I had written a fanfiction before involving Inuyasha. However, it was discontinued. Welcome to my Sess/Kag fic. Prologue's are naturally short, so I will give you a longer one for the first chapter. I hope you enjoy. Without further ado I present "Someone to Protect."
Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Any events taking place are of my own imagination. I hold all rights to those.
Prologue: The Promise
Naraku was destroyed. The Shikon No Tama had been purified and then wished upon. It was gone from the world forever. All present had been in agreeance with this. All the jewel had done was bring grief or annoyance to all who were present for Naraku's demise. Sesshomaru had decided that the only power he needed was his own and thus allowed Inuyasha's group to proceed with their decision. However, the victory had come at a terrible price.
Miroku and Sango stood outside of Kaede's hut as Kagome walked toward Goshinboku, the tree where she had originally met Inuyasha for the first time when she had accidentally descended the Bone-eater's well. They knew that defeating Naraku would come with a price. They just didn't think it would be so heavy.
Kagome knelt down beside a freshly churned patch of dirt. Her, now, mid-back, long hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She had on a solid black kimono that she had gotten from Kaede. It had silver abstract swirl on it. It was beautiful but that meant nothing to her now.
Her eyes were glazed over. She hadn't cried once. Even when she saw Naraku strike him down as he yelled out for the last time; she hadn't flinched. She had unleashed the arrow as planned purifying Naraku and finally ending the battle each of them had waged for so long. They had expected to feel relief at the end of it all, but her party had felt nothing but bitter remorse.
She was now stuck in the Feudal Era for the rest of her life. She couldn't go back and even if she could she wouldn't. She wasn't the same person she was before. She couldn't possibly live in a time like that. Too much had changed.
Her eyes focused on the six foot two, rectangular patch of dirt. He had given everything he had. Up until the very last breath he had kept his word to her. He had protected her. He had protected them all.
She should have been happy. The Shikon No Tama was no longer. Miroku and Sango could now have a normal, happy life together like she knew they would, and with time maybe she would start to return to normal.
She looked up at the tree. She could envision Inuyasha hanging there like he had the first time she had seen him. She closed her eyes as she bowed her head.
"You idiot." She could feel the concealed pain start to bubble to the surface as her throat constricted. But she wouldn't let it. They needed her to be strong. The others needed her clear head and steady heart to heal their own shattered souls; it was her duty now.
The blue flowers she held in her hands began to blur as she felt the grief threaten to overtake her. She set them gently down at the base of the grave. She laid her hands on the cold dirt and bowed her head. She could feel the pain in her heart worsen. She had to fight it. Her hands balled into fists crushing damp dirt in her palms.
Her body began to tremble as all of the memories of him rushed through her mind's eye. His snarky comments about carrying her, her bicycle, her backpack, him complaining about her visits to home, or how she would have to take breaks. His smile when his ninja food would be ready, or how he gulped down the scalding instant ramen when he was hungry. His smile when she was worried about defeating a foe, how he protected her, or how hard his conviction was when battling Naraku.
She felt the grief swell to a point and she knew it was either going to destroy her or make her stronger. It was her decision at this pivotal moment. A single thought passed through her mind: He wouldn't want me to suffer like this. Even so, the pain was more than she could take.
She could hear someone walking toward her from the woods, but she didn't raise her head. She could tell this aura meant her no harm and even if they were going to kill her, she'd have let them. At this point she didn't care too much.
Finally, the feather-light footsteps stopped short of her by a foot. She steadied her breathing and blinked the tears away. She didn't want who or whatever this was to see her tears.
"What can I do for you, Lord Sesshomaru," Kagome said when her voice evened out.
She lifted her head to peer at the eldest Inu no Taisho son before her. His outward appearance remained calm, cool, and collected, but his presence here told her enough. She wasn't the only one hurting.
"Inuyasha would have not wished for your tears, miko," his voice spoke calmly.
She leaned back and released her fists allowing the dirt to fall back where it belonged. She looked back at the tree her focus riveted, but her mind was elsewhere. Finally, she allowed her voice to speak the chant she had been torturing herself with for the past two days.
"If only I had been stronger, strong enough to save my friends," her voice was barely above a whisper but she knew that the inu taiyoukai could hear every word.
He was silent for a long moment and truthfully she didn't expect him to respond.
"I do not think your species strong," he began, "if you wish to become strong you must seek the strength yourself," he said with his even tenor, "you are the only one who can do so."
Kagome blinked a couple of times as the information sank in. Sesshomaru hadn't ever been kind to her. Nor comforting. The words he had spoken were the truth. Though in the past he wouldn't have acknowledged her at all. However, in his own way the taiyoukai seemed to be trying to comfort her.
Shortly before the final battle with Naraku, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha had come to terms with each other. Sesshomaru had even seemed to accept Inuyasha as a brother or someone he considered 'family' as loose as a term that was for the taiyoukai.
Her eyes saddened at the thought that they would no longer get to pursue that relationship with each other.
She closed her eyes and felt a single tear stream down her face. Sesshomaru didn't move to leave; although, she knew she disgusted him.
"I am sorry," she said looking down in shame as she gripped the material on her knees.
Sesshomaru looked down at her for the first time raising an elegant eyebrow in question. "What is it you apologize for Miko," his voice was even but it held a hint of question.
"My weakness," she said pausing, "it probably disgusts you. Forgive me," she finished her mindset sinking further. Here he was comforting her and she was just disgusting him.
"Crying for your species is normal," he stated evenly as he looked off into the distance.
Kagome remained silent.
Finally after some time she rose to her feet and turned back towards Kaede's hut.
"I will not cry," she paused before she left and spoke, " Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru." She didn't wait for a response as she left the inu at his brother's grave.
Sesshomaru watched the receding form of the Miko before turning to the grave of his brother. He didn't know what she had seen in him nor he in her, but she was stronger than most humans. He would give her that.
She had cried but a single tear; however, he could tell it was hurting her more than she allowed to show. She just concealed it better or had the dignity to try.
He looked back to the sky as a wayward breeze rippled through his hair and he closed his eyes before letting them settle on the grave beside him.
The Miko would be alone soon after this. Her friends would no doubt continue with their lives. Then what would she do? What would become of her? He didn't know why concern for her passed through his mind. He attributed it to a sense of honor he felt. She had been Inuyasha's future mate after all, and he had a debt to pay.
The attack Inuyasha had taken from Naraku wasn't enough to kill him. He should have walked away. However, what most didn't see, that his eye could follow, was the attack he blocked from landing on his person. That was the fatal cause of Inuyasha's death. He had sacrificed his own life for that of Sesshomaru's.
Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed and his fists tightened at the thought. He owed his brother.
His eyes narrowed as he looked back at the way she had come. She was strong though and maybe, if she took his advice, it would only grow. He would be slightly intrigued to find out.
"Inuyasha," he said looking back at the grave, "I will protect the Miko." He didn't know why he felt the need to speak it out loud, but that way it sounded more permanent. More like he was doing something for his half-brother than for the cause of his own concerns.
The taiyoukai turned from the village and the grave walking peacefully back into the woods toward the West. His palace needed his attention; however, he decided he would come back, in time, to check on her progress.
Sesshomaru had given his word. It was a promise he intended to keep.
