InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Embracing Ice ❯ Love - Weight Unmeasured ( Chapter 32 )

A/N: Although I did write the character of Wepwawet in this chapter, he does still belong to Rinseternalsoul.

 

Shugosha - Protector

 

- - - - -

 

Embracing Ice

 

Written By: Yabou

 

Character of Wepwawet Created By: Rinseternalsoul

 

Edited By: Wiccan

 

Chapter Thirty-Two: Love - Weight Unmeasured

 

- - - - -

 

“Amaterasu,” Tsukiyomi hissed, her name sounding like poison upon his tongue. “You have no right to interfere.”

 

Pale, golden hair spilled down the back of her human form caressing her bare, tanned body, only covered by a piece of golden fabric that swayed on an unearthly wind around her torso. However, black eyes stared harshly at her brother, proving that they were of common ancestry. “I have every right.”

 

Floating above the mortal creatures, the gods argued heatedly. “What hope you to achieve here? Sunao has wronged me. It is my right to seek vengeance!”

 

“The night is ending, Tsukiyomi. You must release your hold on this plane and return to the sky,” Amaterasu replied, her cold voice in complete contrast with her warm appearance. “Do not make me force your hand.”

 

Tsukiyomi gave his sister a harsh smile. “Force me? Will you cast me from the sky completely, Amaterasu? Will you tie my hands with the rays from your immortal sun? Why not banish the darkness completely?” he sneered. “Surely the world would be a better place without my nightly reign.”

 

“Silence,” she commanded, yellow flames licking her body. “You know I cannot, will not, do this. You allow your feelings for this creature to taint you further!”

 

Both god-figures snapped their attention to the entrance of the garden as the immortal priestess entered. “Tsukiyomi,” she whispered in a tone filled with sorrow and misery. “Why are you doing this?”

 

“Sunao,” he straightened, and the anger that had tugged on his features smoothed to a stoic façade. “You owe me your life. I saved you from the wrath of the koi, yet I have received no thanks in return.”

 

“Replace one monster with another?” Sunao gave him a weary smile. “You have also killed one of the few who sought to protect me. I see your dark magic in Kagome. What has she done to deserve such a harsh punishment?”

 

“She interfered,” he replied.

 

“Ah,” the miko laughed humorously. “And you would have my life's blood as well? That is what I am to you, Tsukiyomi. An interference.”

 

“Do not tell a lie, Sunao. You know the truth!” He roared, black bolts leaping from his extended hands.

 

“Amaterasu is my sister as much as you are my mate!” Sunao returned with equal fervor. “I do not wish to sacrifice my time with one for the other. Why will you not share me, my love? Why do you let your anger swallow your soul? Is it not enough that I love your black heart, even in the darkness?”

 

Tsukiyomi turned away. “What is done is done. I will not be assigned a mere portion of your time. I am not a pet, Sunao. You cannot push me to the side when you tire of me.”

 

“Now it is you who seeks to bury yourself in a lie,” she declared.

 

“Enough!” Amaterasu interjected. “I will not stand for this foolishness. Tsukiyomi, you have done your damage here. You will return to the sky at once.” Facing the immortal priestess, she said, “Return to your home by the sea, Sunao. Leave the dogs be. Your time here is over.”

 

With one last glance at the female he once dedicated his endless years to, Tsukiyomi allowed his tie in the mortal plane to slip away, his form vanishing completely. Sunao stared at the blank sky and blinked back her tears. “You will greet me at first light?”

 

Amaterasu sighed, the harshness in her tone falling away. “You could not prevent their deaths. Fate will have its way in the end. You know this. Why did you attempt to alter what I told you of?”

 

Her eyes rested on the fallen miko and the mourning inu. “They are young. I hoped to keep the damage Tsukiyomi caused at bay.”

 

“All will be well,” the sun goddess assured. “Leave me be. There are matters I must attend to here.”

 

The air around the group stilled as the great dog lord entered the small area and called out to his mate, “My love.”

 

Tears streamed down the female inuyoukai's face. “She is dead. Your delay has killed my child.”

 

“Calm yourself, Seer,” Amaterasu addressed her, even though her eyes followed Sunao's path out of the garden. “Your mate has done well in his absence. You carry the blade forged by Totousai, do you not?”

 

“You knew,” Sesshoumaru spoke, arms still holding the corpse of the one who should have been his lover. “You knew she was to die, and you said nothing. Have you plotted behind my back to rid me of her?”

 

“We would not,” Bishou denied. “Do not accuse me of such treachery. I merely wished to spare you the pain it would cause. Your father has created the sword of life. Let us heal her, my Son. We will happily welcome Kagome into our pack.”

 

Konton stepped forward, raising the sword from his side and examining the fallen woman. “She gave her life to save yours?”

 

“She accepted the full wave of the moon god's attack,” Sesshoumaru growled, not liking the demon lord's hesitance.

 

Bishou placed her hand on the Inu no Taisho's sword arm. “She has proven herself, my mate. Gift your son with the return of his happiness.”

 

The straight blade slid gracefully through the air and cut down the creatures of the other world. Waiting impatiently, Sessshoumaru crushed her body against him at the first beat of her once still heart, “Kagome.”

 

“Sesshoumaru?” A confused expression twisted her features as she struggled against the sleepy fog covering her brain. “I thought I… Tsukiyomi… he was trying to kill you…”

 

Running a hand through her hair, he resisted the urge to bark at the ones surrounding them. “All is well, Kagome. All is well.”

 

After dissipating into the early morning wind, Amaterasu watched the pair through invisible eyes. `These are the two who can save us all?'

 

- - - - -

 

“How do I separate from it?” He asked, keeping his questions direct. After all, he was still upset with his Alpha male over the incident with his soon-to-be mate nearly three days earlier.

 

Konton crossed his arms over his chest. “You are being stubborn. It is not wise to detach a part of your tail so soon after it has formed.”

 

“If she refuses to protect herself, I will do it for her. She can restrain my movements through the sash-” Sesshoumaru argued.

 

“Then dispose of the sash,” his father countered.

 

The young daiyoukai growled in response. “It was a gift. This is her life's work, the knot around which her powers were trained. I will not toss it aside as if it were refuse. If you will not teach me this, I will manage on my own.”

 

“No,” Konton calmed him. “I will tell you what I must. I would not have you walk blindly into such a task.”

 

Together, they completed the spell and, in only a few hours, a small, white creature rested in the palm of the younger dog's hands. “What is this?” Sesshoumaru scowled.

 

Konton resisted the urge to laugh as the tiny puppy barked at his master. “This is a fraction of your youki - collected into a living form.”

 

“Surely you jest. A snail youkai could defeat this pup.” He snarled at the tiny being only to have it leap forward and joyously lick his face, wagging its little tail exuberantly.

 

The Inu no Taisho chuckled. “I would not be so certain, my son. He does hold a fair amount of power, even in this restrictive body.”

 

“I cannot give her this,” Sesshoumaru complained, dropping it on the floor.

 

“What will you do? You cannot reabsorb the youki now. It would rebel against your body.”

 

A brief knock on the screen was followed by a delicate, striped hand pushing back the door, unknowingly allowing the dog-like creature a chance to escape. Bishou watched the pup scamper away. “What is that?”

 

Konton was unable to restrain his grin, “Sesshoumaru has created a being of youki.”

 

“Sesshoumaru?” The female youkai turned wide eyes to her son. “You were able to complete the process so soon?”

 

“I was,” he confirmed, watching the puppy disappear around a corner. “Where has it gone?”

 

“To find his charge,” Konton answered. “You built his entire will around the wish to keep Kagome safe.”

 

Sesshoumaru frowned. “Kagome?”

 

“To Kagome,” the demon lord nodded.

 

Sesshoumaru sighed in defeat. There was no way he would be able to pry the furry bundle from his loving female's arms.

 

- - - - -

 

Kagome felt something crawl into her lap. A youkai something. “Ikris,” she whispered, disturbing the calm meditation. Opening her eyes, she spotted the furry culprit. “It's a puppy!”

 

“A demonic puppy,” Ikris clarified. “He has Lord Sesshoumaru's aura.”

 

The young miko felt her jaw drop as tears welled in her eyes. “You don't think… I mean, he wouldn't cheat on me, would he?”

 

“Kagome, that is not what I meant,” Ikris laughed. “This creature is Sesshoumaru. Feel the aura surrounding him.”

 

Absently petting the white dog, she placed one hand to his forehead and concentrated on the signature buried beneath the skin. “You're right. What do you think happened?”

 

“I created him for you.” Sesshoumaru appeared in the entryway. “A gift.”

 

“For me?” she wondered before turning a happy grin on her new pet. “What did you make him out of?”

 

“My tail,” he responded. “Daiyoukai are able to separate such growth from their body and manipulate them into different beings.”

 

Kagome squealed, “And you made me a cute little puppy? How adorable!”

 

Sesshoumaru sighed. “It was not supposed to be this way. It is supposed to be in battle-form.”

 

“He is fine just the way he is.” The miko argued, before pausing to allow a devious smile to slide over her lips. “And, his name is… Snowy.”

 

“Please, do not call an extension of myself… snowy,” the inu nearly begged.

 

Kagome huffed. “Fine. What about Fluffy?”

 

“I would sink into the depths of the underworld before being subjected to that name,” he replied.

 

Tilting her head to one side, the young mortal wondered aloud, “What's wrong with F-?”

 

“Do not repeat it,” Sesshoumaru warned. “I cannot be held accountable for my actions if you do.”

 

With a soft laugh, she pushed the unbearable names aside and attempted to think of a decent one for her tiny protector. “Shugosha. Your name will be Shugosha.”

 

- - - - -

 

`I barely recognize myself.' Kagome smiled as she looked over her reflection in the koi pond. Closing her eyes, the young miko slowly released the breath she had been holding. “This is where I'm meant to be.”

 

“It is,” a baritone voice assured her.

 

Jumping slightly, she turned to face the great inu. “Lord Konton, what are you doing here?”

 

“It is tradition for the Alpha to wish his newest pack member well before the ceremonies begin,” he answered.

 

Her happiness lowered a notch or two. “Because tradition demands it.”

 

“You have done well,” Konton admitted. “You are… worthy of my son, Kagome. Do not believe that is the part I refuse to accept of your presence here. The tidings you have brought cause me great sadness. This Konton will not accept that he will one day love another.”

 

“I understand,” Kagome responded, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “I didn't think it would happen to me either, but it did. You shouldn't think about the future so much, my lord. I have found that I must live in the present. If we do not, we may miss what gifts we have been given.”

 

Konton looked away, choosing to stare at the golden fish swimming in the small stream. “Totousai has placed the Tetsusaiga in this.” He pulled a small, dark bead from the depths of his robe. “He asked that I think well on its safe-keeping. I have spoken with my mate, and we have reached an agreement. You will watch it well.”

 

“The black pearl,” she whispered, mesmerized by the familiar object. “You trust me with this?”

 

“I give you my son's heart, Kagome. By comparison, this is a mere trinket,” the Inu no Taisho replied.

 

Wet trails wove their way down her face. “Thank you, my lord. I will protect it with all my heart.”

 

A high-pitched yipping at her side caused them both to look down at the tiny puppy as he energetically waved his tail. Konton released a rich, deep laugh. “And you will protect my jewel as well, Shugosha.”

 

- - - - -

 

“You are no longer the pup I once held.” Konton stood behind his son and wondered at the hardened expression on his face.

 

Sesshoumaru kept his gaze on the distant horizon. The sun was fading away, and when the full moon finished its ascent, they would begin the mating ceremony. “It was necessary that I step from your shadow, Father.”

 

“You were never in my shadow, Sesshoumaru.” Konton frowned. Something was wrong. “An Alpha must lead and train his warriors so that they grow strong. Dependent as you were, it is necessary to be guided when we are young.”

 

Sesshoumaru watched intently for the first appearance of the moon. “Youth escapes me now. Tell me, Father, what other trials did you put Kagome through? Was it not enough that I approved of her? You could not trust my judgment?”

 

“It is the way of our kind to test future pack members. You know this,” Konton replied, angered by his insinuations.

 

Sesshoumaru scoffed, “However, it is not a tradition to hide your actions from her male. She never even told me. You all concealed your endeavors.”

 

“She would have informed you if she believed it important.” The Inu no Taishou kept his rage buried by the thinnest of threads.

 

The demonic prince's eyes flashed red as he finally faced his father. “Kagome has honor. She would not do so because she would believe it a betrayal toward my mother. What is your excuse?”

 

“The Inu no Taishou does not need to explain himself,” Konton bristled. Shocked by his own words, he stared at the hint of fear touching the younger inu's eyes. In a softer tone, he continued. “Do not challenge me so, Sesshoumaru. It is the eve of your mating. I did what I did because I thought it best and, as Alpha, it is my right to do so. Now, there must be a better subject at hand than this.”

 

Unresponsive, Sesshoumaru felt something in his heart shift. For the first time in all of his existence, his father had used his place as the pack leader to force him into subservience.

 

Sesshoumaru was not one to be silenced so easily.

 

- - - - -

 

Kagome was buried in an enclave of female youkai. They formed a tight knit circle around her to shield the view of any male who might attempt to see her. Sesshoumaru would be the first. It was tradition. A habit formed by the story of the very first demons. Love at first sight was a powerful thing. Each of her ladies-in-waiting possessed a red fan, strongly contrasting against their stark white kimonos.

 

Her own clothing was a reversal. A blood red robe with depictions of great inus swaddled her form, while a small white fan swung from her wrist. She was too busy wringing her hands beneath the sleeves of her kimono to be worried about actually holding the thing. Bishou told her only the most basic parts of the ceremony. It was another tradition to force the mating pair to rely on instinct.

 

At first, she had been amused by the extreme differences between their cultures, but now she was worried. `What if I do something wrong? What if I end up offending everyone and they kick me out? Can they even do that? Gods, what I wouldn't do for a bowl of chocolate ice cream right about now.'

 

“Kagome,” Bishou whispered, an amused smile twisting her lips.

 

Shaking her head to release her daydreams, she returned the expression with a weak one of her own. “What?”

 

“We are here. When we back away, you will step forward and join Sesshoumaru.”

 

She felt her heart beating so hard that she feared it might knock her over. “Okay.”

 

And then, they were gone.

 

His eyes entranced her, and she stepped forward without realizing that she was moving. When his hand wrapped around hers, she snapped her attention toward it and blushed. There would be no more backing away now.

 

Sesshoumaru was lost. There, gathered in a swath of red fabric, was everything he had ever dreamed of having. Her smile lit a fire in his soul, and all thoughts of his earlier disagreement with his father slipped away.

 

Tonight she would bind her soul to his, leaving no question as to whom they belonged.

 

A sharp cry of pain erupted from the gathering of females, and the couple turned sharply.

 

“Ikris,” Kagome gasped. “Ikris, are you all right?”

 

Rushing to her side, she knelt and pressed a hand to the flushed priestess' forehead. As she checked her body for any sign of injury, she caught sight of the dampened material. “Your water broke.”

 

Ikris frowned, struggling through the first set of contractions. “What?”

 

“The baby,” Kagome laughed. “It's time to have the baby.”

 

The foreign miko attempted a smile. “Good.”

 

- - - - -

 

“A boy,” Ikris laughed weakly, allowing the midwife to wipe the sweat from her face as she stared down at the tuft of dark brown hair covering his tiny head. “He's so beautiful.”

 

While his eyes remained closed, he nuzzled into her breast. It was the first sign of inu recognition. On the most basic of levels, he recognized her aura as that of the female who carried him in her womb. Wepwawet watched the interaction and lowered his nose to the infant's forehead, woofing gently and allowing his tongue to slide across the wrinkled skin. His mind instantly filed the scent and smell away; they would be eternally engrained into his being now, as his would be in his son.

 

“You have given me the most precious of gifts, my love,” he whispered in low tones, a smile filtering over his features when the tiny demi-god in her arms yipped back at him. “It fills my heart with the deepest sorrow that I could not be here throughout your pregnancy.”

 

Cuddling into his chest, she smiled and carefully handed him the newborn. “You were here when I needed you the most. That is what matters, my mate. Now, tell me the name you have chosen for our most precious son. I have waited many moons to hear your decision.”

 

“My son,” he stared down at the pup, who did not even fill his large hands. “His name is Khai. Crowned. He shall be a prince in the land of darkness, as well as that of the living. Sleep well, my little demi-god.”

 

- - - - -

 

A/N: The following section is an Omake. It is not to be taken seriously, and it is not a real piece of the fiction. It is merely another one of my sad attempts at humor. Enjoy!

 

- - - - -

 

She was dead, and there was nothing he could do about.

 

Sesshoumaru sighed. “It took me so long to break this one in. Now what am I going to do?”

 

“There are plenty of youkai females on their way here, Sesshoumaru. You could pick one of those if you don't want to wait.” Bishou responded, informatively.

 

Konton appeared at her side, giving them both a sly grin as he hid Tenseiga behind his back, “or you could get one of those dolls.”

 

“Who would want a doll?” the young youkai gave his father a disgusted look.

 

The demon lord shrugged. “They don't fight back.”

 

“That is wrong on so many levels,” Sesshoumaru replied. “I never needed to know that. Really. It wouldn't make an interesting lemon either, fucking unresponsive plastic. Where's the fun in that?”

 

“Obviously you've never delved into the Transformers section of fanfiction. Metal on Metal. They do some pretty weird stuff over there,” Konton continued.

 

Bishou nearly gagged, “I don't think I want to be a part of this conversation, and frankly, you shouldn't come anywhere near me tonight because you're definitely not getting any. Possibly ever. I have to try to erase this image from my mind before I can even look at you again.”

 

“Hey, don't hold it against me, baby,” he retorted.

 

His mate raised one eyebrow in response. “Baby? I'm not human. And, I'm not a child. Why the hell would you call me baby?”

 

He shrugged, “just trying something new.”

 

“Well, stop it.”

 

“Hey!” Kagome suddenly appeared out of thin air. “You're forgetting about me! I'm dead! You're supposed to be distraught, you assholes!”

 

Sesshoumaru looked down at the dead body by his side. “What the-? Where did you come from, and why are there two of you?”

 

“No!” Kagome cried out. “I'm supposed to come back to life 800 years from now, inhabiting my decomposing body! See! Don't you read the script?” She pointed to her discolored, drooping skin.

 

In a few places, there were visible bones. Bishou turned green.

 

“And why would you do that?” Konton asked.

 

She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest, nearly losing a finger in the process, “because Sesshoumaru loves me, even through the endless boundaries of time.”

 

Aforementioned Sesshoumaru was slowly inching his way out of the scene.

 

“Sesshoumaru!” Kagome yelled, leaping at him and wrapping her arms around his waist. “We can be together again!”

 

“Um,” he gave her a tedious smile. “I think I might have to take a rain check.”

 

“Rain check?” she curiously questioned.

 

“Yeah,” he replied, moving her arms and accidentally taking one off in the process.

 

Oh, the irony.

 

“But you,” tears started to form in her sunken eyes, “you're supposed to love me.”

 

Sesshoumaru sighed again. “Yeah, well, this whole rotten flesh thing is kind of a turn off. The undead thing is actually kind of freaky, too. I know people have made me do some kinky stuff, but… I'm not really into this.”

 

Kagome released a wail. “Inuyasha loves Kikyo! And she's a corpse!”

 

“I,” Sesshoumaru clarified, “am not Inuyasha.”

 

“Don't dogs like bones?” She questioned.

 

“Not this dog.” Sesshoumaru replied.

 

Once again, there was another random entrance by the most unexpected person. “Did I hear someone say bones?” Inuyasha asked, jumping into the scene.

 

Kagome frowned. “What are you doing here? You're not supposed to appear until chapter forty-three.” (Yes, that's a big hint, people!)

 

“Wow, Kagome. I like new look. What've you done?” Inuyasha sidled up beside her and took a deep sniff.

 

She scowled. “I'm dead.”

 

“Oh? Well, isn't that nice.” He smirked. “Say, you wanna go do something later?”

 

“What about Kikyo?” She questioned, the lines in her face deepening.

 

He shrugged. “I dunno. I think it'll take another couple of hundred years before Kikyo looks like this. I can deal with you `til then.”

 

“How quaint,” she glared.

 

“So,” Sesshoumaru interrupted. “Anyway, it's been a while since we've had one of these things, and I've lost track of that damn tree. I'll see y'all later.”

 

- - - - -