For the entirety of the next day, I avoided Sesshomaru. I stuck close to Inuyasha and Shippo, talking with them and trying to enjoy myself.
"What do we do when we find Naraku?" Shippo asked.
The sound of Naraku's name made me freeze in my tracks. Inuyasha turned. "You alright?" he asked softly.
I blinked and shook my head. "Fine. Sorry about that." I said quietly.
Inuyasha snorted. "I know Naraku is a complete jerk, but what is it about him that makes you freak like that?"
I gulped, trying to force back the lump in my throat. Inuyasha stopped and his eyes softened. He walked to me and wrapped me in a hug.
"Hey. It'll be alright Mitsu." Inuyasha murmured into my ear. I hugged him tight and nodded. Inuyasha lifted my chin and looked into my eyes. He grinned in his goofy way and poked me in the belly. I smiled.
"Sorry. It's just that my relationship with Naraku is complicated. I've known him much longer than you have."
Inuyasha smirked. "Well whether or not you've known him longer we'll still chop him into pieces!" I chuckled.
Thankfully, Sesshomaru appeared too tired to train with me that night, which I was semi-glad about. As we lay down for sleep that night, I found myself constantly glancing over at him. I shook my head. I had to stop thinking like this!
Chastising myself inwardly, I shut my eyes for sleep.
~~~
He kept his eyes shut, but he was nowhere near asleep. He could sense the girl watching him every so often, but he didn't act upon it.
Truth be told, Lord Sesshomaru didn't mind the young girl's company, enjoyed it actually. She was very sweet and honest to her word. She was also a full demon, which was a plus for him. Mitsuki was pleasing to be near, and- yes, he admitted it- she was very pretty.
Sesshomaru had also noticed that Mitsuki had studiously avoided him that entire day. He wondered why and he couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed.
The Inu Daiyōkai blinked his golden eyes in astonishment. He cursed his own thoughts. "Foolish. It's foolish to think like that. She doesn't have affection for me. I'm just her mentor."
But was he just her mentor to her? Sesshomaru didn't know.
The demon lord of the West shook his head and yawned. In moments he too was asleep.
~~~
"Look!" I pointed up ahead to a hill the next day. Sitting atop the hill was a dark and dreary black castle.
Inuyasha was suddenly at my side. He put his hand on Tetsusaiga and snorted. "Yeah, that's Naraku's palace all right. Come on." He began walking in the direction of the castle.
Only to be thrown back.
Inuyasha landed on his back hard with a grunt. He groaned and sat up, rubbing the back of his head. "What the devil-?"
I peered at the space before us. "It's a barrier." I snorted. "Typical Naraku. Playing his games with us as always." I rolled my eyes and took a swig of water from my canteen.
Koga smirked. "Heh. Lemme take care of it! Back away Mitsuki!"
Koga drew Goraishi, a set of powerful claws bestowed upon him by his wolf-demon ancestors. He charged at the barrier and swung.
"Goraishi!" Koga slashed at the barrier with the Goraishi, but it did nothing. Koga was thrown back and he landed at Inuyasha's feet.
Inuyasha grinned and bent down over Koga. "A little overconfident, aren't we?"
With that, he drew Tetsusaiga, which had begun to pulsate. The fang-shaped blade glowed red and shimmered.
"Red Tetsusaiga!" Inuyasha shouted, swinging his sword against the invisible barrier. There was a low boom, and the air shimmered where Tetsusaiga had struck it. The air all around us began shimmering as the barrier fell away.
Inuyasha smirked and sheathed his sword. "Heh. Like taking candy from a baby!"
Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and sniffed. "Do not get cocky, little brother. Naraku, I'm sure, has other plans in mind."
Inuyasha snorted. "Whatever. Let's go!" With the barrier gone, we were able to hike up the hill to the castle. Sesshomaru turned to Rin and Jaken.
"Jaken, take Rin into the forest and wait for us to return." he told the imp. Jaken nodded. "Yes mi lord."
Sango stood up. "I'll stay with them." she offered. Miroku was at her side. "As will I." Sesshomaru nodded and hummed a noncommittal "hnn" in response. Both demon-slayer and monk followed A-Un's path down the hill.
Koga grinned. He rubbed his hands together as Sesshomaru regrouped with us. "Alright! Game plan?"
"We get in, we find Kagome, and we get out." Inuyasha said simply. I shook my head at him. "It's not going to be that easy, believe me. Naraku will try to trap us inside. We must have a strategy should the need arise to escape."
"I concur. But whatever we do, we must stick together." Sesshomaru put in. "Getting lost would be a death sentence."
"I agree. So, all in favor of sticking together 'till we find Kagome?" Koga looked at us all.
Inuyasha snorted. "Why do I have to side with wolf-boy?" he muttered.
Koga growled. "Will you shut up! We all want Naraku dead and I intend to see that happen!" He slammed his fist into his hand.
I sighed. I felt bad for both of them. Inuyasha had been manipulated by Naraku into thinking that his former lover, the priestess Lady Kikyo, had betrayed him, and vice versa. Koga had lost his entire pack, all of his tribe to Naraku's mindless slaughter.
"Alright look." I said, stepping between the two boys. "You two need to stop acting like whiny mutts, got it?"
Inuyasha grumbled. "Fine."
I heard Sesshomaru chuckling lightly. "It appears that Mitsuki has more sense than the two of you combined." he remarked. I looked down bashfully.
We crept closer to the castle. It looked even more ominous up close; with cracked windows, a high iron-wrought gate, and creepy towers that could contain most anything. I pushed open the screeching gate.
"Whoa whoa whoa! We can't just walk right in Mitsu!" Inuyasha exclaimed, stopping me in my tracks.
I turned and gave him a look. "Seriously, Inuyasha? This is Naraku we're talking about. He knows we're here, so he'll expect us to be sneaky. Going through the front door is what he'll least expect."
He shrugged. "Can't argue with that logic." We headed to the set of wide double doors, which were left slightly ajar. I shuddered as we walked inside. "It's as if he's expecting us."
"Oh, but I am." a cold voice said from somewhere within the shadows.
I whirled around. There, hidden within the shadows, a malicious grin on his face, was Naraku himself. Surrounding him were his poisonous insects, the Saimyōshō. Naraku stepped forward towards me.
"Hello Mitsuki, my dear.. dear... sister."
