RAPTURE

A/N: This is just a random dream I had... It didn't have Sesshomaru or Kagome in my dream, of course, but I substituted them into it for fun. Most of the chapters are written already, so I'll be posting the chapters once a week, most likely on Friday. So every Friday, look for updates! :) By the way, this is my first Inuyasha fanfiction... so please be kind in your reviews! Thanks!

Part I: Sesshomaru, the One-Armed Assassin

The law-keepers are slacking, Sesshomaru noted dryly, as he tugged his blade from another human thief. The body collapsed quickly, and he sliced at the air, ridding the polished steel blade of excess blood and gray matter. Turning back to what he figured was their camp- for the ground was littered with food, sleeping gear, and pieces of fire wood- he gave the remaining two bandits the iciest glare he could manage.

"Leave now, or die."

They ran without hesitation, scrambling over the bodies that were strewn about the dirt road. He glanced over at their wagon full of stolen goods and made his way past it, continuing the journey that had been interrupted by the petty humans. Just as he reached the edge of the clearing, a tiny hiccup caught his pointed ear, halting his footsteps. He turned his head and gazed evenly at the wagon, where a young girl, no older than seven or eight years in human maturation, was staring at him. He would have just left without a second thought, if she hadn't shimmered, granting him the brief opportunity to see through her.

His eyes widened minutely. How could I not have sensed her sooner? He asked himself. He inhaled purposefully, his eyes widening further when he found the air carried nothing of the child's scent. As a dog-demon, this threw him off completely. She faded slightly from sight once more, and he frowned. Her chocolate eyes ran from his face to his hair, and finally, like everyone else, her eyes landed on his empty left sleeve.

"Have you never seen a demon before?" He asked. To his growing ire, she showed no fear, and merely shrugged.

"I've seen demons before," she told him. Her voice sounded warped, like a choked whisper. He felt... unbalanced, and he didn't like it. Like a three-legged dog, he thought ironically.

"Why can I not sense you?" He asked sharply, resisting the urge to circle her like a predator pacing about its prey. He chose to study her from afar instead. Perhaps the child was a demon, and was trying to trick him. Reaching out with his youki, the idea was quickly pushed aside. No demon could completely hide its youki. The girl gave a one-armed shrug.

"I dunno," she replied. "Thanks for saving me."

"I did not do it for you," he quipped, scoffing. "They were in my way."

"You still saved me," she pointed out, her voice twisting in his ears. "Mama says it's good manners to thank people who help you."

Sesshomaru, no longer feeling the itch of curiosity, rolled his eyes and walked away, somehow not surprised when she padded along the path after him. The forest surrounding them was thick, and growing dark as night fell. If the bandits had taken her, she could be hundreds of miles away from home. Despite the irritation that gnawed at the base of his skull, his honor would not let him abandon a child in the demon-infested wood.

Troublesome, he thought.

"My name is Kagome," the girl piped up a few moments later, her voice cheery, but still unnaturally quiet. Sesshomaru hummed lightly in response, but otherwise made no move as if to acknowledge her existence. His duty required him to take her to the nearest human village- not become her friend. He growled when she tugged on the empty sleeve of his white dress shirt. "How did you lose your arm?"

"In battle," he responded shortly, gritting his teeth. He pulled the sleeve away, and she scoffed much like he had only moments before. Such an impressionable child.

"Mama says it's rude not to introduce yourself," Kagome hinted. He sent her an icy glare, but she didn't flinch. She was lucky his honor kept him from harming children- her impudence would have cost her life.

"It is none of your business who I am."

"Fine." She looked away, humming softly as she jogged alongside him. Her 'silence' didn't last long. "What kind of demon are you?"

Can she not be quiet? "... Dog."

"Oooh!" She gasped and smiled up at him admiringly. "Dog demons are strong," she told him, as if he didn't know. "Papa says they're the strongest of all!"

"Your father is correct." Sesshomaru felt a swell of pride replace the irritation within his chest.

"He also says they're different. They aren't evil," she told him matter-of-factly. "Papa says they have honor."

Not evil? Sesshomaru supposed that to Kagome, he didn't seem very evil. He had just saved her from bandits, after all. But it wasn't out of kindness or love of peace that they avoided the humans. These were the times of human men, after all- empires were being built and kingdoms were falling to ruins overnight. Though rare, some kings throughout history hired lesser demons as a type of mercenary guard. No human army could crumble a kingdom protected by demons. The trend spread, starting an arms race across the world. Whoever had the strongest demons was the strongest king.

Sesshomaru was rather glad his own kind had more dignity than the wretches who would drop to bended knee for the human scum who called themselves king. That isn't to say they hadn't tried to recruit the dog demons. The current King of the East was one such king, a man who had an army of weak demons and had tried to get the dog demons to join.

The King himself is no threat, Sesshomaru mused to himself, but that consultant of his, Naraku, is proving to be quite a nuisance. If the half-demon continues trying to crawl his way into the Western Lands, Father will have no choice but to retaliate... and if Naraku becomes King, war is inevitable. His frown deepened. The fool would undoubtedly use his resources to locate the Shikon Jewel.

Another series of soft sniffles brought him from this thoughts, and he looked back at the girl, who faded out of his sight momentarily like mist. Once he could focus on her form, he realized she was crying. He once more felt a surge of irritation; why could he not smell her tears? Though, as an afterthought, he supposed he should be grateful. The smell of tears had always made his skin crawl uncomfortably.

"Are we far from home?" she asked him, her tiny pink lips trembling.

"I do not know where you live," he pointed out stoically.

"Our village has no name," she told him, her words warping slightly in his ears, and he hid a scowl. It was nothing short of disorienting to have his senses twisted.

A spell? He asked himself, glancing sharply at the child. No. She was not lying when she said she didn't know why I could not sense her. A protection charm, perhaps?

"It's by the ocean, though. I play in the waves with my little brother sometimes," she continued, looking up at him expectantly.

As luck would have it, Sesshomaru did know of a small coastal village that had no name. It was a poor town, and, thankfully, only a few miles away. They would be there in a few hours. Kagome tripped, sprawling through the dirt, and Sesshomaru resisted the urge to sigh, instead rolling his golden eyes up to the darkened sky. Make that a day or so. Damn my honor.

"My necklace is glowing," Kagome piped up, not bothering to stand. She was still kneeling in the dirt, cupping a small pink light within her tiny palms when Sesshomaru turned to look. He felt the pulse against his youki, the softest brush of holy power that made his skin tingle and hackles rise. Kagome shifted into sight completely, and his eyes widened slightly.

"What is that?"

"This? It's the Shikon Jewel," she replied, as if it were just another toy. "I've never seen it glow before. Isn't it pretty?"

Sesshomaru stared.

A/N: The End!

Just kidding. :) Stay tuned on Fridays! Sometimes if I get a lot of reviews I post early, but for now, we'll just stick to every Friday! Enjoy, and please leave a review if you haven't already!