InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Seven Circles of Hell ❯ The Third Circle ( Chapter 6 )

The Third Circle

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

It had been at least another twenty-four hours that had passed since the fight with the bird demon. As the worse-for-wear girl sat by the water's edge, washing the dirt and oil from her face and neck, she once again noticed that the Shikon Jewel had (for all she knew) once again protected her from being injured, let alone killed, by the youkai.

Steam rose from the hot spring, making the air humid, and Kagome inhaled deeply, as if refreshing her lungs with new air and releasing all the pent up, "dirty" air. Taking advantage of the situtation, and realizing bitterly that, hey, she wasn't really in any kind of hurry to be anywhere anymore, the miko began to strip to take a dip in the hot water, hiding the Tetsusaiga carefully under her pile of clothes. As she settled down into the water, she closed her eyes and, for what it might have been worth, tried to relax. Around her, she could hear the crickets chirping cheerfully.

A scowl crossed over Kagome's face. "Where were you when I needed you, you damned insects? Lucky, my ass."

Never before had she ever used that much profanity at one time. Maybe it was just one of those acquired traits...

Kagome sniffed at the thought. Oh, great. Now I'm gonna cry again, huh?

Her tears were interrupted by the faint sound of a child's laughter. The giggling grew closer, and soon, the young woman could hear rustling in the bushes just across the water from her. Kagome froze, wondering whether she should just kick it there in the hot spring, or make a mad dash into the bushes on her side and get dressed. Before she could make a decision, Kagome found herself face to face with a young girl, maybe no more than seven years old, it seemed. She recognized the girl. Her name was Rin, and she'd been spotted on the scene with Sesshoumaru a lot lately, which meant that the Lord of the Western Lands couldn't be too far away.

Rin seemed not the least bit startled to find someone else in the hot spring. She just smiled at Kagome and began pulling off her own clothes to begin her bath.

Once in the water, the little girl grinned at Kagome again, and Kagome felt no reason not to return the friendly gesture. "Hello there. Your name's Rin, isn't it?"

Rin nodded happily. "And you're Kagome. I know. Sesshoumaru told me."

Not really sure she wanted to know, the older girl asked, "Is he nearby? Sesshoumaru, I mean."

"Yes. I'm just out for a bath. He's still at the castle. Jaken is close. Sesshoumaru said for him to make sure nothing goes wrong, or he'll pay, but I don't know if Jaken has much money."

Kagome swallowed hard, finding small relief in the fact that this child didn't realize what "paying" would mean for that stinking toad. Snapping back to the subject of Inuyasha's older brother, the miko asked the child, "So...Sesshoumaru's at the castle, you said? Where exactly is that?"

Temporarily distracted by the fireflies floating around them, Rin only turned her attention from the insects long enough to say, "Up on the hill, that way." She pointed in the direction from which she'd come. The water splashed around them as Rin jumped up to catch one of the lightning bugs that hovered just over her head.

Seeing that the little girl seemed comfortable and content in her environment, Kagome crawled out of the hot spring and quickly dressed, remembering that Jaken was supposedly nearby. On her list of people that she didn't want to see, Sesshoumaru and his little flunky were at the top. At least she now knew which way not to go.

"Bye-bye!" Rin called to Kagome as the young woman disappeared into the woods. Kagome almost had the nerve to turn around and say "Shh!", but that little action would be pointless. If Jaken were truly close by, he'd be locating Rin right about...

"You! Are you almost done? Don't make Lord Sesshoumaru wait on us anymore, you human." Kagome cringed at the voice that sounded like nails on a blackboard. Plus, it was just plain annoying.

At any rate, Kagome was glad to have left the scene when she did. Otherwise, she might have had to forfeit the Tetsusaiga. That little amphibian may have been only a foot or two tall, but he had as much strength as Kagome, and she didn't care to have to put up another fight anytime soon.

Kagome was no sooner settling down in a spot at a safe distance when she heard a high-pitched and terrified scream. The young woman bit her lip. Did she really want to get involved? No, not really, but...

The miko took off back to the hot spring, where she found Rin, who'd apparently left the hot spring and gotten dressed, down on the ground, her hands protecting her head, and Jaken swinging the two-headed staff wildly, not bothering to notice Kagome's presence. A familiar screech floated down from the sky as a monster dove down for Rin, looking for a nighttime meal.

Kagome sighed, frustrated, as she pulled the sword from its sheath and yelled, "I thought I killed you, you dumb bird! Die already!"

The young woman swung Tetsusaiga wildly and much like Jaken had his staff as the bird came closer to the ground. Yep. It was the same damned bird. Kagome could see the wound she'd inflicted on it. Apparently, the youkai remembered the girl with the sword. It took back to the skies, then swerved around and chose to make its final dive. But it wasn't at Kagome. The demon bird had focused its attention back at Rin, figuring that it might just get away with a small snack.

No such luck. Kagome stepped in front of Rin, who was still on the ground, terrified. "I'm through with you." Summoning all her strength, Kagome swung the Tetsusaiga from left to right, unleashing its power. Suprised by even herself, but not faltering, Kagome held her ground, and felt the blade of the sword cut clean through the abdomen of the bird. The miko had her eyes shut tight, as if that was really supposed to help her, and she held her position, holding the transformed Tetsusaiga down to her right with both hands. She heard two thuds, each the sound of half of the demon's body falling heavily to the ground.

The image was frozen for a moment, until Kagome turned to the frightened girl behind her, who now found the courage to sit up. "Are you alright?"

Rin nodded, the glanced over at Jaken, who was just gaping at Kagome holding the transformed sword, with his mouth wide open.

Both Rin and Kagome were suddenly suprised by something, or rather someone, behind Jaken. Jaken turned slowly to find his master standing behind him in awe, having just witnessed what just happened.

"Rin. Let's go." Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed at Kagome, and Kagome could see that he was figuring out why it was that she had his brother's sword.

Rin grabbed Kagome's hand. "Let's go."

Kagome gently pulled her hand free, the other still clutching the fang. Keeping her eyes on Sesshoumaru, she quietly said, "I don't think I'm invited, Rin."

Rin looked at Kagome, then at Sesshoumaru, back at Kagome, Sesshoumaru, and finally settled her gaze on the ground, disappointed as she made her retreat to her guardian's side.

After a moment of looking over the young woman, Sesshoumaru said emotionlessly, "Come if you want." Then he turned and walked away.

"Wait for me, Lord Sesshoumaru!" howled the toad as he scuttled off to follow his master.

Rin's face had lit up like a torch as she happily took Kagome's hand again and pulled her along. "I think Sesshoumaru likes you, too."

Kagome gave a half-hearted smile to the little girl. "I don't know about that."

No. She knew. He didn't like her the least bit. There was only one thing he'd be after. The Tetsusaiga.