A.N. Whew! Almost in the realm of double digits. So yeah finally updating again. But I was state hopping for awhile and doing major college stuff, since I'll be a senior in less than a month. So sit back, relax and enjoy the read! (Haven't said that is years! Feels quite nostalgic haha..)
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
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Shi no Kirei
(Tsuki)
Chapter Nine
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(Tsuki)
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The day had gone from bad to wholly intolerable in mere moments. "How is it that I suddenly married and did not know of it?"
Sesshoumaru looked with an appalled expression at an email sent from the Translation office from the jackass department head himself. It questioned the how long the marriage had been, when it happened, and finally asked why he hadn't been invited.
With a small yellow frowning emoticon next to it.
Sesshoumaru reread it with narrowed eyes, "And what grown man uses emotion icons in their emails?"
He closed the browser window in disgust suddenly looked from the computer in his cubicle, to the girl sitting a foot away on his desk. She looked downcast, "I apologize, I did not know what I was affirming. I have not truly married you, have I?" A strange sense of fear lit her eyes and Sesshoumaru were he any other man, he would have probably been insulted.
But as he were not any other man, Sesshoumaru merely scoffed, "Thankfully you have not."
What she had done though, as previously stated, was send his day to hell.
However he had to wonder how gossip could travel so fast in a law firm. Did anyone truly work in their offices?
And then he scowled.
Though perhaps the rumors had been aided by the fact that she insisted upon innocently sitting on the L shaped desk that bordered the walls of his cubicle after innocently asking everyone and anyone she could find for Sesshoumaru's location.
Perhaps that tying in with Kouga's disturbing love of gossiping had made everything worse.
Perhaps.
But undoubtedly, rumors were spreading with all the speed of a wildfire and with all the vicious consequences of one.
Sesshoumaru suddenly propped his elbows on the papers he had been working on. The fabric of this sleeves brushed against the black Acer laptop that was adjacent to his work as his head took a place in his hands.
He stared with narrowed eyes at the girl who was causing all these dilemmas.
And she stared back….as if she had done no wrong. When she, in all actuality, had indeed wronged him….horribly.
That was probably what was so amazing about this whole situation. She had caused so much trouble without even realizing that she had been making any error.
Amber eyes rolled and then narrowed minutely as he caught the scent of something.
A very distinct cologne.
One that only one man in the building would ever wear.
He turned his head just as Kouga leaned against the opening to his personal hell. Sesshoumaru scowled as the other man grinned, "Oi! You know, I honestly never pegged you as one for married life, looking at you guys now…. It just seems to work somehow."
Sesshoumaru's stoic indifference and blatant ignoring of the statement did not deter the man. Kouga simply entered the cubicle and sat next to Kagome on the desk.
Indifference turned to visible annoyance. 'Tell me he is not planning on staying…'Sesshoumaru rubbed his temples and ground out. "What do you want?"
One disturbance was enough, but a second?
If that ass thought he was actually staying there, then he would never get any work done.
Sesshoumaru inwardly cringed. 'That girl is like a magnet for misfortune.'
Kouga help up a hand and closed his eyes, saying diplomatically, "I can see your getting upset, Sess-kun. However, I am not staying long, so you can chill. I actually just came here with a request for Kagome."
He sighed, "Apparently we're a little short-handed today." He put his arm around Kagome and grinned, "So I was wondering if you would do me a favor help out just for an hour or so. I know you're not officially on the pay roll, but I can account it into training so you would get a commission for it."
Kouga flicked his ponytail behind him, noticing only then, the chilling stare he was getting from Sesshoumaru. He mistook it for jealous and slowly removed his arm before smiling sheepishly. When the stare persisted he then winked coyly at Sesshoumaru, "I don't mean to take your wife away but—"
Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, "I'm afraid there has been some misunderstanding." He bluntly told the raven haired man, "We are not at all married. This is the merely daughter of my father's recently deceased business partner. She suffers from amnesia due to unfortunate but traumatic loss. I fear she only gave my last name as her, because she still cannot remember her own," he gave an indifferent shrug.
Kouga whistled lowly and looked Kagome over in shock, "That's quite the tragedy."
Sesshoumaru returned to his work, mentally recording the story he was giving to Kouga as he continued to drawl with a slight frown, "I suppose." He looked at his watch and closed out of a file on his screen. "She had been pursuing a career in linguistic. However, although she has retained some information, she has apparently forgotten a lot."
Kagome smiled wanly and bow her head a bit in an apologetic fashion, "I apologize for the misunderstanding earlier. I get confused by some phrases in this vernacular."
Kouga waved off the apology, "I should be the one apologizing! I just spread that you were married to this guy, to half the floor." Before anyone could respond, he continued with a discomfited smile, "Forget I asked about filling in."
Sesshoumaru looked at him, "Take her and leave. You had said an hour? You may have her for two."
Kouga blinked, "Are you sure she should be working in her condition."
"Shall I get you a doctor's note?" he questioned sarcastically, and with a wave of his hand he dismissed both, "She will have nothing to do here, at least she'll be productive with you."
Kouga grinned, "Great!" Kagome frowned but was pulled away before she could finish her retort. "You intolerable—!"
Intolerable was he? All that coming from a someone—an enigma rather—who had literally appeared from out of thin air and now inhabited his home, took up a bedroom in said house, wasted his shampoo, and cost him a few hundred on clothes…. The list went on and on about the things she had done that had made her in every essence of the word, intolerable.
Sesshoumaru suddenly stared at the space she had preoccupied.
And yet…why was he still letting her?
Abruptly he wished for the day's end.
He was tired of being in the dark about this girl.
'Woman, I suppose.' He corrected himself as he twirled a pen between his fingers.
It was strange though… How Inuyasha could read that book and yet neither he or Kagome could.
Inuyasha acted quite familiar with her too.
He was usually not that quick to befriend women. As a young child he had been physically abused by a nanny for close to a month. The woman had been hired to take care of Inuyasha while his mother was hospital ridden and his father was at work. Sesshoumaru was in his last year of junior high so he was often required to attend high school prep classes. He had skipped one day and had come home early and gotten quite the surprise…
He could not recall a time where he had been any angrier. Which was slightly humorous since he and Inuyasha did not get along really during his childhood. But he had simply snapped at the time… Actually, it had been then that he had really known he was going into law. But that…was irrelevant for the moment. The point was…because of that scarring incident, it had taken nearly three months to completely adjust to Rin and with his son-in-law's sister it had been awhile as well.
Kikyou had been the only exception, really because of the method they had become acquainted through.
But even still…
They had clicked almost instantaneously.
Sesshoumaru suddenly rolled his amber eyes, and brushed his bangs back with annoyance at himself.
He was at work. This was no time to be thinking of such disparate things. He had a report to hand in. He had finished his assignment with the bank moments before. Sesshoumaru stood and moved towards his printer.
But that did not make it easier to put aside the subject. As he waited for the ten page report to print, his thoughts again gravitated to her.
His curiosity would not be quenched until he finally knew something about this person…this Kagome.
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(Tsuki)
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'Foreword:
If you haven't figured it out my now, I've made you a journal with the help of course of our young mistress—who I'll admit was the one to finally get me thinking in this direction. I wanted something you could use…keep…cherish. And although I say basically the same damn thing about every year, I feel like this year's different enough to warrant something memorable. It's been nearly a decade since our mistress was placed under our charge….Here's to another ten years of memories.'
And then the first entry had been written.
'—sat a top a dusty-gray smooth surfaced stone It was one of a dozen that lines that the perimeter of the mistress's koi pond.
"Why is picking a present for her always such a difficult thing? I mean every damn year—you would think it would get easier, but no! Fuck…"
A dainty hand gently touched his shoulder, "How is it, that every moment you open you mouth, you end up spewing out a myriad of curses, Inuyasha?"
The man pouted, "I want to get her a present that she'll enjoy…I know I say that every year and I somehow end up getting something she likes, but I want her to especially value this. It's hard to believe that it's almost been a decade since your father put us in charge of you…"
The girl, who appeared to be the age of a twelve year old girl gave him a luminous smile as she wrapped her arms around him, "It must be fascinating to be in love…"
He sputtered and his cheeks flamed up, "L-love?! Who said anything about me being in love?? Don't misunderstand! I just think she's…"
His eyes widened slightly in realization and suddenly he chuckled a bit as he put the girl in his lap and rested his head on hers, "So I'm in love, huh?"
The girl giggled and smiled softly, "Could I offer a suggestion Inu-chan?"
He closed his eyes and murmured, "Idiot! Do you even have to ask? When have I ever denied your advice?"
She slapped the hand that was around her wais, playfully. After a moment she smiled softly and said, "She's always thoughtful—She likes quiet reverie and observation. I sometimes see her scribbling things down upon scraps of parchment during my studies when she overlooks them. But scraps are easy to lose, and yet her thoughts must be important to her for her to want to record them…"
A chuckle left his lips, "How the hell didn't I think of that? Thank you…"
She smiled although he couldn't see it. But after a few minutes that smile ebbed away. "Ano…Inu-chan… do you think anyone could ever love me like you do her?"
He turned her around his lap and looked at her, "Are you kidding? When you grow up, you'll have tons of guys lined up for you! Why do you think I train so much every day? I have to so I can beat off the bastards unworthy of you when that time comes." He smiled, "But I'm sure you'll easily find someone who genuinely adores you and if not you always have me, kiddo…" He pressed her against his chest and held up a fist, "Now I don't want any more of this love talk from my little girl. I don't want to have to let you go just yet."
She laughed, her azure eyes twinkling, "You'd make a scary father, Inu-chan."
He crossed his arms, "What are you talking about? I would be a great dad! Now come help btou-sama with his present…"
She imitated his previous actions and crossed her arms with a huff, "Child labor? Unlikely!"
He lifted her and carrying her away from the pond, "Please!" His lower lip jutted out a bit, "You know I have no sense of creativity! C'mon!"
She giggled, "…Fine!"'
Inuyasha snapped awake. He yawned, "What the hell kind of dream was that….?"
It was slowly becoming a blur and all he could remember was that velvet bound book from this morning.
He rubbed his eyes.
Now was not the time for that though. He had his next appointment in five minutes.
Inuyasha worked for a fourth ranked entertainment magazine in the country. He was employed in publishing, as layout personnel. He was in charge of prepping and organizing their subjects for cover page pictures.
He took a sip of the now tepid mug of coffee on his desk to wake him up. Inuyasha then rushed out of his office and headed down to the Gallery, which was what they had named the area for their photo sessions.
It was a hexagonal shaped room painted completely white that had a white back drop a few feet in front of the wall furthest from the entrance. Various benches and props were located off to the sides and a door behind the backdrop led to the make up studio.
As soon as he walked into the room, he immediately commenced with barking out orders. But no matter how in charge he seemed as he organized the next project, behind the seemingly attentive, dominating demeanor, his mind was occupied with thoughts of journals and two raven haired women.
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(Tsuki)
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Inuyasha was arriving at exactly the same time Sesshoumaru pulled up in his car with Kagome. A raven haired man in the driver's seat, Mirouku, stuck his head out Inuyasha's window and greeted, "Hey Sesshoumaru! Long time no see."
Sesshoumaru removed himself from the car, and walked over to Mirouku's, "I've been meaning to speak with you."
Inuyasha unbuckled his seatbelt and gave Mirouku a pitying look as he muttered, "That can't be good." The platinum blond slipped out of the passenger seat and exited the car just in case with a wave of two fingers gesturing a goodbye.
Mirouku glared at Inuyasha for the abandonment and smile wanly at Sesshoumaru, "What for? If it's Rin-related then I can completely explain—"
Sesshoumaru slipped into the seat Inuyasha had just vacated.
"It's related to her." Her gestured behind him to Kagome. His younger brother was currently helping her from the car so she was visible to both men.
Mirouku gave a low whistle and patted Sesshoumaru on the back, "You sly, sly dog! Why didn't you tell me you got—"
"Finish that sentence," Sesshoumaru interrupted coolly, "and you will regret it. There is no relationship between her and I." In a less chilling tone he related, "The matter at hand is, that that shop you suggested for Rin… I was given that girl there."
Mirouku was oddly somber as he titled his head to the side and mused, "Given?"
There was no real sense of curiosity in the question. It had been as if Mirouku had anticipated that and were merely asking, because it was expected. Sesshoumaru mentally took note of that as he continued, "Yes, by that old hag of a shopkeeper."
Mirouku suddenly became his normal vibrant self, "I'm sure Kaede-sama would resent being called a hag of all things. I'm sure in her day she was quite… the looker."
He snorted a bit in a fashion that seemed to hint that he had once upon a time seen Kaede back 'in her day.' The noise however was so quiet that it was lost upon Sesshoumaru.
The man instead gave Mirouku a somewhat disgusted look, "Is there no woman you wouldn't deny?"
Mirouku pouted, "I had been being sarcastic!"
Sesshoumaru looked skeptical, but let the moment pass, "You were always so interested in extrasensory topics when you were younger. Perhaps—"
It was Mirouku's turn to cut him off, "Perhaps, were I to meet her, I could find out something that would answer all of the questions you have about Kagome-chan?" He mused over the question for a moment, "It might be interesting to meet her. But right now, my baby's expecting me home." He sighed wistfully, "Our new washing machine was delivered and I'm finally getting the chance to install her." He grinned, "And Sango-love's probably wondering why I'm late as well."
Sesshoumaru snorted and took the cue to exit the car.
However as Mirouku waved, Sesshoumaru had to wonder…when had he mentioned Kagome's name?
He whirled around to verbalize his question, but Mirouku's car was already zooming down the street.
Sesshoumaru scowled…That just opened up a whole new series of questions, didn't it?
He trudged to his car and locked it before making his way to the front door, which had been left slightly open. He gave it a push and stepped inside.
Inuyasha was there in the living room on a couch with Kagome seated on the floor in front of him. In the blonde's hand was the velvet bound book.
He was already rapidly skimming the first page. He ran a hand through his hair, perplexed. "This is exactly what I dreamt at worked. It's just in memoir format here." He nodded and continued staring at the sheet, "There was something about making some gift and the girl…" But when he turned the page and the page after that, 'There's just a whole lot of blank pages,' he thought in confusion.
Sesshoumaru took several quick strides towards his brother, "What girl?"
Inuyasha rubbed his temples, "I…or rather he, talk about wanting to give someone a present, so she suggests a journal." He held up the book, "Which I'm guessing is this…But there's just a foreword and a first entry dated way back in like the Sengoku period."
Sesshoumaru demanded Inuyasha reread out loud was what written and his brother complied.
He looked in awe at the book, before he closed it, "It never gives any clue as to who that," his eyes suddenly narrowed as he continued in disbelief, "her that I was so in love with that I stressed over making this. Or more importantly, who that girl was that helped me make it…"
Kagome picked the book from Inuyasha's lap slowly. She had been staring at it for quite some time. After a moment of simply holding it in her hands, she hugged the book to her chest in a daze, "She had been so happy when she saw this. She sometimes read to me passages when I could not sleep."
Inuyasha grabbed her by the shoulders, "Who was it?! What do you know about that?"
Kagome one handedly held her head for a moment and she murmured to herself a string of syntax-less thoughts as she tried to remember, "…She was…Who was it? Qui est-ce qui? Cher gardien qui il aime …la belle ..la belle gardienne aux cheveux de jais..."
She could only answer in a more structured manner, "My beloved guardian had fallen in love with the beautiful guardian…"
Inuyasha looked at her, 'First Latin, now French? 'La belle gardienne aux cheveux de jais', huh?' The faux blonde sighed and Sesshoumaru did not blame him for that response. That didn't really tell them much of anything. Just that he had not been the only one who watched over her.
Well the Inuyasha of that book, that is.
That probably explained Inuyasha's rare attachment to Kagome. But yet again, it brought up so many different questions.
If she had been Inuyasha's ward, how was it that she had ended up in Sesshoumaru's possession?
Not to mention, he had to wonder why it was she had so much trouble remembering even significant details. If Inuyasha and that other woman had been once so dear to her, how was it that she had forgotten them?
He mimicked Inuyasha's earlier sigh and exited the room.
Kagome looked downcast, "Does he dislike me, Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha felt his heart ache for some reason at the mention of that. He tried to ignore the feeling, "He's just being Sesshoumaru, Kagome. Don't worry about it."
She nodded and something glistened in her hair, catching his attention.
He gently pushed her head down so he could get a closer look at her hair. Purple, metallic looking chips were scattered through her hair.
The blonde frowned, "What are those?" It was then that he noticed her nails. The purple nail polish was fragmented in various areas. Nail polish?
Inuyasha looked at her nails and for some reason, seeing them painted bothered him even more so than her question. He released his hold on her head and slunk down into the couch.
He suddenly sympathized a bit more with Kagome…
It sucked knowing that you should know something and yet… didn't.
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(Tsuki)
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A red haired teenage was casually seated in a booming oak tree. He was currently gazing sadly into the distance… "Kagome… Have you really forgotten everything?"
Why was he the only one that ever remembered anything?
Inuyasha was starting to remember some things, this time. But it was certainly expected since he had been to closer to her they even he had been. But they had all been reincarnated, all four of her beloved guardians and their children, her son,…her lover… And out of all of them, all save two, and Inuyasha, he supposed counted partially, were still in the dark about who they were. However, now she was finally there as well.
It had been so hard without her.
Without his Kagome…his surrogate mother.
But then again…it must have been hard for her as well… She had been alone for centuries hadn't she?
His eyes hardened. It was all that disgusting hanyou's fault…
If only she hadn't helped him that day! He never would have developed that sick infatuation with her…
"Mother," he softly tested the word on his lips. He yearned for the day to see her in person. No…he was more selfish than that…He longed for the day that she would embrace him as her son again…
"Shippou! Honestly, I'm starting to think you're part squirrel! How many times do I have to tell you not to climb so high! It makes me worry1€"
A pout suddenly formed on his lips and he muttered, "Squirrel? Too mean Sango!" He had been very proud of his fox demon heritage, thank you…
In a louder tone, he called, "Alright, alright! I'm coming down. So don't have a stroke, Sango. I'd hate to be the cause of my cousin's premature death…"
Sango scoffed, "Less talking, more descending. Mirouku says he needs help with installing the new washing machine anyway."
She muttered something under her breath but Shippou only assumed it had something to do with Mirouku's odd and creepy attachment with their new washing machine.
Shippou nodded as he swung himself down from the thick branch he had been sitting on, onto a thinner branch a little to the left of it, "Right. You can tell him I'll be right there."
Sango walked away with another wary command for him to be careful. Shippou looked out after her. Mirouku was also a strange case. He had once been very spiritually inclined. In each rebirth he inherited more and more of his prowess from those days.
However, he never once let on if he knew anything and yet Shippou knew that he was seeking him out if he hadn't already…For advice, of course, as he had always done.
But, how was it that he subconsciously aware of who Mirouku was, and yet so close to him was Kagome and there was no hint of remembrance?
As Shippou reached ground he had to wonder…
Was that because history was always bound to repeat itself? Perhaps it made sense that it was happening this way…
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(Tsuki)
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Even as a child, her pixie figure, and captivating eyes, had always made her a figure of interest. Especially, when she went into town with her father.
Kagome…
Her father was the epitome of masculine grace. With eyes the same color as pure untainted oceans, strong, handsome features, and lengthy opaque hair, he of course embodied what the villagers had imagined the gods to have looked like.
He was a village deity who had denied the heavens to walk the earth once upon a time.
The reason had been over fifty years ago when he had fallen in love with a mortal woman. And although she had long since passed from the earth before her seventieth year, his heart was still enthralled by her.
But the girl beside him, who was almost a splitting image of her mother, eased the loss, almost entirely.
He, in a sudden, burst of affection smiled as he gathered her into his arms, "What shall I treat you to today? Earthen food is all quite amusing, so I'm at a loss for what to have you try!"
They lived along the border between earth and the land of immortals and every year he took his daughter to his wife's village for several occasions. It was always the days of his conception, their matrimonial anniversary, her birth, and the anniversaries of her mother's life and death.
Today was her birthday.
A musical giggle escaped the girl's lips and suddenly her father knew the answer, "Your mother was especially fond of sweets and cakes… I'll have you try what these humans have entitled 'dango'. It's a very entertaining treat as its quite sweet, although it is completely made from rice."
His daughter looked up at him, "Rice, you say, father?"
Being married had opened his eyes to a world of new cultures and he wanted to share that experience with his daughter. That had been the main reason that he could not return to his homeland. It was much more fascinating here. And he shared his passion with Kagome. He taught her as much knowledge of the language as he possessed and even bestowed their clothing to her as presents a few times.
Even things as simple as methods of dressing left him in awe. Yukatas, kimonos, the wooden sandals—they had all been a mystery to him. Those in his land dressed in what these people termed silk. Simple, somewhat formless garments for the men that looked similar to a yukata, but was much looser, sleeveless, but came in same length. They tied it with a braided ropes of golden silk and wore soft boots were they journeying or leather sandals when walking in leisure. Underneath the silk suits, they wore more form accenting, sleeveless cotton top in various colors. But his time in the physical world had given his a love for the hamakas, they possessed. He wore them in favor of the customary garments, though he did keep wearing the cotton attire from his realm.
He allowed Kagome to chose what she preferred to wear, and she love donning the kimonos when they ventured into town and the yukatas on colder days in their house, but she was still fond of the satin dresses of his realm.
He nodded in response to her earlier inquiry, "Your mother had to explain this concept to me, but apparently, there are different types of what we know to be rice in this world."
Although immortals did not need to really consume any form of nourishment, they still had the ability to, even if there was no necessity. But in their lands they never did such things as cooking, they ate food in their world in the state that it appeared in.
Nevertheless, his daughter had received a lot more than simply her mother's looks. She required actual sustenance every so often. Not as frequently as a pure corporal would of course. But she felt hunger…she could feel the change in weather….and most importantly, she could feel pain.
That was probably what scared him the most…that the one thing left in the world that he held dear—could feel hurt.
Abruptly the pair were approached by a man. He reeked completely of smoke. "Milord Kirei," he panted, coughing a bit, "There's been a terrible fire! The guard's lounge of the prisons—"
He placed down his daughter and sharply asked, "Have any of the prisoners escaped?"
"N-no…not yet."
Turning to his daughter he touched her head gently, "Head straight back to the manor. I will be home shortly and with our treats, alright?"
She trembled gently with an uncertain nod as he swiftly turned.
"Be safe," she called after him as he followed the man, walking at his stride only until he received directions to the holding cell's locations before he became a speeding blur.
But his daughter had gotten lost along the way…
She had taken a wrong path and happened upon a man who suffered from terrible burn wounds of varying degrees all over his body. He had been unconscious when she found him and dressed his wounds with herbs from the surrounding forest.
She would later find out that he had in fact been aware of the girl's presence… conscious and fully aware.
The daughter had gotten home after the father, and the next day she received a pair of guardians, old acquaintances of her father from the immortal realm.
However, guardians or not, the damage had been done and the obsession had already been seeded.
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(Tsuki)
A.N. Whoo! Every chapter I dished out today has thirteen to nineteen pages of amazing MT goodness and over four thousand words. Didn't think this one was going to make it, but it's at over 4.5k! I feel so accomplished.
So how'd you all like that? Tell me what you think!
R&R
