InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Persistence ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

The sun sparkled through the trees, leaving a patchwork of sunlight and shadows scattered over the forest floor as the motley group ventured onward, searching for a trace of Naraku. The winds were calm as Sango walked between Sesshomaru's group and her own group, acting as a Hiraikotsu-weilding barrier between Inuyasha's loathing of Sesshomaru and Sesshomaru's indifference to tearing Inuyasha to bits. Thankfully, Miroku had been intelligent enough to walk far enough behind near Inuyasha that his face would be hand-print-free for the moment. Glancing back, Sango noted that Kagome was at the back of the group, chatting animatedly with Shippo and Sesshomaru's young ward, Rin.

“Taijiya. Are you educated like the Miko?” Sango looked up, startled by the demon lord's sudden question. He was looking forward, his eyes most likely scanning the forest surrounding them for any sort of pathetic threat from another demon. Sango tilted her head to her right as if to think. This is new. Sesshomaru never asks questions.

“Well, no, Sesshomaru-sama. Kagome is from a different, uh, village where people are educated on several different topics. I was schooled only on demon slaying,” Sango replied, using as much respect in her tone as she could muster. She was not quite comfortable with Sesshomaru traveling with their group but since he once spared Kohaku's life she decided to show him the respect he should be granted.

“Hnn..” was his response as they continued walking. The rest of the day progressed silently.

***Later***

Sesshomaru sat away from the group, shadows from the fire dancing over him. Inuyasha had left under the guise of finding some wild game but he wasn't fooling anyone. It would take someone who was deaf and blind to not notice the soul collectors in the area but for the sake of lowered drama, the group feigned ignorance when Inuyasha used his feeble excuse.

“Kagome-chan, you've been studying that book for days now. Do you have a test soon?” Miroku asked, prodding the embers in the fire pit to jump to life and catch the new log that he had placed on it.

Kagome sighed, closing the book and setting it aside. She rubbed her eyes and stretched, reaching her arms into the air but quickly lowering them, realizing how short her shirt was and that anyone with eyes could have seen quite a large expanse of her midriff. Her face reddened ever so slightly before her brows furrowed together, sending a scolding look Miroku's way. Pervert she thought as she saw the glazed look on his face.

“Sango?”

“I know…” *thwack* “knock it off, Miroku” Sango muttered in a bored yet disgusted tone. Miroku rubbed his hand over the growing lump that had sprung up on his head, sighing. “My dear Sango, who am I to ignore such a beautiful display of skin from a fine female specimen?”

“No one thinks you're innocent, Miroku, so you might as well cut the act,” Shippo piped up from his spot next to Kagome. Kagome lightly patted Shippo on the head, looking at the pictures he and Rin had drawn with the crayons she brought back for Shippo. Several of them were of the people they had helped recently but a few, probably drawn by Rin, were of Sesshomaru and what Kagome could only guess was Jaken judging by the green color.

“Yes, I do have a test and it's…” Kagome counted the days out on her fingers and gasped, “it's tomorrow! I need to go home tonight!”

“But Inuyasha isn't here to take you to the well and Kirara's still recovering from our last battle” Sango said, running her hand through Kirara's fur and gently around the herb-covered injury on her back. A snake demon had caught Kirara on her back during their last battle to gain information about Naraku. Unfortunately, the snake's poison was rather potent and the injury was healing very slowly.

“I'll make the trek on my own. I have a new stock of arrows and I feel pretty healthy. It shouldn't be a problem!” Kagome cheerfully declared.

Miroku exchanged a look with Sango before speaking, “Kagome, are you sure you'll be safe going on your own? The sun has nearly set and we're at least 2 hours from the we—I mean, your village.”

Rin looked up at Kagome then to Sesshomaru, and back at Kagome. “Lord Sesshomaru can take Kagome-san to her village!”

Silence fell over the group, the only noise heard was Kagome's soft gasp and the crackling of the fire. Kagome blushed, raising a hand to cover her mouth as nervous laughter bubbled past her lips.

“Heh, that's okay, Rin-chan. I wouldn't want Sesshomaru-sama to have to go out of his way to make sure I make it to my, uh, home. I don't want to burden him,” Kagome said, packing her books into her bag. “I should be back by tomorrow evening at this time so I'll leave some supplies with you guys,” Kagome said absently, pulling her first aid kit and some ramen out of her large, yellow bag.

Sesshomaru watched the young miko chatter away as she rifled through her ridiculous yellow bag, pulling various odd items from it. He had heard Rin's suggestion that he take the girl to her village and scoffed at the idea. She is not my responsibility… Yet, there are no villages around here with people who dress like her. Nor has this Sesshomaru ever seen documents such as the ones she carries. His curiosity was piqued by his last two thoughts. Why would anyone allow a young girl to run around the countryside in a ridiculous, indecently short kimono? Sesshomaru continued to watch her talk sweetly to the young kit, reassuring him that she would return and would bring him something called “candy”. This Sesshomaru would like to see this village, he thought to himself. If they all dress as horrid as the girl does, I shall have to see about eliminating such an abomination from the lands. Sesshomaru smirked to himself, or teach her how to dress herself appropriately.

Kagome bid her traveling companions farewell and started on the path that would lead her to Kaede's village. She hummed a song to herself, taking a moment to enjoy the peaceful forest around her. I wish Inuyasha were here. I'd get home faster and I could spend even more time studying plus get time for a nice, hot bath. She sighed, her pace slowing a little bit as she looked up at the stars that dusted the sky over the branches of the trees. Inuyasha. He's been disappearing more and more these days and returning without a word either way. It's been happening for so long now that she had stopped paying much attention to it.

“It's dangerous out here, Miko. You'd be easy fodder for even a weak demon.”

Kagome snapped her head down from looking at the sky, staring straight at none other than Sesshomaru. “Sesshomaru,” she murmured, her hands gripping the shoulder straps of her backpack. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, a surge of adrenaline urging her body into a fight or flight reaction. She considered running but he would catch up with her before she could take two steps and fighting him was definitely out of the question… Wait, it he smirking at me?! His lips were drawn up ever so slightly, forming a ghost of a smirk on his usually expressionless face. Yes, he was smirking!

“Are you concerned for my safety, Sesshomaru-sama or just here to watch the carnage incase a demon happens to come along to `get me'?” she asked, the sarcasm thick in her voice.

“I don't suppose it would be much of an entertaining show since you'd be quite easy prey. You did not even notice me following you for the past 20 minutes, foolish girl. Had I been in the right mood, I'd have killed you long ago,” he said, his voice indifferent as always.

Blowing a puff of air to move her bangs away from her eyes, she squinted at him. “What can I do for you, Sesshomaru-sama?” Kagome asked, her patience wearing thin. Lately it's seemed as if Sesshomaru's been sneaking up on her to start conversations while the others were not around. Maybe he did this because he knew if she told anyone she had a conversation with him that they would never believe her. She could already hear Inuyasha, “Keh, yeah right, Kagome. Sesshomaru doesn't have conversations. You've been studying too much. Put your books away and pay attention so you can sense the jewel shards.”

“You said you were going to your village because you have a `test' tomorrow. I want to see this village that educates its women” Sesshomaru drawled out, taking a few steps toward her. Kagome froze on the spot. I can't take him to the well! Then he'll know I'm not from this time and Inuyasha will find out I showed him and there'll be a huge fight and ugh Inuyasha can be so irritating and Sesshomaru will be mean and probably destroy the well and I'll be stuck here forever and I'll never see mama, grandpa, or Souta again… Kagome realized her thoughts were running on a rapid marquee but remembered his words that windy day last week on the grassy knoll “I will not harm you”. Remaining skeptical, Kagome stayed where she was but noted possible exit routes.

“I would also like to see this village that allows their females to trapeze about the countryside wearing quite indecent attire” he stated as he neared, pacing a circle around her. Not that I mind he thought, his eyes skimming over her legs from her knees up to the hem of her ridiculous `skirt'. Kagome felt like a quivering rabbit being circled by a very hungry wolf except she wasn't a rabbit and Sesshomaru definitely was not a wolf. She dared not make eye contact, afraid that he'd think she was challenging him. He looked down at her, noting the way nervousness and confusion peeled off of her in waves but no fear was present.

“I, uh, well…” Kagome stuttered, not sure what to say. Does he not know that I travel through the well between the feudal era and my own time? Kagome knew that only she and Inuyasha could travel through the well because Shippo had tried it once when Kagome was late coming back from one of her tests. She had scolded him rather harshly, telling him that he would have put himself in a lot of danger had it actually worked. I guess it would be okay. We are allies, afterall.

“It's not really a village… but I can tell you more about it on our way there, okay Sesshomaru-sama?” she offered, not sure how he would respond to her offer. Sesshomaru stood to her right, looking at her as if to evaluate her offer and weigh the likelihood of whether this was all worth his time. He abruptly turned in a flutter of silk and moonlit hair and started walking away from Kagome in the direction she was heading. Kagome stood rooted on the spot, unsure of what just happened until he turned his head slightly and called out, “Are you coming girl or waiting for those demons to `get you'?”

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Okay, so I had such overwhelming response to the first bit I did on this idea that I simply could not wait to throw another chapter out there! Ironically, it's changed from what I originally had in mind when I sat down to write this chapter. Let me know what you think!