Shadowess:Okay! This is a short Inuyasha story for LCRose. As well, this is to promote her stories as well. Why? Cause they are just that awesome! I hope you like it, LCRose!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything Inuyasha, nor Tara.
One and Only
Japan is considered to be one of the most advanced countries in the world, in technology and business. In the Heart of Tokyo, the air is, at times, difficult to handle; especially when you have sensitive senses. Not known to many outside of Japan, there are many towns and smaller cities that have crystal air and a calmer feel to them. Tara was lucky to have found herself in a great city other than Tokyo or Kyoto.
It was an amazing feeling to visit one of these calmer cities, and it was even better to actually have met people that were interesting to talk to. Two people to be exact.
She met a pair charming women by the name of Mai Higurashi and her daughter, Kagome. They were shopping for unbelievable amounts of ramen for Kagome's camping trip with friends later on in the week. It was a rather amusing meeting, seeing as Tara accidentally bumped in to Kagome, who was camouflaged with a tower of ramen noodles.
Tara was getting some snacks when she stood up, not looking, and bumped in to a wall of ramen packages. She fell back, as did Kagome, the young girl who happened to be carrying the large load. Ramen packages were all over the place, making the scene look like a bad explosion.
Both were apologizing profusely until Kagome and her mother, who had just arrived after retrieving a box of potato chips, noticed that Tara was speaking in English.
Tara was quite good at speaking basic Japanese, able to hold a conversation, but she was flustered at having to knock down a young lady's load. After gathering up all the noodles, Tara offered to help carry the load to make up for it. After introductions, the Higurashi women were very thankful.
They learned that Tara was visiting Japan as a surprise gift from her family for her birthday. Kagome was such a kind hearted girl that she offered to take Tara out to a few sights there were a must-see. Tara was grateful and accepted. The women gave Tara the address to their shrine, saying that Kagome would spend time with Tara after her classes the following day.
And so, here Tara stood, at the intersection only a few blocks away from the shrine. She was looking forward to the time she was going to spend with Kagome. She even bought a bag of beef jerky with her from Texas. She hadn't opened it and hoped that Kagome and her friends would like it for their camping trip.
The light turned green, allowing Tara to cross the street. She proceeded and heard the squealing of tires right by her. Her head turned, freezing her steps. A huge delivery truck was speeding at her and was only a few feet away, not stopping. She took a breath to scream and prepare for the life to flash before her eyes.
It never came. Instead, her breath was taken away at the sudden rush of air. She quickly found herself on the other side of the street, low to the ground, and shielded by a pair of sleeved arms and a broad chest.
"Are you alright?" a dark cool voice asked from right above her.
Tara looked up to see the most vibrant pair of amber-gold eyes she'd ever seen in her life. Hell, they were the only pair of gold eyes on a person she'd ever seen in her life! Not just the eyes, but the face was as though it were sculpted by every vanity god there was to be had! This man had magenta stripes on each side of his flawless skin, a navy crescent moon above his brow, and snowy silver hair. She could tell that it was natural silver hair too which was amazing since he looked so young.
Unable to hide the slight blush to her face at this man, she finally nodded. "Y-yeah. Thank you, sir."
This tall man helped her up, towering over her in his dark suit. His snowy silver hair was pulled back in a pony tail that went all the way down to his knees.
"You should best take more care when crossing roads. Many drivers don't pay attention to what is ahead of them."
"I will. Thank you." Tara bowed in respect to the man and in thanks. She rose back up and he was gone. "Where…?" Where did he go? She didn't get the name of that glorious god man… She shook her head. "Okay, come on Tara, you have to meet with Kagome." She turned on her heels and continued her way up the street.
Tara double checked the address on the paper she was given from Mama Higurashi. That Mai woman sure enjoyed being called 'mama' to have that nickname. Anyways, the address appeared to be right, even though she was standing in front of a giant stairway. She shrugged and journeyed her way up.
"Hurry up will ya!?" the voice of a young man called out.
"I already told you, Inuyasha! I am not going today! I have someone coming over who will be here any minute!" Kagome's voice yelled back at the man, dubbed Inuyasha.
"We got work to do and you need to get more jewel shards! Just get your mom to take care of it!" Inuyasha ordered.
Tara narrowed her eyes. This man sure was bossy. She continued up the rest of the steps, skipping a few along the way to speed her way to the top.
"The jewel shards can wait just one day, Inuyasha!"
"Naraku could take over in one day!"
"You have no right to boss Kagome around, young man!" Tara reached the top of the stairs, announcing her presence. She saw a young man clad in baggy red clothes, had long white hair, and had dog ears…? He must be one of those cosplayers.
"Tara-san!" Kagome spun around to see Tara, shock written on her face.
"You can't just boss around Kagome like that, especially when you have been informed that she has other plans. You take your doggy-ear self aside and let her be." Tara marched right up to him.
"And just who the hell do you thi--. Wait a second…" He sniffed at the air. What the heck was he doing? "That bastard was around you! Where did you see a long silver-haired man!?"
"Uh. A couple blocks from here but that is not what we're talking about!" Tara scolded him.
"Feh! I'll show that bastard what I can do and he never can!" Inuyasha took off in a run after putting a hat over his 'ears' and leapt off the steps.
"Inuyasha!!" Kagome called after him. She groaned. "I swear… sometimes he has a one-track mind…"
"Some boys are like that, Kagome, but don't worry. He'll grow up and be more respective to you. If he wants to be a good boyfriend that is."
Kagome visibly went red. "He's not my boyfriend."
"Your face tells otherwise." Tara lightly laughed at the flustered girl. "I'm sorry. Should we get going before he comes back? Cause I don't think he'll find that silver-hair man."
"What did this silver hair man look like?" Kagome asked.
"He was tall, his hair reaching to his knees, had the most alluring golden eyes you'll ever see, and had facial tattoos." Tara described.
"Were the tattoos magenta stripes and a crescent moon on his forehead?" Kagome asked.
"Yes it was! Do you know him? He saved me from getting hit by a truck on my way here."
"I kinda know him… but I thought he was out of town." Kagome looked away. She seemed to be hiding something.
Tara shook off the feeling. "Alright. So I'm guessing that Inuyasha guy is related to him?"
"They share the same father, but never really got along." Kagome rubbed the back of her neck. "Shall we go? Or would you like a quick tour of the shrine first?"
"I'd love a tour. Oh, but first. I have something for your camping trip you mentioned the other day." Tara smiled and reached in to her bag. She pulled out the bag of jerky. "I brought some American-style jerky for you and your friends." Tara handed her the bag.
"Wow! Thank you! I'll run this inside. Could you wait out here?" Kagome asked.
"Sure." Tara smiled. "Say hello to your Mama if she's inside for me."
"I will." Kagome smiled and ran inside.
Tara looked around and noticed an open door of this small hut they stood by. Curious, she stuck her head inside and saw a dark room with a well. It looked dusty and there was a rope ladder hanging down inside. Opening the door the rest of the way to let herself inside, she stepped in. It was rather damp in the room and she was getting chills from that well.
She sneezed from the dust, causing her open bag to spill some of its contents. "Oh man." She knelt down and picked up everything but her lip gloss. As she reached out to it, she jumped at a quick blur of fur. It snatched away her gloss. She looked and saw a fat cat holding her gloss in its mouth. It was sitting on the edge of the well.
"Nice kitty. Give Tara her lip thingy back…" she held out her hand, slowly approaching the cat by descending the steps.
It gave a sound before leaping to the other side of the well. It stared at her, still holding the lip gloss in its mouth.
"Good kitty. Pretty kitty. Give me the lip gloss…" She put her hand on the edge of the well and reached across slowly.
It blinked at her before jumping back at her, dropping the gloss down the well and bouncing on Tara's head. "Whoa!" she fell forward, grabbing the gloss but loosing her balance all at once. She screamed as she fell down the well, narrowly tucking her head in to avoid hitting the walls.
"Tara-san?!" Kagome's voice rang from outside.
Tara landed on her shoulder with a loud thud on the ground of the well, and she hit a something hard, crunching beneath her own body. "Ow…" she groaned. "Kagome!"
Kagome looked over the edge of the well. "Are you okay?" She called down.
Tara forced herself on to her feet and groaned. "I think I dislocated my shoulder, but I'm okay!"
"How did you fall?"
"A rather chubby cat tried to drop my lip gloss down here and made me lose me balance. Do you have a cat, Kagome?" Tara rubbed her shoulder, wincing at the pain.
"Yeah. Oh dear… Can you climb out? There's a ladder."
"I think so. Kagome?"
"Yes?"
Tara looked at the rope ladder. "Why is there a ladder here anyway?"
"Um… You see… sometime Buyo, the cat, falls down there and we leave the ladder so we can get him out?" Kagome didn't sound very believable…
Tara probably figured this was probably where Kagome and Inuyasha made out. Wonder if her mother knew about this…
"Okay…" Tara half shrugged it off and tried raising her arm up to grasp the rope. "Ah! Crap! I can't climb up!"
"Alright, I'll come down to help you, okay?" she sounded nervous. Maybe it was just a cat-retrieval ladder. She went over the edge and slowly climbed down.
"Careful, Kagome, the rope is looking a bit weak!" Tara called up.
"But the rope is supposed to be ne-AH!" And just like that, the rope snapped, sending Kagome falling backwards down the well.
Tara tried to catch Kagome, but time seemed to slow. As Tara moved, and as Kagome descended, a light seemingly came up from the earth below, engulfing the two. Whether it was tunnel vision of worry or the door of the hut closing, it became abruptly dark with a seemingly no gravity sensation.
Kagome managed to twist her body around and land on her feet in similar fashion to a cat. Her hair was floating for a moment before grounding returned.
Tara blinked at Kagome. "Are you alright? And… is there something about this well that gives a zero-gravity sensation? Or are we both pumped with momentary adrenaline?"
Kagome was staring at Tara. "I'm okay but… I'm a bit confused as well at the moment. How did you come through?"
"Come through? Kagome, you're not making sense…"
"Okay. I guess then we should climb up. I'll try to explain things to you." Kagome looked to the vine wall of the well. Wait. Vine wall? "I'll try to help you up, but it'd be better if I could get Inuyasha here to help you up."
"Kagome, I think I'll manage. I think that Inu boy is pretty far off by now chasing the gentleman." Tara looked up, thinking of the best way to climb a wall with one good arm.
"I don't really see Sesshoumaru as the 'gentleman' type…" Kagome muttered under her breath.
"What was that?" Tara looked to Kagome at hearing her mutter something.
"Oh nothing. Okay. Let's climb up together. Think of it as… Four-legged climb!" Kagome tried to bring a light to the situation.
"Alright." Tara couldn't help but laugh. This young lady certainly tried hard to come up with bright solutions to a dim situation. "Let's give it a try…" Tara looked back up and blinked. "Did the roof of the hut collapse? I can see the sky."
"Um… I'll explain when we get up there okay?" Kagome rubbed the back of her head. She seemed nervous.
They got in to a position and began their slow climb up the wall of the well. Oddly, the vines provided really good stability. Kagome climbed over the edge first before proceeding to help Tara up. It was there that Tara's confusion became an understatement. The shrine was gone. The foundation was gone. Everything was gone. All that surrounded them now was grass and trees.
"Kagome…? I think you might want to start explaining now…" Tara swallowed hard, hoping with any shred of sanity left in her that there was a logical explanation to this… Perhaps that truck did hit her and she was currently in a coma? Yeah… that'd explain it.
With a heavy sigh, Kagome proceeded to tell the tale of the first time she fell in to the well, finding herself in the same place, but a different time. They walked along, down a dirt path until they came out of the trees to a village in sight. Kagome's tale of her friends and some of her endeavors came to a gradual end upon entering this little community.
"Kagome!" A tiny boy came running on all fours down the path and in to Kagome's arms. "We thought you weren't coming back today!"
"Well, I had an abrupt change of plans, Shippou." Kagome hugged him close. "Shippou, this is Tara. She… came through the well somehow."
"That's weird. But where is Inuyasha?" Shippou looked around
"I… think he went off on a wild goose chase." Kagome didn't know how to explain that he was chasing someone who might be, or at least descended from, Sesshoumaru.
"He never uses his head." Shippou crossed his arms, nodding in knowing manner. He turned his attention to Tara. "So… you don't smell like a demon."
"Well, I know I'm human. But I don't have any abilities other than raising a family and writing the occasional story." Tara rubbed the back of her head, flinching at moving her dislocated shoulder.
"What happened?" Shippou noticed the sign of pain.
"She fell down the well and landed on her shoulder. We need to get to Kaede or Sango to see if they can pop her arm back in to place. I left a first aid kit here so I can wrap a tension bandage around her shoulder." Kagome explained.
"Kaede took Miroku to explain some of the herbs around here. I'll go get Sango!" Shippou jumped out of Kagome's arms and ran off.
"Um… he has paws. Is he a demon?" Tara asked.
"Yes, Shippou is a fox demon. He's still young but he's getting stronger each day." Kagome smiled. "Now come on, let's get your shoulder fixed."
Tara was seated inside a hut. Kagome found Tara accepting this quite well… she didn't flip at the sight of Inuyasha's ears, nor did she panic at the fact that Shippou is a demon.
"I guess this is a bit much to take in, huh?" Kagome tested in asking.
"Well, as far as I see it, I have two ways to look at this." Tara explained. "This is all very real and I literally am in the past in a sort of 'Back to the Future' theme. Or, I'm in a coma from actually getting hit by that truck." Tara nodded.
"Well, I've been doing this for over a year now, and I can guarantee that everything is real. But… I guess if you find this traumatic, you can pass it off as a bad dream."
"A dream worth writing about then in story. Of course I won't keep everything accurate, just enough to create likable fiction." Tara smiled.
"Kagome, I ought to wring your neck for ditching me to come here and…" Inuyasha came through the straw door to see Tara. "And how the hell is she here!?"
"For your information, I don't know, pup." Tara glared at him. Dog ears, must be dog demon.
"I am no pup, bitch!"
"Oh, so now I'm a female dog? Sorry, but I already have a litter at home." Tara tried to cross her arms, but only succeeded in clutching her shoulder in pain.
"Inuyasha, go and get Sango and Shippou so they can help me pop her shoulder back in place." Kagome ordered him.
"But she has Sesshoumaru's scent on her!"
"Sesshoumaru? Was that the guy's name?" Tara asked. "Circle of destruction… funky name. His parents must have had a fun time with him as a kid." She laughed.
"I wouldn't know." Inuyasha huffed.
Tara was about to comment but Shippou came running in. "I found Sango!" A tall woman clad in a black and pink-accented ninja-style outfit came in. Her dark hair was pulled up in a high ponytail.
"Kagome? Inuyasha? Why are you back early?" she then turned to Tara. "Who is she?"
"Sango, this is Tara. She somehow came through the well with me on accident." Kagome explained. "Her shoulder is dislocated, I need your help to pop it back in place."
"Alright. Just say where." Sango approached.
"Nice to meet you, Sango." Tara grinned sheepishly. "Believe me, it was not my intention to come here."
"Well, after we fix your shoulder, I'll bring you back. It's not good to try and exert force when you're injured." Kagome spoke with promise. "Now, this will most likely hurt… Do you want anything to bite down on?"
"I think I'll manage." She smiled. If she get through child-bearing, she could get through this with moderate ease.
"Okay. Ready Sango?" Kagome asked as Sango positioned herself behind Tara. On the count of three, they pushed Tara's shoulder back in place. She didn't scream but gave a loud grunt of pain. Kagome made a sling of bandages and restrained use of her arm. "There. You should keep that still for a good hour at least. Then we'll head to the well."
"Why don't I just carry her?" Inuyasha said. "We have jewel shards to find, Kagome. We don't have time to baby-sit."
"I will not have you carry me, young man." Tara said defiantly.
"How about I show you around? I still have to show you the God Tree." Kagome smiled. "It's still the same tree, only about… 500 years younger."
"I'd like that." Tara smiled and stood up.
"We don't have time for this!" Inuyasha yelled.
"Sit boy." Kagome crossed her arms. The hanyou quickly fell victim to the submission spell, enduring a powerful face-plant in the ground.
Tara stared for a moment before chuckling. "Can I get one of those for home? One that'll get certain people to go to bed and brush their teeth when they're told to?"
Kagome smiled. "Sorry, I don't think I can get that."
"Darn. Oh well, it was worth asking." Tara followed Kagome out of the hut and down the path back towards the woods. Along the way, Kagome told more tales of her adventures, leaving out the misadventures of course.
Upon reaching the tree, Kagome pointed out where she found Inuyasha. Tara was interested but the tree really was… huge.
"It's amazing that no one attempted to cut this tree." Tara placed a hand on the bark. "Have you learnt of when your ancestors built the shrine around the God Tree?"
"No. I haven't yet." Kagome gazed up at the tree. She stiffened suddenly, and spun around. "Oh no…"
"Kagome? What is it?" Tara asked.
"Do not think of fleeing, miko." A cold emotionless voice came through the trees.
And he emerged from the shade of the trees. He was dressed in a white hakama with red accents, a chest plate with demon spike bone looping over his shoulder, a pelt secured to the other shoulder, and a yellow and purple sash. Two swords were secured to his side. Long silver hair shined in the light, billowing behind him. The chiseled face decorated with magenta stripes, red eyelid highlights, and a royal crescent moon on the brow. And, to complete this lord look, he had the same golden eyes that Tara recalled earlier that same day.
"You again?" Tara asked, blinking. What happened to the suit?
He raised an eyebrow. "Again? You speak nonsense, woman. This Sesshoumaru has never met you."
"Tara, we need to leave. He's dangerous." Kagome tried to urge her.
"Dangerous? But he practically saved my life earlier today." She blinked in confusion at Kagome.
In an instant, Sesshoumaru was not even a foot away from Tara. "Cease the nonsense from your tongue woman." He raised his hand up, showing the long clawed nails glowing venomous green. Tara paled, realizing that this guy was actually dangerous.
He sniffed the air around Tara before lowering his hand. "This Sesshoumaru's scent is on you. Explain."
"Uh… You saved me from becoming road kill but it hasn't happened yet?" Tara spoke as quickly as she could.
Sesshoumaru was silent for a moment considering the thought and evident scent. "Miko. You will go to the filthy half breed." Kagome blinked but started to move, taking Tara's hand to take her with. "She will remain."
"But--" Kagome started.
"Kagome, it's okay. Go." Tara said with as much confidence as she could muster.
With great reluctance, Kagome ran back towards the village. Tara looked at Sesshoumaru, noting a few thins about him, mostly regal. The man she bumped in to earlier was indeed god-like, but did not have this stoic look.
"What is your name?" Sesshoumaru questioned her. He sounded like he was interrogating.
"Tara." She swallowed hard.
"You bare blue eyes and black hair, yet you are not from this land. Explain."
"I… I'm from across the ocean. I came from the east to the west." Tara felt like she could've slapped herself at the stupidity of herself. Why did she say that?
"I am Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands." He announced his title.
"Nice to meet you…?" Tara was confused.
Sesshoumaru turned his head to where Kagome had left. "We shall meet again, Tara." He turned on his heel and left. Not disappearing right away though.
Tara blinked. Did that just happen? "Happy birthday to me." She muttered.
"I'll kill you this time, Sesshoumaru!!" Inuyasha called out, running in to view, holding a huge sword that looked impossible to wield. He stopped by Tara and looked around. "Where did he go!?"
"Again, he left." Tara still looked off in the direction the Lord of the West had left in.
Inuyasha snarled. "Damnit!"
Kagome sighed. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"
"No. He just asked me a few questions."
"What kind of questions?" Inuyasha probed.
"Nothing that deals with you, I'm sure. He just asked my name and where I was from. That's it."
After a small debate of watching Kagome and Inuyasha bicker, which Tara commented that they looked like a newly wed couple and getting them turn resemble tomatoes, they went towards the well. It was only going back to the well that Kagome thought of something.
"What if you can't go back?" She asked.
Tara took a deep breath. "Well… first, let's try going back and then if I don't go back, I'll just… well, I'll think of something… Best not to think of the worst case scenario in this situation."
"Yeah. Okay. Ready?" Kagome asked, seating herself on the edge of the well, her legs swung inside. Tara took a seat next to her and took her hand.
"Ready."
They jumped.
Another flash of light and the lack of gravity later, they landed softly on the ground of the darkened well.
"It worked!" Kagome smiled in relief.
Tara smiled as well. "Now… how do we get out? The ladder is broken."
Kagome's bright smile dimmed. "Oh dear…"
A light shined from beneath them, and out from the ground emerged Inuyasha. He looked at the two of them. "What are you still doing down here?"
"The ladder is broken, Inuyasha. Can you lift us out?" Kagome asked him.
He noticed the ladder and sighed. "Fine. Come on." He grabbed the two of them by their waists and jumped out of the well.
Tara stumbled as soon as she hit the ground. "Right.. Um, Kagome?"
"Yes Tara?"
"Thank you. I think that experience is worth more than the tour. I should head back to my hotel and check in with my family." Tara politely bowed. "I promise I won't say anything about what it is you have. But may I have your contact address so that I may send you something for when I get home?"
"Of course. Let me get a pen and paper from inside."
"I have one." Tara stopped Kagome when she pulled out a small notepad and a pen.
They exchanged contact information and bid their farewells.
Tara's time in Japan had come to a conclusion the following day. She was ready on her flight back to the states, and another to back home in Texas. She couldn't get that demon man out of her mind the entire time, his golden eyes seemingly haunting her around every bend. Heck, she even thought of stepping in front of a truck to see if he would appear again.
But no, she wasn't suicidal.
So here she sat, on the plane in first class, looking out the window.
"We meet again, Tara." The emotionless voice of yesterday came from beside her.
She spun around and saw Sesshoumaru, in a dark navy suit, seated beside her.
"Sesshoumaru?" she gasped.
"The one and only." He lightly chuckled.
"Following me home?" Tara joked.
"Perhaps."
"You're not going after Kagome?"
"No. I am not."
"That's good."
"Instead, you get me for a late birthday gift."
The royal lord just earned a gaping look. Well, what would you do?
Fin.
Shadowess: And there you have it! For all those who read this and just adore Inuyasha stories featuring Sesshoumaru and Kagome, please check out LCRose's story, for it is just awesome. R&R if you want.