Chapter eight, you guys! Enjoy :)
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"What do we do now?" Sango looked to her fiancé for help, but Miroku simply shook his head.
"I have no idea, Sango." He sighed, peering at Kagome. She was glancing between her friends and Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru himself seemed not to show any interest.
"I can't very well leave you guys," Kagome said. "I mean, we've been together so long, and Sesshomaru certainly won't want me around." She turned to Sesshomaru. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to talk about you as if you weren't here."
Sesshomaru did not look at the miko. He was too busy thinking to himself.
He hated humans. He always had, with Rin as the only exception. And despite the fact that the miko had been changed into a youkai by forces outside her control, she still possessed a narrow human mind. He did not like sudden, unplanned changes, and silently growled to himself.
Aw, puppy can't deal with a new owner? His inner youkai laughed at him. Sesshomaru wished it were an actual entity, rather than a section of his mind, so he could punch it.
"Hey, wait a minute!" Inuyasha objected. "I don't understand why Kagome has this flower in the first place!"
Sesshomaru watched while his annoying pest of a brother was given a thorough explanation of the Hana no Shukumei. He only partially listened, mostly focused on his own situation.
The miko now possessed a symbol of his family, the type of symbol that only the most powerful youkai families had. The symbol was to mark her under his watch. No male was to touch her while she bore it.
Sesshomaru did not wish her to be under his watch. However, at this point, he did not have a choice. They had both been forced into this by that blasted flower, and, unlike his brother, Sesshomaru was not about to run away from his problems.
"-not going to let her mate him! I hate that bastard, and we need her for shards!"
He wished his brother would shut up.
Sesshomaru risked a glance at the miko's mark. The deep Prussian blue shimmered underneath her bangs, as she turned to face him. It seemed her youkai abilities were already working. She knew he was looking at her, though he had barely moved his head in her direction. She tried to smile, but it was forced and awkward.
"I don't care if that stupid flower has the power of the fucking Gods!" Inuyasha continued to yell. Sesshomaru tuned him out.
The mark was normally placed upon the female by the male, when the Mating Dance was initiated. The female would then be bound to the male by that mark, until she either accepted or rejected him. Usually, she would gain the mark only after accepting the offer for a mating. The miko seemed to be a special case, gaining her mark beforehand. Rather than Sesshomaru placing a small bit of his youki in her, and thus creating the mark, the Hana had done so for him.
A lesser youkai would kill her, or run away, as his brother might. Sesshomaru was not about to run from this. Sesshomaru sought to always do the opposite of his offending brother. Although, at this moment, he suspected that the opposite of Inuyasha's reaction was exactly what he did not want to do.
Sesshomaru stepped toward the miko, drawing the attention away from the argument his brother insisted upon the humans. "Miko," he said, addressing Kagome. She looked up to him. She was a fair bit shorter, but her stance was confident.
"It has come to this Sesshomaru's attention that you have the mark of my family. According to the legal procedures of the youkai lords of this country, I am obligated to perform the Mating Dance with you, until you accept or reject me."
Kagome was bewildered. "Dance?"
Sesshomaru wanted to growl, but kept his composure. She did indeed still have an ignorant human mind. "It is called a dance. It resembles a ceremony of sorts. If you wish to stay with your friends, I suggest you reject my advances now. If you accept them, I will be forced to take you away from here and keep you under my watch."
Kagome turned to her friends. Miroku was stoic. Sango seemed like she might cry. Shippo clutched Sango's skirt, wondering what his mother would do. Inuyasha spat on the ground, mumbling to himself.
"I don't want to leave them," she said, facing the Lord of the West. Sesshomaru nodded in understanding, glad that she would reject him and he could move on, regardless of the supposedly powerful Hana.
"However," she continued. Sesshomaru raised a brow, barely perceptible and noticed by only Inuyasha. "I know that the Hana is a force not to be ignored." She cradled the rose gently. "It turned me into a youkai, for goodness sake! I don't think I should simply pass by on a chance being given by something so significant, no matter how much I may not want the chance." She smiled apologetically, as if she thought it would hurt his feelings for her not to fancy him. Sesshomaru couldn't care less.
"Because of all the things happening, I feel that I should listen to the signs. Everything points to me being your mate, Sesshomaru. And so, I must . . . accept your proposal of a Mating Dance." She said the words with trepidation, but bowed respectfully.
Sesshomaru was a tad stunned. He had assumed the miko would reject him, given the choice, but she seemed smarter than that. He had not counted on her recognizing the power of the Hana. Sesshomaru was too used to assuming the stupidity of humans.
Not willing to take the easy route out, and sure that she would eventually come to hate him, as most people did, Sesshomaru nodded to her. "Very well."
"Hey, wait a-" Inuyasha began, but stopped when Sesshomaru took Kagome's face in his hand, bending down gently. Closing his eyes and pretending she was Rin, he brushed her bangs aside and kissed her forehead, in the center of her mark. The symbol glowed briefly, before dying down. Kagome stood in silence as he drew away.
"Mama!" Shippo ran to her, jumping into her arms. Kagome unfroze, cuddling the kit as he clung to her. He was somewhat big for her to hold now, but she didn't mind. "Mama, I don't want you to go."
"Oh, Shippo." Kagome nuzzled him. To Sesshomaru, she said, "I can't leave Shippo. He's my adopted son. He has to come. And I still need to find the shards, so that Naraku can't get them. I can't abandon my duties just because my life has taken an unexpected turn."
"Hn." Sesshomaru observed the kit. He would make a good playmate for Rin. He appeared to be about the same age. "I am hunting Naraku either way. If you happen to pick up the location of a shard, you may fetch it. I will not be holding them for you."
"Fine." Kagome took the shard case from her backpack, a glass bottle that she had purified to prevent youkai from touching it. Despite her new youkai status, she could handle it without any consequences. "I have this to hold the shards. I am sorry for the inconvenience my shard hunting may pose to you, Sesshomaru, but I hope you understand."
"Simply understand that if your shard hunting becomes obstructive to my goals, I will not tolerate it," was his reply. Kagome nodded. She wouldn't have expected any less from him. "I must be getting back to my associates. Unless you wish to change your mind and reject me, you are required to follow." The youkai lord turned and began walking away.
"Wait!" Sesshomaru halted. "Please, can I have some time to say goodbye?"
"Very well."
Kagome turned toward her friends, unable to think that she was suddenly leaving them. Three years of closeness and adventures welled up inside her, tears beginning to form.
"Don't cry, Kagome." Miroku lifted a hand to her cheek, wiping a tear away in one of the least lecherous acts he had ever done to her. "The Hana decided this, and the forces of the Gods would not pair up two people who would not like each other. You will see the good in Lord Sesshomaru, I promise. And we'll see each other again."
"I know. I just . . . didn't think I would stop traveling with you so soon." She smiled. "Thanks, Miroku. I really appreciate the effort. I'm going to visit, no matter what."
"Yes, you should." Sango placed a hand on her shoulder. "I will miss you, Kagome. You were like a sister to me."
Kagome paused, and put Shippo down. Throwing her arms around her comrade, more tears formed, and she whispered goodbyes into her ear. Sango held tightly to her.
Shippo said his goodbyes as well, trying not to cry, to preserve a manly image. Sango hugged him tight to her, and Kirara rubbed up against him.
"Thank you, everyone. Really." Kagome picked Shippo up again, relishing in the feel of her son in her arms, and thankful that she would be able to stay with him.
Finally, she turned to Inuyasha. He seemed angry, and not at all tearful like the others.
"I ain't letting you go with him," he said, indignant. "He's a bastard, and we need you in this group to-"
"Shush." Kagome put a finger to his lips, touching him more closely than she had in a very long time. It made her heart cringe with her leftover feelings. It would be hard to part from the first man she had ever loved, despite his recent treatment of her. It would take time for that wound to heal. "Inuyasha, you are the reason I met all these lovely people, and I fell in love with you. I will always cherish the time when we shared those feelings, even though you've chosen another woman." Leaning toward him, she gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Inuyasha."
The hanyou blushed profusely, not having received that kind of attention from Kagome after he made his choice of lovers. He mumbled a response and wiped his cheek, as if wiping responsibility from himself. Kagome smiled a little, suddenly given hope that the hanyou might still care for her, at least somewhat.
"Okay," she said, turning to the great youkai lord. "I'm ready to go when you are. Thank you for letting me say goodbye."
"Hn." Sesshomaru made an about-face in the direction of his companions, still sour that he would have to take care of two extra people, and his brother's friends at that. At least Rin would probably like them.
Kagome grabbed her backpack and arrows, and waved one last goodbye, trying to keep her tears at bay. She followed the least likely candidate for her mate into the woods, and away from the life she had known for three long years.
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"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin greeted him with her usual cheer, throwing her arms around his legs and giggling enthusiastically. "Oh!" She noticed Kagome and Shippo trailing behind, uncomfortable in the new setting.
"The hanyou's wench and a fox kit! What are they doing here?" Jaken was none too pleased with the new development, and saw the youkai features on Kagome. "Lord Sesshomaru, I thought she was a miko." His eyes narrowed.
"Miss miko!" Rin hugged Kagome as well, beaming. "Thank you, miss miko! You helped save me when I was in trouble."
Kagome smiled. She adored children, and Rin was cuter than most, despite being around ten or eleven. "You're more than welcome. I was happy to help." She patted her head gently.
"The miko and kit will be traveling with us," Sesshomaru said, as if it would be sufficient explanation. "If you wish to inquire about her, Jaken, I suggest you ask her yourself." The stoic lord then began walking, not bothering to check if they followed.
Ah-Un stood immediately, pausing to allow Rin to climb on his back. "Fox, you can ride with me!" Rin smiled and took Shippo's hand. "I'm Rin."
"Shippo," he supplied, happy to have someone around his age to talk to. Chatter between them began flowing. Kagome checked her backpack for security before trotting to catch up.
Ah-Un sniffed Kagome as she walked beside him, her scent both familiar and unfamiliar. She looked different, as well, and he quickly noticed her new youkai features. Kagome flashed a grin, petting the dragon. "Hi there, big boy."
"His name is Ah-Un," Rin told her, before turning back to Shippo. Kagome continued to pet him as she walked, happy to have something close to the youkai pet that Kirara had been.
Thinking about Kirara made her think about the rest of them, and a pang of sorrow shot through her. It would be tough not to be with them, after so long. She wanted to cry, but she knew she would see them again. And she had to be strong for Shippo. She couldn't let her son see her crying all the time. She was a miko, hunting Naraku. The upheavals in her life had to take a back seat.
Sesshomaru turned the situation over in his head. The miko -Kagome- would be traveling with him now. Clearly, with her arrows and miko skills, she would be able to handle herself in battle. However, her hunt for jewel shards would slow his progress toward Naraku. He might not tolerate it, if it didn't also mean that Naraku gained less power for every shard she had.
Kagome, for it was tiresome to call her miko constantly, seemed a strong woman, if a little emotional when it came to those she cared about. Sesshomaru could relate to such emotions only through Rin, but it was enough to understand why she might be protective of her kit.
That puzzled him more than anything. She must have adopted the kit while still in her human state, but humans rarely adopted youkai, or vice versa. Either she owed the kit some kind of life debt, which he doubted, considering the kit's age, or she simply cared for him a great deal. He would have to make sure the kit stayed safe.
But what does that matter to myself? Sesshomaru thought suddenly. He is her adopted son. It is not my job to keep him safe.
But it will surely drive Kagome from your side, if he is put in danger.
Sesshomaru would certainly not lament the loss of his inner youkai, if it ever decided to go away. I do not care if that woman leaves. I am only keeping her here because she accepted the offer for a Mating Dance, which was not my choice to begin with. It would reflect badly on my status among the other youkai lords to turn her away.
As if you really care about that. Admit it, you're just curious to see if she's actually a match for you. You couldn't have less in common, after all.
Silence, Sesshomaru commanded. When his youkai did not respond, he continued his thoughts to himself, though he was sure his youkai would chime in once more if it wished to.
Whether he cared for her kit or not, he could hear from the chatter that Rin was quickly becoming attached to him. She had never had such a friend before, and for that, he would keep the kit safe.
He wondered about the Mating Dance, and if he should try to go through with it. If he simply ignored her, Kagome might become frustrated and leave of her own accord. Of course, an incomplete Mating Dance would also reflect badly on him, regardless of whose decision it was to end it. His father had failed to complete a Mating Dance with his own mother, and his reputation was further smirched when he mated with a human. Inuyasha's mother had not gained the mark of his father's family because she was human, but the Mating Dance had been much more successful than with his father's previous mate.
Either way, he was stuck with the miko, and there was no way out, unless he wished to disgrace himself. Sesshomaru clenched his claws into his palm, slicing skin that immediately healed. He had planned to take a woman after the Naraku issue was solved, and that woman was going to be the daughter of one of the youkai nobles. A woman with strong ancestry and political ties that he could use to his advantage. Not some ragamuffin miko that had turned into a youkai due to some strange plant.
Peering back at her, Sesshomaru saw that the miko was fingering the rose. It matched his family mark perfectly, and the rose was a common symbol of love and close affection. Upon hearing Myoga's news, concerning his father and the same flower, he had put it upon Jaken to learn more about it. However, the imp was slow going with such research, as books were hard to come by on the road. He would be sure to punch him for it later.
For now, he would have to learn what he could from his own situation.
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Kagome sighed, wondering how boring this could get.
They had been walking for hours, and the sun was close to descending in the sky. Rin and Shippo were tired, and had gone to sleep on Ah-Un's back. The dragon walked smoothly enough that they did not fall, but Kagome kept a close eye, just in case. Jaken didn't talk, and didn't seem inclined to make any conversation with her. Kagome was left alone.
The rose was resting safely in its case, hopefully not wilting. It had not shown to be prone to dying yet, but Kagome still felt uncomfortable leaving it in that box. She took it out every fifteen minutes or so to check on it. The side pocket of her backpack was easily accessible for that purpose.
She could always try to talk with Sesshomaru, but the youkai lord was unapproachable in her eyes. She had a hard time trying to disturb his stoic form, let alone trying to talk to him as if they were friends. He was cold, alone. Someone like that did not appeal to her.
But she had to try, didn't she? He is my mate, after all. Or so says the Hana, Kagome thought. I still don't understand how we could be matched up in such a way.
He was asocial. She was friendly. He did not do something unless it would benefit him, and she helped anyone she could. He was a youkai, and she was a miko. Granted, she was a youkai as well, but it did not bridge the gap between them. He was the cold night, and she the bright sunshine. It was hard to see herself with him.
Of course, Inuyasha was fairly different from her as well, and she had fallen for him. He hadn't been too keen on helping others when they first met. He was violent, crude, and stubborn as a mule. And yet she had fallen for him, and he had fallen for her, for a short time. Before he had decided on Kikyo and everything had gone awry.
She could hardly blame Kikyo for it. The only reason Kikyo had passed away and left Inuyasha's life in the first place was because of Naraku. If not for him, they probably would have married and had children. The thought made Kagome's heart clench. It was hard to give up someone you loved.
Maybe I can use this, Kagome thought. I'm away from Inuyasha for the first time in a long while. Perhaps I can finally get over him, now that I don't have to see him every day. Thinking on the bright side was her specialty, and this thought made her feel a little better. There was a silver lining to everything, it seemed.
As she moved away from sorrowful reminders, Kagome become bored once more, and did the only thing she loved to do when there was nothing else to occupy herself with. Without truly thinking about it, she opened her mouth, starting softly.
"Somewhere in this city, surely,
Someone is meeting someone else,
Every day is programmed,
So that the plot never changes.
"If you listen, you can hear the voice
That opens the world's door.
This beautiful day was not in the weather report,
It's a never before seen combination
And you send the waves of telepathy to me.
"A beautiful day gets made,
By the frequent meetings with you.
There is a miracle waiting for us,
So let's start walking right away."
The song filled the clearing with sound, reverberating off the trees and intensifying. Kagome gained volume as she became more confident in the lyrics, waking the children and drawing the attention of the others.
Sesshomaru paused slightly at the sound. He had heard women sing before, but the miko's voice was one of the more talented. Though some of the words she sang were unfamiliar, they were melodious all the same.
"Miko."
Kagome halted, her last note sticking in her throat. Sesshomaru was staring at her.
"Oh, I . . ." She gulped. "Um, I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was being so loud. The music got away from me, I guess. I didn't mean to bother you." She blushed red from embarrassment. "I was bored, so I just started singing. My friends didn't mind it when I sang."
"It was pretty, Mama!" Shippo smiled. Rin nodded, clapping encouragement.
"Thanks." Kagome smiled a little, but felt the eyes of Sesshomaru delve into her. "I can stop singing, if you want." She wasn't sure what made her feel the need to obey and accommodate the youkai lord, because it made her feel spineless. Maybe those eyes of his were enough to make her do whatever he wanted. He was used to getting his way, after all.
"Hn. Do as you wish." Without another word, Sesshomaru began walking once more. Kagome hesitated, but followed, as did the rest of the group. Shippo and Rin's chatter began once more, now that they had awoken, and she decided it best not to sing. It was one of her secret passions, but getting on the lord's bad side was not a good idea, especially if she wanted to get closer and find out if they were truly compatible.
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Hi, everyone. So, this is chapter eight, and Kagome is finally traveling with Sesshomaru. Things are sure to get exciting from here!
And because I was bored, I'm deciding to have a contest, with a nice prize. The lyrics that Kagome sang are ones from a song that I've taken to recently. The first person to review and correctly guess the song title will be able to make a request for an event you wish to happen in the story, as long as that event doesn't change the storyline. Review and tell me what you think the song is, and I'll let the winner know who they are so they can make their request. Have fun with it :) Hint: It's the English version of a vocaloid song.
I'll try to keep making the chapters longer, if I can, and once summer comes, I'll write much more. Thanks for reading, and please review! I love getting reviews! And for now, ja ne!
