InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In Death, Trust Me, as You Didn't in Life ❯ See No Evil ( Chapter 23 )

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

Chapter 23: See No Evil

Kagura huffed in irritation.

Things weren't going so well for her lately. She'd been searching for this sorceress for two days now, and when she'd finally found where the woman lived, she'd arrived only to find her gone, and with no way to know when she'd be back.

This is really aggravating! I don't want to waste any more time than I have to here... I should have grabbed Kanna and made her stay with me. She was a lot more useful than I really ever paid attention to before.

Maybe I should cut this short and go track her down - once I have her, I can have her show me where the sorceress is - and at the same time, keep an eye on my demon Lord and that obnoxious miko.

She didn't have to think about it for long before coming to the conclusion that she really did have need of Kanna, so she tossed her feather in the air and took of, homing in on the feel of her so-called 'older sister'.

She chuckled. Older or not, she has no real will of her own, no purpose, so she can stick wih me, and I'll be her will and give her a purpose... serving me.

She shivered as she continued thinking about Kanna. Kanna, once choosing to serve under someone, was loyal beyond death - she wouldn't turn her back on one who gave her a purpose - because she didn't have one on her own. That's why Naraku had never feared her betrayal - unlike with Kagura and all his other incarnations.

But damn, I'd hate to be her. No will of her own, really, or very little, anyway, she's little better than a slave - and because she has no emotion, she doesn't even care.

No matter what, I can say for sure that I'm glad Naraku made me the way I am -sure, I rebelled a lot against him, and he hurt me for it - but at least I could feel it. And now that I'm free of that bastard, I mean to take what I want, and live, like I wasn't allowed to while he was around.

She looked below her as she slowly drew out of her thoughts, noting how far she'd come in such a short time, and smiled. At least that was one thing - her feather, with her power to control wind, could move almost as fast as Sesshoumaru's energy orb. It was definitely a plus.

Kanna was close, now, and she guided her transport close to the ground, then hopped off, letting it return to its small form and placing it back in her bun.

Come, Kanna, come see your sister.

She appeared to be heading right for her, so Kagura decided to sit down, finding some advantageously placed boulders, she relaxed, smiling with how things seemed to be looking up for her. She closed her eyes and let the sun warm her cheeks while she waited, almost dozing... there were no rampaging demons close by, so she was safe enough.

"Kagura."

She was so comfortable that she hadn't noticed the void child until she was upon her, and Kagura frowned as she sat up, slapping the girl's wrist with her closed fan.

"Don't ever sneak up on me again like that, Kanna!" She cast a disgruntled glare at the smaller demon, then stood. "Come on, let's go. You're going to stay with me now."

Kanna shook her head slowly, expression unchanging. "I serve another now. He is strong and can give me purpose - all that which I need."

The wind demon stared at Kanna with shock, her mouth hanging open. "You've found another master already? Who?!"

"The one who you would have as a mate, Kagura - the Western Lord. Of all those demons still on this plane of existence, his will is strongest by far." Her quiet voice tapered off for a moment, then she turned her empty gaze on the taller demon.

"If you are smart, you will give up this path you walk. He will never have you as a mate - and if you pursue this, you will soon join Naraku in hell. That is the only warning I will give you."

Kagura just stared at the girl, dumbfounded. For one thing, that was probably the longest speech that Kanna had ever made. As taciturn as Sesshoumaru could be, Kanna easily one-upped him there. And second - she had gone and found her own master, not waited for one that was strong enough to dominate her to find her.

And finally, she was warning her. She couldn't believe it. She grabbed her feather from her hair in disgust, casting it out and settling herself on it in complete silence.

This whole little side-trip had been more wasted time. Without another word, she shot away, disgusted.

Like I'm going to give up on what I want, now that I actually have the freedom to pursue it - if I die, then at least I tried.

But I have no intentions of dying.

See no evil...

---wWw---

Nyoko watched the little imp mutter sourly to himself and grinned widely. The tiny pest was just so easy to rile up! She really enjoyed picking on him - the only one she enjoyed pissing off more was Sesshoumaru himself.

And that was because it took so much more to do it. Getting him to actually lose his composure enough to look angry at you, let alone say something that he hadn't thought out and planned down to the nth degree, was the most difficult of tasks - and so, very worthwhile.

Of course, he knew she felt that way, and that made it even harder. The moment he caught sight of her, he'd lock down tight on his temper... and she'd start getting more and more outrageous in an attempt to get him to lose it.

In the modern world, this would be akin to poking a tiger in a cage with a stick - a very dangerous undertaking, and the reason that zoos had signs warning people not to tease the animals.

Perhaps Sesshoumaru should come with his own sign stating the same.

Not that Nyoko herself would pay any attention to it. She just had way too much fun pissing off the demon Lord to want to stop. In fact, after this last almost hundred-year-drought, she was adamant that it wouldn't be that long again before she wandered on over and spent some days - or maybe weeks - baiting the stoic Lord.

Nothing else in her life was anywhere near this entertaining - and with Jaken added in, it was two for the price of one.

Couldn't get a better deal than that.

"So, little, green, and warty, what's with the summons this time from his high and mightyness? Got any information for me?"

"No, you stupid ningen! Now stop bothering me. You can wait to talk to my Lord himself - and then maybe he'll finally get tired of you, and use his whip and chop you into pieces!" He cast her a foul glance, and thrust his staff in her face. "That would be one less filthy wench around... in fact, I hope he gives me the pleasure of setting you on fire with my staff of two heads!"

She pushed the thing away with one pointed finger, and shook her head, a laughing pout on her face. "Oh, but Jaken! Stop talking like that - you're going to make me think you don't like me!"

"I DON'T!" he squawked furiously, casting a murderous glance in her direction - one that she burst out laughing at.

He hissed at her as she patted him on the head with a condescending hand. "Now, now, Jaken, didn't your master ever tell you that it's not wise to piss off someone that's taller than you?" She put a mocking finger to her lips. "Oh, wait... that would be pretty much everyone - except Myouga." She squinted thoughtfully at the seriously angered toad, almost as if sizing him up. "Yeah... I think your taller than him, anyway."

Jaken spluttered with helpless rage for a few moments as she laughed, then prodded her with his staff rather forcefully. "Move it, wench. Keep walking, the sooner I can get you to Lord Sesshoumaru, the sooner I can get away from you."

"Awww, take away my fun." Her voice sharpened then, and he looked taken aback for a moment. "Tell me, bugbreath - what is the miko like?"

Jaken snapped his beak at her, then humphed and turned his head away. "A lot like you in some ways, you damn irreverent female. She's never shown the proper fear and adulation towards my master that she should - and she has a very bad temper," he finished, with a hand to his head in remembered pain.

Nyoko's eyes lit up at that, and she rubbed her hands together gleefully. "Oh, good! I really want to meet her!" She poked him hard in the back, then, pushing him forward as she lengthened her stride. "Come on, move it, toad, you're taking too long!"

With an outraged croak, he hurried to catch up.

Damn woman! Why couldn't my Lord give me another energy ball so I could travel quickly with her and get this trip over with?

If I spend much more time around her, I'm going to kill myself!!

---wWw---

Kagome stared at Sesshoumaru, a suspicious light in her eye.

Sesshoumaru stared back at Kagome, no light in his eye.

"Come on, Sesshoumaru... I know you're hiding something from me."

"And you are hiding something from me, mate. When you tell me, I will tell you."

She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted, then stomped a foot when he didn't respond to the pout. He raised a brow, obviously not impressed.

She drew in a deep breath, then let it out loudly, slumping. "Fine. Kikyou said that Kagura's best bet would be possession - she could make it appear that I had betrayed you in some way so that you would repudiate me, and then she would kill me."

Sesshoumaru stared at her, unimpressed. She was still not saying everything.

"Continue."

She glared at him. "Jerk. She said that maybe we should let Kagura possess me," she flinched as his eyes narrowed and flared red, and a growl suddenly filled the clearing, and finished in a rush, "she said she could teach me how to turn it around on her!"

He stalked up to her, staring down at her with rage clear in his eyes, though his facial expression did not change.

Voice more deadly quiet than she'd ever heard, he asked, "And were you fool enough to think that I would ever allow this?" he asked silkily.

She stared into his eyes, mesmerized, and shook her head slowly.

"You and the other miko will do nothing. Leave Kagura to me - her life is forfeit for threatening what is mine. Do you understand my words, Kagome?" he almost whispered, as he bent towards her, making her swallow hard, thoroughly chastened.

"Y-yes, Sesshoumaru. But... I would like Kikyou how to teach me to defend myself from a possession - is that okay?" she asked, almost timidly. Sesshoumaru, when he was like that, was completely capable of dominating her - she wouldn't even try to fight him on this.

She knew better.

Like any smart woman, she knew full well when she could push, and when she should submit - and this was a good instinct to have, especially in her position; after all, her soon-to-be-mate was a Dog demon - the alpha of alpha's, so to speak.

Learning when to submit was a must.

Not that Sesshoumaru wanted a submissive, whiny bitch. For the most part, he had no intention of enforcing dominance on his woman - but there were going to be times, and certain subjects, that he would not bend on, her safety being one of them, and she would have to learn that.

That thought brought something to mind. While they were definitely tied together by their oaths to each other, that wasn't to say that someone couldn't cause her great harm - she just wouldn't stay dead if she did die. Their one vulnerability, however...

Those same oaths.

If someone did ever succeed in making one think the other had betrayed them, and they rescinded those oaths... they would both be dead again.

"I will watch these lessons to be sure that she teaches you nothing else." He continued to stare at her for a few more moments to make sure she got the message, then relaxed his stance when she nodded compliantly.

Holding out his arm, he waited for her to take it, and was a bit perturbed when she hesitated, still staring at him with wide eyes filled with uncertainty. He leaned down and nuzzled into her neck, growling softly and soothingly for a moment to let her know he wasn't angry with her.

She sighed in relief, then took his arm and let him lead her back towards the group - everyone else was still finishing their noontime meal and so Sesshoumaru had led Kagome off for some quality interrogation time.

Before he reached the little meadow the others were relaxing in, he stopped, and staring out through the trees, he said, "There is something you need to know. You must never speak of our oaths to each other. They are our only real weakness - an enemy could destroy us both if they knew. Swear to me, Kagome, that you will not speak of this - not to anyone."

She nodded, immediately picking up on the possibilities if someone ever did find out, and not liking the implications.

"I... understand. I swear, I won't talk about it - I just hope no one already knows." Her brow furrowed as she thought about it. "Inuyasha could figure it out - if he ever really thinks about what happened when he brought us back."

He frowned slightly, still staring into the forest. "There is nothing we can do about those that might already know. I will deal with Inuyasha."

"Okay."

With that, he began moving again, escorting his miko back to the group so they could resume their journey back to the west.

It was still fairly slow going because of all the demons, although it had calmed a touch, as some had been killed off by higher level demons such as himself, and other warriors, and by fighting amongst themselves.

But they would soon reach the village...

And hopefully, Inuyasha.

It didn't occur to Kagome until after they were back on the road that he still hadn't confided anything in her, and she glared in his direction when she realized that.

Really sneaky, my Lord... but not sneaky enough.

You'll tell me when we stop for camp tonight - or else.

---wWw---

Inuyasha sat back under the branches of the Goshinboku, and stared out across the meadow towards the well. The well that had brought her into his life... into his bastard brother's life.

He knew he couldn't really blame anyone else for what had happened - for losing her, it was his own indecision that had caused it. He chuckled as his head tilted back against the tree, hitting it hard.

Ironic. Here I am, sitting above the grave that I dug for her - and the one I dug for him - and they aren't here... the only thing buried here now is a part of me.

But somehow, I have to come to terms with this - and quickly. I can feel the pricks aura heading straight for me... he's tracking me, and they'll get here tomorrow.

Meaning that Kikyou will be here tomorrow.

He sighed as he looked off into the distance, listening to the breeze as it whispered among the trees, and watched as it gently bent the grasses of the meadow.

I should just stay here after Sesshoumaru and Kagome leave into the west - but I can't. The lands need to be cleared of all these rampaging demons, and I need to help, since it was left to me while he was gone, and I didn't do what was needed.

But once that's done...

There won't be any reason for us all to stick together anymore.

It would be time for everyone to settle down, and get on with the lives they'd fought so hard to even have. Sango and Miroku would probably head back to her old village to rebuild, Kagome would leave with Sesshoumaru...

And he'd have to build a hut here for Kikyou. She'd want to stay near her sister, after all.

For himself, he'd rather go somewhere where he had no memories of Kagome - it was going to be very painful to try to make a life here with Kikyou when this village actually held more memories of him and the little time-traveling miko, then they did of he and the older priestess.

Keh. Seems I'm doomed to be surrounded by painful memories no matter what I choose. All the horrible things that happened to me and Kikyou - and all the time I spent with Kagome - time that's now lost beyond recovery.

He looked up at the sky, then, and grimaced.

"You know, father, I wish you'd never met my mother. You got lucky, she got pregnant, and I got a fucked up life. Tell me how that's fair?"

Another, stronger breeze suddenly gusted through the area, and suddenly, Inuyasha's hackles rose - something eerie entered the meadow, and his head snapped up as he looked around trying to pinpoint what it was, and where it was.

He was so intent on his surroundings, that he almost missed it, and when he finally did notice it, he almost fell out of his tree. A soft whisper, a voice...

"Inuyasha... my sweet son. I want you to be happy. Can you be happy with the miko who was once dead?"

Eyes as wide as they'd ever been, Inuyasha stared out into the meadow, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"M-mmother?" he squeaked, almost not able to call forth his voice at all.

"Yes, of course, Inuyasha." A silence, then, before a deep sigh came. "Your heart is so conflicted, my son. What would bring you ease?"

Inuyasha managed to choke out, "I don't think that's gonna happen anytime soon, mother."

"And yet, you must still make a choice. Tell me, Inuyasha... if I said I could give you what you want, what would you say?"

Another silence, this one shocked, on Inuyasha's part.

"Who would you choose if I could make sure you still had the choice?"