InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Of Gods And Demons ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

Author's note:

So, Kagome was kidnapped. Kinda sucks for her, but hey, at least she doesn't have to take her test. Anyway, here's chapter 4, enjoy!

Kagome was pissed. She was beyond angry, past furious, and teetering on the edge of livid. She wanted to scream, and break things, and set stuff on fire. More accurately, she wanted to set him on fire.

Yeah, arson! She mentally cheered. Too bad he was a god, and therefore probably fireproof. Damn.

As she watched the clouds fly past her head, she pondered briefly what she had done to make her life so incredibly complicated. Maybe the gods were particularly angry when they planned her fate, yes, that must have been it. They had been out partying all night and drunk their entire sake stores dry. And when they woke up their whole temple was trashed, and someone threw up in the rare, potted jade tree and killed it, and no one could find the aspirin. Yup, her fate must have been the result of a god-sized hangover, that was the only way to explain it.

Except that she had been kidnapped by a god, which meant...well, heck if she knew what it meant, but it was giving her a massive headache.

Okay, let's review, Kagome thought to herself. One: I met a god. Okay, that was pretty weird, but also kinda cool. Two: I was kidnapped by said god. Not so cool. Three...uh...escape? Yeah, that sounds about right, I've got to figure out how to escape.

Kagome looked around hopefully, finding nothing but the extremely attractive bastard who was holding her captive, and the ground, which was currently several thousand feet beneath them. Neither was exactly helpful unless her escape plan ended with her going splat and making a rather unsightly mess of her internal organs. And she liked her internal organs. The were helpful and productive and most importantly they were internal. No, it would definitely not due to have them splattered all over a two mile radius.

"Hey, you," she said testily and flicked her captor's ear. He flinched and then looked at her with a slightly disgusted look.

"Did you just flick me?" He said in disbelief.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Yes, now, listened up! You better put me down because it's getting cold up here and you might be impervious to frost bite, but I'm certainly not!"

"Do not fret, we will arrive shortly," he said dismissively. He wasn't sure what 'frostbite' was exactly, but nothing seemed to be attacking the girl so, he figured it was not an urgent issue.

"Who's fretting? I'm just being kidnapped and dragged across the sky, nope, nothing to fret about," she said, her voice on the verge of hysterics.

It registered somewhere in her mind that she should probably be screaming, that's what all helpless damsels did, right? But she just couldn't really see how that would help matters besides possibly getting herself dropped. Why was it that girl's always screamed their heads off whenever they were in trouble? It seemed kind of ridiculous now that she thought about it.

But Kagome's pondering soon evaporated as she felt her carrier start to descend. She looked over her shoulder and saw...possibly the weirdest, strangest, most spectacular thing she had ever seen. There, amongst the clouds, was a palace that looked as though it were made of pure silver. A palace. Floating in the sky. Sitting softly and subtly on a cloud. Looking very serene and completely impossible.

Oh, I've gone insane, she thought blankly. That explains a lot.

Kagome shrugged her shoulders and decided to enjoy the convoluted fantasy her sick, sick mind had thought up seeing as it had obviously gone through a lot of trouble.

There, on the wall of the silver, imaginary palace, stood dozens of bird-like men, each carrying silver spears that glittered in the sun. She thought it was all kind of superfluous seeing as no one would be able to attack a castle in the sky, and mentally chided her brain for wasting precious energy in making such pointless images. She scowled at them as they stood at attention and the silver gates they needlessly guarded swung open. Again Kagome thought that was a little over the top since her mind could've just had them fly over the wall instead.

In fact, this whole thing seemed far too complex for her mind to think up. She was never terribly imaginative and thinking up something like this would definitely require an impressive imagination...maybe, just maybe this was real?

Oh god, I think it is! She thought hysterically, her eyes going wide as saucers.

"Welcome to your home," her captor smirked at the dumbfounded look on the girl's face. "How do you like it?"

Kagome shook herself out of her this-is-a-real-silver-palace induced trance, and closed her gaping mouth. "It's okay, I've seen better," she said defiantly, doing her best impression of someone completely unfazed.

He frowned at her lack of enthusiasm, but set her down gently upon the clouds as they landed effortlessly in front of his mansion. "Hm, perhaps I should have made it out of gold instead..."

The young miko had the strangest urge pull out her own hair and start screaming.

"No, matter," he finally announced. "Some of my servants shall take you to your chambers to prepare for dinner. We will discuss our marriage then." And with that he turned on his heal and disappeared into the palace as a pair of beautiful bird-women rushed over to assist her.

"Our master has not had company in quite some time," the first one spoke loudly. Her body was tanned and petite, and her short, dark hair was not hair at all, but hundreds of shining feathers.

If Kagome had been asked, she would have said the girl looked like a hawk.

"No, this is quite a surprise, quite a surprise indeed," the other cooed softly. This woman was tall, though still slender, and was almost as pale as the clouds themselves. Her feathered hair was snow white and reached nearly to her feet.

A swan, no doubt.

They both wore deep blue kimonos of the finest silk, as did the guards, and she assumed the rest of the servants did as well. An assumption which proved true as she was led through the magnificent palace and passed by many curious looking bird men and women. They wore the same, blue kimonos and all had sharp pointed noses and long, slender limbs that left Kagome with the vague suspicion that they had not always been in their current, human looking forms.

Her two assistants, who had introduced themselves as Taka and Hakuchou, led her to the most lavish room she had ever seen. The inside walls were still made of silver, but with beautiful battle scenes and other artworks etched into the surface. The furniture was the darkest of woods and the coverings on the huge bed in the middle of the room were the palest of blue silks.

Kagome was starting to think the god had an unhealthy obsession with the color blue.

"Our great master has ordered us to prepare you for dinner," Taka said bluntly and began pulling out an assortment of gorgeous and complicated looking garments from the wardrobe at the far end of the room. Kagome almost told them that she could dress herself thank-you-very-much, but somehow she doubted they would listen.

"Come, our most honored guest, I will escort you to the bath house," Hakuchou said in her quiet, elegant manner as she threw a distasteful look towards Taka. Apparently the swan took issue with the hawk's bold manner.

"Um, okay," Kagome shrugged, she was a little overwhelmed at the moment, but a nice hot bath was too good to pass up. Plus, what else could she do - find the nearest exit and jump off the edge of a cloud? That plan didn't seem very beneficial to anyone. "And my name is Kagome, by the way," she added as she followed after the graceful woman.

Hakuchou merely turned her sharp, golden, bird eyes to her and nodded minutely. Kagome gave her a small, nervous smile and decided to look ahead of her instead of at the woman by her side. Hakuchou was just too...demur, for Kagome's tastes. She preferred Taka's brash, almost aggressive approach to things. At least then Kagome knew what to expect...sort of.

One bath and two vigorous servants fussing about her with silk wrappings and ivory combs later, she was ready for dinner. Well, they had said she was ready for dinner, she felt like they might as well attach a sail to her and cast off for the America's.

I feel like a boat, she groaned as she looked down at her elegantly clothed form. She could hardly breath in all of her layers and her hair was pulled into such a complicated style that she could barely move her head. She knew she probably looked pretty good, but she really didn't think that all this was worth it. Plus, she was having a hard time breathing, they had tied her obi so tight she was sure her intestines would never be the same again.

"Lady Kagome, you are a vision," Taka said appreciatively as they paused outside of what Kagome assumed must be the dinning room. Both of the woman, though at first seemingly unfriendly towards each other, had taken quite a collected interest in her outfit. Kagome suspected that being a servant in a floating palace was probably dreadfully uneventful and that she had been acting as the only entertainment they had seen for quite some time.

That's me, Kagome thought drearily. Kagome Higurashi, dress up doll extraordinaire.

Hakuchou rolled her heavily lashed eyes. "Taka, do not ruffle your own feathers, it is hardly befitting of someone of your station."

Taka glared right back at her. "I was simply admiring the fruits of our labor," she said gesturing to Kagome's outfit. "We do not have guests often."

"It is a good thing too, for you would surely scare the majority of them away," Hakuchou mumbled under her breath as she opened the shoji screen for Kagome and ushered her inside. The screen closed behind her, but she could hear the two women bickering all the way down the hall.

"Are they always like that?" Kagome chuckled as she turned to face her captor. Her laughter faded as she took in the shocked look on the man's face. "What?"

The god did not hear her, he was much too preoccupied with staring at the gorgeous young woman in front of him. She was simply, but beautifully, outfitted in outer layers of white and indigo silk, and a violet, inner kimono that transitioned from light to dark as the fabric cascaded down towards the floor. It was patterned with indigo butterflies and tied with a silk obi of the same color around her slim waist.

And her silky, black hair that shined with an almost blue tint in the sunlight was twisted back into an extensive arrangement and held together between two, fine ivory combs. He had the almost irresistible urge to pull those combs from her head and watch that hair fan out behind her as he tackled her to the floor.

"Hellooooo, earth to god," Kagome said, waving her hand in front of his face and bringing him out of his unwholesome thoughts with a start. "You know, you're kind of dense, are you sure you're a god?" She asked, arching a brow and putting her hands on her hips.

He scowled. "Of course I am, woman. Do you not see where I have brought you? Who else but a god could call such a place home?"

Kagome scowled right back at him. "Fine, if you say so. And it's Kagome, Ka-go-me, not 'woman', or 'girl', or 'you'."

"Your name is of little consequence," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "Now come, we dine." He motioned for her to sit on the silk floor pillow next to him as a table laden with the most delicious foods she had ever seen appeared out of thin air.

She resisted the urge to drool and settled on frowning at him instead. "I don't think so, mister! How about telling me what the heck is going on! Why did you come out of my well! Were you the one that made it malfunction?" She said suspiciously.

"Your well? Girl, that well was created centuries ago by myself after the bridge of the heavens crumbled. It is how I traverse to this world," he explained. "I was not aware that any mortal used its magic."

He motioned for her to sit again, but she ignored him.

"Uh, yeah, it kinda lets me travel between this time and a time 500 years in the future," she said, scratching her head in confusion. The bone eater's well was made by a god? Huh, guess I should've swept the well house more often when Ji-Ji told me to.

"Hm, that is very strange, but quite interesting," he said with an amused air, sticking a dumpling in his mouth.

Kagome had a feeling that the world would probably have to spontaneously burst into purple flames to impress this man. Most people gaped at her when she told them she was from the future, but he just acted like they were discussing their favorite teas.

My favorite tea? Why, it's jasmine. No, thank you, I've had enough dumplings. Oh, and by the way, I'm from the future.

The god finished chewing and returned his attention to her. "And as for why the well was 'malfunctioning', perhaps it could not complete two journeys at once and found mine to be more important," he shrugged.

Kagome huffed in indignation. Saving the past from a crazed, evil hanyou? No, that wasn't important, definitely not.

"Why did you came to earth anyway? Don't gods have better things to do than mingle with common mortals?"

Her captor gave her a sour look. "The heavens are not as exciting as one would think. My brothers and sisters are always dancing about the stars like fools, but one cannot dance alone," he said and then turned to her and smiled widely, displaying his pearl-white teeth. "But soon, you and I will join them, you will waltz among the constellations at my side!"

Kagome laughed nervously and took a step back. Visions of her being sucked into a black hole, or burned by a passing comet, or suffocated in space passed through her head. "Uh, that sounds great, but I think I'll pass."

His mood once again turned sour and Kagome had to wonder if gods could contract some sort of bipolar disorder. "It is no matter, they would undoubtedly not allow us to join them for very long. I am the youngest brother and because of this they seem to think it appropriate that I take care of all the work they are too lazy to do themselves," he sulked. "Fix our hair dear brother, play us a tune dear brother, create the world dear brother - they never shut up!"

'Create the world...'

"Oh! Oh, oh, oh!" Kagome suddenly gasped with realization. "You're not just a god, you're the god. The father of all kami!" She gasped and and pointed an accusing finger at him. "You're Izanagi!"

She knew the story of the god word for word. Her mother used to tell her it before bedtime almost every night because it was her favorite. She had thought it such a beautifully tragic, love story.

"Do not tell me you are finally impressed," he said dryly and rolled his eyes. He takes her to a silver palace in the sky and she shows more emotion at learning his name. What a strange creature.

"But then that settles it, I can't marry you, you already have a wife!"

The god growled fiercely and Kagome shied away in surprise and fear. "I have not had a wife in many centuries! Do not speak of that wretched woman again!" He said in a thunderous voice that caused the palace to shake and the the room to darken as though even the sun was hiding from his anger.

But Kagome - after recovering herself - only smirked. She knew that angry tone, Inuyasha often used it when he was trying to be "manly" and hide his emotions, though, his little tantrums were admittedly less impressive than Izanagi's.

"You still love her, don't you?" Kagome asked gently. "That's why you took me, because I remind you of her."

The god gave her a harsh look that had broken many a fierce warrior into quivering children, but upon finding that it had no effect on the girl, he did the only other thing he could think to do: he crossed his arms and turned away from her like a pouting child.

She was right, of course, the young miko's bold behavior and quick temper had reminded him very much of his Izanami. Even now, as she tried to comfort him, he was reminded of the woman who could be both a raging storm and a gentle rain in a moment' notice.

"But I can never replace her, you know that," she said softly, finally kneeling by his side and putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Why don't you just apologize to her, I'm sure she misses you just as much as you do her."

Izanagi batted her hand away impatiently. "I will not grovel at her feet! It would be disgraceful. Besides, she is the one that sent her minions after me simply because I could not stand to be apart from her any longer and followed after her!"

"Well, did you ever tell her that was why you went after her against her wishes?" Kagome said in exasperation.

Izanagi shifted uncomfortably and lowered his eyes to the floor. "No...but I should not have to! She sent her warriors after me without pause, she dishonored me and our marriage bond!"

Kagome had to control the urge to roll her eyes; men and their egos were just so...stupid. "Maybe you're both equally to blame!" She exclaimed.

"Her offense is much greater than mine, she should apologize," he said stubbornly.

"You know...my mother always said that admitting you're wrong takes a bigger man than insisting you are right," Kagome said sagely. The god just turned his head towards her and lifted a brow haughtily.

What a snob! She wanted to stick her tongue out at him.

"What I'm trying to say is," she continued, rolling her eyes at his holier than thou, attitude, "suck it up and be a man! If you can't beat down your stupid pride for the woman you love, then you don't deserve her anyway."

He lifted his lip as if to growl at her again, but let it fall as he slumped in defeat. "But even if I do wish to speak with her, the gate to the underworld is surely still guarded by her minions, I will not be able to get past them."

"Wait, aren't you a GOD, can't you defeat...well, everyone?" She asked in disbelief. She was pretty sure that's what being a god meant: being all powerful and such.

He gave her a cold stare that clearly told her he did not appreciate the fact that she was forcing him to admit his weaknesses. "I am a living god, I can only defeat creatures of this realm and other gods. But she has sent spirits, thunder gods, and fierce, undead warriors after me. I will only be able to destroy the thunder gods, but the others will fight me for all eternity. I would not fall to them, but I would never get past them either."

Kagome thought about what he said and supposed that it made sense...well, as much as any of this made sense anyway, which wasn't a lot.

"What if I help you?" She finally said. "I'll help you get to Izanami if you'll release me from this ridiculous marriage thing. After all, I am a miko. I bet I could fight the female spirits, I mean, I do have spiritual powers."

"And the undead warriors? Miko have power over spirits - dead souls, not dead bodies," he pointed out.

Crap, she swore inwardly. How were they supposed to fight the undead? Maybe Kagura's dance of the dead? No, she would never help, but who else then? Who can take on the force of the underworld and triumph?

She had only known one being to truly beat death, and that was Rin, but it was Tenseiga that had brought her back to life, not her own powers...but wait! That was it! Why didn't she think of it sooner?

Kagome smiled wickedly as she turned back to the now apprehensive looking god. "Izanagi, how do you feel about threatening pompous, inuyoukai lords?"

Izanagi didn't really know where the girl was going with this, but he was intrigued by her sudden mischievousness. "I don't believe I have any objections on the matter."

Kagome clapped her hands together excitedly. "Good."

Chapter Notes:

Yay, and so, Sesshoumaru comes into play. And in case you were wondering, Taka means hawk and Hakuchou means swan. Yeah, I'm brilliantly clever like that.

Any questions?

Anyway, reviews make my day!