Warning: This chapter is rated M or MA depending on the site. Do not read if you are not of age because its not my damn fault if you read it and can't handle it.
Disclaimer: I'm sure the Warning can work as a disclaimer, I'm pretty sure Inuyasha isn't rated M, or R. Enjoy!
Chapter 12: Wandering: I Hate You
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A yawn interrupted the peace on the road and Kagome scratched her head tiredly.
'I shouldn't have stayed up last night. I have the energy now but I'm still human.' She glanced at Shippou and smiled tiredly at the kit. He pressed his face into her shoulder like a hiding toddler, oblivious to her half glances.
Her eye jumped in irritation, 'That bastard won't kill me, but that wouldn't stop him from hurting Shippou if he got the chance. I'd rather die than let him hurt Shippou for something I did.'
A loud groan rang in her ears, startling her. Shippou looked up and dropped his chin onto her shoulder.
Grumbling to himself, he reached up and began to toy with the gold hoops in her ears.
"What's wrong with you?"
Shippou let his eyes roll to meet her gaze.
His reply was childishly honest, "Sesshomaru-sama was scary. I never want to meet another youkai like him."
"Naraku is much worse than him," Kagome pointed out.
Another groan made Kagome giggle.
"Don't remind me," Shippou complained. She only continued to laugh at the pouting kits expense.
They arrived at a village late afternoon. Kagome simply wandered the larger than normal village for a while. The homes here were better built than what she and Shippou usually came across in their travels. The village was big and imposing but somehow still managed to look inviting at the same time. She wandered past a few shops set up in the sides of homes and buildings, selling rice, meat, cloth, and other wares. Shippou peered at the villagers warily from the safety of her arms.
The villagers watched her for a bit, but seeing she and the fox kit meant no harm, they ignored her and tried their damn best to stay out of her way. Kagome sent a dirty glance at an older man that ducked out of her immediate path like a frightened dog afraid its master would kick it.
The villagers weren't very interesting actually. At least in other villages, the idiots had the balls to stop and openly stare as she passed, not that she was complaining this time around. Kagome had been stared at enough after being in the feudal era for so long. This was actually a step up compared to the outright leers she had received because of her school uniform.
'Why did I run around the feudal era damn near naked,' she pondered quietly. 'Oh, yeah trying to impress an asshole with womanly charm, geeze!' she snorted despite herself.
Kagome rolled her eyes and looked to the big tree that loomed in the distance, seen just over the rooves of homes. She had a general area in mind of where the tree sat, and so she found herself wandering there through narrow alley ways, and streets of tightly packed dirt.
Stopping at the far end of the village, a few rows of houses before the tree line began, she tilted her head to stare up at the sacred tree before her. It wasn't as big as the god tree by the well, but that was fine. It was still a beautiful and a very impressive looking tree. Kagome stepped over the ward ropes around the tree, shrugging off the tingling they caused, and moved closer.
She smiled and put a hand on its bark, "I can feel the holy energy its giving off," Kagome murmured to Shippou.
Shippou nodded, "I can feel it too. It feels nice" he agreed. Kagome put a cheek to the tree and closed her eyes as the tree hummed in delight under her touched.
"Excuse me?"
Kagome opened her eyes and peered through her bangs at the woman standing just outside the barrier, looking in at her wide-eyed.
"Yes" Kagome purred out, only to quickly cover her mouth. The tree's energy was addictive and soothing, but to make her purr?
It didn't take long before Kagome realized she had a nice sized audience, staring at her stupidly. With a blush, she quickly made her way to the young woman who had called her and climbed back over the barrier. Kagome bowed, murmuring an apology as Shippou giggled from her shoulder.
"Its fine I was just surprised," the woman's gaze flickered to Shippou on Kagome's shoulder, "very surprised."
Kagome, noticing the subtle hint, only smiled and awkwardly straightened out her clothes. "This is Shippou-kun, he's a good kit."
Shippou hid himself as best as he could from the woman, professionally ignoring his mothers inquisitive stares.
"Is she a priestess?" Shippou grumbled eyeing the Green and white garbs that very closely resembled Miko's garb.
"No," the woman responded quietly. "I am no Miko, and I am wary of you too Kit." The girl cleared her throat a bit, "I see you noticed our god tree" she said cheerfully slight twitches belying her nervousness.
"Yes, sorry about crossing the barrier," Kagome sighed shame radiating off her in waves.
"Oh its fine, the barrier is only meant to keep people from destroying it. I'm sure you both wouldn't have passed the barrier had you meant the god tree any harm," she paused, eyed them from head to toe before continuing, "It is the pillar of our village." She explained as if she had given this explanation over a thousand times.
She probably had.
"Who are you?" Shippou asked glumly.
"My name is Chimei, I am a shrine maiden. Here you don't need spiritual abilities to serve at our shrine." she explained, an air of pride in her voice.
"You must be a traveler, I've never seen you before and I've certainly never seen a fox kit." Kagome nodded in acknowledgement, not many humans did see demon children.
"Well, welcome to the village of Tuskiyama" Chimei chirped. She turned an inquisitive stare on the young woman before her, "Do you have a place to stay?"
With a sheepish grin, Kagome shrugged, rubbing her arm in embarrassment. "Actually, no, we don't," Chimei only gave a sympathetic smile.
"You can come and take shelter at our shrine, travelers are always welcome." Kagome looked at her strangely and Chimei simply pointed to the large building just beyond the god tree.
Kagome blinked, a bit startled. She'd thought that building to be the a young noble's house or something.
"Can Shippou come," Kagome asked petting Shippou's head.
"I am duty bound to allow travelers of all kinds into our temple if they are in need" Chimei squirmed uncomfortably where she stood "just keep him out of trouble and things should be fine."
Shippou only grinned, "Okay just this time" he teased.
Chimei choose to ignore the comment as she led them into the shrine. Kagome glanced around listening to the murmurs of other weary travelers as she passed doors. The shrine halls had no decorations only the simple table with a nice pot of flowers or a candle every few doors. Other maidens dressed in the same uniform as Chimei openly stared as they passed.
"What do you do here?" Shippou asked absently.
"We help the needy and this shrine provides a place where all can come and pray to our goddess of the earth. She protects this village so long as we all so truly and humbly believe in, and serve her"
Chimei smiled, "I am grateful our lord lets us serve our goddess so long as we pay our taxes as he demands."
Kagome frowned, "Lord?" she repeated.
"Yes lord Taishi, he lives a few days away in his magnificent castle. He isn't the kindest man but he allows us certain freedoms and overall allows us to serve our goddess. As long as we do as he asks he doesn't bother our shrine."
A thoughtful look crossed Kagome's face but Shippou already had a comment ready to tell his opinion on the matter.
"So this master of yours is a baka," Shippou summed up in a way he could make sense of. Chimei immediately turned to hush him.
"Don't say such things, if he were to find out you'd surely be punished"
"He punishes children?" Kagome asked, as if saying so left a bitter taste in her mouth.
"Not all the time, but it's not uncommon," she tried to reassure them only to fail miserably.
She turned to a door and slid it open to reveal a simple, sparsely furnished room.
"You can stay here. The shrine isn't nearly as full as usual, so you probably won't have to share your sleeping space tonight." Kagome stepped in and took a quick look around. The walls were plain but that didn't bother her, it was the same at the Temple of Light. There was nothing significant about the room besides the fact it contained a table and a futon.
Kagome spun around to face Chimei and bowed.
"Thank you for your hospitality," she murmured respectfully. Chimei smiled and left Kagome to settle in for the night.
Dropping her messenger bag, she walked to the door on the opposite side of the room and slid it open. Shippou gasped at her feet as they eyed the gardens in the center of the temple. They were beautiful like someone spent every waking moment trying to think of ways to make it better. From where they stood, they could see across to other side where other travelers sat in their own rooms admiring the gardens. The center of the garden was an open roof letting the sunlight and rain reach the plants.
"This is really nice, is this temple rich or something" Kagome murmured to herself.
"To bad the sun's setting, I want to see it when it's really bright outside," Shippou chirped. Kagome stepped out onto the porch and tucked her hair behind her ears. She grinned bending down to touch a bright yellow flower. It wasn't a medicine or poison of any kind, so of course she had no idea what it was.
"Miss" Kagome glanced at the young shrine maiden that had just entered the room.
She smiled, "Yes?"
The girl paused a long moment and stared at her. The sight of Kagome standing in the fading light by a blooming yellow flower made for a humbling experience. Despite the fact her cream and butterfly yukata was a bit dusty from travel and her hair looked as if it hadn't seen a brush in months, she was beautiful.
The shrine maiden found herself near drooling in her dazed state. Kagome squirmed uncomfortably.
"Um, are you okay," Kagome asked slowly.
The last thing she needed was a weirdo attacking her. The girl looked at Shippou then back to Kagome as if memorizing her face. Her gaze lingered on Kagome's forehead a bit too long causing the older girl to smack a hand across her head to hide the mark.
"Miko?" The shrine maiden wondered aloud. Her gaze flickered back to Shippou and she nodded as if confirming her suspicions. "Miko-sama!"
Kagome watched bewildered as the girl bowed clumsily before tearing out of the room like a bat out of hell. Shippou gawked at where the girl had stood not a moment ago then looked to his mother as if asking for an explanation.
"You and your weird mark are going to cause weird problems, isn't it kaa-san?" he sighed. Kagome's eye twitched, while she certainly hoped that wasn't the case, she knew she wouldn't be so lucky.
The girl returned dragging an older woman in her forties. Kagome's hand flew to her chest as if to stop the coming heart attack when the woman got down on the floor and bowed to her.
"Miko-sama, why have you graced us with your presence, we are unworthy"
Kagome could feel her eye jumping in her disbelief. She and Shippou shared a glance before looking back to the crowd of shrine maidens who had gathered in the doorway, whispering.
"Fair priestess this room is for normal travelers, forgive us for allowing you to be put in such quarters, our shrine is shamed."
Kagome worried her lip eying the group.
"No its okay I didn't tell anyone I was a priestess, it's no one's fault, your shrine isn't shamed" she laughed nervously. The woman stood so fast Kagome had to do a double take. She grabbed Kagome's hand.
"Thank you for your forgiveness let me show you to a better room" she pulled Kagome from the room and Shippou hopped onto Kagome's leg and held on tightly.
Kagome blushed when she caught sight of the crowd of travelers who had gathered to see the commotion. Another worry overshadowed her nervousness, "Wait my stuff!"
Kagome tried to yank free but the woman had a strong grip. They looked back to see the young maiden from earlier running toward her with the bag in hand. Kagome only sighed and let herself and Shippou be dragged. A minute later, she was being pushed into a much bigger room.
It was still plain but the futon was bigger, and the table was bigger with incense for comfort and style.
"Big deal, there's a bigger bed" Shippou huffed looking to the woman who had flipped out in the other room. The woman shot Shippou a nasty glare then turned on Kagome with an adoring smile.
"Is this to your liking?" Kagome nodded slowly, eyeing the woman in dislike. The woman shifted warily confused by Kagome's sudden glare. Shippou went to check the view of the gardens while Kagome tried to convince the woman, most likely the temples head, she didn't need anything else.
Immediately shutting the door when the woman was gone, she snorted and looked at Shippou.
"Kaa-san how do you keep finding these places where weirdos live?" He asked absently. Kagome felt the corner of her mouth twitch upward but only shrugged and went to stand behind Shippou. They eyed the garden. It was still the same view, just at a different angle. Kagome shook her head thoroughly confused, when a frantic knock came at the door.
Kagome shared a wary glance with her son, "Should I even answer?"
The kit only shrugged and looked back to the flowers. Turning back to the door, she called for their guest to enter. The bamboo slid open with an audible snap and Kagome raised an eyebrow at a flustered Chimei standing in her doorway. She rushed in and bowed humbly before Kagome. Repressing the urge to groan and roll her eyes, she eyed the young shrine maiden.
"Forgive me I didn't realize you were a priestess," she almost whimpered.
"I'm not angry. I didn't want anyone to really know. Why is everyone going crazy?" Kagome grumbled rubbing her temple.
"We rarely get to see priestess' so far in the Western Lands. It's so close to where the lord of the west lives after all. Despite the village's appearance, the villagers are ill and in pain often. There is little help, especially to those who can't pay the village doctor."
Chimei suddenly went quiet and Kagome eyed her visitor.
"Do you think you could help us, you can stay as long as you like. We would be very grateful." Kagome made an aggravated sound in the back of her throat and Chimei bowed her head in disappointment.
"I suppose I can stay for a bit, it would be a waste if I didn't at least try," she murmured. Chimei almost sobbed and Kagome, yet again, fought the urge to roll her eyes with the kit at her feet. With a final grateful smile, Chimei shuffled from the room.
Kagome looked at Shippou, "Is this okay with you Shippou-kun, we can still leave if you don't like it."
Shippou smiled, "Kaa-san you like to help people, I'm used to it already," he scratched his nose with a smug grin, "It's okay, didn't I promise I would follow you even if you didn't want me too." He wrinkled his nose playfully, "You're my Kaa-san so I have to protect you. I can't do that if I leave you 'cause of where you want to stay."
Kagome blinked at the fox kit then laughed lightly.
"You are my little protector Shippou-kun, take care of me well." Shippou blushed and looked away with a grunt. He eyed the area with sharp eyes and glared at anyone who walked past. Kagome shook her head at the kit.
'I wonder how long we'll stay here?'
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"Princess!"
Rin glanced down blinking at the two younger pups standing beneath her tree. She swung her legs absently as the two boys looked up at her excitedly.
"Princess when did you get back?"
Rin only smiled. While they were the children of servants, they were always willing to play with her even if she wasn't a demon, though they got a little rough sometimes. She hopped from the tree and landed neatly. The boys clapped excitedly and Rin blushed but huffed in a proud manner placing her hands on narrow hips.
"It wasn't that high, I bet you two could do that and land a lot easier." She told them still smiling brightly. The boys shrugged as one with wide grins.
"You didn't tell us when you got back." The second boy demanded. The first nodded quickly.
Rin shifted warily. "My lord just brought us back but he seems very angry so I didn't ask why."
The two boys glanced at each other, "Well our lord is usually irritable around this time"
Rin forced herself to repeat the large word, "Irrie-ta-ble?"
The child with brown hair smiled brightly, "That's what I heard Kaa-san say," he assured his head bobbing up and down eagerly. Rin giggled and joined him. A guard walked past and eyed them warily when he saw all three children nodding their heads viciously and giggling absurdly. Rin was the first to stop. She stumbled dizzily and the boys laughed at her pointing and hopping in place like fools.
"Oh yeah, princess-," The second boy stopped hopping, the first did not.
"Why do you keep calling me that?" Rin asked groggily eyeing the two boys strangely. She blinked spots from her vision, stumbling around, fighting to regain equilibrium.
"'Cause Rin-sama is princess." They told her as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
The first boy suddenly was unable to keep hoping up and down, so he, instead, hopped right at Rin. There was a yelp as he tackled the human and they hit the ground. He laughed watching the world do a strange dance and split into multiple figures. Rin groaned and mugged the bigger boy. She shoved him off and climbed to her feet. Staring at the second boy who watched her in amusement, she began dusting her kimono off.
"But I am a human. That guard-san said I cannot be a princess."
The two boys made faces at each other. "Well Sesshomaru-sama never stopped us from calling you that before."
Rin thought about it then shrugged flicking a few random strands of grass from her ponytail.
"It does not upset Sesshomaru-sama, so I guess it's okay." The boys clapped again like two seals performing at the circus. Rin shook her head amused, helping the first boy to his feet.
"What were you saying?"
The second boy with cream-colored hair grinned and waved his arms wildly. "Oh, are you staying to play with us Princess Rin. Sesshomaru-sama is about to leave."
Rin's eyes widened.
"Jaken-sama did not come to get me, I don't know." She whimpered. The boys shifted warily seeing her eyes wide and shining with tears.
"Well milord should be back soon he's just going to find a mate" The brown haired boy waved a hand nonchalantly. The three children stared at each other a very long moment.
"Eh!" Rin squeaked.
"My lord is going to find a mate? But he hates the very pretty ladies that hang on him. I don't think he would like that." Rin began to flail wildly and the two boys quickly tried to calm their human friend. "What if she does not like me, will milord send me away, Oh no!" Rin froze and stared wide eyed at nothing.
The pale haired boy jabbed his demon friend in the arm with a clawed finger drawing a whimper from the younger male.
"That's not what the servants said, he just wasn't listening." A glare passed between the two boys before they looked back to Rin.
"They said he is just beginning his season."
Rin blinked at the boys, rubbing her cheeks as if they were numb.
"Season? Like when his eyes turn colors and milord is really really grumpy?" Both boys nodded seeing their friend was quickly calming down. Rin stared off into space a long moment before nodding. "Oh then he will be back in a week or so. Maybe milord will find a mate this time?"
Rin crossed her arms over her chest and pouted, "I want to help milord find a mate so that he can be very happy." The boys raised eyebrows in unison; they shot each other a glance both wondering if all humans were as strange as their Princess Rin was.
One opened his mouth to speak but Rin continued, "I have decided to help milord find a mate, even if he has to send me away." She nodded shakily but the determination in her eyes made the boys wary to argue with her.
"Rin-sama, I don't think Sesshomaru-sama will send you away." Rin looked at them hopefully.
They grinned reassuringly and she smiled back. "Let's go say goodbye to Sesshomaru-sama"
Rin scampered off and they followed, "Hey princess, what's a season, I asked my kaa-san but she said she wouldn't tell me now." Rin paused and looked at them confused. "I don't know I just know everybody gets grumpy when they have theirs and they act kind of strange"
Both boys pouted and Rin tilted her head in confusion, "Why did you ask me?"
They shrugged in unison "cause you're older, so I thought the grownups would have told you by now. I have to wait a few years to learn" the brown haired child griped in a low voice.
Rin smiled brightly, "Maybe I'll ask someone later. We gotta go catch Sesshomaru-sama before he leaves," she reminded them before taking off at a brisk pace across the court yard. The pale haired boy pulled out a sac and waved it in Rin's face as they jogged.
"Do you want some when we go to play later?"
The brown haired boy gasped and raised a hand, "I want some," he cried. The pale haired boy sneered at his fellow Inu pup. "No, I asked Princess" The brown haired child glared at the older boy.
Rin shook her head at them, "I guess, what is it?"
He pulled out a small wedge about the size of her finger. Rin eyed the item in her hand, it was brown and dried like some type of fruit.
"It's a blood peach, they're so good" he gushed excitedly.
Rin didn't even bat an eyelash at the name; she had heard stranger names for food and had eaten much worse than a little wedge named after one of her favorite fruits and blood. In fact she had eaten some strange food called Eyan and had promptly gotten sick for almost two months.
Her lord had nearly killed someone when he found out but afterward he had simply watched her closely to make sure she didn't get sick again. Of course, that didn't stop the servants from sneaking her Eyan now that they knew she could eat it. They were always so gleeful and fascinated when they wanted to feed her. She found it strange, but then again, she wasn't a youkai.
She popped the peach wedge into her mouth and smiled brightly, juicy flavor attacking her senses.
"That is good, I want some as long as you share with him too." She pointed to their scowling companion. After a long moment of thought, the pale haired boy passed a fruit wedge on to the other pup. Rin grinned and turned forward determined to meet her master before he took off for the week.
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A yawn interrupted the peaceful silence of the room. Stretching stiffly her hand met with the low wooden table with a loud clatter. Stifling a hiss, she quickly pulled her hand back toward her face. Whimpering, she rubbed her hand against the quickly bruising skin.
Irritated but awake, she yawned again and looked around her dark room with foggy eyes. The door opened and she groaned as sunlight from the halls attacked her.
The scuttle of feet was heard and then something soft, warm, and a little too heavy to be flying at her, landed on her head. She yelped in surprise and Shippou tumbled over her laughing.
"I still got you kaa-san, you slept so late today." He pulled himself up and sat before his scowling mother.
"Kit, why did you jump on my head?"
Shippou shrugged, "because, I wanted to wake you up if you were still asleep."
Kagome blinked at him, his hair was down and damp after his bath. It was a rare sight to see the kit with his hair free but he was a rather cute little thing when it was down, so she didn't have complaints. She would only walk away from this encounter with material to tease the kit with later. Not that he wasn't ridiculously adorable when he had his hair up in the usual ponytail, but she didn't want to give up the opportunity.
Kagome smiled and ran a hand through his hair "I'm up now; I see the temple maidens gave you a bath and fed you already." Bits of rice clung to his face even as he grinned at her.
Shippou nodded eagerly, "They make awesome rice balls," he chirped. "They let me make my own too." Kagome smiled about to praise him when he pulled out a rice ball wrapped in a piece of cloth. He held it out to her and Kagome blinked wondering where he had hidden it.
It was an awkward looking little rice ball and falling apart around the edges, but it was very well made otherwise.
He blushed looking at her hopefully, she laughed.
She reached toward the door and slid it open awkwardly allowing light to flow in and fill the room. Brushing unkempt hair from her face, she sat up. Kagome eyed the rice ball with a fond smile. She shot a glance at Shippou who refused to meet her gaze.
"Breakfast in bed sounds wonderful. Thank you so much Shippou."
Carefully, so as not to destroy her sons little creation, she took the rice ball in her hands. Being sure to hold the dried seaweed properly, Kagome took a small bite and smiled at the taste. She made short work of the rice ball then rubbed her stomach.
"That was great, is there anymore?"
Shippou grinned gleefully, "I'll go make more, wait right here Kaa-san" He darted from the room so fast, she was surprised he even thought to pause and open the door before taking off.
Amused, she blinked at the slightly opened door, and then looked out toward the garden. The sun was just rising over the roof of the temple. She ran a hand through her hair absently wondering exactly how long Shippou had been awake.
She pushed her bed sheets off and crawled toward her bag. Absently, Kagome dug through its contents hoping to find something clean to wear. She really needed to do laundry or she would have a big issue soon. Raising a male kit was trouble enough, giving him a reason not to take baths because he didn't have clean clothes was not a pleasant thought.
Blinking sleepily, she found a recently purchased kimono the color of wood. It wasn't silk, in fact, the fabric was very rough, but it was common dress and she didn't want to stand out on such a normal day. She would only be wandering the village and tending the sick should they want her assistance.
There was a sudden loud boom. Kagome paused thinking an explosion had gone off. There wasn't any immediate panic from the temple residents and so she hesitantly continued to dress.
"Lady Kagome?" Kagome wiped wild hair from her eyes and glanced at the young woman at her door.
"Hai?" The girl shifted nervously and Kagome tilted her head in confusion, "Is everything okay."
Heavy silence was her answer. Kagome's eyes narrowed suspiciously at the shrine maiden.
"Despite the fact I'm a Miko, I can't read minds." Kagome sighed, her reprimanding tone startling the girl.
She whimpered what sounded an apology with some title she probably thought would please Kagome. A bored stare was all the girl needed to realize she had better continue explaining the reason for her visit.
"I was told to warn you a youkai was close to the village, it only seems to be destroying the forest nearby. The villagers are frightened," the girl paused uncertainly.
"Would you please help ward off the youkai, there are no Miko's in our village and-" she went quiet again.
Intrigued, she closed her eyes and searched for the aura of a violent youkai. Not seconds later, her body shook and her eyes shot open in shock. Shippou appeared in the doorway with three crudely made rice balls and blinked at the two women.
Kagome recognized this aura, but it was so twisted and violent with agony, she almost hadn't. She stood quickly, the shrine maiden fell back startled.
For the first time in a month, Kagome's eyes were burning with fierce emotions, the most dominant being disbelief and fear.
"Get me a set of bow and arrows, I need a long range weapon," she barked.
The girl nodded frantically and ran to obey. Kagome looked at Shippou who was stared at her bewildered. She was frightened, but Shippou didn't need to worry about such things.
She smiled at the Kit.
"Are those mine?" Shippou nodded slowly. Ginning widely she took two and ate them quickly. Shippou's smile returned full blast and she chuckled.
"Shippou, I need to get dressed and go take care of an issue but I'll be back. You stay here and wait for me." She said with a confident smile, even as her stomach did back flips.
Shippou scowled, "But Kaa-san-"
Kagome shook her head, "I need you to stay Shippou. This next confrontation could get nasty." He looked disappointed and more than just a little angry, but he nodded.
Kagome dug quickly though her clothes. Frustrated, she dumped a pile of clothes down on the floor and sat looking around her bleak living quarters.
"Where are my pant's outfits?" she whined quietly. She pressed her lips together and squinted in thought.
"Kaa-san the shrine maidens took them this morning, some of them needed mending," he informed her with a wary stare.
Kagome groaned but nodded in acceptance. "Thank you for telling me Shippou." Her eyes shifted over her clothing before she pulled out the Kimono she had worn yesterday. She had only worn it once this week and it allowed for freedom of movement, something she sorely needed at this moment, and something her cleaner kimono sorely lacked.
The youki spiked again and Kagome frowned at nothing as she dressed.
"What is going on?" She thought aloud.
Ready to go, she stood and opened the door just as a shrine maiden ran up with a bow and arrows in hand. Kagome looked at Shippou who stood, fuming, holding the remaining rice ball. Kagome took the last rice ball and shoved it in her mouth. Shippou blinked stunned and that stupid smile quickly returned. She bent down and kissed his head before turning back to the shrine maiden.
Kagome pulled the items over her shoulder and started down the hall, everyone followed. "Milady, do you need help." Kagome glanced back to see a small group of the young shrine maidens had gathered to follow her from the temple.
"No you all stay here, some of you can go and tell the villagers to stay away from the area where the youkai is." They nodded looking grim but determined. Kagome almost laughed but the situation called for seriousness. "I'll be back as soon as I find out what's happening," she promised. They nodded again before watching her race from the shrine.
Shippou huffed and crossed his arms over his chest before stomping back to the room he shared with his kaa-san. "I can't protect Kaa-san if she starts running around like baka-yasha" he griped angrily. Despite the situation, the shrine maidens giggled at the fuming kit.
XXXXXX
Kagome balanced herself on the tree as she took in the damaged area. She could still sense her opponent nearby, but she had thought it a better idea to check out the damage he had wrought in his rage. At that moment, she was very sure she wouldn't leave this up and coming confrontation with all her limbs.
The forest, once a lush green and thick as a blanket in this particular area, now resembled a small abandoned battlefield. It honestly looked like an earth quake had hit the area, and if not an earthquake some strange natural disaster would fit the frame perfectly. Every tree in that small area, had been ripped up by its roots, shredded, or melted in some kind of way.
She blinked a few times taking in the destruction. Frowning, she brought a hand to her face to ward off the strong scent of acid. The area was still sizzling and smoking; the smell was as if she were standing over a sulfur vent. The crashing in the distance suddenly stopped. She looked in time to see the very top of one of the forest's biggest trees topple over with an ear splitting crash before everything was eerily quiet. She remained unmoving, perched on her tree waiting for the crashing to start again.
"Maybe he passed out or something," she murmured hopefully. She highly doubted it, but it was a reassuring thought.
Finally, she took off in the direction of the violent aura.
Her opponent wasn't hard to find at all. He looked comfortable, relaxed and undisturbed; sitting leaned against the tree he had just knocked over, seemingly asleep.
"Sesshomaru-sama?" she murmured in awe.
XXXXXXXX
He had really passed out. She paused in a nearby tree to look down at him. He wasn't bleeding or anything, though he was sweating. She chalked that up to his little workout before he had ended up unconscious, propped against the tree.
There was no outward sign to tell her what had set the youkai lord off, and it made her uncomfortable.
His aura had calmed considerably and she was tempted to brush his actions off as a temper tantrum and leave him alone. It wasn't as if he had hurt anyone, he had just destroyed the forest.
'And it would totally be my luck if a tree spirit dropped a tree branch on me or something for thinking that,' she thought amused.
She turned to head back to the village when a sound made her pause. She glanced back at the tree to find the youkai lord gone. Kagome paled and turned around again in time to throw her hands up and block a foot that would have broken her neck had it connected.
With a shriek, she flew back through the trees and to the ground, inches from where the youkai lord had been sitting. She sat up ignoring her aching back and looked up at her attacker. Sesshomaru stood in the tree where she had just been, staring down at her, his eyes red and slit with purple.
His aura slammed down on her and she gagged, tainted youki wrapped around her snatching her breath away.
Kagome rolled over gasping for breath as reflexive tears spilled from her eyes. This was a youkai lord's aura. She realized with startling clarity that he had never gone all out on her and her friends. His aura was crippling and yet, they had been spared this psychological torture. She climbed to her feet shakily, and he moved.
Kagome glanced back and a whimper tore from her throat when she caught a glimpse of his white clothes before she was sent flying into the mammoth of a tree he had downed. She hit the tree. Her body flipped over the body of wood and slid over its massive form to land on its unoccupied side.
Kagome collapsed awkwardly to the ground, trembling and gasping in pain. She was scared out of her mind. This was not the way she had thought she would die; being kicked around like a rag doll by an insane youkai lord. Then again, those who knew her would agree it was just as likely as her actually finishing the Shikon Jewel sometime in the next year. Possible, but no one was betting money on it.
"Damn it, move Kagome, he's going to kill you," She whispered to herself as she pulled her face from the ground.
She looked to her side when she heard footsteps. The sound echoed in her ears as if he were beating on a door instead of walking with that cat like grace that made her shiver in fear. A familiar brown boot fell in her line of sight. She shook, biting down bile that fought to rise from her throat. A shriek echoed in the forest as she was yanked up by her hair. In seconds, she found her face inches from his. Blue eyes stared into intense red and purple orbs.
Nothing happened. They simply stood staring at each other, breathing in each other's scent. To Kagome, Sesshomaru smelled like the sulfar scent his acid gave off, sweat, and faintly of freshly cut wood.
She hissed suddenly, enraged by his treatment. She put a hand to his chest to shove him away but when he didn't budge, she prepared to blast him with her energy. Before she could really finish gathering the necessary energy, he finally reacted. He sniffed at her and seemed displeased by what met his nose.
He yanked her head back and she cried out, stumbling in whatever direction he decided to yank her. The youkai lord literally shook her out like a wet rag. When she was crying and angry enough to fight, he stopped, confusing and enraging her even more. He sniffed again and still seemed displeased but he visibly shrugged it off. He pulled her back close to his body and pulled her head back making her glare at the sky as he eyed her exposed throat. Kagome tensed and shook when something rough and wet lapped across her throat and finally against the racing vein just under her skin.
'Oh god, is Sesshomaru a human eater. He's going to rip my throat out!' Her mind sobbed in unrestrained fear.
"Like hell I'm letting you eat me!" she hissed.
Her hand was surrounded in yellow energy, and before he could react, she slammed a fist into his chest and shattered his armor. He yanked her forward as he was sent flying into a tree. Kagome found herself sprawled out across the ground, her scalp stinging where his hand had been yanked forcefully from her hair. She scrambled to her feet and rushed the dazed youkai lord, her hand still glowing.
Sesshomaru's eyes widened and he tilted his head in time to keep from having his brains splattered across tree bark. Kagome hissed when her hand pierced through the tree bark as if it were Styrofoam. She yanked her fist free and swiped at him with her human nails covered in energy. Sesshomaru was able to slip away before she could harm him. He stood, the rest of his armor falling away from his body as he glided away from the attack.
With a shout, she raced after Sesshomaru yanking her monk's staff from its place around her neck. It grew to its full size and Sesshomaru's red eyes flashed violently. His claws met with the barrier and wards embedded in the staff. It burned his hand but he could deal with a few burns easily, his head missing was a very different matter.
The youkai lord fought Kagome frantically. Crazed in her fear, mad as all hell, and fighting for her life, made her a vicious opponent. She swiped at him with the pointed tip found on the top of her staff. She was still in mid swing and could not fight him off. He tackled her and they both went flying head over heel across the clearing. A kick mid-tumble sent Sesshomaru flying through the air. He was able to turn and land awkwardly on his feet, a hand where her small foot had connected.
She flipped to her feet and twirled the staff expertly. Her eyes narrowed and she gave a grin that promised she would have his blood splattered across the clearing soon enough. He leapt at her, and whipping out his poison whip, they danced.
She blocked each attack smoothly, slowly moving in closer to land a blow. She had lost her bow in the first few exchanged hits and the arrows had been dropped seeing as they were useless without the bow. She had never gotten around to finding the bow Jiji had mentioned was present in her demon staff, she probably never would.
Kagome rushed in under his whip, ignoring it as it smacked into her side, and swung at him. His whip vanished and his talons moved to stop the enchanted staff. He grabbed it and she gave a yell and tried to yank it free. Seeing the action was futile, she swung at his side with a yellow fist.
Sesshomaru jumped back to avoid the blow that he now knew could pass through his flesh as easily as it had that tree. Her fist clipped his side leaving charred skin and silk. He landed, a hand flying to his mouth to stop the bit of blood that flowed from his lips.
He was occupied, and she had her staff free again. She charged at him and he only had enough time to duck before the staff nearly took his head off again. She landed neatly and he turned so quickly fear raced through her.
He snatched her staff and threw it.
She screamed and tried to run.
He caught her and she fought frantically in a blind panic. It took less than 30 seconds for her to turn on him in her fight for freedom. She lunged at his throat and her nails dug into his skin.
A snarl tore from his lips as he stumbled back from the force of her lunge. His nails dug into her sides as he tried to shove her off. She ignored the wounds completely, oblivious to the fact that she should have lay dead at his feet minutes ago.
The energy around her hands flickered violently before completely fading. With a sob of frustration and fear she tried to call her energy forth again, sparks of red jumped off her skin shocking her. With a yelp of pain, she released Sesshomaru's neck. He caught her wrist and she fought frantically looking at him wide eyed.
Kagome kicked at him and his face twisted into a frown of confusion.
She tried to call on her powers again; he sensed the attempt and quickly released one of her wrist. He was too stubborn to let his hard fought victory get away so he was willing to deal with the burn on one hand. Much to both of their surprise, her powers didn't react, but red sparks of youki jumped from her skin instead of pure energy.
She let out an inhuman cry and lunged for him, determined to fight until her last breath. Some part of him was stunned senseless when her teeth clamped down on his neck and drew blood. Wide eyed he fell back as his own blood splattered across his cheek.
He wanted to get her off but not kill her, especially after the pains he had taken to fight and weaken her. That didn't seem to matter much because each gulp of blood made her barely present youki, that had intrigued him and drawn him to fight her in the first place, that much stronger. Soon their two energies, the youki now made hers and his own, were fighting and swirling in a dance. Sesshomaru's eyes momentarily faded gold as he won the fight with his beast and pushed it back. He watched the two swirling energies in awe before his beast surged to the front of his mind again to complete its task.
Sesshomaru was not surprised when he was shoved back into the recesses of his own mind. This was simply how it was. He couldn't hope to have control the first 24 hours of his heat after coming in contact with a female willing to fight for the right to mate with him, and yet the blood loss had given him the privilege for a few scant seconds.
Still, he was going to bleed to death and the female was absorbing his power. With a roar, he threw her off and brought a hand to his neck to stifle the flow of blood.
She yelped as she was sent flying. Kagome bounced on the ground once before tumbling down a slope. With a soft growl, he stood and made his way to the drop he hadn't realized was there. She lay at its base, conscious but dazed.
She blinked up at him lazily. Her eyes began to widen in fear as she gained her bearings. Her arm shot up and before she could even thing to do something, he landed on her straddling her stomach. Kagome gasped, the wind effectively knocked out of her. She sputtered and brought a hand up determined to call her powers forth.
He quickly snatched both her arms together and pinned them above her head. She wailed her eyes blood red and her face streaked with tears. She bucked under him frantically but he was having none of that. He had won this battle and she would submit.
He snarled, the sound so loud it echoed for miles in the forest.
Kagome froze. She knew that tone, it was a warning from a very pissed off male. That was one of the first things she'd learned while under Jiji's tutelage, more so when she disobeyed his instructions and did what she wanted, and it often got her hurt.
Her moment of shock was enough for him to quickly decide what he wanted. He pushed her hands further over her head and shrugged his mokomoko off his shoulder. She stiffened as the white appendage gained a mind of its own and slithered up to bind her hands tightly.
She began to kick and scream her eyes blazing in anger, lemon spice assaulting his senses. No matter what she did, she couldn't get free, but that in no way stopped her.
Sesshomaru eased off her to sit between her legs. She smelled of blood and pain. He couldn't let the foolish female die, not while he had a use for her.
A clawed hand gripped her thigh and she hissed at him kicking madly. He grabbed the offending limb and licked at the underside of her calf muscle. She blinked, her fight immediately halting. He nipped at the skin pulled taught over developed muscle, teasingly, taking in her expression with only half his attention.
She seemed confused as he licked his way down to her thigh. Kagome squirmed beneath him releasing bewildered whimpers. He nipped at her thigh drawing blood and she twisted to get away. The youkai lord only pressed a hand to her stomach to hold her still. Kagome stared at him in outrage and, amazingly, curiosity. Sesshomaru licked the bite wound closed moving further up her thigh.
Sesshomaru ran a hand up her thigh taking in the pale flesh. He shoved the kimono up to bunch around her hips. She stiffened but sat quietly watching him. He had a one-track mind as he moved toward her underwear. Such a thin cloth tied at the hips was almost amusing and he made his thoughts very apparent when he purred, his lips curling slightly.
"S-shomaruu" her voice was deep and slurred as if she had somehow gotten hold of too much sake. His attention to her undergarments made her more than self-conscious and she began to hiss at him. He realized this and so he moved on to her sash instead, giving her time, and tugged it off her form.
"S-seeshomaroo!" her slur did not bother him but he wondered how she could speak, it was the first time he had met a female with their eyes that deep a red who could speak in such a mindset. She looked up, confused and frightened, her now red eyes swirling with blue as she fought for some semblance of intelligent thought.
She was breathing heavily now though, bordering on madness. He couldn't have that. A panicked female would refuse him, and he would not force himself on her. He needed to calm her or a potential partner would be lost and he would be left to his own devices during his time of heat.
The red was fading to a deep purple and that purple worked frantically to force back the red. She tugged trying to free her wrist only to find she couldn't lift her arms let alone tug free. She glanced at the white thing, she had always assumed was his tail, that had her restrained.
He gazed down at her stomach a long moment watching as bit of youki danced across her skin before vanishing. It was in her blood. He could smell it and it made him all the more interested in this girl who smelled of humans but, had youki, thus in his mind she could only be demon. Unable to help himself he leaned forward and ran his tounge across the skin above her belly button.
She gasped, frightened, "Sesshomaru!"
The youkai lord would not be deterred, and that became apparent to her hazy mind as he licked his way across her stomach to the bleeding wounds. He immediately went for the burn he had left in her side. With a shriek of pain, she began to struggle again as he lapped lazily at the wound, cleaning it and destroying his poison he had used against her.
"Sesshomaru" she pleaded yanking frantically at the strange furry appendage he used to hold her to his liking.
"Sesshomaru-sama what are you doing! Please answer me!"
She didn't know what to do. It didn't help that he was licking her wounds as if she were some dog he was trying to comfort. She was human and that only made everything, and she meant everything, hurt worse.
Her skin felt like someone was jabbing her all over with icicles. Her nose and eyes were burning, her ears roaring with the sound of her own blood, distant sounds she didn't recognize, and the quickly building panic in her mind. Her body however, was humming in delight. She didn't know why and she had very vague memories of how she had ended up in this outrageous situation. Even worse, said memories were colored in a deep red and she highly doubted they were her own.
Sesshomaru was making his way back toward her stomach and taking his good old time about it. She snarled demanding he at least tell her why he was molesting her. Kagome was delighted when the youkai lord looked up lazily his lips bloody.
She blinked at him taking in his red eyes. She realized belatedly that she could see red around the edges of her own vision. There was a sharp pain against her hip followed by a pop. She gasped in disbelief when Sesshomaru lifted her ripped silk panties; the same panties she had slaved and worked hard create after working to earn money to pay for the silk, and then spent hours working to make them just perfect.
He eyed the fabric and sniffed at her underwear curiously. Kagome literally saw red rush into her vision as she screamed at the top of her lungs. "You hentai, you fuckin- you ripped my panties. I'll hang you up by your balls, I swear on your life you bastard!"
He glanced at her and with the flick of his wrist tossed the underwear aside like the trash they now were. He crawled over her and pressed his lips to hers, determined to make her shut up. Kagome screamed into the kiss bucking angrily.
He held her in the kiss against her will his thigh pressed between her legs as he struggled to hold her down. Her movements became lethargic after a few moments of fighting without air. In a spark of desperation, she bit his lip, receiving another dose of his blood and her own with sweet hints of poison. He hissed and pulled back as she gasped for breath, the fight leaving her as air was returned to her starved lungs.
He shifted and found the silk of his pants clinging to his thigh. He tugged absently at the fabric and found it wet. Wiping his hand across the wet silk, he brought his hand to his face and sniffed. He raised an eyebrow at Kagome who had suddenly gained enough strength to snarl.
Did she not realize what she had done to his leg?
She panted for breath her face flushed and angry. He highly doubted she didn't feel something but she did seem determined to skillfully ignore what her body was telling her. He reached between them and rubbed his finger between slick folds. She bucked against his hand before she could stop herself. He brought liquid covered hand up, rubbing it between his fingers right in her line of sight.
She flushed and bared blunt teeth at him, determined to cover her shock and shame with anger. Kagome could not move, and her body was against her. He was going to make her see the error of denying her body what it wanted, at least until he was satisfied.
His fingers found their way between her legs again stroking the folds of skin experimentally. Her body arched, locked up, before giving a long shudder. It wasn't long before he was focusing solely on the sensitive nub that made her eyes roll in bliss against her will. Long nimble fingers rubbed quickly against the sensitive flesh and she hissed pressing her legs together tightly. He was only encouraged.
"Sesshomaru stop, w-what's wrong with you," Kagome asked helplessly. He obviously wasn't listening.
'I need to stop this, he's not in his right mind' she thought frantically, relieved to find herself in a logical mindset.
She tried to call her powers. Her skin glowed making Sesshomaru pause. Kagome gave a gasp as a jolt of pain shot through her body followed by sparks of red youki to suppress her miko powers.
Kagome hissed and tried again only for her own powers to shock her. She whimpered in confusion and fear.
'My powers, what is going on?' she thought frantically. Sesshomaru seemed to have sensed her distress because he backed off a bit. Kagome hissed quietly, suddenly unwilling to fight as Sesshomaru lapped her neck a few times to sooth, but his hand was back down and working over time between her thighs.
Kagome gave a sharp gasp, her vision flickering and her hips jerking up to meet his hand before she could gain control of herself again.
"You bastard what is wrong with you. Do you want to kill me or fuck me" she spat.
He snorted and she realized in outrage that he could understand her, but he was choosing not to respond. It completely and conveniently slipped her mind that demons in such a state of mind couldn't really talk.
"Sssho-" he kissed her, silencing her protests. She gave a muffled scream of outrage. He bit her lip drawing blood, a repayment for her doing the same to him earlier. She yanked at her restraints angrily. The youki that had been passed on to her, leapt to the surface, and lashed out against him.
It smacked into his shoulder burning him and then into his arm. He shrugged the horai top off and tossed its tattered remains aside, his burns could be taken care of later. He was much stronger than she was, and it showed when he easily pushed her youki back for his own safety. Sesshomaru covered his mouth with her own and slid his tongue into her mouth, giving her something else to focus on while he slid a finger in her.
She yelped into their kiss, but was quickly fighting him off again. He growled his pleasure, the rumble traveling through her pinned form. She arched without thinking, pressing her breast to his bare chest. He added another finger and she only hissed to let him know her displeasure. Another finger only made her gasp for breath.
He was quickly winning the fight against her. She began to lose the strength to ignore the pleasure, as his fingers worked and pushed her dangerously close to the edge. She was gasping into the kiss now, whimpering. Her hips moved with his hand. She was a challenge even in the act of mating. For that, he praised her lavishly kissing and licking her neck.
She kicked at the ground her body suddenly beginning to tense up. Her eyes rolled back as hoarse cry spilled from her lips.
Sudden pain shot through her almost immediately killing her intense pleasure. She blinked panting and gasping heavily. Her throat was hurting, her ears ringing, and a hand free, digging blunt nails into the pale skin of Sesshomaru's shoulder.
She vaguely realized she had screamed and area between her legs was throbbing painfully. Freedom had more meaning now, and so she looked toward her still trapped wrist. She slid her free arm from her kimono sleeve and reached for the bruised limb. The Mokomoko had tightened around her still trapped wrist; she quickly realized she wasn't getting free without Sesshomaru's permission.
Blinking blearily, she turned a glare on him. He paid her no mind and was instead staring down between them. His pants having mysteriously vanished, he held her hips up and pressed firmly to his own, while her legs lay draped over his arms. He shifted against her and Kagome groaned in pain and let her head fall back in disbelief and exhaustion.
Sesshomaru leaned forward testing the position. Pressing her legs to her chest, she groaned again when pain shot through her. He sucked at her lip, she might have thought it an apology had her partner been anyone else. Finally, he shifted his hips forward with hers. She hissed in pain but he kept moving.
He had set a steady pace in her when she finally found the state of mind to speak!
"Damnit, why me" she breathed. He pressed his lips to hers in a spare moment having learned early on that she liked to kiss. She broke away and she arched with a groan, licking her swollen lips. He scrapped his fangs across her throat, not caring that he drew thin lines of blood.
"When you're back to normal," she breathed in his ear, her body humming and twisting with strange sensations that sent her mind to cloud nine, "I'm going to cut your balls off. Damn Inu and their instincts" she gave a groan when he gave a few well-timed rolls of his hips. She knew now what was wrong with the youkai lord, but couldn't bring herself to be angry when he was doing such wonderful things with his tongue and hips.
"If you want to kill me after this you-" He snorted again before pressing her legs as far back as they would go and grinding into her a good few minutes. She screamed in surprise, pressing a hand to his chest to stop him, slow him down, beg him not to go so deep. Her hand to his chest only seemed to encourage him so she tried dragging her nails across his skin.
He growled, she wanted to fight? He leaned in closer and she gasped breathlessly as she was left with little air and Sesshomaru was positioning himself to make it worse. She knew enough about sex to guess exactly what he was doing. "Wait! Don't you dare you asshole." Her protests became a wail when Sesshomaru finally had set himself up and was driving into her much deeper than before. Kagome's vision swirled and the lack of air was not helping things. she closed her eyes and rode out the sensations, knowing she wouldn't be screaming at anyone unless she wanted to pass out. They groaned together lost in mindless pleasure before he backed off dropping her legs and allowing her more air.
He got what he wanted though. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist and he was quick to reward her. Kagome hissed sharply when he took a peaked breast in his mouth sucking on the neglected flesh. She groaned in bliss lacing her fingers in his hair as they moved.
His tongue found the space between her breasts. She lifted her head to see what he was doing now. "I-I think I should just give up." she rasped lacing a hand in his white hair. He purred his delight and Kagome only dropped her head back to the ground and let him continue.
"Sesshomuroo" her vision was going red again. "Inu and their instinks…" she grumbled stumbling over her words. She pulled him close and locked her lips with his; they pulled apart for air minutes later.
"I hate you."
She felt his grin against her throat.
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(7/22/12) (8/6/2022)