InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Her Protector ❯ Reaching Out ( Chapter 16 )

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Inuyasha, it's the sole property of Goddess Romiko Takahashi, and I cannot take credit for her genius.

Kagome is a college student unaware of the mortal peril she is in. He's a bitter silver - haired Adonis with a checkered past and a vow to protect humans. So when the two meet, it's a given that fireworks follow…

This chapter is dedicated to my friends Shanti and Aman, who were slain in the horrific Mumbai attacks and also to Veer, who was rescued after being trapped for 48 hours.

This is also dedicated to the brave NSG forceswho risked their life to save the hundreds trapped in the hotels. If not for them, Veer would perhaps not be with us.

 

Chapter 16 -

Reaching Out!

 

 

Sesshomaru waited patiently beneath the tree, even as sounds of shuffling came from the bushes. He could smell the indecision rolling off the young hanyou. Hoping to coax him out, he called out softly. "Inuyasha, please?"

 

Within moments the hanyou was sitting by his side on his haunches, looking everywhere but at the youkai. An uncomfortable silence filled the air. Sesshomaru looked at his brother from the corner of his eye. 'Now what? I have managed to get him out but what do I say to him? How do I even begin to explain things to him?'

 

Firming his resolve, he had just opened his mouth to confess all when Inuyasha muttered. "I just wanted to say...I...Thanks, Kikyou!"

 

Of all the words that the hanyou could have said, these were the least expected. "Thanks?"

 

Colour suffused the hanyou's cheeks, as he waved a hand around. "For...for everything. For treating me decently, for not hating me and for... Just thanks!"

 

Sesshomaru stared. His gut churned at the words and the emotion behind the words. 'I know that his life has been hard but it couldn't have been so bad that he has to thanks me for just treating him normally. Could it?' Anger lapped at him since he knew that he did not deserve any thanks as he had played an active part in Inuyasha's suffering. Knowing that not only had he rejected the young child but had further thrust him into a life of misery and pain, left him feeling hollow. The wealth of emotion in the young hanyou's eyes left him feeling worthless and undeserving of the gratitude. He shook his head trying to quell the swell of guilt that those meager words had evoked. Trying to keep the anger and corrosive guilt at bay, he responded harshly. "Don't!"

 

The hanyou cocked his head ever so slightly, bewildered at the sudden harshness. "Kikyou? What…"

 

Taking a deep breath, Sesshomaru tried to temper his tone. "I just...I don't want you thank me for treating you like everyone else. I don't deserve thanks! Not for something as silly as this!"

 

A spasm of hurt replaced the confusion on the hanyou's face before being shuttered behind a stoic expression. Hurt suffused the other's scent and Sesshomaru could have bitten his tongue off. Inuyasha nodded, but his over-bright golden eyes and his heavy scent betrayed his feelings clearly. "Of course, how silly of me!" He looked away and Sesshomaru groaned mentally. 'Great! Now he thinks I am belittling him. Why can't things be easier?' He was only grateful that the temperamental hanyou had not stormed off in a huff.

 

Silence stretched between the two. And then Sesshomaru tried to bridge the chasm. Glancing at the two girls in the distance who were chatting up a storm, he once again made sure that there were no lurking threats in the vicinity. Ensured that his principal was safe he turned back to the hanyou. Softly, he spoke. "Inuyasha, how do I seem to you?"

 

Inuyasha whipped his face around in shock. Gulping at Kikyou's steady gaze, he murmured. "Fishing for compliments, Kikyou? I'm sure you know that you are beautiful!"

 

'Beautiful?' Sesshomaru snorted. "Why thank you! But not like that. I mean...I mean what do you think about me? Do you think that I am someone you could possibly be friends with?”

 

If anything, the words caused Inuyasha to gape. 'Friends?' Gathering his scattered wits, he tried to form a coherent answer. "Kikyou, you are truly a unique youkai. You are warm, compassionate and lacking in prejudice. You...you have treated me with respect, like an equal and for that I will always be in your debt. So, yes, I would like to be your friend."

 

The hitch at the end of the impassioned speech and the slight blush that accompanied it went unnoticed by the youkai who was busy soaking up the words as of they were ambrosia that could satisfy his deepest thirst. Sesshomaru made a graceful half-bow, his voice quiet and serious. "You honour me, Inuyasha."

 

Inuyasha felt the strange tug again. He could not identify what this strange feeling was but it seemed to grip him whenever he was around Kikyou. He felt at ease with her, as if he had known her for ages. A sense of belonging, of rightness reverberated within him as he crouched down besides her. She called out to him in strange ways that he had never felt with any other female - not even Kagome. 'Is this what I have been searching for? Is she the one that I have been waiting all this while for?'

 

Before he could stop himself, words tumbled off his mouth. "Kikyou, can I give you something?" Then catching himself he cleared his throat. "I meant...Can I give you a gift?"

 

Sesshomaru turned towards his brother. His eyes scanned the others bright eyes and then he shrugged lightly. "Really, there is no need for a gift."

 

Ducking his head, Inuyasha murmured. "Please, I would really like for you to have this."

 

Sensing that the issue was important to his brother, Sesshomaru nodded. At this point he would have agreed to almost anything that the other suggested. "Sure!" Then with a twinkle in his eye, he asked. "I hope you are not giving me a gift with any ulterior motive in mind?"

 

Inuyasha spluttered and launched into a stream of denials. The youkai grinned, enjoying ribbing his younger brother. Placing a hand on the other's arm, he interrupted the hanyou's blabbering. "I was just kidding! But, really, I would too like to give you a gift." He smiled though he felt anything but merry. 'Something that in all fairness, should have been yours all along!'

 

Waving his morose thoughts away, Sesshomaru got down to the matter at hand. Casually, as if the question was not burning a hole in him, he asked. “So, Inu, tell me more about yourself. Who all are there in your family?”

 

The sudden surge of anger and pain at the question clogged his nose, making him flinch. He blinked at the strong emotions and then again, when he noticed that there was nothing on Inuyasha's face to show that he was feeling those emotions. Instead a half-smile, half-grimace was stuck to his face. Even his words seemed off-hand. “Kagome's all the family that I need.”

 

Even though it was justified and definitely unintentional, Sesshomaru felt the cut sharply. He looked away, his voice thick. “Just Kagome? No one else? Perhaps a sister or a…brother?”

 

The scents intensified and the youkai felt as if pins were been driven into his skull. He almost raised his shirt to cover his nose. Almost. Only the control that years of Sakura's torture and training had imparted to him stopped the motion. However, there was another scent that was buried under the overpowering others. A faint thread of confusion that was almost lost in the thick mists of anger and pain. There was still no change in Inuyasha's expression. “Anyone else? I…Mother said that I had a half-brother but I doubt it…I've don't remember anything about him. Nothing at all. So, as far as I'm concerned I am all alone.”

 

By the ancestors, that hurt! Shouldn't have, since he'd been the one to push him…them away. If not for his arrogant and foolish behaviour that night, Inuyasha would not have been alone. He would have protected the hanyou. Honour towards his brother alone would have ensured that, if not the fact that he was Izayoi's son. But the Kami had twisted fate to dance at their fingertips and he now sat across the stranger who was his half-brother, dressed as a female.

 

Then a thought struck him and the thinnest ray of hope broke through the dark clouds of despair and memories. Letting only his sympathy show on his face and in his scent, he murmured. “You remember nothing of him? No name, no scent…nothing?”

 

The confusion grew as the other scents receded. It almost seemed as if Inuyasha was struggling with himself. His eyes tried to pierce the veil of time, looking into the past to find some memory…some trace of the elusive youkai. Then, he shook his head, shrugging. “Nope! If I could find him, there would be hell to pay. I would make him pay for all that she…” Golden eyes met curious brown ones, and he started, as if just remembering who he was talking to. A laugh, sharp enough to cut the youkai, fell from the hanyou's mouth. “Look at this, Kikyou; you have me thinking of things I had tried so hard to forget.”

 

The thin ray of hope had grown into a flood of hope. Sesshomaru realized that he could come to the hanyou in his real form without alerting the other as to who he really was. If Inuyasha was not lying about not remembering him. At the least, it was something to chew on. “Sorry, Inuyasha, I did not mean to pry.” Twining his hands in what Rin had said was a feminine gesture of nervousness, he took the plunge. “It just seems that our stories are similar, except of my being on the other side of the fence.”

 

The stoic expression cracked and the first glimmer of curiosity made its appearance on the hanyou's face. Taking heart in it Sesshomaru continued. “I too have a half-brother…who is hanyou!” Shock and disbelief came from Inuyasha though his expression did not waver. “I am estranged from him. I made a terrible mistake when he was born. Being young and foolish, and additionally misled by others, I rejected him. Kami, Inuyasha! I was ashamed of him, of his being related to me…and I behaved dishonourably.” Rage made its appearance in the hanyou's scent, as did hurt but on the face of it one would think that Inuyasha was listening to a speech on the beauty of calculus. Knowing he was taking a gamble, Sesshomaru put all his emotion, all his true feelings into his words, hoping that the hanyou would understand and remember this when the truth was revealed. “I despise myself for that day, for the way I acted, for pushing away one who shares my blood. Not much later I came to know how wrong I had been. For years, I have searched for him high and low, but never have I found any clue as to where he is. Perhaps I will never find him again.” His eyes bored into the hanyou's blank ones. “Maybe…maybe your brother made the same mistake.”

 

Inuyasha shook his head. “I can't believe…” He seemed to think it over. “You can't compare the two, Kikyou! You have changed, have admitted you mistake. My half-brother, whoever he is, is the scum of this earth. A fucking bastard who deserves to be drawn and quartered for what he did.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I agree that I was a little shocked at your confession, but I think that you truly repent what you did. It is not who you were but what you are that matters. Anyway, let us not think of the miserable past, Kikyou, when the future is open for us!”

 

Sesshomaru nodded though he did not know how to take things. On the one hand, Inuyasha had forgiven `Kikyou' her prejudice but on the other had damned his brother for the same. Of course, that had been because the brother…because he had done much worse than just reject Inuyasha. No! He had betrayed a vow, a trust deeper than any. And for that he deserved all the contempt, all the derision, all the hate that Inuyasha harbored.

 

Knowing that now was not the time to push the matter, he leaned back against the tree. He was just preparing to let down his guard, when he felt the malevolent surge and immediately sat up.

 

xxXxxXxxXxx

 

Kagome huffed as she reached the steps of the dojo. Placing her hands on her waist, she caught her breath and then launched herself at the sitting fighter. "Sango! Are you alright? What happened?"

 

A far too composed Sango hugged her back without answering. As they separated, the quiet fighter met Kagome's worried eyes but then, as if the weight of the gaze was too much for her, went back to studying the stone step. A trace of bitterness touched her voice. "I realized the truth, what else?"

 

Kagome studied her friend carefully. Even though Sango disdained emotional displays of any kind, she should have been more distraught. If not at the break-up with her lover, then certainly, at losing her coach. But, for some reason Sango did not seem upset. Rather there seemed to be an under-current of excitement that lurked under her despondency.

 

Not that Kagome minded the development. As far as she was concerned, Sango's break-up with the bastard wolf was one of the best things that could have happened. She had wished fervently that her friend would boot the sleazy prick out of her life. Even though the opposite had happened, she was still glad since that meant that Kouga would stay away from them. Being a loyal friend, she would still comfort and console her friend. Only, the friend seemed in no need of that comfort. Probing the fighter's emotions carefully, she murmured. "You want to talk about what happened?"

 

Those words seemed to unleash the pent up emotion in the fighter. She snarled. "He played me in every way, that's what happened. I was with him in every sense...all this while…How could I not see the pack of lies that he was. The sleaziness, the cowardliness, the pure falsity of him? How could I have been so blind?" Then as a thought struck her, her eyes narrowed. "But you knew...all of you knew! Isn't that why you left Gokan that day?" Kagome blanched but nodded slightly. Sango's eyes bored holes in her. "And none of you thought to tell me what I was too blind to see...not even you? But, you're right! It's much better for me to find out on my own…for all my hopes and illusions to shatter so abruptly."

 

A cry came from Kagome, even as she shook her head. "No, no, no! I wanted to tell you but...but you looked so happy with him. I didn't want to break your heart. And, when I finally realised what he was and threatened to confess all, he...he said he'd tell everyone that I had kissed Kikyou. Kami, Sango! I bowed under his blackmail. I chickened out. I am so sorry!"

 

Sango's fixed gaze did not waver, and Kagome thought that it was all over. But, then, the fighter shrugged. "Ah, well! It all happened for the better I guess. If you had not done as you had then I would never have met him."

 

The breezy, almost excited tone drove Kagome's eyebrows into her hairline. "Him?"

 

Sango grinned. "Yeah! Oh, Kagome, you should have been there. He attacked me. But, suddenly he was there and then he fought him. He won and-" Taking a deep breath at Kagome's baffled face she realised that she was mangling the sequence of events, and so paused to put her thoughts in order.

 

"Maybe I should start again. Kouga was late for practice, again, and then once he came, he tried to act the fool, so I ticked him off. Initially, he laughed it off but when I pushed him, he said he was through with me and that I 'had a serious lack of martial talent'. Of course, that set me off but I tried to reason with him. He tried to leave, I stopped him and he hit me. That did it and my barrier snapped setting me awash in my rage. I attacked him but within seconds knew that I was no match for him." She ignored Kagome's gasp. "I would have got hurt, really seriously hurt, but then He showed up."

 

Kagome's curiosity knew no bounds. Impatience dripped from her voice. "He who?"

 

"The man from Knockout! Remember I had told you about the monk who Kouga had defeated? Well, out of the blue he appeared in the dojo and saved me from Kouga's brutal attacks. Appears that Kouga had cheated in the exhibition match by drugging him. They had a rematch and…Oh, Kami! He trounced the wolf! Absolutely trashed him...all within seconds! Watching him in action made me realise how wrong I was about him. I had thought that he was a fool, a weakling but now I know that in fact, he is a true master. It was beautiful! Minimal effort, maximum damage, no wasted moves! Powerful and effective! I've seen some good fighters and beaten them too...but he...that was something awe-inspiring. And, then came the cherry on the cake. You will never believe what he did!"

 

Kagome eyed her pink cheeks and bright eyes. "What? You better tell me right now!"

 

"He offered to coach me!" Sango positively glowed as her word came out in a breathless rush. "Me! Coached by him! It's a dream come true! Finally, a coach to be proud of! I might just pull this off!"

 

Kagome squeezed her friend's arm. "I'm so happy for you! Good riddance to bad rubbish!" Noticing the bleakness returning to the fighter's eyes, she sought to lighten the situation. A mischievous smile lit on her face. "So, tell me more. He a looker?"

 

Colour touched Sango's cheeks as she leaned against the steps, her voice soft. "He wears a full face mask, so I can't tell you about that. And it does not matter what he looks like. I've learnt my lesson. No more mixing training with anything personal. He's my coach and that's all he'll remain."

 

Her brow slightly creased in worry, Kagome touched her bubbling friend's hand. "You like him." It was more of a statement than a question. "You don't know anything about him, met him for the first time today. And despite that you have some kind of hero worship / admiration thing going on for him."

 

"Well...I do admire his skills. I will not lie to you that the thought of such a great fighter makes funny things happen to my stomach. But, that does not mean that I 'like' him or that I will be willing to act out on that supposed liking." Sango shrugged. "Besides you know that I never date humans....my Golden Rules, remember?"

 

Kagome rolled her eyes, waving the point away. "Oh, yeah! Your Golden Rules! As if I could ever forget them. What were they...Oh, yeah! To always date a fighter. To always date someone stronger than you. To always be the pursued and never the pursuer. To be with someone who is as skillful in bed as he is in the ring. Did I miss any?"

 

Sango chuckled. "You got the order wrong, but yeah, that seems to be right."

 

"I notice that there was nothing about not dating humans." Keen eyes tracked the fighter's fidgetiness with the topic but she did not relent. "Why is it, then, that you are so adamant about discriminating against humans?"

 

"Do you really think that humans can come through on all points? Nope, only youkai meet every single criterion. Besides, I find humans too clingy and too emotional. And, far too untrustworthy. With youkai you don't have those problems." The fighter gave a mock shiver. "No thanks. I'd rather avoid dating humans altogether. It's much simpler that way." Then her eyes narrowed. "And, you are sure one to talk about being careful. Didn't I catch you in the midst of a make-out session with a strange youkai that, of all places, you had picked up at a bar?"

 

Just as simply, the tables were turned and it was Kagome who flushed. She laced her hands together and said primly. "You can't compare the two! I knew him from before and so, I knew that he was trustworthy. He would never have hurt me. If you had seen his eyes when I ..." She cleared her throat, her blush deepening. "I'll never forgive you for interrupting us. The sinful things that he was doing...I didn't want him to stop. He was just wonderful and I know deep down that I will never see him again."

 

"Oh, Kagome!" Commiseration softened Sango's voice

 

"No, it's true! I keep thinking of him all the time and I-" She sat up abruptly as an uneasy feeling swept her. It was similar to the feeling she had got in the club but much less potent. She felt light-headed but thankfully the other terrifying symptoms of her mysterious malady were missing. And that was due to something new...something that diluted the effect for her. Determined to find out what this feeling was, she looked over her surroundings, ignoring Sango's concerned query. Methodically her gaze swept across the dojo, the gardens, the woods, the....there it was! At the edge of the woods, she felt the surge of energy again and she stiffened.

 

xxXxxXxxXxx

 

 

Tsubaki shuddered, lancing pain streaking through her at the movement.

 

With deft skill that spoke of her experience of similar vicious whippings, she had managed to treat and bind her deep wounds. Blessed as she was with a gift of healing faster than other humans, she had been able to avoid getting scarred till now. But she knew that despite her best efforts, she would always bear these marks of her lord's displeasure.

 

Never had he kept her so far into pain while ruthlessly withholding any pleasure from her. Till now he had always balanced her on the fine knife edge border between pain and pleasure, but not today. Today he had beaten her with the single intent of punishing her and punish her he had. Even though she was unsure whether she actually deserved such a severe beating, since she had tried to do everything in her power to capture the girl, she accepted it. Despite the unfairness and the pain, she did not hate the man for what he had done. She had always been loyal to him and would remain so. He was, after all, her lord and master. And in some corner of her heart, she supposed that the extreme pain was necessary. Her father had told her that. He had told her often enough that she was an evil, worthless bitch who deserved to be punished for the darkness within her, for her to believe it. How could he be wrong?

 

Tsubaki shifted her position, braving the pain, as her thoughts led her to her past. It had been years since she had thought of her father. Her father, who had seen through her to recognize the monster within her, and who had introduced her to the hidden pleasure in pain. It had been the day after her mother had left them, in the middle of the night, while she was still a child, when her father had first come to her in his rage. He had accused her evil nature as being responsible for her mother's flight and then he had taken her, brutally, viciously. He had hit her repeatedly, even as he rode her fragile body, all the while explaining to her the necessity of his actions. Of how she was evil inside and deserved to be punished and hurt. Of how her pain would keep the monster inside her quiet. And knowing her own nature, knowing what she was capable of and what she had done with her fledgling powers, young Tsubaki had believed him. Over the years, night after night, her father had shown her the path to conquer her own darkness and the girl had embraced it. She accepted the beatings and the subsequent mating, the pleasure and the pain. She accepted it...expected it...anticipated it. When she had reached adulthood, there had been other boys and men who had treated her gently but she had not enjoyed them, for her pleasure was forever cemented in pain. Without one she could not experience the other. And then she had found her lord.

 

He had taken one look at her and had recognised the creature within. And he had given her what she craved. The extreme pain...the vicious pleasure. For that alone she would have been grateful to him. But beyond that was the fact that he had not shunned her darkness but had valued it. Had recognised the worth of her powers, and had given her life a direction. Without him, she would only have been a pain junkie but he had elevated her and made something of her. Now she was a respected woman who was able to hide her nature and her power from others. And, in return he asked little of her. Only a few measly tasks that she could do with ease even as she unleashed the creature within. Tasks that she should complete immediately for risk of angering her master.

 

Bracing herself, she rose from her bed, ignoring the twinges from her shredded back. Slowly, she made her way to the altar, her teeth grinding at every painful step. She slumped to the floor at the foot of the altar and slowly removed a long sheet of ceremonial rice paper from it. Twisting and turning the paper in the intricate folds of Origami, she had soon transformed it into a paper snake. Placing it on the altar, she clasped her hands with the index and little finger of each hand extended. Her lips moved soundlessly, as incantation after incantation was spoken in her mind. Within seconds, the paper snake wiggled, as it came to life.

 

Dropping her hands she stared in satisfaction at the Shikagami she had created before shuffling to the cupboard for a map of Tokyo. Smoothing it out on the altar, she identified all the schools and colleges in the city and fixing their location in her mind, unleashed the beast within her. Immediately, her energy poured out of her body, and spread out over Tokyo, as she directed it to the locations she had identified. At various locations, she felt faint and not so faint resonances, but nowhere was that shining blaze that she wanted to find. Tired and cramped at the position she was forced to sit in; she had almost given up, when she found that font of energy at Tokyo University.

 

Elated, she almost recalled her energy, when an idea struck her. Though the prophecy of the One spoke of many things which her lord had deciphered, there was one aspect that was still shrouded in mystery. Deciding to test it out and to surprise her lord with the results, she sent forth the wriggling Shikagami to the location. Whether it succeeded in harming the girl or not, she would have her answer. Both ways, she would win!

 

Even as she tracked the snake's progress, manic laughter spilled out of her

 

xxXxxXxxXxx

 

The pulse came again, and Sesshomaru sprang up. Inuyasha called out to him but he ignored the hanyou. His fine fur bristled at the evil that permeated the air and he scanned the area with his senses for the source of the energy. Calling out a terse "Gotta go, already late!" he ran from the clearing towards the place where it was strongest.

 

By then he had realised that the source was miles away in the north and was in someway sending the energy towards his principal. And there was something else that he could feel rushing towards them. Putting himself smack in the middle of the oncoming thing's trajectory, almost at the edge of the woods, he was determined to deal with it before it could get anywhere near Kagome. He removed one of the chopstick shaped ornaments that were arranged in his avatar's hair and transformed it into a thin, vicious looking sword called the Bakyusaiga. The other hair ornament was the transformed Tensaiga, a sword he hoped he would not have to use but had brought along for safety.

 

Holding the sword in a ready stance, Sesshomaru waited as the mass of energy rushed towards him and the principal he was protecting. His eyes narrowed as he saw it. A white snake that flew through the air towards him, passing through sold objects with ease. The pulse of evil increased, battering against him till he almost howled. He felt tainted but refused to move aside knowing that he and his aura was acting as a barrier against the evil. As long as he stood in its path, none of its potent energy would reach Kagome. The snake hissed at it neared him, its razor sharp teeth glinting in the sunlight. And still Sesshomaru waited. It had almost reached him when he moved, bringing his sword up in a flash and cutting through the snake. One last hiss and bits of paper rained around him like confetti as the sword's power decomposed the snake.

 

Still on his guard, he scanned the area. Satisfied that there were no malignant auras, objects or creatures in the vicinity, he disguised the sword again and placed it in his hair. Even though the evil was gone, he felt its aftereffect across his skin, leaching his energy. Feeling bone-tired at the effort it had taken him to maintain the barrier despite the battering given by the evil snake, compounded by the fact that the remaining few wisps that were attached to his aura where still draining his strength, resulted in him being unsteady on his feet. This would not have happened if he was in his true form or if he had reduced the effect of the power limiter. He turned, shaking his head and almost fell, when Kagome's aura surrounded him - steadying him, comforting him, healing him.

 

xxXxxXxxXxx

 

Kagome felt a faint surge of the malignant energy rushing towards her and stood up. She knew as clearly as she knew her name that it, whatever it was, was an arrow that had been aimed at her. Though the feeling disappeared in a moment, she was not fooled. She peered into the dark woods almost feeling that arrow rushing through the woods, never deviating, never faltering...only seeking her. She would have moved in an effort to protect herself, but deep down she somehow knew that she did not need to. That despite the fact that something that could hurt her immensely was coming her way, she would be safe.

 

In her mind's eye, she tracked the arrow's movement. Besides her, Sango asked her again whether she was alright but she ignored her. And then, she felt the arrow being crushed. She did not see it happening but she knew it as a fact that the threat had been eliminated. A smile almost tugged her lips before fading. There was something still wrong. Though the evil had gone there was still something...someone...someone in pain? A sense of uneasiness sprang through her at the thought.

 

Then there was a soft crack and a tinkle. Her eyes closed as her hand lifted of its own accord and she reached out to the one in pain. She felt herself being stretched almost as if her hand was growing longer. With all her concentration on the task at hand, she waited with bated breath, knowing that she was on the brink of something wonderful. That she would find something wonderful...something that would change her life. Almost there, her giddy mind whispered. Just a little more and then...there...

 

"Afternoon, ladies! Soaking up the sun?"

 

Kagome's eyes sprang open at the sound of Miroku's voice, her hand falling limply to her side. She blinked wondering what she was doing and why she felt annoyed at Miroku. Uneasy eyes peered at the woods. Something about an arrow, evil and pain...but now when she thought about it, it all seemed so fantastic. Maybe she was not feeling well.

 

Sango ignored the boy, focusing on the immobile girl in front of her. "Kagome? Honey, are you alright?" Not getting a response, she tried again. "Kagome? Seems like your pendant has cracked." That did the trick. Kagome looked at Sango who picked up a bit of crystal from the floor and offered it to her.

 

Fingering her pendant, she realised that the angel was missing her wings. For some reason, the thought that her father's gift had broken did not trouble her as much as it should have. She took the crystal piece from Sango and put it into her pocket, turning towards Miroku. "Hey, Miroku! What are you doing here this early in the afternoon? I thought you'd be sleeping!" Though a smile stretched her face, she felt strange and disoriented. As if she was not in her body but somewhere else altogether.

 

"What? And miss my two most favourite ladies? Never!" Both girls rolled their eyes, Kagome feeling increasingly normal as Miroku continued to banter. "So, what was the topic of discussion? Discussing about my good looks and great charm or were you fighting about who gets to date me first?"

 

Noticing the scowl that had appeared on Sango's face, Kagome quickly sat down near her friend, her hand on the fighter's arm. "Dream on! We were only celebrating Sango's new coach!"

 

Miroku sat down on the opposite side, leaning against the handrail. Though his face looked languid, there was a sharpness about his eyes. "Nice! So, what happened to the wonderful wolf?"

 

Kagome felt Sango tense up again, and stroked her arm to calm her down. "Well...she got a better offer and decided to go with it."

 

Miroku hid his smile. "Hmm! Well, congratulations! I hope he's a better coach than that bastard, no-good little puke who was coaching you earlier."

 

Pushing Kagome's hand off her arm, Sango glared at the man sitting opposite her. She looked like a bristling cat about to claw the eyes of a particular dog she hated. Her voice dripped with disdain as she spoke. "Mind your tongue, Miroku. Kouga was a far better fighter than you, atleast. But, as good..." she paused, a frown flitting across her face for a moment before it disappeared. "'...as good as Kouga is, my new coach is much, much better. He's wonderful, a true master!" A small smile appeared on her face, her eyes shining. "If you saw him fight, even you with your limited knowledge and lack of skill, would admit that he's one of the best fighters around. He's skillful, strong, fast and extremely talented, and more importantly, a person with a strong character. Everything you're not!"

 

Bemused at the thought that she was both complimenting and deriding him in the same breath, he stared at her defiant face. Even though it felt nice to be appreciated, he knew it was not HIM that she was being so generous to but to a stranger. She had always called him names, and he had not let it bother him that much. But hearing her praise him as his avatar, hurt and angered him. Could she not see that he was the same person? Could she not realise that her words were churning his gut? To be praised for being a wraith, a monster while the real you was being scorned, it didn't get worse than that. It was confusing. He wanted her praise and yet felt damned by it. He wanted to hurt her, like he was hurting. To wipe that pride out of her tone when she spoke of his avatar. To...

 

Giving a lazy smile, her leered at her. "Are you sure that he didn't agree to coach you for the side benefits? You know, your penchant for fucking your coaches silly? Perhaps that sealed-"

 

The slap whipped his head around, leaving his ears ringing. His cheek throbbed fiercely but he forced himself to look at the angry fighter. She was breathing heavily, her anger a viable thing. It was something he had seen often, except that, for the first time, there was a fine sheen of moisture in her blazing eyes. Immediately, regret shot through him, but he did not know how to make it better. Kagome's horrified "Miroku!" did nothing to improve him mood.

 

Her voice hitched, as her eyes bored a hole through him. "He's not a pervert like you! Your mind is so dirty, so fucking messed-up...forget it! I'm through with this!" She rose, gave one last look at him and stalked away. He called out a half-hearted. "Sango, wait!" but the female did not pause.

 

Kagome gave him a disappointed look that made him feel like a worm. For the umpteenth time, he wondered why she bore with a total fuck-up like him. Several times, when he had been about to break, it had been her who had rescued him from the brink. And she seemed unaware of even doing it. Hanging his head in shame, he muttered. "I...I didn't mean to-"

 

The girl sighed and stood up. "Oh, you meant it alright, Miroku! And you succeeded! Now, the question is, what are you going to do about it?" Shaking her head, she moved away, leaving a morose Miroku behind.

 

xxXxxXxxXxx

 

Sesshomaru yawned as he entered the dorm-room. It had been a long day.

 

Even though Kagome had bolstered his flagging energy levels and purified the last remaining wisps of energy, he was still tired. Not because of the encounter but because of what had happened after that. Kagome had tramped over the entire campus - first to find a strangely angry Sango and coax her from the dorms, then back to 24X7 for some comfort food. After that they had made a stop at the library to pick up some books and then taken a detour by walking to the nearby mall. This, of course, meant more walking as they flitted from shop to shop till they had covered each and every shop on all three floors. Their lovely sojourn was then topped by a last minute jaunt to the ice-cream parlor, before they finally called it a day and headed back to the dorms.

 

While the girls had enjoyed their trek, Sesshomaru had been miserable. He had had to trail the girls and having to hide the fact had to be extremely nimble on his feet, disappearing behind corners and hiding himself behind trees and racks of dresses. More irritating than the skulking was the fact that he had not been able to get a single morsel of food while he had watched the two girls stuff their face. Being a taiyoukai, he could withstand such small inconveniences but then he really hadn't tailed them as the intimidating and strong taiyoukai but as the sweet, simple Kikyou.

 

What had further set his teeth on edge were the cat calls and appreciative glances in the mall, as randy males had tried to catch his attention. Perhaps it was the fact that his avatar's hot body was encased in a black sleeveless vest and a knee-length tight leather skirt. While Kagome had called it casual-chic, Sesshomaru wasn't sure it was the right thing to wear. He could only thank the ancestors that he had not taken her suggestion of wearing her 'killer black stilettos' since he was sure that the only thing that would have been killed would have been his poor feet.

 

Now that he was back in the dorm room, he prayed that his energetic principal would not take it upon herself to go gallivanting some more, for all he wanted was to crash into his bed. He gave his bed one longing look and noticed Kagome sitting quietly on her bed, deep in concentration. She had already changed her clothes and was wearing something that was both his most favourite and most hated piece of clothing - her short robe. Sitting as she was with both her knees tucked under her chin, he caught a rather enticing view of her long legs and teasing glimpses of her panties. Suddenly, his bed was not looking as appealing as hers.

 

He cleared his throat, and she started at the sudden noise. "Hey, Kagome! Penny for your thoughts?"

 

A small smile appeared on her face. "Not really worth that much. Was just thinking of some random things. It's been one of those crazy days."

 

'Tell me about it!' He nodded and rummaged through his cupboard to find his pyjamas. Without looking at her, he quickly went into the bathroom to change into something more comfortable. Somehow, talking to the woman that you desired while wearing a leather skirt disturbed him on several levels. Not that the pyjamas that he wore was more masculine, but atleast his legs were not bare.

 

Walking out of the bathroom, a thought struck him. "How is Sango? I hope she's not too broken up about the break-up?" Though he had visual evidence that said that Sango was extremely happy about her break-up, it didn't hurt to ask. Alternatively, not asking might have looked insensitive.

 

"Oh, she's fine. Kouga was a bastard, a pure sleaze-ball. I'm glad she's rid of him and in a way so is she. The only thing that had made her anxious was that he had refused to coach her anymore but even that got smoothed out. Some guy she knew from earlier saved her from Kouga's anger and then offered to coach her. So, she's extremely excited about it." Her smile dimmed and she looked worried. "Kikyou, can I...can I ask you for a favour?"

 

Sesshomaru paused in the act of lifting his quilt. "Sure thing!"

 

"Can you sniff me?" A light blush covered her face at his stare. "I meant, Inuyoukai have the best noses and I just wanted to know....do I smell ill? Or perhaps a little crazy?"

 

'Sniff her? To know if she is ill?' He made his way to her bed. "What's the matter? You not feeling well? Should I call the doctor?"

 

She caught his wrist before he could move away. "No...I'm fine! It's just the entire day I've been feeling strange things and..." She trailed off, her head ducking and Sesshomaru understood. She was talking about the morning incident.

 

Sitting on the bed besides her, he took a deep breath. Her heady scent immediately pervaded all his senses and he felt a surge of desire for the innocent in front of him. Only the fact that she desired another male ceased his claws that itched to shred the robe that dared to cover her from him. Moving away slightly, he murmured. "You smell fine...really, really fine."

 

His lust must have shone through his avatar's voice, for Kagome's eyes widened. She leaned away from him and began babbling. "Good! Good! I was so worried. In the morning I had all these paranoid fantasies about something trying to attack me, and then, that someone had saved me from that. Kami! I know it sounds stupid but I really thought that. And then, I tried to find the mysterious saviour by extending my arm till I almost reached him. I'm sure I would have caught him, but Miroku interrupted. It was then that I realised that sometime during the time I was in my imaginations, my little angel pendant had cracked. Talk about bad luck, huh? To top it all, I kept thinking that you were following me around. But that is impossible, of course, and-"

 

Sesshomaru put one finger on her lip to cease the unending flow of words and she froze, her lips trembling slightly against his finger. He had the irrational urge to shove his avatar's long digit into her soft, warm mouth and immediately snatched his finger off her. Her eyes were still wide as she stared at him. Then, she smiled, sheepishly. "Sorry, about that. Like I said it's been a crazy day, and I'm still a bit wound up."

 

He shrugged, lying through his teeth. "No harm done!" His youkai had begun arguing with him, telling her that she was ready to be taken. It was only his own sense of honour that prevented him from following on his beast's advice. If it wasn't for that, she would have found herself on her back as soon as he had seen her in the robe.

 

"And, thanks for understanding when I left you in the morning. I promise I'll make it up to you. I was so worried about that fucking wolf having hurt Sango that I was hardly thinking straight."

 

"Kouga's a wolf youkai?" Her nod had him seething.

 

Wolves were not currently in Sesshomaru's list of favourite youkai. He had always just about tolerated them despite the Ookami being distant cousins of the Inu. But after finding out that he was competing and coming out unfavorably against a wolf for Kagome's affections, they had come up high on his 'dislike' list. So, knowing that Sango had been dating a wolf made him grouchy. He got off the bed and moved towards his own, muttering. "Just what is it with human women and wolves?"

 

Apparently, Kagome heard him. "Why do you ask that?"

 

Knowing that he sounded somewhat like a petulant child, he busied himself with lifting the quilts on his bed. "First, Sango dates a baka wolf and now, you're enamored with a wolf. I fail to see what's so great about them."

 

There was silence for a moment and then Kagome burst into laughter. "You...you thought Moonie was a...a wolf? What...whatever gave you...that idea?"

 

The sound of her inhibited laughter forced him to look at her, captivating him immediately. Her head was thrown back, exposing her neck to his hungry eyes. Each loud laugh caused her perfect breasts to move in the most enticing manner. Her hair had fallen in disarray around her and her crossed legs caused the hem of her robe to inch higher with each laugh. He swore under his breath and looked away. Frustration made his tone sharp. "Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that I could smell a wolf on your mouth that day. One hardly kisses a strange wolf that early in the morning unless one is interested in him."

 

There was silence again. "I was not interested in that wolf. I had made a mistake in doing that, and you're wrong in supposing that he's Moonie!" She sighed longingly. "My Moonie is a gorgeous Inu!"

 

Sesshomaru froze. A feather could have knocked him at that moment. 'Moonie. Is. An. Inu!' The pillow he had been fluffing fell from his hand. He turned slowly to look at Kagome's dreamy expression. "Moonie is an Inu?" His stomach flip-flopped when she nodded. Pulsing hot lust, beat through veins. Still, he would be sure. "A golden-eyed, silver haired Inu with purple stripes and a teal crescent moon on his forehead?"

 

At that she sat up, her mouth hanging open. "You know him? Kikyou, you know him!"

 

A delighted chuckle rolled out of him at that. A sound of happiness that had undercurrents dark with anticipation and unspoken promises. His Youkai roared in pleasure, straining against his ties, all but foaming at the mouth to take her. And, yet, Sesshomaru made no move towards her, still laughing at the irony of it all.

 

The sound of Kikyou's wild laughter confused Kagome and not a little worried her. So, she timidly tried to catch the Youkai's attention. "Kikyou, why are you laughing?"

 

Wild, excited eyes branded her with their heat as Kikyou smiled ferally. "Because he's coming here! You wanted him desperately and now you'll get him, and this time he won't stop! Get ready, Kagome, for a night you'll never forget!"

 

XxXxXx

 

 

A/N: Can anyone guess what happens in the next chapter? ::laughs:: I'm a little worried about the next chapter, cause I know a lot of people are waiting for it and I want it to be perfectly sizzling…I hope I can do it right…Talk about Performance Worries!! ::laughs::

 

I want to sincerely thank all those who helped me find the Chapter number for the first Inuyasha/ Kikyou meeting. All that input was most encouraging and helped make the chapter what it was!

 

Also, a big thanks to those who prayed for the souls of my friends Shanti & Aman. Your good wishes helped me get through this difficult time. For those who did not read the A/N in `Ohayo San Francisco', I have reproduced it here:

A/N from Chap 5 of OSF

The past 10 days have been horrible. Since I work in the media industry, I have been working in a Breaking News situation on the Mumbai attacks - working almost 15 hours a day. To top it all, the news that my friends were trapped in the building made matters just worse. Watching the entire drama unfold right in front of my eyes was torturous even as I prayed that they were safe. Every burst of gun-fire, every explosion, every fire…brought my heart to my mouth. Even though I was miles away, due to the wonders of the media, I lived every second of the drama. It was the worst 60 hours of my life.

And when finally order was restored - I found out that my friends who had gone there to attend a wedding had been killed. Veer somehow had managed to evade the terrorists and had hidden himself. He was rescued later by NSG personnel.

I request you to please pray for the souls of Shanti & Aman, and the hundreds of others who perished in this tragedy!