InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Unbridled, Unvoiced Passions ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: Sadly, no, I am not the great Takahashi-san. Sorry!

AQN: Ok, don't hate me for the note, but this needs to be addressed before I move on. For those of you that have seen the 3rd movie (Tenka Hadou No Ken), I would like your opinion on this. First is the relationship between Sesshoumaru and his father, they don't look chummy, but they don't look bitter; Sesshoumaru just doesn't approve of his father's choices and wishes to become stronger than him.

Inuyasha and his father don't actually know each other because `Inutaisho' died defending Inu-chan the night of his birth; I don't think he even got a good look at him save for once.

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha (the biggest spoiler…) don't hate each other! Dun dun dun. See, in the final battle of the movie, they are together…side by side to defeat the foe. I understand that Sesshy says he doesn't have anyone he wishes to protect, but at the same time he outright pushed Inuyasha out of the line of fire to take the brunt himself. HELLO!!!

Anyhow, it seems he `hates' Inuyasha for the simple fact that their father died defending him and passed down the only two things Sesshy wanted…Tessaiga and Souunga. So yeah, he doesn't hate Inuyasha, could care less really, he just wants what he feels is naturally his by inheritance…no matter what his father told him. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru have no real love lost as brothers because to them…they never were brothers; they grew up completely separate from each other…Sesshoumaru as a demon lord (in training) and Inuyasha as a human cast away. Hmm…you tell me what you know…this adds GREAT pressure to this story.

Unbridled, Unvoiced Passions

A bittersweet love story

In the depths of a hidden room, a library aged with the written works and family trinkets of a long forgotten tale. Scrolls, held captive from the brutal maturity of paper, told the secrets of lost time, of forgotten battles, of legends and myths, but mostly of his unbridled, unvoiced passions.

The room, sealed by an ancient magic, is opened after nearly three centuries of dormancy. A girl's curiosity and utmost respect for all things lost to time discovers the secrets of the hidden chambers; a secret she was unknowingly a part of. However, opening the chamber just might have been the biggest mistake of her life.

Chapter 6

This situation was quickly becoming uncomfortable. The small group had watched mere moments ago as Kagome slipped into the foliage behind them, only to return with the cold Demon Lord right next to her.

Inuyasha glared something fierce towards his brother, which was naturally returned with the air of cool indifference. Sharp nails bit into the palms of his hands, blood trickling lightly from the self-inflicted anger wounds. He stalked over to his brother as calmly as possible and looked out into the surrounding forest.

"If you're going to stay, there's going to be rules."

Inuyasha turned a dead stare on his older sibling and ground out quietly.

"For both of us!"

Sesshoumaru watched his little brother in his angry attack on his own fists. He could irritate the boy with a simple glance; that was enough to make this whole fiasco worth his time.

He watched as Inuyasha stalked closer, doing a damn good impression of his blank mask, but the anger was still rolling off of him in nauseating waves. When he spoke, Sesshoumaru could only watch; the eye contact snapped into him though. It was a clear sign that he wanted to talk this out, and as he walked away, Sesshoumaru realized that he was expected to follow.

How absurd and insanely infuriating, so the whelp was telling him what to do, was he? No matter, this could be fixed in mere moments.

Sesshoumaru stood to follow the imbecile into the forest, but was stopped at the soft voice calling out to him.

"Sesshoumaru?"

He turned to see everyone looking at him expectantly. What an odd sensation to have your enemies questioning you with such civility, and all because their friend told them to; do they truly trust her that much?

Loyalty as such was not what baffled him about that, rather the trust. Trust was a fickle and flighty thought, and Sesshoumaru was hard pressed to remember a time that he could honestly give such trust himself.

His eyes locked onto Kagome's, the leader of this group. Yes, sure she had said it was Inuyasha, but that was the demon demanding leadership in him; Kagome truly held this group together, and that was only one of the many reasons he found her to be the leader in his eyes.

She seemed to be the strong hand behind the curtains; he figured that out just from observation through battle. Then again, his brother would present a strong front if anyone were to command and order him, so possibly she was simply the nail that held the foundation. This group would surely be lost without her.

She stepped before him and bore her eyes into his. It was a silent plea for their agreement; Kagome wanted assurance that he would not kill Inuyasha. That was not the first instance, and would certainly not be the last, in which he questioned his decision to be with her.

He nodded his head and whispered to her when she was just close enough.

"I never said I would not engage in battle with the whelp"

He made to leave, but that voice stopped him again. It was getting a bit irritating; no matter how sweet she seemed at first, the girl just would not stop talking!

"You promised"

He noted that her voice was lower than previously, almost as if she were afraid to speak her mind. Odd, but the tenor just didn't seem to fit with her personality. Brash? Yes. Gentile? Maybe. Timid? Possibly. But afraid? That was actually laughable, even to him.

He turned to her with a whip of cold ice and set her with a glare.

"I will not attack him any more than I will allow him to attack me without my defense."

She must have understood his meaning, for she nodded and returned to whatever it was she was doing before. He could feel her nervousness as it licked his skin in currents of strength, but she would see soon enough that this Demon Lord did not break his promises.

Irritation rode his senses as he stalked through the brushings quickly. He felt as though he were going off to prove himself, to prove that he, Sesshoumaru, was honorable. He snorted at that; if anything his enemies might have known of him aside from his battle skills and strengths, it was of his respectable disposition and honorable propensity.

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Inuyasha sat near the river, his fists hidden in the sleeves of his clothing. For the entire world he looked as calm as a warrior in meditation, but he was far from relaxed.

Sesshoumaru broke into the small clearing with ease and chose a large tree just far enough from Inuyasha to keep a semi-comfortable distance and leaned back. Whatever the whelp wished to say, Sesshoumaru prayed that he would get it over with and leave him to reflect on this day's events. Gods if he could cross his arms right now, he would.

He didn't have to wait long for his little brother to begin his speech, but it was still longer than he had expected. Clearly the boy was learning to use that head of his for more than just bloody battles. How amazing. Was that too an effect of the influence of Kagome? Probably.

"You and I are going to have to get along somehow for this to work. I don't like it any more than you do, but we are in need of allies. There aren't many options for either of us, and I'm damn sure you won't like yours any more than I like mine."

Sesshoumaru raised a delicate brow and pushed himself to stand of his own merit again. Inuyasha really was using that mind of his.

"What makes you think that I, Sesshoumaru, would bow to your will?"

Inuyasha's hands clenched into tight fists of fury, then relaxed with a set of finely timed deep breaths. He stood to face Sesshoumaru by leaning his back against the boulder he was just on.

"You and Kagome have a secret. That secret is what keeps you here, not Naraku. Don't get me wrong, you have a pretty nice plan there, and Naraku is important…but you have a completely separate agenda according to the rest of this group."

Inuyasha looked up to see Sesshoumaru's eyes bore into his own. He wasn't denying anything, although he wasn't confirming it either.

"You would allow such disrespect as secrets from your woman?"

The breathing exercises that Kagome had taught him were damn near failing. Gods but he didn't want to get into his personal affairs right now, especially not those regarding his former love interest. So, clinging desperately to his resolution, Inuyasha kept on his previous path of conversation.

"I don't know what your fascination is, but I know what it's like to have the blood call out to something. For me it's almost unbearable to not listen, but for you…I can only imagine. You're a full demon, the very blood that drives me crazy when it wants something is only half of what you have. So for that, I won't question the why's of this whole thing."

"Do not presume that I conduct my life in the same manner as you, without control."

Inuyasha snorted and almost rolled his eyes. Man, but this demon was a bitch to talk to. Really, Kagome would be so proud to know that he was being civil right now.

"Whatever, Sesshoumaru. Look, I don't know what it is that you and she agreed on, but to be quite honest I don't really care! Just stay out of my way, and don't attempt control…it won't work."

"I have no desire to lead a group of filthy humans in any way-"

Inuyasha snorted and cut him off.

"And yet you would travel with them. Get a grip Sesshoumaru…you came to us. This whole thing is because of you. You can not come into this group and expect to lead where you have not been welcomed."

Inuyasha pulled his body straight and stood to face Sesshoumaru once more, this time with a bit more conviction.

"Whether you like it or not, this is where I lead! You are the Western Lord, but these are not your territories, they are mine. If you didn't want to listen to me, then you should have never asked to join my group."

Well now he had him there, didn't he? Damn the boy for using his head, and damn that wench for making him promise not to kill him. And damn his curious nature for holding a stake over his well-formed control as well.

Sesshoumaru was a dog demon, fiercely loyal and decisively honorable. That meant he had no choice but to keep his promise and listen to this idiot, or forsake all he stood for.

See, the funny thing about dogs, especially among the demon realm, is the way they rank their brethren and classify their morals. In the Western Lands, Sesshoumaru is the alpha male, through and through with no questions asked. Here, Inuyasha led the pack as such.

For him to honorably host this parade and keep charge of himself, Sesshoumaru would have to kill the leader. That being Inuyasha, and Kagome forcing the promise of life from him, he couldn't do a damn thing; he wondered just how much she knew about the demon society. Manipulative little bitch!

"I'm not an idiot Sesshoumaru, I know this won't work if I just barked commands at you all day. If I recall the stories correctly, you haven't been told what to do since you were a pup. I could just see the way that would work out!"

Sesshoumaru found it hard to reply to that statement, being as the only response would condemn him to following his younger brother's words. That was something he was not going to do, never mind the cost.

His silence was a form of defeat no matter which way you chopped the block; Inuyasha had Sesshoumaru over the proverbial barrel.

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Inuyasha smirked in satisfaction and crossed his arms over his chest. Well now ain't this a doosy? Though somewhere in the back of his mind, Inuyasha relieved a sigh for the levelheaded and rational inclination of his older sibling.

"There's a simple solution really. I don't ask for much, just that you do your part in fighting and you don't question me. Anything else is strictly based on each separate situation. I'm sure even you can handle that!"

"Not question you?"

The only indication of his disbelief was the slight raise of his eyebrow and a flash of fire in his eyes.

"I will not be ordered around by a half-breed, no matter the blood!"

"Yeah, yeah I know. Don't think I won't remember your cold ass though when I say it's time to move out!"

"This is going to be interesting. We will attempt your design, but know that I will not answer to you."

"No shit. You aren't here for a loving visit with your brother…but don't think she's going to say anything different. Besides, I don't plan on trying to make you do anything. Just make sure that you do your job, I'll do mine, and we stay out of each other's personal business."

The sheer fact Inuyasha had recognized that Sesshoumaru's true intentions for this whole agreement was Kagome bothered him beyond comprehension. However, being the patient Lord he was Sesshoumaru kept his ire to himself and simply nodded.

"Dear brother, I believe you have learned civility, no matter how small it may be."

"Yeah, well, she'd kill me if I didn't"

"It's always the bitch that runs the pack. The leader is there for the looks."

Inuyasha's eyes widened considerably at his older brother's almost playful tones and turned away. It was just too odd to be on `good' terms with a lifelong enemy; it set him on edge again. He returned his thoughts to Kagome and her supposed `head-bitch' status.

There had been times that he wondered why he even bothered trying to tell her what to do, and he knew that in the long run she respected him enough to follow his orders, but even he had to admit that she fit the role quite well.

Only problem was that Kagome didn't want said position; she had made that choice two years ago. Even if she were naive to the full consequences, Kagome had fully relinquished position of lead bitch to Kikyou in her decision to step down from the running personally.

Inuyasha frowned at the turn of thoughts and decided that it was time to get back to camp. He noticed that Sesshoumaru was not following but, as per his standards, left him to his own devices, inadvertently displaying a sense of trust in the demon at the same time.

Inuyasha may have declared that he didn't trust Sesshoumaru, but actions speak louder than words. He not only held up his end of the bargain by leaving him without a fight, but he also turned his back to Sesshoumaru; that alone spoke volumes.

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Sesshoumaru watched as Inuyasha left the small clearing and set a glare on him. There was no easy way to do this if he wanted to be here; his demon demanded that he follow the rules of hierarchy.

Yet that same voice taunted him with the reality of his oath to the insanely resonant curiosity he had sought out. Thank the Gods for his unremitting patience, lest the world hear his echoes of howling insanity. Again he questioned that very sanity for even thinking of this plan; why was he here again?

He could kill Inuyasha and silence Kagome, but that would mean that this group belonged to him. That wasn't what he wanted at all. He would simply have to bide his time and deal with the consequences of his decision until it was over.

For his part, Inuyasha seemed decent enough; he didn't question his need for personal space and even demonstrated a level of maturity that Sesshoumaru hadn't thought he possessed until now.

This entire situation was something he was sure the boy was aching for, to rule his brother through and through and not have worry of consequence. And yet, here he was exchanging the threat of a vengeful young sibling for the reluctant respect of a growing young leader.

Perhaps it wouldn't be too bad. Only time would tell how long he could keep the blood from calling out for supremacy and launching into a mortal battle with his brother. He never was good at being the follower.

He resisted the urge to reach up and attempt to rid himself of this sudden headache. For the life of him and everything he treasured, Sesshoumaru just didn't understand the inquisitive nature of the dog demons; wasn't that a cat's field? It was going to be the end of him if he didn't find some way to reign in control before giving into his curiosity.

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Kagome crouched low and stared into the pot of boiling water, deftly stirring its contents while her mind remained on more pressing matters.

Inuyasha had initiated the session with little ire on the surface, but that meant nothing once his brash nature was tagged into use. Should Sesshoumaru bother him enough, she had no doubt that Inuyasha would attack his older brother.

She wondered briefly why she was so worried about Sesshoumaru. True, he was a temporary ally and deserved a bit of concern for his well being on her part due to combat abilities; their agreement would be useless were he to become too injured before the time of battle. But her fret stretched farther than just physical conditions and battle readiness. Her loyalty lie with her friends and so her worry should extend to Inuyasha in the face of Sesshoumaru, not the other way around.

The strong scent of Inuyasha attacked her senses and brought her back to the world at hand. She had been stirring the ramen for so long that she honestly believed it might have been overcooked; that would be a first here in the feudal era.

Kagome sighed and began the process of disbursing the food as she usually might. When she reached Inuyasha with both her bowl and his, he raised a brow while silently offering her room to sit.

The prospect of sitting in such close proximity to him, as the log was only so big, teased her a bit before she suppressed the remnants of uneasiness and accepted his offer. Not only did she surprise herself by accepting, but Inuyasha as well.

Apparently he was offering out of habit; he had tried so many times to keep a close relationship with the slowly distancing young woman, but none of his attempts were regarded thus far. Until now that is.

"Something on your mind?"

Kagome started at the softly spoken words. There were times when Inuyasha acted so mature around her that Kagome had to wonder if there was still a side to him she had yet to see; even after all this time together, it startled her whenever he displayed such tenderness.

"I'm fine, Inuyasha. A lot has happened is all."

Inuyasha nodded, hopefully taking her words at face value and leaving her to think. She had found a friend in him, true enough, but there was still so much about her that he didn't understand or even know about.

Kagome tried vainly to feel guilty about her relationship with Inuyasha; she had ultimately cut him off. There was no room for compassion in her after the trials they had shared, though there should have been at least a small bit of understanding; she simply couldn't find it.

She and Inuyasha were considered best friends more or less because they had weathered the greatest storms of their lives together, were still weathering it. That and the two simply did not find hate as the alternative due to such contact; something bound them together one way or another.

She closed her eyes and inhaled the scent that was signature to Inuyasha and decided that, though she may have become a bit more withdrawn from the socials in her life, she was still Kagome. Nothing could change her so much that she would lose her own identity, and so her lack of emotion towards her friend seemed to calm her more than it bothered her.

The whole situation was selfish she knew, but as an active giver and idle receiver, Kagome found the trait to be comforting rather than upsetting. She was a contradiction to herself, something she liked to think about a lot since first realizing there was truth to it, but definitely no logic. Her thoughts were halted as the body next to her spoke out softly.

"I didn't even take out Tessaiga."

Kagome turned to him with shock clearly written in her soft brown eyes.

"Really? Inuyasha…thanks"

Inuyasha knew what she was thanking him for, but at the same time had to wonder why. Kagome and Sesshoumaru were the ones involved in this little tirade, but it affected all of them, and that made him sorely want to interrogate the both of them. His signature distrust for the latter, and now a growing suspicion for the former, had his hand stilled in waiting.

For that Inuyasha had to lie out some sort of plan that would keep he and Sesshoumaru from outright killing each other. If for no other reason than to placate his friend, Inuyasha had made a shaky pact with his brother, his enemy.

But then her thanks seemed a tad off to him. She was shaken a bit, almost to the point of being timid; was she really so unsure about all of this?

Kagome may have been a bit foolhardy at times, but she wasn't exactly what one would call impulsive; there was always reasoning to her decisions. Then what was her reasoning now?

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The next few days were spent on the road, chasing the shard that they had been after before Sesshoumaru intercepted their path. Getting his attention alone was hard enough, but proving to Sesshoumaru that their path was going to take them to Naraku quickly was a bit too much.

He wasn't unreasonable, Kagome realized, when he had stated that their finding the shards of the jewel would only add to the pressure on the battlefield. The more of the pieces they had, the harder the fight the half-demon would provide. But then, Kagome had curtly reminded him that the fewer shards of the jewel they had meant the more that Naraku had, and the more he had, the more difficult their deceitful nemesis would be to defeat.

His agreement was a quick nod with no words; he wasn't going to admit that a human was right. Kagome's blood boiled at his actions and she silently cursed him with a deadly glare before assuming the front of the group with Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru had merely watched her with a cool indifference, primly detached from the entire ordeal while waiting for them to start the journey again.

Kagome side-glanced Inuyasha and couldn't help but notice his somewhat relaxed poise. There was always the stress lines and creased brow, but now there was a sort of acceptance in his demeanor, as though he felt better than he had the previous week or two.

Idly she wondered if Kikyou had returned, but quickly nipped the idea; Kikyou was if anything, not as secretive about their relationship as Inuyasha. No, they didn't meet or even hold hands before the group, but she was always sure to send her soul stealers out to call on Inuyasha, which also served as a notice to the group that he would be detained for a while.

No, Kikyou wasn't the reason for his sudden enlightenment but then, what was? Kagome scanned the group to find some clue to her new little mystery and her eyes landed on Sesshoumaru. She wondered how Inuyasha could relax with the Demon Lord in their presence; it wasn't like him to take to his brother like that.

She flicked her eyes back to the road ahead and trudged on as though their journey would never end. A moment later, however, she caught sight of her companion sneaking a glance to the back of the group from the side. What was he looking at?

Kagome's eyes flew to the back of the group and spotted Sesshoumaru watching her. It wasn't as though she should be surprised, after all, their agreement did include such distractions, but it was just that…distracting.

Her sights wandered back to Inuyasha just as a small sigh escaped his lips. He was troubled about Sesshoumaru that much she could tell, but at the same time he was more at ease with the world than he had been in a long time.

Kagome felt a pulse run through her body as her thoughts were ripped away. A dark purple light enveloped her sights with a small sliver of pink protruding the center; a shard of the jewel was just ahead of them.

The odd thing about this jewel was that it wasn't claimed. There was no sign of life or danger, for surely one of the brothers would have been alerted by now. That made her curious and nervous all at the same time; what if this was a trap?

She felt the claws dig into her elbow as her best friend pulled her along. Giving him a sideways glance, Kagome noticed the fine lines of question rolling across his features.

He must have senses her uneasiness and wanted to ask her what was going on without alerting the rest of the group. For that reason alone she leaned in to whisper, unknowingly igniting the flame of gossip within their small circle.

"A shard of the jewel is here, but I think it's unclaimed. I don't sense anyone. Do you?"

Inuyasha listened to her as she explained the sudden uneasiness and nearly sighed in relief. He had thought she was relapsing into her male-fearing state. It wasn't that she was crazy, but her mood changed significantly towards any man that attempted to approach unbidden during those times.

Inuyasha noticed that she was watching him with a bit of expectancy and almost started to ask her why. He felt like slapping his forehead with his palm, but instead sniffed the air lightly. What he smelled brought out a small growl from deep within.

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"Miroku, do you see that?"

The young priest tore his eyes from the beautiful curves as their owner spoke. He was pinned with the heat of a stoned glare and placed his hands in front of him to avoid unnecessary pain. Long ago he learned the art of caressing, but recently he learned how to do it when the bone-boomerang wasn't present, which wasn't often.

"No touching…"

"Keep them there."

Miroku let out a shaky laugh and began to rub the back of his neck, a nervous habit he picked up while in the company of the fiery demon slayer.

"Did I see what?"

Sango pointed to the head of their group and watched Miroku's dawn of comprehension.

"Do you suppose?"

She knew that he, along with the rest of them, was pining for a reunion between their friends, but it was a fool's folly and they knew it. Still, to see Inuyasha and Kagome in such close relation and talking quietly was a revelation in itself.

"And he leave the clay pot behind? Not a chance!"

"Sango, he may have chosen her, but Kagome still stands by him. She won't leave his side until that insufferable corpse is laid to rest once more."

Sango gave her friend a loving smile and turned her attentions back to the walk.

"I know, but he doesn't have to be so hard on her. She's come a long way. I don't think Kikyou would stand a chance against our Kagome. Maybe she would have in the beginning, but the girl has more battle experience than that dead breather ever will…"

Miroku's slight chuckle paused her rant for the moment to give her ample room to glare.

"My lady, I do believe you actually want to see those two go at it"

"Oh Miroku, you just don't know how much that mortal battle would get me off. Honestly, I would enjoy a good wager on that battle."

Miroku nearly choked on the air while trying to even out his stumbling steps again. She came off as flirting and quite forward while talking about betting on a battle to the death between their friend and her most bitter enemy; to be honest it was a sort of turn on to him. What a strange woman he had set his sights on.

"I would take you up on that bet, but I'm afraid my wager would only join yours. I don't think there is anyone out there that would bet against Lady Kagome. She has become quite formidable, even with her formal training only being as minimal as it is."

Sango nodded and turned to her side to watch their newcomer with poorly veiled interest. From what she knew about the Lord of the West, he was quite formidable himself and didn't roll over for anyone. So what was he doing here? Again the picture of Kagome answered her question with a silent sigh.

Was it any surprise that the young priestess would gain the attention of even the hardest of demons? Like Kagome always said, opposites attract. Sango highly doubted that was what Kagome was thinking of when she made her pact with Sesshoumaru, or vice versa, but her friend could easily handle the wayward thoughts a demon might inherit on her behalf and that was enough to put them all at ease.

But still, that didn't quite answer why he was there. Curiosity was one thing, casting aside your rank and pride was another, especially for a demon as highly regarded as Lord Sesshoumaru.

Sango didn't have a chance to think on it anymore as she suddenly found herself nearly plowing into the back of a red clad half-demon that stood scowling at her for her inattentiveness.

Miroku's arm on her shoulder kept her from complete stupidity as she sank back in embarrassment and peered around Inuyasha to see what was going on. What she saw made her blood run cold with fever.

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Throughout the entire banter between the four comrades, Sesshoumaru could come up with only one word. Interesting.

He set the thought aside as his younger brother finally noticed the severe amount of demon essence suffocating the air. Truly the boy had far inferior senses compared to that of his own.

Sesshoumaru watched the display of pointless battle from a distance and throughout the entire event could only think of one thing to say.

"How boring"

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The scent wasn't what caused Inuyasha's hackles to rise, but rather the lack of scent. It drew him to only one conclusion that he didn't feel like dealing with quite yet.

The reflection of the sun blinded him for a moment and he wondered briefly why Sesshoumaru wasn't helping him. He took his chances to glare back at the Demon Lord only to find him perching at the base of a tree to watch the commotion with very little interest. He really shouldn't have been surprised.

His growl was unavoidable, but Kagome placed her hand on his arm and calmed him down slightly. He turned to her with the growl as though to tell her to stop interfering, but her own eyes splayed a fire that excited a strong growl of her own, for a human that is.

Inuyasha was taken slightly by the determination in her eyes, but he knew that Kagome was well versed in the dealings with Naraku's detachments; she knew the danger they were facing right now. He actually hadn't noticed the absence of her hand on his arm until he saw her bow pulled tight with an arrow aiming directly at the small void.

"Kanna"

The small white girl's eyes lit with recognition as she turned her sights to the priestess. It was frightening to see the void display anything, but Kagome let no amount of shock display as her disgust overtook all other rivaling emotions.

"Kagome"

That small voice was eerie in its whispered sweet, almost tender sound, the very hairs on Kagome's arm standing to meet the chill. It was enough to send anyone running if they knew the power of the girl, yet they remained to face off with their nemesis' detachment.

Kanna wasn't alone, however, and that is what made everyone so alert and wary. Not only a hoard of demons, but also their commander and young slayer, Kohaku, accompanied her.

The young male was no older than fifteen summers now, but here in the warring states era, that was considered a man. How sad it was that the remainder of his childhood was stolen by a twisted half demon with a penchant for trickery.

She turned her attentions to her friend Sango and set her with a hard look. The boy may have been her younger brother, but he was interfering and she needed to keep her emotions in check if they were to survive this. All battles turned this way when the former male demon-slayer was involved.

As expected due to previous encounters of the same nature, Sango returned the look with a fire that brewed at the insignificance of Kagome's lecturing glare. Clearly the girl was irritated at having been reminded so often as though she were a child, but they all knew that the truth was far from that assumption.

Emotions were an undercurrent of torrents that could easily sway the minds of their holders, and Sango had long proved that she could not and would not kill her former sibling. That was the damning evidence that proved the need to reminder Sango to stay back more than she would like to admit.

Kagome returned her attentions to the group ahead of them as a small growl escaped her companion at her side. She noticed that Kanna had moved her mirror up to face the group, a clear sign that she was ready to attack. The strange thing was that they hadn't said anything more than a curt greeting, opting to forego the obvious demands of their master.

Kagome raised her bow in response and bit out a warning call to the small void.

"Do it and face the consequences Kanna"

The girl actually seemed to consider her options and wisely chose to lower her weapon, though Kagome did not grant her with the same courtesy. The large sum of demons behind the boy had yet to attack, but Kagome was sure that once their defense was broken they would have no problem in dispatching the recruits.

Kagome looked over the unwelcome group with a critical eye and noticed that Kagura had not joined them, an odd play as Kanna was never seen without her or Naraku. What startled her more was the strained look on Kohaku's face; it was enough to cause her to falter in her resolve with the bow.

She was going to question them on the whereabouts of Naraku, but Kohaku's eyes gave her a small hint at the boy's distress. It was as if he were fighting himself to just stand there, which clearly meant that Naraku had tormented the boy with some memory or another.

"What's wrong with him?"

Kanna knew exactly what Kagome was talking about and raised her mirror, eliciting a slight rustle of weapons from the alert group. What happened next was an amazing turn that none of them had expected.

The mirror flared to life with a blinding light before settling into a calm picture that looked closely like a movie. Images flittered across the glass surface as though in rewind, pausing a moment when they reached their destination and played out their sequence to the onlookers. Though none of them could hear the words that were exchanged, they all knew the general idea.

Kohaku bowed on one knee with his head bent in the center of a large training room. Weapons of every kind lined behind and around the boy as he kept his body tight without motion.

A tall figure clad in striking blues and white moved across the screen, his face set in a scowl. The boy seemed to cringe as the other figure bit out words, most likely hatred, at the boy.

Suddenly the boy's hands flew to grasp his head, his pain obvious to any that could see. He was screaming, no words, no sound, simply screaming in apparent agony.

The mirror shook with rage and pleasure at the scene of their master and settled again when the boy's screaming ceased. Kohaku's hands braced onto his knees as he panted, straining for air.

Without warning the taller figure lashed out at the boy with an extension from his arm. As the boy went soaring across the room, the mirror followed until splinters of wood filled the scene; a wall had been shattered with the boy's contact.

The young male came into the room again and kneeled, seemingly oblivious to any pains he may have recently encountered. Another agonizing second passed as the tall man reached for Kohaku again.

This time the boy reeled in pain and realization. Blood pooled around his feet as his eyes began to show life and consciousness again. The man's eyes glittered in malice as he left the room with a laugh and no second thoughts.

Truly he was a sick man, and the group hated him all the more. Naraku had ripped the shard from Kohaku's back and left him to die.

The mirror's light died out as Kanna lowered her weapon in front of her again.

"But he's still alive"

Sango's hopeful voice chimed into play, as no one else could seem to find their own. Her emotions, her hopes of having her brother at her side, were being built again with the thought that Kohaku truly was alive and without assistance.

Kagome set her with a fresh glare that was received with impatience and determination. Obviously Sango meant to retrieve her brother now, even though he was with his large band of faithful demons, courtesy of the man that stole his life.

"Now is not the time"

Kagome turned back to Kanna and watched as she turned to Kohaku, then back to them.

"Why are you here Kanna?"

"The boy,"

Kanna spared Sango a dead look and continued with no remorse.

"He is free now. He acts of his own will."

The world spun at Kagome's heels with her anger building. Kanna would hurt Sango in such a way?

Inuyasha took that time to speak up, asking the one question none of them had the gall to even think.

"Why do you stay with him Kohaku?"

The boy's eyes looked up to Sango, finding the pleading in them and turned to Inuyasha. His tone was serious, but it still held an air of fear in it, as though he didn't want the words to come out.

"I choose my place with my captor, for he is also my savior"

Sango's world ended then as she fell unconsciously into the arms of Miroku. The priest set her down to the ground gently and gave Kagome a curt nod that let her know their friend was fine.

Kagome had had enough; this meeting was over. If the boy chose to die by her hands, then so be it. With his memory restored and his decision made of his own merit, Kagome could freely engage in battle with him.

Her bow was pulled tight as she set the demon slayer turned traitor with a glare and ground out a single warning.

"You would dishonor your family like this? Truly, you are Naraku's child"

The pain in his eyes pulled at her for a mere second before she let loose her holy arrow. Having expected such a reaction, Kohaku leapt into the air and onto a large demon that cleared him of the wreckage.

After retrieving Kanna, Kohaku sent his followers to their deaths by holy powers and took to the skies. He and Kanna would return to their master.

Inuyasha finished off the few hundred demons with a quick swipe of his sword, followed by Kagome's holy arrow. They were all small fries compared to the numerous battles this group had seen. They all knew that Naraku was not out for their deaths, not yet at least.

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Kagome turned to the group and announced that it was time to make their departure. Sango could ride on Kirara with Miroku to hold her steady; the day was too early to stop.

She looked over to Sesshoumaru at his tree and noticed that he was writing. Where he had stored such supplies was anyone's guess, but it didn't matter, they were moving out.

Lightning struck inside as she noticed the uncommonly neat stack of paper and ink. His journal, he was writing in his journal right then. At first her curiosity and excitement had stayed her hand if only to learn more of his reasoning, but irritation at his obvious disregard for their need to move on took over quickly.

She calmly walked up to the stoic Demon Lord and paused just at his feet, setting her gaze to look down upon him. When he said nothing, simply staring into her eyes as if annoyed with her presence, she ground out her demand and turned on her heal to stalk away.

"We are leaving"

Sesshoumaru raised a brow at her brashness when he heard her call over her shoulder to him.

"And stop that. You'll get wrinkles"

Sesshoumaru fought long and hard not to laugh outright at her antics. He decided to document the incident later that night when the inferior humans took to camp for rest.

With his slow and calculated steps, Sesshoumaru began walking to catch up with the stunned looks of Inuyasha's little group. He had allowed her a second infraction against him, and this time someone saw it. Perhaps Kagome was in need of a few rules as well.

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DAMN IT, THIS CHAPTER JUST ISN'T WORKING FOR ME!!! Do you know how utterly infuriating this installment was? I have been hacking away at this segment for quite some time now, since before I started posting this story at all actually, and it STILL isn't RIGHT!!! GRR…

It will have to do though, as it does get the point across and allows me to move ahead without too many of you trying to maim me for one reason or another. At least, I hope that's the case. XD