Masquerade

Chapter Sixteen- Man is like a Breath

“Leiko.”

Leiko looked up at Masao guiltily.

“You ran away. From the agreement, from the Northern lands… from me. Why?”

“I… I can’t tell you…” You’ll hate me and then I’ll cry and be depressed and- and-

“Why? Leiko, why?” He looked desperate now; his eyes were wide and uninhibited as he leaned his body closer on the branch, clasping her shoulders tightly between his hands.

She returned his gaze and placed her hands over his own, trying to wrench them off. “Look, it was for the best…”

“That isn’t what I asked!” He yanked her closer to him so they were inches apart; auras tangling and clashing like errant thunder.

“Masao…” She was hesitant and nervous, “the truth is…” Her fear covered him like a blanket, but it wasn’t normal, life-threatened fear, it was a reprehensible fear (the worst fear), “I was pregnant.”

“Kagome, when will your friend be here?”

“I don’t know Kaede… he should’ve been here already.”

“If he doesn’t hurry you’ll be forced to go ahead of him, with the demon lord.”

“Go where?”

“Okinawa.”

…

“Okinawa Island?”

“Yes.”

…

“Why?”

“With the destruction of Mount Hakurei it is the last place I can think of holy enough to block the demonic energy.”

“But… what part of the island?”

“There is a shrine… located in the valley of the two tallest mountains, in this-”

“Whoa! The two tallest mountains are located next to each other?”

“Yes.”

“Huh, that’s convenient.”

“…I suppose…”

“What?!” She didn’t say… she couldn’t have said…

“Pregnant Masao. I was pregnant.”

“With what?!”

Leiko looked at him, fascinated for a moment how unbelievably dense he sounded. “With your offspring,” she elaborated.

It isn’t possible… It-it can’t be! Well, so it can, but-but completely improbable and I didn’t-! Oh, I did… Damn… But then, where’s…

“Leiko…” His voice came out soft and distant, his claws were embedded in the folds of her kimono and his eyes were fixed blankly on some spot over her right shoulder. Leiko shuddered at the gentle moment, wrapping her fingers around his palms in an attempt to placate him. “Where is he… or is it a she? Wh-what did you name it? How old is it? Why didn’t you tell me? Where is it?!”

“In a village along the Northern boundary. It is a girl, and her name is Inocencio.”

Masao looked at her oddly.

“It means innocence in Spanish…” Leiko explained, toying with the sleeve on her clothing.

“Why would you name her innocence?” Masao leaned back on the branch and drew his hands away.

Leiko studied him calmly, her features vacant, “We were not properly mated. Had I stayed and given birth I would’ve been shunned from your kingdom. My daughter would have been ridiculed and scorned because of this. It was not her fault. Therefore…” She waved her hand in the air tiredly.

“But… Leiko, had you only told me-”

“You were young Masao! You didn’t view the world as you do now! You didn’t have the experience. It was hopeless. I was hopeless. Leave it at that. What’s done is done.”

Masao’s eyes turned cold. “When was the last time you visited your… my… our child?” He asked, his deep eyes blazing gold briefly.

Leiko looked away in shame, her bangs falling to conceal her eyes. Millions of thoughts floated through her head, some memories, some thoughts, and some meaningless fragments of speech. Not in several years… “Not since she was born.”

A low growl ripped through Masao and he turned his head away, his claws lengthening in the abused wood he sat on. Breathe, Masao, breathe. “Which town?” His tone came out more threatening then he’d planned it, but he refused to take it back.

Leiko eyed him warily, wishing to be far, far away.

“Kagome. Your friend is not coming. It has been two days. Time is of the essence.”

Kagome turned to Kaede a little nervously, her eyes flitting to Sesshoumaru’s stiff frame. “Oh, but-but-!” She sighed and slumped, grabbing her bow and quiver with a pout. “Fine. But after this I refuse to be seen with that horrible creature.” She shoved the end of her bow towards Sesshoumaru. She began walking, but hesitated. “Where’s Inuyasha?” She asked quietly, dreading the interaction she might have with the hanyou.

Kaede chuckled and offered Kagome a smile, waving. “Don’t worry about him, child. He’s a little… preoccupied. He sends his best wishes, though.”

Sesshoumaru sniffed and stalked toward Kagome, wanting to get out of the human village. Now. Nownownownow!

“Come, girl. We are leaving.”

Kagome rubbed a hand over her face, groaning. She would say that, ‘obviously, the fates were against her’, but that was a terribly over-used line that usually led to some major plot development. And Kagome couldn’t- wouldn’t have that.

Because that development would be with Sesshoumaru. Disgusting thought that was.

You’re lying to yourself.

…

Well, of course she was. But it was better when-

“Miko! Do I have to carry you over my shoulder? Hurry.”

-So maybe you aren’t entirely lying to yourself.

She kicked a rock roughly on the ground toward Sesshoumaru’s booted foot (not for the first time) and jogged to catch up to him, grumbling quietly.

“You will take me to see her,” Masao said, swinging his leg over the branch in preparation to jump down.

“Wh-what?” Leiko’s hands shook, fearing maybe she really had heard him right.

Masao looked her straight in the eyes and bent toward her, trapping her against the tree. “We are going to see my child. Now.” Words laced with a growl, aura sizzling with fury, Leiko was in no place to argue.

He jumped down from the branch (falling at least 25 meters, Leiko noted sagely) and landed noiselessly on the ground. Leiko looked down at the ground, wincing.

“Leiko!”

She sighed and slid off the branch, landing next to him calmly. “This way,” she said, taking off to the left.

Kagome hummed quietly, her fingers tapping against the side of her leg steadily. The two had been traveling in silence for quite some time now, and (in the risk of sounding redundant) Kagome was bored.

“Sesshoumaru-sama?”

Nothing.

“Sesshoumaru-san?”

Still nothing.

“… Sesshoumaru?”

And amazingly, nothing.

Oh. He asked for it.

“Sesshoumaru-kun?”

“What?” Misleadingly quiet, he looked back at her.

Kagome grinned and took a slight step back. “I was just wondering… how are we going to reach Okinawa Island? Are you going to fly us there?”

Sesshoumaru felt disgusted temporarily. “Positively not. You will be taking a boat to the land. I, however, will reach the meeting place long before you.”

Kagome didn’t seem the least bit fazed and nodded, smiling at him.

Huh.

“So I’ll meet up with you after I land, right?”

“Unfortunately.”

“How long do you think it’ll take to reach Okinawa in the boat?”

“Two weeks at the most.”

She nodded and smiled again, then began walking, bouncing slightly in tune with her humming.

She wasn’t even the least bit setback or disappointed or, I don’t know, saddened by one of those worthless human emotions.

Huh.

In truth, Kagome wasn’t happy. Or calm. Or even mildly amused. She was angry. But it wouldn’t due to show him that, so, moving on. The flowers look really beautiful today. And the birds sound so happy! … When was the last time I really appreciated Sengoku Jidai nature? Not since the days of the sailor fuku, she assumed.

After the responsibility of the Shikon had fallen on her shoulders, added to by the weight of traveling with her former self (a perfectionist Kikyou was), had seemed to cloud everything else away from her.

On the plus side, Kagome could never view Kikyou the same. Hell, if she died then was brought back she’d probably be bitter and revenge-driven too.

… Maybe that was pushing it.

Sesshoumaru watched her intently, wondering why she didn’t insult him back. It wasn’t as if he’d planned on it or anything, it was just… part of the universal spin. He insulted her, she insulted him back, he got her with a particularly cutting remark, and then she stomped away angrily.

Universal. Spin.

Name of the village. Name of the village, name of the village, name of the- “Raku! That was the name!”

Ahead of her, Masao turned and looked at her. “You left our child at a town named pleasure.”

“Yes,” Leiko nodded, smiling.

Masao’s head exploded.

“Do you know what they’re famous for?!” He yelled, sending several birds to flight above them.

Leiko blinked slowly. “Uhm… yes?”

Masao stalked closer to her. “Brothels. Whorehouses… Whores!”

Leiko stuttered, gaped, then gasped and took off, screeching. Masao chased after her, chuckling despite the seriousness of the situation.

Hundreds of miles away, the owner of the brothel (which just happened to be the same brothel that had kidnapped Kagome) housing little Inocencio (whom was presently out at town with a guard) looked up from her paper work, shivering. Her son looked over at her and put his hand over her own. “Okaa-san? Are you alright?”

“Hai, son… I just… have a very bad feeling…”

Her son chuckled and drew back, “Don’t worry, Mama. I’m sure it’s just your old age.”

The owner smacked her son over his head and smoothed her kimono, “Don’t forget whom you’re talking to, boy.”

“Sesshoumaruuuuu,” Kagome whined, dragging her feet on the ground.

“What?” Sesshoumaru snapped, facing her angrily.

Kagome watched his nostrils flare in fury a couple times then plopped down on a log, sighing. “I need a break. Please! I’ll do anything (except move) if you just let me have a break (not moving)!”

Sesshoumaru growled lowly and turned away from her, shutting his eyes.

Kagome smiled slightly and leaned back in the shade. It was hot. Really hot. And she was decked out in full priestess garb, carrying her travel pack, bow, quiver (which was full, surprisingly), her katana, and a jar of herbs (that wouldn’t fit in her bag). Which brings us back to her first point. It was hot.

Sesshoumaru studiously ignored Kagome (and the heat), opting instead to clear his mind (from the heat), and push away his anger (and the thought of a sweaty Kagome).

“Sesshoumaru-sama?”

“What do you want you whiny, incessant, annoying, infuriating, stupid, smelly, annoying, human!!!!?” Was what he wanted to say. What came out was,

“Hn.”

“Do you think I could surprise you?”

That was a stupid question. “No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

…

“…Can I ask you a question?”

“Hn.”

“Do dog demons sweat?”

Sesshoumaru looked at her, his eyes wide, his fingers twitching reflexively in surprise. “Excuse me?” He got out calmly.

“Well, normal dogs pant when they’re hot. Are dog demons the same way?”

She did not just ask me that. Sesshoumaru took a deep breath and turned away, following the path. “We are going now.”

Behind him, Kagome pumped her fist in the air victoriously. I Win. Ha!





Oh my gods, oh my gods, oh my gods, oh my gods…

“Leiko!”

No time, no time, no time…

“Leiko! Leiko-san!”

Run, run, run, run…

“Leiko-chan!”

That stopped her. Leiko slid to halt, panting violently. “What?”

“You must relax. It’s been over fifty years. I’m sure if she’s lived this long she’s fine.”

“But, I don’t know if she’s alive or not!”

Masao growled deeply and took off again, wondering how much stupidity could be trapped in Leiko’s body. If Inocencio was over fifty then when could she have been… created… Well, plenty of times. He reasoned, his thoughts drifting down, down, down. “Hm, the last time we did… that was at the lantern festival…”

He remembered sake, bright lights (not necessarily from the lanterns, heh), and a random inn with a big futon (not big enough, either).

“Admit it. I surprised you,” Kagome said smugly from next to Sesshoumaru, smirking.

“I, Sesshoumaru, felt no such-”

“You have a terrible habit of repeating your name. I mean, really, it’s cool the first couple times but after a while…”

Sesshoumaru looked over at her meaningfully, his eyes glinting hazardously.

“Um… my apologies Sesshoumaru-sama.” I sound like Jaken. The horror.

“You did not, and will not ever, surprise me.”

Kagome crossed her arms and stared at the ground, There’s gotta be something… What could I say that would shock him…? Hmm… I got it!

“Sesshoumaru-sama?”

“What?”

“You were in your full form when you were born, correct? It is your true form, right?”

Sesshoumaru’s brows drew together slightly. “I do not see how that is related-”

“Does that mean you like doing ‘it’ doggie-style best?”

…

It? What does she mean-? Holy shit! Sesshoumaru’s mouth dropped open, and he turned to her, wondering how a human priestess could have such knowledge of different… positions.

Kagome was watching him silently, excluding the giggles threatening to leave her tightly drawn lips. God I wish I had my camera.

In a matter of moments Sesshoumaru regained his equanimity, and glared at the little human ominously. Fine. The wench wants to be surprised…

He took one step forward and bent down so they were inches apart. A roguish light entered his eyes, and he leered slightly. “I assume you are asking because you want to find out.”

Kagome’s central nerves system shut down. Her motor skills contracted a mass plague and her eyes dimmed slightly. But her imagination decided to pick up the slack, pointing out the images of Sesshoumaru – shirt + lake = Yum! And introduced her to the smashing new game Guess the location of the maroon stripes!

What she should’ve said- “Of course not! I was just wondering if your past ‘partners’, be they male or female, had rug burns!”

What she did say- “Uhn…” [Nervous giggle here]

Sesshoumaru straightened and began sauntering down the street once more, feeling the urge to hum.

Sesshoumaru: What were you smoking while writing this? Really, I mean-

Kagome: It could So. Happen.