InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Illumination ❯ A Fate Not Seen ( Chapter 3 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: kanna37 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Psychological / Hentai / Drama | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 05.31.2011 | Pages: 5 | Words: 10.2K | Visits: 783 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Psychological / Hentai / Drama | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 05.31.2011 | Pages: 5 | Words: 10.2K | Visits: 783 | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter 3: A Fate Never Seen
Kagura moved her feather a bit away from the inu that had just killed Hakudoushi, watching him warily. “Are you going to kill Kanna and I in the same way, now, Sesshoumaru?” she asked suspiciously, waiting for him to look at her.
He studied her for a few moments, then sheathed his sword. Turning his back on her, he moved over to Kagome. “No. But if this one hears that you or the void are causing problems, he will hunt you down and do so at that time. This is your chance for the freedom you said you wished for - if you are intelligent, you will take it and never let this Sesshoumaru hear of you again.”
The wind witch, however, did not immediately depart, instead, she cautiously floated to the ground to stand staring at his back with an odd expression in her eyes that Kagome found she recognized easily with what she'd noticed earlier. Kagura was in love with Sesshoumaru.
“Perhaps this one does not wish to leave your side,” she said softly. “Surely, I would have been a better mate than this human girl.”
Kagome turned her eyes to meet Sesshoumaru's, wondering what he would say.
“For some, perhaps, but not for this one, Kagura. You do not understand what it is you speak of.” He paused, then and looked at the wind witch over his shoulder. “I have already chosen the one I want; you have nothing to offer me. Take your freedom and go,” he reiterated coolly, and then turned his head back once more to meet Kagome's steady, but uncertain gaze.
Without another word, and only a slightly chastising look at her doubts sent her way, he turned around, completely ignoring the disbelieving Kagura, and led Ah-Uhn from the area. His manner was so normal and blasé that Kagome had difficulty believing what had just taken place there, namely, Naraku's destruction after so long spent chasing him.
She figured it would take some time to truly sink in, especially with his completely unconcerned or celebratory behavior. It was no odds that if that fight had taken place between the hanyou and her former companions, they would be celebrating for days, most likely.
That begged the question... “Umm, Sesshoumaru?” He turned his head and looked at her again, not paying the slightest attention to the very visibly upset Kagura still standing in the same spot. “Well, now that that's over... what are we going to do?”
He cocked a brow at her as they headed under the spreading branches of the forest outskirts, and then an amused light entered his eyes, dispelling the coldness that had been there towards Naraku, and then Kagura. “Did you become so used to Naraku as a part of your life, that you have forgotten there is anything else to do?”
She blinked, surprised. “Well... I guess I have, come to think of it. I suppose that it's going to take time to realize that he's truly gone. We had always thought it would be a very difficult battle to destroy him, but you... you made it seem so easy.”
“Hn. That is because it was. After all, little miko, he no longer had the jewel to fuel his power, or regenerate. Without it, he was no kind of opponent – even one such as Inuyasha would have been able to beat him easily as he was,” he replied.
“Oh.” She looked at him blankly for a moment. “I guess that's true, too. I hadn't thought of that, really, either. I suppose I got to used to his having the jewel and using it against us.”
“He let his desire for you blind him to the danger of handing you the jewel. He was so sure that I could not take you from him, that he became overconfident, and that was his downfall.” He shrugged. “It was a useful mistake for me, and I am not the type to give up an advantage.”
“I'm sure,” she said, a smile on her face at that. “But my question from before still stands – what are we going to do now?”
Amusement filled his voice, then. “It seems you are very tenacious in gaining what you desire. We go now to gather the last of the shards, and then we will confront Inuyasha, so that he may see the dissolution of the jewel he so coveted. Then, we will see what we will see.”
Kagome had no desire to ask what he meant; she was pretty sure she knew what he was talking about, and didn't really want to think about it. So she moved her mind on to other things, and she suddenly remembered their earlier conversation, and a question she had wanted to ask before he had kissed her.
“I wanted to ask you earlier,” she said slowly, “about what you said. You know... about inuyoukai taking one mate only. If that's true, how did Inuyasha...?”
There was silence for a few minutes, and Kagome began to wonder if she shouldn't have brought that up, a sense of anxiety swelling inside her, but her mate only turned his head to look at her, a rather surprised look in his eyes. “Why do you suddenly scent of fear, wife? Do you still think that I would harm you?”
She shrugged uneasily. “I don't know, do I? I really don't know you all that well, except as someone who has been an enemy in the past, and spoken of humans with hatred and disdain.”
He nodded slowly. “It is true, I have no use for most humans. Most youkai do not. However, you are not most humans, and I will never harm you. It goes against the instincts of who I am to harm one I protect. And even more so a mate. One's bitch is never to be hurt.”
Bitch? “So, then...?”
“In answer to your previous question, that is why I have had such anger towards my father. What he did in taking another over my mother, goes against every inu instinct there is – it goes completely against who we are. I have never been able to understand his actions, though I have tried, and it is this that originally occasioned my dislike for Inuyasha. However,” he glanced at her once again, “he has now earned my enmity on his own merits, and not due to the decisions of our sire. He has harmed the one I chose as mate, and that cannot be forgiven so easily, especially when he shows no real remorse for it.”
Oh, wow. Is it all instincts with youkai? Are they even able to love another? Her heart fell a little. Probably not...
“So... it's just your instincts to protect what you see as your property, then. No different than your instincts to protect your lands. I see,” she said tonelessly.
He shot her a sharp glance and came to a halt, turning to fully look at her, a stern expression in his eyes. “That is incorrect, Kagome. A mate is the most precious thing a youkai has, more important than anything else. Inuyoukai are extremely affectionate to their chosen female, as anyone who knows anything of us can tell you. Not even pups are cherished more than a mate – you are my prize, to be cared for above all, protected, desired, adored. It is the way of inuyoukai, and as I said before, it is who I am. There is no other way to say this.”
Kagome had almost lost her breath at his words. “B-but that sounds like... love, and that's not possible!” she whispered.
He cocked his head at her and frowned. “I have heard the humans speak of this 'love'. But it seems to have many different meanings, and not all of them are good. I have seen those who claim to love bring harm to the one they claimed with that word. It seems to this one that such an... emotion is weak, and even dangerous.”
“Depending on the person. Like Naraku. His definition of love was domination and control – but that isn't love. It's not the love that's bad, it's the people that don't really understand it and throw the word around easily,” she said.
“Tell me, then... what is this 'love' to you? What does it mean?” he asked, even as he once more turned to lead the way.
“I'd describe it as what you said is how inu treat their mates. For me, it means wanting to be only with that person, and not needing another in that way. Wanting them to be happy, and taking care of them, giving them your all.” She sighed, and looked down at her hands, tiny and slender, and let her mind wander back to her betrayer. “I... loved Inuyasha, once. But he killed it with his treatment of me, his constant comparisons to Kikyou, and then the final straw... his betrayals. It really hurt, and took a while to begin to heal.”
Little did she know of the jealousy that statement rendered in her mate, but he controlled it; he had known for some time that she had looked on the hanyou with desire. “And now, miko?” he asked, a shadow of his jealousy spiking the tones of his voice.
She lifted her gaze from her hands at that note in his voice, and stared at his back, still finding it difficult to believe that he had claimed her as his, for eternity. Even in death, their bond wouldn't be broken. “Now?” she asked, her voice sounding a bit far away. “Now I have no desire to go back to him. It isn't my place. And since I'm your... mate... now, that's a moot question anyway. I don't see the point in worrying over what might have been – I'm a pragmatist, in the end. My loyalty is to you now. And I'm content with that, because I know that I can trust you not to throw me away as Inuyasha did. You have too much honor for that.”
So she knows that much about me, at least... “It seems you know somewhat about me, little mate. What else do you know, I wonder?”
“I know that you keep your word, you don't lie, and you're implacable and deadly when crossed – you don't stop until you've corrected the problem. Like Naraku,” she said slowly, her brow furrowed. And that you're really, really gorgeous, and one hell of a lover, she thought, blushing deeply at the sudden ache inside her those particular thoughts brought.
Sesshoumaru seemed to freeze for a second in his normal ground-eating stride, and Kagome blinked at the sudden surge of his youki that surrounded her. Until he turned to face her, and she caught the look in his slowly reddening eyes.
“Eep!” she squeaked as he pulled her from Ah-Uhn's back. In the next second, she found herself pinned against a tree as her new husband plundered her mouth and body, growling deeply the whole time. She didn't even fight it, and found herself pulled under as he stripped her clothes from her and twined mokomoko around the tree, protecting her back from the rough bark.
Within moments, he was also just as nude, and Kagome was astounded; he'd done it all without moving his head from her neck, where he was nibbling and sucking on her pulse as though he needed the feel of her blood pumping through her body to remain sane.
“S-sesshoumaru,” she moaned, “what are y-you doing?”
“What does it feel like I am doing, little mate?” he asked, his head still buried in her flesh as he moved down from her neck, drawing a tightly furled nipple into his mouth, his lip curling in a silent snarl at her cry. A deep rumble came from his chest when she tangled her hands in his silver locks and pulled, her inflamed cries driving him to goad her higher up passion's peaks.
As the scent of her arousal suddenly surged, he found himself almost blacking out, and he snarled again as he stood back up and lifted her, pressing his iron hard length into her. His head fell back in savage ecstasy as she slid slowly down his cock. “So... tight!” he hissed out, eyes now completely crimson.
Kagome's eyes fell closed at the pleasure that poured through every bit of her body as he pulled her down onto his length, the feel of it rending a beautiful, deep sound of desire from her. The sound seemed to drive her lover crazy, and he slammed his mouth down on hers, sweeping in and consuming her completely, even as he surged into her repeatedly.
A high, keening sound left her lips as soon as he lifted his head to breathe, and he knew it would only be moments before she came, and he along with her. No one had ever drawn such an unbridled response from him in all his life – he'd always been in complete control of an encounter from beginning to end. But not with this female... the moment he even scented her desire, he was gone, taken over by an unbreakable need to feel the tight perfection of her young, nubile body around his flesh, and the embrace of her brilliant, warm soul as it illuminated his. It had been hard enough to fight before he'd taken her, but now that she was his...
She tightened around him, so unbearably that even as she choked out her pleasure, he roared his own passion into the air, pounding into her rippling body uncontrollably as he filled her. Helpless in the face of one of the strongest orgasms he'd ever had, he clenched his eyes shut and held on to her body as though she was the only steady thing in a world that was spinning out of control, and just enjoyed the agonizing pleasure.
Finally, he finished spilling inside her, and slumped against her. His arms wrapped protectively around her as he tried to regain his breath, and his strength from the weakness she'd drawn from him.
He pressed his mouth against her neck again, licking softly at her succulent flesh even as she whimpered in satiation. After a few minutes, he recovered, and stood upright, holding her trembling little body against him until she calmed. When she sighed, and pulled away from him a little, he looked down at her, amused when she flushed cranberry and couldn't meet his eyes.
“Still so shy, sweet mate. It is rather amusing,” he murmured, his voice warm and intimate from the lovemaking. “But it would behoove us both to redress and continue on – we should not waste any more time.”
That got her to meet his eyes as she gave him a reproving look. “Hey! This-” she blushed deeper, but held his gaze firmly, “-wasn't my idea! What made you go so crazy all of a sudden, anyway?”
He actually chuckled at her, rendering her speechless even as she sucked in a startled breath, her eyes going wide as he slid out of her, and set her down on her rather wobbly feet. “If you did not wish to be ravished, then you should not have been thinking naughty things, Kagome.”
“How did you know what I was thinking?” she choked out, aghast. Does he read thoughts or something?!
He flashed her another amused look as he handed her clothing to her, and then began to redress. “Your scent of arousal. It called to me, telling me you were thinking of what we did last night.”
She froze. “You can smell... that?!” She didn't think she'd ever been so embarrassed in her life.
“Yes.”
One word, but enough to make her want to sink into the ground. That's it! No more thinking about all of that! But, oh... it did feel so good, she thought, her skin pinking with heat again.
Sesshoumaru stiffened and eyed her hazily, before he shook himself all over and closed his eyes for a moment, to slam his iron control down over his desires. Later, he promised himself.
“If you do not want to be stripped again, I would suggest you find something else to think about, miko,” he said firmly, and Kagome swung the door shut on those thoughts, forcing her mind to think about other things, and hurriedly finished dressing.
“Well,” she said as she pulled on her pants, “what are we going to do about gaining the other shards? Kohaku has one, and Koga has two. But after that, I don't know about any others.”
Sesshoumaru picked her up and settled her back on a patiently grazing Ah-Uhn's back and then turned to once more begin walking along, just as though that little tryst had not happened. After a few moments, he said, “We will track the ookami first – then Kohaku. Once we have those, we will know how many are left, and can consider what to do then.”
She frowned. “Why are you worried about the jewel, anyway? You've never searched for the shards before,” she said, curious.
“It is your responsibility, is it not?” he asked. When she nodded, he finished, “That is why. You are my mate, and this jewel belongs to you. I would not expect you to abandon your duty.”
She smiled at him, surprised and pleased that he understood her need to finish the jewel, and make sure that it could not wreak any more havoc again. “I'm glad. I would hate to leave it unfinished, only to have some other crazy person decide to go after it. We'd just end up with another Naraku,” she said, shivering at the thought.
He nodded in agreement, and then lifted his head into the breeze, and took a noticeable sniff. She looked at him oddly, confused when he began to lead them in a slightly different direction afterward.
“The ookami is not far in this direction,” he said, and Kagome's eyes widened as she thought of something.
Eyeing him with concern, she wondered how to break Koga's obsession with her to him, but she needn't have worried. Smelling her sudden uneasiness, he spoke up. “I am aware of his insistence that you are his 'woman',” he said, distaste filtering through his suddenly cold tones. “He will be dealt with if he does not respect that you are a mated female now and out of his reach.”
Her brow furrowed. “Well, I mean, really, why wouldn't he?” she mused to herself, and then looked up at his silver head. “Since you did say that once mated, it's permanent as even death can't break it, so there wouldn't be any point in him crossing you about it, right?”
“He is youkai, Kagome. He may choose to attack simply because I took something he wanted. His instincts will be to kill me out of a need for vengeance. However, since he is no kind of match for me, most likely he will not go so far.”
Kagome blinked at that, taken aback. “Oh,” she breathed. All she could think was that she hoped he was right and that Koga would leave it alone.
It fell quiet again after that, and Kagome clutched at the pouch the shikon chunk rested in, thinking back over the day, and trying to once more take in the fact that Naraku was gone. So much had already happened...
And the day was barely half over.
~oOo~
Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, considering how to deal with the ookami that they would soon be meeting. He was well aware that his little mate would not want Koga killed, however, if he refused to accept that she was taken now, then there would be blood spilled.
And that was not even mentioning what would happen if the inferior male let his temper overwhelm him, and decided to attack. He would not allow anyone to raise a hand to him, and not take them down, mate or not.
Perhaps he should allow Kagome to deal with the ookami, and see how that turned out. If she could keep the male from challenging him, then he would be amenable to leaving Koga alive. “Miko.”
She looked over at him, blinking in surprise at his tone. “Yes?” she asked.
“If the ookami challenges me, he will die. If you wish him to live, you will keep him from doing anything foolish,” he replied, and she knew he was deadly serious. If she wasn't able to keep a handle on the wolf prince, he'd be nothing more than a memory.
Great! Koga's never been one for listening to me... or for rational thinking, either, she rolled her eyes to herself at that thought. And somehow, I have to manage to get through his thick skull.
Wonderful.
She sighed and nodded – what else could she do?
It wasn't very long after that little exchange that Kagome could feel the shards, on their usual way in – at high speed. Sesshoumaru came to a halt, Ah-Uhn immediately following suit, and waited patiently enough for the wolf to arrive. Kagome, on the other hand, was busy wishing she could put this little encounter off, but since that wasn't about to happen, she watched the trees ahead closely, wanting to get it over with, instead.
In a high-powered shower of dirt, the oblivious wolf came to a screeching halt at Ah-Uhn's side, and clasped her rather cool hands in his own, staring up at her fatuously.
“Kagome,” he greeted her, in a low tone he seemed to think was sexy. “How is my woman doing? And why-” he glanced suspiciously at Sesshoumaru, “-are you hanging around with this dog, instead of the mutt?”
Pulling her hands away firmly, she smiled coolly at Koga. “Inuyasha and I aren't... getting along, right now, you could say. The reason I'm here, Koga, is that Naraku is dead. Sesshoumaru killed him not that long ago... a few hours earlier. It's time to gather the rest of the shards so I can destroy the jewel, and for that I need yours,” she said.
Koga eyed her speculatively, obviously pleased at the news of Naraku's death. “Since Naraku is dead, and you aren't with Inuyasha anymore, why don't you just give me the jewel – it would make an excellent mating gift,” he said smoothly.
With a rather pointed smile, Kagome asked, “Oh, you mean you and Ayame are finally making a match of it?”
He shot her a hard look. “No... I'm mating you.”
“I'm sorry, Koga, but the answer to both your questions is no,” she said, pointedly emphasizing the word questions. “The shikon no tama must be destroyed, and the wish has to be the right one. I know what that is. And as for the mating thin-” she broke off, yanking away from the wolf's face that was suddenly thrust into her neck, as he inhaled madly for a moment.
Pulling back, he stared at her in shock, and then he yelped and jumped away from her, horror in his expression.
“What the hell?!” he yelled, eyes beginning to bleed red. “Why do you smell like him?!” he pointed at the daiyoukai standing there eyeing him with abruptly waning patience with a shaking finger.
“That has nothing to do with the shards, Koga,” she chided firmly.
“I don't care about that,” he shouted. “You were supposed to be mine, and now that damn dog,” he pointed over his shoulder at the daiyoukai, “has stolen you away from me!”
She narrowed her eyes on him, suddenly getting irritated at the thickheaded wolf prince. “Koga, who told you that I was going to be yours?” she asked dangerously.
That shut him up faster than anything else ever had, and he stared at her gape-mouthed. It took him a few moments to shake his shock off, but when he did... “I told you that you were going to be mine!”
“And why the hell do you think I'm going to put up with something like that? Have I ever agreed that I would be yours?” she asked sharply.
“W-well, no,” he replied, taken aback at her manner.
“Then take a damn hint and leave me alone!” Kagome snapped, very tired of Koga's constant claims.
“What makes you think I would ever put up with you making my mind up for me? I can make my own decisions, thank you very much, and I never agreed to be yours. And besides, do I look like a piece of property that can be stolen?! You never listened to me, and I'm not dealing with that anymore – if you try anything funny, Koga, I'll zap you. Now, hand over the shards unless you want Sesshoumaru to take them from you,” she finished, face flushed with anger, hand held out pointedly.
“You are too young to take a mate,” Sesshoumaru spoke up suddenly, watching the wolf stare at his mate with a fine edge of disdain coloring his gaze. “It is dishonorable in the extreme not to listen to your chosen female's opinions, even if in the end you choose to act against her wishes. Perhaps you will learn from this and not make such an egregious mistake next time, ookami.” He added his voice to Kagome's demand to hand over the shards. “It would behoove you to start listening now, and do as the Western Lady said.” He lifted a glowing green hand pointedly and cracked his knuckles.
Koga snarled, insulted, but Sesshoumaru's youki began to rise and the wolf's instincts kicked in, warning him of danger; he would never win a challenge against the Western Lord, so without another word, he bent down to pop the shards out of his legs, and handed them to Kagome. With one final glare at both of them, he took off, humiliated and enraged, disappearing into the distance quite quickly, shards or not. He would not be making any further claims over Kagome – she had finally managed to get through to him.
Kagome watched him go with regret, really not having wanted to hurt the wolf prince, but not willing to put up with his thick-headed arrogance any longer. She had to admit, she was terribly glad not to have been tied to him for eternity – it would have been unbearable to be stuck with his immaturity and his self-centered tendency to run over everyone to get what he wanted.
“So... how do we find Kohaku?” she asked momentarily, glancing over at the daiyoukai who was eyeing the afternoon sun.
After a pause, he said, “The boy is hiding in Inuyasha's forest, near the village. He wishes to watch over his sister without her knowledge.” With that, he took to the air, Ah-Uhn following obediently, and Kagome gathered that he wanted to get the whole thing over with as quickly as possible. But she couldn't help but worry about the young boy that fate had betrayed so badly – and fear what taking the shard meant for him.
Once again, Sesshoumaru showed his acuity, and his sensitivity to her and her thoughts and desires.
“Do not worry for the boy. The shard is what is holding his soul bound to his body, since the normal hold his body had to his soul was severed at Naraku's hands. When the shard is removed, I will restore his bond to his soul with Tenseiga.” He glanced at her, noting her brilliant smile, and continued. “Kohaku has shown that he has honor, and strength of will; of all Naraku's slaves, he was the only one with the courage to fight the hanyou's control. For a human to do so... it was more than I had expected. And his sister, as well,” he finished slowly, “she has shown loyalty in her treatment of you, and for that she will not lose her brother.”
“Thank you, Sesshoumaru,” she said, her voice soft and eyes glowing with happiness. He tilted his head in acknowledgment, his eyes once again warm as they rested on her for a moment.
He turned his gaze back to the front, then, and both fell into silence, happy enough with the quiet between them.
Sesshoumaru could not help but to think on his new mate, his wife; she was ever at the forefront of his thoughts. From the first, she'd been an enigma – his question to her in his father's bones had not been an idle one. He had always wondered what she was to be able to pull a sword that she shouldn't have been able to even move. But as time had gone on, he had become mesmerized by the light of her soul, pulled in by its addicting glow.
He had been silent witness to the void youkai's attempt to steal it, and its beauty and purity had astounded him, something within it calling to him in a manner he had never expected. From that moment, he had wanted to posses it – and her.
And now he did.
So many would think, at first glance, that he had followed in his father's footsteps and fallen prey to the same weakness, but they would be most mistaken. And it would not take them long to realize that mistake, and come to crave her as well. For in that, Naraku had been correct – youkai held dark souls, and Kagome called out to what made them youkai in the first place.
They would always want her light for themselves.
But none could have her, none but him, and that fact pleased him immensely. She was unique in all the world, and she belonged only to him.
For him to consider taking her as his mate, his wife, over a youkai female, she would have to be extraordinary, above the touch of any other female in existence. And she was, there was no denying it. There was not another like her in all the world, and there never would be, either. It was only fitting that she belonged to him, as he was also the most extraordinary – after all, there was not another like him in all the world, and there definitely never would be.
They were suited to each other.
No, I have not fallen to the same malady as my great and terrible father. I never understood his need of the hime, Izayoi. She was in no way out of the ordinary – of average intelligence, and with nothing more to recommend her than a fair face, and a less prejudiced heart than most. And to turn his back on everything that made him youkai, that made him inu... to abandon his mate, his wife, for any reason... I still do not understand.
I do not think I ever will.
She could not be anywhere near an equal to him... not like the miko is to me.
Kagome was intelligent; highly educated, with knowledge no one in his era had access to, she made him more than willing to give up his more taciturn nature and become almost loquacious in his desire to carry on conversations with her, to learn her mind, and more of her knowledge. With her knowledge of things as they are, and the future of these lands... no one else could ever interest me as she can.
And in the same way, he found himself desiring to share his world with her; there were things, sights, that none but he had ever seen, and he wanted to take her to see those places. Yes... once this is finished, we will travel. There are no limits, after all.
He glanced at her, only to find her lost in her own thoughts, and almost smiled...
Inuyasha, you are truly a fool. But I find myself actually thankful for that fact. Now, you will languish in darkness forever, and I will spend eternity basking in light and warmth.
How ironically fitting.
~oOo~
When they finally landed in a small clearing near the village, Kohaku did not even appear to be surprised by their presence, merely resigned – he could feel that Kagome had the rest of the jewel, and seemed to know exactly why they were there.
Landing lightly in front of a silent Sesshoumaru, he nodded at him, then looked with regret over at Kagome. “Please, Kagome-sama, tell my sister that I love her... and that I'm sorry for everything,” he said, with a finality that made her eyes tear up.
“You will tell her yourself, Kohaku,” Sesshoumaru cut in before anything else could be said. “Lay down on your stomach,” he said, waiting while the startled young male obeyed. He drew Tenseiga, then crouched down, and using one lethally sharp claw, cut the shard from the boy's neck. In the instant that the shard was removed, he went limp, and the daiyoukai stood and swiped the sword of life over his small form, before standing and sheathing it, watching as the little taijiya shuddered, then once more began to breathe.
When it was clear Kohaku would be alright, he turned and handed the shard to Kagome.
Kagome let out a sharp breath as the young man began to move, relief making her almost lightheaded that it had worked, and Kohaku would have the chance to live, free of Naraku's control. With a smile, she watched him turn over and sit up, looking around at everything as though seeing the world for the first time... and in a way, he was.
He was no longer under the threat of control by the spider, and he could look at the world through the eyes of someone who was enjoying his freedom.
It was a very different thing, to look out at everything with eyes no longer dulled by the fear of what you would be forced to do next.
Sesshoumaru, once assured that Tenseiga had cooperated with him, had turned his attention in the direction of the village. It wasn't more than a minute or two before he said, “Inuyasha comes. He senses the jewel, and my presence.” Looking back at Kohaku, he motioned for him to go stand beside Kagome and Ah-Uhn. “Guard my lady.”
The young taijiya didn't say anything, not even reacting with surprise at the Inu Lord's words, simply doing as ordered, and Kagome took a moment to wonder... had Kohaku known from his travels with the daiyoukai before of his interest in her?
She didn't get a chance to ponder on it for too long, though, as Inuyasha's loud, colorful language was soon audible to everyone, and Kagome dismounted from Ah-Uhn, determined to deal with the hanyou once and for all.
At this point, with his betrayals of her, she couldn't even find it in herself to worry about him – if he ended up going to hell, so be it. Their paths no longer coincided, and she was done with giving him everything, and gaining nothing for it but betrayal and pain. It was his actions that had placed her on the path she now walked, after all, and if he didn't like it, that was too bad.
I suppose it's too late for him to learn any lessons about life. And I'm finding that I don't even care anymore. Let him go to hell if that's what he wants. Maybe in his next life, kami will address his mistakes in this one. I leave it all to fate – he's no longer my problem. I have a husband to concern myself with now.
And that's how Inuyasha came upon them – with Sesshoumaru standing before Kagome and Kohaku, his stance protective and aggressive. It was clear to Inuyasha, and Sango and Miroku, who had also come, following along behind the hanyou when he'd torn out of the village with such enraged speed, that Sesshoumaru would not allow him anywhere near the young miko that had traveled with them for so long.
Of course, when Sango caught sight of Kohaku, her eyes clouded with grief – they all knew that Naraku had been defeated, since Miroku's wind tunnel had disappeared, and she feared the fact that his shard would soon be needed so that Kagome could destroy the Shikon no Tama.
The little miko quickly took care of that fear, even as Inuyasha eyed his elder brother belligerently. “Don't worry, Sango – Kohaku's already been freed of the shard.” At the slayer's astonished expression, Kagome smiled. “Sesshoumaru revived him after the shard was gone – you don't have to worry about losing him because of that ever again.”
A sob shook the proud elder taijiya's frame at the release of so much tension, then, even as Inuyasha glared at his brother. “Keh! So... you've gathered Kohaku's shard. Now you gotta go chase down the stupid wolf and take his away. And then what? You gonna take the jewel for yourself, bastard? Was all that crap about not needing it really just a load of bullshit?” he taunted.
Everyone in the clearing except Kagome and Kohaku were taken aback at the sudden change in Sesshoumaru's demeanor as he actually chuckled with sarcastic amusement at his brother.
“You are a fool, Inuyasha, as I have said before - repeatedly,” he said finally, eyes alight with something that had every hackle the hanyou possessed raising. “As much of one as Naraku was. I do not care about the Shikon no Tama, except in how it affects my miko. It is her duty to destroy it – and this one will see her finish that duty.”
“Your miko?” Inuyasha snarled dangerously, immediately bristling at that statement.
The voice that answered stunned him so badly that he actually stumbled backwards.
“Yes, Inuyasha... his miko. I belong to Sesshoumaru, now, and you are no concern of mine.” Ignoring his shocked and befuddled expression, as well as Miroku's and Sango's, for the moment, she opened her hand, and pulling the pouch that contained the rest of the jewel out, she placed what was, indeed, the final shard into its place, and then closed her hands. Eyes sliding shut, she poured her reiki into the jewel, forming it once more into a single entity, and purifying it completely at the same time.
And then she held it up for everyone to see, so all would know it was whole once more.
“And now it's time to rid this world of the threat this thing represents,” she said, staring at the Shikon with wise eyes. “It is said that only the right wish will destroy it, and I thought for many months on what that could possibly be. I think that I have finally figured it out,” she sighed.
Miroku regarded her steadily, somehow knowing that she had, indeed, come across the correct answer. “You have my support, Kagome. Do what must be done,” he said, and Sango, eyes still drenched, nodded.
Kagome smiled, ignoring Inuyasha's sputtering, and met her husband's eyes as he glanced at her over his shoulder, his expression clear in support of her. “I wish that whatever kami deem should happen, happens,” she said, her voice strong and clear. There was silence in the clearing for several moments as everyone within it watched the jewel fade away with one last, bell-like chime. She could see the pride in Sesshoumaru's eyes as he looked at her, and it made her feel wonderful – not once since he'd taken her from Naraku had he made her feel inferior in any way, as Inuyasha had always done.
Sesshoumaru's gaze, however, iced right back over as he turned to look at his younger half-sibling, his disdain of the hanyou that had caused such harm to his miko wife clear in his expression. “And now you have no reason to delay your departure to hell, Inuyasha,” he said coldly. “Naraku is dead, and the jewel you both coveted so much is gone.”
With a sadistic smirk at his suddenly wary brother, Sesshoumaru stepped back, and it quickly became apparent why: a portal was opening in the ground before them all, and as the rest of the group of people stared in shock, Inuyasha watched with trepidation.
Kagome caught on quite fast. “Kikyou's returning to take him to hell with her, now that Naraku's gone,” she blurted out, eyes wide. She glanced at the daiyoukai she was mated to. “How did you know this would happen?” she asked.
“I did not, not for certain, I only suspected,” he replied calmly, though he was paying close attention to her reaction. “Do you intend to interfere?”
She shook her head, holding his gaze solemnly. “Nope. He's made his choices, and it's not my problem any more.”
He was more than pleased at her words, her scent giving off her complete sincerity – she would not stop what was about to happen.
It was clear that neither Sango nor Miroku would interfere, either, and Sesshoumaru wasn't really surprised at that – their loyalty had always been more to Kagome than Inuyasha, and once he'd betrayed her...
It didn't take Inuyasha more than a few moments to realize just how alone he was, as he watched Kikyou's shade rise from the ground to stand before him. “It is time, Inuyasha. Naraku is dead, and now you must fulfill your vow to me.” She turned hate-filled eyes on Kagome, then, ignoring Sesshoumaru's warning growl, and smirked, a jagged, grotesque parody of the younger miko's own, brilliant, loving smile. “And there is no way you can stop me this time, bitch – I will see you suffer with his loss for the rest of your useless, wasted life.”
Before anyone else could say a word, a shocked Inuyasha spoke. “Kikyou! Is that the only reason you want me to go to hell with you – to upset Kagome?”
The dead woman glared at him. “What other reason could there be? Except to make you suffer in hell with me. Did you think I wanted you there because I cared?” she taunted. “Fool... you are merely a hanyou, beneath me in every way. I was lonely, in my first life, and that's why I spoke to you, no other reason. If you had become human, perhaps I would have given you a chance, but you didn't, and it is a moot point. You gave your word, and I'm going to make sure you hold to it. It's the only way to make Kagome suffer.”
Sesshoumaru shook his head with a smirk, even as Kagome sighed, saddened that Inuyasha had been so foolish as to give himself to such a woman. But as she'd said, it wasn't her problem any longer – he'd made his choices of his own free will, and now it was time to pay the piper. She was pulled from those thoughts by her husband's voice.
“You are mistaken, wench,” he said, his voice filled with arrogant amusement. “Kagome does not care what Inuyasha does any longer – he has no hold on her whatsoever.”
The shade of Kikyou glared at the daiyoukai, then turned to look at Kagome with heated eyes. “She lies to save face! Everyone knows of her feelings for the hanyou, and that she wants to be his wife!” Inuyasha even nodded at that – for so long Kagome had worn her heart on her sleeve when it came to him that even above his shock at Kikyou's words, and her true character emerging, was his belief that Kagome still loved him.
“That's pathetic, Kikyou. You can't face me directly, so you have to use someone else to try to hurt me. It won't work, though. Sesshoumaru is right – Inuyasha has no hold on me at all,” Kagome responded.
“W-what?” Inuyasha croaked.
Sesshoumaru's smug smirk widened, an expression of true pleasure crossing his face openly for all to see. “As a former miko, do you not know of inuyoukai and their mates?” he asked. “Once mated, a pair is linked forever, even into death.”
“So?!” snapped Kikyou. “All that means is that I should have let him mate her – and then taken him away. Still, this works, too. Now she has no hope of happiness!”
“The half-breed matters not to her happiness at all, miko,” he said coolly, “because she is the mate of this Sesshoumaru. Her happiness is dependent only on this one – and you will find that she is quite happy, correct, little mate?” he asked, glancing over his shoulder at her again, even as he ignored everyone elses shocked reactions to his words.
Kagome smiled sweetly at him, nodding. “Yes,” she said softly, though her voice was easily heard by all, “I am very happy as your wife, Sesshoumaru.”
Inuyasha, by this point bound by Kikyou's spell and unable to move, nonetheless gaped in shocked dismay at the words that he'd just heard. He couldn't believe it... his brother, the human-hating bastard of all bastards, had taken Kagome as his mate, and Kagome accepted him, and was happy? He couldn't believe it – he felt like he'd just wandered into a nightmare where nothing made any sense anymore.
Kikyou had never loved him, and was simply using him to try to hurt Kagome, who she despised, and Kagome had allowed his half-brother, who had always hated humans, and him, to mate her? And she was turning her back on him, allowing Kikyou to drag him to hell?
“K-keh,” he said weakly, beginning to struggle against the spell, no longer having any desire to go to hell, giving up his life for a vindictive, hate-filled shadow of a woman. But he couldn't seem to break free, and he looked over pleadingly at Sango and Miroku, and then at Kagome herself, guarded on each side by Kohaku and Ah-Uhn, and in front by Sesshoumaru.
Kikyou, on the other hand, was paying him no attention whatsoever, her eyes locked with Kagome's as though to test her veracity. And once she realized that Kagome was, indeed, telling the truth about her lack of love for Inuyasha, she let out an enraged scream, violent hatred bleeding into her eyes as she realized that it had all been for naught.
Kagome watched with rueful sadness as her once best friend was bound even tighter, and shook her head as he cast his eyes her way in a sudden panic. It was just too bad that he had to pay for his dishonorable behavior in such a manner, but that was fate's and the kami's decision, and she wouldn't attempt to interfere.
“I'm sorry, Inuyasha,” she said, regret staining her voice. “But this is the price, I suppose, for your actions. Kikyou will find the price for her actions very high when that portal closes, and in the end, will regret every bit of her hateful deeds. But it'll be too late for you. I can only hope that in your next life you're a lot smarter, and don't make the same mistakes. You won't be meeting Kikyou, though – she won't be reincarnating again.”
“Kagome, no,” Inuyasha cried, his eyes disbelieving. “You don't mean that, you can't mean that! You love me, I know you do!” he yelled, his denials gaining momentum as he went.
Kikyou narrowed her eyes at him, a suddenly calculating look on her face, and Kagome felt a shiver go through her; what was that madwoman planning now?
She found out with Kikyou's next words.
“It appears that my original plans will not do to gain that which I desire; the pain and suffering of Kagome and Inuyasha. So I think that I will revise my plans,” she said, an expression of hatred and gloating on her face. “Since Kagome has now given herself to the beast, I will leave Inuyasha here – at least this way, he can suffer through his inability to have that which he craves, and Kagome will have to deal with his unwanted presence, and the trouble he will cause in her new relationship,” she said spitefully. And then she glanced at the powerful daiyoukai standing ranged against her. “And to make sure that you cannot end my amusing little drama, I will make sure that you cannot kill Inuyasha. His life will always be mine to end as and when I see fit.”
Sesshoumaru narrowed his pinking eyes on her, and everyone else watched in shock as Inuyasha suddenly glowed a brilliant purple, before being released from the previous spell. Kagome watched on in dismay as Inuyasha completely ignored Kikyou and turned to stare at her with a determined expression in his eyes.
Shaking her head almost despairingly, Kagome turned to stare at Kikyou. “You've really done it now, Kikyou. You're going to regret ever being created by the kami. I feel sorry for you,” she finished sadly.
“I do not need your pity,” the dead miko spat, her virulent hatred almost visible.
But before she could finish, a shimmering began in the air around her, and it was her turn to be held immobile as two figures began to appear between Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru. Before the two could even be fully seen, it was clear what they were, the very air around them rich with power...
Kami.
The aura of sheer, overwhelming presence was impossible to miss, and Kagome had a slightly uneasy feeling watching as they became fully visible. Why would the kami become involved in a feud such as this? she wondered. Although... maybe it's because Kikyou was supposed to be a representative of them, and she betrayed her calling to turn to darkness?
The strained silence continued after the two had fully materialized, and Kagome watched breathlessly as they looked first at Inuyasha, then Sesshoumaru – and then turned to Kikyou with disapproving expressions on non-faces.
“You, once chosen priestess, are our greatest disappointment. You have fallen so far into darkness that even Sosa does not know you. The spell you have just pronounced on the hanyou will not avail you of your desired revenge, woman – you had no cause to attempt to harm either of the people here that you hate so much.” The second kami, faceless and nameless, began to speak as the first one fell silent.
“No, instead, Kagome's wish will usher in what we desire to come to pass.” With a long glance at a stiffening Sesshoumaru, they both nodded in satisfaction. “Listen, then, to what will be. Inuyasha, for your mistakes, you will be returned to a childish state. You did not have a chance to learn honor, since you were abandoned and reviled as a small child, forced to raise yourself with no guidance from anyone. This is the only reason that your punishment is not really a punishment, but instead, a chance to grow and learn, correctly this time.”
The first kami looked at Sesshoumaru, then.
“You should, as his elder brother, have taken him under your wing, and raised him. Your anger at him for his treatment of your mate is justified – yet at the same time, it is not, for if you wished him to have honor, then you should have taught him such. One has little time for honorable pursuits when trying to survive the assassination attempts of two races. For your oversight in this, your refusal to do your duty to one of your blood, simply because you were angry at your father's choices, you are now bound to provide, train, and protect the child your brother will be, until he is adult once more.”
Kagome stared at Sesshoumaru, worried at how he would take such a thing, and still astounded at the interference of the gods, let alone at what they were saying. But it appeared that the daiyoukai didn't know how to take what he was hearing – his eyes were slightly wide as he took in their words, but at the same time, didn't. It was clear he was too stunned to make any sense of what was being said.
Sango and Miroku watched, breathlessly, as the kami both turned to Kagome at that point.
“Kagome. As Sesshoumaru must be the father, so must you be the mother. You will raise him well, there is no question about that. It will be difficult to take care of one who hurt and betrayed you, but you will rise above, as you always do. You know our words are true – Inuyasha could hardly learn honorable behavior when consumed with simply surviving. This time, he will not have that bad upbringing - and so, if he still turns out as he is now, then it will be on his own head, and he will face our punishment at that time.”
Staring at the kami with confusion, and then at Inuyasha with trepidation, Kagome watched as they spoke their final words to the shocked hanyou. “This is your only chance to get things correct, Inuyasha. If you do not learn from it, then you will be lost forever to the void. There is a lesson for all of you in this, and that is the only reason we, as the kami, are interfering in this matter.”
With the still-stunned silence hovering over all in the clearing, Inuyasha became enveloped in a cyan-blue glow, one so bright that none could look at it. Once it faded, though, there were various sounds of surprise and shock – for on the ground before Sesshoumaru, where once an adult Inuyasha stood, was a tiny hanyou male child, little more than a toddler, really. Instantly, Kagome's heart twisted – he was adorable... and frightened, it appeared, and when the young miko moved towards him past her mate, the little boy turned wide eyes on her, took a sniff in her direction, and then threw himself into her arms, sniffling and shaking in fear.
“The child Inuyasha does not remember his adult actions, or his previous life. He equates your scent with safety, however, Kagome, and it will remain that way this time around. We will be watching,” they warned, though it was more directed at Sesshoumaru than Kagome. Turning to look once more at an enraged Kikyou with an air of finality, the kami shook their heads at her.
“Our time here is done, and so is yours. As we dissipate back into our realms, you will simply dissipate as though you never existed. Go now into oblivion, Kikyou.” And with that, they disappeared, Kikyou's despairing scream echoing in the clearing and causing a tiny Inuyasha to clutch to Kagome's clothing in fear at the loud noise as she faded away into nothingness.
Uncertain, questions in every set of eyes in the clearing save for Inuyasha's, the silence extended as they all waited to see just how Sesshoumaru was going to react...
Especially Kagome, as she held a tiny, frightened child to her and tried to think past the shock.
Oh... what were the kami thinking, to do something like this?
~oOo~
Brief Author's Note: I had planned to end this at three chapters, however, this little plot twist occurred to me, and I chose to go ahead and add it. Therefore, there will be at least one more chapter, possibly two, depending on how I play this out.
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Kagura moved her feather a bit away from the inu that had just killed Hakudoushi, watching him warily. “Are you going to kill Kanna and I in the same way, now, Sesshoumaru?” she asked suspiciously, waiting for him to look at her.
He studied her for a few moments, then sheathed his sword. Turning his back on her, he moved over to Kagome. “No. But if this one hears that you or the void are causing problems, he will hunt you down and do so at that time. This is your chance for the freedom you said you wished for - if you are intelligent, you will take it and never let this Sesshoumaru hear of you again.”
The wind witch, however, did not immediately depart, instead, she cautiously floated to the ground to stand staring at his back with an odd expression in her eyes that Kagome found she recognized easily with what she'd noticed earlier. Kagura was in love with Sesshoumaru.
“Perhaps this one does not wish to leave your side,” she said softly. “Surely, I would have been a better mate than this human girl.”
Kagome turned her eyes to meet Sesshoumaru's, wondering what he would say.
“For some, perhaps, but not for this one, Kagura. You do not understand what it is you speak of.” He paused, then and looked at the wind witch over his shoulder. “I have already chosen the one I want; you have nothing to offer me. Take your freedom and go,” he reiterated coolly, and then turned his head back once more to meet Kagome's steady, but uncertain gaze.
Without another word, and only a slightly chastising look at her doubts sent her way, he turned around, completely ignoring the disbelieving Kagura, and led Ah-Uhn from the area. His manner was so normal and blasé that Kagome had difficulty believing what had just taken place there, namely, Naraku's destruction after so long spent chasing him.
She figured it would take some time to truly sink in, especially with his completely unconcerned or celebratory behavior. It was no odds that if that fight had taken place between the hanyou and her former companions, they would be celebrating for days, most likely.
That begged the question... “Umm, Sesshoumaru?” He turned his head and looked at her again, not paying the slightest attention to the very visibly upset Kagura still standing in the same spot. “Well, now that that's over... what are we going to do?”
He cocked a brow at her as they headed under the spreading branches of the forest outskirts, and then an amused light entered his eyes, dispelling the coldness that had been there towards Naraku, and then Kagura. “Did you become so used to Naraku as a part of your life, that you have forgotten there is anything else to do?”
She blinked, surprised. “Well... I guess I have, come to think of it. I suppose that it's going to take time to realize that he's truly gone. We had always thought it would be a very difficult battle to destroy him, but you... you made it seem so easy.”
“Hn. That is because it was. After all, little miko, he no longer had the jewel to fuel his power, or regenerate. Without it, he was no kind of opponent – even one such as Inuyasha would have been able to beat him easily as he was,” he replied.
“Oh.” She looked at him blankly for a moment. “I guess that's true, too. I hadn't thought of that, really, either. I suppose I got to used to his having the jewel and using it against us.”
“He let his desire for you blind him to the danger of handing you the jewel. He was so sure that I could not take you from him, that he became overconfident, and that was his downfall.” He shrugged. “It was a useful mistake for me, and I am not the type to give up an advantage.”
“I'm sure,” she said, a smile on her face at that. “But my question from before still stands – what are we going to do now?”
Amusement filled his voice, then. “It seems you are very tenacious in gaining what you desire. We go now to gather the last of the shards, and then we will confront Inuyasha, so that he may see the dissolution of the jewel he so coveted. Then, we will see what we will see.”
Kagome had no desire to ask what he meant; she was pretty sure she knew what he was talking about, and didn't really want to think about it. So she moved her mind on to other things, and she suddenly remembered their earlier conversation, and a question she had wanted to ask before he had kissed her.
“I wanted to ask you earlier,” she said slowly, “about what you said. You know... about inuyoukai taking one mate only. If that's true, how did Inuyasha...?”
There was silence for a few minutes, and Kagome began to wonder if she shouldn't have brought that up, a sense of anxiety swelling inside her, but her mate only turned his head to look at her, a rather surprised look in his eyes. “Why do you suddenly scent of fear, wife? Do you still think that I would harm you?”
She shrugged uneasily. “I don't know, do I? I really don't know you all that well, except as someone who has been an enemy in the past, and spoken of humans with hatred and disdain.”
He nodded slowly. “It is true, I have no use for most humans. Most youkai do not. However, you are not most humans, and I will never harm you. It goes against the instincts of who I am to harm one I protect. And even more so a mate. One's bitch is never to be hurt.”
Bitch? “So, then...?”
“In answer to your previous question, that is why I have had such anger towards my father. What he did in taking another over my mother, goes against every inu instinct there is – it goes completely against who we are. I have never been able to understand his actions, though I have tried, and it is this that originally occasioned my dislike for Inuyasha. However,” he glanced at her once again, “he has now earned my enmity on his own merits, and not due to the decisions of our sire. He has harmed the one I chose as mate, and that cannot be forgiven so easily, especially when he shows no real remorse for it.”
Oh, wow. Is it all instincts with youkai? Are they even able to love another? Her heart fell a little. Probably not...
“So... it's just your instincts to protect what you see as your property, then. No different than your instincts to protect your lands. I see,” she said tonelessly.
He shot her a sharp glance and came to a halt, turning to fully look at her, a stern expression in his eyes. “That is incorrect, Kagome. A mate is the most precious thing a youkai has, more important than anything else. Inuyoukai are extremely affectionate to their chosen female, as anyone who knows anything of us can tell you. Not even pups are cherished more than a mate – you are my prize, to be cared for above all, protected, desired, adored. It is the way of inuyoukai, and as I said before, it is who I am. There is no other way to say this.”
Kagome had almost lost her breath at his words. “B-but that sounds like... love, and that's not possible!” she whispered.
He cocked his head at her and frowned. “I have heard the humans speak of this 'love'. But it seems to have many different meanings, and not all of them are good. I have seen those who claim to love bring harm to the one they claimed with that word. It seems to this one that such an... emotion is weak, and even dangerous.”
“Depending on the person. Like Naraku. His definition of love was domination and control – but that isn't love. It's not the love that's bad, it's the people that don't really understand it and throw the word around easily,” she said.
“Tell me, then... what is this 'love' to you? What does it mean?” he asked, even as he once more turned to lead the way.
“I'd describe it as what you said is how inu treat their mates. For me, it means wanting to be only with that person, and not needing another in that way. Wanting them to be happy, and taking care of them, giving them your all.” She sighed, and looked down at her hands, tiny and slender, and let her mind wander back to her betrayer. “I... loved Inuyasha, once. But he killed it with his treatment of me, his constant comparisons to Kikyou, and then the final straw... his betrayals. It really hurt, and took a while to begin to heal.”
Little did she know of the jealousy that statement rendered in her mate, but he controlled it; he had known for some time that she had looked on the hanyou with desire. “And now, miko?” he asked, a shadow of his jealousy spiking the tones of his voice.
She lifted her gaze from her hands at that note in his voice, and stared at his back, still finding it difficult to believe that he had claimed her as his, for eternity. Even in death, their bond wouldn't be broken. “Now?” she asked, her voice sounding a bit far away. “Now I have no desire to go back to him. It isn't my place. And since I'm your... mate... now, that's a moot question anyway. I don't see the point in worrying over what might have been – I'm a pragmatist, in the end. My loyalty is to you now. And I'm content with that, because I know that I can trust you not to throw me away as Inuyasha did. You have too much honor for that.”
So she knows that much about me, at least... “It seems you know somewhat about me, little mate. What else do you know, I wonder?”
“I know that you keep your word, you don't lie, and you're implacable and deadly when crossed – you don't stop until you've corrected the problem. Like Naraku,” she said slowly, her brow furrowed. And that you're really, really gorgeous, and one hell of a lover, she thought, blushing deeply at the sudden ache inside her those particular thoughts brought.
Sesshoumaru seemed to freeze for a second in his normal ground-eating stride, and Kagome blinked at the sudden surge of his youki that surrounded her. Until he turned to face her, and she caught the look in his slowly reddening eyes.
“Eep!” she squeaked as he pulled her from Ah-Uhn's back. In the next second, she found herself pinned against a tree as her new husband plundered her mouth and body, growling deeply the whole time. She didn't even fight it, and found herself pulled under as he stripped her clothes from her and twined mokomoko around the tree, protecting her back from the rough bark.
Within moments, he was also just as nude, and Kagome was astounded; he'd done it all without moving his head from her neck, where he was nibbling and sucking on her pulse as though he needed the feel of her blood pumping through her body to remain sane.
“S-sesshoumaru,” she moaned, “what are y-you doing?”
“What does it feel like I am doing, little mate?” he asked, his head still buried in her flesh as he moved down from her neck, drawing a tightly furled nipple into his mouth, his lip curling in a silent snarl at her cry. A deep rumble came from his chest when she tangled her hands in his silver locks and pulled, her inflamed cries driving him to goad her higher up passion's peaks.
As the scent of her arousal suddenly surged, he found himself almost blacking out, and he snarled again as he stood back up and lifted her, pressing his iron hard length into her. His head fell back in savage ecstasy as she slid slowly down his cock. “So... tight!” he hissed out, eyes now completely crimson.
Kagome's eyes fell closed at the pleasure that poured through every bit of her body as he pulled her down onto his length, the feel of it rending a beautiful, deep sound of desire from her. The sound seemed to drive her lover crazy, and he slammed his mouth down on hers, sweeping in and consuming her completely, even as he surged into her repeatedly.
A high, keening sound left her lips as soon as he lifted his head to breathe, and he knew it would only be moments before she came, and he along with her. No one had ever drawn such an unbridled response from him in all his life – he'd always been in complete control of an encounter from beginning to end. But not with this female... the moment he even scented her desire, he was gone, taken over by an unbreakable need to feel the tight perfection of her young, nubile body around his flesh, and the embrace of her brilliant, warm soul as it illuminated his. It had been hard enough to fight before he'd taken her, but now that she was his...
She tightened around him, so unbearably that even as she choked out her pleasure, he roared his own passion into the air, pounding into her rippling body uncontrollably as he filled her. Helpless in the face of one of the strongest orgasms he'd ever had, he clenched his eyes shut and held on to her body as though she was the only steady thing in a world that was spinning out of control, and just enjoyed the agonizing pleasure.
Finally, he finished spilling inside her, and slumped against her. His arms wrapped protectively around her as he tried to regain his breath, and his strength from the weakness she'd drawn from him.
He pressed his mouth against her neck again, licking softly at her succulent flesh even as she whimpered in satiation. After a few minutes, he recovered, and stood upright, holding her trembling little body against him until she calmed. When she sighed, and pulled away from him a little, he looked down at her, amused when she flushed cranberry and couldn't meet his eyes.
“Still so shy, sweet mate. It is rather amusing,” he murmured, his voice warm and intimate from the lovemaking. “But it would behoove us both to redress and continue on – we should not waste any more time.”
That got her to meet his eyes as she gave him a reproving look. “Hey! This-” she blushed deeper, but held his gaze firmly, “-wasn't my idea! What made you go so crazy all of a sudden, anyway?”
He actually chuckled at her, rendering her speechless even as she sucked in a startled breath, her eyes going wide as he slid out of her, and set her down on her rather wobbly feet. “If you did not wish to be ravished, then you should not have been thinking naughty things, Kagome.”
“How did you know what I was thinking?” she choked out, aghast. Does he read thoughts or something?!
He flashed her another amused look as he handed her clothing to her, and then began to redress. “Your scent of arousal. It called to me, telling me you were thinking of what we did last night.”
She froze. “You can smell... that?!” She didn't think she'd ever been so embarrassed in her life.
“Yes.”
One word, but enough to make her want to sink into the ground. That's it! No more thinking about all of that! But, oh... it did feel so good, she thought, her skin pinking with heat again.
Sesshoumaru stiffened and eyed her hazily, before he shook himself all over and closed his eyes for a moment, to slam his iron control down over his desires. Later, he promised himself.
“If you do not want to be stripped again, I would suggest you find something else to think about, miko,” he said firmly, and Kagome swung the door shut on those thoughts, forcing her mind to think about other things, and hurriedly finished dressing.
“Well,” she said as she pulled on her pants, “what are we going to do about gaining the other shards? Kohaku has one, and Koga has two. But after that, I don't know about any others.”
Sesshoumaru picked her up and settled her back on a patiently grazing Ah-Uhn's back and then turned to once more begin walking along, just as though that little tryst had not happened. After a few moments, he said, “We will track the ookami first – then Kohaku. Once we have those, we will know how many are left, and can consider what to do then.”
She frowned. “Why are you worried about the jewel, anyway? You've never searched for the shards before,” she said, curious.
“It is your responsibility, is it not?” he asked. When she nodded, he finished, “That is why. You are my mate, and this jewel belongs to you. I would not expect you to abandon your duty.”
She smiled at him, surprised and pleased that he understood her need to finish the jewel, and make sure that it could not wreak any more havoc again. “I'm glad. I would hate to leave it unfinished, only to have some other crazy person decide to go after it. We'd just end up with another Naraku,” she said, shivering at the thought.
He nodded in agreement, and then lifted his head into the breeze, and took a noticeable sniff. She looked at him oddly, confused when he began to lead them in a slightly different direction afterward.
“The ookami is not far in this direction,” he said, and Kagome's eyes widened as she thought of something.
Eyeing him with concern, she wondered how to break Koga's obsession with her to him, but she needn't have worried. Smelling her sudden uneasiness, he spoke up. “I am aware of his insistence that you are his 'woman',” he said, distaste filtering through his suddenly cold tones. “He will be dealt with if he does not respect that you are a mated female now and out of his reach.”
Her brow furrowed. “Well, I mean, really, why wouldn't he?” she mused to herself, and then looked up at his silver head. “Since you did say that once mated, it's permanent as even death can't break it, so there wouldn't be any point in him crossing you about it, right?”
“He is youkai, Kagome. He may choose to attack simply because I took something he wanted. His instincts will be to kill me out of a need for vengeance. However, since he is no kind of match for me, most likely he will not go so far.”
Kagome blinked at that, taken aback. “Oh,” she breathed. All she could think was that she hoped he was right and that Koga would leave it alone.
It fell quiet again after that, and Kagome clutched at the pouch the shikon chunk rested in, thinking back over the day, and trying to once more take in the fact that Naraku was gone. So much had already happened...
And the day was barely half over.
~oOo~
Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, considering how to deal with the ookami that they would soon be meeting. He was well aware that his little mate would not want Koga killed, however, if he refused to accept that she was taken now, then there would be blood spilled.
And that was not even mentioning what would happen if the inferior male let his temper overwhelm him, and decided to attack. He would not allow anyone to raise a hand to him, and not take them down, mate or not.
Perhaps he should allow Kagome to deal with the ookami, and see how that turned out. If she could keep the male from challenging him, then he would be amenable to leaving Koga alive. “Miko.”
She looked over at him, blinking in surprise at his tone. “Yes?” she asked.
“If the ookami challenges me, he will die. If you wish him to live, you will keep him from doing anything foolish,” he replied, and she knew he was deadly serious. If she wasn't able to keep a handle on the wolf prince, he'd be nothing more than a memory.
Great! Koga's never been one for listening to me... or for rational thinking, either, she rolled her eyes to herself at that thought. And somehow, I have to manage to get through his thick skull.
Wonderful.
She sighed and nodded – what else could she do?
It wasn't very long after that little exchange that Kagome could feel the shards, on their usual way in – at high speed. Sesshoumaru came to a halt, Ah-Uhn immediately following suit, and waited patiently enough for the wolf to arrive. Kagome, on the other hand, was busy wishing she could put this little encounter off, but since that wasn't about to happen, she watched the trees ahead closely, wanting to get it over with, instead.
In a high-powered shower of dirt, the oblivious wolf came to a screeching halt at Ah-Uhn's side, and clasped her rather cool hands in his own, staring up at her fatuously.
“Kagome,” he greeted her, in a low tone he seemed to think was sexy. “How is my woman doing? And why-” he glanced suspiciously at Sesshoumaru, “-are you hanging around with this dog, instead of the mutt?”
Pulling her hands away firmly, she smiled coolly at Koga. “Inuyasha and I aren't... getting along, right now, you could say. The reason I'm here, Koga, is that Naraku is dead. Sesshoumaru killed him not that long ago... a few hours earlier. It's time to gather the rest of the shards so I can destroy the jewel, and for that I need yours,” she said.
Koga eyed her speculatively, obviously pleased at the news of Naraku's death. “Since Naraku is dead, and you aren't with Inuyasha anymore, why don't you just give me the jewel – it would make an excellent mating gift,” he said smoothly.
With a rather pointed smile, Kagome asked, “Oh, you mean you and Ayame are finally making a match of it?”
He shot her a hard look. “No... I'm mating you.”
“I'm sorry, Koga, but the answer to both your questions is no,” she said, pointedly emphasizing the word questions. “The shikon no tama must be destroyed, and the wish has to be the right one. I know what that is. And as for the mating thin-” she broke off, yanking away from the wolf's face that was suddenly thrust into her neck, as he inhaled madly for a moment.
Pulling back, he stared at her in shock, and then he yelped and jumped away from her, horror in his expression.
“What the hell?!” he yelled, eyes beginning to bleed red. “Why do you smell like him?!” he pointed at the daiyoukai standing there eyeing him with abruptly waning patience with a shaking finger.
“That has nothing to do with the shards, Koga,” she chided firmly.
“I don't care about that,” he shouted. “You were supposed to be mine, and now that damn dog,” he pointed over his shoulder at the daiyoukai, “has stolen you away from me!”
She narrowed her eyes on him, suddenly getting irritated at the thickheaded wolf prince. “Koga, who told you that I was going to be yours?” she asked dangerously.
That shut him up faster than anything else ever had, and he stared at her gape-mouthed. It took him a few moments to shake his shock off, but when he did... “I told you that you were going to be mine!”
“And why the hell do you think I'm going to put up with something like that? Have I ever agreed that I would be yours?” she asked sharply.
“W-well, no,” he replied, taken aback at her manner.
“Then take a damn hint and leave me alone!” Kagome snapped, very tired of Koga's constant claims.
“What makes you think I would ever put up with you making my mind up for me? I can make my own decisions, thank you very much, and I never agreed to be yours. And besides, do I look like a piece of property that can be stolen?! You never listened to me, and I'm not dealing with that anymore – if you try anything funny, Koga, I'll zap you. Now, hand over the shards unless you want Sesshoumaru to take them from you,” she finished, face flushed with anger, hand held out pointedly.
“You are too young to take a mate,” Sesshoumaru spoke up suddenly, watching the wolf stare at his mate with a fine edge of disdain coloring his gaze. “It is dishonorable in the extreme not to listen to your chosen female's opinions, even if in the end you choose to act against her wishes. Perhaps you will learn from this and not make such an egregious mistake next time, ookami.” He added his voice to Kagome's demand to hand over the shards. “It would behoove you to start listening now, and do as the Western Lady said.” He lifted a glowing green hand pointedly and cracked his knuckles.
Koga snarled, insulted, but Sesshoumaru's youki began to rise and the wolf's instincts kicked in, warning him of danger; he would never win a challenge against the Western Lord, so without another word, he bent down to pop the shards out of his legs, and handed them to Kagome. With one final glare at both of them, he took off, humiliated and enraged, disappearing into the distance quite quickly, shards or not. He would not be making any further claims over Kagome – she had finally managed to get through to him.
Kagome watched him go with regret, really not having wanted to hurt the wolf prince, but not willing to put up with his thick-headed arrogance any longer. She had to admit, she was terribly glad not to have been tied to him for eternity – it would have been unbearable to be stuck with his immaturity and his self-centered tendency to run over everyone to get what he wanted.
“So... how do we find Kohaku?” she asked momentarily, glancing over at the daiyoukai who was eyeing the afternoon sun.
After a pause, he said, “The boy is hiding in Inuyasha's forest, near the village. He wishes to watch over his sister without her knowledge.” With that, he took to the air, Ah-Uhn following obediently, and Kagome gathered that he wanted to get the whole thing over with as quickly as possible. But she couldn't help but worry about the young boy that fate had betrayed so badly – and fear what taking the shard meant for him.
Once again, Sesshoumaru showed his acuity, and his sensitivity to her and her thoughts and desires.
“Do not worry for the boy. The shard is what is holding his soul bound to his body, since the normal hold his body had to his soul was severed at Naraku's hands. When the shard is removed, I will restore his bond to his soul with Tenseiga.” He glanced at her, noting her brilliant smile, and continued. “Kohaku has shown that he has honor, and strength of will; of all Naraku's slaves, he was the only one with the courage to fight the hanyou's control. For a human to do so... it was more than I had expected. And his sister, as well,” he finished slowly, “she has shown loyalty in her treatment of you, and for that she will not lose her brother.”
“Thank you, Sesshoumaru,” she said, her voice soft and eyes glowing with happiness. He tilted his head in acknowledgment, his eyes once again warm as they rested on her for a moment.
He turned his gaze back to the front, then, and both fell into silence, happy enough with the quiet between them.
Sesshoumaru could not help but to think on his new mate, his wife; she was ever at the forefront of his thoughts. From the first, she'd been an enigma – his question to her in his father's bones had not been an idle one. He had always wondered what she was to be able to pull a sword that she shouldn't have been able to even move. But as time had gone on, he had become mesmerized by the light of her soul, pulled in by its addicting glow.
He had been silent witness to the void youkai's attempt to steal it, and its beauty and purity had astounded him, something within it calling to him in a manner he had never expected. From that moment, he had wanted to posses it – and her.
And now he did.
So many would think, at first glance, that he had followed in his father's footsteps and fallen prey to the same weakness, but they would be most mistaken. And it would not take them long to realize that mistake, and come to crave her as well. For in that, Naraku had been correct – youkai held dark souls, and Kagome called out to what made them youkai in the first place.
They would always want her light for themselves.
But none could have her, none but him, and that fact pleased him immensely. She was unique in all the world, and she belonged only to him.
For him to consider taking her as his mate, his wife, over a youkai female, she would have to be extraordinary, above the touch of any other female in existence. And she was, there was no denying it. There was not another like her in all the world, and there never would be, either. It was only fitting that she belonged to him, as he was also the most extraordinary – after all, there was not another like him in all the world, and there definitely never would be.
They were suited to each other.
No, I have not fallen to the same malady as my great and terrible father. I never understood his need of the hime, Izayoi. She was in no way out of the ordinary – of average intelligence, and with nothing more to recommend her than a fair face, and a less prejudiced heart than most. And to turn his back on everything that made him youkai, that made him inu... to abandon his mate, his wife, for any reason... I still do not understand.
I do not think I ever will.
She could not be anywhere near an equal to him... not like the miko is to me.
Kagome was intelligent; highly educated, with knowledge no one in his era had access to, she made him more than willing to give up his more taciturn nature and become almost loquacious in his desire to carry on conversations with her, to learn her mind, and more of her knowledge. With her knowledge of things as they are, and the future of these lands... no one else could ever interest me as she can.
And in the same way, he found himself desiring to share his world with her; there were things, sights, that none but he had ever seen, and he wanted to take her to see those places. Yes... once this is finished, we will travel. There are no limits, after all.
He glanced at her, only to find her lost in her own thoughts, and almost smiled...
Inuyasha, you are truly a fool. But I find myself actually thankful for that fact. Now, you will languish in darkness forever, and I will spend eternity basking in light and warmth.
How ironically fitting.
~oOo~
When they finally landed in a small clearing near the village, Kohaku did not even appear to be surprised by their presence, merely resigned – he could feel that Kagome had the rest of the jewel, and seemed to know exactly why they were there.
Landing lightly in front of a silent Sesshoumaru, he nodded at him, then looked with regret over at Kagome. “Please, Kagome-sama, tell my sister that I love her... and that I'm sorry for everything,” he said, with a finality that made her eyes tear up.
“You will tell her yourself, Kohaku,” Sesshoumaru cut in before anything else could be said. “Lay down on your stomach,” he said, waiting while the startled young male obeyed. He drew Tenseiga, then crouched down, and using one lethally sharp claw, cut the shard from the boy's neck. In the instant that the shard was removed, he went limp, and the daiyoukai stood and swiped the sword of life over his small form, before standing and sheathing it, watching as the little taijiya shuddered, then once more began to breathe.
When it was clear Kohaku would be alright, he turned and handed the shard to Kagome.
Kagome let out a sharp breath as the young man began to move, relief making her almost lightheaded that it had worked, and Kohaku would have the chance to live, free of Naraku's control. With a smile, she watched him turn over and sit up, looking around at everything as though seeing the world for the first time... and in a way, he was.
He was no longer under the threat of control by the spider, and he could look at the world through the eyes of someone who was enjoying his freedom.
It was a very different thing, to look out at everything with eyes no longer dulled by the fear of what you would be forced to do next.
Sesshoumaru, once assured that Tenseiga had cooperated with him, had turned his attention in the direction of the village. It wasn't more than a minute or two before he said, “Inuyasha comes. He senses the jewel, and my presence.” Looking back at Kohaku, he motioned for him to go stand beside Kagome and Ah-Uhn. “Guard my lady.”
The young taijiya didn't say anything, not even reacting with surprise at the Inu Lord's words, simply doing as ordered, and Kagome took a moment to wonder... had Kohaku known from his travels with the daiyoukai before of his interest in her?
She didn't get a chance to ponder on it for too long, though, as Inuyasha's loud, colorful language was soon audible to everyone, and Kagome dismounted from Ah-Uhn, determined to deal with the hanyou once and for all.
At this point, with his betrayals of her, she couldn't even find it in herself to worry about him – if he ended up going to hell, so be it. Their paths no longer coincided, and she was done with giving him everything, and gaining nothing for it but betrayal and pain. It was his actions that had placed her on the path she now walked, after all, and if he didn't like it, that was too bad.
I suppose it's too late for him to learn any lessons about life. And I'm finding that I don't even care anymore. Let him go to hell if that's what he wants. Maybe in his next life, kami will address his mistakes in this one. I leave it all to fate – he's no longer my problem. I have a husband to concern myself with now.
And that's how Inuyasha came upon them – with Sesshoumaru standing before Kagome and Kohaku, his stance protective and aggressive. It was clear to Inuyasha, and Sango and Miroku, who had also come, following along behind the hanyou when he'd torn out of the village with such enraged speed, that Sesshoumaru would not allow him anywhere near the young miko that had traveled with them for so long.
Of course, when Sango caught sight of Kohaku, her eyes clouded with grief – they all knew that Naraku had been defeated, since Miroku's wind tunnel had disappeared, and she feared the fact that his shard would soon be needed so that Kagome could destroy the Shikon no Tama.
The little miko quickly took care of that fear, even as Inuyasha eyed his elder brother belligerently. “Don't worry, Sango – Kohaku's already been freed of the shard.” At the slayer's astonished expression, Kagome smiled. “Sesshoumaru revived him after the shard was gone – you don't have to worry about losing him because of that ever again.”
A sob shook the proud elder taijiya's frame at the release of so much tension, then, even as Inuyasha glared at his brother. “Keh! So... you've gathered Kohaku's shard. Now you gotta go chase down the stupid wolf and take his away. And then what? You gonna take the jewel for yourself, bastard? Was all that crap about not needing it really just a load of bullshit?” he taunted.
Everyone in the clearing except Kagome and Kohaku were taken aback at the sudden change in Sesshoumaru's demeanor as he actually chuckled with sarcastic amusement at his brother.
“You are a fool, Inuyasha, as I have said before - repeatedly,” he said finally, eyes alight with something that had every hackle the hanyou possessed raising. “As much of one as Naraku was. I do not care about the Shikon no Tama, except in how it affects my miko. It is her duty to destroy it – and this one will see her finish that duty.”
“Your miko?” Inuyasha snarled dangerously, immediately bristling at that statement.
The voice that answered stunned him so badly that he actually stumbled backwards.
“Yes, Inuyasha... his miko. I belong to Sesshoumaru, now, and you are no concern of mine.” Ignoring his shocked and befuddled expression, as well as Miroku's and Sango's, for the moment, she opened her hand, and pulling the pouch that contained the rest of the jewel out, she placed what was, indeed, the final shard into its place, and then closed her hands. Eyes sliding shut, she poured her reiki into the jewel, forming it once more into a single entity, and purifying it completely at the same time.
And then she held it up for everyone to see, so all would know it was whole once more.
“And now it's time to rid this world of the threat this thing represents,” she said, staring at the Shikon with wise eyes. “It is said that only the right wish will destroy it, and I thought for many months on what that could possibly be. I think that I have finally figured it out,” she sighed.
Miroku regarded her steadily, somehow knowing that she had, indeed, come across the correct answer. “You have my support, Kagome. Do what must be done,” he said, and Sango, eyes still drenched, nodded.
Kagome smiled, ignoring Inuyasha's sputtering, and met her husband's eyes as he glanced at her over his shoulder, his expression clear in support of her. “I wish that whatever kami deem should happen, happens,” she said, her voice strong and clear. There was silence in the clearing for several moments as everyone within it watched the jewel fade away with one last, bell-like chime. She could see the pride in Sesshoumaru's eyes as he looked at her, and it made her feel wonderful – not once since he'd taken her from Naraku had he made her feel inferior in any way, as Inuyasha had always done.
Sesshoumaru's gaze, however, iced right back over as he turned to look at his younger half-sibling, his disdain of the hanyou that had caused such harm to his miko wife clear in his expression. “And now you have no reason to delay your departure to hell, Inuyasha,” he said coldly. “Naraku is dead, and the jewel you both coveted so much is gone.”
With a sadistic smirk at his suddenly wary brother, Sesshoumaru stepped back, and it quickly became apparent why: a portal was opening in the ground before them all, and as the rest of the group of people stared in shock, Inuyasha watched with trepidation.
Kagome caught on quite fast. “Kikyou's returning to take him to hell with her, now that Naraku's gone,” she blurted out, eyes wide. She glanced at the daiyoukai she was mated to. “How did you know this would happen?” she asked.
“I did not, not for certain, I only suspected,” he replied calmly, though he was paying close attention to her reaction. “Do you intend to interfere?”
She shook her head, holding his gaze solemnly. “Nope. He's made his choices, and it's not my problem any more.”
He was more than pleased at her words, her scent giving off her complete sincerity – she would not stop what was about to happen.
It was clear that neither Sango nor Miroku would interfere, either, and Sesshoumaru wasn't really surprised at that – their loyalty had always been more to Kagome than Inuyasha, and once he'd betrayed her...
It didn't take Inuyasha more than a few moments to realize just how alone he was, as he watched Kikyou's shade rise from the ground to stand before him. “It is time, Inuyasha. Naraku is dead, and now you must fulfill your vow to me.” She turned hate-filled eyes on Kagome, then, ignoring Sesshoumaru's warning growl, and smirked, a jagged, grotesque parody of the younger miko's own, brilliant, loving smile. “And there is no way you can stop me this time, bitch – I will see you suffer with his loss for the rest of your useless, wasted life.”
Before anyone else could say a word, a shocked Inuyasha spoke. “Kikyou! Is that the only reason you want me to go to hell with you – to upset Kagome?”
The dead woman glared at him. “What other reason could there be? Except to make you suffer in hell with me. Did you think I wanted you there because I cared?” she taunted. “Fool... you are merely a hanyou, beneath me in every way. I was lonely, in my first life, and that's why I spoke to you, no other reason. If you had become human, perhaps I would have given you a chance, but you didn't, and it is a moot point. You gave your word, and I'm going to make sure you hold to it. It's the only way to make Kagome suffer.”
Sesshoumaru shook his head with a smirk, even as Kagome sighed, saddened that Inuyasha had been so foolish as to give himself to such a woman. But as she'd said, it wasn't her problem any longer – he'd made his choices of his own free will, and now it was time to pay the piper. She was pulled from those thoughts by her husband's voice.
“You are mistaken, wench,” he said, his voice filled with arrogant amusement. “Kagome does not care what Inuyasha does any longer – he has no hold on her whatsoever.”
The shade of Kikyou glared at the daiyoukai, then turned to look at Kagome with heated eyes. “She lies to save face! Everyone knows of her feelings for the hanyou, and that she wants to be his wife!” Inuyasha even nodded at that – for so long Kagome had worn her heart on her sleeve when it came to him that even above his shock at Kikyou's words, and her true character emerging, was his belief that Kagome still loved him.
“That's pathetic, Kikyou. You can't face me directly, so you have to use someone else to try to hurt me. It won't work, though. Sesshoumaru is right – Inuyasha has no hold on me at all,” Kagome responded.
“W-what?” Inuyasha croaked.
Sesshoumaru's smug smirk widened, an expression of true pleasure crossing his face openly for all to see. “As a former miko, do you not know of inuyoukai and their mates?” he asked. “Once mated, a pair is linked forever, even into death.”
“So?!” snapped Kikyou. “All that means is that I should have let him mate her – and then taken him away. Still, this works, too. Now she has no hope of happiness!”
“The half-breed matters not to her happiness at all, miko,” he said coolly, “because she is the mate of this Sesshoumaru. Her happiness is dependent only on this one – and you will find that she is quite happy, correct, little mate?” he asked, glancing over his shoulder at her again, even as he ignored everyone elses shocked reactions to his words.
Kagome smiled sweetly at him, nodding. “Yes,” she said softly, though her voice was easily heard by all, “I am very happy as your wife, Sesshoumaru.”
Inuyasha, by this point bound by Kikyou's spell and unable to move, nonetheless gaped in shocked dismay at the words that he'd just heard. He couldn't believe it... his brother, the human-hating bastard of all bastards, had taken Kagome as his mate, and Kagome accepted him, and was happy? He couldn't believe it – he felt like he'd just wandered into a nightmare where nothing made any sense anymore.
Kikyou had never loved him, and was simply using him to try to hurt Kagome, who she despised, and Kagome had allowed his half-brother, who had always hated humans, and him, to mate her? And she was turning her back on him, allowing Kikyou to drag him to hell?
“K-keh,” he said weakly, beginning to struggle against the spell, no longer having any desire to go to hell, giving up his life for a vindictive, hate-filled shadow of a woman. But he couldn't seem to break free, and he looked over pleadingly at Sango and Miroku, and then at Kagome herself, guarded on each side by Kohaku and Ah-Uhn, and in front by Sesshoumaru.
Kikyou, on the other hand, was paying him no attention whatsoever, her eyes locked with Kagome's as though to test her veracity. And once she realized that Kagome was, indeed, telling the truth about her lack of love for Inuyasha, she let out an enraged scream, violent hatred bleeding into her eyes as she realized that it had all been for naught.
Kagome watched with rueful sadness as her once best friend was bound even tighter, and shook her head as he cast his eyes her way in a sudden panic. It was just too bad that he had to pay for his dishonorable behavior in such a manner, but that was fate's and the kami's decision, and she wouldn't attempt to interfere.
“I'm sorry, Inuyasha,” she said, regret staining her voice. “But this is the price, I suppose, for your actions. Kikyou will find the price for her actions very high when that portal closes, and in the end, will regret every bit of her hateful deeds. But it'll be too late for you. I can only hope that in your next life you're a lot smarter, and don't make the same mistakes. You won't be meeting Kikyou, though – she won't be reincarnating again.”
“Kagome, no,” Inuyasha cried, his eyes disbelieving. “You don't mean that, you can't mean that! You love me, I know you do!” he yelled, his denials gaining momentum as he went.
Kikyou narrowed her eyes at him, a suddenly calculating look on her face, and Kagome felt a shiver go through her; what was that madwoman planning now?
She found out with Kikyou's next words.
“It appears that my original plans will not do to gain that which I desire; the pain and suffering of Kagome and Inuyasha. So I think that I will revise my plans,” she said, an expression of hatred and gloating on her face. “Since Kagome has now given herself to the beast, I will leave Inuyasha here – at least this way, he can suffer through his inability to have that which he craves, and Kagome will have to deal with his unwanted presence, and the trouble he will cause in her new relationship,” she said spitefully. And then she glanced at the powerful daiyoukai standing ranged against her. “And to make sure that you cannot end my amusing little drama, I will make sure that you cannot kill Inuyasha. His life will always be mine to end as and when I see fit.”
Sesshoumaru narrowed his pinking eyes on her, and everyone else watched in shock as Inuyasha suddenly glowed a brilliant purple, before being released from the previous spell. Kagome watched on in dismay as Inuyasha completely ignored Kikyou and turned to stare at her with a determined expression in his eyes.
Shaking her head almost despairingly, Kagome turned to stare at Kikyou. “You've really done it now, Kikyou. You're going to regret ever being created by the kami. I feel sorry for you,” she finished sadly.
“I do not need your pity,” the dead miko spat, her virulent hatred almost visible.
But before she could finish, a shimmering began in the air around her, and it was her turn to be held immobile as two figures began to appear between Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru. Before the two could even be fully seen, it was clear what they were, the very air around them rich with power...
Kami.
The aura of sheer, overwhelming presence was impossible to miss, and Kagome had a slightly uneasy feeling watching as they became fully visible. Why would the kami become involved in a feud such as this? she wondered. Although... maybe it's because Kikyou was supposed to be a representative of them, and she betrayed her calling to turn to darkness?
The strained silence continued after the two had fully materialized, and Kagome watched breathlessly as they looked first at Inuyasha, then Sesshoumaru – and then turned to Kikyou with disapproving expressions on non-faces.
“You, once chosen priestess, are our greatest disappointment. You have fallen so far into darkness that even Sosa does not know you. The spell you have just pronounced on the hanyou will not avail you of your desired revenge, woman – you had no cause to attempt to harm either of the people here that you hate so much.” The second kami, faceless and nameless, began to speak as the first one fell silent.
“No, instead, Kagome's wish will usher in what we desire to come to pass.” With a long glance at a stiffening Sesshoumaru, they both nodded in satisfaction. “Listen, then, to what will be. Inuyasha, for your mistakes, you will be returned to a childish state. You did not have a chance to learn honor, since you were abandoned and reviled as a small child, forced to raise yourself with no guidance from anyone. This is the only reason that your punishment is not really a punishment, but instead, a chance to grow and learn, correctly this time.”
The first kami looked at Sesshoumaru, then.
“You should, as his elder brother, have taken him under your wing, and raised him. Your anger at him for his treatment of your mate is justified – yet at the same time, it is not, for if you wished him to have honor, then you should have taught him such. One has little time for honorable pursuits when trying to survive the assassination attempts of two races. For your oversight in this, your refusal to do your duty to one of your blood, simply because you were angry at your father's choices, you are now bound to provide, train, and protect the child your brother will be, until he is adult once more.”
Kagome stared at Sesshoumaru, worried at how he would take such a thing, and still astounded at the interference of the gods, let alone at what they were saying. But it appeared that the daiyoukai didn't know how to take what he was hearing – his eyes were slightly wide as he took in their words, but at the same time, didn't. It was clear he was too stunned to make any sense of what was being said.
Sango and Miroku watched, breathlessly, as the kami both turned to Kagome at that point.
“Kagome. As Sesshoumaru must be the father, so must you be the mother. You will raise him well, there is no question about that. It will be difficult to take care of one who hurt and betrayed you, but you will rise above, as you always do. You know our words are true – Inuyasha could hardly learn honorable behavior when consumed with simply surviving. This time, he will not have that bad upbringing - and so, if he still turns out as he is now, then it will be on his own head, and he will face our punishment at that time.”
Staring at the kami with confusion, and then at Inuyasha with trepidation, Kagome watched as they spoke their final words to the shocked hanyou. “This is your only chance to get things correct, Inuyasha. If you do not learn from it, then you will be lost forever to the void. There is a lesson for all of you in this, and that is the only reason we, as the kami, are interfering in this matter.”
With the still-stunned silence hovering over all in the clearing, Inuyasha became enveloped in a cyan-blue glow, one so bright that none could look at it. Once it faded, though, there were various sounds of surprise and shock – for on the ground before Sesshoumaru, where once an adult Inuyasha stood, was a tiny hanyou male child, little more than a toddler, really. Instantly, Kagome's heart twisted – he was adorable... and frightened, it appeared, and when the young miko moved towards him past her mate, the little boy turned wide eyes on her, took a sniff in her direction, and then threw himself into her arms, sniffling and shaking in fear.
“The child Inuyasha does not remember his adult actions, or his previous life. He equates your scent with safety, however, Kagome, and it will remain that way this time around. We will be watching,” they warned, though it was more directed at Sesshoumaru than Kagome. Turning to look once more at an enraged Kikyou with an air of finality, the kami shook their heads at her.
“Our time here is done, and so is yours. As we dissipate back into our realms, you will simply dissipate as though you never existed. Go now into oblivion, Kikyou.” And with that, they disappeared, Kikyou's despairing scream echoing in the clearing and causing a tiny Inuyasha to clutch to Kagome's clothing in fear at the loud noise as she faded away into nothingness.
Uncertain, questions in every set of eyes in the clearing save for Inuyasha's, the silence extended as they all waited to see just how Sesshoumaru was going to react...
Especially Kagome, as she held a tiny, frightened child to her and tried to think past the shock.
Oh... what were the kami thinking, to do something like this?
~oOo~
Brief Author's Note: I had planned to end this at three chapters, however, this little plot twist occurred to me, and I chose to go ahead and add it. Therefore, there will be at least one more chapter, possibly two, depending on how I play this out.
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