"Will you just be quiet for a damn second? If you don't stop, I won't be able to tend your injuries, which, by the way, you wouldn't have if you had listened to me, but, no, you and your dog-male-pride going on..."
"Wench, stop your blabbing and refrain from touching this Sesshomaru".
Of course Kagome never stopped being the demon's nurse, not that day, not in all the others that came after. But it will serve no good to start here. After all, it took near four months for them to reach this very day.
May
Kagome was approaching her eighteenth birthday and, although nearly a grown woman, she never neglected the joy of becoming a year older, after all it was her very favorite day in the whole year and, amazingly, the day she usually got a lot of gifts, not that she cared, oh, well, who would be fouled, all she cared about were the birthday presents...
Only a few weeks to go, I can't believe! The last time I went home I think I saw mom and Souta whispering, that, for sure, means that I getting a birthday surprise! Oh, gosh, I need to start practicing my surprise face! That will be so...
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh"
"Wench, I told you one hundred and twenty five times to look where you're riding that damned bike, one of these days I won't be near you to..."
"To what, Inuyasha? Mock me because I fell again? Because if you haven't noticed this time all you're doing is yelling at my face. Gosh, you are such a jerk". Kagome yelled at the hanyo while getting herself up and scrubbing her aching elbow.
"It is not my fold if you keep on daydreaming all along and don't look after yourself. I know you are a poor weak human bitch, but you should at least be more careful, because if you get hurt will have to get back to Kaede's and postpone my chance to kill that damned Naraku..." Now this it the part where Inuyasha finally looks back at Kagome's eyes and notice that unique glint that means no good. He instantly flatted his ears against his head trying not to listen to the "S" word. But it didn't help.
"Inuyasha, SIT. Gosh, how could you say such things? Sit, sit, sit, sit. You are getting a life time 'sit' commands for that... SIT, SIT, SIT, SIT, SIT!"
Kagome got her bike up, turned back and started heading the old miko's village. After that she was definitely taking a couple of days for herself at home. Inuyasha stood behind for good fifteen minutes, while under the subjugation spell. As soon as possible, he started screaming.
"Kagome, get your ass back here, wench, we are not going to get back, it has only been a week. It is not fair at all. Damn it".
"Inuyasha, if I were you, I'd be glad Kagome stopped saying the "S" word already, I mean, you were really rude to her..." Shippoo said.
"Just shut the..."
"Inuyasha", the monk said, "you should not curse in front of Shippoo, he is only a child".
"Yes", Sango agreed, "it is not nice to teach him such vocabulary".
"Ah, I knew it. Everybody is against me".
Miroku, Sango and Shippoo hurried a bit and started back on track, by Kagome's side. Kagome noticed that Inuyasha was still behind and felt sorry for him. Oh, gosh, I guess I was a little bit harsh on him, I mean, it's not his fold that he is a bit rude...
"Inuyasha..." Kagome whispered, looking back to an empty road. Inuyasha wasn't following them anymore. It only took her a glance up to see that Kikyo's soul catchers weren't too far from the group's current location.
"Oh, Kagome, he shouldn't..."
"It's all right, Sango, there is nothing we can do about it, right?" Kagome said and stopped for a second, as if thinking of something, and then she sticks her index finger in her chin and completes:
"Well, as we'll be waiting for him, we might as well have some lunch, right guys?"
"Ooooooooooohh... I loved the idea... Hm... Kagome, can I have Inuyasha's ramen?"
"Of course you can, Shippoo, that way he will learn a small lesson, won't he?"
Kagome started to prepare everyone's meal but hers, the truth is that she wasn't really in the mood to eat much, so she thought to herself it would be a good idea to lunch later. Oh, Kami, I don't understand why Inuyasha keeps on running after Kikyo. I mean, she is dead for heavens sake... Am I not good enough for him? And with that line of thought Kagome felt a pang in her heart, but she held it through all the cooking. Once everyone had its meal, Kagome gathered her bathing supplies. Maybe a good long bath will make me better...
"Miroku, was it near by that we saw a hot spring?" Kagome asked the monk, who currently was with his mouth full of ramen.
"Humm humm hummm..." The monk tried to voice without swallowing his food.
"For Kami's sake, Miroku, eat first", then, turning to Kagome, "yes, Kagome, it's right after that huge tree". Sango pointed. "Can you see it?"
"Oh... That leafless one? Got it! I'll be back in five, ok?" Kagome said, already happier with the idea of a good shower.
"Don't you want some company, my lovely miko-sama?"
"Keep it to you, monk."
Kagome giggled to her friend's behavior. They were definitely in love, and they couldn't even see it. It was so damn cute. All I wish was to be this blind... Kagome thought to herself.
At the hot spring Kagome slowly undressed herself and got into the water. It was a slightly chilly day. Of course it was sunny, but yet there was this wind that kept blowing, only to mess with the girls' hair and enough to dry any clothes recently washed. There was no need for heavier clothes, only Kagome's every day school uniform. But being inside the spring, with warm water was a great felling. Especially because the spring was located between trees, so the sun couldn't reach the grass and it stayed constantly wet and icy. As the water was warmer then the wind, soft mists circulated throughout the hot spring area.
Quite easy to picture out an unbelievable green grass and trees surrounding, making it look like a secret place, holly at least. Kagome relaxed and started humming some song she couldn't quite remember the lyrics, but the melody was sweet and intoxicating and traveled through the woods until it reached a certain Lord's hearing.
Lord Sesshomaru was sitting under a tree watching his ward try helplessly to decorate a green toads head with a bunch of yellow daises, it was quite an amusing view to follow the toads yearning eyes with a mix of need to kick the girl and fear of his lord. Quite a spirit this one has. She will be strong one day. Sesshomaru mused about Rin.
And then he listened to it. It was so catching yet soft. He couldn't help but close his eyes and drift into the melody. This it... Good... He kept daydreaming in this forest sound until he suddenly woke up only to find out that he had actually drifted into a light slumber in the middle of the day. It must no have been too much time. Rin is yet trying to adorn the toad's head. But this song must be some sort of spell, a strong one, there must be a hidden enemy around here. Someone even I could not detect.
"Jaken, watch the girl. If something happens to her, you shall pay it dearly". And Sesshomaru left an astonished Jaken and a still decorating Rin behind and ran into the forest looking for the source of the intoxicating melody. This being shall die now, by my claws.
The plan was easy, flawless, and perfect in every way. It would be the easiest thing to track down the stupid singing being and slice it in so many pieces that even it's mother wouldn't be able to recognize it.
Nothing, not even in all his training years during childhood could possibly have prepared him for that damn ridiculous, horrible and unbelievable beautiful scene. In all his rage he did nothing but stand there, presence masked, stupefied, petrified, only reduced as a eyewitness of a astonishing beauty.
That was until... Well, dare to imagine. When Sesshomaru got to the hot spring Kagome was leaving the water, her hair, longer, nearing her midsection, was wet and somehow attached tot her over exposed skin. Although Sesshomaru didn't get to see much because the traveling years with the most lecherous monk alive made Kagome quite quick as matters of dressing after a shower. And it's this crucial moment that made Sesshomaru hate his proper guts.
As soon as the miko was fully dressed our favorite demon lord recognized her. 'Inuyasha's ningen'. He thought to himself. Disgust overcame his actions, he did nothing but leave. What could he possibly do now? A few seconds earlier he was absolutely hypnotized for her voice and now, for all the breathing, healthy, female beings throughout the world the one to catch his attention had to be a weak, despicable, easily disposable human wench, and Inuyasha's one to top it all. That was just too damn disappointing.
And to think that I actually considered letting the source of the music to live. That sounds just impossible now. I couldn't allow any of them to live. They are the traveling companions of the source of all shame in my family's heritage. And the one that holds my sword-to-be.
Kagome felt a presence near the hot spring and even though it didn't seem to be a treacherous one, she decided it was already time to get back to the camp and to her friends. After all, it's been nearly an hour that I'm here... They might be worried.
When she reached the camp, she saw that Inuyasha was back, seemingly untouched and unnerved with the morning events. So typical. Kagome thought to herself. But she didn't have time to argue with him at all. In the moment she stepped into the camp area she saw Inuyasha stand up in a flash and grab Tensaiga's hilt.
"Someone is coming and fast. It smells like Naraku".
With the warning Kagome concentrated to fully understand the approaching enemy. 'Concentrate... Breathe in... Eliminate all the other thoughts in your mind... Breathe out... Now you'll be able to see what is near your sensing area. Every time you practice, every time you push it further, longer you'll be able to see'.
Kagome remembered old Kaede's advice concerning her miko skills. And, oh boy, she had improved them in this three years in the feudal era.
"It's weird. Seems to have three auras approaching, but I can only feel two darkened youkis."
"And what about the jewel, Kagome?" Miroku asked. And Inuyasha also looked back, to see Kagome's answer.
She was a bit startled when she felt the jewel shards. Could this be real? Naraku had never done this before. It is just too damn weird...
"I'm not too sure... It feels like there are at least 10 different fragments heading this way"
"But if that was true, Naraku must have had disposed of at least half of his shards. Why could he possibly have done that?" Sango asked, while seating at the transformed Kirara.
"Well, get yourselves ready. This won't be easy at all, now they've reached my sensing area... I'm afraid that Kagome-sama is quite correct in her presumptions". Miroku said, already holding on to his holly beads.
The first thing they had to deal with was a great mass of lesser youkais, almost shapeless crowd trying to devour them. One thing they've learnt of this strategy, Naraku only wanted to toy and tire them.
At first Miroku opened his kazana and sucked a great part of the crowd. But in a few minutes Kagura arrived bringing Naraku's bees with her. Although the group had already divided their forces: Kagome, Sango and Miroku would deal with the youkais and Inuyasha would try to get Kagura. In the end it wasn't necessary because Kagura never stroke at them. She just stood in the air, above the fighting mass, watching. If only they knew why...
As soon as the youkais were destroyed they felt some sort of earthquake.
"Gee, it fells like there is something really, really big coming!" Shippoo said, from his safely forged protection barrier.
Kagome felt the hair of her neck stand up, and in an unbelievable bad way.
"What ever happens, just stay where you are, ok Shippoo?" Kagome warned the fox kit.
"Ok, okaa-san". Kagome looked back and gave Shippoo a reassuring smile. It's the very fist time he calls me that, I just wish I could hug him to death right now. Kagome thought with the smile still lingering in her face.
The new minion Naraku created stepped out of the forest. It was an unbelievable massive youkai. It would definitely reach the third flow of a modern Tokyo building. (Ok, sorry for the lame example, I'm Brazilian and over here we use meters as a way to number up heights, I didn't know how to transform it into foot-tall kind of measure). It was a grotesque being, seemingly human, but with only one huge eye take extended from his forehead until his apparently toothless mouth and, yes, it didn't have a nose. It was just a bizarre thing.
He came down full force on the friends, trying to hit them with his hand. Inuyasha grabbed Kagome and jumped out of the way and Miroku just ducked to escape, but Sango didn't have enough time to run and was hit. She was thrown into a tree that was near by and stayed there apparently unconscious. The beast went after Inuyasha that was preparing to hit it with Kase-no-kizo (Tetsuaiga's attack). Meanwhile Miroku went to Sango, to see how she was, luckily, he thought, she was really just unconscious.
If things weren't just horrible as they were, because any of the gang's attack seemed to do any harm on the beast, all of suddenly it started to blow off some weird darkened-energy balls. Miroku grabbed Sango and left her nearer Shippoo so that the fox kit could drag her into the barrier and then the monk when back to aid Inuyasha and Kagome.
Inuyasha and Kagome were with a kick-ass bad luck. None of Tetsuaiga's attack seemed to harm the beast and Kagome's arrows weren't enough to scratch its skin. Inuyasha was up and down, jumping, dodging and screaming the swords attack amongst some obscenities.
"Inuyasha, think before you act. Let's combine our attacks, ok?" Kagome screamed.
But the hanyo was too far involved with his fight to listen. Kagome opened her mouth again to yell at Inuyasha, but she never got to because Naraku's minion spit another energy ball at the offending hanyo. Miroku, who was quite near Inuyasha, tried to push him aside, but it only served to make them both as target.
"Oh my God". Kagome ran towards them, with tears in her eyes. Are they dead?.
She never got to reach them. Kagura decided it was a good time to step into the fight.
"Now, Korumaruo, be still, let me talk to the miko first". Kagura said in a cold tone to the beast.
"Astounded, miko? It's quite a son, my master created, isn't it?"
"Will you shut up Kagura? Can't you see the Naraku controls you? Aren't you tired of being bossed around? Let me tend to my friends".
"Now, now, you are not in position of telling me what to do, are you, ningen? If you want so bad to touch this miserable half-breed then hand me your shards and I'll be on my way. Otherwise I'll them and you killed by Korumaruo's hand".
"Never!" Kagome answered in a whisper while she grabbed her last arrow and shot straightly into Korumaruo's eye. Kagome had thought that only by hitting its eye that she would bring the beast into a more vulnerable position. How could she be so wrong?
When the arrow hit its target, Korumaruo screamed horribly and in a maddened state he just ripped his eye out. Kagome thought she would faint right away. She had never in her whole life seen anything so disgusting before.
"So be it, Miko". Kagura said before flying off, but not before adding. "Leave anyone alive, Korumaruo, or your life shall end today".
The beast roared and started to run towards Kagome. She waited for her sure death. But it never came.
Sesshomaru got in the way and started fighting with Korumaruo leaving and extremely dumbfounded miko. The Lord demon stroke with an unbelievable grace and power. Suddenly it clicked to her.
"Where is the little girl?"
"That is none of your concern, miko". He said back, with a voice that let anything but boredom escape. As if he is playing chess with an inexperienced child...
"You are saving my friends and me, the least I can do is look after her". She yelled back.
He dodged and attacked Korumaruo, making a huge cut on Korumaruos back.
"This Sesshomaru is most certainly not rescuing anybody".
Kagome huffed and spotted a green toad and a small little girl by the forest. She ran and grabbed her and the youkai.
"How dare you, put me down, stupid miko". Jaken yelled and tried to kick Kagome.
"Will you shut up and be still or I'll drop you". She said between gasps, because she was running as fast as she could.
"Everything will be ok. Will you two just stay in here until its safe. Could you do that for me?"
Kagome tried to sound as motherly like as possible so not to frighten the little girl.
"Its ok Kagome, I'll look after her". Shippoo said in a very protective instance.
Rin just nodded and agreed. Then Kagome turned to a much unsatisfied Jaken.
"And you will stay here and protect them with your life, otherwise I'll kill you myself, ok?"
Jaken thought that the miko might as well have the power to purify his ass decided to obey. Meanwhile, Sesshomaru was starting to feel Korumaruos strength. Not that he thought he could be beaten, but it would be a hard fight, especially because Naraku's minions stink like dead animals. But the stoic demon lord couldn't help but to smirk face to the mikos fierceness in yelling at the toad.
Kagome ran around, collecting a few arrows before starting to shoot again. Korumaruo attacked Sesshomaru and Tokijin fell far from its master. Now that was unnecessary Sesshomaru thought grabbing Tesaigas hilt - the sword of life, sister of Tetsuaiga. When Sesshomaru stroke the miko also shoot a purifying arrow. The timing of the attacks weren't combined, but their strength made Korumaruo turn into ashes.
"Uou". Was the only thing Kagome could say. When she turned to Sesshomaru, he was already by the forest limit, and there was a little girl and a green toad running after him.
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