InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Knight Errant ❯ Chapter Thirteen ( Chapter 13 )

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any of the other inhabitants of the fine story of Rumiko's that we all know and love. Kiyoshi, Aikiko, and Sashiko are mine, and I hope you enjoy them as they are encountered. This chapter is dedicated to Kita Tsuki who gave me my review number 60 on ff.net! Thank you!

 

 

 

“I am gonna kill that lousy thief!”

 

 

 

 

Secretly, or perhaps not so secretly if one had been around to watch him as he watched the scene below, Kiyoshi was amused beyond all reason at what had just happened. His vantage point had allowed him to see things that both InuYasha and Kagome had missed, most specifically the origins of that strange wind up on the hillside. He had heard tales of course of this monk, most in the youkai communities had thanks to that Hachi that was either his friend or servant depending on whom one asked. Cursed with a void through his hand that was strong enough to suck up even a rather powerful youkai it was wise to keep one's distance from that houshi.

 

 

 

Of course of all the things one could accuse InuYasha of being, wise apparently wasn't the top of the list. The thought made Kiyoshi cat snicker, though capricious as all cats not a moment later he was annoyed at a passing thought. If he had been in his true demon form his tail would have been lashing back and forth with disapproval as well. What if the houshi had not been so careful and Kagome had gotten hurt or … well, whatever it was that happened to things sucked into that cursed hand. Apart from losing one of his two most current sources of amusement, Kiyoshi actually liked Kagome, the strange ningen that smelled like a Yourouzoku female and treated demons and hanyou as equals.

 

 

 

So of course he had to follow them, at a distance that InuYasha couldn't sense him but it was still close enough to watch the display that followed. Kiyoshi was actually in awe as he watched InuYasha sniff the ground of the human village that they were walking through looking for clues as to where that monk had gone. It was so funny that he couldn't even laugh, he was making these strange almost choked cat noises while he held his crimson silk clad sides. It was absolutely priceless, and he almost yowled with laughter when the villagers began whispering and calling Kagome a demon as well. Not that he would have allowed any of them to hurt her, but to hear them say it was just funny beyond belief to him.

 

 

 

Fortunately they found Kagome's stolen bike, unsurprisingly it was outside of a tea house which there had been claims of beautiful geisha to take care of a weary traveler. Inside however Miroku had learned that once again rumor had proved to be false. While the ladies were charming enough none was any great beauty, none were as lovely even as that strangely dressed raven haired girl he'd taken both the contraption and the Jewel Shards from. Ahh, if only he could have spent more time with that lovely without the interference of the half demon protector with her! Now that could have been truly a night to remember … his attention half caught in daydreams of Kagome he almost missed her entrance into the chamber where he sat with four of the geisha drinking sake and eating rice. So it was with almost genuine surprise that he gazed upon her now and he stood up, dumping one of the girls unceremoniously from his lap.

 

 

 

“Now this is a true sight for sore eyes, such a beautiful young maiden come to call upon me!”

 

 

 

He crossed the room quickly to take up her hands in his, his violet eyes sincere as he gazed upon her face. He was not so smitten however that he was unaware that behind her lay the hanyou and the growl he gave as he swiped at him was enough to make him release her hands. He gave the irate dog demon a grin which enraged him further, protesting innocence at InuYasha's labeling him a common thief.

 

 

 

“Now there is not a thing common about me, as I am sure I could prove to the young maiden were you to just leave and come back later …”

 

 

 

“You take your hands off her, you dirty thief!”

 

 

 

Kagome gasped and InuYasha balled up his fist to follow Miroku back out the door into the street. They would have had a much harder time catching up to him if InuYasha hadn't been such a fast runner and Kagome silently marveled that the monk had been able to elude them even for the short time he did. Really, was it too much to ask that he return what he'd stolen? InuYasha leaped far ahead of him and drew the Tessaiga, and something the monk said stopped Kagome in her tracks. Well, more like he yelled, he warned the villagers to get clear, to get out of the streets. Why would he do that? Her brow rose as he also warned InuYasha to let him go free or suffer the consequences, of course InuYasha was having none of that.

 

 

 

Then the houshi brought up his hand and that wind from the hillside was back stronger than before, drawing at InuYasha and making his fire rat haori flap like a flag left on the pole in a storm. He sank Tessaiga into the earth before him to stop the progress, and Kagome's eyes widened to see that even that was barely halting his forward motion. Yet what the monk had shouted stuck with her … why would he warn the villagers, unless …! She took a great gamble then and dashed out from her hiding place and jumped towards the monk. Violet eyes caught her motion and widened in turn, hastily he wrapped something around his hand just as she crashed fully into him at wind drawn speed.

 

 

 

He was out cold, or so it seemed. She lay there gasping a bit, the collision had been solid and she was winded a bit despite her armor. InuYasha was there suddenly and yelling at her for taking a stupid risk and she coughed to get her breath before she hollered back at him.

 

 

 

“It worked didn't it? I heard him warn the villagers, and I knew he wouldn't hurt a human if he could help it.”

 

 

 

It had been quite a risk though, and she did give InuYasha a sort of guilty sidelook as she knelt next to the unconscious houshi. If he told Kouga what she'd done she'd be in a world of trouble. She looked to the houshi's passive form, and then back to InuYasha.

 

 

 

“I don't know, maybe he isn't all bad. After all he could have hurt both of us and he … he …”

 

 

 

InuYasha looked at her with sudden concern as she stuttered, her face going a crimson shade he had never seen before and which he found almost fascinating. Then she launched herself at him and hid her face against his chest and squeaked out the words just as InuYasha realized that not only was the monk playing possum, that his hand had been in intimate contact with Kagome's bottom.

 

 

 

“I was wrong, kill him!”

 

 

 

After a bit of fast talking from Miroku to get himself out of dire straights, Kagome and InuYasha were once more in possession of her collection of Jewel Shards. She relaxed a bit even though InuYasha hadn't and she at least listened to his story. Miroku started by introducing himself and then told them of the story of his life, and more importantly his quest for vengeance. There was a curse laid upon his grandfather, he explained, by a vicious demon named Naraku. Naraku had gone against Miroku's grandfather who had been a houshi of great spiritual powers and had never been able to defeat him until one day he had appeared in the guise of a beautiful princess. Kagome had groaned at this, but it had been InuYasha who had muttered something about how that made sense, since Miroku was obviously a letch as well.

 

 

 

Miroku had cleared his throat and continued the tale, of how when his grandfather realized that the princess was an impostor he had tried to subdue `her' with a sacred sutra, and that this Naraku had pierced the sutra with his curse and his grandfather's hand as well with the void of wind, the Kazaana. It consumed his grandfather and Miroku's own father and would one day in turn consume Miroku himself. Kagome had shown concern then, her generous heart showing in her eyes and suddenly Miroku had taken her hands in his, gazing at her with what seemed to be sincerity and warm admiration.

 

 

 

“I see that my fate distresses you, Lady Kagome. I would then ask you to do me this good turn, and bear my child. That way if I fail in my mission to destroy Naraku, my family's line will not disappear from this world.”

 

 

 

She blushed that interesting crimson again, and InuYasha yanked her back from Miroku with a growl.

 

 

 

“She ain't interested, you letch. She's already got a mate!”

 

 

 

Miroku held up his hands placatingly towards InuYasha, and began expressing his apologies, that he had not known that InuYasha and she were more than friends or traveling companions, at this Kagome blushed deeper and held up her hand.

 

 

 

“No, you've got it wrong. InuYasha is my friend, I'm mated to Prince Kouga of the Yourouzoku.”

 

 

 

This Miroku found interesting, and he had such a way with words that he had once more calmed Kagome into acceptance of his company as they proceeded down the road. He explained his own quest for the Jewel Shards were to keep them out of Naraku's hands and not for his own personal power, he knew well that in the end the Sacred Jewel itself had always caused more grief than good. InuYasha interjected that they didn't need him to help them gather them up, they were doing just fine by themselves and Kagome after all was more than capable in her job as a Shard Detector. Which of course was the wrong thing to say, it had been a sore spot with her the first time he'd said it when she had found it merely rude, now after all they had been through it was even worse.

 

 

 

Why exactly it bothered her even Kagome couldn't have said. She was so confident in other aspects of her life due to the support and love she had from Kouga, but somehow there was that small part of her that doubted her worth with her best friend. So when he said it again she went pale, then she yelled at him. Perhaps she should travel with Miroku instead, at least he was nice to her and didn't think all she was good for was detecting Shards! InuYasha's ears went back, he had recalled too late how much Kagome had been upset the first time he'd slipped and said that, not that he felt that way about her at all! Now she was yelling at him again, he was yelling at Miroku for putting his arm around Kagome, and Miroku had the expression of an innocent angel.

 

 

 

Until Kagome turned and whacked him a good one for taking advantage of the situation, which made InuYasha snicker at him until he ran off after the girl who was angrily stomping away from the pair of them to apologize. Miroku followed them bemusedly, and somewhere in the not too far distance a cat yowled with what suspiciously sounded like laughter.

 

 

 

They decided, or rather Kagome decided it would be a good idea if they worked together to gather shards, and part of her was very concerned with what Miroku had said about this Naraku demon. She was wondering as well if this was the same creature that Kiyoshi had been trying to warn her about with his rumors and stories of strange occurrences. It certainly seemed to be in the same vein as the stories that Miroku himself had of things that were supposedly Naraku's doing. Now this had not been an easy decision as at first InuYasha and Miroku hardly seemed able or willing to get along even with a shared and common goal in sight, and they indeed had parted for a time only to run into each other again at the residence of a lord who had had some strange happenings of his own.

 

 

 

In the end Miroku had learned a few more things about his new companions. One, InuYasha wasn't nearly as vicious and ill-tempered as he appeared on the surface, he'd tried to spare the life of the ink painter after all. Two, Kagome was far more than she appeared to be as well. He'd sensed some sort of spiritual energy within her, but actually seeing her touch a tainted Shard of the Sacred Jewel and purify it instantly had made him rethink just how powerful she was, or might yet become. He pondered if she herself even knew of her true power or potential and came to the conclusion as they traveled that she had no idea of it. She knew she could purify, both the tainted Shards and lesser demons that might attack their small party, and perhaps she had a grasp of the healing nature of her miko powers as they were, but the true potential that was there seemed beyond her thinking of it.

 

 

 

He wondered if it were lack of training and if that were the case just how low in power her teacher must be not to sense the scope of what lay inside the young girl, he'd find out soon apparently as they were quickly approaching a small village that lay on the outskirts of what the locals called the Wolf's Forest. Miroku tapped his chin thoughtfully, he had remembered hearing a tale of an imprisoned demon there who had been sealed to a tree by the arrow of a powerful priestess but the person telling the tale could not truly tell why it had been done, only that it had. Wolves had begun patrolling that forest soon afterwards and Miroku found it easy enough to draw certain conclusions from that. A few subtle questions to Kagome filled in more of the tale for him as she seemed willing to tell him without hint of deception or hesitation.

 

 

 

She told him of how she had come upon the Sealed Yourouzoku Prince and how she had released him, how Kaede and InuYasha had both felt she was the reincarnation of Kaede's sister Kikyou and to Miroku that made some bit of sense. Who better to break the Seal placed on the demon than the person that put it there if not the Priestess herself, in whatever form she was in? Though that was a bit of a disservice to Kagome, she was not Kikyou any more than Miroku was whoever he might have been in a prior lifetime. But there was a strange sense of rightness that she would be the one to release the demon wrongfully and accidentally Sealed, as if Fate had put her there for just that, to make up for the past.

 

 

 

Karma was a powerful force indeed, he reflected. It moved through people's lives be they demon or human and it motivated them often without them even thinking about it. Past lives held a sway over current ones, with things left undone or wrongly done weighing down a soul and things finished and rightly done buoying it up. He could see the threads of Karma and Destiny at work in Kagome's life, and it was while pondering this along with the graceful sway of her hips as she walked that he began to sense that they were being followed. He sensed the demonic aura at first though it was faint and led him to believe that either whatever followed them was far enough away to not pose much of a threat or was closer and powerful enough to mask its aura at least partially.

 

 

 

He brought it to InuYasha's attention first, discreetly so as not to alarm Kagome who was just a bit ahead of the two of them. The hanyou had nodded, dropping back some and tilting his head into the breeze and sniffing as if to catch any stray scents. He sensed something as well and he didn't like it, he didn't like the idea that something or someone might be following them. A low growl escaped from his slightly parted lips as he finally caught a whiff of a scent and faint though it was he knew it well, better than he would have liked. At Miroku's quizzical glance he let a look of disgust cross his features and a sneer curled his lip a moment.

 

 

 

“It's that damn Neko that Kagome's friends with.”

 

 

 

He ground out the words and his right hand clenched in a fist as he realized that Kagome had turned around and come back when she discovered that her two male companions weren't following her anymore. She looked around almost eagerly after she'd heard InuYasha's words and when she didn't immediately see him she put her hands on her hips and called out quizzically towards where InuYasha had been growling.

 

 

 

“Kiyoshi-kun?”

 

 

 

As if she had summoned him with a spell the Neko youkai appeared, coming out of the forest near the path with an almost inscrutable grin on his features. Crimson silk embroidered with black set off his pale skin and chestnut hair, and there was a snap of fire in his golden green cat eyes as he took in Miroku. The monk felt an instant dislike of the youkai, his fingers creeping towards the place in his sash that he hid his sacred sutras. It was apparent that InuYasha held a similar opinion of the cat demon if his low almost continuous growl was any indication. Miroku knew that this `Kiyoshi' was not an ordinary demon, he was more powerful than most that the monk had ever encountered though he seemed to be hiding it to an extent.

 

 

 

Introductions were made and Miroku had an unfamiliar feeling of protectiveness rise in him when he saw how familiar the demon was with Kagome, taking her hand and rubbing his cheek against her own. He fought the urge to throw a spell on the cat and when his violet eyes met the golden green of the cat's he had a startling revelation. He knew. Kiyoshi knew that the houshi and the hanyou shared a mutual dislike of him and he seemed to almost expect the pair of them to attack him at any moment. What surprised Miroku most was the fact that Kiyoshi had maneuvered himself so that if they did attack him that he could push Kagome behind him so that she wouldn't get accidentally caught up in the mess.

 

 

 

Well, perhaps then he couldn't be all bad, though he still found that he disliked and mistrusted the demon. InuYasha he could understand, his motivations were not all that dissimilar from his own as far as he could tell. Listening to Kiyoshi tell Kagome of more disturbing things he had investigated or heard about though gave him a sense of disquiet that he could not ignore. He wasn't really hearing the words themselves, it was just that feeling he had, until InuYasha suddenly blurted out a question that interrupted what the cat was telling the girl.

 

 

 

“Hey Miroku, isn't Naraku that guy that cursed your grandfather?”

 

 

 

He looked up with surprise on his face, surprise that was mirrored in Kiyoshi's face. The name was part of a rumor he'd heard, there had been a number of youkai that had vanished without a trace other than the name spoken by those that were left behind. No one knew what this Naraku wanted with all those demons, yet it was apparent something was afoot that would end up leading to no good for any involved. Almost pensively the neko listened as Miroku related the tale of his grandfather's confrontation and curse and filed it away with the rest of the things he had been told about Naraku. They all found it strange that there would be a connection there, and once more Kiyoshi warned Kagome about others who were seeking out the Shards, while this Naraku might prove to be the most dangerous of that lot he was far from alone in his desire to have the power that those Shards could bring, dark as it was.

 

 

 

Kagome bit her lip as she thought over everything that they'd been told until she suddenly got an almost faraway look on her face and her voice took on a dreamy quality. She said those words InuYasha had heard so often, that she sensed Shards of the Sacred Jewel moving towards them. He tensed, ready for a fight when she suddenly had the most joyous expression cross her face.

 

 

 

“Two of them, coming fast. It's Kouga!”

 

 

 

Miroku watched bemused as Kagome ran her hands quickly through her ebon locks, smoothing fingers over her furs and clearly fighting the urge to run towards where she sensed the Prince that held her heart coming from. He'd never seen her like this, trembling with excitement with a very becoming flush of pink on her cheeks and a sparkle in her chocolate eyes that made them seem molten. It was love, he realized. She truly loved this Kouga and what Kouga felt then was a touch of envy that his friend had found someone that meant that much to her.

 

 

 

He didn't begrudge her the happiness at all, it was merely wistfulness that he himself had not such passion in his own life. He gave a glance towards InuYasha and Kiyoshi, curious as to how the pair would react to the appearance of Kagome's mate and he learned more about the two demons than he expected in those few unguarded moments. InuYasha's ears flickered back, half down for a moment in unhappiness as he watched Kagome but they slowly moved back to their upright position as he squared his shoulders. There was not the annoyance about him that had come when he had realized that Kiyoshi was approaching, more of a resignation to something. Yet it was something he was willing to meet head on, and unafraid.

 

 

 

Kiyoshi on the other hand seemed rife with anticipation and mischief. He stood quietly enough, but there was something in his golden green eyes that spoke of his capricious cat nature and if he'd had a tail Miroku imagined that it would be lazily waving back and forth in warning. His nostrils were twitching as he took in the approaching scents, mingled Yourouzoku and kitsune, perhaps this was the source of that scent on Kagome he was always smelling? It was clear that he was curious to Miroku as he was watching him, and Miroku was right.

 

 

 

For Kiyoshi was indeed curious about the Prince, he knew Kagome loved him because she was not the sort to Mate someone without loving them with her entire heart. So he wanted to see the sort of demon that a girl like Kagome would fall so completely in love with, sure that he was extraordinary somehow. His arrival in a whirlwind was unexpected as well as the sheer speed of him and the precision in which he stopped his run directly in front of Kagome. Kiyoshi was fast and had rarely encountered even another youkai of his own stature that could match him in speed and agility, but he knew that this Yourouzoku Prince that stood before Kagome was faster than he was.

 

 

 

That idea didn't sit well with the proud demon, though it did ease his mind that Kagome had protection of that caliber. The world seemed to stand still for the pair as Kagome gazed almost shyly up at her mate, his blue eyes were only for her as he smiled to see her look at him that way. The breeze ruffled her hair and blew a strand in front of her face that his hand moved to brush back gently, and then she threw herself into his arms. There was a slight chime as the metal of the armor they both wore clicked against each other, and Kagome laughed until Kouga bent to take a kiss.

 

 

 

There was a moment in which Miroku, InuYasha, and Kiyoshi all shared a glance in a sort of mutual uncomfortableness that males got around such displays of affection that they themselves were not a part of, and then the moment was broken as Kouga's two friends Ginta and Hakkaku finally caught up to their leader. Much to Kagome's delight Ginta was holding Shippou, and she took a half step back from her mate to open her arms to the kit who launched himself into her embrace. She hugged him so tight, and her eyes were shining as she looked up at Kouga. He'd known how much she missed the kit and how much the kit missed her and it meant the world to Kagome that he'd thought enough of her to bring Shippou to her.

 

 

 

Now it would seem perhaps that Kouga was unaware of the other three males that were standing on the road near his mate, but this was the furthest thing from the truth. Only one of them was actually supposed to be with Kagome so it was him that Kouga looked at first. That the hanyou seemed to stand closer to the human dressed as a houshi than he did to the Neko youkai spoke volumes to Kouga. InuYasha apparently trusted the human more than he trusted the youkai, and the Wolf Prince found that interesting. He would bet anything that the youkai was the source of the neko scent that had been on Kagome as well. He gave a brief glare to that `source' and then nodded to InuYasha.

 

 

 

Done snuggling the kit for a moment Kagome remembered her manners and introduced Kouga to Miroku and Kiyoshi and Kouga noticed the difference in how she did so. Miroku was Miroku-san, evidently while she liked him she did not respect him enough to give him the higher honorific of sama. Kiyoshi on the other hand was Kiyoshi-kun, and seemed to preen under the attention given to him. He gave Kouga a nod of acknowledgement showing that he was aware that Kouga was a Prince, and something about that nod made Kouga wary. Kiyoshi nodded to him as if he were a Prince as well, there was nothing humble or respectful about it. Kouga's blue eyes showed fire and spirit at this, as if he were accepting the unspoken challenge given to him by neko and Kagome seemed oblivious to it all as she reached to take Kouga's hand.

 

 

 

That simple gesture of love and affection stated clearer than any words Kagome's true feelings towards Kouga, and that his strong hand curled carefully around her fingers before giving them a loving squeeze showed his own towards her. The mates loved each other, it was more than passion that brought those two together and while there was that there was just so much more between the two of them. Kiyoshi took his leave then, his farewell more subdued than usual as if he were surprised at the depth of the love the Prince had for his mate. Perhaps the next time they met Kiyoshi would be unable to resist teasing the wolf, but this time he saved it.

 

 

 

Kouga picked up Shippou then, handing him off to InuYasha who blinked almost owlishly at him, he explained that Ginta and Hakkaku were going to be pressed enough to keep up as tired as they were without carrying the kit, and he wanted time alone with Kagome. Telling them to meet with him at Kaede's hut, Kouga suddenly swept Kagome up into his arms and ran off with her, the wind of his passage sending InuYasha's long hair back to whip against Miroku's robes. Her sweet high laughter filled the air for awhile, and then faded into the distance as Kouga took them someplace secluded.

 

 

 

:Elsewhere:

 

 

 

The young lord surveyed the group that he had summoned to him, his fine clothes of silk rustling as he moved forward to speak to the tall leader of the taijiya. He explained the problems that they had been having and expressed humble hope that they would be able to take care of it and free his people from the fears they lived with daily. It would be dangerous but he would pay them well, double the price that had brought them to his door and he waved a slim but strong hand at the courtiers that murmured their disbelief at his generosity. It was simply not done, but no one wanted to gainsay Lord Kagewaki. He was young it was true, and his father still alive but the old lord was so ill that no one trusted him to make the decisions that were necessary to keep the castle running.

 

 

 

His son had taken up the duties he could no longer perform, and hiring demon slayers was something beyond him at this point. It was clear that Lord Kagewaki had his suspicions on what was causing his father's rapid decline, and that he felt that the taijiya would be able to fix the problem. His soft words told of the appearance of the demons that plagued them, and his father's illness, and he wondered aloud if there was a connection between the two. When he questioned the inclusion of the young son and daughter of the Head Exterminator, he was given all the reassurance he could need by that worthy.

 

 

 

“Worry not, they are two of the best slayers that my village has ever produced. My daughter Sango is most accomplished and Kohaku is no less brave. We shall slay the demons that are haunting your castle, I give you my word.”

 

 

 

Lord Kagewaki smiled, and there was an almost frightening edge of chill in his eyes for just a brief instant before the warmth of his dark gaze renewed.

 

 

 

“I have no doubts that you will do all you have promised me you will.”

 

 

 

AN:

Sorry for such a long break between chapters, but I do hope you enjoy this one. Chapter Fourteen will bring in Sango finally and show more of Naraku's evil plots and perhaps explain why Kiyoshi has set himself against him. Thank you for all the reviews!