InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In Death, Trust Me, as You Didn't in Life ❯ These Fleeting Days ( Chapter 41 )

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

Chapter 41: These Fleeting Days

I only have a matter of days to figure out what to do with all the power that needs to be taken away from Ungai and his followers...

Kagome stared down into the village from her spot on the high hill leading into the forest, her aura confused and in turmoil.

I don't know anything about being a kami - and now they drop this on my shoulders and leave the fate of the world to me?

What if I fail?

Closing her eyes, she sighed, and almost desperately, she straightened her shoulders. Meditate... that's what I should do. Even if only to calm myself down so I can think clearly. So I can reach inside and find my center...

Within minutes, she had succeeded in dropping into a meditative trance - and in finding her center. As she calmed, her aura spread outwards, and without even realizing, she sent it out in a wash of calming energy, touching the souls of every living thing in all the lands with a sense of love, and peace.

The moment it reached Ungai, and his army, however, it recoiled... and so did Kagome herself.

Because what she felt in that moment - what touched her - wasn't normal, wasn't human.

It was, however, familiar somehow... if only she could place it.

Waking somewhat from her trance, she frowned, knowing that she'd felt that evil, that tainted aura once before.

But she couldn't remember quite where. Part of the problem, she was sure, lay in that the traces of the aura that she was feeling were extremely faint - she was absolutely positive that no one else, with the possible exception of Sesshoumaru, would even have felt it.

It was hiding itself...

And that was not a good thing.

Great. Wonderful. Something else to worry about. Just what is it that Ungai has gotten into?

She opened her eyes once more, and her frown deepened. Maybe it was time to go have a little talk with that monk... Ryozo. He was the only one that had dealt with Ungai recently, and if she had heard right, in the past as well.

He should know the old monk fairly well... and she needed answers.

Nodding determinedly to herself, she stood up and marched into the village, heading for Kaede's hut after pulling her aura back in and clamping down on it - she was tired of the obsequious bowing and scraping already, so shielding her aura was going to become a must.

She'd just have to talk to Sesshoumaru later about what she'd found - he had decided that he needed to meet with the demon contingent and speak of certain matters - without her presence - so it was his own fault if he didn't know what she was up to.

She growled to herself, annoyed. And after all that about not letting me out of his sight - not letting me leave his side. Hmph.

Arrogant demon...

If he's allowed to go off after telling me to 'go find something to do', then he can hardly complain that I went off and found something to do.

Pushing back the matting on the door of the hut, she poked her head in, and, finding both Ryozo and Miroku in the hut, she smiled and stepped in.

"Monk Ryozo," she said cheerfully. "Just the person I was looking for."

She almost chuckled at the young man's apprehensive expression.

With a firm look on her face, she trotted over to sit across from the suddenly nervous monk, and pinned him with azure eyes.

"You know Ungai." It wasn't a question, but nonetheless, Ryozo nodded. "Start talking. I want to know what he's been up to for the last year and a half or so, no, make that two years."

Ryozo narrowed his eyes thoughtfully on the dainty woman - no, goddess - and wondered what she could possibly be asking such a question for.

"The last... two years... uh... goddess, or..." he trailed off uncertainly, casting a confused glance at her, he asked, "what is the proper form of address for you?"

She sent him a mildly annoyed look as Miroku chuckled. "It's Kagome. That's it. Not kami or goddess. If you can't be comfortable with that, I suppose," she wrinkled her nose, "I could deal with Lady Kagome."

He bowed his head. "Lady Kagome, then. What is it that you want to know? Is there something specific?"

"I won't know until you tell me. Has anything significant happened in the last two years? Some major battle with evil spirits, or anything of that nature?"

"There was one," he said slowly. "A most difficult battle... Master Ungai was terribly injured - for a time we did not know if he would survive."

Her eyes narrowed on him commandingly.

"Tell me all about it."

He eyed her uncertainly, but then began speaking. "It was about fourteen months ago that we came on a dark miko practicing her arts. Apparently, she had summoned an evil spirit from hell in an attempt to further her own power, but was unable to control what she'd summoned." He frowned, and looked down, his face paling at the memory.

"It was a terrible battle. it took everything we had to finally seal the thing - we were unable to send it back whence it came, and as I said, Master Ungai was severely injured."

A certain unease took over Kagome's expression as she listened to his words, but at this point it was nameless, and she still wasn't sure what it was that was screaming at her.

"Sealed? Sealed how?"

"Sealed into an amulet that Master Ungai wears constantly. He does not take it off, not even to bathe - he says that he dare not do so, because what is sealed inside could possibly escape if he loses contact with it even once."

Kagome screwed her eyes shut and slapped a hand to her forehead with an irate groan. "Dammit!" Opening her eyes, she met Miroku's concerned gaze, and then Ryozo's confused one. "Didn't you guys once think that he didn't win that battle? Whatever it was that he was fighting, is what's controlling him! That's why he's seemingly gone mad."

Miroku frowned at his friend, and nodded. "Indeed, monk Ryozo, Kagome is correct. And more than likely, having been under this thing's control for so long now, the madness is permanent. He probably does not even realize he is being controlled at all."

He looked down as nervous fingers plucked at his robes for a moment, considering, then flashed a look back up at Kagome, ignoring Ryozo's astounded expression.

"What made you think of this, Kagome?"

She sighed, worry taking over her mind. "I was attempting to meditate a little while ago - trying to calm down and figure out how I'm supposed to fix all this. When I did, without thinking about it, I released my aura," Miroku and Ryozo nodded, as they both had felt it, "but when it reached Ungai... I felt something... else, for lack of a better word."

"... Else?" he asked.

"Yeah. But the thing is, whatever it was... Miroku, I recognized it. Well, I can't remember where I've come across it," she said, with another frown, "but I know that I've felt it before. That's why I came looking for you, monk Ryozo. Because you knew Ungai - and what he'd been up to all this time."

Hand caressing his chin thoughtfully, Miroku's brow furrowed as he thought about it. "You said, Ryozo, that the dark miko had summoned something from hell?" he questioned, and Ryozo nodded. With a disconcerted and deeply uneasy look at Kagome, he asked, "So, then... what spirits have we fought and sent to hell?"

They exchanged worried looks - the list was very short...

And very deadly.

---wWw---

Satori stopped her descent as she noticed the female floating on a feather, watching the clearing where her son was meeting with quite a few other demons.

She glanced down, and then wrinkled her nose when the stench of neko hit it. Huh. And I thought I taught him better than to associate himself with riffraff. She looked back to the demoness on the feather, and narrowed her eyes. She scents of that spider half-demon my son and his mongrel brother were after for so long. What does she think she is doing?

Curious, she changed her form once more, mid-air, taking on her elegant humanoid form, and floated down to the rather weak woman. Wind demon. Not all that strong, really.

Reaching out with her youki, she wrapped it around the stunned female, and turned her forcefully.

"So..." she lifted an idle hand and stared at her nails, "mind telling me why you are spying on my son?"

Kagura stared in shock at the beautiful female before her, and then began to struggle as anger took over. "Why are you holding me like this? I haven't done anything to you!"

One elegant brow rose in amusement as she watched the woman fight against her. "So what? I'm doing it because I want to. And I won't let you go until you tell me what I want to know." She frowned slightly, then, and looked back down at the group on the ground. "Well... maybe not even then."

"I'm not telling you anything!" she managed to growl out, and then something occurred to her. "Wait... did you say... son?"

"I did. Sesshoumaru is my son."

"Oh..." Kagura thought about that for a moment, but then scowled up at Satori. "Well, I don't care! Let me go!"

She chuckled, getting every kind of kick out of tormenting the helpless woman. Smiling sadistically, she tightened her youki around her victim. "Oh... I don't think so." Turning slightly, she began to lower herself towards the ground, pulling the female with her.

Sesshoumaru stiffened as he felt his mother's youki wash over him, and then his eyes narrowed in temper as he looked up, and caught sight of what she was bringing along with her. As his lady mother landed gracefully before him, his hands twitched almost imperceptibly, and he watched, face blank, as Kagura was almost dropped on her face behind his mother.

He said not a word as he stared his mother down, though he was well aware of the high-level of interest from the other demons in the clearing - and of Touran's and her panther kin's irritation at the sight of Satori.

Finally, she sighed, and said, "Well, Sesshoumaru? No words of welcome for your mother?" Her brow rose mockingly. "Even when I bring you a gift... this female I found spying on you?"

Sesshoumaru studied her for a moment, then looked down at Kagura. The wind witch's eyes widened when his gaze met hers - it was cold, and sadistic.

"Kagura. I told you before never to come near me again."

She glared mutinously at him, but was unable to speak, as Satori had her held so tightly that she still couldn't break free.

"I can see you do not find this female in the least amusing, my son. Why is it that she follows you, then?"

"She wants what she cannot have. Tell me, mother, what is that you really do here?"

She laughed at him, ignoring the raised brows and pointed stares from the other demons. "Now why do you think I'm here, Sesshoumaru? There's going to be a fight, and you didn't even think to invite your mother. And you know how much I enjoy such things."

"What do you intend to do with the witch?" he asked, completely ignoring her words, and Kagura herself.

She glanced down at the glaring woman, enjoying the helpless anger written on her face, then tilted her head thoughtfully. "Well, it has been a long time since I've had such an amusing servant. I suppose I will take her into my service for a time." With that, she took a small beaded collar from her obi, and gestured quickly, watching as it settled around Kagura's neck and tightened.

Once it was seated, she released her from her youki, and the now red-faced woman jumped to her feet angrily. Reaching up, she tried to yank off the collar - but was unable to.

Satori watched her for a moment, then a bored look crossed her face, and she waved a hand at the woman. "Keep still." She glanced at her son, then said, "I suppose I will be off now... but I will return when it's time for battle - maybe sooner, if I can find something entertaining to do."

With that, she looked around the clearing at the now silent demons, a scowl crossing her face as she growled at Touran, who returned it with a hiss - and then she wrapped herself and her new servant in her youki, and disappeared.

Eyes dangerously narrowed, Sesshoumaru turned back to the group of demons, and set his irritation with his mother aside... there would be plenty of time later to deal with her.

Although, I must admit, seeing her turn Kagura into her bitch was rather amusing - that is one thing I do not have to concern myself with. Now that mother has collared her, Kagura will not be a problem again.

That thought was strangely satisfying - there were times that his mother's antagonistic and bitchy behavior came in handy, and even satisfied his own antagonistic tendencies.

This was definitely one of them, though if she tried to cause problems with his miko...

He was completely sure that his mother did indeed know of Kagome, though she probably didn't yet realize that his miko now had a divine aspect.

As he continued talking to his demonic allies, the thought crossed his mind that he was not really thrilled that his little miko was now kami instead.

As if there was not enough responsibility towards others on her... I do not like that more of her attention will be taken from me as a kami. Her mind should only be on me, and our children.

I will have to think on this, and find some way to negate this divine power that is now within her.

---wWw---

Inuyasha's head snapped up the moment he felt the touch of that aura - he knew who it was immediately, though it was so strong he was astounded - and worried.

What's happened to the wench? Obviously, she's back, but... something's different.

He scowled as he thought about what she might have gotten herself into now, and then was startled out of his thoughts by the sorceress and Kanna both twisting to turn and look back in the direction of the village.

Kanna was the first to move - she turned her mirror towards Nyoko and Inuyasha, bringing up a view of Kagome... and she was glowing.

Literally.

He stared at the mirror, taken aback.

"The miko is a miko no longer," she whispered.

Inuyasha glared at her. "What the fuck d'ya mean, she isn't a miko anymore?" he almost shouted. He and Kagome may no longer be in the cards, but he would always love her and worry over her.

Nyoko scowled back at him. "Listen, puppy," she spat out, "there's no need to yell at Kanna, she didn't do anything to Kagome!"

"Feh! I don't care, I just want to know what she's talkin' about!"

Kanna spoke again, and both got quiet so they could hear what she had to say.

"She journeyed to the realm of the kami - and is now one herself. That is why she glows so - and why we could feel her, even here. She is Amaterasu's newest daughter," she finished, not surprised at the astounded looks on the other's faces.

Inuyasha plopped down on his ass as he heard that, not sure what to make of this twist. "Wh-what?" he spluttered, shaking his head as he attempted to make sense of her words. "Kagome is a... kami?"

Kanna nodded, her brow rising, along with Nyoko's, when the half-demon began laughing hysterically, almost pounding the ground with his fists.

The two females exchanged confused glances, and then Nyoko asked, "What the hell's so funny?"

"Sh-she can b-barely point her miko p-powers the right way... and now she's got the power of a kami? Oh, shit," he gasped out, "this is gonna get really crazy, really fast."

Nyoko frowned at him. "She used to be that way, Inuyasha, but you know she isn't now. She has very good control."

"Yeah," he said, as he clutched his now aching stomach and panted, trying to keep from laughing anymore, "but Kagome, a kami? It's just... oh, I don't know... such a Kagome thing to happen. She could never do anything the easy way," he finally sighed. "That girl is a walking disaster. She attracts messes like Sesshoumaru attracts icicles."

A twisted grin made it's way onto the sorceress' face as she thought about that. "Well, I have to agree with you about your brother, anyway. I've always enjoyed messing with him. Trying to melt that icicle is highly entertaining, though I've never succeeded," she sighed. "I think it's a permanent attachment."

He rolled his eyes at that. "Yeah, it's been there ever since I can remember." He shook his head, then sighed again, and stood back up, looking in the direction Ungai's army lay. "If it weren't for all this shit, I'd really enjoy taunting his uptight ass... but I don't think we have very much time left."

Nyoko sobered up at that. "I think your right, Inuyasha. Time is fleeing from us. I can only hope that this new development," she smiled a little at him as he returned it, "with Kagome, is a good thing for us."

Inuyasha chuckled, and looked back in the direction his village lay. "Yeah. As long as she can figure out which way to point it, as I said earlier."

Neither one noticed as Kanna briefly glowed along with her mirror - or when the image of Kagome in the mirror suddenly looked straight at them with an irate scowl.

But Kanna had a very slight smile on her face as she imagined the greeting the half-demon was going to get from the female deity he had just been making fun of.

None of them ever realized that my mirror is a two-way connection - as long as I choose it to be so.

---wWw---

A/N: (gasp) Who would have ever thought that Kanna had the soul of a prankster? Maybe Sesshoumaru made a slight miscalculation pairing her up with Nyoko, of all people...

I am very curious to see if anyone guesses the direction that my little hairpin turn is going in? I think I was pretty obvious with who they are really facing - I mean, come on, Ungai wasn't an ass in the anime, really, just clueless - and then here, in my fic, he's insane. Something had to happen in the meantime for him to go from one to the other, right?

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