Roses and Thorns

Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha…..but the plot is mine, all mine!



From Me To You…Did you know that kimono is actually the term for “thing to wear”?  Really.  Also, yukata is the term for “bath clothes”.  I laughed when I read it Wikipedia.  Wow.  Anyway, updating and revamping as usual.  I’ve gotten through page 28 of the archive so far.  Wish some of the stories that were last updated in 2008 would be updated.  They were so good.  When I get time, I’ll list some of my favorites.  There’s one that isn’t finished that I came across that actually made me cry in its last chapter.  I don’t normally cry.  There are maybe three books total I have cried with, and I have a freakin library of about 500 plus books, not including the manga.

Onward to the story.



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Jaken, having finally spotted his master cried out “Lord Sesshoumaru! Lord Sesshoumaru!”



Sesshoumaru stood in his bedchambers, leaning against a dark maroon painted wall, arms crossed in front of his well sculpted chest, contemplating the scene before him in his grand silver mirror. The mirror itself was passed down generation to generation of the dog demon clan. It was as old as time itself, no one knew where it came from. It allowed one to see anything they wanted. Whether it is in the next room, or somewhere around the world, it would show you what you wanted to see most.



The ever stoic inutaiyoukai eyed the running imp from the side, making him stop in his tracks. “I know Jaken.” He growled, then whispered as he turned back to his all seeing mirror “I know.”



“What would you like me to do Mi’Lord?”



“Nothing Jaken. Absolutely nothing.”



Sesshoumaru began to notice that something was wrong as soon as she entered his home, and the longer she stayed, the stronger the pull of this feeling. He never felt this before. What could it be? He continued to watch as Rin led her to the fireplace and had her sit down. His eyes seemed to flare open, and a smirk grew from his mouth as he thought of a great idea. He then left his chambers to greet his new “guest”.







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Rin left Kagome in the library to go and get her a blanket to cover herself with. Kagome sat in front of the fire, feet tucked under, and rubbing her arms up then down to warm away her goose bumps. A few minutes had gone by that seemed like hours, and suddenly she wasn’t cold anymore, instead she felt like as though she were the one on fire. It engulfed her whole being, and it began to hurt. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and curled up, rocking herself back and forth.







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Outside of the library doors, Sesshoumaru stopped just short of the entrance. He reached for and grabbed the edge of a table. Something had a hold of him and just wouldn’t let go. He was burning. He felt as though fire were crawling under his skin. The inuyoukai fell to his knees and resisted the urge to start growling. His eyes closed. Would the pain never stop? The great demon circled his middle, trying to will the pain to go away. He felt his beast slipping out. His eyes started to bleed red. There was no turning back, there was nothing he could do…except let loose a heart stopping roar.







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Kagome didn’t think she could last much longer like this. Was it her miko powers? Tears began to slip from the inner corners of her eyes to the floor. No, she would not die like this. She had a job to do. And she certainly wasn’t going to leave Inuyasha here. She fought back and forth with the will to live and the urge to let go and die. Just when she thought she couldn’t take it anymore, she let out a blood curdling scream…







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Everyone outside turned their heads towards the castle as both ear splitting screams filled the air. They all got up and bolted for the doors to the castle.



“KAGOME!!!” They all screamed.



Kouga reached the entrance first, trying to push the doors open to no avail. Then Miroku and Sango joined him all using their shoulders to smash down the doors.



“Hold on a second. Stand back everyone.” Kouga dropped to all fours, hind feet facing the massive barrier in their way, and gave a mighty kick with his jewel shard enhanced limbs. The doorway exploded with the powerful strike of his legs, and they all sprinted in determined to find the body that belonged to that scream.







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Down below, a hanyou struggled with the knowledge that the one he loved, yes he could admit that about her now, was in grave peril. He had to get out. He needed to get out. His head was bowed, bangs guarding his amber eyes now tinged with red, hands curling and uncurling into fists making his palms bleed. His part human self was fading into the background as his demon came forth overridden with the need to live and be free. The hanyou Inuyasha lifted his head, growling, and launched himself into the bars of his cell repeatedly, bruising his body over and over again. Determined to save what was his.







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Moments seemed like hours as Kagome lifted her dizzy head from the floor and moaned. Was she really still alive? Or was she dead and her spirit bound to this earthly plane? She planted both arms on the floor and started to lift her wracked body. Her eyes grew wide at the sight of her skin. She…she was glowing a tranquil aquamarine blue. As she moved even more, she began to notice a few more things. She was somewhat taller, her hair was much longer and wavier, her curvaceous figure had filled out, and as she moved to a small mirror on the wall, she noticed her eyes were now an aquamarine blue that matched her aura. She lifted her hand to her cheek and managed a meek “Wow”. This was like a dream she once had when she was a little girl. When she gathered her wits about her after a few moments, she decided to peek out of the door, hoping to escape this place before Lord Sesshoumaru came looking to see what was going on in his home.



She opened the door a bit in order to get her head out and look around. When there was seemingly no one there, she swung the door open all the way, and continued to walk out. As she turned from shutting the door back, she glanced upon a body on the floor. It was grotesque. It looked like a half human half animal. And it lay motionless on the floor. She tried not to be scared as her heart began to race and tiptoed her way around it lest she wake the beastly thing.  She didn’t have her usual weapons to defend herself with.  Damn her curious mind to forget.







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Sesshoumaru began to groan as he awakened. He couldn’t exactly focus on everything. Which for him was odd. He was a taiyoukai and should have no such problems. So what was wrong with him? He heard tiny footsteps at his side, and reached for the closest thing he could grab.



Kagome froze as she felt something grab her foot, and when she looked down to see what it was, she screamed.







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“This way!” Yelled Sango. She was sure she heard Kagome’s scream again down the next hallway. This palace was like a maze to them. If it hadn’t have been for Kouga sniffing her out, they would have almost certainly been there for hours looking for the miko. They hurriedly made their way to her.







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Kagome prayed silently that this thing whatever it was wasn’t really waking up. She just wanted to get out of there. Then out of nowhere she heard a voice…



“Miko…” it strained.



‘No way, it couldn’t be…’  She continued to pull at her foot, desperate to get away.



“You are not leaving this house. Period.”



“Lord Sesshoumaru?” she questioned. This wasn’t real. This creature, no, this beast couldn’t be Inuyasha’s half brother. Sesshoumaru didn’t look like this, this thing on the floor before her.



“Unless you want Inuyasha dead.”



Kagome turned away from him and her now beautiful blue orbs went wide. She almost forgot about Inuyasha. How could she? What kind of a friend does that? She was lost in her thoughts and didn’t see the beast getting up.



Far away he probably wouldn’t be so bad, but up close, well, let’s just say it was hideous. It was almost if his head couldn’t decide if it wanted to be human looking or demon. So it was stuck between the two. The purple stripes and blue moon were still where they belonged, but now where there once was a decent looking nose was now an elongated snout with fangs to match pointing up and down out of his mouth. His normally golden yellow eyes were now burned amber. And his claws were much more extensive and deadly looking than before. With all that had changed his voice seemed to remain the same, still capturing his prey, drawing them to his eyes.









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Miroku and the others stopped dead in their tracks as they took in the sight before them. An exquisite beauty and a hideous beast. Who were they? Everyone was confused and stood motionless until a little kitsune spoke up.



“Kagome-sama? Is that really you?” Tears welled up in his eyes as he ran to her, “Mama! I thought I lost you!”



The other three adults began to take steps towards Kagome until a familiar voice made them freeze on the spot.



“You will not take a step further into my home. Get out before I kill all of you.” It growled.



Kouga cocked his head to one side, “Lord Sesshoumaru? Is that really you?”



“Hai, and just because our lands are now bonded together doesn’t mean you can break into my house at any time.”



“Too bad old man, cause I’m here to take back what’s rightfully mine.” Kouga growled back.



Sesshoumaru cocked a newly formed eyebrow, even in beastly form, he was good at it. “Really? Because I would like to see you try wolf.”



Kagome tried to start sneaking off towards the taijiya and monk, only to be caught tightly by the arm.



“You” he sneered, “are going nowhere miko.”



By this time Kagome had had enough. Every single male she knew always talked about her as if she weren’t there. It was really annoying. But now, she was at her breaking point. She didn’t care if this was Sesshoumaru.



“Oh yeah? And who are you to say I’m not?”



Sesshoumaru pulled her to him in an almost embrace. “I am your captor, and you will stay here as I see fit.”



Kagome sneered back, “Really?” she cocked her head, “and here I thought you were just going to eat me like all the other villagers.”



He almost laughed at that. “Eat you? You must be joking. Who would want to take a bite out of something as disgusting as you, bitch?”



Kagome was about to retort back when suddenly the air filled with electricity. Everyone not demon began to rub the hair on their arms. Something was coming, and it wasn’t good.







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Something if anything that was left of a bruised and bloody Inuyasha appeared out of nowhere. His head hung low, and he was growling low and constant. His human half had retreated somewhere deep inside.



“Oh Kami, Inuyasha…” whispered Kagome.

“No one calls Kagome a bitch. She is MY woman, and you would do well to keep your filthy repulsive hands off of her brother” he spat the last word out in disgust.



“Now wait just a minute” started Kouga. Miroku grabbed him by the arm before he got into the fray.



“I wouldn’t if I were you. This is between the two brothers.” Kouga looked at the monk, then at the scene that lay before him. He knew this wasn’t his fight.  Inuyasha was his ever constant foe, Lord Sesshuomaru, whichever form he was in was his newest ally.  No way was he going up against him.



“I think you’re right houshi. I’ll be outside if you need me.” And with that he was off and out the front entrance.







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Sesshoumaru pulled Kagome ever closer to him. He egged his brother on. “Come on Inuyasha. Come and get the little bitch. She’s yours if you can win.”



“Inuyasha no, please. Neither one of you is in their right mind. Please don’t” she pleaded.



“Stay out of it Kagome. I can beat this bastard.”



The two started circling. Inuyasha’s hands clenching and unclenching, and Sesshoumaru holding Kagome to him tighter and tighter with one clawed hand, the other ready to strike out at what was left of the hanyou. Growling ensued from both males.



Inuyasha lunged in first at Sesshoumaru’s face, barely missing Kagome as he jumped back. Sesshoumaru called the poison to his claws then took a grand swipe at Inuyasha hitting his mark. Inuyasha was now bleeding from his belly, as well as various other places from breaking out of the cursed cell in the dungeon. That move alone almost took him out. But he was determined to fight to the death for his woman. He moved in again to try and take out the arm that was holding Kagome, missing completely and was smacked from behind his head with Sesshoumaru’s poisoned claw. As he was holding Kagome, the poison that seeped from that hand was beginning to burn through her clothing, and just about to touch her delicate white skin.



Inuyasha was out cold and laying face first on the cold floor. Not one to see her friends die, Kagome gave in.



“Sesshoumaru? Stop it. Please?” Something in her voice made him reel back. He looked at her with curious eyes.



“Lord Sesshoumaru? If I become your prisoner, will you let everyone go? Including Inuyasha?” She barely made it audible enough for the demon to hear.



Sesshoumaru didn’t have to think that one over, for it was his plan all along. This was a different way of getting pretty much what he wanted, but yes, this would do.



“Hai. All I need from you is your word you will not run from this palace, or me.”



“I agree. Take me instead.” Finally defeated, Kagome hung her head low. She was now his captive. She had no other choice. She wanted her friends to live. Especially Inuyasha. At least he was now free to pursue Kikyo.



“Kagome! No!” Sango and Miroku yelled.



“Be silent!” The Lord roared. “Take my so called kin and leave this place. Never to return.” With that, he pushed Kagome in front of him, taking her to what would soon be her chambers.

The demon slayer and monk as mere humans saw no other argument for the time being.  They had to come up with another way to save the woman before them as they fondly thought of their sister.  Gathering up the bloodied and unconscious hanyou, they left the palace.    









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Wow, I totally forgot that I made Sesshy look ugly.  Damn, I was so caught up in writing this when it first posted years ago that it slipped my mind.  Gee whiz, now I really have to rework this thing.  Wish me luck.  This is only chapter seven so…I’m getting there.

~Much Love~

Faerie Demoness