- Ocean Child of the West –

Kagome, or rather, Yokononishi woke up to the early dawn and stretched, bumping her hand against SesshoMaru. She rolled over to look at him and giggled as he scrunched his nose up and gave a tiny sneeze much like a dog when batted upon the nose. She poked him on the nose and said, "Ohyao SesshoMaru."

He tackled her and feigned attacking her, tickling her with his nose and his hands until she squealed in laugher and sat up, gazing down at her. "We must leave soon."

She nodded in agreement and sat up, "Is there anyplace for me to take a bath?"

His eyebrow rose, "And washes off my scent on you?"

She blushed prettily, "No, I am sure there is plenty of time for you to mark me as your territory but I rather love taking a bath, that's part of who I am as Kagome. I never really got the chance as Sadako; I am not quiet sure why the other humans believe its evil to bath so often. It's a no wonder why Kaida used to wear perfumes all the time."

SesshoMaru frowned at this information but didn't divulge into it. He nodded as he turned his head into the direction where he knew a hot-spring would be a short distance away. "Use your nose; you should be able to find it easily."

Kagome sniffed the air, trying to catch what he was trying to tell her. She caught the faint scent of sulfur and recognized it to be element of the hot spring. "It's that way, isn't it?" She pointed toward where the hot spring would be. She saw him nod and she jumped up, running nude toward the hot spring in speed she never ran. He growled, aroused as he saw her streak by and took chase after her.

An hour later, they took to the sky for the West Hold, which took few hours and they arrived, landing in the garden of the palace. Kagome gasped softly as she took in the sheer beauty of the palace itself. It was ancient, very ancient by the look of the place, settled deep in the mountain range, out of sight and well guarded.

The sedan rolled to a stop and servants came around, unhitching Ah-Un and SesshoMaru stepped out and turned to allow Kagome step out. She came out gracefully as she accepted SesshoMaru's hand. Several people came to greet them and couple of them was rather very loud.

"SesshoMaru-sama!" A bouncy cheerful girl came running to the taiyoukai and attached herself to his leg.

"Rin! Oh, SesshoMaru-sama, forgive me! Rin was wild and out of control!" a tiny green toad youkai came clambering after the young girl and bowed low on the ground before SesshoMaru.

The taiyoukai gave the toad a glance and turn to Rin, "Have you been good?"

"Hai! Rin misses you! Ooh, who is that pretty lady?" Rin asked as she detached herself from SesshoMaru's leg after a pat on her head. She looked up at Kagome and noticed the woman was a youkai. With her experience with youkai women in the palace, she was slightly warily and leaned over to whisper to SesshoMaru, "Is she nice?"

SesshoMaru turned to Kagome and spoke, "She is kind and she is my mate, Lady Yokononishi."

Several other lords who had gathered gasped in surprise and one stepped forward, he was a gray inuyoukai and known to be the record-keeper. "Milord! We have just only seen you recently, how is it you had gotten yourself a mate in very short time and without us knowing? How did you ever find time to court her?"

SesshoMaru turned to the group of the court lords and ladies and spoke with cold tone that spoke finality. "It would do you all good to not question her. For her past is none of your business. You will respect her as the Lady of the West and see that she is one."

The lords bowed and the first one who had spoken, "Forgive us, milord." They watched as SesshoMaru led a mysterious kuro-inuyoukai, showing her the palace as they passed them by. As SesshoMaru and Yokononishi disappeared into the palace with the toad and the human girl trailing after them, he spoke quietly, "SesshoMaru had not been himself lately, and first it was the toad, then the human girl and now, a mate of unknown origin."
"Hai, Jackt." Another lord, Hastumaru spoke. "Yokononishi, unusual name. Ocean child of the west, I know none of the inus comes from the ocean."

A female nekoyoukai, Fumiko spoke up, "You men are a fool, it wouldn't mean where she had come from. Her eyes are blue, like the ocean, very rare for inuyoukai to have blue eyes. I sensed immense power from her. It would not do us any good to cross SesshoMaru, now he has chosen a mate, after many years of unmated status. He must have chosen her for a very good reason, so we better watch our toes and not cross even her line."

"She speak wisely, we shall watch and see how she is as our Lady of the West. If anything, we will bring it up to SesshoMaru-sama." The third lord, a brown bird-youkai, Katsumo said.

"Then, it will be you who bring it up because you mentioned so." The Jackt said and walked off.

The second female, also a bird-youkai, Manami trilled at him, "Maybe it's wise to choose your words before you speak them next time."

A week later in the palace, Kagome had proven herself to be a quiet and wise Lady of the West and she gave away nothing to allow any of the court lords or ladies to find faults. However, they had fallen to her charm and the doubts and wariness was soon forgotten and they've come to like her very much. She had shown herself to be exact opposite of SesshoMaru, where he was silent and stoic, she was cheerful, friendly and kind at the same time very social. She won the entire West Hold and held them in her hands by the end of the week.

SesshoMaru had just informed her that she would need to win over the taiyoukais that were coming to visit to meet her. To her understanding, it was an event, a special one rather for SesshoMaru because of his past; he had been known to be resilient to women's charms and turned down every offer of mating with other ladies of the courts for hundreds of years. She supposed it was shocking for him to show up one day with a mate in tow out of the blue. But she didn't care; all she cared was to be with SesshoMaru, just because he was the only thing left in her life.

She glanced into the mirror in the hallway, her hair had been combed and lying down her back and over her shoulder, and she was wearing white kimono with deep red obi with white sakura and red and yellow sash, the crest of the West. She reached up and traced the faint pale blue crescent moon upon her forehead, the symbol of the royal inuyoukai. From what she understood, to the other lords and ladies had spoken of how unusual for her to receive the symbol of the royal inuyoukai through mating.

It was a fabled myth that a female would receive her mate's mark signifying that she is the soul-mate of her mate. When she has her mate's mark, she would also receive his power and ability as her own and would be either terrible or great ruler, whichever her mate is. Both combined are twice powerful and inseparable and undefeatable. It had caused concern in the court of the West when they noticed the symbol upon her forehead. It wasn't noticeable the first day she had arrived because her forehead was covered by her hair. Now after it had been exposed, it had caused great commotion, even SesshoMaru himself was surprised to see the symbol on her forehead and wondered how he had not noticed it in the first place.

Kagome told him that it didn't show up until few days later and he understood. It wasn't until few days later that her body was settled and in sync with the new blood in herself and her aura had been stabilized. She had asked her if the others had noticed this in her and he told her they were not powerful enough to detect it, because it was on an extreme level where only few but powerful was able to detect. She was relieved, knowing SesshoMaru didn't want to expose her past, expose her true self to the others. She had come to the palace as Lady Yokononishi and she will remain as one for the rest of her days. Kagome was someone in private chamber with SesshoMaru and Sadako was merely faded away, her personality and knowledge as the base of Yokononishi's personality, combined with Kagome's everlasting positive attitude.

She sighed as she placed her hand down, staring at herself in the mirror. She felt as if there was something still missing from herself. The blue eyes stared back at her and she wondered which parents she had received her eyes color. It then hit her; she had no memory of who her parents were and where she was born. No memories of her childhood and friends, or brothers and sisters, if she had any. Swallowing hard, she thought back to her memories and realized she had no previous memories from before she turned fifteen. Her earliest memories were treading in the forest, lost and confused, then finding InuYasha pinned to the tree. She frowned, wondering how she had arrived from that point.

"Yokononishi, is there anything matters?" SesshoMaru asked as he approached her in the hallway, finding her staring into the mirror blankly.

She blinked and looked up to him. He had come to only call her by her real name in the private of their chambers and called her Yokononishi outside the chamber much like he had done when she was Sadako. She smiled at him; however it didn't reach her eyes. His silver brows furrowed as he approached her and he took her chin into his hand, tilting her head up. "Do not hide from me. Something is bothering you." He said simply, searching her blue eyes and he found confusion and fear within them.

"I just realized, I do not have memories of my past prior to meeting InuYasha." She told him.

His eyes widened a fraction and then narrowed slightly, "I suspects so."

She tilted her head as he let her chin go. "When?"

"The morning after you received your memories. You mentioned something and I thought it was off. So indeed, it was true, you do not know of your past, of where you come from."

"You do know, do you?"

"I know of where you come from, but I do not know of your past prior to meeting InuYasha. You're a unique person, for where you come from is very valuable information for anyone, so I will not tell you until we figure how we can help to get your memories back."

She sighed in hint of frustration, "I understand. Will I remember soon?"

"I do not know. I've arranged for your friends to come shortly after the taiyoukais leave. But I believe it is best that I change the plan and have your friends met both of us at the ocean estate, they are others who know you very well, know of your background."

Kagome understood why he had decided to change the location. The ocean estate was a much smaller but nice place where there was almost absolute privacy, for there were no servants or anyone else at the estate. It was a private retreat place for SesshoMaru, and now for both of them. "Very well. Are the other taiyoukais ready?"

He gave a single nod, "They are ready, if you are."

"I am." She said and laced her arm around his, walking demurely and quietly as he lead her toward the meeting room where she would be formally introduced to the other taiyoukais. She was slightly nervous in meeting them so soon after the conference, wondering if they would recognize her. SesshoMaru had assured her that they would not because they've only met Sadako, a human girl with white mask whereas they will be meeting an inuyoukai of a different name and the scents of Sadako and Yokononishi are entirely different.

She had teased him, saying that she was one girl who was a chameleon, confusing him with her scents and her bearing. He had tackled her then that morning, telling her that she would never confuse him because he know her too well to tell the difference. Then he told her that her scents still had the same base of sakura blossom and thunderstorm. It was the human death scent that usually overpowers the base scent of every human, now with her becoming youkai, the death scent became very minimal, for she had increased long life-span and her base scents had spiked and she also had his scent impregnated in her, signifying she is his mate. She had told him that she did indeed smell the scent of herself on him, not by much and asked if anyone could tell if he has a mate and he said yes, however, it was terrible enough that most youkai women ignored the code of scents and tries to convert a mated man, especially in the royal court, always going after wealth and fame.

It had worried her, to lose him to another woman. But he assured her that inuyoukai, unlike most of the other race of youkai; they mate for life and are very loyal to their mates. It would cause them great pain if they try to convert. It had settled her then.

Holding her head high, like a lady, she kept her back straight and she looked proud as she entered the garden where the other taiyoukais were waiting. She glanced around, meeting the other taiyoukais eyes; she had recognized them from the conventions and knew which were to be wary of and which to trust. The north and the south were the one she felt at ease with, however the eastern one had sneered at her upon entering and she knew immediately to be wary of the tiger youkai. They didn't come alone, but brought their mates.

SesshoMaru stepped aside, allowing Kagome to stand alone in the center and went over to the other taiyoukais and bowed his head to them in formal greeting. They did the same and SesshoMaru turned to gesture to each lord, introducing them to Kagome, "The Northern Lord, Shoujun." The eagle youkai smiled warmly at her as his yellow eyes blinked birdlike. She gave same warm smile to him.

"The Eastern Lord, Kanetora and his mate, Lady Arisu." The tiger youkai no longer had sneer but held stoic mask as he looked Kagome over. Her smile did not falter, but it left her eyes. She bowed to the tigress youkai and saw she was beautiful but cold, her face held a slight sneer as she looked Kagome over. Her eyes were amber and her hair was golden streaked with black and she wore elaborate kimono that looked far too heavy to wear.

Kagome gave the couple a nod and looked over to the rakish grinning kitsune, "The Southern Lord, Kiyoshi. You might want to watch out for him, he is a flirt and a tease." SesshoMaru joked lightly under his stoic mask and the other lords gaped at him. The female kitsune next to the Lord rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at SesshoMaru.

Kagome giggled. "You looked as if he had never joked in his entire life." Her voice was melodious and soft, causing the lords to sway to look at her.

The kitsune Lady spoke, "He hardly ever jokes. He is right, my mate loves to flirt, but he's very devoted to me." She glanced over to Kiyoshi who nodded. "I'm Lady Lixen." She bowed and grinned at Kagome. She had brilliant golden red hair that fell down to her waist in loose curls and a long thick four tails hanging down her butt outside her kimono and her kimono looked light and airy, for a lot of movements.

Lord Shoujun stepped forward and bowed to Kagome, taking her hand to kiss it. "Never he had been amusing in his entire life, even when he was a young boy. It had seem that you placed a spell upon him to be more positive. Perhaps it is indeed for your name does mean 'positive child of the west'."

SesshoMaru gave a slight possessive growl and Shoujun chuckled as he let Kagome's hand go. "I am not after your little mate here. I'm rather too old." He laughed and stepped back.

Kagome shook her head as she placed her hand upon SesshoMaru's arm. "Positive child, perhaps it is. But rather, it means 'Ocean child of the west' instead."

"I see, because of your unique eye colors." Kiyoshi quipped, his five red tails twitched, swaying behind him as he stepped up to bow to Kagome. "You're rather beautiful, where did SesshoMaru ever find you? With your beauty, you would had been claimed and stolen a long time ago."

Kagome blushed as SesshoMaru answered, "It is best to not question her past or where she came from."

Kanetora frowned as he spoke, "It is not wise to take in a mate without knowing her past, and it would cripple you."

SesshoMaru turned his fierce eyes to the tiger youkai, "I am aware of her past, but it is none of other business. I can simply say, our future lies in her past and it will come to reveal when we get there."

"Very well, I think its best that we keep an eye on her. You might never know." Kanetora sniffed and turned, whipping his tail as he went past them to take a seat where they would eat in the garden, his mate turning her nose up slightly and followed him.

"Ah, he's too uptight." Kiyoshi muttered as he followed the tiger youkai to take his place on the cushions surrounding a round table. His mate shrugged her shoulder and smiled at Kagome.

The northern lord glanced over to Kagome who turned to SesshoMaru with concern in her eyes. He had found the young mate of the western lord very familiar. It was her eyes that strike him very familiar, it was very much like the geisha that followed SesshoMaru recently at the convention and wondered where the young human girl went and how this beautiful kind and soft spoken youkai came from. He wondered if there were a connection and glanced up to see SesshoMaru pacifying his mate, settling her concern. He stepped up and smiled, "Where is your cute little human girl?"

SesshoMaru blinked and turned to the northern lord, "Rin? She is here and will not join us."

"Ah, not that little one, the other one. I've thought I'd meet her again… what was her name?" The eagle youkai thought and smiled, "Ah, Sadako." He watched Kagome for her reactions.
Kagome blinked and bit back a smile and SesshoMaru nodded, "Sadako is no longer in my care. It is unfortunate we will not be seeing her for a long time."

"Ah, it was a pity, I've enjoyed her performances."

"Yes." SesshoMaru walked ahead to take his place with Kagome in tow.

They sat down and ate their meal, discussing some things they had discussed during the convention on personal level. Kagome was drawn in conversation between the ladies, however, it was mostly between herself and Lixen while Arisa sneered and sniffed over few things. Lixen never appeared to be bothered by Arisa's behavior but ingored her and chatted happily with Kagome, glad there was another lady she could talk to when they all get together in the future.

Lixen had come to love Kagome very immediately, liking her cheerful personality and she was shocked to find that Kagome was very, very young in age compared to the rest of them and wondered why SesshoMaru would choose a inexperienced and young mate. Kagome had never revealed her age but clued in that she was well under a hundred year old. SesshoMaru had warned her to not reveal her age because in youkai world, at seventeen, she was supposed to appear about Rin's age, not a grown woman as a youkai. It would cause the other to learn that she used to be a human and he didn't want that to happen.

Kagome had asked why, and SesshoMaru explained it was because not of her human heritage, but of who she is and it could draw connection to her past and reveal that she did indeed used to run with InuYasha and defeat Naraku. She is the carrier of the Shikon no Tama and he didn't want anyone to know she has immense power, almost equal to Kami himself. It was a strategy he wants to keep to himself and the Western Land if ever; in the future it would come to that.

He had suspected at some point between now and the future, the youkai world would come to face a something big that would drastically change the entire world. What Kagome didn't know, that at one point a long time ago, SesshoMaru had come across a book that was lost by Kagome, a history book from the future and SesshoMaru, curious as he ever was, he read it and was surprised to find such information and realized, it was dangerous for it to fall in anyone's hand. The said book currently was locked away in his office and no one knew of it, not even his most trusted servant, Jaken knew.

SesshoMaru, being a wise inuyoukai had connected the puzzle of why Kagome had come into the past. He could not deny fates and accepted the chances to take her under his wing and knew it was meant to be that she belongs to him. He knew she would come into a great but terrible power in the future and it would make her, possibility as he believe, a legendary woman. There was no hint of youkai in Kagome's history book, only mentioned as fabled legends and myth. One had caught his attention and he believed would cause the Youkai World cease to exist, in a hand of a legendary goddess empress with the ocean colored eye that had come from the west. It was one of the reasons why he was inspired to give her the name, Yokononishi, the Ocean Child of the West.

The hours wore on and the little taiyoukai party broke up, the other lords retreating to the chambers while Kiyoshi and SesshoMaru had went to his private study to discuss some other things over the matters between their alliances. Kanetora and his mate had declined to remain the night and had already left the West Hold to their kingdom.

Kagome sat in the garden, watching the night sky as she combed her hair, letting her thoughts wander. She came to think of her life, in short seventeen years, she had came a long way and it felt like hundreds of years and wondered if it were the youkai blood in her that made her felt like the time had stretched. She saw the star shoot past and wondered if she would make a wish and decided against it, she had more than enough now in her life. She is now a Lady of the West, which is considering a big title for one to hold, it was like holding the title of the Empress of Japan.

Her names, as she had come to have them, Kagome, Onnako, Sadako and then Yokononishi were like a milestone in her life. She knew she would hold them all dearly in her heart, remembering her lives as she had earned in the past two years for the rest of her life. She knew how she came to have Onnako, Sadako and Yokononishi, however, she doesn't know how she came to have Kagome and it lies deeper in her past and decided, one day, she would know.

It had led her to wonder why she only regained her memory since she was fifteen, not of before and supposed, the Shikon no Tama had decided it wasn't time for her to recall her past. It scared her slightly that there was possibility that her past was much worse than her time with InuYasha.

She blinked and looked up to see Shoujun approaching her. He bowed and gestured to the space on the bench where she sat. She nodded, giving him permission to sit. He spoke first, "SesshoMaru is like a son to me. When his father died, I took it up to myself to look after him, make sure he thrives in lordship over the Western land. I knew almost everything he had gone through in the past two hundred years. His history of rising as a lord is a rather very dark one."

Kagome nodded, knowing little of SesshoMaru's past. In the past week, she had been privately trained to be a lady and taught histories and many other things. It had surprised her to learn that she was well educated in many areas. "Hai, I know that." She said as she placed the comb down in her lap, allowing her hair to hang over her shoulder.

"Ah, do you know of the story of his half-brother?" The eagle youkai asked as he turned his yellow birdlike eyes to her.

"Hai. InuYasha. He was born two hundred years ago, when Lord Inutaisho died and the beginning of SesshoMaru's reign. He was a hanyou brother of his, rather an outcast by his own choice and imprisoned to the tree for fifty years after falling in love with a Miko. Yes, I know his story."

"Hm, you know the detail of InuYasha's story. Tell me, how did InuYasha come free from his bondage?"

Kagome blinked and thought, "Didn't anybody know this? A human girl freed him and it was the beginning of their journey in searches of the Shikon no Tama."

"Interesting," Shoujun murmured as he looked to the sky. "The Shikon no Tama disappeared for fifty years, only to reappear, shattered and broken."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "The girl shattered it accidently."

Shoujun grinned as he turned back to her, "Ah, no one knows this information except those who travels with her and Naraku."

She gasped, realizing her mistake. "What are you saying?"

"I also looked after InuYasha, followed his life as well. No hanyou manage to live to adulthood, and he was the only one because of my interference in his life, he will never know this, but I made sure he lived through his childhood and grow into a young adult; it was a pity he was killed in the end. However, as for the Shikon no Tama, I knew it was shattered by the young girl by the name Kagome." He heard her gasp softly. "A unique human girl who came from no where, her past was mysterious and she wore outlandish clothes. Ah, there was one distinctive thing about her that set her apart, her eyes." He looked at her, meeting her eyes. "They were blue."

She blinked and stared at him. "What are you getting at?"

"You see. Lord Inutaisho was like a son to me, I looked after him, and his sons much like grandchildren to me, I looked after them and I know everything about them. When InuYasha died, I mourned as if my own child died. But it had strike me odd, that the girl, this Kagome disappeared, along with the Shikon no Tama. Then, a year later, not too far from the battlefield where InuYasha died, the convention began and SesshoMaru chose a young human maiko, becoming her danna." He sighed, "In all of SesshoMaru's lives, I knew him to be against geisha and that kind of sort. It was unusual for him to take one in immediately. Do you know she also had blue eyes?"

"Really?"

"Yes. She was rather a pretty little thing, shy and demure, also very talented. Too talented like Kagome. They both shared similar common ground."

"What were they?" She asked softly.

"Blue eyes, as you know this and the extraordinary display of power that come from the Miko ability in both of them. However, this geisha, Sadako, her was rather weaker on some level but still unique." He turned fully to her, "Now, I had expected to see Sadako here in the palace, knowing she had left with him from the city, but she is no where to be found, instead, I'm introduced to you, Yokononishi, SesshoMaru's new mate, which is also unusual, he had never courted any female or accepted any to my knowledge."

"So, you're telling me all about the women in SesshoMaru's life, they all had blue eyes, couldn't it just be something he preferred?"

"No. I believe they are all one and same woman, Yokononishi, or rather, Kagome." He said.

"Ah, I suppose you found her out." SesshoMaru spoke, stepping toward them. He glanced to Kagome who looked pale. He bowed his head, "I trust him. Only he would be able to figure it out, he knows my life too well to make the connection. Lord Shoujun, I would appreciate that no one else knows that she is the same Kagome that traveled with my half-brother."

The eagle youkai stood up from the bench and held his hand out to Kagome who warily took it and stood up. "I would not say a word, for it will die with me. I'm curious, why her, of all the other youkai women to be your mate?"

SesshoMaru looked to Kagome and reached out to trail his fingers through her silky black hair, gazing into her blue eyes. "She's unique. She was the only woman who could stand up to me and survive. I respect that. As Kagome, she didn't care who I was, all she cared about those who she loved and in the end before Naraku, we had came to neutral ground where we respected each other mutually. It was not my wealth or title she saw me for, but it was who I am."

Kagome smiled and stepped up to stand next to SesshoMaru and laid her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her waist. He continued, looking at the older youkai. "As I found her in the district, as Onnako, with no memories of her past, she also didn't see me for my wealth or title either, but as someone. She worked hard to see me again, knowing there was something in her heart that draws her to me. I could not ignore this and felt the need to protect her in such environment. When I bought her, I could not turn her away or use her. She became mine that night alone."

"Fitting," Shoujun said, smiling. "I wouldn't approve of any other union but yours. Granted, Kagome is unique and I am glad it is her that won your heart over underneath all the ice." He chuckled as Kagome blushed and SesshoMaru rolled his eyes.

"It is best for us to turn in. She is still used to the human standard of sleeping each night." SesshoMaru said as he saw Kagome yawn behind her hand.

"Hai. Kagome," Shoujun said as he turned to her and bowed, "I would suggest you to watch your toe and earn yourself a place in youkai world as you have done in the Geisha world. I believe you will soar to the top one day. I can see that in your eyes." He took her hand and kissed it. "You are now a daughter of my heart, Yokononishi." He stood up and left.

Kagome blinked and a tear fell from her eyes. "He is very kind."

"Hai. It is not usual in youkai society. It is rather different from humans. We are much more cruel and resilient. I am afraid; you will see several bloodshed and wars in your lifetime."

"I know." She murmured as he led her back into the palace.