It's been a pretty long time since my last update, huh? Sorry about that.
Before we come to the actual chapter, I wanted to mention that I have published a new Self-Insert story. If you want to read it, then just check it out on my profile.
Another important thing is that I've decided to answer some of your questions in this chapter and will continue doing so in the future. I will always wait for a few questions to gather and then I'll answer them. So, if there is anything you want to know about 'Till The World Stops Turning' just send me a PM or write a review.
Oh, I have also posted an updating schedule on my profile, so if you want to know when the next chapter will be updated then just check it. Though I can't promise that I will always manage to update it on the promised date.
1. Frequently asked questions:
When does this story take place? Sesshomaru's father is already dead and Inuyasha incapacitated. It takes place a few years before Kagome arrives in the past. Don't worry we will arrive at the canon events soon (Around 4 to 5 chapters till we reach that point, I think.).
What about Hakuryuu? He is still alive and if you would like to he could appear in one of the future chapters. I haven't planned anything for him yet, but if you have some ideas, then write me a PM or a review and I might even end up using them.
What about her mother? Considering that this story takes place before canon and that Shizuka is a full-blooded demon, neither Rin nor Kagura are her mother. She will be mentioned in one of the future chapters, but don't expect her to be large part of this story.
2. starthedetective: Shizuka hasn't watched Inuyasha, but she has heard about it. There will come a time when she will realize that she is in an anime, but that won't help her all that much because she has no knowledge about it.
Many thanks to Silimaira, who was this chapter's beta.
nariai (Yeah, I've changed my user name)
Rating for this chapter: K
Summary: Misplaced somewhere I did not belong to, in a body that should have never been mine, I could only wait for the world to finally stop turning. [SI, Self-insert as Sesshomaru's daughter.]
Have fun.
Till The World Stops Turning
Chapter 7
Miles Above You
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Where She Met A Queen
Day 356
Four days, that's how long we traveled after Father received what seemed to be an invitation from the mysterious Inukimi. Most of that time I spent alongside Jaken on father's giant back. He flew above the familiar forest and only stopped a few times for a break. During those breaks I took care of my business—yes, I was potty trained—and ate something.
Then we were off again, flying towards a to me unknown destination.
There wasn't really much to do so high above the earth, so I spent most of the time on Father's back sleeping.
It was boring as hell, but, considering how much the world sometimes seemed to hate me, it could have been worse. Besides, seeing our destination made the long journey worth it.
A flying castle.
Not a western castle, of course. It was more of a huge Japanese compound built on a giant flying piece of earth. A small part of the structure was hidden by a cloud, but that did not stop me from seeing what was directly in front of me. The whole thing was magnificent, as if someone had taken it out of a fairy tale.
An estate comprised of several buildings, surrounded by what I guessed to be a wonderful garden. There were cherry blossom trees everywhere. Lush green grass and colorful flowers surrounded a small pond. People were running across the grounds, some pointing at us with their hands.
As we descended I could feel Father's powers condensing. My skin prickled and eyes widened when I realized what would happen next. In a cloud of demonic energy father changed into his human form, catching me in his arms before I could fall to my death. Luckily, Jaken managed to take hold of Father's mokumoku, so he wasn't harmed either.
Father's feet softly touched the ground, while Jaken landed with a loud thud. He screeched noisily and flailed his tiny arms.
Used to his behavior, both Father and I ignored him and continued our way to our final destination.
Final destination, huh? Well, that wasn't really comforting.
Turning my head to the right, I saw a group of people running in our direction. Their unusual coloring and markings showed their demonic heritage. One of them, a middle-aged man with brown hair and golden eyes, stopped a few feet away from us and bowed lowly. ''Sesshomaru-sama, Inukimi-sama has been awaiting your arrival. She is ready to welcome you in the main room.''
The soft mokumoku moved over Father's shoulder and I leaned my head against it. I was jostled slightly when father finally started to move towards the entrance of the big mansion before us. Its shoji screens were slid open before we arrived and one servant kneeled at each side of it, their heads lowered in submission. Not regarding any of them with more than a passing glance, father jumped onto the patio and entered the large mansion.
From the inside it looked exactly how I imagined a home of Japanese royalty would look. Beautifully decorated, yet not nearly as pompous as some Western castles. Scrolls adorned the walls and many shoji screens depicted outstanding battles or scenes from what I guessed to be demon history.
The servant led us through a rather narrow hallway, his footsteps silent on the wooden floor. As we continued walking the mansion seemed to turn into a maze in front of my very eyes. Not literally, of course, but still confusing and slightly intimidating. A sad fact was that should I ever be left alone in this place, then I probably wouldn't even be able to find the exit, let alone anything of importance like a kitchen or a bathroom.
Our small group stopped in front of an ornate shoji screen after what felt like an eternity of walking—It was probably less than ten minutes—and the servant lowered himself onto his knees. ''Inukimi-sama, your guests have finally arrived and are here to meet you.''
Father slowly lowered me to the ground and steadied me before I could have fallen. Not being in his arms made me feel slightly insecure, especially because I was about to meet some stranger who had enough power to summon my father into her home with nothing but a letter. The stern look he sent my way did not make me feel any better.
Feeling slightly apprehensive, I tried getting the wrinkles out of my kimono. It was one of my favorites, but that also meant that it looked rather well-worn.
''They may come in,'' a soft feminine voice whispered and I was actually surprised at how young it sounded. I wasn't quite sure what I expected of this Inukimi person, but it certainly wasn't a woman that seemed to be in her late twenties or early thirties. It certainly wasn't someone like the woman I saw once the servant slid the door open.
She was even more beautiful than Father.
Elfin features were framed by a few soft white tresses. The rest of the woman's hair was bound in a complex looking bun, held in place by two mahogany hair chopsticks. At their ends were wonderfully crafted butterflies that were decorated with what looked like rubies. Her golden eyes shone in the dim room and regarded us with amusement.
Behind me Jaken yelped in fright, but I ignored him in favor of observing the woman.
She raised an arm to her lips and took a sip of something I could not see. The sleeve of her kimono covered her hand and whatever she was holding, but it did not conceal the magenta markings under he eyes, nor the violet crescent moon on her forehead.
Compared to her kimono Father's attire was rather modest. Many layers of expensive silk covered her body, the upper one a mix of magenta and a crimson red. It contrasted heavily with her snow white hair and made her look even more regal than she already was.
''Come in. There is no need for you to be shy.'' The arm moved away from her face and allowed me to see the small amused smirk adorning her rosy lips. It did not take me long to figure out that her last statement was addressed to me.
A clawed hand grazed my head and somehow managed to lead me forward. I moved alongside my father and could not take my eyes off the woman even for a second. We ceased moving a few feet away from the low table behind which Inukimi sat in a perfect seiza.
And then something happened I never expected to see.
Father bowed. Not in submission but reverence.
Jaken followed suit and I was left standing there like a complete idiot. Especially when my eyes widened as wide as dinner plates when I heard my father's whisper. ''Haha-ue.''
Slowly, he straightened himself out of his bow, while Jaken kept his low position. The small kappa gazed at the floor and whispered with the utmost respect, ''Gobodō-sama.''
Haha-ue? Gobodō-sama? Was this woman truly my father's mother? My own grandmother?
She looked barely old enough to have a child of my physical age, let alone to be a grandmother.
''Shizuka.'' My wide eyes instantly snapped to Father's face. He was gazing at me with an intense look in his eyes. ''This is my mother Inukimi. You shall address her with Obaa-sama.'' His eyes left my face and turned to my grandmother. ''Haha-ue, this is Shizuka, your granddaughter.''
I took a step forward and bowed somewhat clumsily, feeling the need to follow Father's example and to show the woman sitting before me respect. ''Obaa-sama.''
Golden slitted eyes regarded me with an unreadable expression. ''I must admit that you are quite the surprising sight, little pup. When the servant informed me of your presence, I had been rather uncertain whether to believe him or not.'' She stretched her clawed hand towards me. ''Come, Shizuka.''
Narrowing my eyes in slight suspicion, I grasped father's hakama. The woman might have been my grandmother, but that did not immediately make her a friendly person. Even though my instincts did not warn me to stay away from her—it was the opposite, actually—I had already learned the hard way that it would not pay off for me to act rashly.
A reassuring hand on top of my head prompted me to move forward and I turned my head upwards, looking for approval on Father's face.
Seeing it there, I took one step and then another. A third one followed soon afterwards. All the while Inukimi watched me with amusement lightening her elfin face. Her lips tilted upwards in an almost smirk and I suddenly knew where Father got his reserved nature from.
The low table was situated higher than the rest of the room. If I had to compare it to something than it probably would be a really low stage. It most likely served to intimidate the people who came to visit and were forced to sit in the lower parts of the room. Fortunately, the platform wasn't too high, so I could climb it without anyone's help.
Some effort was required, of course, but after what felt like a minutes I managed to wiggle my way up the low platform. Out of the corner of my right eye I saw Father regarding me with a bemused expression. It wasn't all that different from his I-am-disappointed-in-you look or the scathing regard he liked sending to those he thought were so beneath him that they weren't worth more than a passing glance.
Instead of curling into a sneer, the corners of his lips twitched minimally upward, not even half an inch.
Having to stop myself from sticking out my tongue, I pouted and turned my head away from him. I doubted such an action would have been becoming of someone of my standing.
Slowly rising to my feet—I had kind of rolled onto the stage. Not my best entrance, really.—I let my gaze wander to the woman before me. She was still regarding me with twinkling eyes and a smirk adorning her rosy lips. Her hand rose from her lap and she stretched it out in my direction.
Taking the hint, I leisurely started walking in her direction. My tiny legs had gotten steadier with each day, however, it would not have done me any good if I decided to do something as stupid as running. With my luck, I would have probably stumbled over my own feet and somehow managed to spill tea all over my grandmother.
I stopped moving near her hand, still in her reach, but far enough that I could move away should I feel the need. Not taking any offense in my obviously hesitant behavior, Inukimi gently removed a few wispy white strands from my face and proceeded to stroke a hand over my cheek. The action was soft and caring and forced me to calm down. Tense muscles relaxed and my mouth tilted in a small smile.
Her hand wandered to the back of my head and pulled me into her upper body. Silky clothes caressed my skin and a scent, familiar even though I had never smelled it before, filled my nostrils.
Cherry blossom, citrus, and the underlying smell of a fresh hunt.
Unbidden, tiny clawed hands reached out and grabbed onto the expensive garment. Then I nuzzled her throat and the few loose strands of her hair. A content sight escaped my lips when my grandmother purred comfortingly.
''When did you intend to tell me about the birth of this tiny delightful creature?'' Her hands were now stroking my head and back in a lulling manner.
Creature? I did not know whether I should feel insulted or amused at that.
Moving forward, Father answered. ''We had been on our way to visit you even before your invitation arrived, haha-ue.''
Did he...just lie? The thought amused me more than it should have.
Gracefully, Father moved onto the platform and sat down in a perfect seiza opposite his mother. His eye darted towards me as if to make sure that I wasn't doing anything stupid.
''I see.'' It was clear that she did not believe him. ''Mayuri, bring us some more tea.''
A quiet shuffle could be heard outside of the room and it was followed by soft footsteps that moved at a moderate pace down the long hallway. Inukimi had not even needed to raise her voice, the demonic senses of all the mansion's inhabitants made quiet communication possible.
''Are there any other surprises I should be aware of?'' she asked lightly, although her voice seemed to have a serious undertone. Father's tense shoulders indicated how unappreciated that question was and the slight furrow of his brows showed how her inquiry actually bothered him.
''No.'' A pause. His eyes flickered to me. ''There are no other surprises.''
Inukimi took a sip of her tea and swallowed it slowly. ''I see.''
I was missing something. Their conversation was too serious for her to have meant something banal like some new furnishing or damaged clothes.
''I hope you will enjoy the tea Mayuri is brewing. It is a new blend that the herbalist recommended to me.'' That was one smooth change of topic.
Or not.
Father's gaze never left my small form, even as he continued to converse with his mother. ''Tadashi does have a good taste in teas.''
''That he does.'' She stroked the skin behind my ear and another content sigh passed my lips.
Smiling sweetly, I turned my body so that I was completely facing my father. Fortunately, Inukimi continued to gently pet—I truly was a dog now, wasn't I?—my head. Even when the servant came back, carrying a tray with a steaming tea kettle and three small cups.
Mayuri was a tiny girl with impossibly wide eyes and wispy blonde hair. She carried the tray to us with as much grace as she could muster and set one cup in front of each of us. Then she proceeded to pour some tea into them. First Inukimi, then Father, and lastly me.
''It has a pleasant smell, haha-ue.'' And it truly did. Green tea with jasmine and either orange or lemon. My cup, unlike those of my family members, was only half-full. Probably to make sure that I did not burn myself.
Before Mayuri once again left the room, she performed a perfect seventy degree bow, showing respect to all three of us. Her light footsteps made almost no sound as she walked across the room.
Taking my cup slowly into my right hand, I raised it to my lips and took a sip. I most likely should have waited till I was allowed to drink or at least until my elders took their first sips, but I was just a child and I did not know much about this time's etiquette anyway.
The tea warmed my entire body and left a pleasant taste on my tongue. It was sweet with a slightly sour aftertaste.
''I'm glad that it's to your taste as well, little pup.'' Inukimi said and I hummed lightly. At the other side of the low table Father tasted the tea too. He nodded his head in appreciation after swallowing his first try.
''I have told one of my handmaidens to prepare a bath for Shizuka.'' Tilting her head to the side, Inukimi smiled amiably. ''I hope you do not mind leaving Shizuka in her care.''
Father's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as they left my form to look at his mother. He did not seem all that happy with her decision. Normally, he would have denied her, but this time something stopped him from doing so. It did not take me long to figure out that they wanted me gone for whatever they would discuss next.
A part of me, the dangerously and overly curious one, wanted to refuse leaving. Making them believe that I was afraid to leave Father's side would not have been easy, but still doable. However, there was also a part of me that did not truly want to know. Not when I saw the serious expression on Father's face. Whatever they would be talking about would not be good. Seeing the unreadable expression on Father's face, I thought, that maybe just this once I should be happy about the protection my young age offered me.
There was a certain freedom that came with not having to worry about anything. As a child there wasn't much I had to worry about. Father took care of the most pressing matters. He made sure that I had everything I needed to survive and even more. I was protected from dangers, whether it was humans or other demons.
If I choose to, I could just lean back and do nothing.
Of course it's not as easy as just 'choosing not to worry'. There would always be that older part of me that worried about every minuscule thing, but some situations, such as this one, could be easily ignored.
Quite honestly, I doubted that I actually wanted to know what managed to get my father worried. Thus I silently gazed at my grandmother's handmaiden when she finally came to get me and shyly grabbed the sleeves of my garment.
The warning look Father sent the girl's way before we left the room calmed me substantially, although it would not help me with how uneasy I would soon come to feel without his large shadow there to protect me.