InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Hagakure ❯ The Demon's Mind ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu-Yasha or any of its characters. I simply abuse them for my own twisted means of amusement.

[A/N:] During the dream/flashback thingy (gosh…I haven't done one of those in a while…), the [] is where the interruptions are. You'll get it.

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The Demon's Mind

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"You know…" Inu-Yasha drawled, observing Hagakure's dinner table antics, "I'm beginning to see less and less of your relation to Sesshomaru every second."

"Bah! The only thing that cousin of mine was good for was teaching me to fight!" Hagakure scoffed.

"So he taught you to fight, did he?" Miroku said with raised eyebrows as he sipped some tea.

"I practically had to follow him around like a lost puppy and bug the shit out of him, but yeah." Hagakure snorted.

"A foolhardy thing to do." Shiro commented dryly.

Hakaki and Shippo watched from their safer perch on Miroku's head as Hagakure and Shiro went headlong into another argument. Kagome backed slowly away after having to dodge a piece of food.

"In case you guys were wondering, I believe this is the equivalent of a food fight at home." Kagome commented, ducking behind Sango.

"Hakaki," Sango asked, "…is dinner always this…interesting here?"

Hakaki nodded and expertly caught a piece of flying sushi then ate it.

"Damn… My wolves have better manners…" Kouga said under his breath. A stray chopstick hit him in the forehead.

"Good aim, Shiro." Inu-Yasha snickered. Kouga smacked him upside the head, resulting in a nasty snarl from the hanyou.

"HA!" Hagakure exclaimed suddenly, causing everybody to jump and forget his or her irrational and/or homicidal thoughts. "I win!"

"Win…what…?" Inu-Yasha asked.

"I can't quite remember…" Hagakure laughed while rubbing her neck sheepishly.

Shiro pulled random pieces of food out of his long silver locks, sputtering as he did so.

"You are one of the most immature people sometime, Kure." Shiro snorted as he fished out another stray food item. "Now I need another bath."

"You will not leave this table until you've explained why the hell you were gone so long and why you were beaten up!" Hagakure shouted as she stood to tower over Shiro in his still seated position.

Shiro's lordly expression faded remarkably fast under Hagakure's withering glare; a female demon's threat wasn't something to take lightly-especially if she was Lady of the Eastern Lands and had a certain control over all the servants of the house that already didn't like you. Shiro swallowed his pride and settled himself back down in an effort to calm his mate's nerves.

"Okay, Kure," Shiro said with the little dignity he had left after being humiliated by his mate, "if you sit down I'll explain the whole thing."

Hagakure snorted victoriously and sat back down. It was then she realized that almost everybody had something sticking out of their hair, sticking to their clothes, or smudged on their face.

"Sorry." she offered. "Um…Aki!"

The neko appeared at the door almost instantly.

"Yes, Kure?" she asked.

"Bring some towels. We seem to have gotten into…another squabble."

Aki observed the food littered room.

"Uh…you sure you don't want to continue this conversation elsewhere…?" Aki asked as she removed a chopstick from the wall. "I mean, someplace clean. I could have this fixed up if you guys went to the garden."

"Sounds like a good idea to me." Shiro said, cautiously standing.

Unfazed by the 'if-you-don't-listen-to-me-you-die' glare Hagakure was fixating on her mate, Aki walked fully into the room. She stopped at Inu-Yasha, plucked a few random foodstuffs out of his hair, then continued to Miroku and did the same-though he had considerably less because of the kitsune helmet of sorts on his head. Aki walked over to Kouga, who seemed nervous merely by her presence in the room, and ran her fingers through his long ponytail, untangling it and removing random things from it. She ignored the warning growl he omitted and continued after everything was out.

He smelled like forest and other wild scents. Aki, being a servant in the house, rarely-if ever-went out into the woods. Kouga's scent was everything she couldn't have: freedom from the house and its endless gardens.

"I think she likes him…" Sango whispered to Kagome.

Kagome giggled and nodded.

"If you think that's best, Aki…" Hagakure said then stood up. "We'll be in the garden. Come on everyone."

Kouga nearly bolted up from his place at the table in an effort to get away from the unwanted attention the neko was giving him. Inu-Yasha snorted as the wolf chose to chance Shiro and walked extremely close to Hagakure.

"I never…" Aki snorted, her sleek feline tail twitching in irritation.

"You'd think he was gay…" Miroku commented under his breath as he stood.

Inu-Yasha snickered then followed Hagakure out, with the others close behind.

----

"Wow," Kagome admired. "Its so pretty out here!"

Indeed it was. Shiro and Hagakure had led them to one of the many spacious gardens on the estate. Light from the thin strip of the waxing moon had shadows playing in the most unusual ways off everybody's body. Exotic flowers grew; freely mixed in were more native plants. Sakura trees that were starting to lose their flowers because of the summer heat dotted the perimeter, while jasmine and other unknown wild flowers littered the area along the pathways. Some koi swam in their ponds, oblivious to the fact that their masters were demons. Beautiful miniature waterfalls kept the ponds aerated and offered a therapeutic humming.

"PERVERT!" Sango shouted.

Unfortunately, Miroku noticed the moonlight on the bodies the most. Though, it could be debated whether he could see said moonlight from his new position in the koi pond…

Kouga raised his eyebrows as Miroku pulled himself out of the water completely unfazed.

"Do that often?" Kouga asked with a smirk.

Miroku returned the smirk and nodded once. Kouga rolled his eyes, an action that Inu-Yasha copied.

"Hey, Sango," Kagome asked the fuming demon slayer quietly, "did you ever notice how similar Inu-Yasha and Kouga are?"

"What do you mean?" Sango asked while she warily eyed the lecherously grinning monk. She rolled her eyes when he winked and waved at her.

"They're both arrogant, strong, believe that they're in complete control, proud, have enough pride to choke a horse, and…"

"…Completely wrapped around your little finger, it seems." Hagakure added, having been listening to the entire exchange.

"What do you mean?" Kagome asked, a little startled.

"Watch this." Hagakure said with a hint of mischief.

Kagome furrowed her brows in slight confusion. Hagakure expertly took Kagome's palm and gave her a small slit on the thumb. It was no more than a paper cut, but it still caused Kagome to cry out sharply.

Both Kouga and Inu-Yasha were at her side in an instant.

"What's wrong?!" they both asked, completely naïve to Hagakure's involvement as said demoness walked closely to her mate's side.

Shiro rolled his eyes at the actions of the two males and the obvious innocent act Hagakure was putting on. Sango and Miroku chuckled, and Hagakure smirked knowingly.

"How the hell did you cut yourself?!" Inu-Yasha shouted in slight confusion.

"Did you touch a thorn or something?" Kouga asked as he examined the small cut.

"She's not that stupid, you dumb ass wolf." Inu-Yasha growled as he swatted Kouga's hand away.

Kagome removed her hand before it became the focus of another fight between the two and she could possibly be injured. They were already snarling at each other after barely twenty seconds, and Hagakure gave her a 'fix it' look.

"Knock it off." Kagome ordered sharply, stunning both males with her direct and sharp command.

While Kouga only looked confused, Inu-Yasha gave Sango a dirty look. Seeing the look she gave him back along with the one the monk added, he redirected his scowl at Hagakure.

"Kure…" he growled.

Shiro let out an un-lordly, irritated half growl, half sigh. Normally, it would have been used to silence a pair of squabbling children, but he found it most effective for this situation.

"We are here to talk, yes?" Shiro asked formally. "Then quit your childish antics, all of you, and listen to what is to be said."

"If someone would quit their rambling and get to the point…" Inu-Yasha said in a strained voice.

Shiro ignored that and chose a place to sit down. With the group quickly joining him on the ground in various positions, he began to explain.

"You see, it was shortly after my dear mate had conceived that this all started."

Hagakure blushed slightly when Shiro sent a small smirk her way. As if on cue, all the demons present turned towards the house.

"Oh dear." Hagakure said as she got up. "I'll have to take my explanation later. Right now, Misoka wants her mommy and I don't have that much of a demon heart to let Aki handle it. Poor girl's gonna be in trouble as it is when my baby starts screaming."

Shiro puffed his chest out proudly at the mention of his daughter.

"Smart little brat." Inu-Yasha commented as the foreseen screaming erupted. "She already knows how to get her way."

Hagakure laughed and left, going in the direction of the house and her screaming infant.

"It's a good thing she's a Lord's daughter." Kouga said seriously. "Otherwise, she'd have attracted all kinds of predators. Only quiet pups survive."

Shiro sent him a warning glare.

"Are you insinuating that my pup wouldn't survive?" he growled.

"No." Kouga replied quickly, dismissing the challenge in the other demon's voice. "I'm only saying that if she was left without her mother for an extended period, this screaming could be dangerous."

"I think that's the same thing…" Shiro growled dangerously.

"Oh, both of you quit it." Sango sighed, very unafraid of what these demons could do to her. "Shiro, get on with it and argue with Kouga later."

Shiro blinked for a few seconds as he registered the challenge in the woman's voice. She was practically daring him to argue with her! He took a deep breath and wondered why his mate always picked such insubordinate friends.

"As I was saying," Shiro started again, "after my mate conceived, I began to have a strange, reoccurring dream…"

[Flashback]

It was dark; so dark that even with his keen youkai eyes, Shiro was unable to see through the curtain-like haze. He had no depth perception and couldn't see an end to the darkness; it was infinite.

"My Lord, you are looking tired." an unknown but feminine voice echoed around him in the blistering darkness. "Lie down."

As he was about to protest, he was somehow flung onto a large futon. He sat up, only to be pushed back down by a small pack of demonesses. They looked fondly down at him with eyes that made him want to hide.

[]

"Why do all men's dreams start like this?" Sango interrupted, irritation and sardonic humor evident in her voice.

Kagome snickered as Shiro turned red and the other boys ducked their heads in shame. Shippo and Hakaki didn't entirely know what that meant, but they giggled right along with Kagome.

"Hey, I can't control how my dreams start, okay?!" Shiro shouted indignantly.

"What ever you say…" Sango goaded.

Shiro clenched a fist and mentally planned to speak with his mate about her friends and their lack of respect.

"I have never hit a woman that wasn't trying to kill me, but you're asking for it." Shiro growled.

Miroku cleared his throat, drawing the demon Lord's attention away from Sango who seemed damn determined to piss him off. The monk earned a look that said: 'If she's yours, control her!'

"Sango, perhaps you should let Shiro continue…?" Miroku suggested.

[]

"I demand to know what is going on here!" Shiro growled angrily as he was repeatedly pushed downwards back onto the futon.

"Demand?" a male voice questioned, irritation evident in his voice. "You DEMAND to know what is happening?! You have no right to demand!"

"I am Lord Shiro of the Eastern Lands! I have every right to demand!" Shiro bellowed, angrily fighting off the demonesses that had made their less-than-innocent intent known. "Where the hell am I!? Get off me!"

The once pleasing to the eye females turned into tree roots that swung violently and tried to pin him down. Shiro fought his way to stand and did so with great effort on his part.

"Very well," the same masculine voice said. "You wish to know what is going on?"

"That's only what I've been saying for the past five minutes!" Shiro snarled as he dodged a tree root that seemed inclined to impale him.

Suddenly, the tree roots disappeared and Shiro was left in the dark again.

"This isn't exactly what I'd call explaining." the demon growled.

A white figure approached. As it came nearer, Shiro recognized it to take the form of a baboon pelt.

"Who are you?" Shiro demanded with a snarl; he was angry and tired of playing these games.

"I am who I will be, Lord Shiro." the masquerading figure said to the angry demon lord.

"Don't give me that riddle shit!" Shiro bellowed as he lunged forward to slice whatever he could of the creature he felt was mocking him.

The mocking thing faded away as Shiro's claws were mere centimeters from making contact.

"Lord Shiro, your lands are for grabs." the male voice echoed.

{end]

"It sounds like something Naraku would do." the hanyou growled.

"That would be right up his alley…" Miroku commented.

Shiro growled at the familiar name of the creature that had held him captive until recently.

{Flashback}

"What do you want?" Shiro spat.

"That is simple," Naraku replied. "I want your holdings."

[]

"Naraku…" Shiro snarled. "That's the creature that kept me in that cave for those long months."

"Dirty bastard…" Kouga muttered.

"Why would he want your lands though?" Kagome asked.

[]

Shiro was smart; he knew that that wasn't all Naraku was after.

"Then why not just kill me and take them?"

Naraku laughed a sinister laugh.

"What fun would that be?"

"You sick bastard…"

"I assure you, I am quite well." Naraku retorted smugly.

"Why are you toying with me?" Shiro asked, obviously enraged. "Say it clear and quit the riddle shit!"

Naraku stepped closer to the infuriated demon lord before him, ignoring the menacing warning growls he omitted.

Shiro's eyes were trained on the creature called Naraku as he struggled to stand, his muscles screaming at the injustice of it all. Something was definitely wrong with this entire situation. He was weakening by the second; every step Naraku took towards him drained him further.

"Get away from me." Shiro snarled, flexing his claws as best he could. "Get away and leave my mate out of this!"

{}

"For sick pleasure." Shiro growled.

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Hagakure petted her daughter's hair as she nursed; Nozomu was sleeping soundly in her lap.

"Kure," Aki asked as her head peered into the room, "do you have a minute?"

Hagakure smiled warmly.

"Sure, Aki. Come and sit down."

Aki smiled and gracefully situated herself in front of her mistress.

"So… What did you want to talk about?" Hagakure asked with a smirk. "The Wolf Prince, perhaps?"

Aki snickered.

"You know me too well." the neko giggled. "All I ask is that when they leave could you put in a good word for me?"

"Consider it done." the demoness replied. "The wolf needs to get his mind off Kagome anyway; she'll be Inu-Yasha's soon if I have anything to say about it."

Aki raised an eyebrow.

"Meddling with past acquaintances again?"

"I don't consider it meddling. It's…helping." Hagakure told Aki pointedly.

"You're helping somebody again?" Aki asked with raised eyebrows. She snickered. Hagakure's 'helping' was certainly interesting.

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"Psst! Kagome! Kagome, are you asleep?" Shippo whispered.

"Not anymore, Shippo." Kagome said through a yawn. "What is it?"

"I really have to go to the bathroom, but I don't know where it is." Shippo said guiltily.

"That's okay," Kagome said with a smile as she sat up. "At least you woke me up this way, not by going on me. Come on, let's find it."

Shippo jumped on Kagome's shoulder when she stood up and began making her way to the shoji to find the bathroom. Unfortunately, it was dark in the room and Kirara's tails had strayed from her mistress' side putting directly into Kagome's path. An ear-piercing yowl woke Sango immediately.

"WHOZIT?!" Sango shouted as she bolted upright, reaching for the Hiriakotsu.

"Sango, it's just us!" Kagome assured her friend.

"Oh, I thought it was a demon or something…" Sango sighed as she sat up. "What are you doing up so late?"

"Shippo has to go to the bathroom."

"Oh. Well, I guess I'll go too," Sango yawned, "being as I'm up."

Kagome giggled sheepishly and opened the shoji. Both girls and the kitsune wandered around until the latrine was found, did their business, and began to make their way back to their room.

"Do you hear that, Kagome?" Shippo asked innocently. "It sounds like groaning."

Both Sango and Kagome blushed to their ears.

"Do you want to hear a bedtime story, Shippo?" Sango asked quickly to divert the kit's attention.

"Sure!" Shippo said excitedly as he flopped down on Kagome's sleeping bag.

Sango sighed inwardly in relief. Now all she had to do was think of a story that wouldn't scare the kit out of his hakama and she was all set.

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"But Kagome-!" Shippo whined.

"No Shippo, Shiro is right." Kagome interrupted him. "It's going to be too dangerous for you when we find Naraku."

Inu-Yasha snorted his agreement and everybody else nodded.

"But I don't want to stay here!" Shippo protested.

"Neither do I!" Hagakure and Hakaki whined.

Shiro rubbed the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

"We had this conversation last night, Kure…" the demon lord sighed and cast an irritated glance at Kouga as the wolf prince snickered. "It is much safer for you to stay here with the pups then it is to go with us. Besides, they need their mother to stay healthy for them and all the stress of travel wouldn't be good for you."

Hagakure pouted and angrily turned on her heal and left into the house, both of the kits following her with the same irritated air. Kagome blinked at the retreating form of the angry kitsune that she took care of and normally adored her.

"Well then…" Sango said, a little surprised that Shippo was giving Kagome the cold shoulder.

"Little brat…" Inu-Yasha mumbled.

"Don't worry," Aki said with a feline smile as she appeared from around the corner, "I'll take good care of them."

Kouga tensed up at the sudden appearance of the neko that he was sure was stalking him. He nearly wet himself at her next line.

"And if you leave the wolf here, I'll take very good care of him as well."

Kouga paled incredibly and stepped behind Miroku to hide himself from the neko's hungry eyes. The monk appeared to be highly amused by the situation and stepped away, once again leaving the prince in Aki's line of sight. Kouga squeaked and ducked behind Inu-Yasha, who was as amused-if not more so-as the monk; he also sidestepped, leaving Kouga exposed to Aki. Kouga whimpered pathetically as Aki gave him a seductive grin and purred.

Shiro bit back a laugh and settled for egging Aki on with a slight nod. Aki caught her master's motion and continued harassing the wolf with practiced ease.

"Is something wrong, my dear prince?" Aki questioned, tilting her feminine head to the side.

Kouga squeaked and looked to anyone in the group for help. Sango was just about as amused as the boys and Kagome was still staring off after Shippo. He would have to tough this one out on his own…

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"Good-bye, puppy-kun!" Aki called happily as she waved the group away.

"I hate you all." Kouga muttered as the group shuffled onwards out of the castle grounds. "Wait-I hate you all with the exception of Kagome."

"Oh, stuff it." Inu-Yasha sighed.

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[A/N:] Tada! Here it is! The end of my anger induced updating spree. If you want to receive updates for this fic (incase I delete it again and repost it just for the hell of it when it's done), then put me on your favorite authors' list… damn…that sounds like I'm begging… well…review.

(teaser)

Next Chapter: [sigh] I've got a bit of writer's block for this part… I'm working in Kikyou and TRYING to find a place for Sesshomaru… But this story should be over in a few chapters…

Raven: Review!