Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of its characters, etc, etc. You know the drill, people. They're not mine!
Wind-Blown
Chapter 1
"Kikyou!" The cry was deafening across the battlefield as the blood-soaked hanyou raced towards the failing miko. Unfortunately for Inuyasha, Naraku's barrier was still strong, and Sesshoumaru watched as his half-brother was thrown violently backwards, skidding across the dry earth like some discarded rag doll. It was pathetic, really, to watch the desperate boy try to save the dead woman he had loved so long ago, but in the end it was of no concern to the taiyoukai. Instead, he turned his attention to the wild, swinging tentacles that had sprouted from the body of the vile half-demon that was the source of their troubles.
"Kukuku... This battle is futile, Inuyasha. You will all die in the end," Naraku laughed as he easily repelled the weakening attacks of the determined priestess.
"Don't be too sure about that!" Suddenly an arrow came blazing through the air, connecting cleanly with the body of the half-breed at the same time that Kagome jumped from Kirara's back, landing amidst the wreckage that had suddenly become Naraku. Surprisingly, her first reaction to her landing was to help Kikyou, then both mikos, past and present, rushed forward towards the core of their hated enemy. Sesshoumaru, still fending off the tentacles, glanced over in time to see the twin souls grasp onto the wretched demon, light exploding forth and blanketing the entire battlefield. Grudgingly, the inutaiyoukai brought a hand up to shield his eyes, all the while hearing the frantic shouts of his younger brother.
When the light finally died, he could see the two women surrounded by the floating remnants of the tentacles and body. The miko known as Kagome was clutching both the completed Shikon Jewel and the withering body of Kikyou to her breast, watching as the now-disembodied head snarled down at them. "You'll pay for that, girl..."
Those green eyes were thrust into the air at that point, right at him, and he skillfully sheathed Toukijin before reaching for the dull blade of Tenseiga. The sword pulsed with understanding and anticipation as he stepped forward, and, in one clean sweep, brought the blade sweeping across of the mess of broken body parts, cutting apart the pallbearers that accompanied the fused souls. After all, Naraku was nothing more than a mass of demons and one human long dead.
The pieces separated before their eyes, becoming newly reformed youkai- the same that had originally fused with the thief Onigumo fifty years prior- and, in one spot where Naraku's core had been, the flabbergasted form of the same thief who had brought so much hell to the lives of so many. At the same time the monk and taijiya rushed forward to assist the two mikos, the houshi throwing up his own barrier around the small group. Now it was up to Inuyasha, and he wasted no time in taking his cue and rushing forward, springing up above his enemy with a snarl on his lips.
"Fucking die, you bastards!" The hanyou looked brilliant as he sailed through the air, sword brandished and silver hair billowing out behind him, golden eyes fierce beneath the rays of dawn. Even Sesshoumaru could not deny that his brother looked valiant in that moment, though he would never admit anything of the sort. He watched passively as Tetsusaiga made a wide arc, hearing the words on his brother's lips long before they were spit into the air. "Kaze no KIZU!" And then there was what he could only describe as a deafening silence as power exploded from the blade, wiping out everything in it's path- demon or human. Faintly, just before he disappeared into the blast, the two brothers could hear Onigumo's last words.
"You planned this all along, you filthy half-breed..." And then there was nothing but oblivion.
As the dust from the final blow began to settle, Sesshoumaru sniffed at the air, finding it tainted with the burn of Tetsusaiga, but free of Naraku's stench... almost. He whirled as his sensitive nose caught a wisp of a scent on the air- something familiar that he had not smelled for some time now. Surely the notion was ridiculous, but...
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" He turned as he heard his name, seeing the small, excited form of Rin rushing towards him at unnatural speeds. Had the girl always run so fast before? "Sesshoumaru-sama, Rin is so happy to see you are okay!"
"Rin." It was his only response- his way of greeting the child. She beamed up at him as though her face were permanently stuck that way.
"Is it really over?" His attention turned to the crippled form of Kikyou as she spoke, the woman still clutched protectively in the other girl's arms. It was peculiar, seeing the two in such a position, as he knew as well as the next person that both had always been at war for the heart of his imbecile brother. Now, they seemed to have reached an unspoken understanding with each other.
"Yes... Yes, it's over," came Kagome's whispered response. By that time Inuyasha had stumbled over, wounds from the battle oozing with long-forgotten blood. He only had eyes for the two women before him.
"Hm... It is well, then, that my time here is also over." Her eyes closed momentarily, and Sesshoumaru could sense that she was resigned to her fate. "It seems hell can wait no longer. I have done my duty, taken my revenge. The jewel has been purified and is safe in the proper hands." Those eyes opened once more, and she looked to Inuyasha, her gaze decidedly soft, before shifting to take in the sight of the woman who held her. "...Take care of him." Without warning, those eyes closed one last time and that body suddenly crumbled into dust, leaving both hanyou and future miko stunned.
When Inuyasha realized what had happened, the cry that tore from his body was heart-wrenching and bitter. In response, Kagome leaned forward and drew the distressed hanyou to her, a sob of her own escaping her throat as she stroked the silky silver hair beneath her hands. Both continued to sit that way until the taiyoukai directed his attention toward other things, drawing the awed child at his side away as well.
"Is Inuyasha-sama alright, Sesshoumaru-sama?" He looked down at Rin's wide-eyed stare, the beginnings of tears in those large, brown orbs. The child rarely cried, and he found it awkward when he instinctually reached down to brush the foreign objects from her normally bright eyes. "He is very sad, isn't he?" He gave no answer to the girl, simply beginning to move off, already forgetting the battle that had just taken place. Naraku was gone- it was the only truth he needed to know.
"Come, Rin, we're going." He saw Jaken in the distance as they walked. He could guess that the toad-like servant had wasted no time in retrieving Ah-Un after the battle, seeing the two demons waiting side-by-side for their lord and master. Rin followed obediently behind, but her usual cheer had dissipated for the time being. She had been fond of the deceased miko. She was fond of most everyone she met.
Prepared to depart as soon as they reached the two underlings, he stopped suddenly as that same scent grazed his nose once again. The sharp smell of wind. His gaze shot skyward, half expecting to see an over-sized feather floating there, crimson eyes watching his, but there was nothing except for clear sky. She was dead after all, killed by the very creature that had created her. He had been there, seen her sitting in the field by herself as the life force slowly drained from her body. He had tried to save her, but even Tenseiga could not revive a life that was not real to begin with. She had died with a smile on her lips. "Kagura..." The name came unbidden to him, and he spoke it as an afterthought, face and disposition as stony and impassive as ever, brushing the thought aside.
As he once again prepared to depart, he heard yet another voice call out to him. "Sesshoumaru!" Internally frowning, he turned to see Inuyasha standing, clutching both his wounds and the girl at his side. There was a moment of silence as the two brothers paused to consider one another before he continued. "Thanks." The inuyoukai blinked- the only hint of surprise one could find- before turning one last time and taking off into the air. Inuyasha knew better than to expect a response from his older brother, but it was enough. That was their measure of peace with each other. That was their acknowledgment of the other. It was enough.
The battle was finally over.
They arrived at the castle somewhere around midday, Rin wordlessly retreating to her room after dismounting from Ah-Un. The little girl had not spoken since leaving the battle site, thoroughly worrying Jaken to the point where he was now annoying Sesshoumaru with his ranting and raving over the child.
"Really, my lord, she must be ill! Perhaps I should fetch a healer to take a look at her. I've never heard her be so quiet. I hope see does not cause too much trouble with her illness, it would be a-"
"Jaken." The toad-like demon paused as he heard his master's voice, looking up in question.
"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama?"
The next moment anyone who looked closely enough at the castle of Sesshoumaru could see a green figure flying through the air and over the castle walls.
Retreating inside the confines of his home, Sesshoumaru found himself heading towards the quarters he had provided for Rin when she first came to live with him. His delicate ears easily picked up the sounds of her sobs long before he reached the door, but he ignored them and entered without warning.
He considered the child for a time, silent in his presence and reluctant to disturb her while she cried. She was curled up in the corner of the room, face buried in her arms and sobbing loudly, oblivious to his intrusion. He knew much about human emotions, surely, but very little about how to comfort and ease those sentiments. Did it do to let her cry? She would surely continue into exhaustion, which would provide some peace and quiet for the time being, but on the other hand... "Rin." The dark-haired girl jumped to her feet as she heard her name, furiously wiping tears away with the sleeve of her kimono.
"Y-yes, Sesshoumaru-sama?" He could see her lip tremble as she answered, her face scrunched together in a wretched look that did not suit her chipper attitude. He found that he did not like it when she cried. Indeed, he did not.
He stepped forward wordlessly until he was towering over Rin's small form, watching as she tried her best to maintain a tear-free, content face. Of course, she failed miserably, the tears rolling down her checks even as she struggled against them. Sesshoumaru found himself frowning ever so subtly at the girl, which did not improve the situation as she interpreted the action to mean he was cross with her. At a loss for what to do next, the taiyoukai seated himself gracefully on the fine wooden planks of the floor, motioning for Rin to follow. "Sit with me." She obeyed with a nod and a few choked sobs, that familiar sleeve reaching up to wipe at her never-ending tears every so often. "You are upset at the miko's passing?" A small, indiscernible nod was her only answer. "Would it please you to erect a funeral pyre?" The sobs abruptly stopped, and she stared at him in wonder.
"Sesshoumaru-sama would do such a thing for Rin?" It was his turn to nod, and the next action surprised the inuyoukai as his young charge all but launched herself at him, grappling his waist and haori as though they were lifelines. "This Rin thanks you!" The tears had returned in that moment and were already soaking through the portions of his haori where her cheeks touched. Irritation washed over his being and he, more gently than was his nature, drew the girl back to look her in the eye.
"I will have no more of this." To emphasize his meaning, he flicked tears from her cheeks, causing the girl to straighten and pull away. Completely rubbing away the remnants of her sorrow, she smiled widely up at him.
"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama! This Rin will not cry anymore!" Yes, smiling suited her much better than tears.
The fire licked the air as dusk settled over the Western Lands, dancing happily as the rather glorious pyre created a permanent scorch in the earth beneath it. Rin watched joyously from the castle, singing and praying for the soul of the priestess Kikyou as Sesshoumaru stood solemnly by, silently saying his own prayers for the deceased miko. It would not do for the lord not to show respect for a sacred woman such as Kikyou, no matter how long dead, when a pyre was erected.
It had taken the better part of the day to piece the tribute together, and Rin had gladly helped in the task, surveying the building as though she had suddenly become the master. Sesshoumaru had left her to her devices of ordering the servants around, and had been pleased to see a fine structure had been created at the end of the day. His young protégé had done well, and now they were enjoying the sight together. Surely now the miko would be able to rest in peace, her soul finally complete inside the woman named Kagome.
It struck Sesshoumaru as ironic to think that, in the end, Kikyou was still able to love his worthless brother through a girl who was, by all means, the miko herself. And it was only fitting. No other could love the stubborn half-breed, after all, than a woman just as obstinate as he.
Turning away from the pyre, he stepped towards the confines of the castle, intent on settling down for a time of meditation to ease the tensions of the day. In that moment the wind wrapped around him like a blanket, playing with the fire as well as his hair. He abruptly halted in his steps and looked out at the quiet night. That scent again...
With little warning he sprang into the night air and into the forest beyond the castle walls, following the scent closely. Surely it was a mere trick- an act of deceit meant to draw him out, but he could not ignore that familiar call. She was long dead, and so the sudden reappearance of that scent intrigued him. It was nothing more than that.
He landed gracefully where the scent was strongest, glancing at his surroundings with careful, precise vision. There, hidden amongst the shadows of the trees. A hand dropped instinctually to the hilt of Toukijin and he stepped towards the hidden figure. "It is no use hiding. Show yourself." He heard the low, familiar laugh, accompanied by a rustle of brush, watching carefully as a lone figure stepped out from the shadows and into the moonlight. He tensed as his speculations were confirmed.
"I see you haven't changed, Sesshoumaru. Still the same as always." The voice was a low alto, almost seductive in its tones. Outlined in silver, he could see the deep crimson of those eyes staring at him through the night.
Like him, some things never changed.
"Kagura..."
AN- New fanfic. . Yeah, it's a SessKagu. I don't know why, but I've always really loved this pair, and I was really sad when Kagura died in the manga. No worries, all will be explained very soon about her reappearance. Thanks for reading!