InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Daybreak ❯ The Feudal Lord ( Chapter 4 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
Chapter 4- The Feudal Lord
“Kagome…” whispered Hojo as he and the three girls looked at the battered school doorway.
He didn't know what had just happened. He had finally worked up the courage to ask Kagome out again when suddenly some strange foreign guy had burst open the doors wearing traditional feudal clothes and a bandana on his head. The look on his face was truly frightening. Hojo had never seen yellow eyes like that before. And he could hear something, almost as if he was growling. He had looked… wild.
Then Kagome had whispered his name.
“Inuyasha…”
Hojo realised with a start that this was the guy Yuka, Eri and Ayumi had told him about earlier. They had told him Kagome's heart was confused by a two-timing, selfish, violent guy and they wanted a nice, responsible man like Hojo to ask her out and set her head straight.
At first, the idea of Kagome with someone like that didn't seem possible to Hojo. He imagined he was just some guy who was a play boy and perhaps Kagome's friends were over reacting because they cared about her so much. Kagome wasn't the type to be played by the dangerous type, surely! She was smart and sensible and kind and pretty… But then… this guy?
When Kagome had started to leave, Hojo reached out to touch her shoulder, hoping to delay her from being alone with the threatening man. Of course, it had ended up with his wrist being badly bruised just from the guy squeezing it! Kagome and that guy had then left, leaving him speechless. Ayumi had then said something like Inuyasha had been nice to them when they met and that he seemed to really care for Kagome, but Hojo just couldn't stop a tight sensation in his chest. He didn't know why, but there was something about that guy…
A glint of purple-pink light had then caught his eye. Looking down he saw a beautiful shard of glass, the rich colour of magenta, glistening in the afternoon light. Hadn't he seen something like that around Kagome's neck before?
Noticing the group of girls were still crowded around each other having a heated discussion about the `Inuyasha' guy, he bent down to pick the shard up. Saying a quick goodbye to the girls, he jogged through the doors, heading in the direction of Kagome's house. He may have ran into that Inuyasha, but it was only to return something to Kagome. Was she really alright to be alone with him…?
He lost his train of thought when he almost tripped over large, cracked indentation in the cement footpath. Something must have hit it with incredible force to create a crack that big… Hojo's head sprung up when he heard a familiar voice.
“SIT!!!”
WHUMP!
“FUCK!”
Hojo ran to the end of the street and cautiously looked around the corner. Kagome was standing over the `Inuyasha' guy shouting at him while he lay in a crater, flat on his stomach. Hojo didn't quite hear all of the conversation, but his ears had picked up when she said his name.
She was standing up for him!
When Inuyasha stood up and yelled back saying how stupid she was being, she screamed `SIT!' again. Hojo stared in shock when he saw the beads around Inuyasha's neck glow and drag him to the ground in a loud CRACK.
This…what was this? How did Kagome do that? It wasn't like Inuyasha was falling on purpose every time she said `sit'. The Inuyasha guy was still cursing at her as she walked away.
Hojo had by now completely forgotten his initial purpose for finding them and watched silently from a distance as Inuyasha managed to stand up again and follow after Kagome. The `sitting' occurred again and again as they walked the long distance to the Higurashi shrine. Each time Inuyasha said something thoughtless, Kagome's face would distort into a frighteningly angry face and she would send him straight to the ground.
Despite her terrifying face, Hojo couldn't help but think her anger beautiful… in a scary sort of way. He especially liked the way her lips pouted. Hojo's face flushed red. He really did like her. He liked her A LOT.
Hojo hid behind a telephone booth when they neared the shrine and watched Kagome sit Inuyasha a couple times more.
“I'm going to pack! You better be at the well in five minutes!!” she yelled loud enough for him to hear. `The Well?' Did she mean the well at the back of her house? What were they going to do there?
He watched as Kagome's little brother came home and talked to the flattened Inuyasha until the latter could move again. The young man watched as the two disappeared above the stairs before beginning to walk forward. He was about to cross the street and enter the shrine when, what must have been, Kagome's grandfather came out and began to sweep the stairs. Hojo froze and quickly darted behind the telephone booth, panting, clasping the shard in his hand. His face flushed red once again.
What was he doing? He was just here to return the piece of pink glass to Kagome, that's all. He didn't need to hide! And yet, he wanted to return it to her in person and find out what was going on with that Inuyasha guy. Another thought caused Hojo's eyes to widen. Perhaps confronting her would just give her more problems with that guy?
Hojo wrestled with his thoughts until Kagome's grandfather had returned inside for a tea break. Hojo took a deep breath. It was now or never. He quickly ran across the street, up the stairs and crouched down. Keeping his eyes on the windows of the house he walked low to the ground, keeping behind trees, bicycles and other objects that would hide him from view. He finally made it to the well house, took a deep breath and slid open the door.
“Kagome-san…” his voice trailed off. He looked around the empty room. Hojo let out his breath. They were already gone. He shouldn't have hesitated.
He was about to turn and leave when he noticed the pink piece of glass glowing in his hand. Slowly, Hojo raised his head to look at the well in the middle of the hut. He was sure he could feel a breeze coming from inside it…
He took a step down the wooden stairs and looked in surprise at the shard glowing brighter. It continued to gain radiance until he stopped directly in front of the wooden structure. Cautiously he peered over the side of the well.
“Kagome-san?” he called. He could definitely feel the cool wind float up from inside the well now. Hojo looked down again at the hot, glowing shard in his hand. His mouth formed a straight line. `No more hesitations' he thought determinedly as he swung his legs over the side and jumped.
*****
“…and so that's how I ended up here,” finished Hojo brightly.
He smiled as he looked around at his guests. They had hardly touched the remainders of their food while he told his story. Kagome still stared at him with wide eyes.
Inuyasha, however, was still glaring suspiciously at the strange Lord.
After the battle, Hojo had invited them to stay the night and dine with him. Wanting to know what the heck was going on, most of the group had agreed eagerly, much to Inuyasha's frustration. He still didn't like this Hojo guy and now that he was in the Feudal era (God knows how). Inuyasha wanted nothing more than to throw Kagome on his back and take off with Sango, Miroku and Kirara trailing behind. But they had stayed and listened.
Kagome sat opposite from Hojo, across the room with Shippou seated on her right. Miroku and Sango sat quietly, their backs facing the sliding doors that opened to the courtyard while Inuyasha had made sure to sit between Kagome and Hojo, in hope of accentuating the distance between the two. They had all sat in a circle to face each other, creating a cosy mood for such an elaborate room. Tatami mats covered every inch of the floor and beautiful scrolls of golden parchment decorated the walls.
But Inuyasha wasn't one for admiring rooms. He kept his eyes firmly on Hojo throughout his entire story trying to work out what it was he didn't like about the human. Surely it wasn't just his jealousy…?
“So, that shard of glass…” Kagome began, breaking the short silence. Hojo smiled in response, put his hand inside his grand robes and took out the magenta shard.
“A shikon fragment!” exclaimed Sango. There was no need for Kagome to tell them it was genuine.
Kagome took out the little glass jar that hung around her neck for everyone to see. There was definitely a shard missing.
“But… how did I drop it in the future and not notice? I can usually sense them,” pondered Kagome out loud.
“Perhaps it was because you were so preoccupied with… other things,” said Hojo, his eyes flickering in Inuyasha's direction. Inuyasha swallowed a growl.
“You were very angry, after school that day,” continued Hojo. “I wouldn't be surprised if you couldn't notice anything else around you.”
“That's true,” joked Miroku. “We all know how Kagome gets when she's mad!”
“Eh?! How do I get?”
“You know. Whenever you get really angry at Inuyasha, you sit him repeatedly and don't stop even when we try to call out to you,” answered Sango.
“Eh?!! I don't, do I?” squealed Kagome, covering her flaming cheeks with her hands. Hojo, Sango and Miroku laughed.
“Yeah, but Inuyasha deserves it, usually,” said Shippou as if it was a fact. Inuyasha's fist slammed down on the kitsune's head.
“What the heck was that for?” shouted Shippou clutching the bump on his skull.
“What do you think?” said Inuyasha as he sat down in his spot again, legs crossed, tessaiga at the ready. Kagome smiled, awkwardly embarrassed.
“Well, I give this to you, Kagome-san,” said Hojo, passing the shard to her. Again, Inuyasha had to bite back on his tongue when he saw Hojo's finger's brush hers a little too long during the exchange. “I'm just glad I was able to keep my promise and return it to you,” Hojo beamed.
“You still didn't tell us everything,” said Inyasha, his arms crossed above his chest. “How is it a lowly human like you becomes a Feudal Lord?”
“Inuyasha!” scolded Kagome in a quiet voice.
“Yes, I was wondering that myself,” said Miroku.
“Are you that heavenly being?” piped up Shippou excitedly.
“No, I'm afraid not. Well, they are just rumours. You see, when I came out of the well on this side, I had no idea where I was.” Hojo gave a sad smile. “I began walking around and before I knew it I got lost. I can't remember how long I walked for, but I was then attacked by a monster. It was huge and blue coloured…”
“Probably an oni,” interrupted Sango. “There are quite a few roaming around in the mountainous areas of this prefecture.”
Hojo nodded in confirmation. “Yes, that was what I was told later. Anyway, I must have been knocked out because the next thing I know, I wake up in front of this castle. The people here were kind enough to look after me.”
Hojo paused.
“Also, a few weeks ago, the Lord of this castle died leaving no heirs. Apparently we both had similar eyes and so someone started saying how I might be the Lord's reincarnation, a being from the heavens sent down to take the Lord's place again.”
Hojo shook his head smiling slightly at the thought. “I denied it, but I guess from my strange clothes and the fact I was educated, they somehow mistook me for someone with divine power. So here I am now. A Feudal Lord. It seems so much like a dream…”
Kagome nodded in agreement. “Yes, it does. I would never imagine Hojo-kun to come through the well. No one else aside from Inuyasha and me has ever been able to get through.”
“Is that so? I must be very special too, then,” laughed Hojo. Inuyasha continued to stare at the human. There was something about his laugh he didn't like.
“So I'm guessing that the well was the real reason for all your absences, Kagome-san,” said Hojo politely.
“Y-yes,” stammered Kagome. “You see, a while ago, our cat Buyo went missing and…”
Kagome proceeded to tell Hojo the rest of the story. How she fell down the well, how she met Inuyasha, how the rosary around Inuyasha's neck drags him to the ground whenever Kagome says sit (explaining what Hojo saw when he followed them home). The others even joined in telling their stories, how each was linked to Naraku and how they were searching for the shattered pieces of the Shikon no Tama before their nemesis got them.
“I'm sorry,” said Kagome at the end. “But it's not like I could tell anyone about it. No one would believe it. I guess all your gifts for my health were for nothing…” said Kagome apologetically.
Inuyasha's ears pricked up. How many fucking gifts had he been giving her?
“Not at all,” said Hojo cheerfully waving away her apology. “I'm just glad you aren't as sick as I thought you were. Your grandfather once told the school you had purple spots covering your tongue.”
Kagome let out a giggle. “Oh, geez, and everyone believed him?”
“My goodness, Kagome-sama!” laughed Miroku. “You must be the sickest girl in the future!”
“Haha! That reminds me of what happened to Takayama sensei, when she turned up late to school last year,” said Hojo.
Kagome's eyes lit up and she broke into a wide smile. “Ah, that's right! We were in the same class then, as well, weren't we? She came in one day and complained how Haruka-san was always sick…”
Kagome continued to chat animatedly with Hojo as they recounted the event.
Inuyasha felt a burning, hot feeling twisting in his gut as he watched Kagome's face brighten while she talked. How close was Kagome to that fucking Hojo? She was smiling so happily as they laughed together.
He watched as she turned to Sango and Miroku while she continued the story. `At least she isn't smiling at that freak anymore' thought Inuyasha as he glared back in Hojo's direction.
He froze.
For a split second Hojo's expression had darkened as he continued to watch Kagome. His eyes flickered as a sinister smile flashed upon his lips. But it was over in half a second and his genuine smile returned as the group burst into laughter at the punch line.
While the excited chatter continued, Hojo turned his head ever so slightly to look Inuyasha squarely in the face. Inuyasha's eyes blazed in fury while Hojo remained smiling at him, the dark expression flickering to the surface again. The hanyou's heart thumped with rage. That look reminded him of someone…
“Well, it is getting quite dark outside,” said Hojo cheerfully, breaking the eye contact with the glowering Inuyasha. “I suppose you would all want to be taken to your room so you can rest after a day of hard work.”
“Um… Hojo-kun,” began Kagome hesitantly. “I still need to talk to you about something.”
Hojo smiled and got to his feet. “It can wait until later, Kagome-san,” he assured. “Perhaps you should get comfortable, and relax before we talk. I'll call someone to take you to the bathing rooms once you've all settled in, shall I?”
Kagome's eyes lit up again. “A bath! Thank you, Hojo-kun!”
After saying a temporary goodbye to the young Lord, they were lead out of the room by a maid and followed her down the many corridors of the castle. While Kagome and Sango chattered about having a bath in a Feudal Lord's palace, Inuyasha's mind drifted back to the silent exchange between Hojo and himself.
The way he had looked at Kagome… it was with dark, despicable desire. Inuyasha's mouth twitched. So that's why he didn't like this Hojo guy. It wasn't just jealousy (although he had a hell of a lot of that). It was because this bastard was a threat to Kagome. And then he had the fucking nerve to turn and sneer at him! And that look…
He was fucking taunting him!
His mocking grin was a challenge. A challenge for Kagome. Inuyasha's fists tightened. Not only that, it was like he gave a silent promise, a promise to take her from under his nose. Fine, but there was no way in hell he was giving her up to this fucking human. There was no way he was good enough for her.
Inuyasha looked out at the night sky as they passed an open shouji screen door. He silently thanked whoever it was that it was only a half moon.
He wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight.
A/N: Oooh, the story is finally starting to pick up a little, thank goodness! Many thanks to everyone's support and a big thanks Meru and to feulner for the fanart! I honestly wasn't expecting any when I started this!
Hope you enjoyed it! (Let me know!) And keep healthy and happy! (And I don't own Inuyasha!)
Love GoldenDust