InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Time After Time ❯ A Possible New Ally ( Chapter 21 )

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

Chapter 21:  A Possible New Ally

Kagome sighed, her lips thinning with irritation.  As if it wasn't bad enough that Sugimi was drawing a passel of females from his past that wanted him again, now, she had the beginnings of her own harem.

Namely, one Akitoki Hojo.

It must be something in the Hojo family genetics; fawn all over one Kagome Higurashi, and bring her totally useless health remedies.  At least I finally got it through the head of the one in my time, she thought sourly as the bumbling male caught sight of her and, with a wide, besotted, vacant smile, tried to catch her.

With little finesse, Kagome pretended not to see him, and ducked down another hallway.

At the last minute, she stopped, worried: she'd heard Akitoki asking someone a question and winced when he was answered by Sugimi's distinctive baritone.

Crap!  I'd better stay and make sure Sugimi doesn't kill him.

Sneaking back through the hall to peek around the corner into the intersection, she listened in case she needed to intervene.

“... seen Kagome-sama?  She was just here a moment ago, but then she just disappeared,”  the boy frowned, looking confused.

Sugimi looked down, way, way down, at the shrimp that was daring to smell of attraction when speaking of Kagome, and his body language abruptly changed from relaxed, to lethal, becoming deliberately intimidating.

As Hojo shrank back in sudden fear, Sugimi asked,  “What is your interest in Kagome, boy?”

Akitoki stuttered out,  “W-well, s-she's beautiful, sweet, and caring, and I would like to c-court her.”

Sugimi scoffed at the boy.  “You, a mere child, thinks yourself equal to the Shikon no Miko?”  

The daiyoukai laughed as Akitoki shrank back even further.

After a moment, Sugimi looked at him again and said,  “You will forget about seeing Kagome in any personal manner, boy.  I am courting her already,”  he said, holding up his hand, he cracked his knuckles for emphasis,  “and I will shred anyone who gets in my way.”

Akitoki swallowed hard, but despite his obvious fear, he asked,  “Does Kagome-sama know that you claim her in this manner?”

Slightly impressed despite himself, he chuckled.  “So, the boy does have somewhat of a backbone – you are not quite the shrimp I named you, then.”  He eyed the trembling young male for a moment, and then answered.

“Yes, she knows.  She has accepted my courtship.  Now, was there anything else?”  he asked the now dejectedly drooping male.

Shaking his head dispiritedly, Akitoki turned to wander off, Sugimi's eyes following his progress until he passed out of sight.

Without turning around, he smirked.  She thinks she can hide, eh?

“You may come out, now, Kagome.”

With a guilty expression, she stepped around the corner and smiled sheepishly up at him.

“I just wanted to make sure you didn't chop him into teeny tiny pieces, that's all.  But hopefully, now he'll get the message,”  she sighed.

After a quiet moment, Kagome asked,  “You want to know something funny?”

When he looked encouraging, she continued.  “In my era, I know his descendent.  They look almost exactly alike, act the same, and he even chased me for three years.  I finally had to let him down easy a while back.”

Sugimi looked amused.  “It appears that the desire for you is one that is passed down from father to son,”  he teased.  “After all, look at Inuyasha, and I.”

Kagome giggled at that.  “I was just thinking something along those lines a little bit ago.”

Eyes alight with amusement, he held out his arm for her to take.  “Come, Kagome – it is about time for the evening meal.”

She nodded and took his arm, letting him guide her along quietly, her mind going back to the earlier meeting with Sesshoumaru's mother.

I wonder why she's here.  It doesn't seem like she's the type to just pop in for a visit. Then again... Sesshoumaru did bring her up before as though she would be trouble.  So what kind of trouble are we talking about?

She was pretty sure she didn't really want to know the answer to that question.

-sSs-

After breakfast the next morning, the group was summoned to a council of war.

Kagome sat towards the back, not wanting to insinuate herself into what would typically be a male's purview.

Sugimi, and surprisingly, Sesshoumaru, however, insisted she be at the center of the discussion.  As Sesshoumaru had found, she had a natural aptitude for battle and tactics, despite being a peacemaker at heart.

“Sometimes, miko, the only way to gain peace is to fight for it,”  Sesshoumaru said, and Kagome found she couldn't argue the point.

Perhaps tellingly, Sesshoumaru's mother was not invited, though Kana was there in all her spiteful glory.

A spark of amusement in her eyes, Kagome thought about Kana and Satori meeting.  They probably couldn't stand each other.  It would be something to see, she mused, before turning her attention back to the discussion at hand.

Sugimi was speaking.

“...have several possible plans that we could initiate right now.  First-” he cast a narrow-eyed look at his youngest son,  “-is using the undead priestess to feed Naraku false information.  We can come up with such an enticing situation, that he'll come out of his hole, and then we spring the trap.”  There were nods and approving murmurs around the room at that.  

“It's certainly a good idea, and I think a plan like that would need bait, ne?  And we have the perfect bait, too.  Think about it.  Naraku still thinks that there's another shard to find.  When it doesn't turn up, he's going to start getting upset.  So... what better bait than someone who can see the shards – namely, me?”

This time, the room was quiet as everyone stared apprehensively at Sugimi, wondering how he was going to take that one.  

Apparently, not well.

He turned his head slowly to look at her, and rumbled out,  “Did I just hear you offer to put yourself in danger by acting as bait for the spider, Kagome?  Please, tell me that I did not.”

She gulped a bit as he loomed over her, but was saved by Sesshoumaru's timely intervention.

“Her idea has merit, father.”  As Sugimi turned to growl at his son, Sesshoumaru continued imperturbably.  “She would not be left alone.  As you are able to hide your presence, you would be there with her.”

At that, Sugimi paused, obviously considering it.  After a few seconds, he nodded, and Kagome breathed a sigh of relief when he sat back down.

“I will admit that such an idea has merit.  But I would like to explore different ideas before we decide.”

There was a mumble of conversation in the room, and then Inuyasha spoke up.  “Keh.  Why is it we're so afraid to go into that damn forest again?  I mean, me 'n Kagome and Miroku and Sango went there, and it wasn't bad.  We didn't have any trouble from any trees – the only thing we had trouble with was Menomaru, the stupid bastard.”

Kagome frowned at that, as did Sango and Miroku.  Sure, they'd all felt the heavy aura that lay over the forest, but they'd assumed, at the time, that it was mostly due to Menomaru.  So why had the forest not tried to harm them before?

Kana spoke up at that point, cautiously, for once without any attitude.  “It is more than likely for the reason that the forest would have disliked Menomaru being within its confines using it for his own purposes, but could do nothing to force him out.  You were there to get rid of a menace, and so it allowed you within.”

Sugimi cut his eyes over to his once-mistress, and asked,  “Tell me, Kana, have you ever been inside that forest?”

She shook her head.  “Not really.  I've moved through the very outskirts, but that's all.  But the forest is sentient, in its own fashion, and since I wasn't bothering it, it didn't bother me.  I can tell you that it doesn't like axes, and it hates fire, as well.”

Sesshoumaru's brow rose as the human boy, Hojo, nodded in support of Kana's statement.  “She's right.  When you go in, no fires, and don't take an axe.  We learned that early on.  And as for why the forest didn't attack you guys before-”  he glanced at Inuyasha, and then rather longingly at Kagome, who didn't even notice,  “-she's more than likely right there, too.”

With a frustrated mou, Kagome shook her head.  “Something doesn't make sense with that explanation.  If the forest didn't like Menomaru, why would it allow Naraku there?  I mean, with all his poisonous miasma eating its way through everything, shouldn't the forest want him out even more?”

Sugimi blinked, then blinked again, as Sesshoumaru and everyone else turned to look at Kagome with surprise.  She sat back, looking at all of them uncertainly.  “What?”

“You may have just hit the nail on the head, miko,”  Sesshoumaru said.  “We may not have to fight the forest at all.  It cannot like Naraku's presence within its confines, and yet it would be powerless to turn him out.”  He thought for a moment, then asked,  “You say the forest is sentient, correct, Kana?”

She nodded, and Sesshoumaru continued.  “Then, it might be possible for us to reason with it.  I believe I heard it mentioned that the forest has guardians... “  he trailed off, and Sugimi nodded thoughtfully.

“If that is so, then perhaps it would not be so impossible to beard him in his den.  And if the forest were to cooperate, we could sneak up on Naraku, leaving him no place to flee.  He would be forced to fight, and we would have allies in the forest itself.  This could be invaluable.”

“Then wouldn't the first step be for us to go and seek these guardians of the forest out and offer our services in ejecting their unwanted guest?”  Kagome asked.

Once again, everyone looked at her oddly, and she eyed them all back.  “What?”  she snapped, uncomfortable with all the looks.

“What say we leave tomorrow, then?”  Sesshoumaru asked blandly, amusement flitting through his eyes at the little priestess' discomfiture.

There were nods and murmurs of agreement, and Sesshoumaru stood up.  “Then you are all free to go.  I will have some foodstuffs prepared to augment what we still have of the miko's supplies.”

With that, everyone save Sesshoumaru and Kagome stood and wandered out of the room, to enjoy a day of leisure before it was back on the road again.

-sSs-

Kagome, curious, had decided to wander further into the cavernous room they'd met in, looking around with awe-filled eyes.  It was obviously a library, and she was terribly intrigued by the knowledge that might be contained within the ancient scrolls kept here.

She hadn't wandered far from the front area of the room where Sesshoumaru still was, when she heard another voice, a female voice, speaking to him.  Wondering, she wandered back that way, keeping her aura blocked, and listened to the ensuing conversation.

Apparently, it was his mother.

“... father and his disgusting adoration of ningen females,”  the woman spat, obviously very angry.  “I had hoped he'd gotten past that by now, but no, now there's another one he's planning to marry – within a few months of being back!  And she's just a child, at that!  You must tell me, my son... what clever plan do you have to stop this union?”

Rolling her eyes in deepening irritation, Kagome continued listening.  I'm curious, too, about that... Sesshoumaru hasn't said anything negative about it, so...

Sesshoumaru looked at his mother calmly, not surprised at her anger.  She was a power-hungry bitch, and she had hoped, by agreeing to marry Sugimi and bear the heir, she could eventually convince Sugimi to mate her.  It hadn't happened the way she was hoping – as soon as her son was weaned, he had dissolved their marriage, gifted her with the Cloud Palace – and kicked her out of the Western Citadel.

He couldn't fault his father for getting away from the abrasive woman as soon as possible.  While not truly evil, she was greedy, and could be petty when she wanted to be, and she'd spent several hundred years sulking about never getting to be the Western Lady.

He knew that her pet peeve could be brought back to full-blown fury with just a few words.  After a moments thought, he decided that he would do it.

“Father has no intention of marrying the miko, mother.”

He eyed her, noting the relaxation of her features as she smiled at that.  “So she is just another one of his peccadillo’s?”  she asked.

“I did not say that.  Father has no intention of marrying her, that is what I said.  However, he does have every intention of mating her.”

Sesshoumaru was hard pressed not to laugh sadistically at the horrified, disbelieving look on his mother's face.

“He would make me bow... to a human?”  she screeched.

Her son merely shrugged his shoulders and turned back to the scroll he was looking over.  “She will be alpha female.  But the Shikon no Miko should not be taken lightly – you will regret it if you do.  Take my word for it – do not go there.  It is not worth your life.”

Satori was devastated at those words coming from her son – the one she'd been so careful to teach her disdain for humans.  What had gone wrong?  He'd been known for his hatred of anything human for so long... and now, this?
“I thought you, of all people, Sesshoumaru, would be against this – just as you were against Izayoi.  What changed my son into a weak human-lover?  Was it that girl-child?”

He growled at her in warning.  “Do not bring Rin into this.  My disdain for most humans is intact.  However, I have come to the realization that not all are bad.  Some, like the miko, are worth knowing.  As to what father does... that is not my concern, nor is it yours.  He is free to mate where he will.”

Completely shocked, Satori stared at her son in dismay for several seconds.  “You... if your father were not courting her, you would be doing so, wouldn't you?”  she breathed, eyes wide.

Hidden, Kagome almost choked at that... and she barely kept quiet when Sesshoumaru's  answer came.

“Perhaps, mother, but it does not matter, as father is courting her.  As for me, I will not dishonor myself by trying to interrupt the courting of another youkai – though some would attempt it, I would not.”  He paused for a moment, then said slowly,  “However, if she should choose not to accept him, I would be tempted to offer my own suit, instead.”

He enjoyed the horror on his mother's face for a few moments, before letting her off the hook.  “You should not worry over such an event.  Father intends to make her his – she belongs to him, and were I to attempt to mate her, instead, all three of us would suffer.  I am not so much a fool as to seek out such a thing.”

Kagome slumped back against the heavy wooden shelves that held the scrolls, just as shocked as his mother at what she had just heard.  Sesshoumaru... liked her?  Liked her well enough to consider courting her if she hadn't already accepted his father?  She slid to the ground, staring at the floor.  She felt like she was in the Twilight Zone – Sesshoumaru accepting a human as a mate?  She never thought she'd see the day.

But it made her feel guilty that he was having to hide such feelings away so as not to cause any problems between she and his father.  She could honestly say that if Sugimi weren't around, she would have accepted Sesshoumaru's pursuit in a heartbeat.  

But it was a moot point now – she remembered full well what Sugimi had told her would happen if she accepted someone else, and she had no desire to do that to herself, or any other person.  And if the truth were told, she knew deep down that Sugimi was a better fit for her, anyway.  

Still... to find out that the cold-eyed Lord thought of her in such a way was certainly an ego booster.  The male had it all – wealth, title, looks – and could get pretty much anyone he wanted.  And he considered her worthy... mind-blowing as that was, she couldn't deny that it had come from his own lips.

Quietly standing back up, she moved silently deeper into the room, hoping to find another exit – she didn't want Sesshoumaru to know she'd been eavesdropping.  However, she now knew his mother was going to be a problem – it was obvious where Sesshoumaru's cold nature and disdain for anything not youkai came from, and she harbored a great deal of discontentment with her fate – she'd wanted more, and felt she was entitled to it.

That attitude could definitely cause a great deal of trouble if it was paired with a scheming mind.  

As she finally reached the end of the room, she was relieved to find that it did, indeed, have another exit, and she proceeded to disappear down the hall, not even caring where she ended up, too lost in thoughts of drama queens and the trouble they caused.

She could only be glad that they were all leaving first thing in the morning.

-sSs-

Crap!  Is this my unlucky day, or what?  she thought, exasperated.  

After leaving the library, she'd wandered around for hours, lost as hell, and not seeing anyone she could even ask for directions.  After she'd finally made her way out of there, she'd found out why it was so empty – that wing of the palace had been closed off for centuries.

Then, she'd finally caught someone to ask about how to get back – and then turned around and gotten herself lost again.  At least she was still in inhabited portions of the palace, this time, she didn't feel like a ghost wandering a dead kingdom.

Now, she'd actually finally found her way, and was heading back to her room, vowing not to leave it without escort, when the room she was passing through, turned out to be occupied – by two very bitchy women.

I'd seriously love to get my hands on Murphy and make him take back his stupid laws!  she fumed, getting more and more irritated as she listened to the two hens cackle and hiss at each other.  This hiding behind crap and listening to things is getting old... at the very least, these two should be a lot more creative with the insults as old as they are.  Seriously, a five year old could do better.

Settling down on the floor behind the large and elaborate screen, she crossed her knees and leaned her head on her arm, bored silly with the lame insults and screeches from behind her.  If this kept up much longer... she rolled her eyes at one insult that was so lame, even a wheelchair wouldn't have helped it move along.

Finally, after ten minutes of boredom, Kagome had had enough.   These two needed to see how it was done, and Kagome Higurashi was just the girl to do it.

Standing up and boldly marching around the screen, she came to face with two obviously shocked females, and began to rip them new...

Well, you get the idea.


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