Chapter 21 - Enter Lord of the West

Ok, I'm a bad author…thanks to anyone who's stuck around so far.



AN: I do not own the characters.



Chapter 22: Lost and Found



“Somehow I know it won't last
Somehow I know it won't last too long
She'll come back to me.
She'll come back to me.”

-- Cake, She'll Come Back to Me



Kagome wasn't sure exactly what Naraku's plans were as he dragged her along through the seemingly endless forest. At this moment everything was very surreal.



Maybe this is all a bad dream…



Bad dreams don't smell like this.



Maybe I should've paid more attention when he talked about where he was from…



Maybe you should worry about getting out of here.



You honestly think that being alone in this place is preferable to staying with this creep?



Yes. I can't stand to see him say “pure” with that look in his eye one more time.



Kagome outwardly shuddered. From across Naraku's shoulder, the world was going in and out and it was making her quite nauseous.



Of course, that could just be his company.



Kagome couldn't see much of her surroundings, but she knew that she hadn't seen anything that would remotely count as “civilized” since her arrival. She knew it was a risk leaving Naraku and heading off by herself, but she was just going to have to take that chance.



He has to sleep sometime…



And when he does?



I am SO out of here!



So, when is he going to get tired?

Kagura didn't know exactly where she was going; she just knew that she wanted to get away from Naraku. It was weird, but as soon as she had entered this world, she was immediately filled with a sense of the wind…it was calling to her, rushing around her. She felt weirdly complete…as if she had been missing something she didn't even realize her entire life. Her body seemed lighter somehow, borne along by the currents of air that were holding her aloft.



It's as natural as breathing…



Her pinkish eyes glanced back to Kanna. The pale blonde girl was not actually her sister…anyone with eyes could figure that out. The younger girl had been adopted into the family and had always been rather quiet, shy, and introverted. Kanna seemed content to go where her big sister went. Kagura had been so lost in her own thoughts, she hadn't even considered consulting Kanna about her decision.



Guiltily, Kagura asked, “Are you ok?”



Kanna nodded.



“Do you want to return to the well?”



Kanna shook her head.



“Well, let me know if you need anything.”



As far as Kagura could tell and from what she had been able to dig up from her parents, Kanna had not had an easy childhood. Kagura shuddered, wondering what repressed memories the girl had.



I'll keep us safe. It's up to me now…



As they flew over the strange region, Kagura thought certain landmarks looked vaguely familiar and after an hour or so of flying she glimpsed a grand, if not rustic, palace. There was something about the location that was calling to her. The closer she got, she noticed that the sword was also starting to rattle in its scabbard. She briefly considered



Why the hell not…?



She brought the large feather down in front of the Palace. Two strange looking men (?) came out to meet her. They were easily seven feet tall and very menacing.



“What are you doing here?”



“How dare you trespass in Lord Sesshormaru's lands?”



Kagura's mind went through all the rulers she had studied in history and certainly couldn't remember any Lord Sesshormaru..



With as much creativity as a high school senior could manage, placing her hand on the sword, she said stonily, “I am Kagura…of the Wind. I demand to see this Lord Sesshormaru.”



The two hulking men, shrugged. The one on her left said, “No one sees the Lord with a weapon. We will take it from you for safe keeping.”



Kagura shook her head, “No.”



“It is not a request.”



The man on her right made a move to take the sword. As soon as his hand came in touch with the sword a blast of energy forced him back.



The man looked at the sword, “What in the hell?”



The quartet; Kagura, Kanna, and the two guards all looked at each other.



Kagura finally responded in what she hoped was her most convincing voice, “Beware my sword. I am the only one who can wield its power.”



Sensing a disturbance in his normally quiet grounds, Sessshomaru had silently crept up behind the strange woman and her traveling partner who were in the middle of talking back to his guards.



How did she come to possess the Tetseiga?



Sesshormaru had not been overly concerned when his brother disappeared into the well weeks ago. In his opinion, the hanyou was mostly worthless and desperately in need of growing up. Perhaps some time pondering his existence at the bottom of a well would help him do that. However, Sesshormaru couldn't help but be intrigued when he realized Inuyasha was nowhere to be found in this world. At first, it hadn't impacted his life one way of another, but recently his brother's absence had somehow started to affect the balance of the Western Lands. The strange occurrences seemed to culminate the evening before.



Who was it?



Sesshormaru, along with all of the youkai in the area had been jolted out of their sleep by a strange and powerfully alarming aura. The Western Lord had sent out his most skilled spies to find out the cause of the event and who was behind it.



Could she be involved?



His amber eyes darkened.



No…



He shook his head, dismissing the ridiculous thought. The aura that had spiked was most definitely and unbelievably human. The young woman in front of him was a wind-youkai.



Then how has she come to possess Father's sword of legend?



“Sir?” The voice was very close to his left ear.



“Yes, Myoga?” Sesshormaru asked in a bored tone.



“I have the answers you were looking for.”



“I'm waiting.”



The small flea caught his breath, “Inuyasha went through the well to another world.”



“Did he? And how exactly were you able to follow him?”



“Sesshormaru-sama, I have some of his blood saved for just such an occasion. I drank some and followed the scent through. You told me to follow him!”



“Where?”



“I'm not sure, but once I got there, I found Inuyasha - in company with a young human female.”



“Was he?”



“Yes.”



“And the sword?”



“What sword?”



Sesshormaru hissed dangerously, “The Tetseiga?”



Myoga's eyes grew large, “If the Tetsegia is in existence…”



“I am well aware of what the prophecy has foretold.”



Any further conversation between flea and master was interrupted by the Lord of the Western Lands young charge. Rin broke through the front gates and ran up to the two women.



The three travelers looked at each other - each with a similar look of shock and disbelief.



Miroku continued to stare at his hand in wonderment.



Sango looked at him and said through clenched teeth, “I thought I told you that if you did that too often, eventually something weird would happen to you.”



Miroku put his hands up, “I wasn't - I mean, all I had to do was pee.”



Inuyasha started sniffing Miroku's hand.



“What gives, man?”



Inuyasha asked gruffly, “Are you ok?”



Miroku was pale, but answered, “For having sucked in half the forest into my hand, I'd say I'm doing ok.”



Sango tapped a delicate finger on her chin, “Did anything happen to you when you came through the well to our side, Inuyasha?”



Well, there was this amazing wench I landed on…she smelled incredible.



They are looking for a real answer.



Oh, right. How do I make them understand?



Realizing that nothing was out of the current realm of possibility at the moment, Inuyasha started twitching his ears. Miroku and Sango were momentarily distracted by the appendages.



Sango asked hesitantly, “Of course, how could I forget? You grew dog ears.”



Inuyasha rolled his eyes, “I am a dog.”



Miroku was still attempting to create reality he could understand out of the situation, “A horn dog, maybe…”



Sango and Inuyasha both rolled their eyes.



Inuyasha looked at the pair and said, “We'd better start walking, so I can fill you in on the rest of the story.”



They cleaned up their small camp and the little cat youkai didn't seem to want to let the group out of her sight. She trotted happily near Sango and hissed every time Miroku came near.



“I don't usually have this much trouble with pussy cats.”



Inuyasha smiled to himself as Sango bopped his friend on the head.



At least they are acting “normal” again…



Kouga looked around, fully expecting to wake up and be warm and safe in his bed back home at any moment.



The two men continued to look at him expectantly.



“Well, men, let's go.” Without questioning why, Kouga was inexplicably drawn towards the West. He positively sensed that Kagome was in that direction.



Ginta looked at him, “Are you sure you would not like meet the rest of the tribe?”



And be found out? I don't think so.



He spoke in his most regal voice, “What is a Prince without his Princess?”



Ginta and Hakkaku shrugged their shoulders and followed their new leader.



AN: Ok, I'm easing myself back into the story. Actual things will happen next chapter. That's a promise! Please review!

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