Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or anything associated with it. Including cute, bedraggled messengers with unoriginal names.
Also: a cookie for whoever can find the random Shakespeare quote in this chapter – and a brownie if you know what play it's from without looking it up! :)
Chapter One: Excuse Me?
The sounds of birds chirping regaled the young miko-in-training as she stepped out of her wooden hut and into a bright spring morning. She stretched and yawned, her spine cracking.
"Ow!" she complained. Her back had been acting up this week, and today it felt worse than usual.
"Are you okay, Kagome? It's your back again, isn't it…" a voice trailed off sympathetically.
"Yeah, unfortunately it is. But since I can't do anything about it, just ignore it. Aside from that, what possessed you to get up so bright and early this morning Shippo? Don't you usually sleep 'till noon?" Kagome looked over to the bridge, taking in the sight of her friend standing on the edge of the wooden planking.
"Hey, you grew again!" she laughed.
"Really? Wow, Kagome, I knew I was supposed to grow a lot in a short time, but I never expected to get this tall! I can see over your head now!" exclaimed Shippo enthusiastically. Kagome chuckled.
"Yeah, you're taller than Inuyasha now!"
"Wow…" Shippo said reverently. "I wonder what he'll say the next time he sees me!" Kagome thought about it for a moment, and then replied, smiling,
"Probably something like, 'You brat! Who gave you permission to get taller than me?'" Shippo laughed and told Kagome,
"I don't doubt it! He'd probably get all territorial!"
"Yeah, you know those dogs," Kagome exclaimed, "Possessive to the last bit!"
Shippo picked up Kagome's herb baskets and waited for her to stop giggling before saying,
"Are we going now? If I'm not mistaken, you usually set off for the market around this time every other day. All you have is herbs today, so I assume we're not staying long?"
"Yeah," Kagome answered. "I need to visit Kikyo's shrine and lay down some offerings. But wait….what do you mean, 'you usually go to market around this time'? I thought you were asleep! If you're awake, why didn't you help me? Ungrateful little fox…" she muttered.
Shippo shrugged it off with a grin and said, "Come on, Kagome! We're gonna be late if we don't go now, and Kaede said that she had something for me!"
Kagome grinned. "Another love letter, Shippo? You're getting so popular with the ladies!"
"Ack! Kagome!" Shippo blushed. "Stop saying that!"
"Oh, come on, Shippo. You're already fourteen! You can't deny that there are some cute girls chasing after you! Don't you like any of them? Maybe Sakimi? Or Hokaru; she's cute. It's okay, Shippo, you can tell me! I won't tease you too much!" Kagome laughed.
Shippo quieted for a moment, and then looked up. "You promise? No matter who I like?"
"Of course I do! I'll like whoever you pick, Shippo! Go ahead and spill it!" the priestess smiled.
"Okay. I like Rin."
"…"
"Kagome? Is something wrong?" he asked worriedly.
"…No, Shippo. It's just…" she sighed. "I love Rin – she's an adorable girl – but to court her you'd have to get Lord Sesshoumaru's permission. And right now I'm not sure that's possible. At least until the lands calm down."
Shippou sighed. "Yeah, I know, but as long as there's the slightest chance I'm not gonna give up hope. I've already gone to the palace a couple of times to help out here and there so he'll notice me."
Kagome laughed. "Shippou! You really think of everything, don't you? You must really like Rin to have stressed your head that much!"
"Kagome! I did not stress my head! I'm very smart, thank you! And I really do like Rin. Maybe you'd stop teasing me if you got yourself a husband and understood what I mean!" Shippo blurted out angrily and ran across the bridge, almost spilling the herb baskets he was holding.
Kagome sighed. Not again…he's really right, though. By my age unmarried women are usually considered spinsters…either that or they're working in a brothel. But no man would want a twenty-two-year-old woman when there are available sixteen-year-olds. Maybe I should just ignore human men and go for youkai. Ha, ha. Very funny Kagome. Now stop the inner monologue and get going or Shippou's going to have sold the herbs and be back by the time you get to market! She tightened her grip on her baskets and ran after Shippou, intent on apologizing before they got to the sellers.
///////////
"Lord Sesshoumaru!" the screechy little voice yelled. "My lord, another fight's broken out! The village has requested your aid!"
Sesshoumaru sighed. Normally, he could ignore the tiffs that broke out in demon villages over control, but in the seven years since Naraku was defeated, these small power struggles over land had drastically escalated, and he couldn't afford to let them resolve themselves – if a demon was powerful enough to assume control of multiple villages at once, the next thing you know he'd be challenging the entire West. And really, who wanted a skirmish over a cardinal lord's seat? Especially his own? That's something I need to avoid, he thought, at least until Sakura has been released. Which is probably going to happen…well, not anytime soon. Although I did send for the miko Kagome a few days ago, and she has a lot of promise. I just hope she still has enough power to break the seal on my sister. I've been sending for mikos for years, but this is the first one that I know personally. I believe she also has some kind of connection with Midoriko, which should help.
"Lord Sesshoumaru! You should really get going!" Jaken prodded at his leg.
Ungracious little kappa… "Yes, yes, Jaken, I'm coming. Go and ready Ah-Un while I put on my armor." The oblivious toad youkai pattered away excitedly and left his lord to his own thoughts once again. Sesshoumaru stood up from his desk and reached for Bakusaiga, sliding it into his obi. Jaken wasn't aware enough of his surroundings. He hadn't shed his armor when he got back from patrol because he knew the kappa would come to him about another power struggle and he'd just have to put it back on. And while he did have both of his arms nice and whole again, the process of putting on his armor again was complicated enough to be deemed annoying.
He walked out of his study and slid the shoji screen closed behind him before continuing toward the main doors where Jaken would be waiting with three of his best men.
"My lord, where to this time?" one of the youkai asked. "We've been to practically every point within your lands, subduing rebels. What's left?"
"Ah, shut up, Hijiki. They're not rebels. They're just…confused as to who their regional leader is," he finished quickly. "And anyway, you shouldn't need to ask Sesshoumaru-sama where we're going. Even Jaken knows that, you fish-face!"
"Monotaro. Please cease the rude speech. This is a lady you're talking to, after all," the third demon gestured to back to Hijiki.
"Shut the hell up! There's no way I'm going to take that coming from you! I'm a guy and if you want me to prove it you should join me in the bath tomorrow after the mission! And you shouldn't be talking, Goreijou! You're the one whose name means 'daughter', you pansy!" Hijiki argued right back at the older youkai whose not-so-subtle insult he'd just been hit with.
"That was a mistake made by my idiot parents and you know it. You jest at scars that never felt a wound." Goreijou replied calmly.
Sesshoumaru sighed, his arms crossed over his chest, waiting for them to stop their argument and realize that everybody was ready to leave. They'd had the same fight every day for years, and he'd be damned if they stopped now. I should probably just condemn myself to listening to this prattle until it gets dark and they realize that we should've left an hour ago…Why are all my friends idiots?
///////////
"Alright Shippou! I'll see you tomorrow! And thanks for helping me with the herbs today!" Kagome called out the door of Kaede's hut. It had been a good day today – all the buyers were out full force and a few herbalists had come by. She'd been forced to close her stall up early today after her supply sold out! Luck still helps me once in a while. And I made up with Shippou too. This day has been great! She smiled to herself before stretching and putting the pot over the fire that Kaede had made earlier. Shippou had been living in Inuyasha's hut ever since the hanyou had realized Shippou had an interest in women. And if he couldn't have Kagome, then no one could…another reason none of the men in Edo had attempted to court her in the past few years; Inuyasha always scared them off, the immature half-demon that he was. He was insecure about his own life now that he had to forge his own path and ended up just making life harder for others. But Shippou went along with it because he didn't really mind leaving the mikos' hut anyway.
Kagome perked up, turning from stirring her stew to step down to the dirt and get closer to the door. I could've sworn I just heard a horse neighing! she said to herself. Better check it out. Usually only messengers ride horses around here. It might be important. Stepping to the door, she pushed the woven straw aside and looked outside. Woah! Crossing the bridge at a trot was a bedraggled man astride an equally bedraggled black horse. That's odd; I thought only youkai messengers rode black horse-Oh. Wow, Kagome, really smart. Wonder what he's here for?
She pushed aside the straw the rest of the way and slipped outside to talk to the youkai. "Hello! Who are you bringing a message to? I can help you find them, if you want. I'm the village miko-in-training, so I know everybody pretty well." She greeted cheerfully. At a closer glance, the messenger looked to be wearing fairly fine clothes – not just the common garb that most diamyou dressed their servants in.
The demon reined his horse to a stop and dismounted gracefully before straightening to address her. "If you are indeed this village's miko-in-training then I have already found the person I am to deliver the message to." he softly declared.
"Excuse me?" she asked, startled. Who delivers a message to the apprentice instead of the master? "Are you sure you don't want to talk to the official miko instead of me?" she asked politely.
"No, it's definitely you…You are Higurashi Kagome, right? The so-called Shikon Miko?" he replied tiredly. He just wanted to get this over with.
"Um, yeah, that would be me," she grimaced. Why oh why did people call her that inane title? It's not like it was her pet or anything. And it most certainly did not help her in any way. She hated the thing! And now, due to the wonderful world of rumors and gossip, it would stay with her her whole life, following in her shadow like a lost puppy. A lost puppy that nobody takes pity on, she amended.
"Great. Now that that's cleared up, here's your message." He reached into his saddlebags, retrieved a small scroll, and handed it to her. "By the way, I'm supposed to stay here with you while you make your decision, so don't mind me."
She took the scroll from him and opened it up. "Who's it from, anyway?" she wondered out loud.
"My lord Sesshoumaru." the demon answered, going to tie his horse to part of the bridge.
Sesshoumaru? What does he need from me? She began reading the scroll in interest.
Miko Higurashi Kagome,
It is in my best interests that you journey to the Palace of the Moon to speak directly with me about something that can only be solved with the powers of a miko. I require your assistance and I will communicate the problem to you upon your arrival, as this letter could be intercepted and put us in the middle of a miko/youkai power struggle – something that neither of us wants or needs. Once you make your decision, my messenger will escort you to my home. You may bring one person whose name is not Inuyasha if you so wish.
Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands
Kagome sighed. Ugh. He makes it sound like I'm going to read it and immediately decide to help him. But wait a minute…Is he really asking for my help? That's so, like, NOT Sesshoumaru. And what is this part about 'bringing one person whose name is not Inuyasha? It sounds like he almost made a joke! What is with my luck today? She turned to the messenger who, feeling as tired as he looked, had fallen asleep on the ground next to his horse and sighed. Looks like he's not going anywhere tonight. Might as well let him sleep in a warm hut tonight; since Kaede's out at the next village we have an extra bed available…
"Sir?" she shook the poor demon. "I'm going to think about Lord Sesshoumaru's letter overnight. If you want you can sleep in my hut?"
"Mmmnh…Oh…Why, that would be absolutely great. Thank you, Higurashi-san." he stood up and followed Kagome into the hut.
When all was quiet and the messenger – whose name was Denrei, coincidentally – had fallen asleep, Kagome pondered over Sesshoumaru's letter. I'm not really getting anything life-altering done here, and there's no reason not to help a demon in need, especially one that I know…And hey! Shippou's been wanting to get close to Rin and butter up Sesshoumaru, right? I can bring him along! This is the perfect opportunity! Once everybody wakes up tomorrow morning and Shippou and I get packed, we'll leave for the Palace of the Moon! she resolved triumphantly.
