Seeking a Purpose

Chapter 2-- “One Step Forward Two Steps Back”

Author Note:  Wow…I was actually surprised at how many people liked this one.   I guess I categorized this one in my head as one of the oddballs, since it’s such an AU.  Ah well, I’m glad you like it    Also, yes, for those of you who noticed- Kagome’s arrival obviously played a big part on Sesshoumaru pulling away from Inuyasha, since; as I quote “Sesshoumaru avoided them as if they were a plague”…  And Inuyasha will be having constant recalls and flashbacks to keep everything explained and developed between characters up to the present—where he and Miroku are searching for Kagome, of course.  So sit back and relax….and read (duh) and…review ….

Side Note:  My Site has reopened!! I know, amazing isn’t it?  Took me long enough.

Recommendation: Alright, who here loves the Shichinin-tai/Seven Warriors? There’s a great new story out now that’s both fun and dramatic, being an Inuyasha AU with them included.  The title is ‘The case of the missing Kotsu’. You should check it out! It has yaoi tones, but it has Jakotsu, what did you expect?

Recap:  Basically- Inuyasha and Kagome grew up together, and they lived under the rule of Inuyasha’s father… then the Western Lands were attacked and during the battle everyone got separated, so Inuyasha is now searching for Kagome.  After meeting Miroku, though they don’t get along all too well, both he and Inuyasha are on the search together; with Miroku as a guide.  -  No information has been given yet on the whereabouts of anyone other than Inuyasha from the Western Land’s Rule though…

Vocabulary:

Mou- similar to ‘jeez!’

Itai- ouch

Houshi- monk/priest

Hentai- pervert/perverted

“It’s beautiful today, isn’t it?”

Inuyasha glanced at her thoughtfully, though skeptically raising an eyebrow, “Why else do you think we come here?”. 

Kagome frowned at him, rolling to her feet and brushing off her kimono to stand indignantly near the edge of the cliff, one hand on her hip and the other pointing out at the sunrise.  “I wouldn’t drag myself up here almost everyday if it always looked the same, pretty or not, Inuyasha.”  He snorted at her and shook his head.  “It looks different every morning…never the same colors…”  She trailed off and frowned, lowering her hand to gaze out at the brilliance of that particular morning’s sunrise.  Inuyasha was still amused with her previous statement, smirking at her deliberately, “You say you ‘drag yourself up here’ when you don’t even lay a foot on the trail…”  He snickered when she shot him a nasty look.  “You know damn well I carry you up here every morning,… and sometimes you’re not even fully awake…”  He mused. 

Kagome scowled at him and dropped back down to sit next to him, grabbing an ear on the way to give it a generous tug.  “OUCH!!”  She gave the furry white ear a small pinch before releasing it, watching in silent amusement as he gritted his teeth and tenderly favored his injured ear, wincing as it instinctively flattened back in response to his touch.  “Gods, Kagome. You know that hurts…”  He grumbled.

“I know,”  She rolled her eyes at him, “That’s why you deserved it, too.  Way to ruin the mood, Inuyasha.”  He frowned and glared back out at the sunrise, “Keh.”  Kagome sighed and wrapped her arm around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder.  “You’re such a big baby…I’m sorry.”  He just scoffed, “Am not” in reply.

Their little quarrels never held any resentment, and in Inuyasha’s opinion; it was just boredom.  A chilled breeze rushed up the face of the cliff and rippled their clothing.  Kagome maneuvered her way under his arm and hugged him close for warmth and comfort.  Inuyasha nodded to himself, the bickering was all for show, but the enthusiasm wasn’t.  It was actually somewhat competitive…though neither of them ever really won the blithe little battles.  Nevertheless, mood restored, Inuyasha was content to watch the rest of the sunrise while Kagome made herself comfortable against this chest. 

“Do you want to know why I really like this spot, Inuyasha?”  He glanced down at her face, finding her smiling thoughtfully.  “Why?”  He asked softly, wondering what the source of her smile might be.  She leaned away from him a little to look up at his face, “Because here…”  She looked away and out at the horizon longingly, “…The sky goes on forever.” 

Inuyasha tilted his head and looked at her curiously, wondering just what she disclosed with that statement; but he didn’t say anything.  When he didn’t answer, she turned to him timidly, though her smile didn’t waver.  “Don’t you ever…”  She bit her lip and squelched the rest of that thought.  Inuyasha squeezed her shoulder reassuringly and urged her to continue, “Don’t I ever what?”. 

Still a bit hesitant, she continued in a whisper cautiously, “Don’t you ever…think about being free?” 

Inuyasha’s eyes widened.  “Free?”  She looked at him inquiringly, “You know,… away from the confines of everything?  Typical rebellious princess desire?  Be …normal?” Inuyasha opened his mouth to reply but his expression rapidly fell and he grew silent.  “Normal…?”  Kagome immediately cursed herself when she saw his forlorn expression.

“Ah…Inuyasha, you know I didn’t mean it that way…”  She frowned and grasped his hands to reassure him.  He seemed to linger on her earlier words instead of accepting the comfort, slightly dazed.  “Inuyasha…”  He caught her chin and forced her to look at him, looking desolately determined. 

“I would let you leave, you know.  I could even help you escape…if that’s what you want.”  Kagome gaped at him in horror and smacked his hand away from her chin.  “Inuyasha!”  She scolded, “Don’t you dare speak like that!”  Inuyasha frowned at her uncertainly, having been completely serious.  “Mou… Inuyasha, by ‘normal’  all I meant was more ‘common’ rather than royalty…”  Kagome sighed exasperatedly and shifted so that she could comfortably wrap her arms around him.  “You big idiot, you know I’d never want to leave you… Why do you think I said “think” and not “want”?

Still a bit uncertain, Inuyasha slowly raised his arms to return her embrace and glowered tentatively out at the sunrise behind her.  “But… you know neither of us are accepted out there, Kagome.  I’m sorry…”  Kagome groaned against his chest in frustration, “Sorry? Inuyasha, my whole family is damned for associating so closely with yours, but you know what?  I’m glad, because they don’t know what they’re missing!”  Inuyasha wrinkled his nose in confusion, giving her another odd look. 

Kagome smiled at his confusion and reached up to soothe his previously injured ear.  “Well, everyone thinks youkai are evil and bloodthirsty… but what can I do but feel special?  Because I get to be one of the few people who know a few youkai that are just the opposite…”  Kagome smiled warmly and straightened up in his lap so that she could press her forehead against his, looking down into his wide eyes as a light blush crossed both their faces.  “And if every girl had her own ‘Inuyasha’…I’m sure all of those girls out there somewhere wishing they could meet their ideal husband would change their minds …”  Kagome laughed lightly when the blush on his face darkened and his ears flattened outwards.  “Kagome… I…”  Inuyasha froze and broke off, sniffing the air at the familiar scent that wafted up from the cliff face.  Exchanging glances, they both turned to look over the edge of the cliff down at the ground.

“Oh no, go right on ahead.  I can wait here all day…”

Sesshoumaru stood at the bottom of the cliff looking completely aloof.   Inuyasha sighed and Kagome groaned.  With an annoyed huff Kagome let herself fall backwards to sprawl out on her back in an unceremonious heap, mock-fainting, thoroughly disturbing Inuyasha. 

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow and looked fairly amused.  “Better watch your woman there, Inuyasha.  Falling over so abruptly like that, who knows—she might have some sort of dire illness.”  Kagome grumbled and crawled to the edge of the cliff so that she could glare down at the older sibling.  “You wish, Sesshoumaru.”  The elder sibling raised an eyebrow again and looked off to the side, “Hmm…Indeed…”

Inuyasha sweat-dropped and made his way over to the edge as well, trying not to step on Kagome.  “What…brings you out here any way, brother?”  To that question, Sesshoumaru looked visibly displeased.  “Father wanted to remind you there’s a gathering later this evening and not to be late again.  I was the one blessed with the honor of going out to find the two of you.”  Inuyasha exhaled loudly and rubbed the back of his neck warily “Well…sorry you had to come out here, but I do remember, and I wont be late.”  Sesshoumaru nodded and turned, “Make sure you do, because if I get sent out to retrieve you again-- you better have your sword drawn and ready, because I wont be happy.”  Inuyasha nodded and glared down at Kagome when she grumbled, “Happy? When is he ever happy?  He doesn’t even know how to smile correctly! Who the…” and he covered her mouth to quiet her.

“I’ll be there.”  Inuyasha sighed and Sesshoumaru shook his head.  He looked back over his shoulder to see Kagome giving him a nasty look while she peeked over the side of the cliff.  He gave unappealingly amused look in response.  “And, little brother?” Inuyasha blinked down at him in question. 

“You should really look into taking your bitch to see the nurse…she looks awful.” 

Inuyasha gasped and collected Kagome into his arms when she looked ready to jump right off the cliff after him.  “Very funny, Sesshoumaru.”  Inuyasha growled as the older demon left with no more than a toss of his head to relocate the hair framing his face. When he was gone, Inuyasha looked down to see Kagome grinding her teeth in annoyance.  “Your brother has the worst sense of humor out of anyone I’ve ever met!”  She scowled.  

“You don’t help when you react so candidly either, now do you?  You just egg him on when you shoot back like that…”  Kagome just grumbled irritated nothings into his chest and clenched her fists.  Inuyasha exhaled loudly.  “He’s upset today…”  Inuyasha frowned and looked off in thought, “I wonder what set him off…”  he mused. 

Kagome silenced and pulled back to look up at him skeptically.  “What?” Inuyasha asked under her gaze.  “If I’ve been with you nearly every second of my life, how can you tell he’s in a bad mood and me not?  He acted the exact same as always in my opinion.” 

Inuyasha blinked down at her blankly.  “Maybe…it’s just a brother thing?”  He offered hesitantly, and she gave him a dry look.  “Well, think about it Kagome…”  She cocked her head to give him a questionable glare.  “Before you were born, I wasn’t allowed to go out, no one was my age, and the only person around to bug was my brother.  I always managed to track him down when I was restless…even though he never talked to me much...”  Inuyasha shook his head to clear the muddled thoughts that floated around in his mind, “When you’re around someone who shows so little emotion, you get used to it.  And once you’ve seen the impassiveness enough… you can notice the little details that stand out from the ‘normal’, and tell what he’s feeling.”  Kagome stared. 

“Inuyasha…you’re scaring me.”  Inuyasha blinked down at her in surprise.  Kagome waved him off, “Oh forget it, I just wanted to know how you could discern one ‘jerk’ mood from the next.”  Inuyasha opened his mouth to reply and Kagome put a finger to his lips with a determined smile, “NOT the ten different ways Sesshoumaru can raise his eyebrow, okay?”  She laughed lightly and Inuyasha’s mouth upturned into a smile as she removed her finger.  “Okay.”  He nodded and her smiled widened, arms lifting to return his once-restraining embrace.  “Enough talk of him!”  She announced, burrowing her nose in his chest and taking a deep intake of breath, instantly relaxing at the calming scent.  Inuyasha nodded approvingly and looked down at her with amusement vivid in his eyes. 

“You smell good.” She mumbled, smiling when she felt his chest vibrate beneath her as he chuckled softly.  “I envy you… I wish I had your nose, so I could smell half that you do…” She grinned. 

Inuyasha snorted,  “No you don’t…” he assured her, “Believe me, some things smell exceptionally good, but…you would not believe how horrible everything else smells, whether I’m used to it or not.”  Kagome laughed. 

“Okay, okay.  I’d only want to smell you then.”  She smiled, but Inuyasha gave her another unsettled look,  “I’m sure you would,” he mumbled and blushed slightly, “I think you smell better.”  Kagome raised an eyebrow and smiled brightly, “Really?”  He coughed lightly, “Trust me, you do.”  She giggled and sighed contently against him.

Kagome turned in his arms so they could watch the last of the sunrise and they remained that way for some time, content with one another’s body warmth despite the slightly chilled air.  “Inuyasha?”  Kagome whispered softly, gazing out at the colors as they faded into a light blue.  “Hmm?”  Inuyasha grunted as he looked down to see her twisting in his arms slowly and raising until she was eye level with him.  His breath caught when she leaned forward and rested her cheek against his.  He swallowed hard when he felt her lips lightly brush against his skin while she whispered again.  “Kagome…”  he murmured, closing his eyes.  “Promise me something Inuyasha…”  she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck.  “Yes…?” he asked hesitantly.  “That….”

“Ooooh, Inuyashaaaa!!”

Inuyasha blinked, his eyes widening when Kagome’s voice twisted slightly and she was suddenly looking down at him with a desperate face.  ‘The hell..!? Kagome’s never acted like this before…’  She wrapped her arms around his neck again and he wiled himself to close his eyes. ‘what’s wrong with her?’

“Kiss me, Inuyasha!!”

Inuyasha’s eyes snapped open and he drug in a sharp breath in shock, nearly choking…

…and came face to face with a sight that would haunt him for a very, very long time.

Miroku was maybe 3 inches away from his face with pursed lips, making smooching noises, and cooing in as girlish of a voice he could manage, “Oooh! Inuyashaaa! Kiss me!” The back of Inuyasha’s mind noted this was why his memory of Kagome had suddenly turned into a squealing-Kagome-nightmare scene.  But all of this was irrelevant for the moment because, well,…

…. there was still the matter that Miroku was presently and inch away from ‘smooching’ him in Kagome’s place…

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!”

“Oww…. Did you really have to hit me so hard?”

“HIT you??  I should KILLyou!!”

Miroku sighed heavily as he favored the large bump atop his head as he and Inuyasha trekked through the forest.  Not only that, he’d probably have a black eye soon enough.  He had gotten backhanded right across the face, after all…

“Hmph, can’t even take a joke…”  Miroku muttered to himself.

“You tried to KISS me!!”  Inuyasha shouted, spitting off to the side just for the effect.  “I did not try to “kiss” you! I did not even touch you…”  Inuyasha just made a face and stomped ahead a few paces.  “Whatever you say, damn pervert; trying to kiss me in my sleep…”  Miroku rolled his eyes and wondered if it was worth it to whack the hanyou over his head with his staff.  ‘Nah… I’ll just wake him up tomorrow as well.’

“I told you already I was only trying to wake you…”

“Wake me?? I’ve been through some scary shit, Miroku.  But that tops them all…”

“Hmmph.”  Miroku sniffed.  “It was only some fun…”

“Keh! ‘Fun’ you say… turning a perfectly decent dream into a nightmare…”

Miroku suddenly didn’t look to be in so much pain anymore and his eyebrows rose considerably.  “Oooh?”  Inuyasha’s face colored.  “Don’t even start!  It wasn’t even remotely perverted.”  Miroku just shrugged and kept a skeptical eye on the prince.  “You said her name in your sleep… it was what gave me the idea of what method to awaken you in the first place.”  Inuyasha snorted and looked away, putting his fisted hands on his hips.  “Ha! I told you we never did anything, and I was merely dreaming of memories…”

Miroku smiled this time, his eyebrows returning to their normal relaxed position as his expression turned rather nostalgic.  They had been traveling for about five weeks together now.  Miroku had proved to be an exceptional guide, true to his word; and despite their bickering the prince and the priest had become comfortable with one another’s company.  The monk presently knew more about the youngest heir of the Demon Lord of the Western Lands than anyone else outside of the Western domain’s walls, most likely.  Miroku liked hearing anything the hanyou was willing to tell. There was little else for them to do other than converse, since Inuyasha remained diligently focused on traveling every moment possible. 

“If it were a good dream then, I’m all ears for memories as well…”  Inuyasha shook his head at the monk’s swift change of interest, but smirked even so.  “Not much, monk… just some peaceful times…”  Miroku smiled and Inuyasha thought a moment before adding, “…That were interrupted by my brother about as abruptly as yourself, but not half as frightening.”  Miroku laughed.  “You mention your brother occasionally, but never speak of him much in detail… have you no stories including him or do you dislike speaking of him?”

Inuyasha frowned.  “Not really… he just never hangs around long is all.  Keeps his distance…”  Miroku just nodded slightly, “So the elder prince is as cold as they say? Not surprising… I believe I saw him once.  Is he extremely vain, or was it just me?”  Inuyasha shook his head, “No, well… he is vain, but… it wasn’t always like that… We used to at least talk…sometimes.  Just slowly drifted apart, I guess…”

“Hmmph, reticent bastard…” Inuyasha snorted. Miroku watched him carefully from the corner of his eyes.  There was undoubtedly some sort of confusing distance between the brothers that Inuyasha himself apparently didn’t understand.  The sound of the hanyou’s voice had the barest hints of hurt to it that convinced the monk that Inuyasha valued his brother’s company, no matter what he said himself; and missed whatever had once existed.

“The next village is right up ahead…”  Miroku noted slowly.  Inuyasha nodded and continued on at a more relaxed pace.  Time for routine again, questioning the villagers. Miroku preferred to stand back and merely watch or mingle with the village folk… women, mainly.  Inuyasha could care less, finding Kagome was his responsibility; and after all, Miroku’s only necessary interactions with him were as his guide… though now he was more like a traveling companion it seemed.  His presence in the village was almost immediately taken notice to, but as suspected, not as many people were as interested or overly respecting of him; seeing as he was outside of his lands.  Miroku shrugged and looked around to get an assessment of the females in their midst while Inuyasha made his way from villager to villager. 

“Dressed nicely, was she?”  Inuyasha blinked at the odd question of the shopkeeper he was presently explaining his situation to.  “Yes…  in fine silks…” he replied a bit uneasily.  The villagers didn’t usually ask further questions much, aside from merely listening to his own description.

Miroku was busying himself with a particularly attractive young lady as Inuyasha conversed.  His charms were working exceedingly well at the moment and when Inuyasha suddenly shattered the moment.

“MIROKU!!”

The monk was tempted to have it out with him for interrupting.  Turning around to face the hanyou though, Miroku could do little more than blink.  He had never seen Inuyasha so happy…

“He saw her, Miroku!  Did you hear!?  We have a lead!!”  Inuyasha shouted enthusiastically.  Miroku couldn’t help but smile and nodded in consent.  Inuyasha’s hands were fisted in front of himself, and the first actual smile Miroku had ever seen was unmistakable across his face.  It wasn’t until he saw how brightened Inuyasha looked now that Miroku realized how little Inuyasha truly lightened up.

Taken aback by the sudden turn of events, Miroku turned away from his lady acquaintance with the slightest bit of reluctance and walked over to join his now energetic companion.  “So lady Kagome has been seen?  In this town?”

Inuyasha shook his head vigorously and pointed to the north.  “No… the shopkeeper said he moves his shop every week… they were heading north though!”  he explained, lowering his hand.  Miroku gave a thoughtful frown, stroking his chin, “How long ago did he see her?”   “Two weeks ago.” Inuyasha replied, nodding to himself, “It’s still early, can we change direction right now? Today?” he asked hurriedly.

To that, Miroku forced a smile and nodded.  “Sure… let’s just get a few supplies first and we’ll be off…” Inuyasha smiled and turned, walking off deeper into the village to start browsing supplies.  ‘Two weeks…’ Once Inuyasha was out of sight Miroku allowed himself to frown.  Youkai could travel very quickly, and if the princess was still with whichever one stole here away things weren’t looking up.  Even if Kagome were on her own now, a lot could happen and quite a distance of ground could be covered in two weeks.  Inuyasha either didn’t consider this, or was too happy to care; not that he could blame him.  Miroku also wondered if Inuyasha kept in mind that Kagome was most likely not being given kind treatment…if she was even alive.  It was good to be optimistic, but… Seeing Inuyasha happy…

Miroku prayed, for Inuyasha’s sake, that Kagome was safe.

To be continued….

Heh.  Well at least I’m making progress.  Chaos is coming out next, within the week.  Hope you’re still enjoying this particular story though.  Review my beloved readers.