InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Time After Time ❯ Disaster in the Making ( Chapter 12 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Chapter 12:  Disaster in the Making

Sugimi watched with fascination, and a bit of discomfort, as Kagome dropped into the well, the blue lights flaring up to catch her protectively.  When the light faded, so to did all sense of her presence – scent, aura, visual, everything.

With a sigh, he turned from the well and scanned the clearing it sat in, eyes narrowing thoughtfully as a certain presence made itself known, and within seconds, the clearing was once again empty, the daiyoukai disappearing as though he'd never been there.

For several minutes afterwords, the clearing remained empty, but then a red and silver streak appeared in it, flashing through it almost faster than the eye could see – and leapt into the well full-speed.  Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief when the lights flared up to greet him as always – he'd been worried that the well wouldn't accept him now, and he was happy to see he'd been wrong.

So much for his father refusing to let him talk to Kagome alone.

He landed in the well on the other side, and lost no time leaping out of the hole in the ground.  He was determined to see Kagome now, and take her to task for letting his father take her over so much.  He couldn't figure out what the hell the wench was doing letting his father manhandle and control her.  She'd always fought anyone trying to dominate her, and yet now, she was just allowing it?  

The only thing he could think of was that she was trying to make him, Inuyasha, jealous, by her behavior with his father.  Keh, and it was working, too.  He couldn't stand the sight of the older male hovering over his Kagome as he had been.  But he had to get through to her that playing the jealousy game with a demon was a bad idea – they weren't like humans.  She'd find herself bound to his father before she could blink, and then it would be too late.

He hopped up onto the roof near her window and slid it open, then climbed into her room and sat down on her bed to wait.  Apparently, she was talking to her mother, and hadn't yet managed to get away from her to come upstairs.   That was okay – it just gave him time to think of what he wanted to say to her.

Because that was the biggest problem – he wasn't sure what to say.  That he felt threatened by his father's claim, was a given.  Kagome belonged to him.  She'd promised to stay by his side, not his father's, and he wanted her to keep that promise.  He'd never be able to function without her.  

But then... there was Kikyou.  He couldn't give her up.  No matter what, she was an irrevocable part of him, and asking him to forget about her would be like asking him to destroy half of himself.  His nose wrinkled then, with irony – since that's exactly what Kikyou had once done – asked him to get rid of half of himself.  

Of course, she no longer did such a thing, and Inuyasha was pretty sure it was because she now knew what it was like to be considered an abomination.  As an undead, she was considered just as disgraceful and disgusting as he himself was, and in a way, he was glad that she was finally learning what the other side of the coin was like.  He wondered, then, idly, if the half-life she was currently condemned to, and learning what it felt like to be treated the way she was now, was what had changed her so much that her next incarnation, Kagome, had become so accepting of people in all their differences.  It was an interesting thought.  

Still... caught between two versions of one woman was a hell of a place to be, and he really didn't know what to do about it – except that he was not willing to let his father, or anyone else, have Kagome.  It drove him absolutely nuts, the way she had about her – because it attracted males like bees to honey – and she didn't even notice it.  Hojo, here, and there in his time, Kouga - he growled -  he himself, and now his father, too!  What was even worse – his asshole brother, who couldn't stand humans, had taken a liking to her, as well!  

It had to stop, because he was gonna go completely insane if it didn't, not that he wasn't halfway there already.

Yes, he had to admit it, even though he had Kikyou, he couldn't hide anymore the fact that he wanted Kagome, just as much.  He desired her, just as much as any of those other assholes did.  Who could turn her away?  Certainly not him.  In fact, the only reason he hadn't already pounced her was the guilt and feelings for Kikyou that he still carried – and he was beginning not to care about that, since if he took Kagome, she'd be his, and there'd be nothing anyone else could do about it.  No one would ever be able to take her away.  He scowled.  Too bad he couldn't have Kikyou and Kagome together...

Then again... if Kikyou did let go of the clay body she now had, she would simply go back into Kagome, and it would be just like having them both – and neither would ever have to know that he wanted and loved them both.  

He was knocked out of his introspection by being forcibly slammed into the bed, and he growled aloud when he realized that he'd been so deep in his thoughts that he'd missed  Kagome coming up the stairs, and entering her room.

“Inuyasha!  What the hell are you doing here?!”  she yelled.  “Oh, kami, Sugimi is going to have a fit!  What were you thinking?  You know what he said about that courting thing!”

He pushed himself up on his elbows, fighting the spell as he snarled at her.  “Who the fuck cares?!  If I want to talk to you, wench, then I'm gonna do it!”

“I care, you idiot!”  she shrieked.  “I don't want to see you get hurt!  Baka!”

He jumped up off her bed as the spell released, striding forward to pin her to her bedroom door.  Planting both hands on either side of her face, he leaned in and stared at her, almost amused, in a dark way, at her wide-eyed look of surprise – and wariness.

“I don't give a shit about the old man, Kagome – you belong to me.  He has no right to come in like he has and think he can just take you away.  Besides – I thought you loved me?”

Kagome's jaw almost hit the ground at that, for one moment, she was so stunned, she couldn't even speak – and then a rage like she'd never felt before kicked in.  She shoved him back with all her strength, not even noticing the pink glow around her hands as she did so.

“How dare you!”  she hissed dangerously.  “How dare you try to use my feelings against me!  I've waited for you for years, Inuyasha – and you chose Kikyou!  So you have no say in who I choose to be with now!”  Her eyes narrowed to slits.  “You were so wrapped up in your angst over that bitch that you didn't even notice when I started to drift away – and now you bring up my feelings like you even know them?!”

Inuyasha's heart dropped into his feet, fear surging through him at her words.  Rushing at her again, he once more pressed her back to the door; panic taking over him at the thought he'd lost her, he didn't even think of the consequences of his actions.

Darting his head forward, he kissed her.

-sSs-

Sugimi stood back under the trees and watched as the woman he'd sensed settled into the crook of a tree, and began to commune with her shinidamachu.  His nose wrinkled slightly at her scent; grave soil mixed with clay, and flowers.  

He studied her for a time, his eyes thoughtful – it was too bad that she was dead, and so corrupt – if she were not, he would encourage his son to go after her.  It would take his attention away from Kagome, and that could only be a good thing.  

He wasn't too surprised when she began to speak aloud, since she was completely unaware that anyone was watching her.  He listened closely as she idly talked at her companions – not that they understood her or even cared, but she was apparently lonely.

“Inuyasha, where are you?  I have found no trace of you or your companions, neither have my  shinidamachu.  Have you deliberately hidden yourself from me?  Have you chosen that girl over me?”

With a quirked brow, he decided that perhaps he should talk to the woman – there seemed to be quite a few contradictions surrounding his son and this female.  

Reaching out with his youki, he snapped it tight around her, almost amused at the look on her face when she realized she couldn't move.  “Do not fight it, my aura is binding, and you will not escape.”

Kikyou's eyes widened in shock as the voice seemingly came out of nowhere.  At first, she thought it was Naraku, but the voice was entirely different...

“Who are you?  Why do you hide yourself like a coward?  Come out and face me,”  she demanded.

He chuckled.  “I am right before you – it is not my problem if you are not powerful enough to see me.  Do not be concerned, however, at this time, I mean you no harm.  I merely have some questions for you to answer.”

She narrowed her eyes.  “And what makes you think I will answer them?”

“It will be in your best interest to do so – if you would like to remain on this plane of existence, miko.”  He sighed.  “Decide quickly.”

“What are your questions?”

“You are the undead – what is it that you seek here?  And remember, onna,”  he said warningly,  “do not lie to me.  I already know more than you think of your situation.”

Kikyou scowled inwardly, but kept her face straight – it wouldn't do to give anything away.  “I am looking for someone – an inuhanyou by the name of Inuyasha.”

“I see.  And what is it you want with him?”

“That is between he and I – a private matter.”

Another chuckle.  “You do not seem to understand that you no longer have the luxury of privacy.  Speak.”

“He is bound to me, and I to him.  But he disappeared some time ago – I believe it was at the bidding of one of his companions.  She is jealous of our bond, and wants him for herself.”

Sugimi found himself irritated at her tone of voice when speaking of Kagome.  “And perhaps that is only your opinion, and she does not actually want him – did you ever think that it is he that will not free her?”

Kikyou was stunned – she hadn't ever considered things in that light.  Kagome... wants to be freed of his emotions?  “It seems that you have an interest in the girl yourself – how do you know how she feels?”

“Here is a better question, miko – why did you keep betraying them to Naraku?”

She felt her face go slack with shock.  “What do you mean?”  How does he know?

“Remember, do not lie to me.”

Taking a deep breath, Kikyou closed her eyes, wondering just who had trapped her, and what his interest here was.  It had something to do with Kagome, that much was obvious.  Maybe...

“I wanted Kagome to leave.  I figured if they got attacked enough, she would eventually get tired of this life that is so unlike her own, and go home.  I wish no real harm to her, I merely want her away from Inuyasha.”

Sugimi nodded, pleased.  Perhaps I can make use of her to keep Inuyasha away from Kagome.  How ironic that we share the same goal, from opposite ends.  “Kagome's destiny lies in this time, and just because you wish her to go home, does not mean that she will.”

“If she were meant for this time, she would have been born here,”  she insisted stubbornly.

“How mundane, priestess.  I'd say it is more fitting that you recognize her place here due to the fact that the kami reached even through time to bring her here.  If the hand of the gods themselves are anything to go by, she belongs here more than anyone else,”  he said firmly.

Kikyou didn't like those words – she couldn't dispute them, no matter how much she wished to do so.  “And you?  What is your interest in her?  And do not tell me nothing – it is more than obvious that you have one.”

“It is not I that has to speak, miko – my privacy has not been compromised.  What my interest in Kagome is, is not your concern.  But I will tell you this; your petty jealousies over her will not be tolerated – she is much more of a woman than you ever were.  If you value the half-life that you have, you will desist in your attempts to harm her.”  He flared his aura for a moment, squeezing her most uncomfortably, and then let her loose, even as he flashed away, leaving nothing of himself behind for her to identify.

His presence he was determined to continue keeping a secret.  But an idea had come to him, one that could negate the need for them to enter that forest after the spider at all.  If they could use Kikyou to feed Naraku false information, then they could set up such a sweet trap, that the dark hanyou might be enticed to actually leave his hole... and then they could ambush him, and destroy him.  Of course, he would have to feed Inuyasha the same false information... the boy was too tied up with the dead one to ever be trustworthy when it came to anything to do with her, and in the end, he would have to place a block on his pup – one to keep him from mentioning his father's presence.

But it was definitely a workable idea...

As he transported himself back to the well, he decided to pull his eldest aside and run the idea by him – more than likely, Sesshoumaru would have good input about something like this.

All his planning came to a screeching halt, however, when he arrived back at the well – and scented his youngest pup in it.

It was quite clear that he had disobeyed, and gone to speak to Kagome alone in her era – without permission.

Eyes reddening, his beast sat up and howled his rage at the mere idea that the whelp was with his female... and without his supervision.

There would be blood spilled for this transgression – and if Inuyasha had not been his own pup, death would have followed quickly.  As it was, even with his formidable control, he was going to have a hell of a time not killing his own son.

It was obvious that the boy had still not learned his place...

-sSs-

Kagome stiffened in shock as Inuyasha pressed his mouth to hers.  For so many years, she had hoped to feel exactly what she was feeling at this moment – but he had lost her already, and all she felt now was sheer, unmitigated rage at his attempt to dominate her.  At his attempt to manipulate her through her emotions.  With nary a thought, she once more brought her reiki infused hands to his chest, and pushed him away from her.  The force she used was so great that the hanyou was actually flung across the room, hitting the wall.  If it had been any harder, he would have been blown through it.

Being who he was, it wasn't enough to truly harm him – she hadn't used enough of her power to purify him, but it certainly stunned him, leaving him laying on the floor before her for several long seconds...

And then she sat him, making sure he wouldn't be moving anytime soon.

So angry she was almost hyperventilating, Kagome glared at the hanyou for several long moments as she tried desperately to pull her temper in and calm herself enough to speak.  It was harder than at any other time in the past that he'd done something to anger her, but finally, she managed to swallow her rage, bringing it down from full-boil to a simmer, and after a few minutes, she was able to activate the kotodama again, making certain he would be still.

Inhaling deeply, she held it for a second, then released it, and then she looked at the furious hanyou plastered to her floor.  Pinning him with her gaze, she said,  “I want you to understand something right now, Inuyasha, and never forget it – any chance you had with me is long gone.  You were too busy sulking over Kikyou to notice as I finally began to get over you... and the final straw was over a month ago.”  She ignored it as he began to growl, speaking right over it.  “I will always love you, Inuyasha, but only as my best friend, and while you might be pissed at me for some time because of all this, it's time to wake up and smell the roses.  I'm not leaving, but I'm done with hoping for a relationship beyond friendship with you.”

She eyed him suspiciously as he tried to break free from the spell.  “Do I have to keep you pinned there some more, Inuyasha, or are you going to act like an adult, and get up calmly so we can figure out how to keep your father from killing you?”

He snarled at her, and she noted the crimson haloing his eyes.  “Let me out of here, bitch – I just want to leave, and you can do what you want,”  he ground out.

Worried, but unsure what she could do, she held her silence, and let the spell wear off – sure enough, the moment it did, he was gone, leaving through her window so fast that all she noticed was the breeze that fluttered the curtains wildly for several moments, and then subsided.  Running to her window, she saw the door to the well slam shut, and relieved somewhat, yet concerned about what would happen once he reached the other side, Kagome ran downstairs and took off towards the well herself, not even bothering to slide the doors shut, she leaped into the well, and waited impatiently for the time slip to deposit her back in the past.

As soon as it did, she knew her fears were justified...

Sugimi knew what Inuyasha had done... and he was dangerously enraged.


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