Masquerade

Chapter Nine- The Man Who Sold The World

“I said I was sorry! Come on, Sesshoumaru! I’m your cousin! A-and Masao! Masao you can trust me! Ple-ase! I won’t do it again!”

Kagome stared. And stared. And stared. Until eventually she gave up and doubled over, tittering like a madwoman.

Leiko was tied to a thick, branchless tree, secured by Sesshoumaru’s, Masao’s, and Kagome’s own sashes. A hair ribbon Kagome had charged with just a smidge off priestess power held her hands together, and her eyes were covered with an old sock Masao had produced.

The effects were priceless.

And Kagome was rolling on the ground, laughing wildly at Leiko’s expense, her guilt from earlier vanished when the demoness started insulting her. Masao joined in her laughter, bent over with his hands on his knees and tears shining in his eyes. Sesshoumaru stood by silently, his back to the rest of them.

“M-Masao, we should,” Kagome broke into another fit of giggles, “We should find something to put over her mouth.”

Leiko gasped in outrage and started fighting her restraints once again.

Masao straightened and looked around a little then grinned triumphantly and pointed to the other sock, nudging Kagome. Kagome’s calm face cracked and she shoved her face in her hands, sniggering violently. Masao started laughing anew, his voice muffled by Kagome’s shoulder, he laughed so hard a tear streaked down his face, but he ignored it.

Leiko stopped her fighting and perked up, her nose twitching delicately. “Masao. Masao? Its okay! They’ve restrained you too, haven’t they! It’s all right, sweetie. I’m here! Don’t cry!”

Kagome and Masao stood straight and looked at each other with confused faces, before knowledge at what Leiko thought was happening set in and they both hit the ground, laughing riotously. Sesshoumaru sighed and sat down against a tree, trying vainly to ignore everyone.

“L-Leiko-san! They are tears of joy!” Masao managed, loosing himself once more in a fit of laughter.

Leiko’s face crumbled and she sighed, bowing her head. Their amusement died down, Kagome rolled over till she was close enough to poke Sesshoumaru. The demon lord opened one eye and looked back at her, appearing deceptively calm. She smiled, “Well. I think its time we release your… cousin, was it? We need to celebrate our success at the Eastern lands anyway.”


“There was a rumor spread that the miko was working for the Northern lord. No one but I was foolish enough to believe, and no one knows who started it. When I heard the news I immediately fled the Western lands in search of you all. That’s why I attacked the priestess, my sincerest apologies, miko-san.”

Kagome nodded and offered the demoness a small smile. Sesshoumaru and Masao watched from the sideline, Masao’s eyes glued to Leiko with a distrustful, slightly pained manner while Sesshoumaru’s own orbs flowed blankly over Kagome.

It was most inconvenient, these feelings.

Kagome offered her hand to Leiko in as a sign of trust and friendship and the demoness took it unsurely. The priestess smiled, her icy blue eyes warming into a radiant royal blue.

Something in Sesshoumaru’s chest loosened pleasantly and he looked away when the miko turned to him curiously.

He’s been acting strange lately. Kagome thought, watching as Leiko began speaking animatedly. Almost as if he cares. A sharp stab went through her, but she brushed it off.

The world would spontaneously combust before Sesshoumaru worried himself over her.

“Leiko-san?” Kagome said hesitantly, glancing over at the two males discreetly.

“Yes?” Leiko replied, a bright smile lighting her features into a work of art.

“Would you like to join us?”

Masao’s and Sesshoumaru’s heads pivoted toward them, Masao only looking slightly more shocked than Sesshoumaru.

Leiko looked timidly over at Sesshoumaru and Masao, and shook her head. “It would not be wise, I would only get in the way.”

Kagome was about to insist but stopped herself, her hand balling in the baggy red fabric of her hakama. “I was only offering.” She said quietly, staring behind Leiko absently.

Leiko blinked at her quick change of mood but shrugged and stood up. “I’m going to go home now, Sesshoumaru. Thank-you Kagome-san… Masao.” She picked up the discarded staff and looked back only once, before shooting off into the forest.

Masao stood suddenly. “I’m going to make a fire seeing as how it’s too late to go anywhere else tonight.” He disappeared in mush the same fashion as Leiko, his muttered words floating away from them.

Sesshoumaru soon stood as well, walking out of the camp to the right. Kagome opened her mouth to ask him where he was going but stopped herself. It wasn’t like he would actually answer her.

She stood up and walked to the tree he’d been leaning against earlier, kicking off her sandals on the way. When she stood in front of the thick trunk she grasped a branch and hoisted herself up, climbing high above the campground in a matter of minutes.

A crack of sunlight peered through the thick leaves of the tree’ branches, shielding her and the view. A wind blew, strong and fast, making the entire top sway lethargically, tipping Kagome hazardously to the right. Her legs clamped down on branch she straddled, her hands digging into the bark. She still wasn’t exactly over that fear of heights.

Her fear was quickly forgotten as the leaves shifted, providing her a clear view of the landscape.

Mountains loomed above her, tall and majestic. Fields upon fields rolled on in the far distance. The forest stretched before her, a dark, imposing creature of hidden nooks and veiled secrets. Calls of animals - many she recognized, most she did not – rang around her, some loud and some soft. A river ran below the tree she was occupied in, winding in and out of areas of land and towering spruces and oaks. The leaves cast a patched pattern over her skin as her eyes followed the sharply twisting stream.

At the end of the brook a small lake, filled with miniscule waterfalls and swimming fish, lay nestled against the high wall of a jagged mountain.

Kagome did not have demonic eyesight, and the view was slightly obstructed by the forestry, but what she did see slowly smoldered itself into her brain.

Sesshoumaru stood in the center of the small pond shirtless, his pale skin glossy and his hair held back. His hand shot into the glittering water, and he tossed a wriggling fish on the shore. He repeated the action several times, each time a small amount of water coming up and splashing him. His skin was taunt and stretched over sleek muscle, his eyes stood out like gems against the water, and-

He was shirtless.

Kagome drew in a shaky breath, worming her way down the tree on oddly warm and slightly numb limbs. Her hair, free and unbound, shadowed her overwhelmed expression from Masao as he eyed her incredulously from across the fire.

She sat down on a cool stone and leaned back against the rough bark of the tree, hiding her face once more in shadow.

For the first time in her life-

Kagome needed a cigarette.

With an angry groan she turned her face into the bark and smashed her head against the hard wood repeatedly.

It isn’t fair. It isn’t fair! It isn’t fair!

It had been from a distance, and details weren’t as apparent as they could’ve been, but the effects were long lasting.

“Miko.” A soft, cool voice said from behind her.

She raised her head slowly, turning at an uncomfortable angle to look the demon lord in the eyes, “Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama?” Her voice was soft and slightly breathy, but she had just been climbing a tree.

Sesshoumaru set a fish – clean and gutted – at her feet before striding away.

Kagome closed her eyes as a violent tremor ran through her, making her hands twitch forcefully. Banishing sentiments of Sesshoumaru and water and pecs! from her head she stood up and began cooking the fish in a systematic way that required no thought, unfortunately.

As Kagome laid down to sleep that night Masao and Sesshoumaru held a silent conversation.

A silent conversation, you ask?

Yes. A silent conversation.

Sesshoumaru sat down across the fire from Masao, his eyes dark and slightly inquiring. (Translation: Have you noticed as well?)

Masao leaned forward and tossed a stick on the flame, his eyes shooting to Sesshoumaru’s briefly. (Translation: Yes. What do you think she’s going through?)

Sesshoumaru looked away, one of his fingers twitching on his knee. (Translation: She is a female. The possibilities are infinite.)

Masao snapped a twig in half, his eyebrows furrowing. (Translation: She was looking at you oddly.)

Sesshoumaru’s eyes moved to him gradually, and he brushed his hair away from his shoulder. (Translation: She is an odd person…)

Masao tossed a rock near Sesshoumaru, scowling. (Translation: Perhaps she thinks you are odd.)

Sesshoumaru’s light whip shot out, leaving a small gouge in a solid rock a few inches from Masao’s foot. (Translation: She is surrounded by males. Perhaps humans have a mating season?)

Masao stared down at the rock incredulously and inched away, meeting Sesshoumaru’s eyes temporarily. (Translation: I doubt it. Besides, she is a miko.)

Sesshoumaru leaned back and a small smirk graced his lips momentarily. (Translation: Then there’s only one other explanation.)

Masao crossed his arms and leaned back as well. (Translation: I’m listening.)

Sesshoumaru shot the sleeping form of the miko a lingering look then tore his eyes away and gave Masao another half-smirk. (Translation: Obviously she is attracted to either you or I.)

Masao erupted into a coughing fit, blinking wildly at Sesshoumaru. (Translation: When your half-brother removed your arm are you sure that’s all you lost?)

Sesshoumaru’s eyes narrowed. (Translation: Have you a better explanation?)

Masao shook his head and stared at Kagome with slightly hopeful eyes, and turned back to Sesshoumaru. (Translation: It wouldn’t matter. She is the Shikon miko. That is her purpose in life.)

Sesshoumaru sniffed delicately and hid his clenched fist in the folds of his sleeve. (Translation: She still has… how did you put it? …) A deceptive twinkle entered his eyes. (Urges.)

Masao rubbed his temples slowly, his eyes closing with a sigh. (Translation: Can we change the subject?)

Sesshoumaru’s eyes settled on him with a burning intensity. (Translation: Why? Are you fond of the miko?)

Masao stared at Kagome’s form once again with a remorseful smile. (Translation: So it would seem.)

The sweet, acidic scent of Sesshoumaru’s poison filled the air. Masao looked up at him, startled, but the inu-youkai was looking away impassively, his claws embedded in the log he sat on. Masao shrugged and turned his gaze once more to the angelic face of the miko, exhaling approvingly.

Kagome rolled over in her sleep, her brows creasing together.

A low, hungry howl pierced her.

She sat in a field that stretched for miles, the grass dry and dead and scratchier than the sackcloth clothing she wore.

Trees loomed over her, alive and thriving. A bird flew toward her, a falcon, but as soon as it passed into the field it fell with a dull thud to the ground.

She watched coolly, giggling when the bird hit the ground.

He appeared next to her once more, and her head turned sharply to him, wondering why he was in her field.

He touched a blade of grass with one finger, his claw barely pricking the lifeless plant. Before her eyes it straightened and bloomed a vibrant green. He turned to her, looking drained and tired and satisfied, his eyes glittering with life she couldn’t hope to grasp. He reached out to her and she shied away, the water running through her veins freezing as his hand brushed over the cloth on her leg.

His stare turned critical as he surveyed the empty field.

“It is mine.” She whispered.

He shook his head and placed his palm flat on the earth, smiling as a streak of soft, green, living grass lanced through the desolate wasteland.

“No.” He said, grabbing her hand and placing it on the new breathing earth.

She gasped at sensation. At feeling. Backtracking wildly she pulled away from him.

His eyes turned to her, hopeful and beckoning. “Don’t you want to live?”

She looked away, the water in her veins surging forth once more. “A ghost cannot live.”



Kagome’s eyes opened slowly. She sat up, the blanket falling around her waist with a soft swish. She turned to the left and met Sesshoumaru’s darkened eyes, watching as the firelight danced across the glassy surface.

“You’ve done this before.” He said, his voice curling and twisting through her brain.

She nodded in response, lying back down, still staring at him.

“What bothers you?”

She made no reply and rolled over, feeling as if something big just happened though she had no clue what exactly what it was.

Sesshoumaru looked at her dirtied back contemplatively, listening to the dull beat of her heart.

That night, as Kagome dreamt and Sesshoumaru watched, the world went boom.

Sesshoumaru: …

Kagome: The Bahamas. I am going to the Bahamas.