Masquerade

Author’s Note: Guess what? Now that I’ve built tension between Kagome and Sesshoumaru and each of them have muddled their way through their feelings, I get to focus on the plot! Which means faster smut- I mean more action!

Also, I have a vocabulary word for you today.

He-geisha. Hee! Menna, you’re such a riot.

Chapter Twenty- And Today Was a Day Just Like Any Other

Leiko studied the shadows outlining the face of the Brothel owner’s son with trepidation similar to that of a rabbit staring up the muzzle of a wolf. She shifted slightly on her knees, keeping her head bowed. Next to her, the guard edged closer, standing from his crouched position.

“She will do.” The son said, leaning back from his inspection.

The guard, ‘Tamasine’, nodded, bowed, and left the room.

Leiko glared at his feet. Twin. Masao’s so very original. Calling him self, ‘twin’. Ha! I could’ve done better! Before he was out the door closest to her ‘Tamasine’ dropped a small note in Leiko’s lap, an action that remained unnoticed by the son, what was his name? Leiko thought, stuffing the note in her sleeve.

“Guard!” The son yelled before Tamasine was all the way out the door.

“Yes sir?”

“Has she been checked of her possessions?”

A tiny, devious grin tugged at Masao’s hidden lips. “Yes, the woman is clean.”

The son nodded and dismissed the guard, leaning down once more to study Leiko’s bent head. “What is you name?”

Oh, uhm, Sakura? No, think original. “Wattan.” She murmured, rubbing one of her fingers along a corner of the note in her grasp.

“That won’t do.” The son stood and placed a heavy hand on her shoulder, hauling her up. “We will go to mother. She will give you a proper name.”

“A proper name, sir?” Leiko ventured, trying not to trip on her way down the narrow hall.

The son grunted, “A proper name for a whore.” He offered, not bothering to lighten the strike of his words.

Leiko flinched. She wasn’t a whore, but it still wasn’t comforting to be called such. Don’t worry; you’ll be out of here before even the first client can pay, Masao had told her, and so everything would be fine. It’s not like they put women out in display their first day. Right?

They stopped in front of a screen decorated with a stork and a tall cherry tree. An odd combination, Leiko mused before being shoved inside and down on her knees. “Okaa-san, the new laborer is here.”

Leiko couldn’t see the mother, but by the sounds of her footsteps and the scent of the room she was old, fat, and probably ugly.

“Rise, girl.” A voice said, surprisingly pleasant for someone of such… tasteless stature.

Leiko kept her eyes trained on the ground however as she stood.

“Look at me.”

Leiko sighed and raised her eyes slowly. Don’t cringe, don’t… Whoa.

The woman was small and thin; her hair was an aged gray and hung low to the floor, tied back in two braids, something Leiko hadn’t really seen on people. Her face was unlined and unblemished, her eyes an almost creamy beige. She’s a human, but she’s too old to not have any wrinkles. Leiko took another tiny sniff of her scent, the dark aroma making her want to sneeze. She smells like something dead.

“What is you name?”

“Wattan.”

The woman grabbed her chin gently, turning her head slowly from side to side. “That will not do,” the woman mumbled, one of her frigid fingers trailing to Leiko’s ear. “From now on you will be known as Junko. Release all your memories of Wattan, she lives no more.”

From now on I will be obedient? Leiko- Junko shook her head, trying not to laugh.

“Escort the woman to the bathing house, she reeks of cat demon.”

Leiko’s head shot up, her eyes wide and mouth open. How could she smell that? She’s human!

“Come, woman.” The son grabbed her elbow and yanked her unresisting form out the doorway, not bothering to turn her around.

Leiko’s eyes stuck forcefully to the woman’s back until she was out of sight, baffled and dazed.

Inuyasha stood with his back flat against a cool stone atop a wall of the canyon. Below him, a small procession passed, the sounds of their footsteps almost silent even to his advanced hearing.

For several miles he’d followed the canyon wall, trailing the scent of a dead rose. Along the way the gorge floor had begun to rise, the river having disappeared along one of the few twists, until finally he could watch the caravan easily without their knowledge.

A single carriage caught his eye.

The priestess. His hand rested itself on Tetsusaiga’s hilt, a way to restrain himself from jumping in headfirst.

It’s one of your many faults, she’d said once, recklessness. He remembered the small smile she’d given him, hesitant and enough to make him melt. I forgive you, though.

The weathered grip of Tetsusaiga hummed in his hand, both comforting and exciting. The shadow of a head was all he could make out of the person in the carriage, but the aura and scent hung heavily around-

The entire troop.

Inuyasha blinked, and leaned forward.

They all smell the same.

Interesting.

The town wasn’t big or small. It wasn’t overly populated but it wasn’t deserted either. Kagome stood on the very edge of the town in the middle and watched as the village elders approached her, bowing and smiling.

“Priestess!”

Sesshoumaru had agreed happily (“I am not – am not - entering a human town. Go, hurry, and depart. I will meet you on the other side of the village.”) earlier to wait outside of the village, leaving Kagome to herself.

After being bowed to, visiting the town’s miko, requesting a set of haori and hakama in her own sizes, then getting ushered to an inn, Kagome figured she wasn’t going to be leaving that night, therefore couldn’t meet the youkai lord on the other side of town. Now how to inform Sesshoumaru?

She sighed and looked up at the shoji door, knowing that there was a male outside, her self-appointed ‘guard’. Like I need a sentry, she thought, huffing.

Still, she couldn’t get to Sesshoumaru that way, so…

Kagome turned around, though there was no other door or window. “Well isn’t that helpful,” she scratched her head, wondering how she could tell Sesshoumaru where she was. I’ll just have to wait until the guard falls asleep. Kagome turned to the shadow she could make out on her wall and sat down. It can’t take that long.

An hour rolled by, and still the guard stood.

Two more hours followed, and the guard sat down. Kagome’s eyelids drooped, though she stayed awake.

One more hour, and both were snoring.

He’d said hurry. He’d said to meet him on the other side of town. And-

People listened to the things he said. For he did not say much.

The town was dark now; the town quiet and serene. It looked tranquil, and it sounded tranquil, but Sesshoumaru knew better.

He could hear the yell of a father across the town as he slapped his son. He could taste the fear of a woman as she was thrown at a wall in a dark alley, and he could smell the anger on a daughter while her dad passed out drunk.

Sesshoumaru faced away from the village, having caught the scent of Kagome. Worthless humans. Abusing those weaker than them. Think they-

Whoa. When- When did this happen?

He gained a conscious? What the hell? He gained a conscious!

Sesshoumaru’s eyes widened. He scanned the surroundings briefly, making sure he was completely and utterly alone. Satisfied, he let himself do it-

“What the hell?”

-Sesshoumaru talked to himself out loud.

But it would never happen again and no one heard so it didn’t really-

“You do that often?”

God. Damn.

“Miko.” He intoned frigidly. I am a rock. I feel nothing. There is no- Oh, she’s wearing a kimono. A sleeping yukata, actually. Well that’s just a little distracting. And her hair is wet. She took a bath. Hey, look. The fabric is wet, just a little longer and-

“Youkai.” Kagome replied, smiling warmly.

Sesshoumaru looked over her shoulder, nothing. I feel nothing.

“Sorry I couldn’t tell you I wouldn’t be able to leave today… tonight… soon…” Kagome trailed off then shrugged. She looked away, humming.

Sesshoumaru, confused by her… odd… mood, took a step closer. She seemed normal. Her aura was in its usual state. Her scent-

Was different. Fascinating.

What was different, though?

His eyebrows drew together and he took another step closer, bending down. Kagome stared at him like he was crazy, her humming frozen in her throat. “What?”

Slowly he sifted through the normal fragrance that hung around her. It was normal just… off. As if she wasn’t-

As if she isn’t as pure anymore.

Sesshoumaru pulled away from her. Fascinating.

“What?” Kagome asked again, her hand rising to grasp the jewel around her neck reflexively.

Sesshoumaru’s eyes were drawn to the glowing orb and something clicked. “The jewel is corrupting you.”

Kagome laughed. “No, no. I’m pretty sure that’s you.” She shook her head and stopped laughing slowly.

Sesshoumaru grabbed her chin and forced her gaze on his completely serious, I-do-not-joke-foolish-human face a little roughly. “Miko. The jewel is corrupting you. Your aura, your scent - and in a matter of time - your power will be corrupted as well. A corruption I am used to seeing in association with the dark hanyou, Naraku.”

Kagome’s eyes widened. “Really?” She whispered, hoarse and confused.

The taiyoukai looked at her as gravely as he could manage while still being a rock.

So, Naraku is still winning. Kagome took a step away from Sesshoumaru. And, if he continues to do so, eventually he will be able to-

Control the powers of the Shikon miko. Naraku may someday be able to control all of my power!

And that was very bad. Very, very bad. Seeing as how she was probably the most powerful priestess alive and if Naraku had all that power – tainted, no less – at his finger tips why he could rule the entire-

Kagome let a light, bitter giggle leave her, then fainted.

She hit the ground with a dull thud, making Sesshoumaru jump from his thoughts.

“Kagome?”

Kagome: Of course. I get to be the one getting taken over.

Sesshoumaru: Of course.

Author: … Let’s get them drunk!

Plot: No.

Author: Please?

Plot: Next time. But only Kagome.

Author: Wee!

Not-so frequently asked questions:

1. Why is Kagome constantly angry? She has no home, no family, her life is ruled by an in-animate object and now Sesshoumaru has his own motives concerning her and she has no idea what they are. Should I go on?
2. Par Malheur.
3. Ismi, Ruwaydah. Na’am, ana fahma Arabi.
4. Kagome is so an arsonist!