InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Spring Fever ❯ An Adventure ( Chapter 17 )

Chapter 17

 

An Adventure

 

The damn miko had stolen his sanity…

 

Yes, she did, because she was insane and the only thing he could think about for the last three hours was her…

 

He heard a slight tap over the roar of the airplane engines, which were hiding below the stiff wing he stood on, and glancing up he saw a little girl wave eagerly at him through a small window. She had a few teeth missing, and for a split second he thought he saw Rin.

 

No longer able to tolerate the lack of oxygen, Sesshomaru decided that his ego would indeed not be sucked up by such an instrument and stopped resisting the wind force. He began to free-fall, aiming for a few thousand feet. It reminded him of his childhood. He use to love flying as high as he could before bottling up his youki and sailing for the ground, especially through a thunder storm. It was a good way to kill time while his father was gone and they weren't training.

 

The wind howled demandingly past his ears as he waited for trees to distinguish themselves below. It was better than listening to Tenseiga's bickering against his armor.

 

Sesshomaru had made a lap through his terrain of old already, the sun just beginning to fall from its peak, and made a couple of discoveries. The first was that Tokyo, the name of the city Kagome lived in, was actually in the Eastern Lands, meaning that the well changed place as well as time.

 

The second was that no one had ruled any of the lands for years. At least a few hundred. It confused him, but he would find out the reasons behind that soon enough, for he was on his way to visit his mother. The levitating o-shiro his mother ruled in his stead, his home and place of rule, was no longer in the Western Lands, but he located it. It no longer levitated either. If it did, he would have sensed it immediately, no matter the distance. Instead, he had to rely on his instincts to find the place, and he didn't like what he was sensing.

 

Ending his fall by gather his energy into his pelt, Sesshomaru flew in a seated position for Mount Fuji with Tenseiga shaking the entire way. He was rather shocked to not have recognized the Eastern trademark volcano, which was snowcapped now with Tokyo at its feet. No matter though, nothing bad came from his slip.

 

Feeling himself draw closer, Sesshomaru descended to the side of the top. The barrier, though weakened, made the location invisible and seeming impossible to enter. Gritting his teeth at the o-shiro's foggy barrier as he passed through it, Tenseiga was zapping through Sesshomaru's armor, bidding him not to enter. He frowned when energies crackled around his person and tore at his clothes, not liking what that meant, and when he passed the cloudy shield he was free to land in the vast court.

 

He didn't know quite what to expect, really… Perhaps the o-shiro was abandoned. Maybe infested with lowly demons, or the next few generations of remaining servants. Even the possibility of the o-shiro still running like normal and him having to face his annoying mother was there.

 

Instead, he found an open tomb.

 

Tenseiga finally stilled as Sesshomaru's anger flared with every aspect his senses absorbed. There were skeletons littering the place, most with armor and some not. Roofs had large holes and stone shingles rested askew wherever they stopped sliding. Some buildings had been scorched, one in particular, and others had whole portions missing. The courtyard slabs under his feet were cracked by time and the landing impact, some completely lifted from the ground and thrown onto more slabs.

 

Even abandoned, the o-shiro would not have looked like this...

 

Worn stones shifting and crunching under his feet as he walked through tree saplings and snow mounds, approaching the proper entrance stairs. He was the only thing to make noise in that place, not even nature's free moving life graced these grounds, and that made the unsettling cold lump in Sesshomaru's throat sink slowly to his stomach.

 

His mother's lounging throne was flipped onto its back, the broad and engraved circle laying comfortable on the floor as the solitary armrest pointed skyward. Walking past the snow decorated furniture, Sesshomaru saw arrows inserted into its bottom, meaning someone used that chair to hide behind and was shot at, and the slit of a once embedded blade remained in the upside flat. It was too thick to be a sword. Probably a battle ax or something similar to the size of a transformed Tetsusaiga.

 

Approaching the stairs in front of which the throne lay, Sesshomaru stopped at the top step and looked down. He found less soldiers than he expected, recognizing them as his own solely by their armor and weapons. The moon crest armor engravings of his clan still caught the light, and the double bladed halberds of the guards lay in disarray upon the ground with their wielders.

 

Examining a few bodies, Sesshomaru gathered that the enemy didn't enter as a normal enemy would. These arrows were embedded in the skeleton's backs and sides for those who turned towards the danger too late. This battle started with a surprise attack, and took out a good portion of Sesshomaru's men first thing. He saw no enemy bodies, which made it obvious who won. The victor always carries away their own for proper burial.

 

Sesshomaru's mind reeled with battle thoughts as he stepped out of the snow and entered the o-shiro, almost absentmindedly clutching his fists and registering valuable vases shattered on the ground. Even whole ones remained, which meant that the enemy was not there to loot, but to conquer.

 

Floor boards creaked beneath Sesshomaru's weight, creating the long moans of a building at rest. The closer Sesshomaru got to the council room the stronger the scent of long dead charcoal became. The sliding doors crumpled when he touched them, thicker wood clattering to the ground whereas thin strips of stained bamboo simply broke down. When the dust settled his eyes landed on destruction.

 

The browns and blacks of old blood marred the walls of the council room. That was the first thing to be registered. The great table which sat in the middle of the room was broken four times, and standing iron cast candle and incense holders were knocked to the ground. There was a struggle here, but no bones. There were four blood trails of bodies being dragged away, living or freshly dispatched. Apparently the victims were taken for beheading, no matter their mortal condition.

 

“What happened here?” he asked the undisturbed air, long dead scents remaining dead to him and rendering the air sterile. Not even ghosts replied.

 

Something collapse loudly in the silence, and Sesshomaru quickly spun with both Tenseiga and Bakusaiga in hand. His ears twitched, listening for the faintest of noise, and his eyes were dilated. After a few seconds he sheathed his blades, forcing himself to calm down while ignoring Tenseiga's hums. He didn't want to admit it, but to suddenly see his home, the place he was raised in, in such a condition made him scared.

 

It was a portion of roof which had fallen. Sesshomaru stared up at the hole, standing in the royal bedding quarters. This building was the one most destroyed by flame, missing a whole wall and some of the roof. It had begun to snow again, creating a calm which Sesshomaru was far from feeling. He knew this room, but didn't recognize the furniture, especially a rather small piece.

 

Kneeling next to the time abused wood, Sesshomaru reached over and pulled the mystery object upright. It rocked. Side to side. It was a cradle.

 

Instinct suddenly told him to leave the den before the mother returned with a vengeance, but he shook his head. Why was there a cradle? Perhaps his mother actually made the long trip to China to find a lord to mate and bring back to Japan? If so, then Sesshomaru was gone far longer than intended... Or maybe family decided to visit. He recalled his aunt had just given birth to the heir of the mainlands. But no, the firstborn heir wouldn't leave its lands unless it was expected to conquer new ones. Even Sesshomaru was a child when he was moved from his original home. It's unnatural to relocate an infant from its birthplace at such a young age.

 

So, why was there a cradle?

 

The time difference was too great, even with eternal winter, to preserve any scents. He couldn't tell who's infant had once occupied that cradle, but it was obvious that the child was indeed there. Come to think of it, the child was sought out by the enemy. There were too many female hip bones, eight if he counted right, from maids and nurses trying to fend off attackers for it to not be true, and considering the damage that child was suppose to be killed. The enemy was definitely there to conquer, and considering the o-shiro's resting place his mother had ordered for the entire o-shiro to flee long before the attack. What better place to hide than under your enemy's nose.

 

An unanswered question plagued Sesshomaru as he left the undisturbed tomb. Was he the reigning lord when this happened, meaning he returned to his time before Bashamon could find the place, or did he just never return? Was he stuck in the future, or an utter failure in protecting the past?

 

He didn't know. He couldn't know. Part of him didn't want to know. There were no clues as to when this vile onslaught occurred, but despite that fact he still felt the deep unwanted sorrow of loss. His mother had lived there, and he left his wards there before tumbling down the well. Did he lose them all? Would they already be dead when he returned?

 

...

 

“You're back,” the miko commented, watching him stare from the steps at the Bone Eaters Well which still refused to function. Which was it? Could he return? Did he want to find the Jewel so that he could?

 

Shock suddenly settled in as a piece fell into place. He had been back. He wrote himself that note...

 

“Sesshomaru?” came Kagome's voice, somewhat closer. “Are you okay?”

 

He looked at her, and her face softened with concern.

 

“Sesshomaru, what's wrong?”

 

She was worried for him. He didn't want to be worried for. She faltered in taking a step closer when he growled threateningly, but kept coming. Damn her lack of fear! Damn her!

 

“It's alright, Sesshomaru,” she tried to assure him, now five feet away.

 

No. It wasn't. Nothing was alright. Everything was a disaster.

 

He turned, and yanked his arm when the miko grabbed his sleeve. She didn't let go.

 

“Release this Sesshomaru or die,” he threatened in a gravely voice. He could kill a miko. It was in his nature to do so. In fact, he'd delight in killing her. Having flesh tear and give way beneath his claws would be a splendid sensation right about now. Yes. Splendid. Much better than feeling her slip her fingers into his right palm and lightly press her thumbs to his knuckles.

 

She stared up at him, refusing to be intimidated, and when he gave up on growling she rubbed her thumbs softly against the backs of his hands in tiny circles.

 

Why wasn't she dead yet...? He wanted to sigh, but didn't know what from.

 

“It's okay,” she reassured, her worry now replaced with an odd consoling nature. It was calming, but he wasn't in the mood to be calm. Not in the least. Even his throat hitched, and his eyes stung, and he most likely took his leave so quickly that the miko was left blinking.

 

A day later, when the sun only had an hour left before resting, Kagome looked over the back of the couch to see him back.

 

“Good to see you,” she greeted, smiling faintly and turning back around. “How've you been?”

 

He didn't answer. He didn't really feel like talking.

 

She apparently picked up on that. “Want to watch a movie?”

 

“The well, miko.”

 

She looked back around, regarding him calmly. “Sesshomaru, I'm sorry. You know I can't.” He glared at her, forcing his hands to unclench. “I've tried very hard and have been checking every day. I want it to work too. It just needs time.”

 

“There is no time, miko,” he replied.

 

She stared at him a moment, then turned off the television and stood. “Let's go see.”

 

She tried. She tried for over an hour. By the time she lowered her hands she was panting and sweat was beading down her temples.

 

She looked at him, swallowing dryly, and shook her head. “It won't.”

 

“Keep trying,” he ordered.

 

“I can't!” she yelled, touching her temple for a sudden headache.

 

He knew she couldn't. She was spent. She had poured all of her energy into the well, and now she was rubbing her shoulder in which the seal was. Its being weakened caused her pain as the foul energy leaked into her, possibly tainting her skin a dull blue. He had wanted her to activate the well, but she did her best and was now suffering over it.

 

“Sesshomaru?” she asked when he pulled the neck of her shirt aside to glance at the wound. He was right on the color, but it covered a larger area than he had expected. She winced automatically when he put his palm over it, and let out a whimper when he guided his youki into her seal. Like his father, Sesshomaru was able to seal demon energy, but he never perfected it. If Kagome did not have a seal there already he probably would have messed it up. When he deemed the job done, and she wasn't convulsing on the ground, he took his hand away and looked again. Her skin was back to its normal healthy shade, which was marred by the scar. He rubbed a thumb over it curiously. Scar tissue was odd. Velvety yet bumpy like ocean waves, and darker than the surrounding skin. It was his first time ever feeling one. The bra strap was different too...

 

“Thanks,” the miko muttered, giving him an uncertain look through heavy eyelashes with slightly flushed cheeks. He removed his hand and let the neckline, which was a tad stretched, fall back in place.

 

“Do not use all of your energy again tomorrow.”

 

She nodded.

 

“Who'd have thought that the great Lord Sesshomaru loved ramen?” she asked no one in particular later that evening. Sesshomaru was on his seventh cup whereas she was still on her first. Not only was it good, but she had gotten a variety of flavors. He stuck to water as a beverage though. That flavored soda was not to his liking, and apparently neither hers.

 

“You know, your haori was in the bedroom too,” she finally commented. He had gone in and seen as much when he rid himself of Tenseiga and any extra bulk for the evening.

 

“Noticeably so.”

 

There was about a minute of silence, during which he ate and she picked at her food.

 

“So, the oddest thing happened to me two days ago.”

 

“M?” he intoned, lifting the cup to drink the rest. Who needed to use manners in front of a miko from the future? Not him.

 

“I fell asleep talking to a certain demon in a shrine, and woke up in my room.” She tapped her chopsticks against the side of her solitary serving, making it click against the plastic. “You wouldn't happen to know anything about it, would you?”

 

“This Sesshomaru knows a great deal about that,” he replied, watching as the ramen container settled nicely into the short stack he was creating. “Another.”

 

She made a comment about sake and ramen under her breath, and putting in a certain amount of water she placed the food into the microwave and turned it on. “You're cooking the rest.”

 

There was only one more, which he ate, and they finished the meal at the same time.

 

“I can't believe how much you and your brother can eat,” the miko stated, adding her container to the pile just before he did so. “I can see the two of you putting some places out of business for a week.”

 

Since Sesshomaru saw television as a phenomenal waste of anyone's time, Kagome decided to teach him a few games.

 

“I put my piece where?” he asked, staring at the card he drew. Kagome had taken the dog piece, and he got what she called a top hat.

 

“In jail,” she supplied. “That square in the corner.”

 

“And what is a jail?”

 

“Imprisonment, confinement, detainment, take your pick.”

 

He looked at the board on which they had only been playing for seven minutes. “They want a hat imprisoned?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“This game is ridiculous.”

 

“That's why it's fun,” she replied. “Most people can't stand playing it for hours though...”

 

“And nor can demons,” he replied, giving up. “What else is there to do?”

 

There was a lot to do, and he welcomed it because his mind was rendered to mush. All he had to think about was the miko and whatever she decided to talk about, which happened to be everything under the sun except for what he didn't want to think of. For once, he was grateful for her presence.

 

“Go fish.”

 

“You lie,” he stated.

 

“Do not!” she yelled, cards now held a tad more tightly in her hand.

 

He grabbed her wrist and looked at the cards, not finding the one he sought. Damn, he had kept fairly good count too.

 

“You cheat,” she scoffed, dropping her playing hand.

 

He shrugged it off. He could feel that she was still gathering energy from her attempt at making the well function. He checked regularly, but she was a slow recoverer.

 

“Checkmate.”

 

“YOU'RE the cheat!” Kagome yelled, pointing at him. “I swear, the pieces moved when I blinked!”

 

“I am not that fast,” he replied with a smirk. “Take your defeat with a bit more grace.”

 

“Oh, screw you,” she scoffed, beginning to rearrange the chess pieces. “Best two out of three.”

 

Not only was she a distraction, but she proved to be fun as well.

 

“Hey! We established not using our powers!” she yelled when Sesshomaru pinned her hand to the table as soon as she counted to one.

 

He gave her a flat look, which was hard to do. “Do you believe this Sesshomaru cannot defeat a young woman in physical strength?”

 

She flared her energy into her arm, something he hadn't shown her how to do yet, and raised their hands back to the beginning point. She had been trying to pin his.

 

“... Now you're just being sarcastic,” she huffed when he still didn't use any energy and pinned her glowing hand again.

 

“You make it easy,” he replied, now smirking. Alright, so she was fun, big deal...

 

“Damn you!!” she cried when he won a card memory game. Deep down he was laughing his ass off, but on the outside he just smiled at her antics. “Damn you and your annoying face to hell!!”

 

“Annoying face?” he inquired.

 

“Yes!”

 

“Ah. Good. Then superior intelligence and strength are not needed to ruin your day.”

 

She glared at him from across the table. “I should kick your ass...”

 

“I would like to see you try,” he challenged. He'd have fun fighting. Maybe she'd last three seconds in that game...

 

“YOU don't use your powers, and I'll consider it!” she yelled, crossing her arms.

 

He smirked just to piss her off.

 

She lunged at him from across the coffee table, and landed on the floor.

 

“I said no powers!” she yelled, a slight rug burn on her chin from the tatami mat.

 

“This Sesshomaru never agreed,” he informed.

 

She lit up like a star in the room and leaped at him again, but he easily dodged by stepping into the hallway. She shot an impressive spiritual blast which he chose to not get involved with, and he turned in to the guest bedroom.

 

“You can't get away that easily!” she yelled, stepping into the darkened room to look for him. She screech when she spun and saw him against the wall next to the door, and leaped back further into the room.

 

“I would not associate the term 'get away' with this Sesshomaru,” he told her, humored by how off guard she was. She simply glowed with energy, and she shifted.

 

She was faster than he expected from her mortal self, finally figuring out how to use her power in the manner of speed, and actually managed to get a hold on the two layers of clothing over his chest.

 

“You insufferable jerk!” she yelled, a ring of false anger reaching his ears. Her hands loosened, and he caught her wrists before her fingers found the sides of his chest. “Damn... I was about to win too...”

 

“With tickling?” he asked. “I think not.”

 

“I think so,” she countered, looking up at him. Her eyes were captivating when aflame like now, flashing with the light of her energy as it battled the surrounding darkness. He was forced to realize that hers was the only energy he could stand being near, because it caressed his own harmlessly if nothing else. It made him feel warm where only stagnation resided, and in a funny way he enjoyed it.

 

The faint smile that was on her face twitched slightly, then slowly settled into a neutral expression as time passed and they remained motionless. She bit her lower lip tenderly, not breaking their stare, and gradually that plaguing scent she had given off so many days ago wafted off of her and into the room.

 

He blinked. It was a little different this time. Richer. Riper. It made his heart skip to a fast start. He opened his mouth slightly to breathe it in and analyze it better. He could taste the sweetness on the air, and an odd flame ignited in his blood in response to it. It made his muscles clench, yet sapped his strength. He suddenly felt thirsty and swallowed, watching rather intensely as her lower lip emerged once more. He was too hot. This was uncomfortable, but he didn't want to move because doing so meant missing out on the feel of her own body heating near his. She was no longer a calm pool of water, she was a dancing flame imprisoned in a still body, only visible through her eyes.

 

Her breath billowed warmly against his neck, and she quickly produced another. His thumbs felt an overworking heart beat blood through her body, making her skin flush prettily in the dark, and he couldn't resist his demon nature. It unfolded from him with a raging calm and caressed her spiritual manifestation carefully, converting a small portion to youki in a savoring manner. It felt wonderful.

 

She shivered, lips parting with a small inhale, and Sesshomaru felt her hands slowly come to rest on his chest. They were warm, and he was definitely not listening to habit by allowing them to remain there. His own hands slowly felt the smooth skin of her forearms, traveling past small hairs which rose to greet his touch. He never felt so uncertain about touching a female before.

 

Her scent became stronger the closer his fingers came to her body. It was demanding and savory. Tempting. Promising. Alluring... He'd never sensed the likes of it before, and he registered through a partially clouded mind that her lips were still parted...

 

Her breath hitched when he brought his face closer to hers, studying her responses. She grew hot to the touch, which he enjoyed. Her scent was stronger the closer he was too, which he also liked. He then saw dark drops of night in her sapphire eyes when he loomed inches from her face.

 

Her hands were becoming restless against his chest, teasing the fabrics they lay over. A finger strayed over the collar of his clothing and touched his broiling skin.

 

Something snapped inside of him.

 

A few unregistered seconds later Sesshomaru slowly drew his lips away from hers. His hands were just above her elbows, holding her closer, and he loosened his grip and let her lean away from him.

 

Her rich eyes gradually blinked open. Then blinked again. And she suddenly stepped away from him with a slight gasp. She covered her mouth, far too late to prevent what had just happened, and looking between him and the door she quickly took her leave.

 

Sesshomaru stood there, absolutely shocked. He had never lost control like that, and he never knew that doing so would result in something so... intimate.

 

...

 

... Wait a second...

 

Intimate?? Him? With her?? What the- who clarified that?!

 

His brain was broken, and he decided to sit it off. His head felt very comfortable being supported by his hands as he puzzled the last twenty seconds out on the bed. Let's see, there was that which he did not wish to think about, games, a challenge, crazy miko, glowing miko, them...

 

...

 

It DID happen... ... ... ... ... ... ... What the hell?

 

He spent most of the night unsettled. Sitting, standing, pacing, laying down, sitting again. Most of all, he thought. He thought a lot. It made his head hurt. He decided to leave.

 

And day and a half later, Sesshomaru came back to the shrine late. He decided to act as though nothing had happened, and also decided that such a decision was a good one which he could live by. When he had established as much after a good two hours of watching freeway traffic from a tree, Sesshomaru resumed his search for the Jewel to busy himself. He still couldn't find any clues as to where the Jewel was. How Kagome had been able to find so many tiny shards of it was beyond him, but he had returned to find out. Once he had the answer, he was leaving again.

 

The moon was gone that night, marking his first month of being trapped in the future, and the sun was still tinting the sky. Everything in the house was quiet, so Sesshomaru followed the scent of his little crux in life to get that answer.

 

“KYEAAAAH!!” the miko cried, covering herself when he opened the bathroom door. It was quite steamy in there. “You PERVERT!! Get OUT! I'm taking a bath here!”

 

“Quite evidently,” he replied, not at all bothered by her lacking decency. “How do you detect the Shikon no Tama?”

 

Having sunk quite deeply into the bath water, her hair fanning out around herself, the miko glared at him for a few moments over the surface and then rose just enough to speak. “Get out, and I'll consider answering you in due time.”

 

“Miko,” he warned.

 

“Sesshy,” she growled angrily.

 

He smirked, and crossed his arms. “Answer now, or suffer something far more embarrassing.”

 

Her eyes widened, apparently recalling such a threat, and then narrowed. “I hate you...”

 

“You have five seconds.”

 

“... I don't know the finer points of it. I sense it in the same way I sense demons, there's nothing more to it.”

 

So in other words, she was clueless... “Have you activated the well yet?”

 

She rolled her eyes. “If I did, I wouldn't be here. And I still don't have enough energy to go activating wells yet, it's only been a day since I last wasted any on you for whatever reason fathomable.”

 

“That is ample time,” he replied with a frown. Just how little did she know of her powers anyway? Well, they were rather nice despite her terminology on how she used them. He could still feel some of the small flames flickering amongst his own, remaining soothingly with him until his energy completely lapped it away.

 

“Oh, go to hell,” she cursed at him. “Now would you mind granting me the respect of a little privacy? If you want a peep show then I assure you looking through the keyhole of the door is far better than making me mad.”

 

“This Sesshomaru would not sneak for something sought.”

 

“You're pretty up front about it?”

 

He let his silence do the talking.

 

“Well, then stop being up front right now and leave me alone.”

 

He actually scoffed. “Do not fantasize over such things. It is bad for your health.”

 

“Fantasize??” she asked, completely affronted. “I do nothing of the sort!”

 

“My apologies,” he replied with a wry smile on his face, “then surely something else hinted at this Sesshomaru being even the least bit interested in you?”

 

She threw a spiritually imbued soap bar at him, missing quite impressively.

 

“Bad vision?”

 

“Too angry to aim,” she supplied through a vexed tone, grabbing a shampoo bottle now. “Let's try that again...”

 

He watched when the bottle slowly fell from her hand.

 

“That was less than impressive.”

 

“Shut UP!” she yelled, forgetting all sense of her quirky pride and standing out of the water to look out the tiny window.

 

She had a nice backside...

 

“Holy SHIT!!”

 

She quickly turned around, and hopping out of the bath she went running past him and into her room.

 

Her front wasn't half bad either...

 

“Don't just stand there!!” she yelled five seconds later, a sweater over her as she hopped past the door to get her sweatpants on over her undergarments. “Don't you feel that!?”

 

He was surprised she didn't trip down the stairs in her haste, but she went running outside and looked off in the distance without falling over once.

 

Her degree of insanity deserved a proper title...

 

“Feel what, miko?” he asked, her sweater all wet in the back from her hair. His mind wandered onto the thought of what her bodily response would be to having the wet spot over her chest instead.

 

She stood there, staring with a frown, and then the earth vibrated. His attentions jerked to full alert and he stared off in the distance, but saw nothing.

 

“... What do you feel, miko?” he asked.

 

“It's here,” she almost whispered with disbelief. “It's the Shikon no Tama.”