InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Longest Journey ❯ Totosai and Myoga ( Chapter 10 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter 10: Totosai and Myoga

Kagome was nervous. Extremely nervous. The last two weeks of her stay here in the Northern Shiro had flown by, as Sugimi had set an intense and difficult training schedule. He wanted her ready when the time came to leave - and he made sure she was. Of course, he'd nearly killed her with the pace he'd set, and when she'd complained about it, he'd merely looked at her coolly and told her that Naraku wouldn't stop the fight just because she wanted a nap.

She wasn't entirely stupid, however, and she was well aware that part of the reason he'd kept them both working so hard was so nothing much of an intimate nature could take place. He was having 'control issues', and was trying to wear them both out so he'd be able to keep his hands to himself. She thought it was sweet, but worried about how he'd handle it once they'd left on their travels.

Which was what she was nervous about, now. They were scheduled to leave at first light tomorrow - first stop, Totosai's. Sugimi wanted a new sword, one capable of channeling his immense youki, and Totosai was the best youkai swordsmith out there, bar none.

At least there's that much of a reprieve. Even Totosai will need at least a week to do what Sugimi wants...

The truth of the matter was, when she'd first arrived here and had agreed to train with Sugimi, and then travel and join up with Inuyasha's group, and then Sesshoumaru as well, she hadn't really faced the idea of having to actually see Inuyasha and the others again. Now that that day was close, though, it was hitting her hard.

She thought back over everything she'd done in the last year, and hoped that Sango, and Miroku, and especially Shippo, would understand what she'd done in leaving them - and, at least one day, forgive her for it. The biggest reason she'd run, and faked her death the way she had, besides the hurt of what Inuyasha had done, was because she knew he'd try to force her back through the well - and she couldn't allow that. She'd honestly seen no other way to go about it.

After all, he'd have no reason to throw a dead woman through the well.

Overall, she was more afraid of her friend's reactions, than of seeing Inuyasha and Kikyou. While what he'd done would probably always hurt, in an abstract way, she no longer cared that the two were mated - after all, she was about to be mated herself - and she was really very excited about it. She had no doubts about that - she was totally in love with Sugimi.

It was funny. If asked, even a few months ago, she'd have laughed if someone had claimed to be in love after only two months... but now that she was in that situation, she had to admit - when the kami decided something, they really didn't let anything get in the way of it - including a reluctant heart. She may have been a bit frightened of the immediacy of the attraction, and emotional pull, that he'd wielded so quickly over her in the beginning, but she didn't feel that way now.

She sighed softly, smiling as she looked down at her shoulder, where a purring, drowsing Kisho was curled up. Reaching an idle hand up, she petted him. Now that she knew that Kirara was his sister, or litter-mate, as he called it, she was kinda excited about that aspect of the reunion. He'd told her that it had been years since he'd been able to speak to Kirara - so she was looking forward to seeing it, not to mention, she'd actually be able to speak to Kirara. She figured that would be a very interesting thing.

She was pulled from her thoughts when Sugimi appeared, moving through the trees towards her, and she smiled again, holding out a hand for him as he drew near.

Taking the hand she offered, he allowed her to pull him down to the ground next to her, and returned her smile. Looking up into the evening sky, he sighed, the tension of the day leaving him as the peace in the garden caught him.

He cast a golden glance her way after a few minutes of quiet, wondering what she was thinking. Truth be told, he was pretty sure she was anxious about seeing her friends again.

"Do you fear to see my son again, beloved? Does your heart still hurt from the harm he has caused you?" he asked quietly.

She looked startled. "No... why would you think that, Sugimi?" A hurt look crossed her face. "Don't you believe me when I tell you I love you?"

Shaking his head, he reached over and brushed Kisho off her shoulder, chuckling when the neko hissed and fluffed his fur at him before stalking off, then pulled her into his lap. Resting his chin on her shoulder, he said, "That's not what I meant, heart of my heart. I do not doubt your feelings for me - we are, after all, genuine, foretold soul-mates," a teasing note entered his voice, "so I have nothing to fear from any other. I merely meant that, even though the love is gone, the hurt may still be there. He did betray your trust. He was your protector - and he left you alone to go seek his pleasure."

Sugimi scowled for a moment at that thought, and Kagome twisted her head around and smiled up at him reassuringly, intuitively understanding what he was thinking.

"Yes, and I'm glad he did - or I wouldn't be sitting in your rather - lumpy - lap right now, love," she teased. She giggled as he growled playfully at her. "Nothing happened, and I wasn't hurt physically by his inattention."

"Nonetheless, Kagome, be prepared: when we finally track Inuyasha down, I am going to whip that boy's ass. He has several offenses that he needs to be disciplined for, and while I might not have been around for the last two hundred years, I am now - and he needs a good ass whipping. So please, love, do not interfere. I won't kill my own son - just rough him up a little."

She rolled her eyes and faced front again, snuggling back into his chest again. "I promise I'll stay out of it."

"Thank you. Tell me, my love, are you ready to leave in the morning? Everything packed?"

"Yes."

With a sigh, he lifted her, handing her up to her feet, then stood himself, and offering her his arm, lead her into the private wing, heading for their rooms.

"Then I think we should call it a night, love. First light comes early."

---zZz---

They'd been on the move for three days before they had left the boundaries of Sugimi's lands, and, once they had, he'd gone into super-inu protective mode. He practically wouldn't let her out of his sight - she'd had no idea that he'd get this crazy. When she'd finally blown up at him about it, he'd simply stared at her haughtily, and proceeded to ignore her, while still not letting her out of his sight. In that moment, she understood what Sesshoumaru had gotten from him - his arrogance.

Needless to say, Kisho had found the entire thing quite humorous.

When she finally just asked him why he was acting so overly possessive, he'd unbent, and with a slightly apologetic air, explained about her scent. Apparently, she had a personal scent that drew youkai like bees were drawn to pollen, and now that he was courting her, he couldn't help but react the way he was - it was instinct, and even though he was consciously aware of his behavior, he simply couldn't change it. He was Inu, after all, and he couldn't be other than what he was. However, he agreed that he would try to tone it down a bit, for her sake.

After traveling for an additional two and a half days, they finally drew near the mountain that Totosai lived on, and Kagome actually became excited. She was pretty fond of the old youkai, even though he could be annoying sometimes, and she was also pretty sure there was a good chance Myoga was there, as well. She liked the old flea a great deal, as well, even if he was a coward. After all, he was pretty small, so it's not like he could fight his way out of anything, realistically speaking.

Sugimi himself was also excited, after all, the two youkai were old friends, as well as vassals, and it had been centuries since he'd seen them. He was looking forward to shocking the hell out of them. He hid his aura, disguising it so that the only one they'd feel coming was Kagome.

Stopping at the base of the fire mountain, he eyed his onna, and decided that he'd allow her to continue on when she showed him that she could purify the air around her and that it wouldn't harm her. Shaking her head at him, she had Kisho take to the air, and left him there, heading up the mountain alone.

He wasn't too happy with that manuever when he caught up.

Once they reached the top, he waited while she dismounted from Kisho, and then called out to the old swordsmith.

Totosai had been wondering who was heading up his mountain for a while, and was a bit concerned when he realized that the aura wasn't youkai, it was miko. There was only one miko he'd ever been fond of, and from what Myoga had told him, she was dead, so when the presence reached the top, he reluctantly stepped out to meet them.

As his eyes focused on the person, his jaw dropped, and his eyes bugged out.

"Well, if it isn't Kagome! Myoga told me you were dead. Have to say, you look pretty good for a dead woman."

Kagome laughed, and gestured off to the side. "You can come down now, dear. It's not polite to keep an old friend waiting, you know." She winked at the old swordsmith. "I'm not the only 'dead' person that's here to see you today, Totosai. I've brought you an old friend."

Totosai frowned, and looked around, and almost fell over when an orb of light settled to the ground next to Kagome... tears in his eyes, and awe on his face, he bowed to the ground when he saw who it was.

"Master..." the old man trailed off, completely unable to think of anything to say.

Sugimi grinned, and then laughed when he felt a sting on his neck, and smacked his hand over it, pulling a smashed flea away, a tiny, squeaky voice saying, "It truly is the master - I'd recognize the exquisite taste of that blood anywhere!" before he floated to the ground, then popped back into shape.

Looking to his Lord's side, he hopped over to Kagome and jumped up on her, just as shocked at seeing her as he was at seeing Sugimi.

"What is this? Are all the dead going to come back to life today?"

Kagome giggled, and glancing over at her Lord, she shook her head at the sheer amusement dancing in his eyes.

"Well, I don't know about that, guys, but I wasn't ever dead to begin with - Inuyasha and the others just thought so."

Before either of the two youkai could say anything else, Sugimi spoke. "Come, my friends... let's take this inside, shall we? We may as well get comfortable - the explanations are going to take a while."

Totosai just nodded and lead the way inside his home. He had a feeling that the stories the two were going to tell would be well worth it.

---zZz---

The room was silent. Sugimi had just finished explaining his return to his friends, and both were trying to take it all in.

Myoga looked up, glancing from Sugimi to Kagome. "Tell me, master, how did you two meet?" Catching Kagome's eye, he said, "Master Inuyasha told me you had died - he was quite broken up about it."

At that, Sugimi let out a deep growl. "My whelp of a youngest son will answer to me for the way that he treated Kagome. I have several things to say to him about that matter."

Totosai grinned at that. "Seems to me that the boy needs a good swift kick in the ass, Master. He certainly doesn't listen when a person tries to tell him anything - a little physical discipline's about the only way to get anything through that boy's head."

Myoga cleared his throat. "Yes, well... while normally I would agree, I have to say that I don't think it's going to be that easy this time. The boy realized, after your 'death', Lady Kagome, that he was in love with you - and that hasn't changed in the year since."

Sugimi growled again, eyes flashing red this time. "The whelp had better not even think about what I think you're implying, flea," he said in a dangerous voice. "I really don't want to have to kill my own son."

Kagome looked from Myoga to Sugimi in confusion, beginning to be alarmed. "What's going on?"

Totosai barked out a laugh. "Seems like the young pup might be thinking of attempting to take a second mate," he said, shaking his head as Sugimi's aura flared.

Brow furrowing, she caught Sugimi's eye. "What is he talking about? And what's with all the growling, love?"

Both Totosai and Myoga froze when they heard the endearment, and suddenly, their Lord's behavior began to make a certain sense.

Myoga hopped up and down on Totosai's shoulder. "My Lord... are you courting the Lady Kagome?!" Shock was clear in his voice.

"Yes!" he snapped out, instincts still in an uproar at the knowledge that his pup wanted Kagome as a mate... everything in him was screaming at him to put the boy in his place immediately, and he was really having to fight himself to remain where he was and not go searching for the damn whelp right away.

Kagome was still confused, not sure what the three were talking about, or why Sugimi was in such an uproar, but wanting to calm him down, she walked over to him and, wrapping her arms around him, bared her throat in submission, having learned over the last two months that that was the only sure-fire way to calm him down when he got in this state.

He growled low in his chest and pulled her to him tightly, nuzzling his nose in her neck, drawing her scent in deeply, extremely appreciative of her submission. After a few minutes, he was able to calm himself, and lifting his head, the two youkai were pleased to see his golden eyes clear.

Keeping his arms wrapped around his onna, he looked over at Totosai. "Listen, old friend. I need a new sword. You know my requirements, ne?"

Totosai nodded, rubbing his hands together with glee. Having the opportunity to once again work with a fang of the Inu no Taisho himself was more than he'd ever hoped for... after all, the quality of blade was directly linked to the quality of the fang - and no one had more power than the Lord Sugimi.

Grabbing his pliers, he said, "Open wide, Master!"

---zZz---

Totosai had agreed that he would have the new weapon ready in six days, and extended an invitation for the two to stay there. Sugimi had at first been reluctant, not sure if Kagome could handle being in the dangerous air on the mountain for that long, but she'd assured him she was fine, and so they stayed, telling the two funny stories of their courtship, and Kagome passing on some of the things that had happened to her over the course of the last year.

On the fifth day after arriving on the mountain, Kagome took Kisho, and after spending half the morning fighting with her Lord, finally convinced him to let her go down the mountain to a small stream that ran near the base, and bathe. He only allowed it in the end because Kisho was going with her - and both the older youkai males teased him about it as she left. They found it amusing... he'd never been quite this possessive over either of his previous onnas.

After she was gone, Sugimi's face took on a serious expression. "Tell me, Myoga, when was the last time you saw Inuyasha?"

The flea youkai closed his eyes for a moment in thought. "I believe it was about three and a half months or so ago, my Lord. At the time, his little pack were on their way into the Eastern Lands chasing a jewel shard. I have heard rumors that they are back in the West now, but I haven't seen them myself, so I cannot be sure."

Sugimi pinned Myoga with an intent stare. "From what you said the other day, I am sure that my son spoke to you in depth about Kagome. I want you to tell me everything he said, flea. If you don't, I'll squish you permanently."

Myoga swallowed hard, as Totosai just chuckled, continuing his work on the sword he was creating.

"W-well, my Lord, Master Inuyasha was very devastated when he thought she was dead... I've never seen him so hurt. I thought it was strange, at the time, that he was acting that way, considering he'd just mated that undead priestess, and told him so. That's when he told me that he'd come to realize that, while he does love his mate, he also loves Kagome - and he loves them both equally."

He glanced at Sugimi as he growled at the thought. "My Lord, he told me at the time that if she was still alive, he'd spend the rest of his life, if necessary, trying to convince her to allow him to mate her, too. He said he would invoke the two mates law - even though it isn't commonly used anymore.

Sugimi stood, and began to pace, rage flickering through his aura, his youki fluctuating wildly as he thought about what his son had said. This could get very ugly, very fast if the boy refused to stand down - he wasn't about to let anyone, not even his son, come between he and Kagome. This could degenerate to an alpha challenge - and there was no way his son was strong enough to beat him. He only hoped that if that actually happened, he could retain enough control to keep from killing the boy - he really didn't want his son's blood on his claws.

Myoga watched his Lord pace, and became deeply concerned. In many ways, even though Inuyasha was Sugimi's son, Myoga knew the boy better than anyone else - and he knew that Inuyasha was every bit as stubborn as his father. It wasn't likely that he'd give Kagome up unless he was dead.

Hesitantly, Myoga asked, "My Lord, no disrespect, to you or the Lady Kagome, but - how serious is the bond between you two? I mean, I know she was in love with master Inuyasha - deeply... would it really be that hard for you to relinquish your claim to your son? Let him try to convince her to mate him?"

Sugimi snarled at that thought. "There is no way in hell that I will ever relinquish my claim on Kagome, flea, understand that now. She is my foretold soul-mate, Myoga. Mine. Inuyasha will have to learn who the alpha is, because I will not let him touch her. Ever." His voice was hard, final.

There was no room in his words for negotiation, and Myoga knew it. With a sinking heart, he realized that somehow, Kagome had managed to get both father and son to fall in love with her - and if they all weren't extremely careful, Inuyasha would end up dead...

At his own Father's hands.