Snow in October
ROSELOTUS
When Kagome had reached the age of 16, she no longer saw the green trees or the skyscrapers she always had a fascination for. All Kagome looked at were books on top of books. She went from home, school, an academy, her part-time job, and then back home. Her youth flew past her as she worked as hard as she could just to ensure her future. Kagome consistently woke up at 5:00 a.m. the past 4 years, but as she felt the heat of the sunlight on her, she didn't want to wake up.
Different kinds of birds chirped around her, the leaves on the trees singing due to the wind weaving through them. The heat of the sun tempted her to sleep in longer except she was also feeling the heat of a certain youkai's glare.
"Miko, get up. We were to have been on the path an hour ago. You are stalling us." Sesshomaru narrows his eyes at her.
Kagome groaned and ignored him, shifting away from his stare.
"I know you heard me." He said, irritation in his voice.
"Wow, what do you not know, oh great Lord Sesshomaru." She remarked sarcastically, sitting up. Maybe it was the morning that caused her to be more upfront with the inu-youkai.
This time he ignored her, "There is a stream not far from here, do what you do, miko. I'll give you 5 mins."
"5?!" Kagome stood up, slipping her shoes on, failing the first time.
"Wait-, I can't-, Sesshomaru-"
He looks away. "You're taking up your time. Hurry it up before 5 goes down to 4."
Kagome groaned in frustration, snatching her bag off the ground and jogging to the direction of the stream.
"Sesshomaru-sama, where did Kagome go?" Rin questioned peeking around Sesshomaru, scanning the campsite.
"The miko has gone to do her human things." Sesshomaru said, nonchalantly.
"Oh." Rin pouted and ran off again. As she turned, Sesshomaru noticed her holding a weaved flower crown that he always saw on top of Jaken.
"That white piece of fur with long hair think he could boss me around like he owns me? But, his hair is pretty nice. So smooth.. I mean snap out of it Kagome!" Kagome grumbled to herself, washing her hair in the stream while sitting on a rock.
"Hah! 5 mins? Hell no. I'm going to take my wonderful time. He could wait another 20 mins!"
She continued to rant under her breath and failed to notice the approaching figure.
"Ah! Kagome! I found you!" Rin skipped over to her and sat down beside her on the rock.
"Rin! Goodmorning." Kagome said, her morning already better.
Rin grinned. "Goodmorning!" She seemed to be quite the morning person in contrast to Kagome.
Kagome squeezed the water out from her hair. She grabbed a towel and started using it to dry her hair, which was already starting to dry from the sun. The smell of orange blossom wafted pass Rin's nose.
"Kagome smells good and has very nice hair." Rin pointed out.
Kagome laughed, the compliments making her day, after she had continuously traveled alone. "Thank you, Rin."
Rin nodded excitedly, "Hurry! We have to go back to Sesshomaru and go on more adventures!"
She tugged on Kagome's hand impatiently. Kagome quickly packed the wet towel into a plastic bag so it wouldn't get the other things in her bag wet.
"Okay I'm set! Let's go." With one hand holding Rin's they made their way back to the campsite.
Sesshomaru heard part of their conversation as they came into his listening range.
"-retty! You really made this, Rin?" Kagome exclaimed in awe.
"Yup and Rin is giving it to Kagome! Put it on! Put it on!"
He opened his eyes and turned to them. Kagome was holding Rin's hand and Rin seemed exceptionally happy. Probably because she had a mother figure back in her life. Kagome's midnight blue locks complimented the azure delphinium crown on her head. He locked eyes with her sapphire orbs.
"Sesshomaru-sama! Doesn't Kagome look so pretty?" Rin said once they had reached Sesshomaru.
For some reason Kagome felt bare as taiyoukai swept his eyes over her head where the flower crown laid and then down to her feet. Kagome squirmed as he said nothing.
"Hn. A pretty flower crown, Rin. Where is Jaken?" Sesshomaru said completely ignoring the fact that someone was wearing the said crown. Kagome twitched in anger.
"Hey-!"
Sesshomaru stalked off leaving two humans, one gleeful and the other completely vexed.
After a few more hours of walking, Rin was once again sleeping in her spot on Kagome's back.
"She's comfortable around you." Sesshomaru commented, his once fast paced walking, slowing down as they now walked side by side. Him no longer in front.
"Yeah... I guess she wanted the serenity of a mother-like person." Kagome said, softly. Sesshomaru nodded and silence filled them once more, but this time it was rather comfortable.
"Hm.. Sesshomaru?" He was going to threaten her for calling him by his name, but then he also realized that he didn't care. Sesshomaru was finally losing it due to his two human companions.
"Yes?"
"Where are we going though?"
Sesshomaru glanced down at her and back forward. "My home."
"Ah.. The West." Kagome thought out loud. "But, why do you need me? Actually, why am I even here?" She completely forgot the reason she was even traveling with them.
Sesshomaru snorted. "It's a shame you have such a bad memory... or else this would've been a lot easier. Then and now." He muttered the last part under his breath.
"A shame indee- Huh? Wait, are you mocking me right now?" Kagome said gawking at the once stoic youkai, although he was back to being so.
He didn't respond.
"You! You just!"
"Do you ever think before you talk, miko?" Sesshomaru raised a brow at her.
"You know what? If I didn't have Rin on my back, I would've-!"
"Sesshomaru-sama? Kagome? What's going on?" Rin interrupted lifting her head off the space on her shoulder, rubbing her eyes.
"It's okay, Rin. Nothings happening! You can go back to sleep." Kagome said, glancing her shoulder at the half-awake child.
"Oh... okay." and she was dead asleep again. Kagome sweat dropped at her actions.
"Just before, was that a threat, miko?" Sesshomaru asked. Without her even realizing, she was back to being behind him.
"No-, Yes, I mean... why are you always walking in front of me? I'm your companion, not your slave." Kagome grumbled.
"Then, do you know the way?"
"Well... no, but-"
"Then I shall guide."
Kagome found no counter to that and let the conversation die. The silence trailed on for a bit before she slammed into his back.
"Oww... why did you stop?"
"What do you use your eyes for, foolish miko? We are here." The gates opened and Kagome ignored the comment, simply admiring the castle.
She followed him in, the doors closing softly behind them.
"Do you live here alone?" Kagome asked, continuing to observe the interior of the castle.
"No. My servants and my most trusted generals live here as well."
Kagome mouthed a silent 'oh'. They climbed a few stairs to what seemed like the top floor and came to the door of a room.
"This is Rin's room. You can set her here and then meet me in my study." Before Kagome could even ask him where that was, he disappeared.
"How does he expect me to... whatever." Kagome opened the door with her right hand, her left support Rin.
She sat on the bed and slowly set Rin down on the bed. Kagome groaned stretching, her back cracking a bit. She glanced down at the sleeping child, caressing her soft cheek. Kagome successful tucked Rin in and closed the door quietly.
"Now to find Sesshomaru.."
Remembering what Midoriko taught her, she felt for the inu-youkai's aura. For some reason it took awhile, but once she found it, it was easier to locate again.
"Ahah!" She found it and started towards it, before pausing. Someone was following her. Kagome decided to ignore the aura and continued. After a few left and rights she came to the set of doors with Sesshomaru's aura just beyond it. She adverted her attention to the one behind her.
Kagome huffed as it still hid from her, or thought it did. She opened the doors and found him sitting in front of his desk.
"You took a while." Sesshomaru said, not looking up from his papers. Although he didn't show it, he was surprised that he found her quicker than he expected. He had hidden his aura more than usual.
Kagome closed the door behind her and glared at him. "Yeah, thanks for not even telling me where this place was." She said approaching him while looking around the room. There was a book case on the right wall with a coffee table in the middle of 2 couches. Behind his desk was a window, the sunlight highlighting his form. Kagome stood, entranced, before her eyes met gold and she immediately looked away.
With a sigh, Sesshomaru stood from his table and walked up to her.
"Uh.. So, are you going to tell me why I'm needed here?" Kagome questioned.
"While walking through the hallways, did anything seem nostalgic?" Sesshomaru randomly brought up. Kagome caught her breath as his fingers brushed through a strand of her hair.
Kagome couldn't think, her heart beat sped up for an odd reason. Sesshomaru heard it and stopped his antics before moving past her, sitting on the couch.
"Uh," Kagome regained her voice as she turned to him. She cleared her throat, "No. Why?"
"Hm. Haruto, you can come out now."
Kagome squeaked as a male youkai materialized next to Sesshomaru. He had light purple hair with matching lilac eyes, holding a mischievous glint in them. He had on a simple yukata the color of a light purple close to a white with a sword on his hip. He had the same aura as the one that was following her before.
"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru?" His voice was velvety with a slight unnoticeable rasp.
"This is she, correct?" Sesshomaru asked.
"Yes. She is that miko."
Kagome shifted from one foot to the other. "Uhm, what's going on?"
"You will stay for Rin and I'll train you starting tomorrow. This is General Haruto and he will stay with you since this is a house of youkai." Haruto nodded at her leaving Sesshomaru's side to go over to her.
Kagome nodded slowly, "Okay.. is that it though? And why train, I'm already getting trained by Midoriko with my miko powers."
"Not your miko powers. Basic combat. It'll come in hand. You may go now."
"Wait, I haven't even said what I needed to say!" Kagome said, irritated.
"Talk."
"First of all, you're not making sense ever since before. Just now you called me that miko, what do you mean by that?"
"I mean what I mean when I say that." He said standing up and walking into another room that was connecting to the one they were in.
Kagome gawked as his answer didn't help her at all. "Hey-!" The door shut behind him blocking out her futile attempts.
"Well, I'll lead you back to your room, Lady Kagome." Haruto broke her out of her thoughts in amusement.
Kagome smiled at him, "Please, call me Kagome."
"He's always like miko this, miko that! I have a name!" Kagome ranted to the poor general who had been listening to her for an hour now. He simply nodded, smiling, and opened a set of doors after helping her unpack the strange things in her bag.
"This is the bath house. I'll wait for you inside." He disappeared inside and Kagome went into the other pathway and quickly took off her clothes and wore a thin towel instead.
She approached the inside and saw a wood coverage over her and saw a place to wash herself with water before entering the bathing area. There was a familiar incense all around her she saw Haruto sitting on a rock next to the open water.
"Why are you still dressed in your clothes?" Kagome said confused as she scrubbed shampoo through her hair.
Haruto smiled. "I'm here to guard you, Kagome."
Kagome nodded and finished washing off before entering the water. The hot water worked at her sore muscles as she swam over to him.
"This place is so pretty." Kagome commented, gazing over at the trees behind the pools of water. They were interlaced with a few blue flowers here and there.
"I've been seeing those flowers all around this castle. Do they hold a meaning?" Kagome wondered looking up at Haruto. Haruto glanced at the forget-me-nots and nodded.
"Yes, the former lord and Sesshomaru both held a liking to them."
"Hmm.." Kagome gazed up at Haruto observing him. He noticed her eyes and stared down at her, "Is there something you are curious about?"
"Yeah. What kind of youkai are you?" Kagome said slightly tilting her head to the side.
"I am half tengu and half nature." Seeing Kagome's confused glance, he explained more. "I can turn into a bird, but in my human form I can manipulate water and air. Would you like to see?"
Kagome nodded excitedly. He hadn't done anything but all of a sudden something tapped her arm and she turned to see a water squirrel. She gasped as it scampered around her, before dissolving into mist and the mist turned into tiny sparks before it flew up into the air and exploded like a firework. She giggled as she got sprayed with water.
"I don't think I can show you air unless, well.. you want to see black." He joked.
Kagome laughed, "That's so cool! Your bird form now!"
He poofed into a light purple bird with pastel blue and white streaks in his feathers. Haruto hopped up to her as if telling her that she could pet him. She did so.
"You're so soft.. and beautiful." She whispered. He seemed to snort at being called beautiful, but let it go. He was about the size of her arm. Definitely bigger than a normal bird.
Kagome started feeling lightheaded from being in the heat of the bath for too long. "Don't change back! I'll be right back." Without bothering to see if he would comply she turned and ran, nearly falling. Kagome quickly changed and came back to him. He was still a bird. She picked him and he showed no protests.
"Ahhh, so soft." Haruto sweatdropped and chirped. She gasped, "Do that again!" Haruto laughed and chirped again.
"I wouldn't mind waking up to that.."
He turned his head to look at her as if questioning that. Haruto felt at ease as she groomed him with her fingers.
The trip that should've taken 2 minutes to her room was seemingly taking longer. Haruto chirped as if questioning where they were.
"Oh.. you noticed," Kagome chuckled nervously. "I'm lost." Haruto flapped his wings and Kagome set him down. He turned back into his human form and smiled at her.
"This way."
With Haruto's help they arrived at her room quickly. "It is quite late, call me if you need me. Goodnight, Kagome."
"Goodnight, Haruto. Thanks for listening to my random banter today." Kagome said blushing. He smiled and the door shut between them.
Kagome got into bed and sighed.
This was her first time in his castle yet why did it seem so nostalgic? An hour passed as she tossed and turned unable to fall asleep. She opened the doors to her balcony and the full moon stared down at her.
"It's a full moon today." She said to no one in particular. "Midoriko? Can you hear me?" There was silence. "Hah.. I guess she really left." Kagome said softly.
"Miko, why do you keep on talking to yourself." A deep voice said behind her causing goosebumps to spread down her arm. She jumped, "Sesshomaru! What are you doing here?"
"This is my castle."
"This is my room until I leave." Kagome fought back. He raised his brow at her standing beside her on the balcony.
"Hn."
"Hah!" Kagome laughed before silence feel before them.
"Sesshomaru, what was your father like?"
He stiffened. "Why... do you ask?" Everytime someone brought up a question about his father, he never hesitated to killing them, but he couldn't with her. The excuse being that she was there.. before him.
"Just well, on nights like these where the full moon is up, I get reminded of my own father. He died in a car accident on the night of the full moon." Kagome's mourning filled his senses, salt filling his nose.
He was silent as she tried to keep it in.
"I think I'll just sleep now. Goodnight, Sesshomaru."
He nodded and disappeared by the time she had closed and locked the balcony doors.
