Professor of Gallifrey: Bah! So what if it is? I have that right! I am the author! Humph! Btw, that part which you will jump up and go, "OMG! "O.O" Look!" is your birthday present.
Kisako Hakome: Why thank you! Your praise is duly noted and may have been screamed over.
*grin*
BookFinder: *salutes in return* And I salute you for finding such a fiction that would motivated you to do so! Thank yous!
LoveinTheBattleField: Yuppers!
fallingyuki: Yes and no and maybe.
*winks*
Only time will tell!
crazykenz: Of course there is! And I will updated as soon as northpeachly possible.
*bows*
Thank you for reviewing!
Avarianna: As soon as northpeachly possible (and I have got to use that word [well it's not really a word, {even though it's been added to my computer's dictionary} but never mind that] much more often)! Thumbs up for reviewing!
Cracking open her eyes, Kagome immediately winced at the bright light that hit her face. On hearing the soft coos and giggles of an infant accompanied by the sound of feet beating against the forest's floor, the miko buried herself more deeply into the fluffiness of her bedding.
Cracking open her eyes, Kagome immediately winced at the bright light that hit her face. On hearing the soft coos and giggles of an infant accompanied by the sound of feet beating against the forest's floor, the miko buried herself more deeply into the fluffiness of her bedding.
"Kagome? Would you let go of my tail?"
Lifting her head, she peered into the dancing, gold swirled, mossy eyes of Gin. Narrowing her eyes in confusion, she slowly cocked her head to the side.
"Hm?"
"My tail. Could you let it go?" the fox said with exaggerated hand gestures, "Only mates and parents are supposed to touch a fox's tail."
Kagome glanced down to see a mostly silver tail clutched firmly in her hands. Quickly letting go, the miko flushed beet red in mortification as she scooted back.
"Ah, Gin! I'm sorry! I mean I usually sleep with Shippo-chan and I stroke his tail, I guess I was his parent of sorts and I just, I was dreaming and it was so fluffy…"
Laughing under his breath, the flustered woman's eyes strayed to his ears, which were twitching in amusement.
"If you really want," he purred as he leaned closer, "You could stroke it all you wish..."
Kagome's mouth dropped opened.
"Whaa?"
"Don't tease Onee-chan so!"
A willowy stick was slapped over the fox's head and silver ears went flat against his head.
"Ow… Keiko!"
Standing over the cowering half-blood the spitting image of a victorious warrior, the panther girl nodding emphatically at Gin. Said fox pouted handsomely, a roguish twist of his lips turning in a charming smile.
"I was practicing! I'm a kitsune! Both a silver and a red, so I'm trying to find whether I'll be good at seduction, illusions or fires or plants!"
The little girl's stare was unrelenting.
"You've already learned all those things! And even if you haven't, Grandfather and Tree-san have been teaching you! Fox-fire is natural to you and you're not supposed to tease girls!"
"Seduction is not teasing girls, it's making them smile and blush!"
As Kagome blinked, she felt a grin spread across her face as the two argued back and forth. While she was momentarily confused when Keiko mention 'Grandfather', she rapidly realized that was what the half-blood called Goshinboku.
"Isn't that right, Onee-chan?"
"Tell her, Kagome!"
As two faces invaded her vision suddenly, Kagome started.
"Uh… Keiko-chan, seduction is a little bit different than teasing someone, and Gin, I'm sure you'll be very strong when you grow older."
While the panther's face dropped, the fox's lighten in triumph.
"Now that we have that settled, I'm going to go walk for a while. Gin, you can go with Seiko, if he wants, to go search out some food for breakfast. Keiko-chan, you stay here with Hairi-chan and Kou. M'kay?"
Gin almost immediately bounded off and Keiko stiffened to attention, nodding solemnly. Laughing under her breath, Kagome stood as she brushed her clothes off. Turning down the surprisingly well-worn path that lead to the edge of the forest, she allowed her thoughts to wonder.
When she had first met the children, they were dirty and thin. Since then, she had managed to wash their clothes, although they were very tattered and really needed to be replaced, the washing definitely helped. Her own clothes were not as sturdily made as kimonos from this era, they were in much better condition than the children's own.
The thought of finding a village to purchase some fabric had crossed her mind, but she didn't have any money and no way of making any either. Thankfully, their food stores were abundant and while they were still thin, they had filled out some. Kagome, being used to surviving in the wild, showed the half-bloods easier and faster ways to find food. Also with the book her mother had gotten for her birthday that she had memorized, not to mention Kaede's teaching, the miko could point out which plants were safe for consumption.
With Gin traipsing through the Land everyday, listening to the trees and the wind, and Seiko usually tagging along, both had relaxed more. Letting themselves be children for once. Not having to fight fang and claw to survive, not having to hear people calling you an abomination or a monster, this contributed to their smiles and slowly the taints in their hearts drew steadily smaller. Kagome had even see Seiko open his mouth as if to say something. He did smile and laugh, but she was mentally cheering the snake on, hoping some day soon he would speak.
Turning her thoughts to Gin, the miko pondered on the red fur that was gradually changing to silver. His ears were almost pure white, save for a few steaks.
Maybe exposure to my reiki has something to do with it? Or something with the Land's influence?
Her musings came to an abrupt halt as there was a subtle shift in the softly thrumming power of the Land. Lifting her head, Kagome tensed and reached for a nearby tree. As a light glow welcomed her probing reiki, whispers, like leaves floating in the wind reached her ears.
The demon whose steps are heavy.
So sad, yet so angry.
He searches.
We allow him entrance.
The voices, filtering quickly as they whispered in her mind, brought with them images of rustling leaves and a swiftly moving figure.
Opening her eyes, briefly wondering when the trees learned Japanese, Kagome swung around to return to camp to tell the others.
Belatedly realizing that turning her back on a possibly hostile demon, no matter how far away he was, was a bad idea, she stopped dead. Almost instantaneously, a shimmer of red surrounded her, closing at her feet that promptly unset her balance.
Falling to the floor of the barrier that she was now encased in, Kagome frantically searched for the demon. Her eyes went behind her and met with the stoic bat demon who was breathing heavily, glaring at her with burning crimson eyes.
Staring at each other in silence, he slowly advanced, giving the miko time to study him.
Dark, leathery wings stretched out behind him, bones sharpened to points jutting out at the bends. Tall and lithe with beastly eyes framed by long, pure, white hair. She couldn't help but think this was what a vampire would look like.
The bat walked towards her, hair swinging with his movement. Pure white hair, unlike Sesshomaru's silver and it didn't gleam in the light like her inuyoukai's did. A familiar pang of sadness was softened with a stab of equally familiar envy at the texture of demon's hair.
Why couldn't she, with her shampoo and conditioner, have such gorgeous hair like these men who probably threw it up and left it?
"What have you done with mine?!"
Kagome flinched as she was brought back to the reality of a demon who was entertaining thoughts of her demise.
"It's alright, I'm a friend," she said soothingly, holding her hand out.
Teeth were bared as red-eyed bat stalked forward, reaching a clawed hand through the barrier to ball itself in Kagome's clothing. Harshly pulling her forward, she reminded herself that mikos most likely didn't exist in this world and pushed her reiki down.
"Where is mine?!"
As much as the miko knew of foxes, wolves and dogs, even with her friendship with a bat half-blood, she was clueless in the customs of bats. As that went, it really didn't take a genius to figure out this demon was pissed and fixing to relinquish control to his beast. That is, if he had a beat. Did bat demons have beasts?
Even as she wasn't sure, Kagome was still the Alpha of her new pack and one thing inuyoukai did was declare themselves.
"Ryota, mate to Hairi and father to Kou, I am Kagome. You are threatening the safety of my pack and I will not stand for it. I will take you to your mate and child, but you will calm down," she spoke in a authoritive tone.
A minute passed before Ryota slowly released his hold on her and his eyes faded to a soft violet. The barrier melted and Kagome's feet bounced on the forest floor.
"Kagome," the bat said intently searching her face as his wings flapped and spread up.
Again, demon males and their deep, smooth voices. Holding back a sigh, she nodded.
"And you are Ryota."
His eyes narrowed briefly.
"You said you could take this one to my mate and child? Even as you knew my name, the name of my mate and my son's name, why should I trust you? This one is more inclined to believe," Ryota lowered his voice dangerously, "you were lying to sate my anger, human."
A smile spread her lips as her eye twitched.
"And perhaps I was telling the truth to avoid bloodshed, demon."
Laying her hand casually on the same tree that told her of Ryota's coming, she asked a request of them.
Suspicion and surprise registered simultaneously in the bat's gaze. His mouth thinned and he visibly tensed.
"You are a strange human. Why do you not fear me? Why do you stand there, so fragile and weak, yet unafraid?"
"Because I am neither weak, nor fragile. As for fearing you, I have met many demons far more terrifying for you," Kagome answered readily.
A brow lifted and Ryota's mouth twisted in a sneer.
"Is that so? Humans. Lies spill from their lips endlessly. Do you think I would be fooled?"
His jyaki grew in menace and bloodlust and Kagome clamped more firmly down on her reiki. Unable to completely keep it contained, she directed the excess to analyze his emotions. Sorrow, the sorrow of someone who has lost everything, accompanied by rage. These emotions burned and roared at the very heart of his being. Much like her own feelings did days before.
Startling herself with a realization, the miko spoke absently.
"You think they're dead, don't you?"
Once again, she found herself dangling in the air, a clawed fist shredding her already torn school uniform. Internally shouting at stupid, blind males, she pushed the words from her throat.
"You idiot! Can't you feel anything? I mean seriously!? I know humans have dull auras unless you're looking for a specific one, but Hairi's had your own aura intertwined and unless bats are completely different from wolfs and dogs and foxes, can't you tell if your own mate is alive?!"
Slapping the hands from her uniform, she leveled a glare at the stunned demon. Pointing a finger up the path she had come from, Kagome yelled at Ryota who was recovering from his surprise.
"Can't you even tell how close she is to you?! Huh? Can't you?!"
Kagome knew the instant the bat felt the youkai entwined human aura that was moving towards them. His face softened, his hard stare vanished and his jyaki died down. He took a hesitant step forward, seemingly forgetting about the miko who was still pointing.
Soon a woman with long brown hair was made out through the trees.
"Kagome-sama?"
The trees thinned enough for Hairi to clearly make out the two figures in the forest. A large smile lit her face and grabbing for the bottom of her yukata, she sprinted towards the bat-youkai with her arms outstretched.
The bat slowly lifted his hands, as if he couldn't believe the sight before his eyes. As Hairi launched herself at Ryota, his name falling from her lips. As she hugged him to herself, the demon gradually realized that he wasn't dreaming and his mate was really there. His hand fisted as they wrapped carefully around the woman and he buried his face in her hair as his wings came around and hid her from their view.
"Onee-chan?"
Presenting the reunited couple with her back, Kagome walked to Keiko, ignoring the longing for her own mate that coursed through her.
"Is that Kou-chan's *chichiue?"
Briefly raising her brows at the word the panther used for 'father', the miko answered her via a quick nod.
A fanged grin covered the child's face and she bounced happily on the balls of her feet, bringing attention to the bundle in Keiko's arms. Holding out her arms, Kagome silently asked for the baby and the panther obliged. Kou's eyes opened and he blinked drowsily at the miko. His little face scrunched up then stretched in a yawn. Tiny teeth and tiny fangs.
The reminder that she would never hold a child with puppy dog ears, tiny claws and beautiful gold eyes stole her breath and tears pricked under her lids.
In an attempt to distract herself, she suddenly remembered that Hairi was still wearing the same clothes as yesterday, which were stained with her blood, Kagome turned around quickly.
Indeed, Ryota was holding Hairi back at arms length as he studied her. Although Kagome had healed her and she wouldn't smell like she was wounded, demons protected their own fiercely. No doubt the garment reeked with the scent of pain, fear, salt and blood. Ryota's grip and body remained relaxed and gentle, but his eyes burned and his jyaki swirled like mist around him.
Deciding that she should try to prevent the mass slaughter of a village, she make her way over.
"Hairi?"
Glancing back at the sound of her name, Hairi's face lit up at the offered bundle. Stepping back from Ryota, Kagome carefully transferred the cooing child into her arms. Coming up behind them, the bat laid his hand on his mate's shoulders, as his other wrapped around to share in the weight of the boy. His irises returned to a pale purple as he peering into the bright red eyes of his son.
The baby giggled and stretched his chubby arms up, waving them exuberantly as his tiny feet kicked the air.
"He's beautiful," Ryota whispered in awe.
"He looks like you," Hairi said in satisfaction.
The bat paused before he stared intently at his son, a smile coming to his face as he apparently found the resemblance his mate spoke of.
A quiet rustling of leaves and suddenly Gin was standing next to the surprised miko. She hadn't even sensed him and judging from the way Ryota tensed, he hadn't either. Seiko appeared in the same way, but he stood next to Keiko.
As fox stared at bat, both their jyaki swirling cautiously around them, Gin took a small step forward and inclined his head slightly.
"You are welcome in this forest," he said in a clear, deep voice, seeming older than his years in that moment.
"So long as you treat this Land with respect and wish to reside in peace with your pack, you will be allowed to stay. So long as your intentions are honorable, you will always be welcomed in this forest."
Pivoting on his heel, Gin flashed a quick smile to Kagome before seemingly disappearing before their eyes. Seiko grabbed the hand of Keiko and tugged her along until, they too, vanished from sight.
Ryota looked to the miko expectantly, who simply shrugged and turned to head back to their home.
"Hairi, you know the way. You may leave or stay as Gin said. Although," she said wryly, "I'm sure that was your stomach growling and you would like to eat before you decide what you will do."
Glancing back to see the blush cover the young woman's face, Kagome smiled quickly before rounded a rather large tree that efficiently hid her the curious stare of Ryota.
"Thank you, Kagome-sama!"
A feeling of pride distracted her from the ever present pain in her soul. It was a pride at what she had done, what Gin had accomplished and what, she hoped, would be the beginning.
A beginning, Kagome vow solemnly to herself, that would not end in death and destruction.
"There is another, is not that right?"
The gilded doors to Rika's room had barely clicked shut before Seira was confronted with the serene face of Fate.
"Another, what?"
Amusement shone in Fate's eyes.
"Another Sesshomaru, of course."
The words scarcely fell from her lips than she disappeared leaving the pretender kami alone. Her fist clenched in the empty sleeve of her robe and blood as black as pitch ran down her mouth as her teeth sunk into the soft flesh of her skin.
Than, as Fate did, her anger vanished. Straightening, Seira calmly walked down the hall, rounding corners until she reached the Great Hall. Resting her hand on a vase containing the winds, that had been a gift to the previous resident, Seira lifted it almost absently before dashing it to the ground.
A cool summer breeze, winter's fury and the warm, dry winds of deserts. These faded and died out, but Seira's anger remained still.
Slowly, she reached out for the wall, moving her back against the cold stone to sink down to the floor.
"It is unlikely that one of us would die, yet Death is coming for Rika. Is that the reason for your turmoil?"
At Masato's words, Seira looked up from her place on the hard marble floor, exhaustion evident in her gaze. Her mouth lifted up at the corners and she laughed, the sound echoing in the empty hall.
"Masato, I am disappointed in you! Death himself, is not coming for Rika. She is recovering and she will be recovered in time," the woman said in lilting tones.
His brow furrowed and the kami's eyes sharpened.
"Be that as it may, Death is coming. Rika is the only one who is not whole. Even though her life force, which drained out of her, and the flesh of her body has been returned, the Golden Cloth has not be able to reform her arm, nor yours," he continued in a matter-of-factly voice.
The woman scoffed and laughed.
"Can you not hear? Can you not see? Death comes, riding on a pale horse, but this! This! This is war against us, is it not, Masato? Or, do you not know? Do you not know what he will do, what he has done, what he is doing?"
Here, Seira again laughed, but this time there was an edge of madness. As her eyes widened and gleamed and bore into her fellow 'kami', she quieted her laughter.
"He is coming, he is come, he came! He who even the wind bows at his feet! He who dances in blood of his enemies!The one who inspires nightmares of those cold, cold eyes that see into their *damned souls! Those beautiful, golden eyes!"
As Seira continued to speak, her lips moved faster and faster.
"The sun shines down on him, but the moon is his inheritance! The crescent moon, which sits on his brow, the marks resting on his cheeks! Their meaning is lost, but he," Seira let loose a short, high-pitched, disbelieving laugh, "he does not care!"
Masato, in a rare display of anything but calm, calculating control, bared his teeth in warning, but the kami hunched over on the floor ignored this. As she gasped for breath, she stood, almost falling, and spat out the words, in a whisper, as if they were poison.
"Because even Death fears him."
A slap rang out in the Great Hall as the tall, proud man struck his fellow kami across the face and Seira crumpled to the ground. Silence fell as the question was answered. The oldest question, the first question. The one question that should never be answered.
Who did Death fear?
Far, far away, in a once beautiful field, there stood two men. Their features were indistinguishable in the little light the darkened sky offered, yet to anyone who ventured close, the smell of blood and fear was unmistakable. A low cry of pain was heard as one of the two collapsed to the ground. In the tall and trampled grass, there were wounded and weapons, armor and bodies, comrades who trained together, ate together and fought together.
They who had claimed to be the strongest, the fearless and the brave and they had all fallen at this one youkai's blade. They were a band of men for hire. Lords and Ladies, gods and demons, humans, young and old, the meek and bold, they all came seeking them.
Money and loyalty, a favor or two, that was the price for their services.
And they never failed.
Why then?!
Why had they fallen so easily to this one's blade?!
From trembling lips, the last one left still conscious looked up into the face of a god and forced his voice to work.
"Why?"
Blood seeping from many wounds, the youkai cough harshly, wetting his lips to ask again.
"Why did you…?"
There were so many ways to end that sentence.
Spare us?
Fight us?
Search for us?
Journey to this place?
Cold, hard eyes seemed to swirl, like molten gold, belying the absolute iciness of their stare. Silken kimonos, once white, now soaked in the blood of hundreds and a sword to match. As the sun finally peeked out from the clouds, silver hair glinted and streamed out behind him in the winter wind that chilled one to the bone.
The injured youkai knew exactly who this one was, but he wanted to know why.
How could he not? This man, this youkai, this… monster had swept across the lands from the west. Some whispered he was a god, searching for those who had wronged him, some said he was a youkai lord on the path of supreme conquest, others spoke of a beautiful woman who had vanished and her mate who thirsted for blood and revenge. There was also one rumor, not widely known, that spoke of a gift, a gift of an immense power that was given to a golden eyed man who became more.
At the time he heard it, he scoff and joked how rumors started. How foolish he had been.
All rumors held truth, these more than others.
But there was one thing, one thing that the rumors never mentioned.
They said it was a man.
That it was a youkai.
This is no man.
This is an unstoppable force. This is Death, itself.
One like fire and ice and rage. Like the storm and the moon on an endless night. Ancient and forever. He who burns like the heart of the sun, yet even winter itself embraced him.
This is Sesshomaru.
And even though the youkai thought to himself this monster would never answer him, that fearsome youkai's lips parted and he spoke.
"There is war and there is peace. When peace is gone, war is all that remains. There are those who sit atop the heavens and you, scum, worship them. You honor them in your songs, your traditions, your way of life," that terrifying youkai said as he swung his sword, riding its blade of the blood before sheathing it. Turning on his heel, the inu walked away.
"In your songs, tell your 'kami' that even they should fear Death. For Death is coming for them."
As the youkai watched as this man, this god, walk away and spare his life, he felt fear. True fear, the likes of which he had never felt before, crept into his soul. Information was valuable in this day and age.
Know your enemy.
This was one enemy he never wanted to know anything about.
A shaking breath escaped the blue tinted lips of the youkai and he carefully looked around him. His comrades were beginning to stir and that cold, bone-chilling wind gave one last push, before it was chased away.
The clouds finally parted, revealing the blue sky and the sun. Lifting up his hand, the youkai found he could not stop its trembling. That inu had come and the sun had hid itself behind the clouds, the clouds had darkened and he could have sworn it was winter.
What ever war that monster was fighting, he wanted nothing to do with it.
He had heard of the inuyoukai from the west, Lord Sesshomaru, and everything he had heard about this man was repeated through his mind in the next instant.
Son of Inu no Tashio.
So powerful, so cold, so deadly.
Keep away from him, don't cross your path with his.
He is without mercy.
No one crosses blades with him as an enemy and lives long.
Run and hide if he comes looking for you, even if it is useless.
He is so old, so young.
No one escapes him.
Fear him.
Everything he had heard, everything, contradicted what just happened. If Sesshomaru killed his enemies, if that inu was without mercy, than…
…why were he and his comrades still alive?
Set a top a hill, there stood a palace. A beautiful shining palace made of polished marble. Surrounding the castle, were towns and villages, farms and forests and to the north-west there was the ocean. A bustling seaport with ships sailing in and out, bringing with them spices and silks, weapons and decorative items.
This was the great city of Silver.
The city had gotten its name from the mountains to the east which were filled with silver ore. Over time, a youkai built his home there and soon others came, settled and eventually it became a village, then a town, a city and now it was a land with a ruler, a palace, soldiers and people.
With the people came artists and scholars, nobles and farmers, carpenters, blacksmiths, gardeners and tailors.
While both humans and demons lived in this city, in this land, they did not mingle. They stayed away from each other, each one either fearing or hating the other.
It was in this city, in the Palace of Silver that the wisest in the Five Lands gathered together.
In in village of Edo, there was a heaviness in the air. The sun hid itself, the birds dared not to sing and the people mourned. Gathered in the middle of the town, there stood Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kirara, Kaede and the villagers. The farmers, the carpenters, the leaders, they were all there.
Now that Kagome was gone, Sango and Miroku had no reason to stay in Edo. They were going back to the village of Demon Slayers, to settle and rebuild. Inuyasha and Shippo were going with them.
Although the half-blood declined Miroku's invitation to come with them, Shippo started to cry, saying he would never see Inuyasha again. So the half-blood crouched down, ruffled his hair and roughly agreed to come.
This was the day of their departure.
The day the brave group, who had worked so hard over the past three years to defeat that vile abomination, left Edo to begin their new lives.
Yet, there was an obvious hole. Something that was missing. Many turned, expecting to see a smiling, oddly dressed girl of eighteen years, but she wasn't there. The usually exuberant kitsune was quiet and withdrawn.
Miroku and Inuyasha were carrying most of the supplies the people had given them in thanks, while Sango was riding on Kirara, Shippo sitting on her shoulder. In the week that Kagome had vanished from their lives as suddenly as she had entered, Sango had discovered her pregnancy. A small bit of joy to bring a brief smile to the faces of the four.
On their last day in Edo, the people of the village told them of the shrine that they built, between the Bone Eater's Well and the Tree of Ages, in the honor of the Shikon Miko.
Inuyasha gruffly told them that the first one who held the last name of Higurashi they should give the shrine to them. Kaede smiled faintly at him and said that she would tell the children stories of the Shikon no Miko.
And so, soon the village was to the backs of the monk, demon slayer, kitsune, fire cat, and half-blood. For once, there was no smiling Kagome handing out treats, no giggling of the two women, or Shippo pulling pranks on Inuyasha.
There was just silence.
Each one of them felt their hearts break, just a little bit more.
And on they walked.
Inuyasha lead, followed by Kirara carrying Sango and Shippo headed up by Miroku. It wasn't long until they reached the ruins of the Demon Slaying Village.
So life ended…
So life began…
So life continued.
A/NOoo, which Sesshomaru was it? Hmm? Any guesses? Or maybe there is only one?! Btw, when I said only one, I meant something you probably won't understand until… a very long time. But why is that? Huh? Tell me!
Oh… right… I'm the one with the answers… right. Okay. Uh… Onwards!
You know, something I find interesting, I wrote a plotline, I mean seriously. I sat down and I wrote and I wrote and I wrote.
And now, I'm not even following it... like at all.
Darn me. Anyways!
Leave a review and nobody gets hurt- I mean… leave a review and I won't set off the explosives- I mean… leave a review because the fireworks are coming… or something like that. Just leave a review, okay?
*Again, use of the word is its original definition. I'm unsure if people consider that a bad word, so I put that in there anyways. Also, chichiue it the formal use of 'Father'. Usually a higher class of people use it.*
Happy Independence (belated) Day!
'Oorah!
On the day of, July 4, 1776 our country fought and struggled for their independence. The founding fathers, ignoring the fact that what they were doing was treason, stood up for their beliefs and decided 'no more'. And on that day 238 years ago our battle was won and we were free.
So, Happy 4th of July!
