InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Kagura's resolution, Sesshoumaru's heart ❯ A verbal battle between rivals ( Chapter 3 )

Through the other side of the looking glass, Kagura's hands were clasping grudgingly on a broken branch, her eyes drowned in a pinnacle of extreme jealousy and resentment. Even as the ghostly images of Sesshoumaru and Rin dissipated completely from Kanna's demonic mirror, her gaze maintained ceaselessly fixed on it, as if willing it to disintegrate to smithereens.

 

How dare she?! That little slut… seducing him like that! Kagura burst out introvertly in rage. And who was that girl? It can't be! It's that little whelp that had been following the demon lord all this while, all grown up and prep to become a whore. Her incessant pride was being hurled to the deepest realm of hell as scattered trains of thoughts ambushed and consumed her. She fisted her hands into a tight ball as, remembering painfully her very own angst of being rejected numerous times.

 

Sesshoumaru, is he in love with that human girl? She cringed with distaste and revulsion at that prospect, her eyes darkened into a shade of fiery bloodied red. She had underestimated the hold she believed she could potentially have on the youkai lord, a promising future of becoming the Lady of the Western Lands.

 

That slut of a girl had the audacity to even attempt to contend with her, the mighty wind sorceress, for a mate, especially being a lowly ningen. How dare the whelp even think she came close to being on equal stance with a full-fledged demoness? Her teeth clenched as she sneered maliciously.

 

Kagura let her powers gather around her as she expeditiously ascended toward the western sky. She had to justify her doubts and suspicions about this unanticipated turn of events, and fast. There was absolutely no time for contemplation. An icy smile surfaced her cheeks as a malevolent plan began formulating and piecing itself together in her demonic vengeful mind.

 

After all, She is still a child, innocent and gullible, easily taken in by deceit…. an easy target… she chuckled as her fingers schemingly caressed the outlines of her chin.

 

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The silken screen beside Sesshoumaru's bed ruffled relentlessly under the pressure of the howling wind. The storm was raging with the lightning lit sky rhythmically forming eerie shadows on the walls of the chamber. The rain was clamouring unremittingly for attention, as if venturing to assist in diminishing the vehement pounding in this head. In the midst of all that racket, Sesshoumaru found that his mingled thoughts were just as deafening and blaring as the weather, or perhaps worse. He tossed and turned uncomfortably under the warmth of his feathered blankets, his mind suffocating with distorted fragmented recollections of the earlier incident at the spring and the girl…

 

Yes, her. SHE was the root of all his disarrangement, he growled. Without her existence, he would not have been stuck with this vexing insomnia.

 

He paused momentarily. Would he really have been better off without Rin? Would it have been wiser if he hadn't swiped her with the Tenseiga, reviving her, liberating her from the fate of being butchered by wolves?

 

Sesshoumaru could not help to wonder if history was altered, if he had walked away that fateful night, being his usually haughty self, from her dead body, he would not have even come to know her name. Most certainly, She would never have been part of his life and adventures, his companion for eight summers. He recalled her bubbly nature and her eagerness to shower him with many fatuous questions, not that he had ever attempted to answer any of them, and her profound fascination with the flower-filled meadow farthest west of his home compound.

 

They would take quiet afternoons strolls there together, after effectively shaking off his grumbling toady servant with her ever witty changing tactics. He would silently wait under a shade as the girl hopped ecstatically from one spot to another, gathering her favourite ones and plaiting them into her hair to a thick braid. The afternoon sunlight brought a unique shine on her hair and rosy cheeks as they tanned under its prevalent glare. However, there was always something more than that about her, an inner glow, he noted, arising from her playful gesture which was, amusingly, in contrast with her angelic face. And the emotions she stirred in him as he gazed upon her every moment of the eight years he could never find a word to describe. It was a sensation touching beyond his comprehension, even as a youkai who had witnessed through several centuries.

 

Could that be…… love? He froze, greatly shaken with that mere word. Yes, he had never known love nor had he ever a chance to experience it.

 

Love was to him, a form a weakness, one that would inadvertently cause the downfall of even the mightiest youkai as himself. He had witnessed, he thought bitterly, too many poignant examples of such display of weakness eventually leading to doom. His honoured father was the perfect example, falling for a human woman, who gave birth to his half breed brother. Yes. Inuyasha had doubtlessly inherited that flare for indiscretion from their father.

 

In fact, that was all he inherited, Sesshoumaru sneered, sick to the stomach at the thought of his distinguished bloodline becoming tainted. His thoughts trailed to Inuyasha's relationship with Kikyo, who sealed him on a tree for fifty years, and then to Kagome, the human girl now by his side.

 

That half-wit should thank the Gods that he still live today, he smirked. But not for long if he endeavored in this present status.

 

Sesshoumaru could not even think what pitiful end he might have if he were to follow in their footsteps. Rin was his weakness, his only weakness, he admitted painfully as his thoughts were traced back to the numerous occasions where she was held captive by his enemies as a tool to control and manipulate him, which of course he never allowed. Sesshoumaru cringed as he did not even want to touch on how he knew Inuyasha would react to the gossips of his brother, the great western lord, taking a human mate and sprawling half breed children like himself. He would definitely roll himself on the ground like an imbecilic mutt, bursting out with hilarious laughter, and afterward, snigger to himself for at least a century.

 

But, can he really do without her? Sesshoumaru trembled for a small moment at the idea of losing his young companion, still bemused by his own subconscious bodily reactions.

 

He decided immediately THAT was an answer he had to discover….. HIMSELF…. alone and away from Rin, and definitely, not anywhere within sighting (or hearing for that matter) range of his impetuous toady servant. Yes, time. He needed time alone, and desperately. No more of such senseless and futile internal debates.

 

The wind persevered in their superimposing screams but Sesshoumaru paid no attention to them. He took off with Aun, his bi-headed pet dragon and faded away progressively into the dark curtains of pertinacious downpour.

 

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Rin roused as the warmth of the rising light caressed her cheeks. She raised her left hand, attempting to shield her drowsy eyes from this sudden invasion by nature, and skillfully flicked her blankets over her temple with her right. Massaging her still swollen ankle, she winced with a definite expression of pain as she simultaneously recollected the happenings the night before. She felt an intensive boost in her body temperature as the images of Sesshoumaru embracing her naked body began forming in her head once again.

 

A quick check around the compound had called to her attention that Sesshoumaru's presence was nowhere to be located. Jakan-sama, on the contrary, whose blatant snoring could be heard way before she had spotted him, was lying STILL at that exact spot she had left him the previous night.

 

I guessed it'll take Jakan-sama more time to regain his sober self, especially after the sake episode last dinner, Rin stifled a grin.

 

With unbridled curiosity, she took a last glance around, making a last attempt to spot her lord. With a soft sigh, she concluded resignedly that her master had unmistakably left on one of his little adventures like he had always done so now and then without leaving his companions any form of notification. Having an optimistic nature, Rin was not going to let this recent knowledge rob her of the enjoyment of the seemingly fabulous weather outdoors. Sensing the warmth of the highly hung ball of flames above her, a smile spread across her rosy cheeks as she realized with a gleam of delight that she could take a nice tanning stroll on her own. Spun instantly on her heels, she started toward the main gate.

 

The warm breeze gently stroked on her hazel brown tresses, leaving an elegant dancing trail behind her. She had made a promise to herself inwardly to will all thoughts relating to her master this fine morning and to focus her attention instead, to the wonderful aspects of a potentially relaxing walk. Rin tried fervently to ignore the slight rise in heat around her cheeks at the mere thought of that name. Everything was so perfect this day, the warmth, the fragrant forest scents as the light breeze brought them….. all except the fact that Sesshoumaru had AGAIN chosen to take his leave at a time when there could be a chance to change the degree of their relationship, if there was any to start of with for that matter.

 

Yes, her lord, he had walked away from it, yet again. When would he stopped this childish display of indecision and tell her, for once straight in her face, who she was to him and where she stand in his life, and more significantly, in his heart. Rin's shoulders sank as she let out an audible sigh.

 

Once again, she had failed completely, crashed AGAIN in her pursuit of heaving him from her mind for even a single second in order to live her own. She shook her head violently at the discovery that she was unable to accomplish that, no matter how desperately her attempts. A hush eerie rustle of leaves followed by a seductive high-pitched crackle caused her to stop short in her pace.

 

She turned only to discover the intruder who had rudely interrupted her trains of thoughts was in fact, the wind witch. Kagura stood by a large shade and with a cold icy grin, gestured the girl, beckoning her to close their distance. As Rin came into clear focus, Kagura noticed distastefully that the young girl was indeed a rare beauty. Her ebony hair gracefully cascaded down her sides, as though half caressing her waist as they danced around. The wind witch noted that her large bright eyes were so difficult to ignore as they were in total contrast with her delicate and tiny face… and those disgustingly thick elongated lashes gave the girl a tender but seductive edge as they fluttered under the immense glare from above.

 

She was INDEED a taunting opponent, Kagura admitted as her consuming jealousy filled eyes narrowed with accusation and agony.

 

Hmmm…, Kagura pondered as she caught her maiden scent. That little whelp has not been taken. HE….He hasn't claimed her yet….. but…. But why? She lowered her head, bemused at how Sesshoumaru could withstand such a tantalizing temptation as this.

 

Rin boldly complied with that slight gesture of invitation as she meticulously closed in, stopping in her tracks a few safe feet away from the unholy intruder. She hadn't one tiny recollection that she ever had a good opinion of the wind witch, even though she had sensed, since her juvenile years that Kagura had a loop-sided sort of infatuation with her master, not that it was ever noticed or returned by Sesshoumaru-sama, Rin supposed with a huff.

 

Now what does she want with me? Rin could not put a finger to it but even someone as straight minded as Jakan-sama could distinctly tell that she was not here for a friendly reunion.

 

“I can see that your uncle Sesshoumaru has treated his adopted niece well, young one, “Kagura started calmly. “My, my, how fast you have grown and quite a lady you have become I must say.”

 

“That was none of your business!” Rin snapped, her brown eyes darkened with a hint of hurt. “And Sesshoumaru-sama is NOT my uncle.”

 

“I sincerely beg your pardon for my usage of words. We're not angry already, are we?” Kagura smirked at the girl's telling response. “I was merely trying to find a suitable word for your relationship with him, taking into considerations your vast age differences. You are not thinking that you could, perhaps, be his friend, are you? or even more, his potential concubine?” Kagura found, to her mortification, that she could no longer suppress her intending words of resentment.

 

Enveloped by the disgust of that mere word, Rin turned to hide her sullen expression, letting her bravado take over.

 

“Why is my life of any concern to you anyway? And what may I owe this honour to?” she rebutted angrily, suddenly struck by an interesting realization. “Let me guess. You are here for Sesshoumaru-sama, like you always do. He is not here this day. Even if he is, I do not think he wants any business with you.”

 

Taken aback by the girl's sudden charge and her painfully accurate deduction, Kagura held on to a branch grudgingly next to herself for balance. As if about to pounce on her, she gave an angry snarl at the now seemingly smug looking girl.

 

“An intelligent one you are as well I can see, but not quite yet. Does it not occur to you that perhaps, your Sesshoumaru-sama has sent for me to join him, now that Naraku is no longer in control of my heart?”

 

“That is not possible. You are not a good liar,” Rin stammered as she scanned through briefly in her mind of the few encounters her lord had with the wind sorceress. Even as she could not pick up any defined indications that he was attracted to her in any way, her master had always been silent and impassive. He would not appear the least INTERESTED even if he really was. Morever, he was always off on his little journeys on his own time and time again. On some of those occasions, he might have even visited his lovers, well, he WAS undeniably handsome and powerful. That's not a doubt that he would have numerous interested demonesses lining up eagerly for his undivided attention, yielding in any sexual fantasies he might be struck with. And… Kagura… SHE could have been one of those. Rin's face instantly lost all her healthy rosy pink.

 

“A liar? Perhaps you are too innocent, little virgin, to understand all these `things' that happens between us demons, and how we desire for one another. It's in our blood,” Kagura intensified her verbal attacks, sensing the confusion stirring in the now shivering girl. “Oh, I've forgotten. You are but a human, and a pathetic one I must say, not knowing your place. Did you even think that you could be of any importance, any USE to your mighty young lord, as a partner in battle, as a servant whom he had to divert his attention to protect or as an unworthy advisor, one who has not even lived a tenth of his years?”

 

Rin retreated a few steps, faltering slightly as the marring words were lashed on her.

 

Seeing that she had obtained an upper hand, Kagura cackled, “Oh…” She pretended to stifle an obvious skeptical chuckle. “Could you have thought that you might one day…. be his mate?”

 

Rin's eyes flew opened at that sentence, displaying to her rival all the tell-tale signs of her long existed longings.

 

“Why can't I …..” be his lover? She finished the last bits of that question introvertly, feeling too deflating to mouth them. Something inside her chest was screaming all in aching pang.

 

Kagura had presently discarded her pretentious attempts and burst out in a scandalous laughter.

 

“Ningen! Do you have no shame? Do you think that the great lord of the west would even consider the possibilities of taking a human woman as a mate and sprawling half breed whelps? That would be an utter disgrace to his bloodline. You must have seen numerous times how he treated his half-demon brother.”

 

“Sesshoumaru-sama had never the intention to harm Inuyasha. I know it. He does have feelings for him still, even if he did not say it,” Rin felt still an instinctive urge to defend her lord, remembering that he had stopped desiring to take tetsusiaga away from Inuyasha after he discovered the significance of sword to his younger brother.

 

“My, my, you have too much blind faith, my dear. Even so, you are STILL undeniably his weakness, one who cannot protect herself from being captured by his enemies as bait to lure him into their traps. You need his protection and he will no doubt charge to your rescue in order to protect his dignity. This will eventually bring him his downfall and you know it. YOU will be the cause of his DOWNFALL! Pathetic child!” Kagura closed in at the already shaken Rin as she thundered her last words, raising her finger to flick out a hint of her wind blade at her.

 

Rin's pale pink kimono instantly ripped apart at the contact, deep gashes rupturing on both her slender arms, wounding significantly both her body and pride. This was indeed a perfect reminder, one that exposes the frailty of her humanity, stripped and unmasked in full view of her antagonist. She could no longer hold a strong front. Silent tears trailed down her cheeks as her wobbly knees collapsed weakly onto the ground.

 

The wind witch was right, Rin agreed in silence as she cringed into a tight hug, flashbacks of several instances where she was held captive and where Sesshoumaru had relentlessly spun to her aid.

 

Never had it occurred to her that she could be a burden, her master's weakness. Sesshoumaru-sama was always so strong, confident and powerful. He would never allow himself to be in such piteous situations. Kagura had barked out that she would inevitably cause his death.

 

Rin froze with a look of resignation and dismay. Her hands were now protectively wrapped round her waist as she shuddered observantly. Her lovely eyes had turned an obvious grim as a deep sense of sorrow welled up, piercing ferociously at something in her heart.

 

Looking at the young girl's frail, cowering form, Kagura's eyes glinted with an unrestrained glee. Her task was done here, the objectives of this verbal sparring met. It was time to make her retreat, and soon, before she was discovered and unmasked. She definitely did not want Sesshoumaru to chance upon her manipulating scheme of ridding her love rival.

 

“Well dear, I'd better be off looking for MY lord Sesshoumaru. He's probably waiting anxiously already.” With that, Kagura elegantly allowed her powers to build around her, letting her feathery ride set her to flight.

 

Rin was well aware of her redundancy in her master's life and conquests, her prolong existence purely bestowed upon her at a stroke of curiosity on her master's part, testing the reviving powers of Tenseiga. She was merely an experimental tool which just happened to be lying there, unfortunately human. Though never verbally directed at her, it was as clear as spoken declaration her lord's deep rooted hatred and disgust with humans. His sardonic expressions were telling, she sighed bitterly.

 

It had not crossed her mind, however, that Sesshoumaru could one day grow tired of her presence and whatever pleasures he had once had from her, especially when she had succumbed to old age and sickness. She did not mind that he would perhaps never respond to her magnitude of affections and the sorrowful truth that she was not good enough for him. BUT to cause his DEATH? She stiffened in response to that dreaded word and stared opened mouthed in utter bewilderment as possible scenes of the dismal future of her lord screened before her very eyes. Rin found herself torn between the simultaneous desires to stay by her master and the other impulsive pressure to leave, paying absolutely no attention to the vicious slashes and the stinging sensation from her bloodied skin shredded brutally under the sorceress' attacks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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