The Labarynth

AN: I find Sesshoumaru hard to master. His personality is complex, even moreso than InuYasha. So, if I get this chapter a little off character, please give me a little leniency. As well, please review if you're reading it, because it helps me to know what I am doing right and wrong. It's my first fanfic, so support would be great. At this rate with no reviews, I may can this fic.


Chapter Three

Someone beckoned him. He could hear the urgency in her voice. It was that Miko. Sighing irritatedly, he stopped, and took a spot in a nearby clearing, awaiting her to arrive. What ever she wanted, the spawn of his father's mistakes could handle it, surely. Maybe she finally figured out that he was useless, and came to the true heir of their father for aid. She came running at him, dressed in that same strange outfit she always had on.
"SESSHOUMARU!" she called out, as if he would leave on her.
"Yes, Miko?" he replied, however not moving in any way to acknowledge her presence behind him.
"I need your help." she piped, meekly, as if she were afraid, or cautious of him. She should realize that by now, he had no interest in killer HER. He never liked slaying women, even if he would within a split second in necessity.
"Can't that half-breed muster enough strength within his minuscule form to aid you, Miko?" The female reddened. Either she was warm, or growing intently more shy around him.
"Well, that's what it's about. I need you to go find him."
"Hmph. What makes you think I'd be even remotely interested in locating that half-breed?" she reddened some more. She knew he was uninterested in that proverbial wart on his ass of a sibling.
"InuYasha went into Mount Hakurei to recover eight tainted shards. Naraku was weak, and Kagura let him in to allow him to find them. He's been in there way too long, and it won't be long before a full moon. If InuYasha dies-"
"I have no interest in InuYasha's plight." Sesshoumaru cut her off. "I also have no interest in shards."
"Please, Sesshoumaru. If InuYasha dies, then I have no way to get the shards back on my own. If I don't complete the Shikon Jewel, and Naraku gets them all, not even you can stop him. Even if he decides to use the eight he has after the full moon, no one can stop him. Sesshoumaru, we all want to stop Naraku. I know you do, too, somewhere deep inside. Neither of you will do it alone, you know that. You need him as much as he needs you." Kagome stepped back, as if fearing he would strike out at her, as if moving away would stop that action.
"If you doubt my power, Miko, then why request my help to retrieve the dog? If I cannot overcome Naraku as his best form, why send me after a half-breed to aid my battles? I simply will not help you. I'm sorry, Miko." The demon began to step away, but a bold hand rested on his tall shoulder.
"He's your BROTHER." He stopped, and glanced over his shoulder at her.
"You speak as if that's significant, Miko."
"He is just as much your father as you are. He is the last strand you have left of your family. Would you really stand idly by as a member of your blood dies at the hand of an advisary?" Whether he wanted to admit it to himself or not, the Miko was right. The woman was desperate; otherwise, she would not have turned to him.
"Fine, Miko. To set your lips and heart as ease, I will find your mutt, and return him to you. I cannot take charge for your protection at ever circumstance. Thus, to get you from my sight and away, I will get you your half-breed. You should have sent me to begin with; not the useless mutt." The miko...hugged him. Strange human, he thought. He lifted a clawed hand to pat her head twice, then rather forceably removed the woman from his form, and dashed off in the direction of Mount Hakurei. Jaken could protect Rin for now. Kagoma watched him dash off with relief. That was almost too easy. Maybe the demon had a mild soft spot for his little brother; or worse, herself. She turned, and began to hike back to the camp before anyone got worried as to why she'd taken so long.

* * * * *

Sesshoumaru easily broke through the barrier Naraku set. He didn't care if he knew about it or not. It really didn't matter if he was weak. He quickly spotted the door that reeked most of InuYasha. It appeared to be the only way in, at least on this side of the mountain. He slipped inside, grasping the other torch set alight. InuYasha must have the other one. That would make finding him easier.
"This is beautiful..." spoke a voice from behind a tree. "The woman sent the other one in after InuYasha because she was worried. I didn't think I'd get both in one shot. Beautiful." Kagura sneered. With a glorious evil shimmer in her eye, she removed the masking she'd put on InuYasha. Almost instantly, the cave door began to collapse as Naraku felt the two within the mountain. "Yes, YES! We'll let them rot, together in their final hours. Beautiful."

'Damnit' cursed out InuYasha, as he glanced around the three paths before him. He could have sworn he was here yesterday. He knew he was nowhere near the center, and likely nowhere near the exit, either. That is, if he decided to give up. He truly had no clue where to go, nor which way was which, anymore. He'd managed to keep a systematic pattern to his hunt, however, that had failed in the second day. But, the one thing that might mean a difference between days and weeks in here was if the shards were all in one place or not. That would be far too easy, wouldn't it, though? They wouldn't be in one spot. No way. But, something was moving behind him. What could be in here besides him? Did Kagura give him away, had Naraku sent someone to kill him? He whirled around, palm on the tetsusaiga. But the figure standing behind him was NOT the one he'd been expecting.
"Sesshoumaru? What the hell are YOU doing here?"

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Oooh, the plot thickens! What's going to happen now that they're sealed inside mount Hakurei?

R and R if you like this, PLEASE!