InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In Death, Trust Me, as You Didn't in Life ❯ Unpleasant Tasks ( Chapter 71 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: kanna37 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Hentai / Drama / Adventure / Action | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 06.22.2011 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.5K | Visits: 506 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Hentai / Drama / Adventure / Action | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 06.22.2011 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.5K | Visits: 506 | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter 71: Unpleasant Tasks
With a terrible, mean smirk towards the sleeping hanyou, Kagome glanced over at her mate, and then winked, before turning back to bend over Inuyasha, that wicked gleam becoming more pronounced - just before she allowed a small jolt of electricity to flow from her fingers into his shoulder.
Jumping back, she almost fell over, giggling at his shouts and tantrums, his confused, glaring eyes just too much for her. Her mate eyed her ruefully – it had been greatly amusing, yes, watching the half-breed jump like a spanked pup, but the smell of burned hair was a bit nauseating.
As the rest of the group, roused by Inuyasha's ranting and Kagome's laughing, came streaming to the base of the tree the hanyou had claimed and slept under, Sesshoumaru sighed, and held up an imperious hand at the instant babbling from all those gathered.
Nyoko was the only one not asking what was wrong; from her intended's ranting, and his smoky appearance, she had a pretty good guess, and was highly amused. Walking over to Kagome as Sesshoumaru chastised the others for all talking at once, she said in an aside, “Is there any way to change that collar to do that when I say something, rather than your old 'sit' command?”
Kagome, still giggling madly, thought about that between laughs, and finally, a very mean grin stretched across her face as Inuyasha began to back away from the two women with his hair standing on end.
“Kagome, don't you dare,” he began, pausing when Nyoko looked at him blandly, his hackles raising even further. Not even Sesshoumaru could look so threatening with no expression on his face, and he'd been perfecting that look for centuries. “Wench...!” He broke off that time when a glowing green whip smacked against his chest, and glared over at his overbearing brother.
“I believe I already told you, Inuyasha, not to address my mate by that uncouth name again,” he said, that same blank stare now being directed at him by his brother, as well, and with a shudder, he subsided, simply glaring at everyone but his mother and father, who were watching the contretemps with amusement.
After being certain Inuyasha would not respond, Sesshoumaru addressed the group of people that had been so involved in the battle in so many ways.
“Kagome and I have set in motion the beginning of the changes needed, but now it is time to address a different circumstance-” he gestured around them all at the disturbed earth and boundless dead that surrounded the entire region, “-and repair the damage done here.”
With a petulant glare, Inuyasha snapped, “You two are all-powerful gods, asshole, why don't you just stick your aristocratic nose in the air and wave your hand or something?”
Not amused, Sesshoumaru glanced at his now sobered mate, and Kagome nodded. Moving to stand next to him, she said, “Because you aren't getting out of it that easy, Inuyasha. This is a lesson for all of us, and all of us are going to work on repairing the damage done. I want to make sure that no one here ever forgets this – so that it doesn't happen again. If Sesshoumaru and I just made it disappear, people might begin to think that we will always make the bad things disappear-”
“-and we will not. And believe me, half-breed... we are not all powerful. Not even Amaterasu is.” He eyed his brother, and then smirked. “It is, of course, apparent that we are far more powerful than you – but then, that does not require much,” he finished snidely, and Kagome frowned as Inuyasha raised a clenched fist at his brother and cursed him out.
“Enough!” Sugimi finally snapped, eyeing both his sons irately. “You two squabble worse than pups with less than a century under their belts! There is work to be done, ne?” he asked, and both males reluctantly met their father's gaze with nods. “Then why don't we get to it?”
The entire group watched the elder daiyoukai discipline his sons, surprised that Sesshoumaru, especially, would tolerate it. Kagome, however, was not – she well knew the respect he had for his father. He would never, despite the fact that he, as a god now definitely outranked him, show him disrespect. And she knew for a fact, though he would never say it aloud, that he was happy that his father was alive once more. Though he could always see him by stepping into the other realms, it wasn't the same as him being among the living, and also, Kagome was quite sure that he looked forward to watching his father show his younger brother a thing or two about behavior.
Yes, Sesshoumaru was quite happy to have his father back.
After a few more choice words in his sons directions, he looked around at the group before him, one that was getting larger as more people awoke and joined them. It was time to gather what was left of his forces, not that many were gone thanks to Kagome's actions, and begin to restore order in the region.
First things first...
“Satori,” he snapped, turning to look at the mother of his eldest son and heir, “since you took it upon yourself to drown the area in blood, and you didn't even care if it was the blood of our enemies or not, you will be the one to begin preparing a burial mound to hold the bodies of those of our enemies that the carrion have not already eaten.”
The woman narrowed her eyes at Sugimi and growled, and Sugimi snarled back, his eyes flashing red. “Do I have to repeat the lesson in dominance I subjected you to just before the battle?” he snapped, and Sesshoumaru cocked an interested brow.
Sullenly, Satori bared her neck submissively after a moment of glaring with near hatred at her son's father, and even more hatred at the human hime that stood near him, protectively covered by his scent and aura. After a moment of anger when the woman didn't even so much as flinch, Satori turned on her heel and began to leave, dragging Kagura behind her by force of will.
But the wind witch's pitiful look behind her at Sesshoumaru netted no pity, and Inuyasha laughed coarsely at the pathetic expression.
“Keh! Stupid bitch – why you lookin' at the ice prince for pity? He ain't got none – especially for the likes of you.”
Nyoko chuckled, but spoke one word, the one word Kagome had whispered to her before going to stand with her mate, and the air was suddenly filled with curse words as Inuyasha was once more zapped, proving that Kagome had fulfilled Nyoko's request for a 'shock collar'.
“While I agree with you about Kagura, Inuyasha, still, you don't need to be egging it on. Leave it alone.” She looked over at Sugimi, who was watching with interest. “What do you want he and I to do?” she asked.
Despite the fact that Kagome and Sesshoumaru were the gods here, everyone was deferring to Sugimi, and the two divinities really had no problem with that – after all, they didn't have to run everything.
Sugimi eyed his foul-mouthed son, and then frowned, not liking what he was hearing. “Inuyasha, be silent. You will not use such language in front of my hime. Your mother deserves more respect than that,” he said to the chagrined young man. After a moment of contemplation, he said, “I would like you two to go gather all our hanyou and human allies, and bring them to the command tent. There is much that needs to be discussed.”
With a nod, Nyoko took ahold of one fluffy ear and proceeded to drag her intended off, lecturing him all the while on using appropriate language when in the presence of a lady. Izayoi couldn't help but find the whole thing interesting – and amusing. As much as she loved her son, he really needed some refinement. After all, he was the son of royalty on both sides – his father a daiyoukai of incomparable stature, the former Lord of the West, and herself, a hime of the house of Setsuna.
It was time Inuyasha was taken in hand, and she, and Nyoko, were just the women to do it.
She turned her attention back to her mate, listening to him hand out directions to all those gathered around, before turning to head back to the command tent. She followed, noting that Sesshoumaru and Kagome also did. With a sigh, she glanced sideways at her mate's older son. It will be difficult to be comfortable around him – after our bad past. He was so cold and hard back then, and it affected everything – caused my death in a roundabout way, which directly affected Inuyasha's life, leaving him cast to the wolves at a much younger age than he should have been.
It was true that she didn't hate Sesshoumaru, though some people would think she would have every right, and at one time, she had. But it had been centuries, and she wasn't one to hold grudges for that long. She could understand Sesshoumaru's hatred and anger, his hurt at what he had perceived for so long as his father's rejection.
It was obvious that he greatly desired his father's love and respect, and he had reacted as a rejected child would have. It didn't make the things he'd done right, but it was obvious that he had grown, matured, and changed a great deal – thanks to Kagome.
She turned her thoughts to the little miko – or the one who had once been a miko, and smiled inwardly. The woman was truly something else, and she couldn't help but be thankful that her son had met her. After all, it wasn't just Sesshoumaru that Kagome had changed, she had positively affected Inuyasha as well, giving him hope and someone who loved him as he was, even if that love wasn't meant to be romantic. It showed him that he could be loved, and that was the most important thing – and had led him to the one who would make him happy.
Despite the way it had seemed in the beginning, she was quite grateful to the young goddess, and felt the need to speak to her and Sesshoumaru the moment she had a chance.
As they entered the tent, she sighed inwardly as determination settled inside her – there was history between she and Sesshoumaru to finish, and gratitude that needed to be expressed to Kagome.
She wouldn't be able to move on until that had been done... and she wanted to move on.
Kagome had given her a chance at a new life, this time with her mate at her side, and a future no one could take away.
That was a gift she had no intention of wasting.
~oOo~
Sesshoumaru looked at his mate once they reached the front of the tent and sat down. “What do you intend to do, beloved?” he asked softly, knowing that his little mate wasn't looking forward to dealing with so much death and destruction.
A soft look crossed her face as she looked at the male she would never have thought of as her one, until she had died. Death really makes you look at things differently, I guess, she chuckled to herself. With a slight sigh, she said, “I believe you and I should deal with those of the enemy army that survived and were captured, don't you agree?”
It didn't take even a moment of thought to know what she was getting at, and he nodded, knowing she was right. They were the only ones that could judge those who had been ranged against them – judge their hearts, and decide what to do with them.
“You are correct, my mate-” he cast her a concerned glance, “-but you do not have to do this. I can do it on my own, and you could find something else to do, such as healing those who are injured, or something else less... stressful.” With that statement, Kagome fell even more in love with her mate. He had just proven how well he knew her heart.
She wasn't looking forward to doing what needed done, because there were those who would find death in their judgment this day, and she was never one to like handing out death. This would be hard on her, but it needed done, and she wouldn't shirk her duty. But that Sesshomaru had asked her... it let her know that he understood her, and was willing to shoulder those things she didn't like, so she could be happy.
'I love you more every second, do you know that, Sesshomaru?' She sent a wave of love and longing at him, inundating him in every emotion she had for him, leaving him stricken silent and unable to voice his own feelings. Instead, he returned her wave of love with his own, supporting her, and bolstering her confidence and will to do what needed done.
Aloud, she said, “No, much as I'm grateful for your concern, beloved-” she blushed at how easy the endearment was for such a stoic being, “-I can't only take on the easy parts of the job. I have to do the dirty work, too. We'll both do what needs done this day.”
He eyed her for a moment with concern, then nodded finally, and looked over at his father, who was watching the byplay between the two with a sharp, knowing gaze.
“Where will you conduct these judgments, Sesshomaru?” he asked, and the younger daiyoukai looked up at his father thoughtfully.
Just then, a rumble in the ground caught everyone's attention, and Sesshomaru smirked when he realized it was his mother doing as she was ordered – digging what was, in essence, a mass grave. Looking out of the tent, he noted that she appeared to be digging it right in the center of the field of battle.
Miroku, who was also watching, slowly said, “Perhaps that would be a good place, Sesshomaru-sama – where those you are questioning can see the fate of those who chose wrongly.”
Several people nodded in agreement, as did Kagome, though hers was reluctant.
The daiyoukai pondered that for a few moments, and then inclined his head, as well. “That is an acceptable suggestion.” He stood up, absently reaching down a hand to help his mate to her feet, and led her out of the tent, towards the area his mother was working in.
Kagome, despite her angst at what was to come, couldn't help the snort of laughter at the sight of Sesshoumaru's mother in her inu form, digging a huge hole in the ground. It was just so... so... wrong. She didn't miss her mate's sideways glance, and the picture that flashed through her mind then almost dropped her – her stoic mate digging gigantic holes in the landscape, trying to figure out where he hid his bone.
'I do not find your thoughts amusing, mate,' came his offended voice in her mind, and she shot him a look filled with mirth.
“Oh, but I do, Sesshoumaru, I really, really do.” Shaking her head, she laughed once more before sobering as they closed on his mother's position. The female inu had once more switched into her humanoid form, and was standing at the edge of the pit she had dug, staring into the depths.
As they approached, she asked, “Do you think this is deep enough?” in a sarcastic tone, and Sesshoumaru shot her a reprimanding look.
“It appears to be. It would be in your best interests to leave, now,” he said coldly, holding her gaze challengingly. “I will not tolerate your disrespect towards me or my mate.”
After a moment, she turned with a disgusted look and walked away, Kagura following dejectedly behind her. She hadn't gotten the chance to ask Inuyasha to help her free herself from Satori, and no one else would think to do so after her behavior over Sesshoumaru. She certainly didn't dare approach Kagome herself – the woman's overprotective mate would probably kill her.
It looked like she was stuck as a slave to the vindictive inu female...
After a few moments watching his mother walk away with a thoughtful look on his face, he turned to Miroku, who had followed them out, and said, “Have those who were captured brought here to us.” The monk nodded and turned to walk off, heading towards the captured forces that were under guard.
There were quite a lot of them, and it would take some time for Sesshomaru and Kagome to finish.
Kagome glanced at Sango, and then sighed. “I imagine that those who surrendered should be put to work bringing the dead here for burial – why don't you go talk with Sugimi-sama and ask him to have it done? There's a lot of dead, and it's going to take a while to get them all taken care of.” Her nose wrinkled in disgust as she thought of something. “There's one good thing about all the carrion eaters that were here all night – the worst of the dismembered bodies will already be gone. I suppose those who have to carry them will be thankful for that.”
Sango simply nodded before heading back to the tent – this particular battle was different in that its end would not leave the field choked with slowly rotting bodies. Most times, the dead of a battle were simply left where they fell, and there were many such battlefields littered across the landscapes of Japan.
But Kagome wasn't about to have that – this particular field would be different, and in the end, maybe it would be the last one, if things worked and the world was changed, going back to the way things were supposed to be.
One could only hope.
Eyeing the area that they would be working in for the day, Kagome shook her head, and with no warning, several soft, fluffy cushions appeared under a light colored awning.
Sesshoumaru glanced curiously at her; she shrugged with a sheepish smile.
“Well, we are going to be here all day – why sit on the hard ground? I'd definitely get very grouchy as the day wore on and I got more and more uncomfortable.”
He nodded after a moment and strode over to the shaded spot, sitting down gracefully, he extended a hand to her, waiting for her to take it and sit at his side.
He watched the first captives move sullenly over towards them, and without looking at her, said, “You are certain you wish to do this, mate? It will not upset me if you choose another task. I know your heart is gentle, and I do not wish to see it harmed,” he finished softly.
After a moment of staring at the coming group of people, she looked down at her lap and sighed deeply, the sound sad. But her voice when she answered was firm.
“No. As much as I dread this responsibility, it's not something I could leave to another. I... have to be part of this. I'll be alright, Sesshomaru.”
No more was said on the subject as the first of the captives were brought to stand before them, and the judgments began.
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With a terrible, mean smirk towards the sleeping hanyou, Kagome glanced over at her mate, and then winked, before turning back to bend over Inuyasha, that wicked gleam becoming more pronounced - just before she allowed a small jolt of electricity to flow from her fingers into his shoulder.
Jumping back, she almost fell over, giggling at his shouts and tantrums, his confused, glaring eyes just too much for her. Her mate eyed her ruefully – it had been greatly amusing, yes, watching the half-breed jump like a spanked pup, but the smell of burned hair was a bit nauseating.
As the rest of the group, roused by Inuyasha's ranting and Kagome's laughing, came streaming to the base of the tree the hanyou had claimed and slept under, Sesshoumaru sighed, and held up an imperious hand at the instant babbling from all those gathered.
Nyoko was the only one not asking what was wrong; from her intended's ranting, and his smoky appearance, she had a pretty good guess, and was highly amused. Walking over to Kagome as Sesshoumaru chastised the others for all talking at once, she said in an aside, “Is there any way to change that collar to do that when I say something, rather than your old 'sit' command?”
Kagome, still giggling madly, thought about that between laughs, and finally, a very mean grin stretched across her face as Inuyasha began to back away from the two women with his hair standing on end.
“Kagome, don't you dare,” he began, pausing when Nyoko looked at him blandly, his hackles raising even further. Not even Sesshoumaru could look so threatening with no expression on his face, and he'd been perfecting that look for centuries. “Wench...!” He broke off that time when a glowing green whip smacked against his chest, and glared over at his overbearing brother.
“I believe I already told you, Inuyasha, not to address my mate by that uncouth name again,” he said, that same blank stare now being directed at him by his brother, as well, and with a shudder, he subsided, simply glaring at everyone but his mother and father, who were watching the contretemps with amusement.
After being certain Inuyasha would not respond, Sesshoumaru addressed the group of people that had been so involved in the battle in so many ways.
“Kagome and I have set in motion the beginning of the changes needed, but now it is time to address a different circumstance-” he gestured around them all at the disturbed earth and boundless dead that surrounded the entire region, “-and repair the damage done here.”
With a petulant glare, Inuyasha snapped, “You two are all-powerful gods, asshole, why don't you just stick your aristocratic nose in the air and wave your hand or something?”
Not amused, Sesshoumaru glanced at his now sobered mate, and Kagome nodded. Moving to stand next to him, she said, “Because you aren't getting out of it that easy, Inuyasha. This is a lesson for all of us, and all of us are going to work on repairing the damage done. I want to make sure that no one here ever forgets this – so that it doesn't happen again. If Sesshoumaru and I just made it disappear, people might begin to think that we will always make the bad things disappear-”
“-and we will not. And believe me, half-breed... we are not all powerful. Not even Amaterasu is.” He eyed his brother, and then smirked. “It is, of course, apparent that we are far more powerful than you – but then, that does not require much,” he finished snidely, and Kagome frowned as Inuyasha raised a clenched fist at his brother and cursed him out.
“Enough!” Sugimi finally snapped, eyeing both his sons irately. “You two squabble worse than pups with less than a century under their belts! There is work to be done, ne?” he asked, and both males reluctantly met their father's gaze with nods. “Then why don't we get to it?”
The entire group watched the elder daiyoukai discipline his sons, surprised that Sesshoumaru, especially, would tolerate it. Kagome, however, was not – she well knew the respect he had for his father. He would never, despite the fact that he, as a god now definitely outranked him, show him disrespect. And she knew for a fact, though he would never say it aloud, that he was happy that his father was alive once more. Though he could always see him by stepping into the other realms, it wasn't the same as him being among the living, and also, Kagome was quite sure that he looked forward to watching his father show his younger brother a thing or two about behavior.
Yes, Sesshoumaru was quite happy to have his father back.
After a few more choice words in his sons directions, he looked around at the group before him, one that was getting larger as more people awoke and joined them. It was time to gather what was left of his forces, not that many were gone thanks to Kagome's actions, and begin to restore order in the region.
First things first...
“Satori,” he snapped, turning to look at the mother of his eldest son and heir, “since you took it upon yourself to drown the area in blood, and you didn't even care if it was the blood of our enemies or not, you will be the one to begin preparing a burial mound to hold the bodies of those of our enemies that the carrion have not already eaten.”
The woman narrowed her eyes at Sugimi and growled, and Sugimi snarled back, his eyes flashing red. “Do I have to repeat the lesson in dominance I subjected you to just before the battle?” he snapped, and Sesshoumaru cocked an interested brow.
Sullenly, Satori bared her neck submissively after a moment of glaring with near hatred at her son's father, and even more hatred at the human hime that stood near him, protectively covered by his scent and aura. After a moment of anger when the woman didn't even so much as flinch, Satori turned on her heel and began to leave, dragging Kagura behind her by force of will.
But the wind witch's pitiful look behind her at Sesshoumaru netted no pity, and Inuyasha laughed coarsely at the pathetic expression.
“Keh! Stupid bitch – why you lookin' at the ice prince for pity? He ain't got none – especially for the likes of you.”
Nyoko chuckled, but spoke one word, the one word Kagome had whispered to her before going to stand with her mate, and the air was suddenly filled with curse words as Inuyasha was once more zapped, proving that Kagome had fulfilled Nyoko's request for a 'shock collar'.
“While I agree with you about Kagura, Inuyasha, still, you don't need to be egging it on. Leave it alone.” She looked over at Sugimi, who was watching with interest. “What do you want he and I to do?” she asked.
Despite the fact that Kagome and Sesshoumaru were the gods here, everyone was deferring to Sugimi, and the two divinities really had no problem with that – after all, they didn't have to run everything.
Sugimi eyed his foul-mouthed son, and then frowned, not liking what he was hearing. “Inuyasha, be silent. You will not use such language in front of my hime. Your mother deserves more respect than that,” he said to the chagrined young man. After a moment of contemplation, he said, “I would like you two to go gather all our hanyou and human allies, and bring them to the command tent. There is much that needs to be discussed.”
With a nod, Nyoko took ahold of one fluffy ear and proceeded to drag her intended off, lecturing him all the while on using appropriate language when in the presence of a lady. Izayoi couldn't help but find the whole thing interesting – and amusing. As much as she loved her son, he really needed some refinement. After all, he was the son of royalty on both sides – his father a daiyoukai of incomparable stature, the former Lord of the West, and herself, a hime of the house of Setsuna.
It was time Inuyasha was taken in hand, and she, and Nyoko, were just the women to do it.
She turned her attention back to her mate, listening to him hand out directions to all those gathered around, before turning to head back to the command tent. She followed, noting that Sesshoumaru and Kagome also did. With a sigh, she glanced sideways at her mate's older son. It will be difficult to be comfortable around him – after our bad past. He was so cold and hard back then, and it affected everything – caused my death in a roundabout way, which directly affected Inuyasha's life, leaving him cast to the wolves at a much younger age than he should have been.
It was true that she didn't hate Sesshoumaru, though some people would think she would have every right, and at one time, she had. But it had been centuries, and she wasn't one to hold grudges for that long. She could understand Sesshoumaru's hatred and anger, his hurt at what he had perceived for so long as his father's rejection.
It was obvious that he greatly desired his father's love and respect, and he had reacted as a rejected child would have. It didn't make the things he'd done right, but it was obvious that he had grown, matured, and changed a great deal – thanks to Kagome.
She turned her thoughts to the little miko – or the one who had once been a miko, and smiled inwardly. The woman was truly something else, and she couldn't help but be thankful that her son had met her. After all, it wasn't just Sesshoumaru that Kagome had changed, she had positively affected Inuyasha as well, giving him hope and someone who loved him as he was, even if that love wasn't meant to be romantic. It showed him that he could be loved, and that was the most important thing – and had led him to the one who would make him happy.
Despite the way it had seemed in the beginning, she was quite grateful to the young goddess, and felt the need to speak to her and Sesshoumaru the moment she had a chance.
As they entered the tent, she sighed inwardly as determination settled inside her – there was history between she and Sesshoumaru to finish, and gratitude that needed to be expressed to Kagome.
She wouldn't be able to move on until that had been done... and she wanted to move on.
Kagome had given her a chance at a new life, this time with her mate at her side, and a future no one could take away.
That was a gift she had no intention of wasting.
~oOo~
Sesshoumaru looked at his mate once they reached the front of the tent and sat down. “What do you intend to do, beloved?” he asked softly, knowing that his little mate wasn't looking forward to dealing with so much death and destruction.
A soft look crossed her face as she looked at the male she would never have thought of as her one, until she had died. Death really makes you look at things differently, I guess, she chuckled to herself. With a slight sigh, she said, “I believe you and I should deal with those of the enemy army that survived and were captured, don't you agree?”
It didn't take even a moment of thought to know what she was getting at, and he nodded, knowing she was right. They were the only ones that could judge those who had been ranged against them – judge their hearts, and decide what to do with them.
“You are correct, my mate-” he cast her a concerned glance, “-but you do not have to do this. I can do it on my own, and you could find something else to do, such as healing those who are injured, or something else less... stressful.” With that statement, Kagome fell even more in love with her mate. He had just proven how well he knew her heart.
She wasn't looking forward to doing what needed done, because there were those who would find death in their judgment this day, and she was never one to like handing out death. This would be hard on her, but it needed done, and she wouldn't shirk her duty. But that Sesshomaru had asked her... it let her know that he understood her, and was willing to shoulder those things she didn't like, so she could be happy.
'I love you more every second, do you know that, Sesshomaru?' She sent a wave of love and longing at him, inundating him in every emotion she had for him, leaving him stricken silent and unable to voice his own feelings. Instead, he returned her wave of love with his own, supporting her, and bolstering her confidence and will to do what needed done.
Aloud, she said, “No, much as I'm grateful for your concern, beloved-” she blushed at how easy the endearment was for such a stoic being, “-I can't only take on the easy parts of the job. I have to do the dirty work, too. We'll both do what needs done this day.”
He eyed her for a moment with concern, then nodded finally, and looked over at his father, who was watching the byplay between the two with a sharp, knowing gaze.
“Where will you conduct these judgments, Sesshomaru?” he asked, and the younger daiyoukai looked up at his father thoughtfully.
Just then, a rumble in the ground caught everyone's attention, and Sesshomaru smirked when he realized it was his mother doing as she was ordered – digging what was, in essence, a mass grave. Looking out of the tent, he noted that she appeared to be digging it right in the center of the field of battle.
Miroku, who was also watching, slowly said, “Perhaps that would be a good place, Sesshomaru-sama – where those you are questioning can see the fate of those who chose wrongly.”
Several people nodded in agreement, as did Kagome, though hers was reluctant.
The daiyoukai pondered that for a few moments, and then inclined his head, as well. “That is an acceptable suggestion.” He stood up, absently reaching down a hand to help his mate to her feet, and led her out of the tent, towards the area his mother was working in.
Kagome, despite her angst at what was to come, couldn't help the snort of laughter at the sight of Sesshoumaru's mother in her inu form, digging a huge hole in the ground. It was just so... so... wrong. She didn't miss her mate's sideways glance, and the picture that flashed through her mind then almost dropped her – her stoic mate digging gigantic holes in the landscape, trying to figure out where he hid his bone.
'I do not find your thoughts amusing, mate,' came his offended voice in her mind, and she shot him a look filled with mirth.
“Oh, but I do, Sesshoumaru, I really, really do.” Shaking her head, she laughed once more before sobering as they closed on his mother's position. The female inu had once more switched into her humanoid form, and was standing at the edge of the pit she had dug, staring into the depths.
As they approached, she asked, “Do you think this is deep enough?” in a sarcastic tone, and Sesshoumaru shot her a reprimanding look.
“It appears to be. It would be in your best interests to leave, now,” he said coldly, holding her gaze challengingly. “I will not tolerate your disrespect towards me or my mate.”
After a moment, she turned with a disgusted look and walked away, Kagura following dejectedly behind her. She hadn't gotten the chance to ask Inuyasha to help her free herself from Satori, and no one else would think to do so after her behavior over Sesshoumaru. She certainly didn't dare approach Kagome herself – the woman's overprotective mate would probably kill her.
It looked like she was stuck as a slave to the vindictive inu female...
After a few moments watching his mother walk away with a thoughtful look on his face, he turned to Miroku, who had followed them out, and said, “Have those who were captured brought here to us.” The monk nodded and turned to walk off, heading towards the captured forces that were under guard.
There were quite a lot of them, and it would take some time for Sesshomaru and Kagome to finish.
Kagome glanced at Sango, and then sighed. “I imagine that those who surrendered should be put to work bringing the dead here for burial – why don't you go talk with Sugimi-sama and ask him to have it done? There's a lot of dead, and it's going to take a while to get them all taken care of.” Her nose wrinkled in disgust as she thought of something. “There's one good thing about all the carrion eaters that were here all night – the worst of the dismembered bodies will already be gone. I suppose those who have to carry them will be thankful for that.”
Sango simply nodded before heading back to the tent – this particular battle was different in that its end would not leave the field choked with slowly rotting bodies. Most times, the dead of a battle were simply left where they fell, and there were many such battlefields littered across the landscapes of Japan.
But Kagome wasn't about to have that – this particular field would be different, and in the end, maybe it would be the last one, if things worked and the world was changed, going back to the way things were supposed to be.
One could only hope.
Eyeing the area that they would be working in for the day, Kagome shook her head, and with no warning, several soft, fluffy cushions appeared under a light colored awning.
Sesshoumaru glanced curiously at her; she shrugged with a sheepish smile.
“Well, we are going to be here all day – why sit on the hard ground? I'd definitely get very grouchy as the day wore on and I got more and more uncomfortable.”
He nodded after a moment and strode over to the shaded spot, sitting down gracefully, he extended a hand to her, waiting for her to take it and sit at his side.
He watched the first captives move sullenly over towards them, and without looking at her, said, “You are certain you wish to do this, mate? It will not upset me if you choose another task. I know your heart is gentle, and I do not wish to see it harmed,” he finished softly.
After a moment of staring at the coming group of people, she looked down at her lap and sighed deeply, the sound sad. But her voice when she answered was firm.
“No. As much as I dread this responsibility, it's not something I could leave to another. I... have to be part of this. I'll be alright, Sesshomaru.”
No more was said on the subject as the first of the captives were brought to stand before them, and the judgments began.
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