InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ His Past, Her Present, Their Future ❯ Torrent ( Chapter 24 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: No own. Nothing else to say.



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His Past, Her Present, Their Future
Chapter 24 - Torrent

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The second day in Futaridori had gone by uneventfully, the kimonos procured, and they had set off once again at the dusk of that second day, wishing to hurry back to the castle. Since Yamesho had completed her task early they wished to get away from Kaori’s well meaning but agitating sister without spending another evening in her home. The night was balmy, but Sesshoumaru’s highly sensitive nose was soon upturned.

“Ne, what’s wrong, Sesshou?”

“Rain.”

“But the skies are clear!” Kagome exclaimed, searching the color-streaked heavens.

“Hai, but it will rain. A thunderstorm.”

Kagome groaned and shook her head. While she actually enjoyed the beautiful displays of light that accompanied a storm, she preferred not to be caught in it. She broke out of her reverie and noticed Sesshoumaru was well ahead of her on the path, making her have to run to catch him, “Hey, jerk! Don’t just leave me behind like that!”

“You should pay more attention to your surroundings,” he said, smirking.

Kagome huffed and fell into step beside him, her human nose finally able to scent the oncoming rain as well. The humidity had risen substantially, and she sighed, “Mou, I’m going to get sick now, being stuck in the rain!”

“Why would that bring you illness?”

“You don’t know much about humans, do you?”

He scoffed, “Of course not, they are beneath me.”

Her scowl deepened, “That is a terrible attitude, you know. Sure, you have the advantages of long life, speed, and strength, but we humans have our advantages as well.”

“Name one,” he said, slowing in amusement.

“It is because of our mortality that we can appreciate life. Imagine knowing you only had a few decades to live, instead of a few millennia! Wouldn’t you strive for more if your time was so short? For love, for accomplishment? We don’t have thousands of years to look forward to, so we have to be strong and live every day to its fullest. And you seem to always have a problem remembering that immortality is not invincibility, you know.”

Sesshoumaru paused his steps and turned to look at her, “Then why do your species insist on doing such menial things?”

“What is menial to you is not to the rest of us. Providing for those we love, starting a family…these things make life worthwhile.”

“Then why do so many humans do such foolish things?”

“Why do so many youkai?”

She had him there, and he gazed at his travel companion with respect. Sure, she hadn’t changed his mind about ningen in general, but that she even bothered to argue him with it made him want to smile. It was good to have a real conversation with anyone.

She spoke again after a while, “You told me once that I was unlike other ningen, and that was what made me special. When we first became friends, the first conversation we had you questioned how I could be as selfless and loyal as I was and still be human. I laughed at you and told you that you had judged an entire race on the deeds of a few. It’s true…I am living proof that humans can be kind and accepting and reliable. I would never turn a back to my friends, no matter what cost to myself. I do not think such traits are species-specific, there are good and bad souls in humans, youkai, and hanyou.”

Sesshoumaru shrugged, “I do not deny that, but the fact remains that youkai and hanyou are superior.”

Kagome gawked at the prince, her jaw to her knees, “Wait…you just complimented half-demons.”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Well…uhh…” she stuttered, trying to recover, “You don’t hate them for being a cross between ningen and youkai?”

He scoffed, “They are not as powerful as a true youkai, of course, but there is nothing wrong with that.”

“Wow. That’s something I never thought I would hear from you.”

“Why not? One of my closest childhood friends was a hanyou.”

Kagome’s jaw fell again and she blinked a few times, “Well you constantly taunted InuYasha about his ‘tainted blood’ and berated him for being a half-demon.”

Sesshoumaru looked contemplative, “I don’t know why I would do that. Perhaps I was just trying to insult him whatever way I could?”

She thought about this and shrugged, “I’ll have to ask you.”

“You are asking me.”

“I mean ask you once you actually know him. You would never tell me the real reasons you hated him, you just said I couldn’t possibly understand.”

“Hn,” he said, just as the skies spilt open.

Kagome shrieked as a clap of thunder rang overhead and jumped into the air. She felt warmth around her and realized she had sprung right into Sesshoumaru’s arms. She blushed and extracted herself, “I hate getting sick, and I know I’m going to if I stay out here.”

“You never told me why that is.”

“Because being wet and in the cold makes humans more susceptible to illness, and that’s always how I end up sick,” she said, cowering under a nearby tree trying to avoid getting soaked.

He nodded, unfazed by the seemingly buckets of water pouring down. His kimono was made of enchanted material and water would not soak through, only roll off harmlessly. He motioned for her to follow. She did, but with an incredulous look, “Where are you leading me?”

“There is a cave nearby.”

Kagome gulped and went after him, dodging from tree to tree. She didn’t mind most caves, and she only hoped that it would be an open large one. Kagome’s hopes were dashed minutes later as they came to a split in a cliff side. She peered within and saw a very small area of utter darkness, “No way, I am not going in there!”

“Don’t be foolish, it is dry within.”

“Dry or not, its creepy looking!” she wrapped her arms around herself, “I have had bad experiences in caves.”

“Cease your babbling and come inside,” he said, grabbing her by the upper arm and yanking her inside. She squealed and struggled uselessly, soon finding herself in the pitch black, dank cave. Her heart rose to her throat as she began fighting harder.

“No! No no no! Let me out of here, Sesshoumaru, I mean it!”

Strong arms clamped her own to her side and she was pulled to the ground in a warm and hardly damp lap, “Stop struggling. No harm will come to you with me here.”

Kagome shook her head fervently, “No! I don’t care, this…” her breathing was labored as she struggled in vain against the young Taiyoukai’s grip, “This cave is just like the other one! I can’t be in here! Let me go now! Now!”

Her companion stayed silent, worrying inwardly as he kept the thrashing girl pinned to him. His skin began to tingle as her reiyouku flared around her, “NO! Not again! No, let me go, Naraku! Let me out of here! InuYasha! INUYASHAAA!” she screamed, her power snapping painfully. Her pupils contracted to pinpoints, and Sesshoumaru clung to her hard.

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Darkness. Consuming infinite gloom. Kagome squeezed her eyes shut as tightly as she could, hoping against all hope that she would wake up from this nightmare. Three days she had been in that cave, the inky blackness surrounding her like a cold, suffocating blanket. Three days since Naraku had taken her here, chained her to the wall, whipped her gleefully, and left her alone.

A moan escaped her pale lips, tears still falling disregarded. They were a constant stream, and Kagome had to wonder how she still had any water left in her body after all of it. She was sure she would soon die of exhaustion and dehydration. Not that she minded, anything to get away from this endless night, from the still burning pain in her back. Even in the daylight hours she could see nothing but the dark depths of the cave, its low ceilings sending chills as she imagined what could lurk around the bend.

A sound alerted her to the out of sight entrance to the cave. Her heart beat madly, torn between calling out in hopes of rescue and the possibility of being eaten by the noisemaker. Deciding if it was predatory she would be eaten anyway, she screamed.

“Help me! Onegai, help me! Someone please!” she sobbed.

“Haven’t you realized by now? There is no one to help you, and no one is coming,” the darkly seductive voice cooed.

“Naraku, you bastard! Let me out of here!” she screamed, trying to infuse strength into her voice.

“Tsk, what a mouth you are acquiring from that hanyou! Very unbefitting of a miko, you know,” he stepped into her vision, forgone was his baboon pelt and Kagome distinctly sensed a huge chunk of the Shikon no Tama. This was the real Naraku.

“Yeah, and when InuYasha gets here and shoves Tessaiga up your ass, then you can tell me what is befitting of my station. I love that I am so special as to bring the real you out, coward.”

He growled, but only sidled up to her, running his fingertips along her jaw, her cheek, across her lips. Kagome gagged and turned her head as far away as she could,, “Delicious little miko, do you think you could escape me? You could never get away, you’ll be mine always now. InuYasha is too caught up in his clay recreation to care about your demise, and the humans wouldn’t be able to find you if they tried. Why not give me the jewel shards and become my most prized pet?”

Kagome’s eyes narrowed dangerously, “You will never get the jewel shards, and you can let the clay whore be your pet, because I won’t be!”

She had learned a barrier spell for the Shikon no Kakera, and it would purify, or at least seriously burn, any demon who tried to take them. So long as her soul resided, the spell was in place. This was rather convenient, considering InuYasha couldn’t ever try to send her home again - not that he would. It had been too many years for him to even bother. He needed her as much as she needed him.

Naraku sneered at the priestess, his lips drawn back in a snarl, “Then it looks like you need some more time alone, doesn’t it, miko?”

He was gone instantly, leaving Kagome alone once again in the suffocating void, once again straining to keep hold of her sanity.

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Sesshoumaru maneuvered the girl around, looking into her wild unseeing eyes, “Kagome, I do not know who this ‘Naraku’ is, but I am not him. I am Sesshoumaru. Calm yourself, you are going to burn me.”

Her breathing calmed slightly enough for her eyes to focus, “Sesshou?”

“Hai. Calm down, you are fine.”

“You…are you here to save me again? You always save me, don’t you?”

Sesshoumaru rose a brow and shook his head, “There is nothing to be saved from.”

“I…I can’t be here. Please don’t make me stay,” she sobbed, collapsing into his chest.

He stroked her back softly, “Only until the rain stops. Why are you so afraid?”

She shook her head against him hysterically , “This cave is just like that one…just like it…”

“What one, Kagome?”

She sniffled and seemed to be trying to bury herself against him, her hands fisted into his silk covered chest, “The one Naraku took me to…I was alone…for days I was alone…then when he came he told me terrible things…he could come everyday just to tell me how alone I was…that InuYasha wouldn’t come for me…then he would leave me alone again. I was in chains…bound standing…it was so dark, so quiet…”

Sesshoumaru pulled her more tightly to him, “That was long ago, Kagome. You need not fear this ‘Naraku’.”

Her breathing calmed more and she finally looked up to his face, blindly, “Are you sure? He isn’t here?”

“No, and you are not alone.”

She sighed and put her head back against his tear-dampened haori, “Can I stay like this, then?”

“Hai.”

“You saved me from him.”

“I did?”

“Mm. On the eighth day I was there, I was dying. I know I was. I felt myself dying from having no food or water for over a week, my body was so weak. I had given up, I think. Then you came suddenly, swept in and broke the enchantment on my chains. You didn’t say a word, you just…you just looked at me like I had never seen you look before and when I woke up I was back in the village and you were gone. It was before we were friends.”

He held her there, in silence, for the better part of an hour. The rain had still not lessened and she was starting to get drowsy against him but fought to stay awake, “Kagome, sleep. I will awaken you when we leave.”

“Iie, I can’t sleep in here. If I sleep I will dream about it…I can’t relive that.”

Elegant claws absently ran through her hair, “If you are sure.”

“Will you talk to me? Help me to stay awake?”

He sighed, “What do you wish to talk about?”

“Tell me more about how you grew up…I know a lot about your mother, but not much about your father at all. Tell me.”

He paused in his ministrations and his hand settled on her hip as she strayed cradled against him, “Our relationship is strange. I respect him for his strength, for his valor…but our relationship has never been a close one. There has always been a strain there.”

“Why is that?”

Sesshoumaru wondered why he was telling the strange ningen any of this, but always felt inexplicably comfortable around her, “When I was just a pup, he was gone often. There were territory disputes and a war raging in the south, and for nearly half a century I rarely saw him. And since then…it has just been tense between us. I cannot explain it.”

“Is it because you want to be Lord?”

“Kami-sama no,” he said with a wry laugh, “Though I accept that someday I will have the power, whatever the circumstances, I have no real desire for this. What use do I have with lands and servants? I prefer it like this, out and about. I may have been raised in the lap of luxury, but the wilds are my true home, I think. I am not sure to be stuck in a castle all the time suits me.”

‘That explains some things,’ she mused, ‘But yet not why power becomes so damned important to him. Another byproduct of his mother’s death?’ She unconsciously snuggled closer to him, her fears soothed by the masculine, clean scent that was Sesshoumaru. So long as she stayed close to him, she would be safe. She knew, deep down, that she was becoming far too attached to the young prince, but something wouldn’t let her stop.

At first she had thought it only a projection of her feelings for his future self, but over the last days on the trip to the village and while there she had realized that these were separate growing feelings for his younger self. She knew she was letting it all get out of hand, but something tugged on her soul, on her heart. It told her to be with him, to be near him. He was comfort and familiarity, but beyond that he was open and softer than he would one day be.

Falling in love with the future Sesshoumaru was difficult, but she had stripped away so many masks and layers to find the man underneath, and that was what had caused her to begin plummeting. This younger self was expressive and you could not mistake his thoughts. It was like finding that inner Sesshoumaru without the work, and the thought made her smile.

Sesshoumaru couldn’t fathom why he felt so content with the little miko in his arms. He was more relaxed this way than he had ever been in his memory. His hand was tracing small circles against her back, his eyes clouded and far off. He felt he could stay this way for a very long time; preferably with different circumstances.

What was is about this girl? His instincts were so fierce with her, the need to protect her from whatever demons plaques her, whether real or mental. He wanted to keep her safe, make her happy…he shook his head mentally. Where was he going with those thoughts?! That was dangerous territory. He shivered uncontrollably. Could he, Sesshoumaru, Prince and Heir of the Western Lands, Son of the Inu no Taisho have feelings for a mere human girl?

She shifted then and looked up into the darkness to his face, “I don’t hear the rain anymore.”

He listened and realized he didn’t either, and wondered how long he had been lost in his thoughts. He stood, keeping her held in his arms, and stooped out of the cave entrance. Sure enough, the rain had stopped, and the skies were already clearing. He looked down at the girl in his arms; she had dozed off almost immediately after hitting the open air.

He reached back within the crevice and snatched her bag, throwing it over his shoulder. He wasn’t tired in the last, so he thought he would just walk until she awoke. She needed her rest, after all.


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A/N: This is not filler, but another interlude that was needed for the relationship. ^_^ More to come, dahlings! I’m writing this as an afterthought a week after making it to chapter 31, I wasn’t happy with how abrupt the change was, so this was to give a bit more reason, more bonding.

Have I swooned lately over Mattaki? I had a dream about him last night (yes, I know I write/read WAY WAY WAY too much fan fiction when my dreams start involving the characters…when I fall asleep thinking of this story I end up dreaming about Sesshoumaru and future plotlines… XD). Gods is he divine. OK, ignore the weird girl.

Ahh my first reader who wanted some clarification of my use of Japanese. I don’t bother having a glossary because I don’t use many terms other fanfics don’t, and I assume if you’re reading this that it isn’t your first…but I will always answer inquiries. ^__^

Suffixes it is! Now, my grasp on them isn’t great with my limited Japanese, but this is how I take them…and only those I have used, because there are billions of them. XD

-sama = Highest rank of respect and honor…equivalent to Lord, Lady, Master, or Mistress. Very respectful, for a ruler, or a very esteemed person. Though still occasionally used in modern Japan, it saw much more use back in Inu days. XD

-dono = More specifically Master or Mistress, slightly less ‘honorable’ than sama, though still very respectful.

-san = A more every-day honorific. Equivalent to Mister or Miss. Used for someone you have just met, or an equal, or someone you respect.

-chan = Friendly. Used in close relationships, most often women and children. The addition of chan makes it more loose and very informal.

-kun = ^^; I don’t get kun very well….if I have it right, it is for males, and not as friendly as chan but still to show a friendship. Kagome, in the series, refers to Kouga, Hojo, and Kohaku with it, so I am guessing, honestly. XD It can’t be too friendly if Kagome can’t even use Hojo’s first name, for Kami’s sake. I know, I know, in their culture that would make people assume they were closer than they were…but still. XD Hojo sounds stupid…give the boy a name!!!

-jii-chan, -jii-san, -jiji = Used for more elderly males. Means, Grandfather or old man, and jiji is the rude way of reference. Keeping with the previous established rules, -san is more formal and respectful, while -chan is friendly. Shortened of Oujii.

-baa-chan, -baa-san, baba = Same as above, but for elderly females. Grandmother or old woman. Shortened of Obaa.

Sticking with those two, mother (okaa), father (otou), sister(onee), brother(onii), and a whole bunch of others can all be used as honorifics as well. Phew. Hope that cleared up?