InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Gone With the Wind. ❯ Busted! ( Chapter 4 )

Gone with the Wind

Chapter 4

 

 

Keiko took a deep faltering breath upon the realization that she and her quiet companion would soon reach their destination. As much as she was looking forward to putting the strange occurrence behind her, she couldn't help but pose the single question that had been rattling around within her mind ever since she had overheard the pair of demons fighting at the edge of the hot spring.

 

“How did she die?” Keiko questioned, hoping and assuming that Sesshoumaru would know exactly whom she was referring to, despite the fact she couldn't summon the courage to speak the name out loud again.

 

Even though no one had come right out and said, `You are Kagura's reincarnation,' Keiko assumed it had to be true.

 

There simply was no other way to explain the looks the others were giving her, and the strange feelings those far too familiar expressions evoked within her.

 

“She died seeking her freedom.” Sesshoumaru retorted, not turning to make eye contact with the strange and yet familiar human as he decided instead to continue on towards the well.

 

Keiko noted that this answer, of course, left the proverbial door open for any number of questions:

 

Was she happy?

 

How did you know her?

 

Was she a good person?

 

Was her ass bigger then mine?

 

Keiko sighed softly as she noted that all of her questions would inevitably only lead to further questions down the road. Questions she wouldn't get a chance to ask, considering she had no intention of returning once she was back on her side of the well.

 

“Were you with her when she died?” The young woman finally questioned, deciding that Kagura's death was a safer topic then her life, while simultaneously noting how odd that realization was.

 

“I was.” Sesshoumaru admitted flatly; his brow furrowing as the memory caused an odd tightening within his chest. He never spoke of Kagura's death before. It wasn't that he avoided the topic, but more to the fact that it simply never came up. The wind witch led a solitary life, he noted auspiciously. Why would anyone discuss the passing of yet another of Narkau's glorified puppets?

 

`But she wasn't a puppet.' Sesshoumaru's inner mind stated sedately. She was a demoness. A proud, strong, and beautiful demoness, forced into a life of slavery that he could not…or, more appropriately, did not save her from.

 

It had never occurred to Sesshoumaru that his inaction would inevitably bring about her passing, and that her passing into the next life would have any effect on him at all. If he didn't know himself better…he would have assumed that he …actually…..missed...

 

“Was she in a lot of pain?” Keiko questioned again as she unknowingly cut off the demon lord's disturbing thoughts and brought him back to reality.

 

“I do not know.” Sesshoumaru answered honestly as he once again fell silent, suddenly adding a, “I was unable to save her,” randomly into the conversation as he noted they were quickly approaching the clearing of the Bone Eater's well.

 

“Oh.” Keiko retorted as she nibbled her bottom lip uncomfortably, noting that perhaps asking about someone's death (even if it was her own…or ..her past self…or whatever) was probably a bit insensitive.

 

“Hey don't sweat it.” The young woman added with a little more mirthful enthusiasm then was probably called for given the overall morbidity of their conversation. “If you had...” She pointed out jocosely, “I wouldn't be here.”

 

“So thanks!” She offered with a smile before squealing as they seemed to break through the last layer of trees to emerge just outside of the clearing that held a familiar looking well.

 

“Sweet!” Keiko exclaimed; completely missing the odd look she received from the Taiyoukai a few steps behind her as he apparently found her ability to switch randomly from topic to topic, while simultaneously changing her mood, disturbing.

 

“Well...” Keiko began as she eyeballed her quiet companion once more as they stood awkwardly beside the ancient doorway.

 

She allowed her eyes to drink in the impressive male before her as she noted, `They don't make men like that anymore,' deciding to enjoy his beauty while it lasted.

 

After all, once she went through the well she would probably never see him again.

 

So what could it hurt to…

 

A soft, sensual, and practically sadistic grin twisted against Keiko's lip as she decided to bid the man before her a very fond farewell.

 

“It's been real.” She offered casually as she brought her hand up to roughly smack the Taiyoukai's ass. The silk over the well-toned muscle seemed to muffle the sound as Keiko quickly turned from the great dog demon and prepared to jump into the ancient well; fighting the urge to giggle.

 

`Hard as a rock.' Her mind confirmed giddily as she noted the tingly sensation in her hand wasn't JUST from the impact of the blow.

 

She had all ready placed a foot on the lip of the well and was mentally reprimanding herself for not giving the demon lord's buttock a good squeeze when a firm hand quickly latched onto her forearm; effectively ruining her dramatic exit.

 

“What?” Keiko questioned innocently, with an added batting-of-her-eyelashes as she attempted to remain nonchalant.

 

So she smacked his ass…that wasn't reason enough to hold her there…………..was it? She was pretty sure sexual harassment hadn't been invented yet, at least in the traditional lawsuit sense, and beamed briefly at the prospect of being an odd sort of pioneer.

 

The young reincarnation's eyes moved lower as she noticed Sesshoumaru's sash seemed to be vibrating.

 

“Uh….Your cell phone's ringing.” Keiko offered dimly.

 

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed minutely as he silently wondered what the hell she was talking about.

 

Keiko's free hand made contact with her forehead nosily as she noted cell phones would not be around for a least a couple years. (History was never her strong suit.)

 

“Uh…” She offered again as she attempted to correct her previous statement. “Your pants…are…..vibrating?” She finished in a tone that suggested she wasn't exactly sure she should be pointing such a thing out.

 

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed once again as he eyed the woman before him speculatively; his hand still firmly attached to her forearm.

 

“Tensaiga is speaking to me.” The demon lord stated auspiciously, causing one of Keiko's eyebrows to rise into her hair line.

 

`So…' The young woman's mind noted dimly. `Either he named his pants Tensaiga….or…' Keiko's mind faltered as she tried to rationalize other reasons for a large demon's pants to vibrate.

 

`I'm just going to assume it's his pants.' Keiko remarked internally a she felt an imaginary bead of sweat run down the side of her face.

 

A soft half chuckle escaped the young woman's mouth, before she had a chance to squelch it, as she visualized the retelling of her mystical journey through time while explaining to small groups of children how she met…

 

Sesshoumaru- Demon of the talking pants.

 

“Ha ha ha ha ha” Keiko laughed nervously. “Well….I should really be going.” She pointed out while pulling on her arm casually; her fear and annoyance spiking as she realized she was not being released.

 

“You may not leave.” The Taiyoukai uttered stoically.

 

“Why not?” She huffed indignantly.

 

“Tensaiga does not wish it.” He answered instantly.

 

“Do you always do what your pants tell you?” Keiko questioned in annoyance as she pulled at her arm once more.

 

“Tensaiga is my sword.” Sesshoumaru responded flatly, briefly wondering why the young woman would assume he talked to his pants.

 

Talk about ridiculous notions.

 

“Ohhhhhh” Keiko realized sarcastically. “Thank Kami,” she continued with bitter sarcasm, “because talking to your pants is crazy…but your sword….that makes perfect sense.”

 

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed as he glared at the woman who so openly mocked him. He could handle the ogling, he noted with contempt, and perhaps even tolerate her placing her hands upon his posterior, considering she would have been departing soon after, but openly insulting his intelligence…THIS he would not tolerate.

 

“Woman…you do not understand to whom you speak.” He warned threateningly as he squeezed her forearm somewhat painfully.

 

“Okay…I'm sorry.” Keiko squirmed as she felt the blood vessels in her arm on the verge of popping. “Ow!” She exclaimed again. “Okay okay…You talk to your sword…and it talks to you….it's a beautiful…..magical…thing….got it!” She gritted her teeth as she felt claws dangerously close to puncturing her skin.

 

Sesshoumaru immediately allowed his iron grip to slacken as he simply kept her from jumping through the well again and stared at her contemptuously.

 

“Is it this sword?” Keiko questioned as she pointed at one of the swords at his hip and looked up at him expectantly. It wasn't that she felt it necessary to pin down the culprit that was apparently keeping her here, but more to the fact that she now questioned the Taiyoukai's sanity and wanted to first make sure there weren't any invisible swords that he, quite possibly, could only see.

 

Briefly she wondered if such a sword could possible dance….or even sing before her little mental road trip was cut short by a terse nod from the youkai towering over her.

 

“Tensaiga…right?” The young woman questioned as she bent over and stared at the sword a little uncertainly.

 

Another quick nod from Sesshoumaru indicated she was correct.

 

`All right then.' Keiko noted before she placed a free hand on her knee and lowered herself so that she was eye-level with the sword in question.

 

“Tensaiga…” The young woman began in a tone one might use to address a small child. “I know your going to miss me, and heck, I'm going to miss you too, but I have to go home now…and…well…I promise I'll write every day and—“

 

“ACK!” Keiko huffed as once again all the air was pushed out of her lungs by a boney yet familiar shoulder being shoved into her stomach.

 

Apparently, Sesshoumaru did not appreciate her talking to his sword in such a manner.

 

“Put me down!” Keiko demanded hotly as the demon lord seemed to march them back into the forest at the opposite end of the clearing with her once again slung over his shoulder.

 

Sesshoumaru snorted as the girl protested his actions. He didn't understand why yet, but Tensaiga seemed insistent that the woman should not be allowed to leave…at least not yet. It seemed only logical that if Tensaiga refused to save Kagura months before, but insisted her reincarnation stay in this time, then this woman must somehow serve a purpose.

 

Could this be the reason the well had let her through in the first place?

 

“Sesshoumaru…” The young woman whined as she ceased her struggling in an attempt to hopefully reason with the powerful dog demon.

 

“Hn?” The taiyoukai responded noncommittally as he found himself immersed in a sea of questions and conclusions.

 

“Tensaiga says …” She huffed as she squirmed ever so slightly against the uncomfortable length of bone that made up the dog demon's shoulder. “Take me back to the well.”

 

Sesshoumaru paused momentarily as if he was actually attempting to clarify the woman's claims, causing Keiko to hold her breath in anticipation of his answer.

 

“It does not.” The taiyoukai retorted flatly as he once again moved through the forest, the young woman over his shoulder deflating as her last hope for escape seemed to fall to the forest floor and die.

 

~0~0~0~0~0~0~

 

Back at camp inu-tachi Kagome was reorganizing her pack for what she expected would be an extensive and rigorous shard hunt.

 

“Inu Yasha…” She questioned softly as she noticed another item in her intricately packed bag seemed to have somehow found its way out of where she originally packed it.

 

“Have you been in my bag?” She questioned with interest.

 

Inu Yasha snorted as the implication. “In your bag?” The hanyou huffed as he attempted to remain as nonchalant as possible. “Why the fuck would I be in your bag Kagome?”

 

“That's where you keep your…girly things.” He finished with a look that bordered revulsion; emphasizing the word girly to drive his point home.

 

Kagome nibbled her lip contemplatively as she decided her long time hanyou friend's reasoning certainly made sense. Inu Yasha constantly complained about little things like her underwear whenever she was hapless enough to forget to stuff them completely into her bag. As curious as her puppy-eared companion seemed sometimes, she seriously doubted he would risk scandalously touching her panties in order to find, whatever it was he might be looking for.

 

Besides, he knew going through her things without permission was a `sit-able' offense.

 

“Dammit.” Kagome grumbled as she rummaged through her bag while finding yet another item out of place; completely putting puppy perpetrators out of her mind.

 

“What now?” Inu Yasha questioned in agitation as he began to snuff out the fire in anticipation of their departure.

 

“I can't find my hand cream.” Kagome huffed despondently as she glared into the bag as if she hoped a look promising death would somehow make the inanimate object suddenly cooperate. “I always seem to lose it.” She added offhandedly.

 

“That's cause you always fold it into your spare socks.” Inu Yasha blurted out helpfully before freezing in place and squaring his shoulders as his ears seemed to swivel in the miko's direction.

 

Kagome eyed the frozen hanyou's back as he seemed to be bracing himself for something. Her right eyebrow rose in a silent question as she quickly searched for a forgotten pair of socks; fingering them quickly to confirm that her hand lotion was, in fact, inside.

 

“Inu Yasha…” Kagome questioned softly; her question dying all together as she noticed a certain hanyou seemed to be marching out of the clearing, motioning to the others to follow, as he seemed to conveniently retreat and lead the way, all at the same time.

 

“Hey!” Kagome squawked as she quickly closed her bag and threw it over her shoulder. “Wait for me!” She hollered as all suspicions were quickly forgotten in her attempt to catch up with the rapidly departing group.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~

 

“Sesshoumaru-sama!” Rin exclaimed gleefully as she greeted her much anticipated hero. “You're back!” The young girl added; causing Keiko to roll her eyes while moving her index finger in a circular motion as she sarcastically celebrated their return.

 

“Ow.” Keiko deadpanned, far too casually, as she was all at once dropped to the ground beside an all ready burning campfire.

 

It wasn't that getting dropped on her ass didn't hurt anymore, the young woman noted, but after riding on Sesshoumaru's shoulder for, what she assumed, was well over an hour, little things like pain seemed a little too familiar to get -all worked up- over.

 

Keiko glared at the haughty dog demon as her hands alternated from rubbing her bruised ribs and sore rump.

 

“Now what?” The young woman wanted to know, before her question was seemingly forgotten in the squeals and squawks of the strangers behind her.

 

“Who's this?” Rin questioned; gaining the woman's attention as she stared at the young child with a look of confusion.

 

“Another filthy human?!” A strange voice questioned indignantly from directly behind Keiko, causing her to twist her spine at an awkward angle to see who was talking until her eyes grew large and frightened.

 

“What the fuck is that?” The obviously disturbed woman screamed as she simultaneously scooted at least ten feet in the opposite direction.

 

“That's master Jaken.” Rin smiled brightly as she addressed the strange new woman who apparently mimicked a crab's backward walk very well.

 

“M-master?” Keiko questioned in utter disbelief. She was barely able to look at the warty thing, how the hell this little girl serve such a disgusting…slimy…

 

“Ahhhh!” The raven haired woman exclaimed again as, horror of horrors, the gross mistake of nature actually….walked…or more accurately, waddled…closer.

 

“Lord.” Jaken questioned in agitation, not hiding his annoyance as the trembling woman seemed to look at him horrifically, her eyes once again widening as he spoke. “Why have you brought this disgusting human into camp? Surely you do not intend to…”

 

“Silence Jaken.” Sesshoumaru ordered implicitly. “She will be staying with us.” He added without emotion.

 

“Y-Yes my lord.” Jaken faltered slightly. He knew better then to question his lord's orders, but another human? Surely he had misheard him. “For how long sire?” The toad added as he attempted to confirm the dog demon's previous order.

 

“Until I state otherwise.” Sesshoumaru replied in annoyance; giving the woman a strange look as she seemed to stare at Jaken in utter disbelief and horror as she squirmed against the ground and worked her mouth frantically.

 

“Are you hungry?” The taiyoukai questioned as he successfully caught the female's attention and she thankfully ceased the unnecessary theatrics.

 

“Not any more,” Keiko admittedly numbly as she took one look at Jaken; placing a hand over her stomach briefly.

 

Honestly, did it always look like that?

 

Was it sick?

 

Why hadn't Sesshoumaru put it out of its misery yet?

 

“I suggest you eat.” The taiyoukai ordered more then suggested. “We will be departing in the morning and I do not intend to make unnecessary stops.”

 

Keiko's head snapped forward as she rose to her feet in an attempt to burn the great dog demon with her glare.

 

Unnecessary?

 

Unnecessary?!

 

He had just kidnapped her! (Something she found extremely unnecessary)

 

“Am I your prisoner then?” Keiko demanded hotly as she got up in the demandingly tall youkai's arrogant angular face. “So now I'm just supposed to do whatever you say?”

 

Without missing a beat Sesshoumaru matched the woman's gaze with a cold and dangerous look of his own, his eyes promising death to all who dared meet them.

 

“Yes.” The great youkai hissed roughly; his eyes widening marginally as he seemed at the end of his rope with the woman's challenging nature.

 

“O-okay then.” Keiko faltered as she quickly backed down and withered under his hardened expression. She wasn't sure what exactly would happen if she refused to comply with the great dog demon's orders, but her instincts were telling her not to chance it.

 

`It's like jumping off a ten story building,' Keiko supposed as she snatched up a bit of all ready cooking fish from the fire and nibbled at it while making an effort not to look at Jaken. `You don't know for a fact you'll hit the pavement when you jump,' she continued with a bit of morose humor, `but only a fool would jump to be certain.'

 

`Yes,' Keiko affirmed internally as she flinched under the gaze of the dog demon who now reclined casually against the trunk of a nearby random tree, shooting her a challenging look, `better not to know.'

 

~0~0~0~0~0~

 

“Inu Yasha…” Kagome questioned softly as she finally caught up with the energetic hanyou and began to walk beside him.

 

“I didn't go through your bag!” Inu Yasha barked out preemptively, causing Kagome to shake her head as she attempted to steer them back on track.

 

“That's not what I was going to ask…all though.” She began.

 

“Then what do you want?” The puppy-eared boy questioned roughly as he attempted to bury the apparently touchy subject that he had accidentally brought up.

 

“Do you think Sesshoumaru had any feelings for Kagura?” Kagome questioned casually.

 

“Keh.” The young hanyou retorted as he seemed to ponder the absurd question. “Providing that bastard has feelings at all...” He snorted. “Still no.”

 

“Why not?” Kagome questioned honestly; finding the topic strangely enlightening, not just regarding the inner workings of Sesshoumaru but the thought process of a certain hanyou as well.

 

“Didn't he try to save her?” She questioned with interest as she seemed to suggest she felt there was something between Sesshoumaru and Kagura.

 

“A lot of good that did.” Inu Yasha answered black flatly.

 

“Inu Yasha!” Kagome scolded. “That's such a horrible thing to say! At least he tried didn't he? He could feel terrible about not being able to save her.”

 

“He could,” the hanyou conceded, “but he doesn't.”

 

“How can you be so sure?” The young miko questioned softly again; her hands lightly folded over her heart as she imagined all the horrible and terribly tragic thoughts that could have played out in the depths of the great taiyoukai's mind.

 

“Because that bastard only cares about himself,” Inu Yasha argued with confidence, “and even if there was the slightest chance he had even a passing interest in Kagura,” he paused as he turned to look at the girl beside him, “there is no way he could have feelings for her human reincarnation.”

 

Kagome shoulders slumped as her wistful thoughts of destined romance were quickly crushed by her often overly blunt, yet strangely perceptive friend.

 

“Then why'd he offer to take her to the well?” She questioned defiantly. There was no way she was going to give up on the dreadfully romantic love story she felt was potentially blossoming in front of their eyes.

 

“Maybe he wanted to see the well work for himself.” Inu Yasha offered flatly; deciding to continue as the girl beside him seemed less then convinced. “Maybe he wanted to make sure her annoying ass went through so he wouldn't have to stand around and get ogled every five seconds.”

 

“Hell!” Inu Yasha continued again as the wistfully lost expression on Kagome's face suggested she was all ready naming Keiko's and Sesshoumaru's children.

 

“I don't know why the fuck he did it….maybe he got tired of being a bastard.” He finished in aggravation.

 

“Mou.” Kagome moaned as she pulled herself free of the image of Sesshoumaru pushing a white haired toddler with puppy ears down a crowded Tokyo sidewalk. “You do not have a romantic bone in your body Inu Yasha.”

 

“Damn straight.” The hanyou agreed as he arrogantly stuffed his hands into his sleeves.

 

Kagome sighed as she pulled her bag off her shoulder and withdrew a small paperback book out of the pouch in the side.

 

“Not that thing again.” Inu Yasha moaned.

 

Kagome smiled as she thumbed lazily through the book and shot her puppy-eared companion a brief smile.

 

“A girl's got to get her romance somewhere.” She finished in an implied accusation that she was sure would be lost on her friend.

 

“Besides!” Kagome added as she eagerly flipped through a fist full of pages. “When I put it down last time Drake was leaving for war and Tiffany was begging him to stay. I have to know what happens! I mean… does he go? Does he come back okay? Does she wait for him?”

 

“Does she meet someone else and fall desperately in love?!” Kagome beamed as she sounded more and more like a paid advertisement.

 

“No way,” the hanyou beside her snorted, “Tiffany would never do that to Drake.”

 

An eyebrow shot into Kagome's hairline as she turned to her puppy companion with a look of surprise. What did he just say?

 

She eyed him momentarily as she, for one brief moment, toyed with the idea that Inu Yasha had been reading her romance novel.

 

Kagome released a ridiculous chuckle as she stared at her seemingly oblivious friend who casually dug at something in his ear with his pinky claw as they walked along.

 

“Warn me if I'm about to walk into a tree.” She ordered offhandedly, all ready burying her nose in the book as she attempted to walk and read at the same time.

 

“Fine.” The hanyou huffed as they continued along the beaten path.