Kore wa daisuki wo benkyoushimasu, ne?

A/N: Nothing at this time.

Disclaimer: I don’t own a thing.

The Study of Love
Chapter 13: Land of the Lost

The group had ended up going back to Kaede’s to rest before gathering supplies to search for the hanyou. It had been well over two days of searching, and nothing had been more prominent than the first initial scent of the vile hanyou. Kagome was worried to near tears, and she kept pacing, shouting his name into the forest throughout the day and part of the night, until she fell exhausted to the ground, in which on of her demon companions had to retrieve her and put her in her sleeping bag.

Hiei kept a constant watch over her and swept the area often with his Jagan, hoping to pick up a trace of the inu hanyou. Seeing Kagome worried like this concerned him, and he almost wondered if she still had feelings of love for the hanyou, but was assured greatly when she had called him, ‘brother.’

She hadn’t eaten the entire time he was gone, no matter how much each person tried to force her to, and that also worried everyone. She was going to have to keep up her strength in order to continue her constant search, and so far, she was doing anything but. Every waking moment was spent looking for her brother, and there was no one who could keep up with her. Human nor demon alike.

Tonight, Kagome had fallen, completely exhausted, to the forest floor, sobs wracking her small form. Kurama was the one on watch tonight, and he went to her, a painful expression on his face. “Kagome...please…don’t lose hope…we will find him.” He said reassuringly, although his voice was betraying his inner feelings. In his mind, the hanyou might already be dead, and he knew if that were the truth, Kagome would be devastated.

“But, Naraku…Naraku, Kurama!” she shouted softly, more tears escaping her eyes. “He has my brother…my…friend…” she sobbed, before allowing herself to be pulled into a tight embrace by the kitsune avatar. This was the first time he actually got to hold her while conscious, and he only wished it was under different circumstances.

“Shh…” he said soothingly, “We’ll find him…he’s tough…he’ll be okay.” He said again, pulling her shaking form closer to him, giving her some of his strength and comfort.

She cried a few moments longer before she slipped into unconsciousness, her body demanding sleep from its owner.

He held her and sat against a tree, enjoying the moonlight, and Kagome’s quiet company. Her breathing was shallow, and steady, but her eyes twitched angrily, and every once in awhile a soft whimper escaped her lips.

“Inuyasha…no…” she whispered, her voice full of sorrow and pain, but also a bit of disbelief. “Naraku…?”

Kurama looked down to her now shivering form…and then he smelled her fear…deep fear, and betrayal. He could almost hear her heart shatter in her chest. Worry filled him and he shook her, attempting to awake her, but before he could complete that task, Hiei walked up to them, his eyes tinged with red and his entire demeanor conveying anger.

“Hiei?” he questioned worriedly, his eyebrows raising slightly in confusion at his friend’s behavior.

“He betrayed her…he went willingly to that bastard hanyou.” He growled out, as his inner demon begged retribution for the pain inflicted on his future mate. Her emotional well being had been compromised, and he was not going to let that so-called friend of hers hurt her any longer. She may consider him her brother, but he dishonored that bond by turning to the enemy…no matter why he did it. Hiei growled louder as he replayed the images in his mind’s eye.


Kagome stood there, watching on as she witnessed Inuyasha, her Inuyasha, screwing the hell out of Kikyou. For some reason, that didn’t hurt as much as she thought, but seeing Naraku on the other side of her brother, and his first love was too much. Disbelief filled her at first. ‘It’s just a dream…I’ll wake up in a moment and I’ll be somewhere with Kurama, Sesshoumaru, or Hiei…this will all have been just a dream…a sick dream!’ she shouted to herself before she fell to her knees.

They had both carried the dark miko to a bed and then she watched as they began to converse with one another; the topic of conversation being her…and how they could make her suffer as much as possible. She couldn’t take it anymore…even in her dream, the ground was cold, hard, and dirty. She felt the bile rise in her throat, but forced it down.

She didn’t know when Hiei had showed up in her mind, but she didn’t want him to see her cry—she didn’t want to see him when she knew she looked so pathetic, believing in someone who only wanted to see her hurting.

His arms felt so soft and comforting, even in this dream, and she cried, her betrayal by the hanyou once more breaking her heart. His soft growl circled around her, soothing her like nothing else.

‘I can take away the pain, for now, Kagome, if you want me to.’ Hiei said, gently stroking her hair as crystalline tears ran down her face. She shook her head slowly, ‘no’, and hugged tighter to him.

‘I have to survive this…I can’t forget his betrayal…the times before, I just forgave him…I could understand it…his first love, and me…making a choice was hard for him, so I found it in my heart to forgive him, but this…this…” she closed her eyes as her throat seized once more, stopping her speech.

‘I understand, Kagome.’ He said, and truly he did. Betrayal was something the fire apparition didn’t take kindly, but for the right person, he could forgive anything. He was just glad he could count on Yukina to not do something so abhorred as deceive him. Even when Kuwabara had kissed her for the first time, she told him about it. Whether or not it was any of his business, she had told him, and that in itself gave the hybrid pride.

‘Some things are just too awful to forgive.’ She whispered, her eyes holding deep sadness, but also a tint of anger.

Kagome looked up into emerald green eyes as she awoke, her body shaking still, but this time, it was out of anger, not fear. She got to her feet and she saw Hiei standing there, his own eyes reflecting simmering rage. At his intense fury, Kagome seemed to calm. She didn’t want him this angry. This anger was reserved for her, and only her. She would get her retribution, and if he felt the need, then he would be able to exact his own personal revenge.

“This is mine, Hiei. You will not take this away from me.” She said, her eyes flickering a slight pink as the power built up around her, making her skin shimmer softly. His eyes widened a fraction and his blood beast calmed slightly at the sound of his future mate’s voice. She was pissed, and she was volatile. For some reason, this seemed to arouse him more than make him angry for her order.

Kurama looked to each one in turn, confusion on his face. ‘Kagome is angry…’ he said, his own voice slightly reserved in uneasiness.

‘Who wouldn’t be? Her brother betrayed her to go to the enemy! He left her here without a word and went to her most feared adversary because he was jealous of her happiness with us!’ Youko shouted out, his own youkai blood boiling for revenge. Her sadness had almost chocked him and it was constantly there over the past day and a half, but now, it was dark and deadly, full of anger and betrayal. ‘Inuyasha did this to her…he made her hurt so much.’

Kurama took a deep breath, his eyes still remaining as calm as he could, considering Youko wanted to murder the hanyou who hurt their future mate. Suddenly, another figure joined them, his pristine white kimono billowing slightly in the gentle breeze. Hiei had shared the information with him of what he had seen. The fire apparition figured that he had a right to know, all of her mates did.

~*~

Inuyasha hid back a smirk at the hanyou across from him. Apparently the Sesshoumaru from the past and the Sesshoumaru from the future were in the same time, and that could easily cause trouble…trouble that would be initiated by Inuyasha. Kikyou had awoken, and she also had a plan for causing pain for the taiyoukai…future and past.

Unfortunately for them, or fortunately, the taiyoukai was livid right now. He had returned to his homelands, and had discovered that Rin had been taken away by…himself? He had to question Jaken most thoroughly and threaten him with most painful death if he had been lying, but even his own guards and house servants had told him that it was indeed him that had taken Rin away. No one else could control the clouds like himself, and no one had markings like him. No one could imitate him, and that puzzled him, but he pressed that back for anger. Someone had taken what was his, and he would be damned if he didn’t get her back, no matter who this imposter was.

~*~

“Sesshoumaru…you okay?” Kagome asked, walking along side the taiyoukai now in search for Inuyasha. The entire group heard her soft question and froze, tensing up for his answer.

“It cannot be…” he whispered in disbelief. He sniffed the air again and frowned. Koenma had warned him of this, but had disregarded the demi god. He now wished he would have listened closer to him.

In moments, everyone was shocked beyond belief. There, beside Kagome, stood Sesshoumaru, but then, across the clearing, also stood Sesshoumaru.

“This is a trick! Imposter! Why are you imitating me?!” the past lord shouted out, his eyes turning red before he questioned, “What have you done with Rin?!”

“Rin’s fine, Sesshoumaru…” Kagome said softly, taking a step towards him, to which he calmed slightly.

“Miko? Are you an imposter too?” he questioned, his eyes narrowing. “A trick by Naraku perhaps…” he added, more to himself than to her.

“I’m not. Smell me, you would be able to tell if I was an imposter or not. If that doesn’t convince you, test my aura.” She said, keeping her calm. If it was anyone else, the rag-tag group would have already attempted to slaughter him, but this was THE Sesshoumaru…lord of the western lands.

He nodded softly, keeping his cool. If she was an imposter, she would die in a fraction of a second, but one sniff of her scent and he was convinced. No one could imitate her scent. It was too pure to be imitated. He also realized that she was still innocent, although her own pure aroma was laced weakly with two unknown demons, and…himself?

He took a step back, and then sniffed the taiyoukai looking demon in front of him, confusion and anger coursed through him. “How is it you smell like me? There is no difference in your own scent from mine…how is that possible!?” he shouted, drawing Tokijin and his eyes narrowing in distrust and anger.

Taking a deep breath, the future Sesshoumaru drew his own Tokijin, and the two swords pulsed, being one and the same.

The past Sesshoumaru’s eyes widened in shock for the first time since he was a child. “You…can’t be…how is this possible?” He looked instantly to Kagome for answers, and she sighed, giving him a soft smile.

“Maybe you’d better sit down.” She said softly.

~*~

“NO! How has she managed to calm the demon lord down in order to explain himself?! She has gained another ally! How does she do it?!” Naraku howled, anger and frustration in his voice as he watched through Kanna’s mirror.

“That bitch has a way to get into anyone’s heart…” Inuyasha mumbled, anger coursing through him again.

“This time we will be the one’s to hurt her. It’s time, Inuyasha. Time to show them what we are made of. Hanyou’s can be as powerful as demons, there is no reason why we cannot be accepted.” He said, feeding Inuyasha more lies and propaganda to keep him on task…the task to break the miko who had done nothing but accept him from the day she had met him.

~*~

“…so you’re saying that this is me? Me from your era, miko?” the past Sesshoumaru said, looking skeptically to his future self.

“That’s right. You see, he found out that Kikyou had Inuyasha, and he came back with us, to help find him.” She said, not sure of how he would respond.

“I have gotten softer in my old age.” He grumbled, narrowing his eyes at the future taiyoukai.

“No, things are just different from where we are. There is less danger in the future, or rather, weaker demons. I…we…don’t have to worry about being the strongest, because none is stronger than us. Except maybe these three.” The future Sesshoumaru said, a clawed hand gesturing to Hiei, Kurama, and Yusuke.

“No, I mean about my idiot half brother. I wouldn’t care who had him, even if it was the dead miko. He chose his bed when he chose her, I would say he could lie in it.” The past Sesshoumaru replied, ice dripping in his voice.

“He’s lying in it now…” Kagome’s soft voice echoed, just barely reaching the taiyoukai’s ears. He could smell her unshed tears and deep seated anger and betrayal. He had smelt this scent on her before, when she traveled with him, but nothing to this extent.

“He went to her again, didn’t he?” he questioned, his heart somehow softening for the miko. She had to be the most stubborn human he had met. She was resilient to stay by his half brothers side, even though he hurt her repeatedly. Her compassion for all things living was only topped by Rin, and her forgiveness was unmatched by any he had ever encountered before. Apparently, his future self had many years to reflect taking her as a mate, because he saw the look he was giving her…it was subtle, but it was there. He lusted after the miko, but apparently so did the one red headed fox and black haired hybrid did too, but his future self seemed un-phased by their affection filled eyes.

“He did…but that isn’t the reason we’re searching for him.” She said, her voice turning so icily dark that the past Sesshoumaru leaned back a bit, wondering if his ears had deceived him. Her voice sounded like she was ready to kill, and that coming from her was unexpected, and a bit unnerving. She was never the killing type. She killed when she had too. Nothing more.

“He has sided with Naraku to get to me.” She said, her eyes tingeing deep, dark pink and her body beginning to shake.

The past Sesshoumaru growled softly, hoping to calm her down, but his voice wasn’t the only one. The other males growled simultaneously, not liking to see their sweet, compassionate mate on the verge of destruction.

“He will pay with his life, miko. That is a promise. He has defiled the name Taishou for the last time.” The past Sesshoumaru said, his eyes flickering youkai red.

She calmed at the sound of their comforting growls, and again, her anger took a backseat, and her other most dominating emotion, betrayal, took its place. She looked away from the past Sesshoumaru, her eyes clouding with tears. They each smelled them and each one calmed, her sadness almost drowning them.

Surprising to everyone, the past Sesshoumaru, the one to show no emotion but anger, scooped up the little miko and placed her on his lap, giving her comfort he had only given to Rin. Her tears soaked clear through his kimono, and he began to stroke her soft raven hair, growling softly as he took in her pure scent again.

‘She will be the only one I give comfort to other than Rin and any future life we may have…everyone else can go to hell.’ He thought, as she stilled in his embrace, stiffening.

Everyone else was on their feet, looking back to the north, a field coming into sight as they ran, Sesshoumaru still holding a stiff Kagome in his arms.

Her anger came back with a vengeance, but also a bit of fear came into her being, her heart worrying for the ones she loved.

~*~

“They are coming, Inuyasha, do you have them?” he asked, grinning evilly to the hanyou as he gestured to the three struggling figures on the ground beside him.

“Yeah, I got ‘em.” He replied, his grin just barely visible.

“Then, let the games begin.”




A/N: Ah, hope you enjoyed! Please R/R! I know, I so horrible…cliffies are the worst…

A/N: Thanks to you reviewers! I heart you all!

A/N: Next Chapter: Searching for the Chosen Ones