InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Unexpeced Allies Part III: Trial of the Century ❯ The Lady in the Cage ( Chapter 5 )

{Disclaimer: Anyone who's read this from chapter one of part one knows this already, so…}

Chapter Five:

The Lady In the Cage

Kagome stood over the mess in the snow that was the last youkai with a Shikon shard. She, Shorin and Keni'Chi hiked up the mountain for three days before finding it. It was obviously destroyed, and the shard gone.

Kagome sighed. "Crap. Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap."

Keni'Chi quirked an eyebrow at her as Shorin inspected the area. "Are so many craps necessary, Kagome?"

Kagome crossed her arms and stared at him. "Why do I get the feeling that when you say my name, you want to put 'lady' in front of it?"

Keni'Chi picked up her pack and smiled, the wind blowing through his striped hair. "Because I do."

Kagome sighed. "You'd better not."

"Why not? I'm a lot stronger than you, so it's not like you could beat me up or anything," he joked. Kagome smiled back. Since their discussion after fighting the kappa, the group were becoming fast friends. They even teased each other, like at this very second.

"I don't have to. I could make you human."

"Not funny." Kagome giggled as Keni'Chi scowled at her. Her knees weakened in her merriment and she fell to the ground.

Or would have fell to the ground, if it hadn't caved in under her.

Kagome screamed, her arms flailing above her reaching for the ledge as she fell into the hole. Shorin's tail magically appeared and wrapped around her waist. Kagome looked up into the youkais' worried faces.

"Are you alright, Lady Kagome?" Keni'Chi asked.

"What did I say about that?"

"She's fine," Shorin cracked as her tail tugged Kagome closer to them. Kagome glanced around the hole, realizing that it wasn't just a hole.

"Wait a minute, Shorin," she called.

"For what?"

"There's something down here. Keni'Chi, can you get my flashlight?"

Keni'Chi disappeared, then reappeared at the mouth of the hole moments later. His tail lowered the flashlight to her. Kagome patted it in thanks before turning it on and flashing it around the cave.

"Woah," Kagome said as she looked around. The hole was a large cavern. The walls were decorated with little drawings going down the sides and leading deeper into the cavern. "You guys, I think we should come down here. Lower me down, Shorin."

Shorin complied, lowering Kagome to the cave floor before releasing her. Kagome reached behind her and pulled the Reioseiga out of its sheath on her back. Shorin and Keni'Chi landed on either side of her in a rustle of black leather. Kagome waited until they were armed before proceeding. They walked down the cavern quietly, the only sound being the melting stalagmites as drop after drop fell to the ground from their crystal tips. They reached a point in the cave that was lit by torches, leading them to the left of the cavern.

"Where are we going?" Kagome asked.

"I don't know," whispered Shorin as they moved ahead.

"It was your idea to come down here," Keni'Chi reminded her. Kagome scowled at him, but it went unnoticed as they reached the end of the cavern. In front of them was a small room with a door at the other end of it. A giant green slug youkai stood in the middle, eyeing them warily.

"What are you doing here?" it demanded.

"I fell in and we found this cave. I'm sorry if we intruded."

The slug moved toward them, leaving a gooey trail in its wake. "You should not be here. "

"Then we'll leave," Keni'Chi said as he grabbed Shorin and Kagome's arms and stepped back. The slug snarled and lunged at them.

"You know now! You cannot leave!"

The three sprang apart instantly, Kagome landing on the left of the cavern, Shorin on the right and Keni'Chi behind the slug. It swept its tail through the air, knocking down stalagmites in its effort to reach them. Keni'Chi jumped between it and Kagome, grabbing its tail and throwing it against the cave wall. Kagome watched as Shorin came up beside her.

"Shouldn't we help him?" Kagome asked as Keni'Chi ripped and slashed through the slug. Shorin shook her head, leaning against the wall and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Nah. I think he's got it."

Keni'Chi landed another swift kick to the slug's face, sending it streaking past Kagome and Shorin into the wall on the other side of the cave. It groaned as it slid down, the slimy trail going down the wall behind him. It groaned, then laughed lethargically.

"I was wondering if you were still coming," it groaned. Keni'Chi blinked in surprise at it as Kagome and Shorin came from behind him.

"Don't ask how I know you, Prince Keni'Chi, nor how I know the miko and the High General for the western taiyoukai. It is not for you to ask. In the next room is something special. You are the only one who can free her. It's time she woke up anyway." It gasped, then stared Kagome in the eyes.

"Don't be afraid of the power inside you. It will come to be of great help in the future."

It gasped again, then gasped no more. Kagome stared at the others.

"Is anyone as confused as I am?" she asked. Shorin nodded as Keni'Chi opened the door to the back room. He gasped, then called for Kagome.

"You should come here, Kagome. I'm not sure it's real."

Kagome stood beside him in the door threshold, staring in wide eyed amazement. In the room was a single object, a large diamond that reached from the floor to the ceiling. In the center was a dark cloud.

Kagome stepped inside slowly, walking toward the diamond. As she did, the cloud in the middle cleared, revealing the form of a naked female inu youkai. She was curled in the fetal position, her onyx black tail covering her hips and her arms were crossed over her chest. Her forehead touched her knees and her jet black hair cascaded around her form, stopping at her thighs. There were dark blue stripes on her ankles, wrists and one on each cheek on her face. Her eyes were closed as if she were sleeping.

"I wonder who she is," Kagome said as she touched the diamond imprisonment. She saw a small mark on her left side that was much like her own. There was also a scar in the shape of a crescent moon on her neck. The scar on her left side responded, warming slightly. She noticed the small slit in the diamond. Kagome traced it, then read the words on the golden sheet beside it.

She who can set me free

Wields the Weapon of Three

Kagome blinked. "What does that mean?" she asked out loud as Keni'Chi stepped in the room.

"Shorin said to tell you she's cleaning up the m….woah."

"My words exactly."

Keni'Chi stood beside her, his eyes wide. "Who is she?"

"I don't know, but the inscription says something about setting her free with a weapon of three."

Keni'Chi glanced at her out the corner of his eye. "You have a weapon of three."

"Huh?"

Keni'Chi shook his head. "The Tetsusaiga, Tenseiga, and the Reioseiga. Remember?"

"Only one slot, Keni'Chi." Kagome sang in annoyance.

"The three swords turn into one, Kagome," Keni'Chi sang back.

Kagome blushed. "Oh yeah." She unsheathed the Tetsusaiga and the Tenseiga and held the three swords together. They instantly formed the Tosusaiga, the fang poised and ready at the opening in the diamond.

"Here goes," Kagome breathed. She pushed the fang in up to the hilt, the tip of the sword touching the sleeping inuyoukai's arms. The diamond stood, then started to melt like ice on a sidewalk on a hot summer day. Kagome and Keni'Chi watched as it slowly liquefied. Keni'Chi reached out and caught the youkai before she could fall to the ground as Shorin came into the room.

"Keni'Chi, did you tell-" Shorin gasped as Keni'Chi and Kagome turned around with the inuyoukai in Keni'Chi's arms. Shorin rushed to the female's side in an instant, removing her coat and draping it over the youkai's unprotected form. They left the cavern moments later through the opening in the snow. Shorin prepared camp, reaching inside Kagome's backpack and fishing out the inflatable tent Kagome brought with her. As Keni'Chi placed the still sleeping youkai in the tent, Shorin suddenly grabbed Kagome and hugged her.

"We found her! After all these years, we found her! Lord Sesshoumaru will be thrilled!"

Kagome hugged her back, though not quite as hard. "Who is she?" Kagome asked.

"She's Mira, the Lady of the West! Lord Sesshoumaru will be so happy to see her! Its been so long!"

That's when the other mark on the female youkai's shoulder clicked in Kagome's mind. She remembered how Sesshoumaru's mark reacted to it, as if it knew her. Kagome gasped.

The mark on the youkai's shoulder was the mark of a mate.

'No wonder he didn't tell me he loved me,' Kagome thought with despair.

'Lady Mira is Sesshoumaru's mate.'

****

SF: {::running across the stage::} Oh shit! Come on Kagome! Give a bird a break!

Kagome: I intend to! I'm going to break every bone in your feathery- {::is jerked back by Sesshou::}

Sesshou: Stop this nonsense! You are ruining the chapter!

Kagome: But…But…

Sesshou: No buts. Now get back in your place.

****

++++++

Kagome sat in a tree outside the tent, watching the stars. Every now and then she sighed or yawned, but still she kept vigil. She wouldn't sleep tonight. She knew if she did Sesshoumaru would be there and she would have to tell him that she found his mate. Kagome sighed again, singing to herself.

She sobbed suddenly, surprising herself out of her musings. 'Yeah Kagome. Go ahead and cry. It's not like he loved you anyway. He only protected you, just like Inuyasha. What did you expect, huh?' Kagome wiped away her tears before they froze on her face. They stuck to her coat sleeve instead. Kagome shook them off angrily, nearly falling out of the tree.

"Little one," a feminine voice called from below. Kagome looked down. Mira was standing at the foot of the tree wrapped in a blanket.

Kagome smiled. "How are you feeling?" she asked as she climbed down.

"Better, now that I'm not asleep. I don't believe I'll ever sleep again." Mira smiled sweetly, the wind blowing past lifting up her bangs revealing the blue crescent on her forehead. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, Lady Mira," Kagome replied.

Mira shook her head. "Are you the one who freed me?"

Kagome nodded.

"Then my name is Mira, not Lady Mira, ok?"

Kagome nodded again, laughing to herself. "I just had that same conversation with Shorin and Keni'Chi."

" Really?"

Kagome nodded again. "Yeah. They seem to insist on calling me that. Especially Keni'Chi."

"Keni'Chi?" Mira asked. "Oh yeah, the tiger. Now what's wrong?"

Kagome blinked. "Excuse me?"

Mira laughed, her emerald green eyes shining. "Now, now little one. I know I've just woke up, but I can smell sorrow anywhere. What's wrong?"

Kagome sighed. "It's nothing. You're right. You just woke up and I'm cramping your style."

"Cramping my what?"

Kagome blushed. "Sorry. I mean I'm depressing you."

Mira waved the comment aside. "Don't worry about it."

"Why do you speak so differently than Lord Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked.

"Is Maru-chan still behaving like a stuck up child?" Mira giggled. Kagome didn't know what to say, so she remained silent until Mira finished.

"It feels good to laugh again after so long. Now why are you so down?"

"I'm not down," Kagome lied.

Mira shook her head. "If I weren't youkai, I still would know. You're lying, Kagome-chan."

'Kagome-chan?' "Um." Kagome thought a moment, then smiled. "I just can't wait for Sesshoumaru to see you! I'm sure he's missed his mate!"

"His mate?" Mira asked, staring at Kagome in disbelief. Kagome nodded. "That's what the crescent on your shoulder means, right? That you're Sesshoumaru's mate?"

Mira blinked, then burst into another fit of giggles. Shorin and Keni'Chi rushed out of the tent, weapons drawn. When they found Mira laughing hysterically with Kagome the perfect picture of confusion, they put up their weapons and walked to them.

"What's so funny?" Keni'Chi asked. Mira pointed at Kagome, tears running down her face as she looked at Shorin.

"Kagome-chan thinks I'm Maru-chan's mate!"

Shorin cracked up next, leaving Kagome and Keni'Chi confused. Kagome looked at him quizzically and Keni'Chi shrugged.

"I'm knee-deep in snow, in the middle of the summer, surrounded by females. On top of that, two have gone crazy. I don't have a clue as to what's going on, but I'm waiting for whatever is wrong with them to spread to you."

Kagome lightly slapped his arm as Mira and Shorin quieted.

"Forgive us, Kagome," Mira gasped, her topaz eyes shining merrily. "You see, I'm not Maru-chan's mate, I'm his mother!"

------

Inu cast: HIS MOM!!!!!!!!!

SF: Yeah. Everyone welcome Lady Mira to the saga.

Inu-chan: Sesshoumaru's mom?

Miroku: Impossible.

Sango: She has dark hair.

Shippou: And her eyes are the wrong color.

Kagome: I think it's a good idea.

Silver Fox: You would.

SF: And who asked you. Oh yeah. I have an announcement to make. Better yet, Silver Fox has an announcement to make.

Silver Fox: {::clearing his throat::} Ladies and gentlemen, I have hit SF with her first full NC-17 fic. If you want to know the basics of it, read her bio page. The name of the fic is called 'A Role Reversal' and will start the first week of December.

SF: And the rest…

Silver Fox: Oh yeah. It's an S/K, but it won't be on here. It's a 'Sesshoumaru: The Killing Perfection' exclusive. She even has a new pen name. What is it again?

SF: BellaMira. So that makes, {::counting on her fingers::} five or six un-posted fics. That isn't including 'To Bear' and 'Trial'.

Sango: You doubled her workload! {::clocks Silver Fox in the back of the head::} How is she supposed to graduate with that looming over her head?! You know her final exams are in December!

Silver Fox: She's always spouting off about how much of a genius she is. Let's see if she can live up to her word. The preview and the recommendation are at the bottom.

RECOMMENDATION: The Red by Akai-chan

SF: You know what I've decided to do? Instead of butchering other people's stories by trying to do the summaries, I'm going to stop doing them and just recommend the story.

Silver Fox: Stop being lazy and do the damned recommendation.

SF: {::sigh::} Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you. 'The Red' is based on Sesshoumaru's attempts to court Kagome after she becomes youkai. There. That's all I got.

Silver Fox: You're worse than the Zako soldiers on 'SD Gundam'. Jeez. I would try to do better, but it wouldn't help b/c I haven't read it. But you know SF wouldn't recommend a crappy story, so go read and review. {::drags SF offstage, fussing about her lack of words for today::}

Preview Chapter Six: Lady Mira Joins the Search

"That is not friendship, my dear," Mira said as she stood up. She brushed off the jeans and turned to Kagome. "That is love."