InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Lessons of the Father ❯ Home ( Chapter 6 )

Geez Katie, Sesshoumaru seems really OOC, he wouldn't be nice enough to help her; he would leave her ass alone in the woods and laugh while he walked away.

 

I argue.

 

Sesshoumaru, in the beginning, was kind of a jerk, but Takahashi never really said why, and it's not like they showed enough of him to really get a handle on the kind of guy he is. Then, in recent manga chapters a lot of his actions seem to be to the contrary. He baby sits a little girl and an un-dead boy, he saves Inuyasha and Kagome, he dropped his sword to save Rin for Christ's sake! His character is developing a lot and for the better. He is by no means the nicest guy in the world, but Takahashi is not depicting him as a villain by any means. If you are not up with the manga some of this might be news, I suggest you read it because it is really good stuff, especially where his character is concerned (the arch with him and Rin in hell is my favorite ever, its super sweet… I love that pairing too.) So, he may seem OOC, but I think its all justified.

 

Thank you for reading …

Love,

Katie

 

Chapter 6: Home

 

 

 

Once, when Kagome was still just a kid, her mother left for a week during the summer to visit her aunt. Souta was just a baby so he went along with her leaving Kagome alone for a week with her grandfather. All they did was talk about folk lore and organize and tag ancient relics that looked more like cheap souvenir knockoffs. That week she had read two books, watched The Lion King over 40 times and by Friday she was talking to herself. It was the most agonizingly boring week of her life.

 

Until now.

 

Traveling with Sesshoumaru was beyond boring. He never talked, unless it was to give an order, and most of the time he didn't have to say anything because somehow Jaken or Rin always just seemed to know everything that he desired. No animal, man, or youkai dared to approach them, and they had steered clear of all well traveled roads as often as possible, so the outlook of having a good fight was looking pretty bleak.

 

Rin was mildly entertaining, but hearing her and Jaken argue about the accuracy of the stories she told Kagome about her lord got old really fast. The little girl had a major case of hero worship going on and considering that Kagome had been more of an enemy than a friend to the guy it made her a little uncomfortable hearing about all of his great conquests. She might have been one of them at more than one point. Not that there would have been much bragging about him having killed a human teenager. When Rin wasn't talking about Sesshoumaru she was quiet, as to not annoy him.

 

Rin had grown and matured quite a bit in the past few years. Kagome remembered the little girl who would pick flowers and give her little crowns and necklaces every time they crossed paths. Now she studied each flower she came across, jotting down descriptions and making little drawings. That way she could use her drawings gather more information on a particular plant next time she came across a healer or Jinenji.

 

Touga, although he kept her pretty busy when he needed feeding or changing, slept for the most of the time. He was really no fun as a traveling companion.

 

On their third and final day of travel Kagome had given up any hope for good conversation or anything remotely entertaining. As she rode on Ah-uh, nursing Touga, she began to sing away the time.

 

 

It started as a faint humming that Sesshoumaru could easily ignore, then the humming got louder and words were eventually added. Now she had taught the damn song to Rin and they were both singing loudly and laughing.

 

“68 bottles of beer on the wall, 68 bottles of beer. Take one down pass it around 67 bottles of beer on the wall!” The two young women sang in unison. It wasn't that the singing was annoying; it was the song itself. It was not only repetitive, but redundant as well.

 

Sesshoumaru, being a demon, never before imagined that he would feel such an immense sense of relief at seeing the slayer village come into view. Finally, he could be rid of the girl. He had already decided to keep an eye on the village and Touga since the pup was so taken with him, but the girl (and her singing) he could do without.

 

From behind him, atop Ah-uh Kagome breathed a sigh of relief; finally they were here.

 

“How do you intend to contribute to this village?” Sesshoumaru asked as they started on the path towards the high gate and walls of the slayer village.

 

Sesshoumaru had chose not to speak much during their journey, not that he ever spoke much, but something the hunter's wife had said had been weighing on him. The girl had no skills that he knew of, and if Inuyasha was dead, which he had no doubt that he was, then how did she plan to make a living. He knew she and the slayer woman were friends and that she would insure that the ex-miko had a place to sleep. But how long would that last before they could no longer support her and her son?

 

“Slaying demons I guess.” Kagome shrugged as she handed Touga to Rin and slid off the dragon to stretch her legs for awhile.

 

“With your formidable hand to hand combat skills?” Sesshoumaru asked, slightly amused actually. The girl had a way with a bow, but a plain arrow would not be able to take out even the weakest of youkai.

 

“For your information I still have my powers!” Kagome snapped back. Of all the arrogant… of course she still had her powers! Why wouldn't she?

 

In the blink of an eye Sesshoumaru was in front Kagome, blocking her path and invading her personal space. His eyes were searching hers with such intensity that she had to look away. He leaned into her neck, his mouth and nose so close that she could feel the heat and electricity radiating off of him. Puffs hot breath caressed her flesh as he sniffed his way from her neck to her cheek and then to her mouth, never actually touching her. Kagome froze and remained perfectly still, afraid that if she moved he might lash out at her with the deadly fangs that were so very close to her soft, pliable, skin.

 

Kagome figured he must have been satisfied with his findings as he stopped in inspection and took a step away. She released a breath that she didn't know she had been holding.

 

“I sense no power from you.” Sesshoumaru stated simply, once again searching her eyes as if he could find the answer there. In her time the guy would make a great police interrogator; she couldn't have lied to him even if she had reason to, with him looking into her like that.

 

 

 

“They are just sealed because of the pregnancy. They will be back to their old strength in about a month I figure.”

 

“I was under the impression that when a miko loses her … purity… that she also loses her abilities.” Sesshoumaru questioned with narrowed eyes. This girl, she had always been different he knew that.

 

“Look, Sesshoumaru, I'm not really a priestess, I never have been. Not all power comes from physical strength and training; it can come from spirit as well.” Kagome side stepped him and began her journey to the village anew.

 

“Why were you never trained? With such power at your disposal you should have learned some discipline less you hurt those you care for.” Sesshoumaru caught up to her in a few quick steps; never would he allow himself to be led by a woman.

 

“I don't know,” Kagome thought for a moment. She really should have sought some kind of training, but she knew that she would never hurt anyone who she cared about. In that aspect her powers were perfectly in control. She supposed she could mess up a blessing or incantation or something, but she never really did any of that. She had the powers, but she most definitely was not a priestess.

 

“I'm not a miko Sesshoumaru. I don't really want to be one, I never asked for this. It was given and I make the best of it, but I never asked for it.” Kagome laughed at the look of utter distain he was giving her. “I would make a horrible priestess anyway, abstinence isn't for me.”

 

Kagome looked over to see Sesshoumaru had paused for a moment, one eye brow raised in question. Oh, god had she said that out loud? She really hadn't meant to!

 

“I…uh…er… what I meant to say is …” Kagome gave up trying to take that particular foot out of her mouth. “That just made me sound really bad didn't it?”

 

“Like a wanton harlot.” Sesshoumaru replied as he resumed his pace ahead of the girl who was still standing there gaping in shock at the spot where he had been standing. It was entertaining, riling her up, he understood now why his brother did it so much, even Naraku had seemed to enjoy it. It was rather amusing.

 

 

 

 

 

“Sango-chan!”

 

“Kagome-chan!” The two women screamed in unison when they laid eyes on one another.

 

The guard at the gate had refused to open seeing as there was a taiyoukai knocking. Kagome had managed to stop them from attacking one another and demanded to speak to the headwoman, Sango. Now surrounded by more than a dozen armed and uniformed slayers Kagome and Sango embraced one another for the first time in months ignoring the glares being sent their way and to the taiyoukai.

 

“Oh Kagome, He looks just like his father! It was too soon for him to be born, ne? I have heard that babes who are born too early are often small and sickly, but he looks great! I think he is bigger than Shinju, in fact.” Sango cooed as the rubbed one of the little ears perched atop Touga's head.

 

Kagome, in turn, was cooing and pinching Shinju's chubby, pink, little cheeks. “You sure are going to have your hands full with these two little ladies; she is beautiful Sango.”

 

“Is that little Rin-chan over there talking with Kohaku?” Sango gestured over to the pre-teen laughing and flirting with her little brother who's cheeks and neck were tinged pink under the girl's attentions.

 

“Oh yes, Rin-chan is quite the little flirt. It drives Sesshoumaru crazy, look at him.” Both women turned to look at the taiyouki standing by the gate glaring at his ward and the young slayer who used to travel with him.

 

“Yes, you must tell me how you came to be with him Kagome-sama.” Miroku added as he joined the conversation, the eldest of his daughters propped on his hip.

 

 

 

Meanwhile as the three companions caught up, a conversation of a less kind nature was happening not far off between the taiyoukai and the head of the village guard.

 

“You and your spawn are not welcome here, demon.” The battle hardened ex-samurai spat at Sesshoumaru.

 

Sesshoumaru spoke with out physically acknowledging the man's presence; he was no threat to the taiyoukai. “And who are you to say? You are not this village's headmaster, are you? I believe that she will decide who stays and who goes.”

 

“She thinks that not all demons are bad, but she will see, and it will be all of our downfalls. You are evil, the lot of you, it is in your filthy blood.” The man spat back, tightening his grip on the sword at his hip.

 

 

 

 

“It was horrible Sango, the miko threatened to kill my baby! Who would do something like that; I mean really, he's just an infant! If it wasn't for Sesshoumaru we both would have died in that forest.” Kagome animatedly recounted her tale to her old friends.

 

“Too bad, that.” A young man, not much older than Kagome, commented to a few others who were listening in on their conversation.

 

“Aye.” An older woman replied and nodded.

 

Kagome whirled around to face the man, clutching her pup closer to her. “What exactly is too bad? That they tried to kill us or that they didn't succeed?” The man could have meant anything, but they way he had spoken, Kagome was sure that he meant it was too bad that she and her son were still alive.

 

“It is unfortunate that any decent miko would allow such an abomination to live.” It was the older samurai who had been standing next to Sesshoumaru who spoke up this time. Kagome could tell that the man was full of hate and anger. She knew that most of the people in this village were recruited from villages that had been decimated by Naraku and his many minions. But this was ridiculous; they killed Naraku for God's sake! Did that mean nothing?

 

“Hold your tongue Dachi!” Sango snapped back with her back straight and her head held high.

 

“You intend to allow this filth into our village, but it will not be Lady Sango! You are loose and weak to allow this! If they stay we will go!” As the samurai spoke all the heads in the audience nodded in agreement.

 

“Do you have any idea who these two are? This woman had a hand in defeating Naraku, and this baby is her and the Hanyou who dealt the final blow to that evil's son. Show the proper respect Dachi! This is not what we are about; we are here to protect the innocent not kill senselessly!” Kagome watched as Sango spoke to her people. She had always admired Sango for her strength, but she was like glass; thick and strong and able to keep the world out, but if you put enough pressure in just the right spot she would shatter. And that was how she looked now, even though she was speaking with a firm authoritative voice and held her shoulders proud and strong Kagome could see the tears building in her eyes. She was afraid to loose these people. They may not have been the family that she had before Naraku, but they were a start. They were a start to getting back the life that she had stolen from her and continuing her tradition.

 

“It's them or us Sango, you have to decide. These people, this cursed miko and hanyou filth will be the end of us. He may just be a baby now, but like a wolf cub, when he grows he will be a killer. It is in his nature and there is no amount of socializing that can weed that out.” The whole crowd nodded and murmured in reply.

 

Kagome looked down at the little pup in her arms. She looked at the little claws on his fingers and the little ears on his head. He could never be a murderer and that man was wrong. Kagome knew it, but she couldn't fault them for being afraid.

 

Then a horrible realization came to her.

 

“Where is Shippo?” Kagome steeled herself against the slayers and their hurtful words.

 

“The kit is gone. He knew it was for the best. We tolerate the neko only because she is little more than a pet, but the fox had to go.” Dachi didn't even look at her as he spoke; instead he continued to size up Sango.

 

Shippo, her little (although not so little anymore) Shippo, was out there somewhere alone and probably scared, or hungry, or cold, and she would never know. Kagome wanted to cry at the thought, but she couldn't let these men see her tears; she wouldn't give them the satisfaction.

 

“You had no right Dachi! Shippo is a friend and a child!” Sango shouted back. Kagome wanted to yell and scream and spit at the man, at all these people, but she couldn't. She couldn't stand to see Sango loose all of this, all of her dreams, all of her future, just for her.

 

Kagome approached Sango and gently laid a hand on her arm. Sango immediately stopped yelling and turned to her friend. “It's ok Sango. I have somewhere else I can go. There was a village that I passed through not far from here, they were very friendly and they offered me a place to stay. I only said no because I knew that you would be worried if I didn't come here first. I'll go back there. It's ok.” Kagome lied.

 

Sango shook her head and Kagome saw a few tears escape. “No Kagome, you can stay here.”

 

But she couldn't. This may not have been the way Sango wanted things to be, but it was true; she couldn't raise a half-demon in a demon slayers village. So she smiled, as big and bright as she could manage, and shook her head no.

 

“It's fine Sango. We'll be happy there and you have your whole life here. They don't understand yet, but they will. You will teach them. It's ok, we'll be fine.” Kagome smiled and kissed Sango on the cheek, and then her daughters and Miroku, then she turned and walked through the crowd of relieved villagers, past Sesshoumaru, and past the massive gates. Now, she thought, they really were alone.

 

 

 

Sesshoumaru watched the little scene unfold between the villagers and the ex-miko. He watched the girl walk away with dignity and pride, and it made his respect for her grow just a little more. He thought she would have been the indignant little beast he had met a few years ago on the battle field, but she wasn't. She handled herself well he thought. He would have acted much the same, except he would have killed them all in the end. He was repulsed by the way they treated her. Not long ago he wouldn't have treated her much better himself, but these were her own people, and they turned her away.

 

With a quick nod of his head Rin left the boy she was so blatantly flirting with and caught up with him at the village gate.

 

“What's going to happen to Kagome and little Touga, Sesshoumaru-sama?” Rin asked as they left the village and met with Ah-un and Jaken.

 

His mother knew this was going to happen, she knew when he visited her a few weeks ago. That was why she told him about his father's vacant estate. She always knew things like this, and somewhere in a sky bound palace, he had no doubt that she was laughing.

 

“Stay behind.” Sesshoumaru told her then quickly caught up to Kagome who was walking a few yards ahead with her pup cradled in her arms.

 

“You lied.” He said after walking beside her in silence for a few minutes.

 

“Huh?” Kagome replied, only partly aware that he was even there in the first place. She was busy thinking about the future and where they would go now.

 

“You lied to your friend. There was no village. Where are you going?”

 

Now Kagome turned her attention to him, he didn't sound like he cared, but at least he was asking. “I am going to go find Shippo I guess. He's alone and he is just a kid.”

 

Sesshoumaru continued down the path, leading them toward the west. “You do him an injustice by coddling him. His is a daiyoukai, he is capable of caring for his own needs. If you continue to treat him as a child he will never learn and will be worse off for it.”

 

“I suppose.” But to Kagome he would always be a little boy, even if he had gotten taller and stronger in the past couple of years, he was still a kid, and everyone needs friends.

 

“Where are you going?” Sesshoumaru asked again.

 

“Back to Edo.” Kagome replied with a shrug. “Or maybe to this village where there is a little bat-hanyou and her mother or maybe to Jinenji's village.”

 

“Winter is coming; you have no clothing, no food, no money, and only a bow with a half-empty quiver to defend yourself.”

 

“It's half-full.” Kagome muttered.

 

“And if anything attacks you, you will be more than half-dead.”

 

Kagome stopped walking and turned to him, red faced and angry. The thin thread that was holding her together snapped. It was his tone, the way he told the truth of her tragedy so casually. “You don't think I know that! You don't think I know that I am totally screwed! I do, but what can I do Sesshoumaru? I could go to Kouga, but then when Inuyasha comes back” Kagome laughed and shook her head, Kouga would never let her stay there with his rivals son and if Inuyasha found her there there's no telling what he would do. “I don't have anywhere to go, so unless you're planning find me a place, your job here is done. Thank you for saving me and thank you for bringing me here, but we don't need you so you can just go!”

 

He could have slapped her for speaking to him like that. He could have ripped her jaw clear off. But he didn't because Touga letting it be known that the tension was too great and began to wail, and there were tears streaming down her face too.

 

Sesshoumaru saved her once, inside of Naraku, when she was lying on the ground bloody and half-dead, but not broken. Now, even though there was no blood and she was nowhere near death, she looked broken. Despite her anger and strong words she was scarred and completely alone.

 

And he had the means to help her.

 

“You may come to my home, but you will never speak to me like that again or you will be there as a prisoner rather than a guest.” He said sternly, ignoring the surprised gasps from her, Rin, and Jaken.

 

“Uh…ok.” Kagome said tentatively while trying to interpret the shocked look on Rin and Jaken's faces. Were they shocked because he was inviting a human? Or was it because he was inviting his estranged half-brother's human?

 

“Your home, Sesshoumaru-sama?” Rin and Jaken asked simultaneously; the words were hardly discernable.

 

 

 

 

 

Kagome was beyond shocked when he had laid the offer out there, just like that he invited her to come and live with him. If she hadn't been so shocked she might have been a little suspicious, but as things were she said `ok' like he had offered her a cup of tea. The offer was weird, the person making it was weird, and the fact that she said ok was tipping the dial on the weird scale from `weird' into `totally nuts'.

 

What was she thinking? This was Sesshoumaru, poison claw wielding, half-breed/human hating, “Die Inuyasha” yelling, Sesshoumaru. And now she was going to live in his house, or castle or whatever, and then what?

 

Then to make the situation even more unreal, Rin and Jaken announce that they have never been to Sesshoumaru's house before. Jaken, who had been his faithfull retainer for over a hundred years (as he was very proud to exclaim) had never been there, but he was taking Kagome there.

 

And so the journey began. Rin and Kagome spent most of their time speculating about what kind of abode the Great and Powerful Lord Sesshoumaru would live in. Rin figured it would have to be a very grand castle with 10… no 20 … no 50 separate buildings and lots of courtyards. Jaken, who only started to play after hearing Rin's ideas of flowers and other little girl things, imagined a castle deep in a swamp so ominous that no human or youkai would dare tread there. Kagome pictured a gothic style castle, like the ones in old Dracula movies. She did her best to explain this and draw it out for Rin and Jaken's sake, but Sesshoumaru quickly put an end to it by declaring it to be `absurd'. That was the only time Sesshoumaru would participate in their little discussions; to discredit an idea that he found offensive in its obscurity.

 

After about a week of travel Kagome came to realize that they had run out of land. She looked out at the autumn sea from a relatively short cliff. The small bay was surrounded by craggy cliffs and mountains that looked like they had broken off into the sea a long time ago. Only a small portion of the `beach' was covered in sand, for the most part the waves broke against the cliffs and jagged stones. Because of the over cast skies the water and the sand looked gray. She imagined that on a nicer day the sand would be a beautiful golden color and the ocean the deepest of green. It really was a beautiful place; there was something beautiful about it now that came from its dreariness.

 

The only thing that was missing from the whole picture was a house.

 

Just as Kagome was about to pose her query Sesshoumaru made a soft grunting sound. In a flurry of orange fabric and soft brown hair Rin clamored aboard Ah-Un followed by Jaken, Kagome took the hint and followed suit. As soon as everyone was seated aboard the dragon Sesshoumaru took the sky with Ah-Uh following close behind.

 

Kagome held onto Touga and the dragon for dear life. They were flying higher and higher up the cliffs. It was there, out of the side of the cliff that she finally caught a glimpse of Sesshoumaru's home. She was amazed by the way that it was only visible form certain angles. One would really have to look to be able to find this place, and if they couldn't fly they probably never would.

 

Sesshoumaru landed in the small courtyard first followed by Ah-Un. Rin was first off of the dragon and immediately began her explorations. Jaken was a little more patient and waited for orders from his master, but Kagome could see that he was itching to take a look around. Kagome could barely contain herself; she was literally bursting at the seams. She wished for a moment that she was younger so that she could run off with Rin and blame her rash behavior on her age. Ah, to be young again.

 

The place wasn't very large. It was no larger or grander then most of the feudal inns or estates that Kagome had stayed in during her travels. Maybe that was why she instantly fell in love with it. It wasn't a castle, or a heavily guarded keep. It was simple and beautiful and just right.

 

It needed some repair and a little cleaning. It was obvious that the place had been vacant for some time. Oh, but it was great! There were five separate buildings, in true feudal fashion. It was large enough to offer individual privacy, but small enough that it would be easy for her comfortably maintain.

 

“The rooms to the left are yours and Rin's. To the right is mine, you are never to enter. Is that understood?” Sesshoumaru's voice was softer than normal and he seemed tired. Not fatigued, but tired in a different way.

 

“Sesshoumaru,” Kagome called out to him as he was walking away from her toward the building he indicated as his own without waiting for her to reply. “Thank you… I really mean it. I … there isn't anything I can do that will be enough to repay you, but if you ever need anything … or if you just want… I don't know… just ask ok.”

 

He paused for a moment, and then looked at her over his shoulder. His was gaze still penetrating even in profile. “There is no need.”