumaru's shadow blurred before her and suddenly appeared by where Kanna had been standing. Only, Kanna was no longer standing there. She was lying on the ground, her mirror no longer clutched to her chest, but on the floor.

Kagome averted her eyes, not wanting to watch even the shadows of what was happening. She heard Naraku laugh and then heard his laugh be cut off in a gurgled cry of pain. That sound, too, ended abruptly after Kagome felt a blast of energy come from the main room. A sound that she didn't want to identify, though it sounded like a sword being pulled from flesh, came before the sound of something heavy yet soft being dropped to the floor.

Kagome closed her eyes, knowing that she should be happy that Naraku had been defeated, but it felt as if it was an empty victory.

"So, where is the miko? Her scent is all over you." There was a slight pause before she laughed a bit. "I think she'll be good for. Keep her close." Kagome couldn't believe Kagura would be so bold after Naraku and Kanna had just been killed in front of her.

"That is none of your concern. You asked me for my help in ridding you of Naraku before. I suggest you take your freedom while you can." Kagome hadn't known about Kagura asking for his help before. She was suddenly very confused.

"I have one request of you." Apparently Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her or something, because she continued. "Tell that stupid mutt of a wolf to get a clue. He has a good girl waiting for him and Kagome isn't her." Kagome's eyes shot open and up to the screen in front of her. She saw Sesshoumaru nod and then Kagura started to walk towards the door. Just before she exited the room, she said something else over her shoulder. "Bye Kagome."

Kagome sat there dumbfounded at the wind youkai's actions and words. Hell, she was shocked by all that had just happened in the last few minutes. She didn't hear the squawk of Jaken as he yelled at her to wait up as he ran after her, nor did she hear Sesshoumaru walk behind the screen.

She didn't hear anything until something small and round landed in her lap. She looked down at the object, her mind not recognizing it for a few moments. The glittering pink ball called out to her, called out to her soul, and she heard her soul return the call with full force. She recognized it as the Shikon no Tama, finally, and picked it up, holding out in front of her.

So many had died for the sake of that one object, more than she probably would ever know. All because either they had lusted after the power of the jewel, or they got in someone else's way. All for the power that this small glittering pink ball could supposedly give them.

She finally raised her eyes to look at Sesshoumaru and was impressed that there wasn't a speck of blood on him. She shook her head and smiled at herself. She was being silly. She didn't know how or why, but she was. Kagome patted the cushion next to her and watched as Sesshoumaru moved towards her and sat where she had indicated.

Sesshoumaru wrapped his strong arms around her small body and pulled her closer. Kagome leaned her head against his shoulder as she let him pull her into his lap. She still couldn't help the feeling that it had been an empty victory after all of the work that her and her friends had gone through to find and defeat the evil hanyou, and now it was over before anyone else had a say in it. She felt Sesshoumaru nuzzle her hair and she looked up at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked her, his voice quiet and soothing as he rubbed small circles on her back.

Kagome sighed and rested her head back against his shoulder, her hand sliding up his chest to rest on his other shoulder. "Why did you kill him? I know he's done some things in the past that were meant to get you mad, but it never really seemed to upset you before," she told him.

"He has hurt you and your friends before. I do not wish for my mate to be sad," he told her as he held her close. He gently kissed the crown of her head.

"I know," she said quietly. "But I can't help but feel like it was an empty victory. All that hard work, looking for the shards and Naraku, and those vicious battles, and it's all over in a matter of minutes without the participation of the people that it really meant something to. Though, I'm sure Sango and Miroku will be glad that they and their families have been avenged."

Sesshoumaru sighed inwardly. He had forgotten about the involvement of the monk and the exterminator, but Naraku had to be taken care of. They would not be able to deal with the evil hanyou and whatever greater evil that the prophecy spoke of looming in the future at the same time. It had to be done. Deciding there was nothing to be done about it now, he changed the topic of discussion slightly. "How many more shards are there that you need to collect?"

Kagome thought for a moment, counting up all the shards she knew of, taking into account the size of the chunk that was missing from the nearly completed jewel in her hands. "I have three, plus the ten small ones you gave me, and Kouga has two," she told him. "Other than that, I don't think there will be too many, if any at all. There used to be one in Kohaku's back, but I doubt Naraku left that there for very long," she added as she glared at the pink crystal in her lap.

"What did Kagura mean, when she said I would be good for you and to keep me close?" Kagome asked, confused, looking up at his eyes.

"You are good for me," he told her as he looked down into her eyes as she watched him intently. "I want you to read the prophecy later. I want to know what it will reveal to you," he said, changing the subject.

Kagome nodded and snuggled deeper into Sesshoumaru's arms. She was about to drift off to sleep when a loud bang brought her back awake.

"Oi, Sesshoumaru-sama, where are you? I need to talk with you," a loud voice boomed in the room as the door suddenly slammed open.

Kagome jerked away from Sesshoumaru as the person entered the room, her eyes scanning the screen that separated them as she tried to figure out who it was. She relaxed and let her instincts take over a bit and nearly smacked herself in the forehead for not sensing them earlier. She stomped a laugh down as she heard Jaken running down the hall towards the room as he yelled at the juvenile delinquent that had just entered the room. She stood up and waited for Sesshoumaru to do the same, wanting to get this taken care of quickly.

Sesshoumaru stood up and began to walk out from behind the screen, not expecting Kagome to be following right behind him. He turned to tell her to stay put back there, but she didn't stop. She just kept walking.

She reached his barrier and stopped, looking back at Sesshoumaru over her shoulder. "He'll listen better if I'm there," was all she offered as an explanation to her desire to go out and talk to the newcomer.

Sesshoumaru nodded and lowered the barrier that surrounded them as he walked to his mate's side. They walked out together, Kagome's small hand held tightly in his larger one.

Together, they could handle anything thrown at them, and they would. Of that, Sesshoumaru was certain. He was once again impressed by her strength and determination as she walked out to do her first political battle, and he greatly respected her for that. Just before they came into view of the newcomer, they released the others' hand and continued walking side by side until they reached the newcomer.