Masquerade

Chapter Seven- Labor and Luck



The next day, Kagome felt like crap. It was raining, Sesshoumaru was being even less cooperative than normal, Masao was getting on her nerves and, oh yeah, it was that time of the month for her. The small group walked along the path in a straight line, silent and ever aware of their dreary surroundings. Determined that mikos-seeing as they could never marry, have sex, feel emotions properly, or communicate freely with the general public-shouldn’t have to deal with the dreaded period, Kagome was busy praying less-than-virtuous prayers to the gods and kicking at anything that got in her way. Even Sesshoumaru…

… Especially Sesshoumaru.

He stopped and glared at her over his shoulder, his eyes glittering malevolently. “I told you to stop the first time you did that. And the second. And the third. Do not make me repeat myself-”

“Again.” She interrupted, returning the scowl.

Masao eyed the two of them from his place at the back of the group, wincing at exactly how irate they both looked. Well, okay, Sesshoumaru always looked like that. But it was unnatural on Kagome. And slightly disturbing on many levels.

Kagome refused, Re-fused, to put up with the taiyoukai today. She was wet, chilly, bleeding and hadn’t had a decent tampon in years. In fact, she’d kill for a muscle relaxant and maybe some Midol. Well, she might not take them at the same time, but-

No, no. She’d probably be stupid enough to take them at the same time.

“Look. I don’t feel good. I don’t like listening to you complain and I’ve explained this several times. The first time I kicked your heel, it was an accident. The second time, it was a rock I’d booted toward you. Accidentally, of course.” Lies! Blasphemy! False- “The third time, I did it to piss you off. This time though, this time it was an accident. Again. Please, can we just keep walking? The sooner we get to the next campsite the sooner I can lie down. Away from you.”

Sesshoumaru’s eyes narrowed further, but he faced forward once more and continued on.

At least she wasn’t confiding in him or crying because of the pain.

Yes, he knew what she was going through. So did Masao. The scent hung around her heavily, not disgusting but not particularly pleasant either. He had worried at first, wondering how she’d react. He’d been around Leiko when she had ‘that time’. Leiko got emotional (more so than normal, which was a feat in itself) and would tell him all her problems and secrets while he sat wherever he might be at the time, counting how many words she could get out in a minute.

The record was over 500. Or, something. He’d lost his hearing in one ear the last time Leiko had been ‘confiding’ in him.

Masao looked at Kagome’s back pityingly, noticing the slight limp she carried herself with.

Feeling eyes on her Kagome’s fist clenched. She was limping, not in an incredibly noticeable way, but enough for the others to observe. She’d fallen this morning in the river when she’d been cleaning her clothing. A predominantly tall rock had been sitting under her opportunely, and she’d managed to fall on it in the perfect straddling position.

Now, add that in with the already painful period and you get one angry, limping, pissed off Kagome.

Yes, she was a little bitter.

And she was lacking in adjectives suddenly.

And-

No, she wasn’t in the mood for arrogant lords demanding the respect they deserved…

…

That didn’t come out right.

He was demanding respect from her he didn’t deserve even though he was a lord and quite possibly the most powerful being in Japan and-

Even her intellect was wimping out on her. Obviously the world was coming to an abrupt halt at the hands of evil power-crazed bunnies, planning their domination by rapidly multiplying and-

Her lack of decent excuses was getting pathetic. Hell, Kagome had managed to start annoying herself in the past fifteen minutes.

“Masao.” Sesshoumaru said, in a way that wasn’t the least bit endearing.

“Sesshoumaru-sama.”

“There is a band of wolves approaching us.”

Gee, obviously I couldn’t sense that myself, Masao’s mind grumbled angrily.

Kagome glanced between the two of them; Sesshoumaru’s slight smirk and Masao’s slight pout making her blink. They were acting like children. Sesshoumaru never acted this purposefully annoying - he pulled it off without even trying - and Masao was acting positively childish-

No, Masao was acting exactly the same.

They had just passed the Eastern border. The lord’s shiro was two days away, one if they flew (that wasn’t going to happen, Kagome declined repeatedly. She would not get on Masao’s back in her current condition. It just wasn’t sanitary.)

She sighed and sat down on a log, rubbing her legs and groaning appreciatively after kicking off the wooden sandals on her feet.

God, wood was not a good shoe material. It provided absolutely no arch support.

“Girl, what are you doing? Did I not just say-”

“Yes, you did. It doesn’t matter. I know who’s coming. He won’t hurt - well, me. He won’t hurt me.” Kagome closed her eyes and leaned back, stretching her legs and wiggling her toes with a content mutter. Yay for moss.

A series of howls and barks of the wolves pierced the silence and one of Kagome’s eyes opened, “What’d they say, Sesshoumaru?”

“Girl-!”

“They said… um, happy hunting…” Masao offered weakly, stepping in front of Kagome.

The howls grew closer until eventually the pack came through the trees, Kouga and… another wolf in the lead. The other wolf Kagome had no knowledge of stepped forward and bowed to Sesshoumaru and Masao. Masao and Sesshoumaru did the same, though Masao’s bow was deeper so when he bent down Kagome was revealed, standing up and holding her bow in one hand, her shoes and socks in the other.

Kouga grinned and started strutting forward but was shoved back by, who Kagome supposed, was his cousin. His supposed cousin bowed once more and Kagome stepped out from behind Masao, returning the bow. The unnamed wolf’s eyes narrowed at her priestess garb, but Kagome smiled slightly and he relaxed.

“Kagome! I haven’t seen you in years!” Kouga said, bounding forward and hugging her tightly. He lifted her up and shook her a little before placing her back on the ground.

Kagome adjusted her shoulders a couple times, and smiled. “Hey, Kouga. It’s great to see you, too.” And thanks for popping my back.

“Anytime!” He yelled happily, a little confusion in his eyes. He was shoved aside once more and his cousin took his place, bowing again.

“I am Ebisu… Like the god.” He offered her a stunning smile and Kagome smiled back a little nervously. Ebisu was tall with steel colored eyes and skin the color of cinnamon, he was muscled and dressed in hakamas pants tucked into his boots, but he wore only a breast plate similar to Kouga’s for a shirt.

“You are the lord of the East?” Kagome asked, backing away discreetly.

“Yes. Yes I am.” Ebisu said proudly.

“That’s good, I actually came to see you and ask-”

“Ebisu! Come here right now!” A demoness broke through the trees, panting and glaring and looking generally unhappy.

Oh, damn. His future was calling.

The demoness turned her burning eyes to Kagome and they narrowed further, making her look like she was squinting. Kagome remembered this one from her day as Satu; the wolf was rude and obnoxious and-

Well, a lot like Ayame.

Kagome took and step back form Ebisu and bowed lowly. “I have come to ask for your assistance in the gravest of matters, mighty lord.”

Kagome was washing her mouth out after this.

Ebisu looked pleased and offered her his hand, then started dragging her away, “Come, come! I have a home not far from here. We may talk there.”

Kouga cut in between them. “Hey! Don’t touch my woman!”

Masao growled and shoved them both away. “Don’t touch Kagome-san!”

Sesshoumaru grabbed one of Kagome’s shoulders and pulled her back to him, glaring.

The demoness jumped in front of Ebisu, looking fiercely at Kagome.

Kagome closed her eyes and massaged her temples, muttering obscenities under her breath.

Was saving Japan really worth this?

…

…

Freak.

“Ebisu-sama!” She called loudly, everyone stopped and looked at her. She met their stares evenly, wishing to backtrack a few years to the point that at about this time Inuyasha would jump in the clearing, wielding Tetsusaiga and yelling incendiary at everyone, including Kagome. “You are aware of recent events in the Northern lands?”

Ebisu straightened and his face fell blank, meaning he was in business-mode. “I am.”

“You are aware of the rumors surrounding the Northern army, and their theoretical use of a dark priestess?”

“Yes.”

“Good. We should go to the home you spoke of. We have many things to discuss.”

Sesshoumaru looked down at the girl quietly, his eyes shining in thought. She was able to talk to another lord without making an ass of herself. Impressive.

Well, not really.

He was just looking down her shirt-

No! No he wasn’t! He was looking for claw marks!

Cause if she was bleeding he’d get Masao to clean them up. Cause she couldn’t die. He wasn’t bored for the first time in years, and that was… amazing.

So, in an indirect way, Sesshoumaru was calling her amazing.

The group was ahead of him now, walking and lost in their discussion.

Sesshoumaru’s hand clenched as he scowled at Kagome’s back.

He comforted himself silently with the knowledge she was a priestess. It didn’t matter if he felt anything for her. She was unattainable. And not worth it. At least not now.

But he wouldn’t lie to himself.

…

She had a really pretty neck. That was it. Period.


Kagome: Wow, thanks.

Sesshoumaru: I don’t really think that.

Masao: Hn.

Kagome: Mm-hmm.

Sesshoumaru: I’m not even going to dignify that with a remark… Masao! Defend my honor!

Masao: What honor?