InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Strange Duet ❯ A Reason to Fight ( Chapter 4 )

Here's the 4th chapter!

 

 

Tracklist:

 

C1: Sarah McLachlan- Fallen

C2: Evanescence- Understanding (Wash It All Away)

C3: Garbage- Not My Idea

C4: Away From Me- Evanescence

 

I would like to take this little bit of time to thank Youkai Yume from the bottom of my fanfiction writing and anime loving heart for allowing me to use one of her pictures as inspiration for a vision in this chapter. For those of you who are well acquainted with her artwork and fanfiction, the picture is called “Butterfly Wishes” and it's on her deviant art site. All the credit goes to her, as well as the dedication for this particular chapter. Yume, I salute you for being the best damn Sesshoumaru and Kagome fanfiction writer yet!

 

Disclaimer: Inuyasha/co are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, I do own Chimokoumaru and his family, along with any other OCs that may pop in here.

 

 

 

Seventeen days.

 

It was funny, in an ironic kind of way, that so much time had flown by and yet she had yet to see any improvement in the way she fought and focused. The only thing she seemed to be gaining and improving was the amount of space on her body that could be bruised. Her entire body probably looked like one massive black and purple bruise with two exhausted blue-grey eyes. She had yet to hear a word of approval or even of encouragement from her strict and silent instructor. That in itself was tiring, making her unsure of whether or not she was improving even in the slightest bit.

 

`Good thing Inuyasha stopped at a village tonight, he's human so, we shouldn't have any real problems, unless a youkai decides to come crashing through again like that last month.'

 

Kagome sighed softly, unable to sleep due to the fact that she was just waiting for that stupid brand to start acting up. The last time it had flared up in a `summoning', she had been in the process of bathing after falling head first into the remains of a rotting corpse of a youkai they had killed for a shard. She thought she still had that disgusting stomach churning smell in her hair. Needless to say that she had flown off the handle and exploded at Sesshoumaru. The thing that really took the proverbial cake was the fact that she had sworn that he had smirked at her tantrum. For some reason, she could swear that he waited until she was relaxed or comfortable before sending that obnoxious heartbeat through the crescent mark. The gods help him if that was the case, she thought bitterly to herself as she pulled the heavy comforter over her shoulders, snuggling down the warm futon as she closed her eyes, because once she knew how to control her powers and fight, he'd be in for it big time.

 

Elsewhere…

 

A burst of childish laughter escaped from the young girl's mouth as she raced around an odd structure of wood and metal. Her thick black hair was pulled back into a ponytail pulled through a blue and white baseball cap as the cheerful blue and white checkered sundress flared around her shins while she ran away from the grabbing hands of a man in a white business shirt and khaki slacks. His blue-grey eyes sparkled as he gave a mock chase, sending the girl scrambling up the structure with a scream of laughter. He stood there, off to the distance in the shadows, not quite understanding or believing the sights in front of his eyes. Humans, adult and children alike, roamed uncaring in this strange world without youkai. Amber eyes narrowed in agitation as he heard the familiar burst of childish laughter again, turning his head to see a jump on to the back of the man who had been chasing her. A blur of white and silver and a flash of his blade signaled his movement, attempting to destroy the man running off with the young girl and feeling a rare burst of surprise as his blade sank through the man's body, as if it were made by mist and nothing more. Head whipping to the side as he watched the child giggling as the man handed her some strange looking item, which the girl clapped her hands a few times in delight and immediately began to devour.

 

It was more than safe to assume that he did not understand what was happening. At first, he thought he had fallen into some sort of trap, an illusion set by one of the multiple enemies he had gained over the years. After a while, he realized that he had taken a rare moment to rest his eyes, something he did not do often. He could not feel anything, a small wonder considering he was standing on the ground. His expression removed itself from the cautious and wary glare he had held in his eyes and settled into a mute curiosity as he examined the area around him. Apparently human children were allowed to `play' on the dangerous looking structure, despite the multiple accidents that seemed to befall the most unfortunate of the small ones. Sesshoumaru sidestepped one child who ran right through him, the feeling was like plunging his hand into an icy river, not an enjoyable feeling in the slightest. The man, Sesshoumaru presumed him to be the little girl's father, stood up, telling the girl to stay put for a moment while he went to fetch something from some kind of thing called a `car'.

 

A blur of movement caught the corner of his eye; something was skulking in the shadows, slowly creeping up behind the man's retreating form. Amber eyes narrowed darkly as his claws glowed slightly, a sweet scent drifting up from the acid that was a part of his very blood. Although he knew what was about to happen, somehow being on his guard seemed to be the best reaction he could do. A flash of dark emerald and black signaled the movement of the figure in the shadows. To his surprise, the scream of denial and anger that burst from the little girl's mouth was surprisingly loud but, though it warned the adult of the danger he was in, it didn't save his life. In an instant, the youkai had shed it's human like appearance, revealing a lizard like stature, bulging yellow eyes and blackened talons that ripped into the throat of the gentleman, spraying the grey and black beaded hide with scarlet. Sesshoumaru had a disturbing momentary flash of his own youth, in days he had thought long forgotten, as he watched the small fragile looking girl-child run forward, tears racing down her face even as something began to build around her, heating up the air around her and crackling audibly to his ears, and the youkai who was intent on devouring the girl's father's flesh.

 

`What is this vision attempting to explain?'

 

He thought to himself as he watched the father try feebly to ward his child away with a weak shake of his head and a hand placed out as if he could stop her from coming closer. The youkai must have noticed the reflection of the little girl in the man's eyes, Sesshoumaru thought to himself as his eyes narrowed, the lizard like youkai whirled around, bulging yellow eyes fastened on to the fast approaching child with a sinister expression in it's face. The pallor of the little girl's father was ashen, signaling his was close to death, if not facing it down at the very moment. His eyes caught the tearful expression on the child's face as she sniffled; a laugh from the much taller and stronger youkai forced a low growl to emerge from Sesshoumaru's mouth.

 

“Little girl, are you mad at me for hurting your weakling daddy? It'll be ok, considering you'll join him soon!”

 

Sesshoumaru had shifted, knowing that he was unable to provide any kind of assistance yet, for some unknown reason, he desired to defend the child. It must be the result of watching over Rin for so long, he mused with a slight furrowing of his brow. As the youkai reached out a blood covered, black clawed hand for the small girl, Sesshoumaru suddenly noticed a glow centering from the girl's left side, directly below the child's heart. There was no mistaking the scent or the eerie seduction of the power that the Shikon no Tama was infamous for giving off to those it desired to trap in a maddening spiral of destruction. Only, this Shikon no Tama seemed to be different, the light was not the usual lavenderesque glow that usually surrounded the cursed item but, a pure almost white-blue light that seemed to turn the same color as her eyes. With one scream, the small child seemed to glow with a brilliant white light, her hands thrust out in front of her, the energy bursting from the palms as wave after massive wave smashed into the human eater's body, hissing as the purified energy devoured and purified the youkai alive, until the youkai was no more.

 

“P-Papa…? Papa?!”

 

The child wailed, running over and slipping in the growing pool of her father's blood as she scrambled up, blue-grey eyes wide in horror and panic as she looked at her father's still form, his blank eyes reflecting the sky above him even as his daughter shook him. Sesshoumaru watched dispassionately as the child sobbed into the blood soaked shirt of the man, compelled to move closer as onlookers screamed, grabbing their children and rushing away from the youkai attack. Sniffling, the little girl suddenly stiffened, her head turning slowly and seeming to stare right at Sesshoumaru himself.

 

“Who're you?! Are you an angel to take away my daddy to heaven?”

 

Amber eyes snapped open as Rin sneezed in her sleep, head turning to watch the young human child rub her nose and curl up further against Aun's stomach. He did not sleep, nor was he supposed to dream, both of which were for the weaker youkai and the humans. Yet, for some unknown reason, Fate had chosen to show him this glimpse of a future he had no knowledge of and, it seemed to be a part of that peculiar girl's past as well. A future past, Sesshoumaru thought in annoyance as he felt the oncoming pressure start to throb at his temples. Later he would direct the girl to inform him of the meaning of what he had dreamt but for now, he had an appointment to keep. Silently rising from his place beneath a large tree, the taiyoukai gestured at the alert Aun to keep watch while he was gone before vanishing into the darkness. After a long moment, he could sense he was being monitored by more than one individual and halted, his voice sharp from the annoyance he still dealt with from falling asleep.

 

“Chimokoumaru, I tire of your eternal game playing.”

 

The bat youkai dropped from his perch on the tree branch behind the taiyoukai, scarlet eyes amused as he leaned against the trunk of the tree, wings folded back neatly as he crossed muscular earth colored arms over his broad chest. The longish black-violet hair was currently pulled back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck and fell over one shoulder as he began to speak.

 

`And he is in one nasty mood. Too bad Chikouko is on her roster this night.'

 

“I have a few interesting pieces of news of that human you wished for my family to…observe for a time. Then again, if the young lord desires, I will return later, when the ire of the young lord is not so heated.”

 

Sesshoumaru gave what would be a scathing glance to his father's former companion before a slight twitch of his lips signaled his amusement. A cloud dimmed the moonlight, the predatory gleam from a pair of amber eyes and from a second pair of crimson ones cast a cold chill down the spines of those who witnessed it.

 

“Enough with your banter. What have you learned?”

 

Chimokoumaru's wings stretched out, leathery wings snapping, blowing dust over the taiyoukai as he finished the leisurely stretch, and knowing his dallying would only irritate the young lord further. His eyes gleamed in amusement as he pushed his long bangs behind the long pointed flaps of his ears before speaking.

 

`He needs to lighten up and stop being so pillar-like, his father was a good ruler.'

 

“Her blood contains an odd element, one that we haven't seen or tasted in quite some time. I am not speaking of her miko abilities mind you, that information will come in a moment. After careful deliberation and research, the element turned out to be time itself. Somehow, this girl has the power of time, what the use is for, that is another question being investigated. Now, for the somewhat touchy subject of her powers and potential for growth…”

 

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed as he noticed the immediate discomfort of his father's messenger. What could possibly be so unusual about that slip of a girl-child that it made even a hardened ex-warrior and assassin uncomfortable, he silently questioned himself as he awaited Chimokoumaru's response. The moon was revealed as the clouds passed over, dousing the land in a pure ethereal white light, as if blessing the ground below. Finally Chimokoumaru responded.

 

“Frankly, not since the days of Midoriko have my family's bloodline seen untapped potential and dormant power in such abundance. My own grandfather demanded that I not return to his cave to seek his advice until the effects of absorbing the blood have worn off. If I were in your place, and I apologize for this but, I am thankful to whatever Gods watch over me that I am not, I would consider making her an ally rather than an enemy. Should she come full into her powers and potential with the wrong adviser at her side, the devastating consequences are almost unthinkable. From what my family and I have gathered, her values seem to center on protecting the weak from those who prey on them and of family and companions. Though, I doubt that she will reach Midoriko's state of control and discipline, I believe her power will either be slightly less or equal to that of the power the legendary miko wielded.”

 

Amber eyes became unreadable as the implications were brought to his attention at the findings his messenger delivered to him. A long silence filled the clearing, hanging heavily, almost palpable in the sweet scented night air. Finally, the silence was broken by Sesshoumaru himself, the emotionless tone hiding whatever the taiyoukai may have been feeling at the moment.

 

“We will convene in a month's time to discuss any further discoveries you and your people may find.”

 

Chimokoumaru's voice stopped him as he neared the edge of the clearing, filled with a cautious yet, questioning tone as he asked something that had been on his mind for quite a while since he had heard that Sesshoumaru had taken the girl under his wing for training. That all in itself had him slightly confused, lately, he thought to himself, it was becoming harder and harder to predict his actions.

 

`I believe I am getting far too old for this.'

 

“How is the girl doing in your training?”

 

Sesshoumaru paused for a brief moment, his answer floating back to Chimokoumaru as his white clad form was swallowed up by the darkness of the forest.

 

“She progresses well enough, for being in the fool's company and for not having any former training.”

 

Back in the village…

 

Kirara's ears perked up, head lifting as rose colored eyes opened and focused on something outside the door. Her head turned to the young woman she was guarding, the long dark hair falling over her shoulder as she dreamed of something, more than likely images from her past. The monk was not too far away from the slumbering woman either, though, how honorable his intentions appeared was highly debatable in either case. Something rustled the leaves on the tree beside the side of the hut that the other young woman, the one with a similar feel to her once partner, now long deceased and merely spoken of as a legend. She rose on to her feet, alerting the young kitsune boy-child that something was amiss. He scrambled to her head, tiny fists clutching for purchase against the soft pale cream fur. Shippou's eyes were wide, dark forest green in the darkness of the night as he strained to hear whatever it was Kirara had woken to.

 

“What is it Kirara?”

 

He whispered into the nearest silky black ear. Kirara didn't respond, looking over her shoulder to check on the sleeping hanyou and his human companions before heading out the door and to the right side of the hut, her footsteps nearly silent, a sign that she was ready to strike if she needed to. Emerald eyes slowly grew bigger and more frightened until, he saw the source of Kirara's agitation, then, the wide eyed Shippou scowled and puffed his chest out, prepared to scare the daylights out of the sneaky little youkai. Skin the color of pale dust with a wild, untamed mane of raven hair imbued with blood colored highlights fell to the young boy's shoulders, the tapered bangs framing a delicately formed face with a stubborn squared jaw line and high cheekbones. Almost startlingly bright reddish-pink eyes peered seriously though the slats of the window that peered into the hut, his attention seemed fully focused on the human girl sleeping restlessly below.

 

`He's nothing to be worried about! He's just a stupid bat youkai! And he's younger than I am!'

 

Shippou thought to himself as he and Kirara crept closer, the giant fire cat emitting a dangerously low growl of warning in her chest before blocking off the startled boy's escape, fangs bared and claws unsheathed, looking all the more ready to kill in one deadly swift attack if need be. Yachimaru swallowed hard, looking around frantically for some kind of escape route, he doubted that if he flew off that he'd get very far.

 

`Damn, Mom's gonna be made at me for gettin caught!'

 

“Wh-what?!”

 

Shippou stood to his full height, trying to look imposing when really; he had just reached about as high as Kagome's kneecap. Emerald eyes snapped in fury as he pointed an accusing finger at the defensive tone the bat youkai used.

 

“Why're you spying on Kagome?!”

 

Yachimaru scowled and stuck his tongue out at the kitsune, fuming silently as he crossed his arms over his chest, chin tilting high into the air as his wings folded against his back. He tried to look down, like his father usually did against an opponent, at the young youkai but, it didn't exactly work when you were only about half an inch taller than the guy you tried to intimidate.

 

`Who does this kid think he is?!'

 

“I don't have to tell you nothing. You're not my mom or dad.'

 

Kirara advanced a step closer, the growl building in her chest sounding more and more threatening, like the advancing of thunder or horses racing across a flat terrain. The pale flesh drained even more of color as he gulped visibly, back against a tree as crimson eyes stared terrified at Kirara's gigantic form.

 

“Alright, call him off, I'll talk, I'll talk! My mom and dad took a job from some really really strong guy and I'm a part of it. We hafta spy on that weirdly dressed miko girl called Kagome and report every little stupid thing back to the guy who gave us her blood in the first place! Now call him offa me!”

 

Shippou patted Kirara's head, the giant fire cat's claws sheathing as she backed a little ways away from the now shaking bat youkai. He scratched his head, emerald eyes puzzled as he tilted his head to the side, debating on whether or not to help the young youkai out.

 

`Maybe if he gets something really good, he won't have to come back. Inuyasha can get pretty mean and defensive of Kagome when something like this happens.'

 

“Well, ask me, I've traveled with her almost as long as Inuyasha. What do you want to know about Kagome?”

 

Within the hut…

 

Her eyebrows drew in slightly in confusion and puzzlement, a slightly different air current flowed around her form, though, the rest of the team seemed to have given into their inner weariness and slumbered quietly within their sleeping rolls, oblivious to the obvious discomfort and distress of their cherished team member.

 

Her eyes opened as she glanced about. A large field, maybe the size of three or four football fields laid out side by side was filled with magnificent pale periwinkle blue and white flowers, sprinkles of goldenrod added a cheery warmth to the calming field. Glancing down, she noticed with an oddly detached calm, that she wasn't exactly there, as in.

 

`I'm a ghost?'

 

She thought in confusion, more to ease the troubled panic that was creeping up on her, sending a chillingly frightening finger down her spine. And, she seemed to be clad in a long overflowing kimono, scratch that, Kagome thought absently as she looked at the double layers she wore. Pale white silk hugged her body, much lighter than the deep midnight blue that was over the first layer. A pattern of golden butterflies and flowery vines traipsed over the beautiful rich silk, a matching golden obi with red ties completed the outfit. Kagome turned one way, then the other, lost for a moment in the delight of feeling the long flowing sleeves dancing in the soft breeze and in being a “girl” in general before a sound startled her into stopping where she was, freezing up as if she were prepared to flee on a moment's whim. Blue-grey eyes widened as she remain, frozen in place and watching as a very familiar, though, very much younger form of someone she knew entered the meadow with a woman who nearly matched the child in appearance once he grew into the man she knew.

 

`That, it can't be, could it?'

 

The navy blue crescent moon symbol was clear as crystal upon the young child of near five years or so of age's forehead immediately confirmed Kagome's first impression; this was some kind of weird dream that, for some reason, concerned Sesshoumaru as a little boy. The woman, presumably Sesshoumaru's mother, knelt next to her son, her knees neatly folded beneath her as she rested, Kagome noticed a fine sheen of sweat coating the ivory skin and wondered if the woman wasn't ill. Long blue-white hair was pulled into a loose braid with a few longer tendrils pulled free to frame her pale face. Her bangs were tapered and nearly covered the identical crescent marking on her forehead as well. Deep golden-brown eyes watched protectively over the white clad form of her child. She had no facial markings, Kagome noticed as the woman followed the little boy's movements with slight turns of her head.

 

`Must have gotten those facial markings from his and Inuyasha's father.'

 

She mused as the woman turned her head; Kagome had a feeling that the woman saw her but shrugged it off as being slightly paranoid. Kagome sat down in some of the flowers, noticing that she wasn't crushing the stems at all or even bending the blades of grass. The warm spring like air was a sharp contrast to the autumn air that had her back outside this strange dream. A pale yellow, violet, green and black butterfly with slightly longer back wings fluttered by her eyes, startling her into nearly falling over backwards in surprise. A sensation like plunging her body into an icy cold stream coursed through her as the form of a young Sesshoumaru raced through her in his pursuit of the butterfly. For a hazy moment, she thought she saw a smile of pure childish delight on his face before her mind's eye replaced the child with the man bearing down on his opponent.

 

The child stopped in mid-step, whirling around with amber eyes darkening with suspicion as he noticed the form of the sitting human woman barely in the shadows of the trees, dappled sunlight shining through her body as he raised his chin a little, trying to make himself look more imposing and commanding as he stopped directly in front of her. He didn't recognize her from anywhere, her kimono was different that what the court ladies wore, the stupid pampered brats, he thought to himself as he found himself slightly taken aback by her eye color. His interest was more than piqued as he sat down in front of her, on his knees in case he needed to attack her to defend himself or his mother.

 

“I've never seen any like you before, and you don't have the wounds or marks of battle on you. How did you die?”

 

Kagome was surprised before the understanding and realization came over her. Small wonder Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's father had left the Tenseiga to Sesshoumaru, as a young child, and maybe even now as an adult, Kagome thought to herself, he was able to see and communicate with the souls of the dead. Brushing that information aside for later references, she smiled at the littler version of the powerful and silent man she knew.

 

“Ah, I'm not dead, exactly. I'm dreaming, I think.”

 

That seemed to be a good enough answer for Sesshoumaru, the butterfly flew past again, sending the child in a mad scramble and tangle of arms and legs as he tried again to catch it and failed. He hit the dirt face first; much like his younger brother would once the rosary was around his neck. When he sat up, a look of such complete and utter frustration was on his face that Kagome felt sorry for him, as well as a startling burst of affection that welled up within her heart for his efforts. She gave him another smile as she lowered her voice.

 

“You have to sit very still and be very very quiet, and then you'll be able to see one up close. Watch me, ok?”

 

The younger Sesshoumaru crept over to her side, the pelt his father had given to him wrapped around his arm and slipping down as he watched her closely. She seemed to be doing nothing more than holding out her index finger and slightly outstretching her arm and being silent. After what seemed like an eternity, he began to speak and froze half way through his sentence.

 

“This is stupid, it's not work...”

 

The same butterfly that had plagued him, irritating him to the point of wanting to destroy it just so that it would learn not to toy with him came again, this time hesitantly flying past the perch of Kagome's finger before it circled around the two of them once, then again before landing on the girl's finger. A delighted smile came over the ghost girl's, as he thought of her, face and touched her eyes, lighting them into the hue of a deep summer twilight sky. A slight intake of breath was the reaction from the little taiyoukai as he leaned closer, honey colored eyes lighting up as a smile crept over his own face while he watched the butterfly rest, it's wings fluttering up and down a few times before it took off again, flying away from where they sat. Fine silvery hair fell into the excited sunny eyes as he looked up at her and saw her smiling down at him with a matching smile of delight.

 

“It worked! How did you know that would work? Are you a nature youkai or spirit?”

 

Kagome completely faded out for a moment, sending the young boy's expression crashing from delighted and happy to crestfallen and sullen. She looked surprised as she was briefly aware of herself being shaken outside of her dream before she glanced at the suddenly depressed expression on Sesshoumaru's young face.

 

`Doesn't he have any friends to play with? I wonder what could have happened to make him into how he is now?'

 

“Don't worry, we'll meet again someday, I promise.”

 

Her hand reached out and gently touched his face, though she was more than a little surprised at how he seemed to know she was touching him and looked at her with disappointment and hope in his eyes. His voice trembled slightly as he looked at her.

 

“When we meet again, can we catch more butterflies? I'll practice and be the best sitter ever.”

 

Kagome gave him a smile and nodded.

 

“I wouldn't miss it. I have to go now though, be careful, okay?”

 

Sesshoumaru nodded, looking back at his now slowly approaching mother and his father, who had joined them sometime during the fun he had been having before a determined expression came over his face.

 

“I'll be the strongest youkai ever, and when I see you again, you can be my mate, like haha-ue is with chichi-ue. I promise!”

 

Kagome's eyes snapped open, looking right into a pair of emerald green eyes as she barely managed to make out the not so light form of Shippou sitting on her chest and staring hard at her. She sat up, knocking Shippou head over heels into her lap before she opened her mouth and was quieted by the little kitsune's frantic gesturing at the rare event of the human for a night hanyou sleeping not too far away.

 

`What's with him? It's almost dawn.'

 

She slid from her sleeping bag and followed Shippou outside, startled that a grown Kirara was waiting for her, with an unfamiliar scared looking youkai on her back. Automatically noticing that it was a little boy, she felt her worry ease up into affectionate irritation as she scolded Shippou in a whisper.

 

“Shippou-chan, it's almost dawn and you had me worried that something was about to attack us while Inuyasha's asleep!”

 

Yachimaru snorted, though he was a bit intimidated and jealous for some reason, by the way the human girl was treating the kitsune brat he had been interrogated by.

 

`It's `cause she acts like a mom, that's why it's weird.'

 

“Don't worry about that hanyou idiot, I already knew he was human, that's why I came tonight, so he wouldn't catch me.”

 

Kagome raised an eyebrow and folded her arms over her chest, a stern expression coming over her face as she straightened her back and gave her best “I'm displeased with you” look to the little bat youkai.

 

“That hanyou idiot you're talking about happens to be a very close friend of mine. Just because he's half youkai doesn't make him a half person. He has feelings too you know, he bleeds like everyone else does if he gets hurt.”

 

`He's more than a friend, at least, I wish he was and I want him to be…'

 

Yachimaru scratched his scalp with a careful claw before he shrugged, feeling his face heat unexpectedly before Shippou spoke up, giving him an excuse to listen more intently on the girl and what she was like.

 

“Kagome, what's your favorite color? And food?”

 

The human woman looked slightly surprised at the questions and gave the young youkai a suspicious glance before thinking for a moment, her eyes turning the color of the sea in the dawn's light as she finally responded.

 

“Well, I've always liked the color pink, though, I think I'm starting to like silver and lavender better. As for my favorite food, it's definitely oden; no one can make it the way Mama can. Why?”

 

Shippou shrugged casually, almost too casually as he nodded at the young boy, who took off into the skies and flew off towards the northwest, much to Kagome's confusion.

 

“No reason. Say, how come you've been going places at night?”

 

Before Kagome could respond, she heard the familiar voices of Sango and Miroku, including the tell tale slap of a hand connecting with a face, which had seemed to be the usual morning ritual for the two of them.

 

“Houshi-sama!”

 

The sound of the slap had Kagome and Shippou wincing in sympathy, their hands going up to touch their own cheek as they thought of the more than uncomfortable position Miroku had probably landed in.

 

“Sango, don't be so hasty!”

 

“Hentai!”

 

A beet red taiji-ya stormed out of the hut, the sounds of Inuyasha swearing at Miroku for waking him up, then for not waking up infiltrated the air around the small hut. Sango glowered at the amused Kagome staring at her feet before her expression softened into one of surprise while she straightened her yukata into place.

 

“Kagome-chan? Why are you up so early? It's not like you.”

 

The younger girl smiled and shrugged, looking embarrassed as she rubbed the back of her neck and gave a tiny smile to the other woman of the group, her voice sounding timid and almost shy as she spoke.

 

`Might as well, I mean, who knows, I might be able to impress that jerk with some of Sango-chan's training.'

 

“Ne, Sango-chan, um, I know this is short notice but, do you think, maybe you could train me a little? Just so that I can defend myself if I have to.”

 

Miroku raised an eyebrow, gently massaging his tender cheek as he listened to the conversation and walked outside, a smile of amusement and pride on his face.

 

“Kagome-sama, I would be honored to instruct you in any manner you may need.”

 

Shippou piped up, he and Sango giving Miroku a suspicious glance before Shippou returned his gaze to Kagome.

 

“She doesn't need to know how to act like an idiot. But, I can help too Kagome, I can teach you how to find places to hide and maybe we can see if Kaede can help you with your powers, then you can do stuff like causing diversions with leafs and mushrooms!”

 

As Sango, Shippou and Miroku chatted about what they would be teaching Kagome, the very girl that they were discussing was looking at the nearly full hanyou man in the door frame, his arms crossed over his chest as he listened to them argue back and forth. Her eyes were dark with emotions that she didn't fully understand herself but wanted to tell Inuyasha herself. He caught her looking at him and scowled.

 

“What?! You've seen me like this before, it's nothing new dammit!”

 

And out went the feeling she wanted to tell him something.

 

Later…

 

They had stopped to rest once again at Kaede's village so that Kagome could restock up at home and the others could rest. Another fight had come up, some peon youkai had tried to make off with Sango and make her his bride. Of course, Miroku had not taken to that well and had made certain that the youkai was permanently discouraged from ever trying something like that again. Kagome began to walk down to the river, a bandage in hand for the taiji-ya's shallow though painful laceration she had received from the panicked youkai's claws on her arm, when she froze, a slight intake of breath escaping from her lips as she peered from behind a tree at the scene below.

 

“How is your wound?”

 

Miroku asked, taking a seat next to the slayer as his eyes darkened in concern for her. There were a few torn strips from the makeshift bandage Kagome had given to Sango until they reached the village. Kaede had instructed Sango to clean the wound out with water by the river before placing the salve on to it to prevent infection and wrapping it again. Cobalt eyes darkened at the angry looking gash, feeling responsible for this particular injury due to his irritation at seeing Sango in another man's, even if it was an ugly youkai, arms. His staff was set beside him as he took her arm in one gentle but firm hand, while the other, the one that held the deadly curse that would kill him if they did not destroy Naraku in time, dipped into the warm salve and tenderly began to smooth it over the wound with careful fingers. Sango's face turned a rather lovely and becoming shade of pink as she watched Miroku tend to her arm.

 

“I-I can do that, really, you don't have to trouble yourself.”

 

He looked at her, surprising the taiji-ya with the gravity and solemnity that were expressed through his eyes before he spoke, voice gentle and soft as he continued to act as the medic to the angry wound that glared accusingly at him.

 

“Sango, I want to take care of you, will you let me?”

 

Sango swallowed hard and nodded slightly, eyes wide and filled with an inner excitement and happiness that made Kagome's heart twinge in shameful envy as she watched Miroku and Sango's bond grow deeper by each passing moment. Miroku ripped off large strips from his sleeves, despite Sango's protests, and lovingly wrapped the wound, tying it off just below her elbow and just holding her arm. She swallowed hard, face aflame as she looked at Miroku through her bangs, maroon eyes shy as she spoke softly.

 

“You didn't have to do that, houshi-sama. Thank you.”

 

To Sango's and the watching Kagome's surprise, Miroku pulled Sango close to him and embraced her tightly, being careful of her arm but holding her so that she'd have to move if she wanted him to release her. Kagome could barely make out the words but, felt her eyes burn at the corners with tears as she understood them. He had closed his eyes, one hand holding the back of Sango's head while the other circled around her lower back, his expression was one of concern and of shame.

 

“You should not have been injured because of my actions, I apologize. I was worried about your safety. Forgive me.”

 

Kagome didn't stick around to hear Sango's response, silently walking to a certain distance before she took off at a dead sprint, arms pumping the air as she tried again and again to remove the image from her mind, and the words that had followed.

 

I want to take care of you…You should not have been injured because of my actions…I was worried about your safety……Forgive me…

 

`Why can't there be a time where Inuyasha can be like that?'

 

The tears that had stung her eyes fell, streaming down her cheeks as she choked back a sob, her heart ached, like someone had reached into her chest and was slowly cutting it with dull fingernails. Trees and brush whipped past her, the undergrowth scratching and clawing at her jeans as she blindly ran towards a warmth that she could feel within her soul. When the stitch in her side flared up into a pain that left her gasping, and clutching at her side. When the cloud of pain and tears cleared up enough for her to see somewhat clearly, she noticed that she had stopped beneath the Goshinboku. In all her silently self-berating hatred for being so selfish, she hadn't noticed the tell-tale throb that signaled Sesshoumaru's approaching form until his youki was nearly beside her and his voice jerked her out of her trace.

 

“You did not respond.”

 

He had been irritated already, another hell spawn had crossed his lands, clearly sent to taunt him by Naraku and it had taken far longer than it should have to clear it's pathetic life from existence and eliminate the stench from his lands. To top it off, the woman had not answered his summons for her to show herself, though he had sent each request for her stronger than the last. Now, as he watched her wipe her tears away and try and put up a brave front, he knew why. Something had upset her, whenever the sound of wolves or rather, the mentioning of them, was enough to send the small girl-child he kept with him into tears. At night every so often she would cry out in fear from her dreams, how much she remembered from the events leading to her death was unknown to him, though he knew if he asked, the little girl would tell him. The words had left before he could halt them, sounding fierce and irritated.

 

“You did not respond.”

 

Kagome wiped at the tears on her cheeks and from the corners of her eyes before giving him a half hearted glower of defiance. Her retort was probably the weakest one he had ever heard.

 

`I don't have the strength to deal with this right now.'

 

“Sorry, I didn't know I was at your beck and call.”

 

An eyebrow rose slightly as his senses took in her form, there were still traces of her tears sparkling on her eyelashes and her face was flushed, eyes slightly swollen from crying and her scent gave off a feeling of being wounded, though there was no wound or injury on her person. He watched her as she sat down on the root of the odd tree, he had avoided this particular place, not just because of the fact that it “belonged” to the fool but also because there was an abnormal feeling centered on this particular place. Before his thoughts could be collected and he could speak to her, she broke the silence, eyes casted to the ground as her hands and fingers lightly traced over the grooves in the tree's roots.

 

“Say, can I ask you something? You don't have to answer me right away but, do you have a reason for fighting?”

 

Sesshoumaru felt surprise but did not show it as the enigmatic young woman looked up at him, a weak half smile on her face as she continued to speak, despite the question she hadn't allowed him to answer. She pushed away the thick curtain of ebony hair, tucking some of it behind her ear as she spoke.

 

“Everyone I know has something they're fighting for, except for me. Shippou-chan's really too young to fight but, Naraku's hurt the people he cares for so, he wants Naraku to die for everything he's done. Miroku-sama will die if he doesn't destroy Naraku to get rid of the curse on his family's bloodline. Sango-chan's fighting for Kohaku's life and to avenge the lives of her village and family. And Inuyasha….”

 

Kagome stopped, feeling her eyes start to smart once again with tears as she shook her head, trying to force the tears back.

 

“Inuyasha's fighting for so many reasons. When the battle with the Shichinintai was going on, and Kikyou was in trouble, like Sango-chan, Miroku-sama, Shippou-chan and I were, I could see it in his eyes, before Renkotsu said something.”

 

The image flooded back to her, the look of panic and brief indecision in his eyes as he looked at Kikyou's prostrate form, lying unconscious in the path of Ginkotsu. She shook her head, her voice quieted to a soft whisper as Sesshoumaru looked on, stoic as ever.

 

“For a moment, it looked like he wanted to go after Kikyou, and leave the rest of us behind until she was safe.”

 

Kagome looked up and gave a weak smile to Sesshoumaru, he knew that the girl had it in her to smile fully and this pathetic imitation of a smile was disturbing. She gave a small laugh and shook her head, looking down at the ground.

 

`I can't believe I'm telling all this to him.'

 

“I'm sorry that you had to listen to my stupid story. I mean, it's not like it matters, right? Inuyasha's his own person, it's not like I'm so worried about his life or anything.”

 

Sesshoumaru placed himself to the tree across from the young woman, her words were honest, except at the end, she was trying unsuccessfully to hide the emotion and feelings she had for the hanyou.

 

“You chose to tell me this information about your allies. Why?”

 

Kagome looked startled at the question before finally giving a half shrug.

 

“I honestly don't know, once I started, it just wouldn't stop. You'll probably use it against me somehow but, I guess…”

 

Her hands clenched together, fingers laced and white knuckled as she finished.

 

“I wanted someone who would listen that doesn't know anything or at least very little about me when I talked to them. Like I said, I'm sorry for bothering you with it.”

 

He considered her words, he still was at a loss for how one could be so strong willed yet remain so honest at the same time. The question she had asked him came to his mind, she had told him she didn't know what she was fighting for and yet, it was nearly blindingly simple and obvious as to what she was trying to.

 

“I fight for my own reasons, as do anyone else who willingly enters a battle. You say you don't have a reason to fight and yet, you express your worry over your allies. That is what you fight for, the well being of those you travel with.”

 

Kagome looked surprised and looked at the practice blade that had somehow ended up at her feet. What he had said made sense and actually cleared her confusion. She had thought that she wasn't fighting, only getting in the way and helping everyone on their own path but, reality was, she was there and fighting to protect the safety and happiness of her family and friends' futures. She stood up, taking the handle of the practice blade into her hands and held it up, smiling in gratitude to Sesshoumaru as she slipped into the practice stance that she had been taught.

 

`Maybe he's not so bad after all.'

 

“Thank you. I'll make it up to you somehow.”

 

OK, this concludes this chapter in Fallen. How is everyone enjoying this story? Is everyone in character? I'm not going too slow or too fast for everyone, right? Let me know on what I could work on for the future. And if anyone's on the role-playing site Gaia Online, look me up, I'm Hanyou_Kagome. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have. Anyway, talk to you all later and thank you for reading!