InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Made New ❯ Chapter 8
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: SirenSinger 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 04.09.2010 | Pages: 2 | Words: 5.0K | Visits: 351 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 04.09.2010 | Pages: 2 | Words: 5.0K | Visits: 351 | Status: Work In Progress
A/N: So here’s a nice long chapter for you all! Hope you like it, I do. So far it was the easiest to write. Without further ado, enjoy!
~*~
Gentle brown eyes gazed into the red dusted sky from a low window. Her expression was soft and warm, as the sun shined its last rays into her house. Sango rubbed her swollen belly in slow circles. There was nothing in the world better than this. She had just had the most wonderful day, and now it was coming to a lazy close. Shippou had helped her harvest herbs and vegetables for the up-coming winter, Miroku finished building sleeping arrangements for their little bundle of joy on the way, and she was feeling more and more comfortable now that her body was adjusting well. Her house was finally starting to feel like a home.
She continued to make small circle patterns on her stomach and turned into her simple hut. At least it was bigger than Kaede’s. It was larger than most houses in this village. Miroku had picked it because it was similar in design to the estate he grew up in. It had only three rooms that were separated by paper walls. The center room was the largest, and the middle housed a small fire pit, whose light filled the whole space. The two other rooms belonged to Miroku and herself, and then Shippou and the soon-to-be baby.
Miroku was so much like a father already, making sure she ate well, refusing to let her do anything extraneous, and he never left the hut without giving her and her belly a kiss. She loved that man so much, she didn’t think there was anyone else who could make her feel so warm-so special.
She couldn’t wait for her son to come. She was so sure it would be a boy. She could feel it. Her husband begged to differ. He was positive it was a girl. Kamis help the man if it was. Knowing Miroku-mister, you look at my wife the wrong way and I will hurt you-he would never be okay with their daughter growing up to be a woman. He would probably kill the first boy to 'notice' his little girl. Sango laughed quietly to herself. She would have a hard enough time just making sure the man didn’t smother the kid. She sighed.
If it was a girl though, she would give her a name that meant strength, joy, and made a destiny for her child. She would give her a name that made a path for her daughter, that would remind everyone around of a fearless, and righteous girl. She would name her Yumiko-after the traits she admired in her friend, Kagome.
She wondered if her sister was all right, spending a bunch of alone time with Inuyasha could not be good for her. Sango knew how Kagome felt for the hanyou, but Inuyasha would never be good enough for her, at least in her opinion. How could a man who forced her away from her friends and treated her so badly be a good husband? Kagome may not have been thinking that far ahead, but for goodness sakes she should have been! Kagome was only a few years younger than herself! But she supposed that where the miko came from things weren’t really done the same way. She remembered Kagome saying something about dating before. Dating-like shopping for men, she said. Sango would never fully understand the future. She didn’t really want to, because for now she had everything she needed. Everything except her best friend.
She turned towards the rattle of Miroku's staff entering the room. A dark pair of violet eyes met hers and she noticed the sad smile playing in their depths. She watched purple robes sway as he walked closer to her “Your thinking about Kagome again, aren’t you?”
Sango sighed, was she that obvious? “I just wish she could be here to see Shiro's berth. She put her arms over her middle and looked out of the window again. Her family just didn’t feel complete without Kagome there. She was more her sister than her friend after all.
“Shiro?" He raised an eyebrow and smirked at her knowingly. "But that’s a boy’s name.” It was as if he could not believe in the possibility that their child might be a man. Miroku stood next to his wife and pulled her shoulders into his chest, so that she put her wait on him. They stood there gazing into the sunset for a while. Miroku turned way from the light an lowered his head. “You know, she’s not just going to walk through the door.”
Sango looked up at him, still resting against his chest. “Are you suggesting we go look for her?”
He put a hand over the tell tale sign that she was with child. He could not let her go roaming the countryside like before. Sango was tough, he knew that, but they had other things to think about now. He would not let her put herself in harm's way anymore, things are different when you have others to think about. He wondered if Sango was really cut out for this, could she really be a housewife? All she had known was a life of excitement, death, and fighting. Even from the time she was a little girl, living in the slayers village and training to take her father’s place as leader. He knew from the moment they met that she was not the same as the others. Still, he had his family to think about now. He could not watcher her pt herself in danger, even for one moment.
“No,” he said, kissing her forehead. “I don’t think that would be wise.”
She looked away from him and back out of the window. The only reason Kagome was not here with them now was because of that stupid hanyou. Miroku felt Sango tense in his arms. “I could just kill Inuyasha!” Her voice made him shiver and he gave awkward glace to her boomerang in the corner. He was sure that if Inuyasha was here, he would get a healthy dose of the weapon. Sparkling green eyes caught his attention before he turned away. Shippou stood there, silently listening to them talk about his make shift mom. His big green eyes were on the brink of spilling over. His tiny fists were balled.
Violet eyes continued to rest on green spears. “Relax love," He tried to sooth the tention away as he massaged Sango's shoulders. He didn't look away from Shippou as he continued. "I’m sure wherever she is, she’s in good hands.”
~*~
Sesshomaru sat awake, leaning against one of the plain walls in the village chieftain’s house. Moon light flooded the small room that he was sure was the biggest in the house. It was meant to accommodate the owners, as the village did not have enough money for a more lavish setting for their leaders. The headmen had given Kagome and himself the best room in an attempt not to offend their demon Lord. They had planned only the second best for Kagome, but he quickly refused the idea. If anything were to happen in the middle of the night their separation could prove problematic, so the best strategic move was for them to share. It was simple in terms of logic, but he noticed the sidelong glances the village chieftain was giving him. He would never say anything to Sesshomaru of course, but he could not hide his curiosity at their situation.
Maru, the adopted son of the headmen, was ecstatic when he learned that Kagome was to stay the night. The half demon's bright blues filled with light as he kept the miko busy, running around the estate while Sesshomaru talked with his parents. Maru’s story was much like Inuyasha’s. Except that his brother had never found a kind soul to look out for him after his mother had died. He was glad Kagome had not been there to hear the tale of Maru’s family’s murder. She would have been distraught, and he had no intention of dealing with the upset Miko all afternoon. He had other matters to take care of.
Yes, other matters, like releasing the infernal bond that had formed between himself and the equally irritating girl. They were supposed to have reached Myoga’s home by now, but they had gotten side tracked it seemed. The question that flooded his mind at the moment was . . . why? Why had he allowed himself the delay? It was a retorical question, he knew exactly what the answer was. Sesshomaru watched Kagome’s face contort while she slept on the other side of the room. The moon light lit her features making them soft and fragile, her pouting lips pulled into an even deeper frown. Her inky lashes fluttered against her cheek and Sesshomaru knew that she was dreaming. The miko was almost pretty when she was quiet, he admitted. A perfect picture of peace even in the powerful presence of his aura.
A normal priestess would have run from him as soon as their eyes had spotted his energy. Holy and demonic powers had a way of fighting with each other even without their owner's help. Kagome was a miko of extreme force, and he was a demon who was likely to be the strongest in Japan. Their energies should have been at war from the beginning, she should have felt uncomfortable at very least, but she did not. Even when they had first met, her aura had not looked on his as an enemy. She did not hate him for being a demon like she should have. It had thrown him off guard at first, but now he felt he rather like it.
The miko was nothing if not annoying, but he knew she was also righteous, and too kind for her own good. That was why he had allowed them to stay a night in this village, she needed to comfort that boy-Maru. Asking her to walk away would have been like asking her to ignore who she was. He had tried that once and he didn’t remember it working out well. It had foced him to dispatch an unintelligent lizard demon. Why he should care he didn’t know, but he did and just like he would not fight with himself about caring for Rin, he would not question himself about Kagome. Things simply were as they were. A soft raven lock slipped across the miko's face and for a moment he felt the impulse to push it back where it belonged, but he did no such thing and turned his attention elsewhere.
The stars were glaring down at him from the thin window near the ceiling. A breeze blew and it smelled like rain. This was not good for them. If the miko was exposed to the elements for very long she was liable to get a cold. He would have to kill the dead priestess soon-before winter hit full force. It was about time they took action against Kikyo for her attack on a member of his pack. His beast shifted approvingly, it too wanted retribution for what happened to Kagome. There was more than one reason for seeing Myoga. The flea had sent a messenger to tell him he had information about the clay whore, and might have a way to break the bond that had been made between the miko and himself. He would have ordered the servant to come to him, but the demon was feeling his age as of late. Myoga was not well enough to travel. Gold eyes shut out the world with that thought. Tomorrow promised to be an interesting day.
~*~
Mrs. Higurashi quickened her pace as the night air bit her skin. It was freezing outside. She was only glad that the storage shed was not too far away. Under the cover of darkness, she slipped into the heavy wooden doors and paused to look outside before closing them. There was frost covering the grass, and the moon lit pathway from the house and the shrine showed no evidence of life. It didn’t seem like anyone had seen her leave---good. She breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against the hard wall, searching for the light switch. She found it and the small room suddenly filled with a dim yellow light.
She glanced over the mix-matched shelves lining the walls, and clicked her tongue at the dust covering everything. She really needed to get in here more. The place was a mess. The older woman pushed aside one of the many boxes on the ground (she didn’t even remember what they contained anymore) and looked up at the dirty shelves. They were all lined with miscellaneous items that had been passed down from one generation to the next. Family heirlooms and old books took up every available space. Mrs. Higurashi was thankful she knew exactly what she wanted and where to find it. She could have spent an hour looking for the thing if she didn’t. She reached past an elongated red box and drew out a large green book. Its leather bound edges were worn, and time had obviously gotten a hold of it. If the woman had to guess the book was probably past down at least fifteen generations. The calligraphy on the cover stated beautifully the title: Moon Flower. The Higurashi insignia delicately rested below the words, a small, colorless five pedaled flower and a half moon sitting behind it. It was not elaborate or overly decorative, this book didn’t really stand out among the rest, but the women knew that looks were indeed deceiving. This tome held a family legend that even her father would have scoffed at.
She opened the age torn cover, carefully. The first page was blank. She sighed as she placed her shaking hand on top of the smooth pages. The book was bewitched, there had to be some way to protect the vital information stored from falling into the wrong hands. Hands that would see the prophecy not come to pass. This book would only be read by that of a miko, and not just and any kind of miko . . . a Higurashi. The older women didn’t have the powers her daughter was bestowed with, but she had enough to feel the lazy buzz of it resting in her blood. It was just enough to know her surroundings better than others, just enough to understand Kagome’s problems, just enough to read this book.
“Show me.” She said concentrating hard on pushing what little magic she had into her hand, as she had practiced a million times before, just as her mother had taught her. As she expected, the page began to shimmer and the words started to write themselves where the weathered paper had been blank. “Moon Flower,” she read aloud, her voice barely a whisper to keep with the silence of the night. She lifted the paper and watched the next page come to life, this time a song filled it. She remembered singing that song to her daughter when she was a child, just like her mother had done for her. A forlorn smile pulled on her lips, oh how she wished those days never ended. How she wished she was wrong about what would soon take place in the girl’s life.
~*~
Kagome awoke to find Sesshomaru nowhere in sight. No, surprise there. He was gone almost every morning. Cool, fresh, air welcomed her and she slipped out of her bed roll. The wooden floor cooled her feet as she walked over to her backpack. The yellow bag was still stuffed full of things from her last visit home. She was glad for that at least. Sesshomaru would probably never let her go home.The thought wasn't really a welcome one. She didn't need to go home yet anyways, better to think about crossing that bridge when it came. Banishing it from her mind, she set to work untangling, the mass of her raven colored hair and changing into a fresh pair of clothes. It was starting to get cold out, her uniform wouldn’t do. She decided on a pair of jeans and plain white hoody that still left her with some curves. She pushed the paper doors open and almost ran into the little boy standing outside the room. “Maru? Are you okay?”
The bright eyed boy gave her a toothy grin. “Sesshomaru-sama asked me to wait for you to wake up.” His red bangs fell into his face.
Kagome smiled back at him. “Oh yeah, what for?” She stretched her arms over her head and yawned. She hadn’t felt this rested in a long time.
Maru put a very serious face on and lifted his fingers to his forehead in what looked like a backwards ‘C’. His voice was at least an octave deeper than it usually was “‘This Sesshomaru has no time to watch the miko sleep.’”
Kagome out right laughed, “Hey, that’s pretty good.” The humor in her voice didn’t leave, “So he put you on guard duty did he?”
Maru nodded and went back to his innocent grin. Kagome noticed for the first time he had dimples. “Sesshomaru-sama said that he is waiting at the armory for you.”
“Really?” Kagome’s face softened, so she was still going to get her arrows after all.
Maru’s blue eyes suddenly narrowed in a look that was way too sly for a child as she noticed the smile she had put on. “You like him don’t you"
Kagome took a step back. “No, no it’s not like that.” She waved her arms up in front of her defensively.
He looked at her with a frown. “Please, be careful Kagome-chan, I don’t want you to get hurt like mamma.” He held his small, pale hands together and looked down, his red hair hiding his eyes.
Kagome swallowed her unease, she may not have known the exact story, but she was sure she had a pretty good guess what happened to his mother. Relationships between humans and demons were looked down upon; she would even go as far as to say that they were detested. On either side of the fence you had better stick to your own grass. She knelt down on one knee and placed her dainty hands on the hanyou’s cheek.
“It will be okay Maru, Sesshomaru and I aren’t like that. Besides-" She smiled as he looked up at her. “Even if we were nothing bad would happen. Sesshomaru is very strong, and he would protect me.”
Maru nodded hesitantly. “Yeah, but Kagome-chan?”
“Yes?” She stood up.
“Won't he be mad that you're not in town by now?” His purple kimono slid a little on his shoulders as he raised his fingers like Sesshomaru’s half moon again. “The miko is not to waste this Sesshomaru’s time.”
Kagome laughed again. “Come on,” She took his hand away from his forehead. “Let's go together.”
They ran through the starch white paper halls and out of the small home. Maru took the lead as they entered the sun-lit village. Kagome was taken aback by how many people were on the dirt streets. Yesterday there had hardly been a soul in sight (except on the fields) but now they were crowned and full. Maru hesitated and Kagome knew what that meant-he was scared of them. She squeezed his hand reassuringly and took a step forward. Noise and hurried villagers brushed passed them, almost knocking the two over, but Kagome kept a strong hold of Maru’s hand. She could feel it shaking. Why should he be so afraid when he was taken in by the village head man?
The people turned their eyes to them as they crossed into the street, the miko smiled and they looked away. An older woman had the nerve to sneer, and shake her head at the sight of a miko walking with a demon hand in hand. Another man glared and spit as they walked by. Maru’s grip on her tightened and Kagome stood tall as she continued to smile. “Wanna know a trick, Maru?” She whispered as the two found a safe place to rest before the rest of the trip to the armory.
The boy let go of her hand. “Mm-hmm.” He nodded.
They had stopped under the shade of a thatched roof; pieces of straw and raw cotton were floating through the air from the last of the year’s crops. Kagome’s grin was brilliant as she leaned over to his ear. “It’s a secret between just me and you okay?” The boy nodded again and she continued. “Just keep smiling . . . through everything,” She said in a hushed voice. “Never give them a reason to hate you, Maru. Just keep smiling at them, keep loving them. Then you’ll know that whatever happens, you did your best, and you gave them as much of yourself as you could.” Kagome’s slender arms wrapped around him. “No matter what, just keep smiling.”
~*~
Kikyo had to work to hide the disgust rising to her face. She should have known all along where they were heading. Takashi had said they needed help taking on Sesshomaru and here they were sure to get it. She felt the bile turn in her stomach. They were asking for assistance from greedy, selfish, power hungry, inexcusable, evil-dragons. The forest clearing they were standing in was filled with pure morning light, the tall trees were almost devoid of their leaves, and the smell of wet moss hung heavily in the air. Kikyo had to breath deep to keep her lip from curling in revolt. It was deceptively peaceful scenery. They were in the eastern lands, too far into the middle of dragon demon territory. She hated every second of it, but Takeshi could not have picked a better ally to have.
The point of finding another partner was to give them a chance at taking on Sesshomaru, the Lord of the western lands. There was no one who hated him more than the dragons, who had lost their leader to the claws of the dog general, Lord Toga, long ago. Sesshomaru, and Inuyasha’s father was Ryukotsei's biggest adversary, now the anger from so long ago still serged surged on the eldest demon’s shoulders as a constant reminder of his father death. Takeshi knew just how to take advantage of this.
In front of her stood a tall, hard-looking man, about a whole foot more in height than she was. The angled plains of his face were sharp and he boosted high cheek bones and deep-set sockets. His green, cat-like eyes met her own for a brief moment before they moved on to the dark man standing beside her. The dragon youkai’s pale sea foam hair lifted slightly as a breeze wafted through the clearing. Kikyo could see small shiny scales trailing behind the man’s ears. His name was Lord Kano, the leader of the eastern lands. The dragons were still wary of their new pact with the hanyou next to her. They agreed to meet in a place away from Kano’s royal grounds to discuss matters concerning the destruction of Sesshomaru. Kikyo didn’t care about the over fluffed demon, all she wanted was her soul, and Inuyasha to return to hell with her. He belonged to her. Kikyo forced herself to unclenched her fists as she noticed the eastern lord looking at her disdainfully.
The demon raised a clawed finger at her, stretching the black leather armor over his chest. “What is the human doing here?” His voice was deeper than she expected, but grated on her nerves like rocks sliding together.
Takeshi lifted his head in a smug smirk. “She is an ally,” He took a step backwards toward her almost protectively, she didn’t appreciate the gesture.”Is there a problem, my Lord?” The agile man looked to the demon in front of them both. His red eyes were alight with excitement and Kikyo wanted to scream at him for being so foolish. This was not a game!
Kano narrowed his own grassy orbs before answering. “I will not lower myself and work with a priestess. “
Takeshi just shrugged his wide shoulders in mock disappointment. “A shame,” he said, coming closer to her as he laid a strong hand on the blades of her back. “She can be quite useful, right, Kikyo?” He emphasized her name and unbidden shiver ran over her. She glared up at Takeshi not knowing what to say.
“Kikyo?” She heard her name come from the gravel voice ahead of her. She turned away from the smirking devil spawn. “ . . . The soul collector.” She saw a flicker of something come across his reptilian face and almost shuddered again. “Very useful indeed.” The demon lord smiled, his large canines becoming viable.
She looked back to Takeshi, what did her need for souls have to do with anything? The two men were exchanging a knowing glance and she suspected that they were not telling her something vastly important. She felt a cold anger run through her and stepped out of Takeshi’s grasp. Just what in Kami’s name was going on?
~*~
Shippou peered around the edge of the door to his room, he sighed in relief when no one was there. He gathered his determination with a quick nod of his fiery little head and he left the room, carrying a small green sack over his shoulder. He was a big strong fox demon, he could do this. His paws clicked slightly against the wood floor of the house he had come to know as his own. He would miss Sango and Miroku, at least for a little while. A small frown pulled on his plump face. They would be scared for him, he knew that they wouldn’t want him to do what he was about to, but he felt he didn’t have any other choice. He was going to go find Kagome and save her from Inuyasha if it was the last thing he ever did.
It was what they all wanted to do, but Sango obviously couldn’t go search for her, and Miroku could never leave his wife and unborn child unprotected. So, that only left Shippou, and he was more than willing to find his surrogate mother. Kagome had healed him after losing his parents by Naraku’s hands. She had taught him how to be brave, to be really brave, not the false facade he put on when they first met. He loved her as much as he ever loved his real mother, and he would find her no matter what happened, Inuyasha would just have to deal with it because he needed her too. Inuyasha was just a big Kagome hog. He almost giggled when he imagined making the hanyou angry enough to chase after him and then asking Kagome to ‘sit’ him because of it.
He peeked out of the hallway and saw Sango standing over a pot of stew, the smell of steamed vegetables and meat filled the air. He recognized the scent of soup as something Kagome used to make and it only made him miss her more. Remembering the conversation he had overheard, Shippou let out a soft sigh. Sango probably missed Kagome just as much as he did. It must be killing her not to be able to go get their friend. He shook his head again and his wild red bangs fell out of his face. Sango left her place by the pot of stew and walked out of the straw screen they used for a door to the outside. He saw her put her hands on her big belly as she walked and Shippou smiled. He would make sure Kagome came home before the baby was born.
~*~
AN:Well that’s that for chapter eight! Yay! I can’t say I am completely happy with it but none the less I think I did a good job. Thank you all for your reviews last time! Every time I get a little bit of writer’s block I go back and read them, even though there is not a lot, and it really helps me! I prefer to think you guys are the best and most intelligent readers there are, so I know when I do well you’ll let me know. ^_^ Oh, and don’t forget to say thanks to my awesome beta reader the lovely, Le-chan.
Sugar0o - I’m sorry I forgot to say this before “AHHHH! Pocky gods please forgive me!” *does the hokey pookey and stands on head* “There, that should appease them for awhile.”
~ SongMiko
~*~
Gentle brown eyes gazed into the red dusted sky from a low window. Her expression was soft and warm, as the sun shined its last rays into her house. Sango rubbed her swollen belly in slow circles. There was nothing in the world better than this. She had just had the most wonderful day, and now it was coming to a lazy close. Shippou had helped her harvest herbs and vegetables for the up-coming winter, Miroku finished building sleeping arrangements for their little bundle of joy on the way, and she was feeling more and more comfortable now that her body was adjusting well. Her house was finally starting to feel like a home.
She continued to make small circle patterns on her stomach and turned into her simple hut. At least it was bigger than Kaede’s. It was larger than most houses in this village. Miroku had picked it because it was similar in design to the estate he grew up in. It had only three rooms that were separated by paper walls. The center room was the largest, and the middle housed a small fire pit, whose light filled the whole space. The two other rooms belonged to Miroku and herself, and then Shippou and the soon-to-be baby.
Miroku was so much like a father already, making sure she ate well, refusing to let her do anything extraneous, and he never left the hut without giving her and her belly a kiss. She loved that man so much, she didn’t think there was anyone else who could make her feel so warm-so special.
She couldn’t wait for her son to come. She was so sure it would be a boy. She could feel it. Her husband begged to differ. He was positive it was a girl. Kamis help the man if it was. Knowing Miroku-mister, you look at my wife the wrong way and I will hurt you-he would never be okay with their daughter growing up to be a woman. He would probably kill the first boy to 'notice' his little girl. Sango laughed quietly to herself. She would have a hard enough time just making sure the man didn’t smother the kid. She sighed.
If it was a girl though, she would give her a name that meant strength, joy, and made a destiny for her child. She would give her a name that made a path for her daughter, that would remind everyone around of a fearless, and righteous girl. She would name her Yumiko-after the traits she admired in her friend, Kagome.
She wondered if her sister was all right, spending a bunch of alone time with Inuyasha could not be good for her. Sango knew how Kagome felt for the hanyou, but Inuyasha would never be good enough for her, at least in her opinion. How could a man who forced her away from her friends and treated her so badly be a good husband? Kagome may not have been thinking that far ahead, but for goodness sakes she should have been! Kagome was only a few years younger than herself! But she supposed that where the miko came from things weren’t really done the same way. She remembered Kagome saying something about dating before. Dating-like shopping for men, she said. Sango would never fully understand the future. She didn’t really want to, because for now she had everything she needed. Everything except her best friend.
She turned towards the rattle of Miroku's staff entering the room. A dark pair of violet eyes met hers and she noticed the sad smile playing in their depths. She watched purple robes sway as he walked closer to her “Your thinking about Kagome again, aren’t you?”
Sango sighed, was she that obvious? “I just wish she could be here to see Shiro's berth. She put her arms over her middle and looked out of the window again. Her family just didn’t feel complete without Kagome there. She was more her sister than her friend after all.
“Shiro?" He raised an eyebrow and smirked at her knowingly. "But that’s a boy’s name.” It was as if he could not believe in the possibility that their child might be a man. Miroku stood next to his wife and pulled her shoulders into his chest, so that she put her wait on him. They stood there gazing into the sunset for a while. Miroku turned way from the light an lowered his head. “You know, she’s not just going to walk through the door.”
Sango looked up at him, still resting against his chest. “Are you suggesting we go look for her?”
He put a hand over the tell tale sign that she was with child. He could not let her go roaming the countryside like before. Sango was tough, he knew that, but they had other things to think about now. He would not let her put herself in harm's way anymore, things are different when you have others to think about. He wondered if Sango was really cut out for this, could she really be a housewife? All she had known was a life of excitement, death, and fighting. Even from the time she was a little girl, living in the slayers village and training to take her father’s place as leader. He knew from the moment they met that she was not the same as the others. Still, he had his family to think about now. He could not watcher her pt herself in danger, even for one moment.
“No,” he said, kissing her forehead. “I don’t think that would be wise.”
She looked away from him and back out of the window. The only reason Kagome was not here with them now was because of that stupid hanyou. Miroku felt Sango tense in his arms. “I could just kill Inuyasha!” Her voice made him shiver and he gave awkward glace to her boomerang in the corner. He was sure that if Inuyasha was here, he would get a healthy dose of the weapon. Sparkling green eyes caught his attention before he turned away. Shippou stood there, silently listening to them talk about his make shift mom. His big green eyes were on the brink of spilling over. His tiny fists were balled.
Violet eyes continued to rest on green spears. “Relax love," He tried to sooth the tention away as he massaged Sango's shoulders. He didn't look away from Shippou as he continued. "I’m sure wherever she is, she’s in good hands.”
~*~
Sesshomaru sat awake, leaning against one of the plain walls in the village chieftain’s house. Moon light flooded the small room that he was sure was the biggest in the house. It was meant to accommodate the owners, as the village did not have enough money for a more lavish setting for their leaders. The headmen had given Kagome and himself the best room in an attempt not to offend their demon Lord. They had planned only the second best for Kagome, but he quickly refused the idea. If anything were to happen in the middle of the night their separation could prove problematic, so the best strategic move was for them to share. It was simple in terms of logic, but he noticed the sidelong glances the village chieftain was giving him. He would never say anything to Sesshomaru of course, but he could not hide his curiosity at their situation.
Maru, the adopted son of the headmen, was ecstatic when he learned that Kagome was to stay the night. The half demon's bright blues filled with light as he kept the miko busy, running around the estate while Sesshomaru talked with his parents. Maru’s story was much like Inuyasha’s. Except that his brother had never found a kind soul to look out for him after his mother had died. He was glad Kagome had not been there to hear the tale of Maru’s family’s murder. She would have been distraught, and he had no intention of dealing with the upset Miko all afternoon. He had other matters to take care of.
Yes, other matters, like releasing the infernal bond that had formed between himself and the equally irritating girl. They were supposed to have reached Myoga’s home by now, but they had gotten side tracked it seemed. The question that flooded his mind at the moment was . . . why? Why had he allowed himself the delay? It was a retorical question, he knew exactly what the answer was. Sesshomaru watched Kagome’s face contort while she slept on the other side of the room. The moon light lit her features making them soft and fragile, her pouting lips pulled into an even deeper frown. Her inky lashes fluttered against her cheek and Sesshomaru knew that she was dreaming. The miko was almost pretty when she was quiet, he admitted. A perfect picture of peace even in the powerful presence of his aura.
A normal priestess would have run from him as soon as their eyes had spotted his energy. Holy and demonic powers had a way of fighting with each other even without their owner's help. Kagome was a miko of extreme force, and he was a demon who was likely to be the strongest in Japan. Their energies should have been at war from the beginning, she should have felt uncomfortable at very least, but she did not. Even when they had first met, her aura had not looked on his as an enemy. She did not hate him for being a demon like she should have. It had thrown him off guard at first, but now he felt he rather like it.
The miko was nothing if not annoying, but he knew she was also righteous, and too kind for her own good. That was why he had allowed them to stay a night in this village, she needed to comfort that boy-Maru. Asking her to walk away would have been like asking her to ignore who she was. He had tried that once and he didn’t remember it working out well. It had foced him to dispatch an unintelligent lizard demon. Why he should care he didn’t know, but he did and just like he would not fight with himself about caring for Rin, he would not question himself about Kagome. Things simply were as they were. A soft raven lock slipped across the miko's face and for a moment he felt the impulse to push it back where it belonged, but he did no such thing and turned his attention elsewhere.
The stars were glaring down at him from the thin window near the ceiling. A breeze blew and it smelled like rain. This was not good for them. If the miko was exposed to the elements for very long she was liable to get a cold. He would have to kill the dead priestess soon-before winter hit full force. It was about time they took action against Kikyo for her attack on a member of his pack. His beast shifted approvingly, it too wanted retribution for what happened to Kagome. There was more than one reason for seeing Myoga. The flea had sent a messenger to tell him he had information about the clay whore, and might have a way to break the bond that had been made between the miko and himself. He would have ordered the servant to come to him, but the demon was feeling his age as of late. Myoga was not well enough to travel. Gold eyes shut out the world with that thought. Tomorrow promised to be an interesting day.
~*~
Mrs. Higurashi quickened her pace as the night air bit her skin. It was freezing outside. She was only glad that the storage shed was not too far away. Under the cover of darkness, she slipped into the heavy wooden doors and paused to look outside before closing them. There was frost covering the grass, and the moon lit pathway from the house and the shrine showed no evidence of life. It didn’t seem like anyone had seen her leave---good. She breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against the hard wall, searching for the light switch. She found it and the small room suddenly filled with a dim yellow light.
She glanced over the mix-matched shelves lining the walls, and clicked her tongue at the dust covering everything. She really needed to get in here more. The place was a mess. The older woman pushed aside one of the many boxes on the ground (she didn’t even remember what they contained anymore) and looked up at the dirty shelves. They were all lined with miscellaneous items that had been passed down from one generation to the next. Family heirlooms and old books took up every available space. Mrs. Higurashi was thankful she knew exactly what she wanted and where to find it. She could have spent an hour looking for the thing if she didn’t. She reached past an elongated red box and drew out a large green book. Its leather bound edges were worn, and time had obviously gotten a hold of it. If the woman had to guess the book was probably past down at least fifteen generations. The calligraphy on the cover stated beautifully the title: Moon Flower. The Higurashi insignia delicately rested below the words, a small, colorless five pedaled flower and a half moon sitting behind it. It was not elaborate or overly decorative, this book didn’t really stand out among the rest, but the women knew that looks were indeed deceiving. This tome held a family legend that even her father would have scoffed at.
She opened the age torn cover, carefully. The first page was blank. She sighed as she placed her shaking hand on top of the smooth pages. The book was bewitched, there had to be some way to protect the vital information stored from falling into the wrong hands. Hands that would see the prophecy not come to pass. This book would only be read by that of a miko, and not just and any kind of miko . . . a Higurashi. The older women didn’t have the powers her daughter was bestowed with, but she had enough to feel the lazy buzz of it resting in her blood. It was just enough to know her surroundings better than others, just enough to understand Kagome’s problems, just enough to read this book.
“Show me.” She said concentrating hard on pushing what little magic she had into her hand, as she had practiced a million times before, just as her mother had taught her. As she expected, the page began to shimmer and the words started to write themselves where the weathered paper had been blank. “Moon Flower,” she read aloud, her voice barely a whisper to keep with the silence of the night. She lifted the paper and watched the next page come to life, this time a song filled it. She remembered singing that song to her daughter when she was a child, just like her mother had done for her. A forlorn smile pulled on her lips, oh how she wished those days never ended. How she wished she was wrong about what would soon take place in the girl’s life.
~*~
Kagome awoke to find Sesshomaru nowhere in sight. No, surprise there. He was gone almost every morning. Cool, fresh, air welcomed her and she slipped out of her bed roll. The wooden floor cooled her feet as she walked over to her backpack. The yellow bag was still stuffed full of things from her last visit home. She was glad for that at least. Sesshomaru would probably never let her go home.The thought wasn't really a welcome one. She didn't need to go home yet anyways, better to think about crossing that bridge when it came. Banishing it from her mind, she set to work untangling, the mass of her raven colored hair and changing into a fresh pair of clothes. It was starting to get cold out, her uniform wouldn’t do. She decided on a pair of jeans and plain white hoody that still left her with some curves. She pushed the paper doors open and almost ran into the little boy standing outside the room. “Maru? Are you okay?”
The bright eyed boy gave her a toothy grin. “Sesshomaru-sama asked me to wait for you to wake up.” His red bangs fell into his face.
Kagome smiled back at him. “Oh yeah, what for?” She stretched her arms over her head and yawned. She hadn’t felt this rested in a long time.
Maru put a very serious face on and lifted his fingers to his forehead in what looked like a backwards ‘C’. His voice was at least an octave deeper than it usually was “‘This Sesshomaru has no time to watch the miko sleep.’”
Kagome out right laughed, “Hey, that’s pretty good.” The humor in her voice didn’t leave, “So he put you on guard duty did he?”
Maru nodded and went back to his innocent grin. Kagome noticed for the first time he had dimples. “Sesshomaru-sama said that he is waiting at the armory for you.”
“Really?” Kagome’s face softened, so she was still going to get her arrows after all.
Maru’s blue eyes suddenly narrowed in a look that was way too sly for a child as she noticed the smile she had put on. “You like him don’t you"
Kagome took a step back. “No, no it’s not like that.” She waved her arms up in front of her defensively.
He looked at her with a frown. “Please, be careful Kagome-chan, I don’t want you to get hurt like mamma.” He held his small, pale hands together and looked down, his red hair hiding his eyes.
Kagome swallowed her unease, she may not have known the exact story, but she was sure she had a pretty good guess what happened to his mother. Relationships between humans and demons were looked down upon; she would even go as far as to say that they were detested. On either side of the fence you had better stick to your own grass. She knelt down on one knee and placed her dainty hands on the hanyou’s cheek.
“It will be okay Maru, Sesshomaru and I aren’t like that. Besides-" She smiled as he looked up at her. “Even if we were nothing bad would happen. Sesshomaru is very strong, and he would protect me.”
Maru nodded hesitantly. “Yeah, but Kagome-chan?”
“Yes?” She stood up.
“Won't he be mad that you're not in town by now?” His purple kimono slid a little on his shoulders as he raised his fingers like Sesshomaru’s half moon again. “The miko is not to waste this Sesshomaru’s time.”
Kagome laughed again. “Come on,” She took his hand away from his forehead. “Let's go together.”
They ran through the starch white paper halls and out of the small home. Maru took the lead as they entered the sun-lit village. Kagome was taken aback by how many people were on the dirt streets. Yesterday there had hardly been a soul in sight (except on the fields) but now they were crowned and full. Maru hesitated and Kagome knew what that meant-he was scared of them. She squeezed his hand reassuringly and took a step forward. Noise and hurried villagers brushed passed them, almost knocking the two over, but Kagome kept a strong hold of Maru’s hand. She could feel it shaking. Why should he be so afraid when he was taken in by the village head man?
The people turned their eyes to them as they crossed into the street, the miko smiled and they looked away. An older woman had the nerve to sneer, and shake her head at the sight of a miko walking with a demon hand in hand. Another man glared and spit as they walked by. Maru’s grip on her tightened and Kagome stood tall as she continued to smile. “Wanna know a trick, Maru?” She whispered as the two found a safe place to rest before the rest of the trip to the armory.
The boy let go of her hand. “Mm-hmm.” He nodded.
They had stopped under the shade of a thatched roof; pieces of straw and raw cotton were floating through the air from the last of the year’s crops. Kagome’s grin was brilliant as she leaned over to his ear. “It’s a secret between just me and you okay?” The boy nodded again and she continued. “Just keep smiling . . . through everything,” She said in a hushed voice. “Never give them a reason to hate you, Maru. Just keep smiling at them, keep loving them. Then you’ll know that whatever happens, you did your best, and you gave them as much of yourself as you could.” Kagome’s slender arms wrapped around him. “No matter what, just keep smiling.”
~*~
Kikyo had to work to hide the disgust rising to her face. She should have known all along where they were heading. Takashi had said they needed help taking on Sesshomaru and here they were sure to get it. She felt the bile turn in her stomach. They were asking for assistance from greedy, selfish, power hungry, inexcusable, evil-dragons. The forest clearing they were standing in was filled with pure morning light, the tall trees were almost devoid of their leaves, and the smell of wet moss hung heavily in the air. Kikyo had to breath deep to keep her lip from curling in revolt. It was deceptively peaceful scenery. They were in the eastern lands, too far into the middle of dragon demon territory. She hated every second of it, but Takeshi could not have picked a better ally to have.
The point of finding another partner was to give them a chance at taking on Sesshomaru, the Lord of the western lands. There was no one who hated him more than the dragons, who had lost their leader to the claws of the dog general, Lord Toga, long ago. Sesshomaru, and Inuyasha’s father was Ryukotsei's biggest adversary, now the anger from so long ago still serged surged on the eldest demon’s shoulders as a constant reminder of his father death. Takeshi knew just how to take advantage of this.
In front of her stood a tall, hard-looking man, about a whole foot more in height than she was. The angled plains of his face were sharp and he boosted high cheek bones and deep-set sockets. His green, cat-like eyes met her own for a brief moment before they moved on to the dark man standing beside her. The dragon youkai’s pale sea foam hair lifted slightly as a breeze wafted through the clearing. Kikyo could see small shiny scales trailing behind the man’s ears. His name was Lord Kano, the leader of the eastern lands. The dragons were still wary of their new pact with the hanyou next to her. They agreed to meet in a place away from Kano’s royal grounds to discuss matters concerning the destruction of Sesshomaru. Kikyo didn’t care about the over fluffed demon, all she wanted was her soul, and Inuyasha to return to hell with her. He belonged to her. Kikyo forced herself to unclenched her fists as she noticed the eastern lord looking at her disdainfully.
The demon raised a clawed finger at her, stretching the black leather armor over his chest. “What is the human doing here?” His voice was deeper than she expected, but grated on her nerves like rocks sliding together.
Takeshi lifted his head in a smug smirk. “She is an ally,” He took a step backwards toward her almost protectively, she didn’t appreciate the gesture.”Is there a problem, my Lord?” The agile man looked to the demon in front of them both. His red eyes were alight with excitement and Kikyo wanted to scream at him for being so foolish. This was not a game!
Kano narrowed his own grassy orbs before answering. “I will not lower myself and work with a priestess. “
Takeshi just shrugged his wide shoulders in mock disappointment. “A shame,” he said, coming closer to her as he laid a strong hand on the blades of her back. “She can be quite useful, right, Kikyo?” He emphasized her name and unbidden shiver ran over her. She glared up at Takeshi not knowing what to say.
“Kikyo?” She heard her name come from the gravel voice ahead of her. She turned away from the smirking devil spawn. “ . . . The soul collector.” She saw a flicker of something come across his reptilian face and almost shuddered again. “Very useful indeed.” The demon lord smiled, his large canines becoming viable.
She looked back to Takeshi, what did her need for souls have to do with anything? The two men were exchanging a knowing glance and she suspected that they were not telling her something vastly important. She felt a cold anger run through her and stepped out of Takeshi’s grasp. Just what in Kami’s name was going on?
~*~
Shippou peered around the edge of the door to his room, he sighed in relief when no one was there. He gathered his determination with a quick nod of his fiery little head and he left the room, carrying a small green sack over his shoulder. He was a big strong fox demon, he could do this. His paws clicked slightly against the wood floor of the house he had come to know as his own. He would miss Sango and Miroku, at least for a little while. A small frown pulled on his plump face. They would be scared for him, he knew that they wouldn’t want him to do what he was about to, but he felt he didn’t have any other choice. He was going to go find Kagome and save her from Inuyasha if it was the last thing he ever did.
It was what they all wanted to do, but Sango obviously couldn’t go search for her, and Miroku could never leave his wife and unborn child unprotected. So, that only left Shippou, and he was more than willing to find his surrogate mother. Kagome had healed him after losing his parents by Naraku’s hands. She had taught him how to be brave, to be really brave, not the false facade he put on when they first met. He loved her as much as he ever loved his real mother, and he would find her no matter what happened, Inuyasha would just have to deal with it because he needed her too. Inuyasha was just a big Kagome hog. He almost giggled when he imagined making the hanyou angry enough to chase after him and then asking Kagome to ‘sit’ him because of it.
He peeked out of the hallway and saw Sango standing over a pot of stew, the smell of steamed vegetables and meat filled the air. He recognized the scent of soup as something Kagome used to make and it only made him miss her more. Remembering the conversation he had overheard, Shippou let out a soft sigh. Sango probably missed Kagome just as much as he did. It must be killing her not to be able to go get their friend. He shook his head again and his wild red bangs fell out of his face. Sango left her place by the pot of stew and walked out of the straw screen they used for a door to the outside. He saw her put her hands on her big belly as she walked and Shippou smiled. He would make sure Kagome came home before the baby was born.
~*~
AN:Well that’s that for chapter eight! Yay! I can’t say I am completely happy with it but none the less I think I did a good job. Thank you all for your reviews last time! Every time I get a little bit of writer’s block I go back and read them, even though there is not a lot, and it really helps me! I prefer to think you guys are the best and most intelligent readers there are, so I know when I do well you’ll let me know. ^_^ Oh, and don’t forget to say thanks to my awesome beta reader the lovely, Le-chan.
Sugar0o - I’m sorry I forgot to say this before “AHHHH! Pocky gods please forgive me!” *does the hokey pookey and stands on head* “There, that should appease them for awhile.”
~ SongMiko