Inuyasha sniffed around for Kikyo's scent. He couldn't find her anywhere.
When he had left the group, Inuyasha had gone searching for Kikyo. He knew they could find the rest of the jewel shards, and then he could bring Kikyo back to life, and they would have a happy life together.
Inuyasha continued on his search. Stupid Miroku. It's not my fault that Kagome is weak, and I was just pointing it out. He didn't need to yell at me. I'll be better of without them anyway. Kikyo is much stronger than Kagome. We'll complete the jewel and have our lives back.
Inuyasha smiled when he finally caught the scent of graveyard soil. It was Kikyo.
Inuyasha quickly rushed off to follow the scent. It was coming from the mountains.
Even at top speed, Inuyasha didn't cover much distance, and he began thinking about things that he didn't want to think about.
Why did Sesshomaru want that flower? Kagome is supposed to use it to find her mate. And how could he take from her when no one else could touch it? Must've used his sleeve to hold it or something.
What do I care? Doesn't matter to me if Kagome can't find her stupid mate. I almost feel sorry for the person who mates her. If she gets a mate, that is.
Kagome has been on my case since I can remember. She's always arguing with me. Or she was. Why couldn't she just let me make decisions? She always had to stand up for herself and that stupid kit. Nobody in the feudal era acts like that. They listen when they're told to.
I'm glad I left. I just wish I could've gotten rid of this dumb necklace. Kagome can't 'sit' me if she isn't around, but it's annoying to have to wear the stupid thing all the time.
Inuyasha stopped to rest. It was almost sunset, and it would be dark soon. Inuyasha growled and decided to make camp for the night.
He sat next to a tree and waited. Tonight was the night of the new moon. He would become a human tonight.
As the sun set, Inuyasha felt his change. His hair turned black, and his claws and fangs became normal human teeth and nails.
Inuyasha tightened his grip on Tetsusaiga. He would need it's protection until he returned to normal.
The transformation ceased, and Inuyasha was a full human. Inuyasha tried to stay awake so he wouldn't be killed. He couldn't afford for that to happen.
The hours passed by slowly. Inuyasha was bored out of his mind. He remembered a song that Kagome had taught him, and he began singing it in his head. He couldn't sing it out loud, and he might attract attention if he did.
Inuyasha continued until the song was finished. Kagome had always been singing it.
Inuyasha suddenly heard a noise and stood. The bushes rustled. Inuyasha held Tetsusaiga tightly. Any youkai who tried to touch Tetsusaiga would be incinerated.
A girl fell out of the bushes. The girl was human, eleven or twelve.
Inuyasha stopped panicking. "What do you want?" The girl looked up.
Rin didn't recognize Inuyasha in his human form. "My name is Rin. I was just trying to find a place away from Lord Sesshomaru." Inuyasha cringed. That meant that Sesshomaru was probably nearby. "What's your name?"
Inuyasha stared at the girl. She didn't know who he was. Inuyasha remembered that she traveled with Sesshomaru, but this girl had never met him.
"My name isn't important to you." Rin looked him over. He looked like the youkai that had been with Kagome.
"Why are you out here alone?" Inuyasha didn't answer. He didn't like kids.
"I'm looking for somebody. Why don't you go away?" Rin pouted.
"You don't have to be so mean. I'm just trying to be friendly. It's no wonder that you're traveling alone." Inuyasha was about to snap back at her, but he took in what she had said. He was alone because he was cruel. Was that why the others didn't like him? He was cruel?
Inuyasha shook his head. He was just truthful. He was never cruel. He just pointed out things that other people were too nice to admit.
Rin stood and began walking away. "It's people like you that get on my nerves. You can be so mean. Lord Sesshomaru doesn't talk much, but at least he doesn't insult people when they try to be friendly." Rin stormed off. Inuyasha huffed and sat back by the tree.
Stupid girl. She sounds like Kagome. 'You're so mean!' Forget her! The only woman I need is Kikyo. Why bother with anyone else?
Inuyasha continued to wait for morning. That night, nothing else but his own thoughts disturbed Inuyasha.
oOo
Sesshomaru waited patiently for Rin to return. She had run off earlier. In the meantime, Sesshomaru thought about what the village leader had said.
The Flower of Fate was found by a female youkai so she could find her mate. The flower had an aspect that was similar to the female's mate. No one but the female and her mate could touch the flower. And the flower always looked different.
Kagome had the flower. Although she was human, she had found it. Sesshomaru had no more doubts that her flower was the Flower of Fate. The flower was the same color as his crescent moon mark. Only he and Kagome could touch it. Everything matched up. Kagome was, no doubt, his mate.
Sesshomaru growled. He had never thought about mating her, since she had always been with his brother. She had been the first female to ever stand up to him. Sesshomaru had assumed that she and his brother were going to be mates, since Inuyasha had protected her from the moment he had first attacked them.
Sesshomaru thought the human race was inferior, but he had rescued Rin. Sesshomaru had always pinned the blame on Tensaiga for that, but now that he thought about it, Rin's kindness toward him had swayed him to save her.
No other human had ever treated him like that. They had always run, or attacked him and met their death. When Rin had tried to help him, he had felt a strange feeling, as if he didn't want her to leave.
Sesshomaru had felt that feeling when Rin had died. That was why he had saved her.
Was his brother's wench like that? Was she different from other humans, like Rin was?
She stood up to me. She fired an arrow at me, when any other human would have backed down. Rin didn't run, but tried to help me. The female, Kagome, has never helped me, but she didn't seem to object much when I took the flower.
Sesshomari heard a rustle and saw Rin enter the camp. "Where were you?"
Rin sat by the fire and looked at Sesshomaru. "I met a very rude man." Rin turned back to the fire and warmed herself by it.
As the time passed by, Rin became tired and eventually went to sleep, followed by Au-Un and Jaken.
Sesshomaru sighed, finally able to enjoy the quiet.
oOo
Kagome tossed and turned in her sleeping bag. After today's travels, everyone had set up camp and gone to sleep, but Kagome couldn't sleep at all. She was thinking about the recent events.
Kagome turned over again and saw the flower near her sleeping bag. She reached out and picked it up. It was still brown and shriveled, with the single healthy petal on it.
Kagome began looking over the facts. This is the Flower of Fate. Usually, a female youkai finds this type of flower when she is about to come upon her mate. Only the female and her mate can touch the flower.
If what Miroku says is true, then my mate is probably a male youkai. The only other person who could touch the flower was Sesshomaru. He's a male youkai, but he couldn't be my mate. He hates humans, except for Rin. We barely know each other.
But what other male youkai could be my mate? Koga? No, he made a promise to Ayame that he would be her mate. She won't let him get out of that promise.
The only other person I can think of is Inuyasha, and he left the group to find Kikyo. He wouldn't want me as a mate anyway. I don't see how anyone would want me as a mate, with how ugly and weak I am.
Kagome sighed and held the flower closer. Kagome had always been confident in her looks and abilities, but Inuyasha was always saying otherwise, so Kagome thought he must be telling the truth.
Kagome sat up and set the flower down. She reached for her bag and pulled out a photo album. It was full of pictures that she had taken over the years. Kagome opened it to the first section.
The first section was full of pictures of Inuyasha and herself. There were pictures of them fighting, sitting next to each other, and even one of them sleeping together.
Some of the pictures were in the modern era, taken by Kagome's family. Some were taken in the feudal era, taken by Miroku and Sango. Kagome had taught them what a camera was, and how to use it, but they still didn't understand how the pictures were made.
Kagome wiped her face before she started crying and turned to the next section.
The next section was of pictures from different battles. Although she was usually fighting, Kagome had managed to take a few pictures of some of their battles. There was one picture that Sango had taken of Kagome when she was confronting Sesshomaru.
Sesshomaru had been fighting Inuyasha, and he had learned an attack that threw Inuyasha's attacks back at him, no matter what. Inuyasha had tried the Wind Scar, the Backlash Wave, and an attack with Red Tetsusaiga, but Sesshomaru had flung them all back at him.
Inuyasha had almost died, but Kagome had stepped in and started yelling at Sesshomaru. Then she had fired an arrow at him, but Sesshomaru had dodged it and flown away. Sango had taken the picture when Kagome had been yelling at him.
Afterwards, Sango had said that Kagome looked good next to Sesshomaru, and Inuyasha had fired back a snappy comment on Kagome's appearance in general.
Kagome looked at the picture. Sango was right, she did look good standing next to Sesshomaru, but Kagome was still convinced that she didn't look good at all.
Kagome turned to the next section. It was full of pictures of her family and friends. There were pictures of her modern friends, Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi. There were pictures of Sango, Miroku, and Shippo. There was one picture of Miroku groping Sango, and an after picture of Miroku with a hand print on his face.
Sango had taken a picture of Kagome when she was hugging Shippo. It had been after Kagome had agreed with Shippo that he could be her adoptive son. Shippo had been so happy that he had jumped into Kagome's arms.
Kagome smiled. Shippo made a wonderful son, but Kagome still wished she had children of her own.
After the jewel was finished and Naraku was defeated, Sango and Miroku would go back to the youkai slayers village, and Miroku would make sure that Sango had as many children as possible.
Kagome had wanted to start a family with Inuyasha, but she had known her chance was gone when Inuyasha had declared his love for Kikyo in front of them all. He had promised that he and Kikyo would be together for the rest of their lives after the jewel was completed.
Kagome turned to the next section. It had the pictures of their enemies. There was a picture of Kanna, Hakudoshi, and Kagura, but her picture had a question mark next to it, since they thought that she was against Naraku.
There was one picture of Naraku, but Kagome had slipped when she was taking it, so it only showed his leg and part of his hand.
There was also a picture of Sesshomaru that Inuyasha had insisted Kagome put in the enemy section of the album. It was a picture of him when he was flying in on his youkai cloud. Kagome had zoomed in with her camera to take a close-up picture. Looking at the picture, Kagome noticed Sesshomaru's good features. His hair looked soft, and his markings accented his face nicely. Kagome couldn't tell very well, but he looked like he might have a good muscular definition.
Kagome closed the album and set it aside. She had to try and sleep so she would have energy to continue their hunt for the shards tomorrow.
-End-
Hi! I just need to clear something up. Last chapter, when Miroku, Sango, and Shippo were holding the flower, they were using their sleeves to hold it so they wouldn't get shocked. One person was confused about that, so I thought I'd clear it up. Thanks for reading so far! Usually, when I write stories, they become a little rushed, but I'm trying my best not to do that! I'm trying my best to take it slow and go at a normal pace. Again, thanks for reading! You've all been wonderful! Thank you for all the reviews I've received! I'll try to put up the next chapter as soon as I can. Please review! Thanks, bye-bye!