InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Finding My Heart ❯ A Scent of Hope ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer- Don't own em so please don't sue.

 

 

Chapter 8- A Scent of Hope

 

“Sesshoumaru!”

 

The sleepy youkai immediately awoke from his slumber and got to his feet. It was still dark with the last rays of the moon shining through the clearing and the smell of dawn filled the air. Sesshoumaru looked down to find Kagome kicking her legs at the air. Her sleeping bag had been kicked so far down that all but her feet were now sprawled out on the moist grass.

 

“Kagome…Kagome.” He said, bended down and shaking her gently by the shoulders.

 

“Ahh!” Kagome screamed, her eyes still shut. Unknowingly she threw her arm up and hit Sesshoumaru in the mouth. She opened her eyes and found a dumbfounded Sesshoumaru growling beside her on the grass.

 

He hadn't expected that and at all and his mouth throbbed, but didn't bleed as he growled deep in his throat.

 

“Oh no, did I hit you?” Kagome asked, getting up and bending down in front of him to see if he was okay.

 

Sesshoumaru looked up at her and almost suppressed a smile at how upset she was that she might have hit him.

 

“I'm so sorry!” Kagome said, looking at him for forgiveness.

 

“It's alright.” Sesshoumaru replied, as he watched the girl sitting in front of him. She seemed to have a distressed, frightened look on her face. He wondered what was wrong. Without having to ask, she answered his question.

 

“I had such a bad dream…and you weren't there. A demon was trying to kill me.” She said, regaining herself and realizing everything was okay.

 

“It was just a dream, you are safe with me.” Sesshoumaru reassured her and watched her calm down. He noticed how pretty she looked in the dull light of dawn that began to make visible the lands. Her cheeks were flushed and her raven black hair was slightly messed, giving her more of a lustful look.

 

Kagome looked up into the youkai's angle carved face and felt at peace. `He never harmed me and if he hated humans so much then why would he want me to travel with him?' She wondered and looked away when she realized she had been staring. “Thank you.” She said with a smile and looked back at him.

 

“Hm?” Sesshoumaru sat, confused as to why she was thanking him. He had done nothing for her as far as he knew.

 

“Well, I guess I should be getting ready to go see Sango and ask her if she knows where InuYasha is.” The miko said as she sprung up and stretched. “Who knows maybe she'll know where Rin is?” She said, not realizing that she had just put the youkai's hopes up.

 

Kagome rolled up her sleeping bag and got her back pack on, ready to go to the village. She began to walk and stopped when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned to see Sesshoumaru following her. “Um…Sesshoumaru, what are you doing?” She asked, thinking that he was going to wait in the woods until she returned.

 

“I'm coming with you.” Was his simple answer as he walked beside her.

 

“Oh, you can wait here for me if you want. Don't worry about me.” She replied.

 

“You could've stayed at the taijiya's hut but came out to be with me instead, in which case I am coming with you.” He said in a, `and that's final,' sort of way.

 

“But what about the demon slayers?” Kagome asked. She was happy yet confused as to why he was going with her and about whether he was showing he cared for her or not. `The demon slayers might try to hurt him if he comes.' She thought.

 

“Do you really think they could hurt someone like me.” Sesshoumaru said, his pride of being a powerful demon showing through again. “I'm not afraid of some humans.” He said.

 

Kagome got a mental picture of Sesshoumaru throwing the humans around. `Well maybe he wouldn't get hurt.' She thought and continued walking.

 

The sun was almost up now and mist rose off the lands as the suns warmth hit the earth. Kagome and Sesshoumaru arrived at the village and saw many people around. Unlike the last night and the village looked deserted. As they walked towards Sango's house many people stared at them and gave Sesshoumaru an evil glare. Sesshoumaru just glared at them back and stayed by Kagome.

 

`They might not know he is demon where he walks around in a man form.' Kagome thought, seeing as none of the villagers were trying to slay him. `Not that it's a bad thing.' She thought. They arrived at Sango's hut and knocked on the door.

 

“Good morning.” Miroku welcomed at the door. He looked like he had just been through a hurricane. His hair was all ruffled up and none of it was in a pony tail anymore.

 

`What kind of stuff do he and Sango do at night?' Kagome wondered, knowing exactly what they probably do. `This is a little awkward.' She thought. Miroku didn't seem to notice the youkai standing behind Kagome, or he just was too out of it to care. “Ah…we can come back another time.” Kagome said, beginning to slowly turn around.

 

“No, no come in!” The so-called Monk said happily, and motioned for them to go in the hut. “Please come into our humble home.”

 

“Alright.” Kagome said and looked at Sesshoumaru before she walked in.

 

“Good morning Kagome!” Sango said happily. She was all dressed and her hair was pulled back nicely. “Sesshoumaru.” She nodded to him and then turned her attention back to Kagome.

“Have you had anything to eat yet?” She asked.

 

“Um…no but that's okay, we only came to ask you a question.” Kagome said, not wanting to bother them anymore, especially for food.

 

“Oh okay, but you must have something to eat. I'll cook up a little something. Do you like eggs?” Sango asked, already grabbing the frying pans.

 

“Yes I do.” Kagome replied and smiled at her friend. Sango was always so nice to her. Kagome took a seat by the wooden table and looked up at Sesshoumaru. “Sesshoumaru, why don't you take a seat?” Kagome said, patting a spot on the chair next to her.

 

Sesshoumaru took a seat next to her and analyzed the place. He was slightly surprised that the taijiya even let him in the house, being a demon slayer. Maybe it had something to do with him being with Kagome. She did seem to care about Kagome a lot.

 

“Sango we're wondering if you have seen InuYasha or know where he is?” Kagome asked, worried to hear her answer.

 

“We haven't seen him for months. After the battle with Naraku the heartless bastard went off with Kikyou somewhere. They were bickering about what to do with the jewel and he had been a little sad that night that you had left. But he had chosen Kikyou and he knew there was nothing he could do about you anymore. The best thing he could do is leave you alone and not be in your life anymore.” Sango explained as she cooked the eggs.

“Oh.” Kagome replied. She held her head down, thinking of InuYasha and Kikyou being together. It still hurt her sometimes when she thought of it. “I guess you don't even know where he is now.” She said looking back up at her friend.

 

“No we don't.” Sango said. “Kagome are you still in love with him?” She asked softly.

 

“No, I'm over him. But there is still a part of me that hopes he is okay.” She replied.

 

“I know what you mean.” Sango said and handed Kagome and Sesshoumaru a plate of cooked eggs.

 

“Thanks Sango.” Kagome said, appreciating her help.

 

Sesshoumaru looked down at his plate of food. `She's even feeding me?' He thought, not sure why the taijiya was treating him more like a human. Without any words the youkai ate the eggs. It was nothing to him but it put a little something in his stomach. His father had taught him that it was rude to not eat the food that a person put before you.

 

They both ate with little said and after they were finished they said their good byes at the door.

 

“Oh wait! One more question Sango!” Kagome yelled back to her friend before they were too far away. “Where's Shippou.”

 

“Surprisingly he's with Kouga!” She yelled back and continued waving good bye.

 

“Thank you!” Kagome said and waved good bye again.

 

“Kouga?” Sesshoumaru said.

 

“Kouga is a leader of the wolf pack and has always really liked me for some reason. He was also InuYasha's rival when it came to me. I just don't understand why Shippou would be with him.” She said, wondering why Sesshoumaru wanted to know.

 

“Wolf demon?” Sesshoumaru said as if he was thinking about something. `The wolf demon better not come around here trying to take Kagome away from me. He'll wish he never showed his face.' Sesshoumaru thought.

 

“Yeah.” Kagome replied, not realizing it wasn't really a question. “I hope Shippou is okay.” She said thinking of the little fix kit.

 

“Kagome. Is it you still care for InuYasha after what he did to you?” Sesshoumaru asked. He had been thinking about Kagome and how she still seemed to care for InuYasha's well-being after what he did for her. Was that love? It amazed him at how much she cared for others, even a sinister inu-youkai like himself who had only tried to hurt InuYasha and his companions before.

 

“Yes I do. I wonder if he is okay and hope that he is.” Kagome replied, gazing up at his emotionless face.

 

Sesshoumaru nodded and continued looking ahead. Kagome amazed him in a way that no one else has. She held so much kindness and care for anyone, no matter who they were or what they did.

 

“Hey what's that?” Kagome said, bringing the youkai out of his muse.

 

“Huh?” Sesshoumaru looked ahead and saw a large forest coming up. “It's nothing big, just another large forest.” Sesshouamru said.

 

“Oh.” She replied with a hint of sadness. She was getting tired of forests and wanted to find someone, anyone. InuYasha, Shippou, Kouga, or Rin, she just wanted to find someone. She almost didn't want to find InuYasha anymore. He was with Kikyou now and her presence would only make things uncomfortable and hard for InuYasha.

 

Kagome began to wonder why she even came back to the feudal era. This world wasn't meant for her, she was from the future and therefore her life should be in the future. She felt she had only messed things up with InuYasha and Kikyou sometimes. But for some odd reason her mind wouldn't let her leave. She almost felt that maybe there was a reason to stay this time. She wasn't sure what the reason was but she would stay and find out. Right now they seemed to be focused on finding Rin, and until they did she would help Sesshoumaru try and find her. She only hoped that Rin was okay. Rin was human, but Sesshoumaru seemed to care for her like a daughter, even though he would never admit it, it's shown in his actions.

 

She saw Sesshoumaru as a slightly different person now. Just being with him has shown her more of his personality, and she now knew he wasn't just an emotionless demon. He had shown he cared about her life the night before, and he came with her to the demon slayer's village.

 

“Eh?” Sesshoumaru tilted his nose up and sniffed.

 

“What is it?” Kagome said, slightly hiding behind him incase it was a demon. She had forgotten to bring her bow or arrows with her and only had her miko powers. Although she still had some learning of how to use and control her powers, she was a lot stronger than she was when she left the feudal era.

 

Through the two years that she was home studying and getting her job, she had also been practicing how to control and use her powers everyday. She wasn't sure what drove her to do it. She wasn't planning on ever going back through the well, and there weren't any demons in her time to need her powers for, but she still used them. Most times she thought it was her anger that drove her to use her powers when she was alone. She would sit in her room and meditate on using them when she had gotten angry or started thinking of InuYasha. She mostly did it in the first six months of being back in her era, and it slowly became more as an exercise and practice, after getting over everything that happened. It had been her way of letting her anger out.

 

Thinking about using her powers she remembered all the practicing she did and stepped out from behind Sesshoumaru with a daring look on her face. She was ready to take on whatever came their way.

 

“It's Jaken.” Sesshoumaru answered and looked towards the forest.

 

`Jaken?' “Sesshoumaru maybe Rin is with him!” Kagome said happily.

 

“I can't pick up Rin's scent.” He said, sniffing again.

 

“Well, let's go!” She said happily and started running towards the forest ahead. She looked back at Sesshoumaru and smirked almost as if she was challenging him to race her.

 

Sesshoumaru saw the playful look on her face and took off. In a flash he was running beside her.

 

For the first time Kagome saw him smile at her. A smile that made her heart skip a beat. She kept running and Sesshoumaru ran beside her. He obviously had slowed down to let her keep up with him. `It must seem slow to him.' She thought, remembering how fast InuYasha could run. Sesshoumaru could probably run twice as fast.

 

Faster than the blink of an eye, Sesshoumaru suddenly grabbed Kagome by the waist and went so fast the he turned into a ball of bright blue light. To him, he didn't really care as much about getting to Jaken faster but he was showing off his power to Kagome.

 

Kagome couldn't believe the speed and power the youkai held. She was surrounded in a little ball of light and almost couldn't see anything. Within a few seconds the youkai stopped and put Kagome down gently.

 

“L-L-L-Lord S-Sesshoumaru!!” Jaken yelled in nothing but pure blissful joy. “Where did you go my Lord? One minute you were walking ahead of us and the next you were gone.” Jaken explained out of breath from excitement.

 

“Us? You mean Rin?” Sesshoumaru asked, showing little concern for the kappa demon.

 

“Y-Yes my Lord.” Jaken answered.

 

“Where is she?” He asked, looking around the surrounding area.

 

“I-I don't know my Lord.” Jaken answered and cowered below the inu-youkai that stood in front of him.

 

“You say I just disappeared?” Sessoumaru asked.

 

“Yes my Lord. You were walking in front of us and when we looked ahead you were gone.” The kappa-youkai said, tears welling up in his eyes.

 

`What would that mean?' Kagome wondered, listening to Jaken intently.

 

`That must mean my form in the past disappeared because I'm here right now.' Sesshoumaru thought.

 

“L-L-Lord Sesshoumaru if I may ask, why is your hair short?” Jaken said, almost inspecting him.

 

“Let's find Rin.” Sesshoumaru said, not bothering to answer Jaken's question.

 

Kagome turned to follow Sesshoumaru and just took in everything Jaken said. `So Sesshoumaru just disappeared? I wonder if that has to do with the real Sesshoumaru from the future coming back in this era. That's right, there couldn't be two of them in this world, that would just be weird.' “Haa!” Kagome gasped. `If that means the Sesshoumaru of this era disappeared then, wouldn't that mean that the Tetsusaiga would disappear too? InuYasha would be devastated.

 

“Miko, what's wrong?” Sesshoumaru asked, turning to see why she had stopped. He couldn't tell what she was thinking, but she was holding her hands over her mouth and her eyes seemed slightly frightened.

 

“I was just thinking. If the Sesshoumaru from this world disappeared then the Tetsusaiga probably would too.” Kagome said. She was surprised when she got a smirk from Sesshoumaru.

 

“Yes, that isn't anything to be saddened over.” He replied with a delightful smirk on his face.

 

That look kind of scared Kagome. What was he thinking? `I know he always wanted Tetsusaiga, but now that he has it, what does he plan on doing with it? So far he hasn't used it at all.' Kagome thought, hoping he wouldn't turn into a killing machine with that huge sword.

 

“Kagome, are you coming?”

 

“What?! Ah yes!” Kagome said, jumping out of her thinking state when Sesshoumaru spoke up.

 

“Are you always like this?” Sesshoumaru asked, tilting his head sideways as he walked, to see her.

 

Kagome's cheeks blushed as she looked up at him. She wasn't expecting that question. “Umm..well sometimes.” She answered, trying not to stutter. She remembered when InuYasha use to always tell her she daydreamed too much.

 

Sesshoumaru turned back around and continued walking with Jaken once again by his side. They walked for a couple of hours in the direction Jaken thought Rin went and there was still no sign of her. Kagome and Jaken could tell that Sesshoumaru was getting worried about Rin. He was walking faster and sniffing more than usual. The hours passed by and Kagome was hungry and Jaken was stumbling from being tired.

 

Sesshoumaru hadn't realized how long they had been going without a stop, being so intent on finding the little girl. He turned around and noticed how tired they looked and he could hear Kagome's stomach growl. “We stop here.” Sesshoumaru said.

 

“But Lord Sesshoumaru we are in the middle of the woods and we still haven't found Rin.” Jaken said, peering up at his tall master.

 

“Stay here.” Sesshoumaru demanded and looked at Kagome.

 

Kagome nodded and watched him take up into the woods at a blurring pace. `I wonder where he is going? Going to get food most likely.' She thought and sat down on a big rock below a tree. She looked over and noticed an almost furious Jaken glaring at her. “What?” She said as if she had something on her face.

 

“I never asked my Lord why you are with him. Why are you with Lord Sesshoumaru?” Jaken asked. He was too happy to find his Lord earlier that he had not even realized that Kagome was with them.

 

“It's a long story that you would never understand.” Kagome answered, knowing he wouldn't know what she was talking about if she tried explaining. “But I am here to help Sesshoumaru find Rin and also see if I can find any more of my friends in the process.” She said matter of factly.

 

“What wouldn't I understand? Your InuYasha's wench. Has Sesshoumaru taken a liken to you?” Jaken said.

 

“Ouch!” Jaken yelled when a rock hit him on the head.

 

“I am not a wench!! And I am not InuYasha's!” Kagome yelled. `I can't believe he just said that. Who does he think he is calling me those names and saying I'm InuYasha's.' She thought, angered at his words. As for the Sesshoumaru taken a liking to her part, she wasn't sure. She didn't think he liked her that way, she was just there to help him. `He did show he cared for me a little though. Why would he do that if he didn't like me? I don't know, I'm being ridiculous! This is Sesshoumaru the Lord of the Western Lands, he doesn't like me.' She said to herself.

 

Before Jaken could say anything more Sesshoumaru appeared in front of him.

 

“I've caught her scent. But there is also the scent of her blood.” He said.

 

Kagome could've sworn that the demon was actually out of breath. Was he telling her about the blood scent because he wanted her to go with him?

 

“Kagome, you're coming with me.” Sesshoumaru said, grabbing her by the waist and taking off through the trees.

 

“Wait!!! Lord Sesshoumaru! Don't leave me!” Jaken hollered as he watched his master disappear. “Why wouldn't he take me? Lord Sesshoumaru!” He called once more, tears coming to his eyes. “I just found him and he left me again.” Jaken said to himself and began to walk in the direction Sesshoumaru went.

 

* * *

 

Sesshoumaru and Kagome literally flew through the woods until they came upon a clearing. It was a large clearing full of green grass that the sun warmed with its light. `Her scent is strong here. She must be close. Where is she?' He wondered, looking around the clearing. He could usually find someone faster when he caught their scent. Could living in the modern era for many years have made his senses weaker?

 

“Sesshoumaru what's that over there?” Kagome said, pointing from up top his back.

 

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and could see a small dark figure way across the clearing lying in the grass. `That must be her.' He thought and took off running towards the form.

 

`Wow, he still remembers her scent after almost 500 years?' Kagome thought to herself. It surprised her that someone could remember something like that for over 500 years.

 

The dark figure slowly sat up and turned her head to see what was coming.

 

“SESSHOUMARU-SAMA!” The girl yelled, with tears flowing down her cheeks.

 

`Rin!' Sesshoumaru ran even faster. He felt such joy, he found Rin!

 

When Sesshoumaru arrived in front of Rin, the little girl crashed into him, her little arms hugging his body.

 

Kagome let herself off of his back and watched from behind.

 

“Sesshoumaru-sama, where did you go?” Rin asked, a frightened look on her face.

 

Sesshoumaru looked down at her. Her leg was bleeding and she wasn't standing well. “I'm sorry Rin.” Sesshoumaru said, feeling guilt inside of him for not being there when this happened to her.

 

“Rin is hurt.” The girl sobbed and touched a finger to her leg.

 

Sesshoumaru took a claw and moved a part of the bloody Kimono aside. He was slightly shocked to find a big gash in the side of her leg.

 

“Rin took the weapon out all by herself.” She said pointing to a small bloody arrow that laid on the grass a few feet away from her.

 

“Kagome can you help her?” Sesshoumaru asked, looking back at the miko.

 

“Yes.” Kagome answered and began to dig in her backpack for her first aid kit.

 

“Who did this?” Sesshoumaru asked the little girl.

 

Rin pointed behind Sesshoumaru, her eyes growing wide with fright.

 

`What?' Sesshoumaru turned around to see a group of humans emerging from the forest. He looked in front of him and there was more humans coming from the woods. `They are going to pay for doing this to Rin.' He thought full of anger.

 

Kagome looked around her. There were humans coming from every angle.

 

“Kagome take Rin and hold her.” Sesshoumaru said and drew out Tetsusaiga.

 

Kagome obeyed and grabbed hold of Rin as she watched Sesshoumaru face the humans.

 

“You're going to pay!” Sesshoumaru yelled and started towards the humans with Tetsusaiga held in poise to kill.

 

AN: Thanks for all your reviews! It really encourages me to continue writing, and the more reviews I get the faster I want to update for you all! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. ^_^