InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Throw Caution To The Wind ❯ Reunions Plural ( Chapter 5 )

AN: Thanks for all your reviews! Sorry this chapter took so long! Because of that, I'm not even proofreading before I update! To tell you the truth, I don't really know how I'm going to do this chapter, but please hang in there with me. The tone seems to change smack in the middle, sorry about that. But there's a reason for it. I also think I reverted to my old writing style towards the end, and I don't like it, but tell me what you think! ^^ Enjoy!

THROW CAUTION TO THE WIND_CHAPTER 5_REUNIONS PLURAL

I dreamt of nothing. No accidental, naked appearances in front of the school, no fall to my death from a high cliff, just nothingness. I think that, if I were a psychologist, I would put myself out of a job. Any psych would have a field day with me. Imagine, a girl that thinks she travels to sengoku jidai constantly and helps fight demons run loose in the feudal age, all the while attempting to piece together a magic rock. I couldn't imagine an encounter with a shrink now.

To hell with the lot of them.

Ok, that was mean. But it's so true! I wonder how many of those 'strange fantasies' their patients describe to them so willingly, only to have placed in a manilla folder with the symptoms, are actually true? Who knows? Certainly not the psychologists. I often wonder if they are the type of people that dreamed of unicorns and super powers when they were smaller. It doesn't seem they would, but everyone was a child at one point or another. I was too.

And now, this child was trapped in a nightmare that only children could think of; adult minds would dismiss such things. An enemy with power beyond reckoning, held hostage by this powerful, not to mention sexy enemy. And I was, apparently, beyond saving. Hah. That would turn any shrink into a believer.

How long had I been there? Three, four days? Inuyasha would be looking for me. Somehow, this wasn't a comfort. What if Naraku was using me as a lure for Inuyasha? What if, without my purifying powers to help set him back, Naraku had attacked my friends? Would Inuyasha even worry about me or would he give up after figuring out that I wasn't in my time? The evil aura that was always berating my senses had seemed to grow stronger. I slapped myself as I remembered that Naraku had gained possession of the shards I had been carrying. Had Naraku gained the powers of the piece of the jewel that had been near Sesshoumaru's castle, too? Inwardly, I cringed. Was Rin alright? Shit! I cursed silently. Sesshoumaru had told me that he had business to attend to when he dropped me off. If Naraku had attacked… I hoped to everything holy that Sesshoumaru had been and was home at his castle with Rin.

I had been bound at the hands and feet and was now leaning against the back of a wall, not much different than I had been for the last…who knew how long.

Naraku had not been to visit me for quite some time. Part of me held the wanton wish that he had had an accident. Something unplanned. Inuyasha had found him and with one quick slice of the tetsusaiga…or he had slipped in that baboon pelt and fallen to his untimely death amongst sharp, jagged rocks. It was possible. And at this moment, my mind held on to any possibility as if it were bound to happen, as if I would be let loose, Naraku tired of me, and I could simply walk out of wherever it was he had taken me. But I knew this couldn't happen. Yet, if Naraku's plans were to 'break me' as he said, he had made a fatal mistake.

"Kagura. You didn't hold him back."

He had given me hope.

"You didn't hold him back."

That meant something had not gone as planned. Someone or something had not been suppressed, and could be heading to where I was at that very instant. Kagura, that wind witch bitch had slacked off, and if my guess was right, Naraku was feeling a bit uneasy.

Someone was coming to where I was. Inuyasha, Kouga, hell, even Sesshoumaru, anybody would be fine with me at the moment. Anybody that could possibly get me out of there.

But, how would they know where I was. I was inside wherever Naraku had taken me, who knows where in some random castle he decided to murder the occupants of and dwell in. In all of our confrontations, we had never once gone into one of Naraku's castles, excepting when Sango and Miroku had gone in to search out Kagura once. But at that time, they had been in plain sight. I could be in some shed, a bath house, who knows? Certainly my rescuer wouldn't. I started to panic.

I tried to rise, rubbing my arms against my bonds, skin burning as it met the course rope and unforgiving metal. I pulled as hard as I could against the rope and chains, but they did not slip. I felt stinging and warm liquid run down my wrists and pool in my hands. I wasn't getting any where fast and I knew it. My struggling had reopened some off the previous wounds Naraku had made and I was now bleeding quite freely. Amazingly, I seemed to be partially immune to the stinging.

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I felt as if I was sitting on rock, not a wooden floor. It was cold and dark. I had sat, bound, against the wall for what seemed like hours, shifting my position every so often so that I might hear outside happenings better and to keep my left butt cheek from dying on me. For the first hour or so, I had been listening as attentively as possible, my ears ringing with every single crack or rustle. Not that it really mattered all that much. Wherever I was, it was not near a large and densely populated location. Slowly, my hope began to falter in the breeze.

My perception of time was completely lost, but I knew it had at least been half a day since Naraku had said those last words and I had fallen unconscious. Whoever had been coming must have been silenced by Naraku or one of his underlings, along with my wish for rescue.

As I sat there, a feeling of confrontation washed over like a flash, only to disappear and come back stronger. Someone was coming and I could feel their energy fighting the dark aura that Naraku had put over my current holdings, crackling against the poisonous shouki of the despicable monster. That meant that one of Naraku's enemies were coming. I strained my hearing even more, trying desperately to catch even the hint of voices in the god-forsaken place. And I heard it. A voice yelling, calling out. And I felt it. A presence that I knew so well. Suddenly something gripped me tightly around the shoulders and I felt the earth around me shake. Everything around me dissolved into nothingness. I could hear the yelling, the calling, louder.

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My body was being shaken and gripped tightly. Sharp nails dug into my skin.

"Kagome! Wake up! Kagome!"

The voice was so close to me now. I jarred myself awake, my eyes snapping open.

"Kaogme!"

Inuyasha….?

My body was still being harassed with shakes and strong hands. Something cold splashed over my face.

"I-Inuyasha…" I stammered.

"Kagome…are you alright?" There was concern in his eyes like I had never seen before. He cared about me, he really did. I felt so happy, but then….

"I-I'm fine. I-Inuyasha…" I didn't want it to happen, I prayed that it wouldn't. I distanced myself, knowing that at any moment he would shift into the form of Naraku. That I could not deceive myself again. Suspicion clouded my mind. But, I was so happy to see him… "H-how did you find me?" I stuttered. I had thought that no one would know where I was or how to find me in the fortress of Naraku. Inuyasha would never have thought to look there for me.

"It's been three days! You didn't come back and you weren't in your time. I asked that old crazy religious man and he said you didn't come back home, so I came to find you."

I blinked incredulously. "Three days?"

"Yeah. Three days. You said you would be back in three days and you weren't!"

This wasn't right. I had been under Naraku's watch for at least three days myself, and I was sure of it. My sense of time wasn't that thrown off. Maybe not three, but at least two days, and Sesshoumaru had brought me back on the third. That meant five. Five days, I would have been gone. This didn't add up.

"How did you find the castle?" I asked, looking up at him. This was most definitely Naraku playing a trick. He was trying to trap me, the bastard, and I wasn't about to fall for it again.

"Castle? What the hell are you talking about? There's no castle. I found you in that cave over there, all messed up on the floor, unconscious!"

Only then did I realize my surroundings. I was lying down besides the bed of the stream that I had found outside of the cave.

"No…castle…?" I looked up at him with confused eyes. Was this true? If this was another of Naraku's tricks, why had he moved it outside, where I could escape. I scanned over the Inuyasha in front of me. He had the tetsusaiga at his side. His ears, face, body, clothes…all exactly how they should be. But that wasn't saying anything. "Inuyasha?"

"What, are you blind, wench? Why do you keep asking who I am?! And what were you doing in that cave?"

I heard shouts from the near forest. Shouts that sounded like Miroku and Sango. For some reason, that confirmed that my suspicions had no base. This was Inuyasha in the flesh.

"Inuyasha…" Suddenly, tears were threatening to run down my cheeks and I flung my arms around him. "I'm sorry….I…" I buried my face into the rat fur haori. No silk, just Inuyasha's trademark fire rat fur. My eyes stung and I hated them for doing so. I didn't want Inuyasha to see me weak, but I couldn't stop.

I felt a hand pat my head awkwardly and I heard Inuyasha say in a somewhat panicked voice "It-I guess it's fine if you didn't come back right away. We can survive, it's just-it's not your fault-it's ok-"

I squeezed him tighter, taking a giant breath. I pulled away from him, wiping me eyes with my sleeve.

"That's not it…I-I lost the jewel shards…"

"YOU WHAT?!!!!"

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"Hmm. I see. That is a confusing and foreboding story, Kagome." Miroku though, his arms crossed around his staff, his eyes closed, and eyebrows knit together. "This does not bode well, I would say."

"Are you sure that's what happened, Kagome-chan?" Sango questioned quietly. I nodded, silently, observing my companions. Did they really believe me? Did they think that the shard detector had finally gone off her nut? Would they trust me anymore. Or, moreover, could I trust them. "I agree, this is a bad thing to happen. You're lucky Inuyasha got there when he did." I nodded once again at Sango, then turned to Inuyasha. He was looking at me as if I had just fallen out of the sky.

"Are you sure you're telling the whole story." He continued to stare at me, his arms and legs crossed in his trademark position, sitting on top of a rock.

"For the fifteenth time, YES!!" I yelled at him, nearly blowing him off his little mountain. Sure, I hadn't told them the details of my hallucination nightmares (that was what they were, right?) but I had given them the most of the main details as I could. I hated feeling like I was being scrutinized by my friends.

"Maybe she hit her head on the stone wall in the cave. That would explain why she passed out, anyway." Inuyasha mumbled under his breath.

"I DID NOT HIT MY HEAD, YOU IDIOT!! HOW WOULD YOU EXPLAIN THE FACT THAT THE SHARDS ARE MISSING, EH?!"

Inuyasha looked taken aback, but pissed. I had made my point.

"If what Kagome says is true, we must be wary, for it would seem that Naraku has gained more power." Miroku stated, still deep in thought, though I thought I could see his hand twitching towards Sango's direction.

"Yeah, and him having all our shards doesn't help now either, does it?! No, that couldn't have anything to do with it!" Inuyasha retorted, glaring at me. I turned my head, chin up.

I huffed angrily. "Will you shut up! It's not like I meant to fall into a trap and be held captive by Naraku! And it's not like we're completely lost, anyways. There's at least one shard by Sesshoumaru's castle that I already know about!"

I realized my mistake too late.

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Two days later, Inuyasha had made up his mind to head towards the western lands, for all of us. The weather was beautiful. The sun shone warmly, but a slight, cool breeze graced our faces from time to time. The forests and roads seemed to be infused with the smell of cleanliness, pure and simple, yet elegant. It was weather to defy weather. Technically, it should have been starting to transition into fall, but the grasses and trees were green and flowering. The perfect day. I hated it.

We would, if I was correct, be nearing Sesshoumaru's home within two hours at the least I am not one to be easily unnerved, but I couldn't help having a slight feeling of anticipation. I had cared and looked after Rin, not to mention I had grown very fond of the young girl. And then there was Sesshoumaru, even. Even though I had not interacted with him much (ok, hardly at all), there seemed to be something deeper about him. A sort of secret elegance, one not expressed in his looks, and a somewhat…morose…apeal. He was conflicted about many things, I could tell, though God knows what they were. He had let me stay in his house for three days, completely undermining all of my previous assumptions about him. Perhaps it was just because he needed my aid, but I wasn't about ready to bust in there and steal something from him. Well, not happily. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that we were dealing with jewel shards here, I would have down right refused to go along with Inuyasha. Seriously, for some reason, this completely irked me, to no end. And that bothered me.

But, it wasn't just my morale seeping in. Sesshoumaru, no matter how I wished to believe he may have changed, was still the deadly half-brother and enemy of Inuyasha who had tried to kill us numerous times. Sneaking into the grounds of his house, or even his house, could prove deadly. But, somehow, this didn't seem as foreboding as it once did. Perhaps because I had been there already?

But all of that still didn't cover up the fact that the demon lord still scared the hell out of me. If Inuyasha hadn't bugged me so much about it, I would have ignored him. And believe me, I tried. It had been enough that I knew there were shards somewhere around Sesshoumaru's home. The fact that I had been there was an overdose. Miroku, being perceptive as he is, I believe noticed, but said nothing. In his rush to get to the shards, Inuyasha had overlooked that fact and hadn't questioned me. I was overly thankful for his one-track mind.

We took a break not too much later, by Miroku's suggestion.

"If we are to encounter your brother, we will need rest, and, something that we have not discussed, a plan." The monk was much wiser in his years than Inuyasha who was at least..probably…oh hell, at the rate demons age, hundreds of years older than Miroku. I mean, by how it sounds, he was pinned to a tree for fifty years and looks exactly the same…

"I don't think we need to worry about running into Sesshoumaru-sama…he had business out of the area to attend to." I said quietly. Miroku raised an eyebrow and Inuyasha almost gagged.

"How the hell do you know that?!"

"Naraku told me." I lied. I was getting good at that. But it scared me that I did it so willingly, so easily.

"Really? And did he tell you the weather forecast for today, wench?!!"

"Inuyasha…"

"What?!!"

"Why don't you sit down. Go sit by Kirara, there's a nice rock there. Perfect to sit on. Looks as if it's been made to sit on. I think I'll sit down myself."

"Kagome.." Miroku said, an uneasy smile on his face. "I assumed this break was to rest, not injure each other…"

Inuyasha cussed at me from a ten foot hole.

"Of course, you're right Miroku. Why don't you sit down by Sango."

"WENCH!!"

"Oh, sorry, Inuyasha." I said offhandedly.

"Now, Inuyasha, I believe we should at least come up with something that resembles a plan. We must establish some degree of tact against your brother." Miroku sat besides Sango and Kirara, thoughtfully, as Inuyasha pulled himself out of the ground, still cussing, and flopped down on the ground, arms crossed.

"I agree with Houshi-sama." Sango nodded. "Kagome…do you have any ideas? Did Naraku tell you anything else?"

"Um…not really. All I know is that there are probably about two jewel shards somewhere around Sesshoumaru-sama's castle-"

"Sesshoumaru-sama?!"

"Why don't you sit next to me Inuyasha?"

"MwitHmph!"

Half an hour later, we were no more rested than we were (my apprehensions had multiplied, even) and we had concluded that since we were not aware of any special entrances, that we would just have to confront Sesshoumaru, as it were, and ask him for the shards. Yep, just prance up to his door, knock, and "Hi, Sesshoumaru, I was just wondering if you could give us those super-magical shards that are around here somewhere. Sorry to bother you, but we're kinda in a hurry". Yeah, that would work great. Well, I guess Inuyasha could always fight him for them. Tact.

During the whole debate, I hadn't said anything. For some reason, my friends didn't seem as close right now. I was the only one who really knew what was going on. And, I think underneath, I was still suspicious of them. I know it's horrible but I had seen basically all of my friends turn into my worst enemy within the last week. How could I be sure that this wasn't just another trap set up by Naraku. I know, it's ridiculous, but you would think the same thing if you had been in my position. But, there was no time to dwell on that now. We had climbed over a grassy hill, and the castle was now in sight, exactly as I remembered it in its simple elegance. I sighed inwardly. That meant that Naraku hadn't attacked and that, hopefully, the occupants were safe.

Miroku sighed. "It's as well. Perhaps…we should have Inuyasha remain behind?" He turned to me and Sango. I restrained a scream of "Duh!" and remained silent. Sango looked as if she would agree, but decided against it.

"I would, on any other occasion agree with you, Houshi-sama, but if we do encounter trouble, we may need Inuyasha's strength."

"As always, dear Sango," Miroku approached her softly. "You are most insightful…"

"Pervert!"

Some things never change, despite what happens.

"Well, now that you've all settled whether I will be GOING with YOU, let's get the hell there!" Inuyasha placed his hand at his side, ready to draw tetsusaiga, and marched off towards the giant wooden double door, that I couldn't help but admire since I was not in a dire rush this time. Yeah, just walk up and knock…

*Bam Bam!*

"Sesshoumaru! Open the door!"

Oh, gods.

Inuyasha pounded once more on the door, and I tried my best to hide behind Sango and Miroku. Perhaps I could duck into a bush before they went in. No, they would need me to detect the shard, which I was just beginning to sense at the edge of my mind. I could have sworn there was one somewhere outside of the castle and inside, but now I could only sense one inside.

"SESSHOUMA-!"

I jumped, my skin crawling, as the door opened slowly to reveal…Maki.

"Ah. Her eyes peered up at Inuyasha. "You must be Sesshoumaru-sama's half-brother, Inuyasha."

"Damn right, baa-chan, now-"

"Ah!" the old youkai's eyes lit up brightly. "Kagome-sama! You've come back, how wonderful!" Maki opened the door, showing the great entrance hall. "What brings you back to us?" she smiled, bowing lowly.

"WE-" I cut Inuyasha off immediately. Someone had to plan, I guess it would just have to be me.

"Well, you see, I-I came to visit Rin-chan and make sure she is doing well. But I also have other business to attend to."

Maki, smiled, as if she knew something I didn't and stood out of the doorway.

"May my companions enter also?" I didn't want to intrude forcefully. That was Inuyasha's way, not mine.

"Of course, whatever you wish, Kagome-sama." she bowed deeply once again. " I am sorry, but at the moment, Sesshoumaru-sama is out. But he should be back within the day and I will fetch Rin-chan."

The old youkai's perceptiveness unnerved me, but I couldn't help smiling at her, nonetheless. And it relieved me that Sesshoumaru was currently out.

"Maki-baachan?" I stopped the woman as she was leaving.

"Yes, Kagome-sama?"

"I would like to look for something that I may have lost. Is it all right if we look around?"

Maki paused for a second. Then, with a glint in her eye, "Of course, Kagome-sama." She bowed once more and left us, setting off down a corridor to the right.

Our group seemed to let out a huge sigh.

"How-"

"Not now, Inuyasha. That way, I think."

"Sesshoumaru's house is quite spacious." Miroku commented. "Excelent style, so unlike his bro-"

"And you know what, Miroku?" I cut in, heading left. "From what I've heard, it all centers around a great garden."

Miroku raised his eyebrows and I motioned them on, Inuyasha taking the lead.

We walked down corridors, sometimes doubling back, the shard pulling on my senses. I had to follow hallways, not just make a direct cut for it like I had always been able to before.

It was amazing, really. The castle was so beautiful during the day, with natural sunlight casting its glance upon the hallways through paper screen doors and a periodic window. I wondered if that was usual of this time period. Most houses didn't have windows.

Seconds later, the pull of the shard had increased and I found that the surrounding appeared to be familiar. I stopped shortly, whispering to Inuyasha. I turned to a door on my left, recognizing immediately where I was. I was standing outside of Rin's bedroom.

This can't be right! Why would there be a shard inside Rin's bedroom? Did Sesshoumaru give it to her? Did he give it to her to guard while her was gone? It was probable. I almost cursed him for placing her in such danger. Shards drew demons. The lord of the western lands ought to know that. Still..

"It's in this room, I can feel it." I said, reluctantly.

Inuyasha drew tetsusaiga and it transformed soundlessly.

"Wait, Inuyasha. Let me go first." Inuyasha looked at me like I was crazy. "Please?" I begged him. "Just let me." I couldn't have him bursting into the room, sword drawn, if Rin was in there playing. That wouldn't be good at all. I didn't want to scare her. I loved the little girl, and to have her be scared of me would…I just don't think I could handle it.

I pushed in front of Inuyasha, and taking a deep breath, slid the shoji door open, revealing the room that I knew so well. The sun was filtering in and there were new flowers placed in various vases all throughout the room, giving it an almost glowing appearance. The colors seemed to bounce off the wall, radiating from the be-sparkled blossoms, poking out from under handfuls of accidentally picked weeds. A small Yukata was thrown across the end of the bed, it's blue obi laying carelessly on the floor. It only served to add to the messy, welcoming essence that was Rin's living area. But, the best thing of all was not something standing in front of me, adding to the room. Rin was gone, thankfully. It would make it so much easier to do what was needed.

"It's in here somewhere…" For some reason, I couldn't pinpoint it. Something else seemed to be intruding on my sense. I ignored it and bent down, picking up the tossed-away kimon, searching beneath it. Nothing. The others were mumbling, while the search drawers quietly, questioning looks on their faces, but said nothing. I know they were wondering why there was a child's room in Sesshoumaru's home.

"Nothing."

"Nothing in the dresser."

"Kagome, where the hell is it?!"

"I-I don't know, Inuyasha. Just look."

My companions made a checklist, rummaging through Rin's scarce belongings, but I noticed that each one, excepting Inuyasha, was carefully replacing everything as they had found it. Good. I folded the Yucatan properly and placed it on the edge of the bed along with the obi which I picked up off the floor. I started to search under the bed, but, again, something was pulling on the edge of my mind. I opened a closet that was bare except for two or three yukatas and kimonos. I sighed, searching the floor. Perhaps..the flower vases? Maybe she picked it up on accident while picking flowers.

I headed over to the drawers to check the nearest vase when the sudden quiet of the room and my companions struck me. I turned slowly, afraid that I would see Rin there, a look of confusion plastered on her face as Kagome-nechan searched through her room. But instead, I found something much worse standing in the doorway, scrutinizing me.

"Did you find what you lost." the cold voice said, chilling me to my bones.

"Not yet, Sesshoumaru-sama." I stated truthfully.

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AN: Well, what did you guys think? I personally hate that chapter, but it's required to move the story on. Do you think I should revise it? Did things move to fast? Please tell me. I was kinda stuck. I sure am making Kagome jump through hoops! But you haven't seen the least of it yet, just wait. It gets a lot more interesting. Anyways, I would like to thank my mom for helping me with this chapter and at least the next two to come. They're sure to be pleasers. BTW, this will eventually take on a bit of Sess/Kag action. I wouldn't do anything else. Well, besides Kag/Nar. I just love evil guys. Especially hot evil guys. Next chapter: Kagome gets herself into more trouble…by apologizing? Anywho, please tell me what you think and send any suggestions. Talk to ya next time! Peace!