Beyond the Fairytale by prettynina

Sometimes even taiyoukai can faint

It was yet again an otherwise perfect day in the Sengoku Jidai. Warm sun filtered down through the leafy canopy above, setting a picturesque scene that unfortunately went unappreciated by the fuming young woman as she stomped carelessly through the forest.

"I can't friggin' believe that stupid jerk!" Kagome ranted aloud, "How could he?! How could he accuse me of lying about not sensing more shards just so I could take a break from hunting to return home?"

After a while Kagome began to cool off and she looked around realizing just how far she'd gotten away from the others at the campsite. 'Holy crap! I'm almost to the river...I didn't realize I'd gotten so far away.' Sighing, she decided to continue on to the river to sit and think before heading back to the group. 'I just need some time to get my head together and then I'll be ready to face that jerk again.' Finding a place to sit on the riverbank, she sighed again as she plopped down rather gracelessly. 'Inuyasha, I know you're on edge lately but why'd you have to be so mean?' she thought as she stared at her rippling reflection, 'We've been arguing so much lately and today I guess I just couldn't take it anymore. The shard hunt has become so stressful because we haven't been finding any new leads. I haven't sensed them in so long I think we may be closer to our showdown with Naraku than we thought.' Placing a hand in the slow moving river, she smirked, 'I wonder what everyone was thinking when I left? I knew Inuyasha was expecting me to 'sit' him but not this time. Its weird, I was so mad but just punishing him with the subduing spell wasn't gonna help, I really needed to get away from him for a bit I guess. It seems that if I use the spell he thinks that the punishment is enough and that he's forgiven and doesn't need to apologize.' A loud noise jolted her out of her thoughts.

"What was that?" Kagome wondered as she stood and looked in the direction of the loud crash she heard. Her hands tightened on her bow and quiver strap. 'Well, she thought, at least I remembered to take my weapon this time. I should be okay if I just go check it out, right?' Ignoring the little warning voice in her head, she set out to see what had happened. 'Maybe someone is hurt and I can help,' she rationalized, 'and hopefully I'm not too far away for my friends to hear my screams for help.' Foolish or not, she continued to head toward the disturbance.

"When are you going to bring Kagome back, Inuyasha?" whined Shippou.

"Yes, Inuyasha, hasn't she been away long enough? She has her bow and arrows but I'm still concerned afterall we are near the Western lands are we not? What if Sesshoumaru or some other demon happens upon her?" Miroku said calmly. "Yeah stupid! Why'd you have to be so mean to her anyway!! Go get her and bring her back now meanie!" yelled Shippou perched on Miroku's shoulder. Sango shot Miroku a meaningful glance to which he replied with a nod of his head. Sighing, she moved to stand up and gather her hiraikotsu and katana.

"Feh! She's fine for now! I followed her for a bit, she was headed for the river and that's not that far," grumbled Inuyasha. 'Besides I rather she cools off before I go drag her back...I don't want her changing her mind about 'sitting' me', he thought. "Feh!" Inuyasha muttered aloud as he stomped over to a neighboring tree and jumped up to recline on a branch. 'Why didn't she just sit me and get it over with anyway?' he thought to himself. 'Stupid wench is always too emotional for her own good!' A small sharp pain tinged in his gut. His ears flattened to his head and he crossed his arms and frowned. 'Dammit! I refuse to feel bad about it! She should know I didn't mean it like that.' That sharp pain stabbed a bit harder. "Grrrrrrr!" Inuyasha growled and sat up. 'I'll go get her in a second. She's fine.' He landed on the ground in a crouch. 'She's just upset...she wouldn't do anything really stupid, right?' "Dammit all!" he grumbled to the others by the dead campfire, " I'm going to go get the stupid wench!"

"No Inuyasha." said Sango, "I'll go after her and we can talk. She may not want to see you if she's still upset. And after that crap you said I'd say she's still hurt."

"Hmph! Fine wench, do whatever you want." Inuyasha plopped down near Miroku, crossed his arms across his chest and closed his eyes. "Well go on Sango! We don't have all day you know!"

'Damn birds. The incessant chirping is only adding to the ridiculous nature of this situation.' Scowling he took stock of his multitude of injuries and his current limited mobility. Chirp. Chirp. Chirp. 'I'm not healing properly. The damn coward used some kind of unnatural poison on his weapon.' Returning his face to its usual inscrutable mask, he heard someone approaching rather noisily. 'Hn, I doubt its my attacker coming to finish the job. Coward he may be but no one with ill intent toward my person would be so careless in approach even if I am seriously injured.' His golden eyes narrowed as he recognized the scent of the advancing person.

"Oh no!" gasped Kagome. She had finally reached the cause of the sounds she heard earlier. It was Inuyasha's brother Sesshoumaru! "Sesshoumaru?" she said then stepped back at his growl. "Ummm, don't mind me! Heh heh, I didn't mean to disturb you. Really! So let me just turn around and be on my way!" Kagome said with forced cheer as she edged away from the fearsome demon. Taking a step back, she stumbled. Sesshoumaru watched her wind-milling her arms about as she attempted to regain her balance. 'What did I trip over?' Kagome asked herself. Looking down she noticed something metallic partially hidden in the grass. 'Huh? A sword? This isn't Sesshoumaru's sword.' She set her bow down to pick the sword up, she murmured aloud, "What's this doing here?" The blade was still wet with black blood and she tried not to touch the viscous fluid. "That noise I heard before...it was a fight..." she looked back to the demon reclining on the ground his back supported by a great tree, "You're hurt aren't you Sesshoumaru? Who were you fighting?" Not moving any closer Kagome tried to inventory the extent of his wounds. 'What the hell am I doing? I should run away! I know he's hurt but Sesshoumaru could probably still kill me without much effort. Get outta here girl!!' Somewhat reluctantly she slowly backed away a couple of paces only to catch Sesshoumaru's glance.

'So maybe this little human possesses a modicum of intelligence after all. She's smart enough to attempt to flee.' Sesshoumaru made to sit up in a more intimidating posture but immediately regretted it when blazing pain shot through his abdomen and side. He was certain he did not show this weakness on his face but somehow she seemed to sense his hurt anyway. 'Apparently I was too hasty in my earlier conclusion, for she is definitely deficient in mental capacity' he thought as he watched her stop her retreat. He attempted to move again and this time the pain was too much and his vision went black.

"Uh...Sesshoumaru?" No response. "Sesshoumaru? Oh gods I think he... fainted?" She dropped the bloody sword and took another step forward. Then she took another and another until she now stood less than a foot from his body. "I guess he really must be hurt badly for him to pass out. Although I doubt he thinks of me as any kind of real threat," she said aloud sardonically. She stood there watching his unconscious form for a while trying to decide what to do. 'Okay Kagome, he's out cold; this is my chance to get back to the group. He'll be fine. I mean he's a powerful demon lord and really what could I do? I don't have my first aid kit and isn't he supposed to be able to heal fast anyway?' She watched his chest rise and fall with each breath. His wounds were bleeding and they did not seem to be closing up as she thought they would. 'Inuyasha would have such a fit if he knew I helped his brother. I really shouldn't help someone that makes repeated attempts on Inuyasha's and my life. But, I just can't leave someone in pain like this. What if something happens to him while he's defenseless? I'd feel so horrible even if it is Sesshoumaru.' With her mind made up she cautiously began to pull the silk fabric of his clothing away from his wounds, repeatedly glancing up at his face, ready to run if he wakes. Using clean pieces of his hakama she tries to clean out the nastiest wounds from the dirt, congealed blood, and a viscous fluid she couldn't identify.

Rushing through underbrush and around the trees in her path, Sango finally cleared the tree line surrounding the small open area where a monk was defending a small fox kit from an annoyed half-demon. Inuyasha looked up the minute he smelled the worry emanating from her body. "Why isn't Kagome with you Sango" he asked. Stopping a few feet from Miroku, Sango replied, "She wasn't there Inuyasha! I checked up and down the river and called her name and looked in the general area but she's nowhere to be found!"

"What?!" yelled Shippou, "well come on! Something's happened to Kagome! We have to save her!"

"Feh! I'm always saving her ass! Why can't she stay outta trouble!" Inuyasha jumped to the treetops racing to the river to pick up Kagome's scent leaving the others to follow him on Kirara.

The lightning fast swipe of claws abruptly halted Kagome's rescue. "What the hell?!" yelled Inuyasha as he dodged the attack at the last second. He landed on the ground in a crouch. One hand resting on the hilt of tessaiga, he sniffed out his hidden opponent, "Show yourself you fucking bastard so I can send ya to hell!" Kirara landed near Inuyasha with Sango and Miroku on her back. "You are Inuyasha are you not? You hold shards of the shikon, yes?" asked the bat youkai as he appeared from nowhere. "Yeah, I'm Inuyasha and you ain't getting any shards!" the hanyou replied. "And you are mistaken little hanyou! DIE!" And with that, the battle commenced.

Soft and gentle hands were upon his person. There was no need to scent out the person, he knew it was that wretched woman-child who traveled with his half-brother. He didn't bother to open his eyes or otherwise alert her to his wakeful state. He was somewhat curious about her actions and intentions, so Sesshoumaru feigned sleep while intensely following the feel of her fingers as they went about finishing the work of cleaning and bandaging his wounds with strips of cloth ripped from his already tattered hakama.

'Well, its not perfect, but I'm sure its better than nothing' thought Kagome. She brought her arm up to wipe a bit of moisture from her brow. Glancing down at her handy work, she couldn't help but feel a small bit of pride in her abilities. Each of the major wounds that she cleaned were patched as well she could do with the silk strips and they had stopped bleeding as profusely as before. 'Wow, I guess there was something in the cuts that were preventing his wounds from healing on their own. Could he have been poisoned?' she wondered. Kagome sat back on her heels and ran her fingers lightly over the impromptu bandages until she noticed the position of his arm. "What the...?" she said aloud. Sparing a glance at her patient's still face, she kneeled down next to his arm and realized it was bent in a very unnatural angle.

He could feel the surprise in her scent as she inspected his broken arm. Again the light feel of probing human fingers tickled his senses. 'She can't possibly think she can set my arm without waking me. I wonder if I should 'wake' and be finally rid of her misplaced compassion?' Slowly he raised his beautiful lushly lined eyelids and peeked at the young woman who's face was marred by a thoughtful frown. Keeping his breathing even, he was content to stare at her until she realized he was not unconscious.

Feeling the weight of someone's gaze on her, Kagome looked up only to find herself looking right into Sesshoumaru's golden eyes. 'Oh shit!' Kagome froze unable to tear her eyes away from his intense stare. 'Oh man! What am I gonna do? He's awake! He's awake! Gotta run gotta run!' Unfortunately, her body refused to comply with the rush of adrenaline urging her to run for her life. So she remained frozen in a crouch locking eyes with her impromptu patient and now possible killer. 'Run! Run! I've gotta MOVE!!' Internally she screamed and the force of her sense of self-preservation warring with her immobile body caused tears to leak from her eyes in frustration.

Sesshoumaru watched the liquid seep from her frightened eyes with a somewhat detached curiosity. 'Intriguing, she's too frightened to move. I can tell she desires to run but for some reason she cannot. Most amusing.' Raising an eyebrow he said to her, "I believe human, that you were touching my person without permission." Narrowing his eyes, he continued, "Be grateful wench that I am in a lenient mood otherwise your head would no longer be attached to your body for such insolence."

"What? Wha...what did you say?" Kagome sputtered. "I could've left you to die! You were the one bleeding all over and unconscious! I didn't realize I needed permission to help heal someone!" Kagome glared at him, "Even if it that someone is you!" "It is not wise to raise my ire human. This Sesshoumaru does not need your pathetic attempt at healing these insignificant wounds. Do not continue to try my patience. Now leave." Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes a fraction more to up the intimidation factor. Kagome stood up finally able to move her body with the help of righteous indignation. "Are you joking? You were a bloody mess and your only arm is currently broken! Remember, you are the one who fainted from the pain caused by insignificant wounds! I don't care if you don't want my help but don't you dare say you don't need it! If anyone else had happened upon you, even the feared and mighty Lord Sesshoumaru wouldn't have stood a chance!" yelled Kagome. "They wouldn't have cared to help you! And just for your information, with your only arm broken, my head isn't in danger of being severed from my body despite your threats to the contrary!"

"This Sesshoumaru does not need your assistance human! Your kind live for but a short time, you should have enough common sense to not do things to shorten your already minuscule life-span" growled the demon lord. "What", was all she could voice before something incredibly soft and incredibly strong wrapped about her neck like a furry boa constrictor and stole her breath away. "You said that no one else would have cared to help me. This is a smart decision; for this Sesshoumaru is not helpless enough to need the pitiful help of a human wench" he sneered. Standing up using the tree trunk behind him as support, he brought the girl closer. "My patience lessens by the moment girl. Reserve your caring for that foolish hanyou you follow and the rest of your pack; it is wasted elsewhere" Sesshoumaru slowly tightened his tail, asphyxiating the girl. 'His tail...I forgot about his tail.' Kagome was seeing spots as the light dimmed, turning her world black.

It didn't take long for her to go limp, dangling in his furry appendage. Glaring at her still form he whispers virulently, "I need not your compassion, woman." He set her down surprisingly gently on the ground and unwrapped his tail from her person. He continued to lean against the tree at his back instead of returning to his sitting position. 'Decay...earth and bones, why do I smell grave soil?' wondered the demon. He glanced sharply to the dense undergrowth to his right and waited to see who approached. Moments later a woman clad in red and white miko garb stepped through the greenery with an arrow drawn and aimed at Sesshoumaru's heart.

"Kaze no Kizu!" yelled Inuyasha swinging the mighty fang tessaiga. Unfortunately the surrounding forest took the brunt of the attack as the bat youkai dodged by taking to the air. "Ha ha ha! Is that all you've got halfling?" taunted the evasive youkai, "If you give up and hand over the jewel shard, I may just leave you unscathed! Come on puppy, you know you'll never...urk!" he was cut off by the direct hit of Sangos' giant boomerang, the hiraikotsu. "Ha! Got ya!" exclaimed Sango. "Heh, what were yer gonna say ya overgrown flying rat?!" yelled Inuyasha as he took advantage of his enemy's very brief moment of distraction. "Take this! Kaze no Kizu!"

This time Inuyasha didn't miss. The group watched as the bat youkai disintegrated. Something tiny glittered as it fell to the ground. "What's that? Inuyasha that youkai had a jewel shard!" said Miroku as he went to pick up the shard. But as the monk reached the fallen shard, a gust of when carried it away and into the air only to land in Kagura's hand. "Watch it monk, that shard isn't for you" she said looking over the top edge of her fan. "Dammit Kagura!" yelled Inuyasha as he readied tessaiga for a mighty blow. "Down dog! You won't get this shard but you should know that Naraku now holds all the fragments of the sacred jewel except for those in Kikyou's hand, Kohaku's back and that damnable wolf! Prepare for the final battle." They watch as Kagura flew off in her feather boat.

Withdrawing her fingers from the girls' neck she cast a contemptuous look in the youkai's direction. "Why spare her demon?" Kikyou asked barely masking the disgust in her voice. "Surely you are not so injured that you cannot kill a mere human girl? Hmm, perhaps you have a weakness for human females?" Standing and keeping her weapon drawn she backed away from Kagome's prone body and toward the cover of the forest.

Eyes narrowed into slits, Sesshoumaru glared at the undead woman facing him. 'She will die by my sword. Not this day but she will return to death on my blade for her insolence.' "You wear the robes of the pure of heart, yet you cannot hide your taint behind that clay mask. You will die."

"Yes, but not by your hand demon. I will return to Hell; I will take your hanyou brother with me and this girl will also be dealt with" Kikyou replied. And with that she turned her back to the demon lord and stalked into the forest. 'The time draws near... Inuyasha.'

He watched her groan as she opened her eyes, blinking as she tried to remember what had happened to her. 'Did I pass out?' she asked herself. 'why doesn't my throat hurt? Sesshoumaru choked me but it doesn't even feel bruised! Did he heal me with tenseiga? No way!' She looked around with her hand gently cradling her neck and saw Sesshoumaru leaning against a tree. "Oh my god!" she gasped hoarsely. 'Shouldn't I be dead?' she wondered, 'He didn't kill me? Why?' "Human, be grateful for your continued life and leave." She stared at him dumbly for a few moments, then wobbly got to her feet and gathered her previously discarded bow and arrows. 'Why do I get the feeling that something's missing?' she wondered. Absently she reached for the bottle of shards that hung around her neck. 'What the? Where's the shikon fragments?' Kagome faced Sesshoumaru with a questioning look.

'She's realized her jewel pieces are missing.' Sesshoumaru met her gaze with an intense one of his own, then closed his eyes. "The undead miko" was all he said. Kagome froze, "Kikyou!?! She stole my shards again?" Kagome turned to walk back to camp staring at the forest floor dejectedly. 'Ah! I almost forgot!' She suddenly turned around and asked him, "Sesshoumaru? Are you going to be ok? Your wounds I mean?" Somewhat surprised, Sesshoumaru spared her a quick glance from the corner of his eyes. He growled long and low before turning his back to her and very slowly and very carefully walking out of her sight. "I guess that's my answer." With a shrug, she continued her way back to the group, wondering what to tell the others about how she lost the shards.

"Kagome!" The young woman had but a second to look up before being plowed into by a exuberant kitsune. "Hey Shippou!" Kagome said laughing. The red haired kit rubbed his cheeks against Kagome's belly and tightened his little arms as best he could around her. "Oh Kagome! I'm glad you're okay!" mumbled Shippou against her shirt. "I'm sorry to have worried you Shippou-chan" replied Kagome as she hugged him to her and ran her fingers thru his messy hair. Shippou then pulled away and hopped to her shoulder. "I wasn't worried! I knew I would rescue you Kagome-chan! I'm not some little kid ya know!" sniffed Shippou as he crossed his arms.

"Yeah right you little runt! Rescue my ass!" yelled Inuyasha. "Kagome where the hell did you run off to? This ain't nowhere near the river! Keh! I can't always come running to save yer ass all the damn time! I had to defeat a demon that had a shard. I thought you said you didn't sense any damn shards!! I knew you were lying before!" accused the hanyou.

Kagome frowned and balled her fists. "Inuyasha! SIT!" Shippou shook his head and sighed as Inuyasha smacked into the dirt at Kagome's feet. Kagome turned to Miroku and Sango, "You guys, did you really find another shikon shard?" she asked. "Yes, but Kagura swooped in and grabbed it from us. So we still only have the shards you hold" replied Sango. Kagome averted her eyes and a light blush graced her cheeks. "Um, guys, ah...I don't know how to tell you but..."

"The time draws near, Kohaku." Kagura looked at the unresponsive boy beside her. "Soon that hanyou and his group will confront Naraku and our fate be decided." Kohaku still sat as though he hadn't heard what she said. "Boy! We may be finally free! Either we die or our master dies but either fate holds the promise of freedom that Naraku can not take away." Kohaku glanced at Kagura then sighed and closed his eyes. 'Freedom? I just wish for the peace of death.' Kohaku opened his eyes glazing at nothing in particular, "Kagura?" he asked. "Oh? You finally decide to speak do you boy? Well, what is it?" snapped the wind witch. "Kagura...what does freedom mean to you?" asked the boy. "Eh? What are you talking about? To be free...to be free is to posses my own heart! Its to be rid of Naraku!" Kohaku gave the woman a glance before closing his eyes once more, "Freedom...has meaning for you Kagura." The woman huffed and replied, "well of course it does! I am the wind! The wind is meant to be free. I cannot continue to live chained like this. Why do you speak so? You also desire freedom from that wretched hanyou do you not?"

Slowly shaking his head, Kohaku whispered quietly, "Freedom holds no meaning for me."

"How the HELL did you lose the fucking shards AGAIN you wench!?!" screamed Inuyasha. "Inuyasha don't yell at Kagome-chan!" yelled Shippou indignantly. "Kagome-chan! Are you okay? Tell us what happened." said Sango. Kagome shifted nervously a bit and then said in a low whisper, "Kikyou stole them again." Miroku and Sango looked at each other then to the fuming dog half demon. Inuyasha turned his back to Kagome and clenched his hands into tight fists. "What did you say?" he asked in a strange tense low voice. "What was that Kagome?"

'I hate this! I hate this so much!' thought Kagome, 'Its not my fault but everyone's making me feel so guilty about having the shards taken again. Its not my fault! I was unconscious after all! Oh maybe...maybe I'm just as useless as Inuyasha keeps saying I am? NO, no, no! I'm not useless...right?'

"Uh, Kagome? Are you okay?" asked Miroku as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Watch where that hand goes monk!" Sango threatened. Miroku's touch brought the girl out of her thoughts and she blinked for a second before realizing she hadn't told them what happened. " Uh, guys...its true. Kikyou stole the shards." Shippou patted her shoulder, "Its okay Kagome. We're not mad at you. Kikyou is so mean! She's always hurting you and stupid Inuyasha never does anything about it!" Kagome gave the little fox kit a weak attempt at a smile. "Thanks Shippou" "He's right of course." said Miroku, "but how exactly did she get them from you?" Kagome lowered her head and stared at the ground. "Well, she took them while I was unconscious. When I awoke, the shards were gone. She had taken them." "Yeah right wench! If you were passed out, then how'd you know who took them? Why blame Kikyou? She wouldn't do something so low!" Kagome looked up at Inuyasha's words to find him glaring at her. She shrank away from his glower.

"What are you talking about?! She's done it before! Have you forgotten all the times that Kikyo has threatened Kagome-chan's life or stolen her shards?" yelled Shippou as he jumped down from Kagomes' arms to stand protectively in front of her. Miroku stepped next to Inuyasha and laid a restraining hand upon his shoulder. "Inuyasha, I know you want to think the best of your former love, but you must remember the Kikyou that walks this earth now is not the same as the one you knew fifty years ago. This false woman is merely an imitation of the miko and not to be so easily trusted."

Sango wrapped her arm around Kagome in an awkward but comforting gesture. "Listen to Houshi-sama's words Inuyasha! Its Kikyou that has done harm to Kagome repeatedly. Would you so blindly think so well of her and so horribly of Kagome? Do you really think Kagome would lie to you?!" Inuyasha said nothing as he glared heatedly at Sango then Miroku. With an irritated growl, he turned and began walking away from the group. As he stomped further away he yelled over his shoulder, "Feh! What, are you guys gonna stand there all day? Come on lets get a move on and find a new place to camp!"

Miroku sighed, "Well, I would've expected an apology for Kagome, but I guess that's too much for the fool" he murmured. Together the rest of the group trudged along still keeping a bit of distance from the hanyou leading the way.

Inuyasha continuously clenched his fists and unclenched his fists over and over in a disturbing obsessive pattern. 'Dammit...I never meant to hurt Kagome like that! Its just so damn frustrating that she lost what few fucking shards we had already! And why did Kikyou take them? And exactly how did she know who stole the shards from her if she was unconscious? What the hell was she doing before that?'

'My wounds are almost completely healed. That irritating woman actually has some value. Hn. Now I must return to the Western citadel to discover the traitors lurking in my home. I wonder if they've heard yet of their assassins' failure to kill me?' The tall youkai placed the shoulder of his broken arm into a crevice in a tree trunk. After the slightest pause to prepare for the pain, he quickly popped his arm back into place and held it there with his tail until he could feel his self-healing start to repair the damage. "Lord Sesshoumaru! My Lord you have returned to your loyal servant to save me from this wretched child! Oh milord how she tortures me so! Eh, Lord Sesshoumaru?" said Jaken as he prostrated himself on the ground. Rin ran up to her lord lagging a bit behind Jaken. After a quick bow, she runs up to Sesshoumaru and is about to hug his leg but stops short when she notices the ripped clothing and bandages covering much of his body. "Lord Sesshoumaru?" she asked quietly. Rin is somewhat shocked to see that someone had obviously harmed her hero. No one ever defeats her lord, but to see evidence of someone able to hurt him sent a bit of a shockwave through out her system. Looking up at Seeshoumaru's face, she asks, "Lord Sesshoumaru, did someone heal your wounds?" "Ah...her name is Kagome" replied Sesshoumaru. "What? You mean Inuyasha's wench?" squawked Jaken in disbelief. "Oh that nice lady! I'm so happy she helped you milord!" said Rin cheerfully. Sesshoumaru spared her a glance and then turned toward the West and began walking toward home without a word. Jaken and Rin followed both quiet for once each preoccupied with their own thoughts about Kagome aiding their lord and exactly how hurt he must have been to accept her help.