Atrapados by JeniNeji

Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

Beta-Reader: Lillian

Atrapados

Chapter 7:

Sesshomaru had Kagome on his lap, his hair hiding most of her. A few meters from him Midoriko sat reclining against her sword, which she had dug into the muddy terrain. The warrior in her was there, just a layer beneath her skin.

She was upset, too. All the time her eyes would narrow and she would scowl in disgust at their nearness. The truth was that it had come as a surprise to him that he didn’t feel repulsed to have this miko tucked against him. Of course, he had a lot of reasons to defend her and secure her life, but somehow, he wondered if that was enough.

“Don’t you care that she’s a miko?” Midoriko asked suddenly, brown eyes peering at him.

Sesshomaru’s eyes moved to her, and he tilted his head a little. He could understand her reluctance at this behavior, but the time she had lived in was very different. Although he didn’t indulge in the flesh with humans, he had Rin, and he knew human-youkai and even youkai-miko or miko-hanyou relationships had grown usual lately. Youkai race was diminishing and youkai always searched for power. Miko were the most powerful of human.

He had some reasons to be near Kagome and to even call upon Midoriko to join. Midoriko was supposed to be stronger than Kagome, but her hatred was unfounded and it made her weak. A miko should be a forgiving and kind person. Midoriko was, though she maybe didn’t know it, already a tainted miko. Still, she could battle these youkai or at least hold them at bay in case another fight broke soon. He couldn’t defeat them and protect Kagome at the same time. Midoriko would protect Kagome too, he was sure, for she had finally found someone whom she could relate to. In between these youkai, Kagome was practically Midoriko’s only way out of this insanity.

“No,” Sesshomaru said at last, “The world has changed, Midoriko.”

Midoriko frowned, “What do you mean? I know the world is…strange…”

“This is not the world Midoriko,” he cut in coldly. “You are trapped inside a Magical Item.”

Midoriko’s face fell and her lips parted in disbelief. “What? How?”

Sesshomaru took a deep breath. “You died, and your soul and the soul of the youkai you killed merged, thus making the strongest magic item in existence,” he explained evenly, bored even, all the while watching how the miko paled. “We are inside of it now.”

After his explanation, Midoriko’s eyes moved from one side to the other, questions flying wildly. “Is that why I can’t purify them?” she asked softly, fearfully. “Why I haven’t seen any other human villages?”

“Yes,” the Taiyoukai said dismissively.

“Then…how do you propose to get out of here?” Midoriko asked with a confused expression, “How do you plan to overpower this magical item?”

Sesshomaru looked down at Kagome who was sleeping peacefully. Her breathing was even now that he had licked clean her wounds, and he could hear the steady rhythm of her heartbeat. “This miko is the keeper of the item,” he explained and then his eyes moved to Midoriko. “The keeper can ask a wish of the Magical Item.”

A dark chuckle escaped Midoriko’s lips. “Then why are the two of you here?” She hugged her legs to her chest with a narrow look on him.

The Taiyoukai glared at her as well, his lips pressed together angrily, “We are losing our powers. She needs to think of the wish carefully. A mistake will keep us trapped forever.”

“Huh,” said Midoriko ruefully, upset that her chances to get out seemed so small. She didn’t believe all this, and she wasn’t sure she could trust the words of a youkai so easily. “If I am dead…”

“Then your soul will be free,” interrupted Sesshomaru knowingly, “or do you want to remain here forever?”

Midoriko grimly looked away and kept quiet.

A few minutes later, while the both of them stayed quiet and watched their surrounding Kagome began to shift from where she slept. Sesshomaru stayed still until she awoke and even he was surprised to see her unafraid of him. Then he wondered why, she had no reason to allow this closeness…or did she, like him, had a hidden plan?

“Sesshomaru,” Kagome said softly and slowly sat down. She opened and closer her hand and even stretched her back a little. When she found no pain she looked up at him, “Why am I healed?” she asked curiously and somewhat alarmed. Did she sleep a week?

“That youkai healed you,” said Midoriko cuttingly. “He licked you,” she finally said with a disgusted gesture.

Kagome’s eyes moved up towards Sesshomaru, who was looking at her blankly. After the initial shock, she merely bowed her head with a soft, “Thank you.”

Sesshomaru merely hnn-ed and then looked towards Midoriko disinterestedly. They had spent a lot of time here waiting for Kagome to awake, but they would have to move soon. It wasn’t safe to stay in one place for long.

“Sesshomaru,” Kagome called again, and when he turned towards her she continued, “I think I know what we have to do for me to make the wish.”

Both Midoriko and Sesshomaru turned to her curiously and waited as she gathered her thoughts.

“We are inside the Jewel,” began Kagome somewhat reluctantly, “So…who’s purifying it?” Silence met her question, and it was true, no one had the ability to purify the Jewel now, “My guess is that the Jewel is tainted and so…”

“We have to annihilate the youkai inhabiting it,” finished Sesshomaru evenly.

Kagome nodded tentatively. “More or less,” she said carefully, her blue eyes glancing at Midoriko. “We need to get rid of…tainted things.”

Midoriko froze and her hands hugged her legs closer to her chest. Her brown eyes glared towards their general direction. “You---you are going to kill…me?” The pain was impossible to hide. To think that her own kind would reject her...

Kagome fidgeted on Sesshomaru’s lap for a moment. “Midoriko-sama,” Kagome began nervously, “Can you work with us? Work as a team with an inuyoukai?”

Midoriko’s eyes narrowed, but she said nothing.

To be continued...

JeniNeji's Note:

;/ What a long chapter...