Disclaimer: My textbooks have more money than I do; so obviously I don't own anything. (Not even the books; I rent.)
Soul mates
Sesshomaru was seated, ready and waiting, when Miroku entered, carrying a pretty heavy load of scrolls. Almost against his will, the demon lord was impressed. Especially as he knew each of the other people coming would most likely have similar loads.
He was nowhere near as impressed by the monk, whom simply opened his arms and let them fall haphazardly onto Sesshomaru's table. He suppressed a sigh, and reach out to grab one; might as well get started. The painful zing that he felt let him know that might not be such a good idea. He raised a thin, elegant eyebrow.
Miroku was entranced; that was the most emotion he'd seen on that face in the entire time he'd known him. Okay, that was a lie; he'd seen tons of anger and hate, especially when the brothers were fighting, and once when he was staring at Rin, he thought he'd seen love. He'd also seen a lot of pain and fear a certain night that still featured rather prominently in his nightmares – especially when he started thinking about him one day being a dad … like hell anything even a little like that would ever happen to one of his kids.
Sesshomaru cleared his throat, discretely. Miroku snapped back to attention, blushing slightly. He couldn't believe he'd just been daydreaming about another guy's face. Mentally rolling his eyes, Sesshomaru pointed a graceful claw at the offending scroll. "You did not mention you would be bringing blessed or holy items, Monk. This will take a bit more power than in my current state I have available for me to touch, much less read. I suggest you save the holy items for a human translator."
Miroku was embarrassed. Sesshomaru was pregnant; of course most of his energy, including the energy of his demonic powers, would be going to the baby. That was common sense! He should have known better than to try to get any rituals or sutras translated. Unfortunately, when he dropped everything, they all mixed. He wasn't sure what was harmless and what wasn't anymore.
Sesshomaru seemed to understand his dilemma, and carefully pointed out four more, then hesitated over a fifth, before deciding it was safe. He hmmed softly to himself, and then nodded to Miroku. The dangerous ones had been weeded apparently.
He looked around, as Miroku left, carting off the problem scrolls, and noticed everyone else had arrived while he was sorting. He stood, and walked to the next table. The buzz hit before he even finished taking his seat. He was going to have to sort for everyone… this was going to be a long morning…
He ended up at Kagome's table when he was done with his sorting and weeding out. Since he was already here, he decided he'd start with her scrolls. Besides, she had the smallest number, so he could maybe get her done and over with and she'd leave. The less time in her offensive presence the better.
Just as he unrolled the first one, a few servants entered. They had brought trays with tea and simple snacks that were safe for everyone. His stomach was still a little unhappy, but he knew it would be worse if he did not have something. He snagged a rice ball and a tuna sushi roll. He finished his snack quickly, and cleaned his hands, getting ready once again, to un-wrap his first scroll. His guests continued to snack.
"Hey, Sesshomaru, why are there never any nuts?" Inuyasha had started to miss some of his normal woodland fair.
"Because nuts are poisonous to canines. While demons are not quite the same as true animals, I do not want to run the risk of harm to young Shippo or to my child. They are too young to have any immunities yet."
"Oh."
"What? I never knew that!" Kagome screeched.
He sighed. "Yes, well, as my brother and I have both mentioned, demons and humans do not eat the same foods. The reason is simple; we are much more closely related to our animal counterparts. It might make us easier to understand if you simply thought of us as a form of our animal compatriots capable of speech and using magic. So, like animals, our diets are very different depending on our type. The wrong human food can kill demons in large quantities or over long periods of time, if the demon isn't strong enough to counteract it."
She glared. He was lying; she knew it. He just wanted to get her back for the whole debacle their first morning here, plus help his brother out about feeding Shippo candy. She was certain of it, and she wasn't having it. "We ate nuts all the time, what's it supposed to do if it is so dangerous?"
"Nausea and vomiting." He did not even hesitate. Worse, everyone there remembered just how often Inuyasha and Shippo had felt ill after eating some of Kagome's meals; they couldn't remember with enough detail to honestly say if it was every time they'd had nuts, or if they'd been sick without them, but… still, it fit.
Kagome was not giving up, however. "What else is dangerous?"
He sighed. This spoiled girl was so determined to prove she was right when she really wasn't, she would argue with a wooden board. And not one that was enchanted, either – just an ordinary wooden board. She was starting to give him a headache.
"Lots of things. Cooked onions, willow bark, almost all seeds and pits from fruit – strawberries are especially dangerous as it is almost impossible to remove the seeds, and mushrooms. Unlike with humans in which only certain varieties of mushrooms mess with their heads, almost every variety can mess with a canine's. Shall I keep going?"
Kagome finally conceded the point, and let him get on with his reading. Miroku and Sango discovered a new thing to add to their growing pile of 'and we need someone who knows about this in our village, and we need to think about how we can take advantage of it.'
"How about cat demons?" Sango asked. "I've never really thought about what I fed Kirira, after all. So, is there a chance I've been accidentally mistreating her?"
He thought about it, wanting to give as correct an answer as possible. "Well, cats are more predatory than omnivorous, but they do have traits of both, so she'd need a lot more meat than anything else. Most of the poisons I've mentioned are actually the same for both, but I'd add one: cat nip. Well, not just cat nip, but anything in the mint family, just cat nip is the most powerful."
"I thought cat nip was good for cats?" That was Miroku.
"No. It is a stimulant. How would you feel if someone chose to give you a powerful hallucinogen and a really powerful aphrodisiac at the same time, and with no way to release those feelings? That is what happens every time you expose any cat or cat demon to cat nip. It is cruel!" Sesshomaru actually had a pretty hard line stand on torture, and he believed humans participated in it far too often. That was part of why he did not like them as a species. In his mind, cat nip was yet another example of cruelty and torture as often displayed by humans. So, his response to it was a little harsh.
A sip of his tea, and he was ready to read; he'd finally managed to get a scroll open, interruptions notwithstanding.
"Kagome, as you know, after your group explained the history of you and your other half, and told me what they wanted, I read your soul. I know you were not happy with the things I told you after the reading. The translator you chose was a little cowardly, to not stay just because you yelled a little, but I will endeavor to aid you despite his foolishness. Writing these scrolls shall be a start." Hmm. Sesshomaru mused to himself the random fortune at actually starting with the first scroll written. Coincidence was interesting.
"As I told you, I believe you allowing yourself to wallow in your lesser emotions; selfish whims and desires, as well as your feelings of superiority and possessiveness, are betraying your calling. You are also shamefully undertrained and woefully lacking in proper motivation. The only thing you seem to want to learn about being a priestess is how to properly shoot and aim your bow – and that is something any hunter or warrior can do. If that alone is where your interests lay, then the Shinto faith is not the path for you. Perhaps, for you, is the path of the warrior.
I learned other things when I studied your spirit that displeased you. Your heart is fickle, and changing.I have seen three instances of this.
You enjoy the attentions of one spirit, and want him to chase you always, as he has promised to do. Yet you intend to never let him catch you, as you do not want him. When he finally gave up, and married another, you held bitterness in your heart for him. But why should he be alone, just because you do not care for him?
Another soul that calls to you, you endlessly promise time, and accept gifts, and tease as all the courting lasses should. Your friends and family have met him, and have approved of him, and the other lasses even call you a pair. Yet you betray him, and leave him, and tell him lies. You expect of him honor and respect, yet you give him none.
The third heart you hold hostage in truth. You keep this one tied to you, with no choice or will. When this pour heart displeases you, right or wrong, you hurt him. You claim you are punishing him, but what right do you have to do such a thing? You are not his family, nor is he your property. When he shows you trust and loyalty, you spit in his face with distrust and abuse. He has saved you, and you have rewarded him with pain. The freedom he seeks, which any living soul should be honored with, you deny him out of greed and desire to monopolize that which is not yours.
Your heart is fickle and cannot be pleased. Until you mature, and grow beyond these selfish and childish wants, you will never succeed in finding a lasting happiness. I have told you all these things. I am most regretful that you were not ready to hear them. Keep my writings, and someday, when you are ready to listen and learn, they will be waiting.
I shall add now that which you asked me for most diligently. I shall pray that whomever you find to translate these writings is a more stern soul than the craven spirit you brought with you." Sesshomaru looked up. "That is the end of this scroll. If you have a guess as to which she wrote next …. Oh. There is only one more that isn't holy that she gave you. Hmm… this must be it, then."
Once again, everything he thought and felt was locked deep inside to be obsessed over privately later. He sipped his tea, and then he lifted the scroll, and breaking the wax seal, and carefully unrolling it. His dexterity was actually rather amazing; try unrolling a scroll one-handed one day, it isn't easy. The humans were rather unwillingly impressed. Inuyasha was bored.
Scroll safely unrolled, and laid out on the table, he took another sip. He knew his throat would appreciate the consideration, as he was about to endure another long speaking session.
"I have long heard there were only four ways to create a soul mate, and made it a mission in my life to witness it. You will have to tell me more about this witch that resurrected Kikyo and stole your soul, Kagome, and perhaps tell me all the herbs she placed in your bath. It appears she unwittingly has created a fifth. In ripping"
"WHAT?" Kagome's screech easily drowned out not only Sesshomaru's reading, which she was so rudely interrupting; it also drowned out all the similar shocked reactions of everyone else in the room. Sesshomaru took the opportunity to ignore everyone and munch on some more rice balls. The sushi tempted, but he was wary of the amount of time it had been out. After enough time had passed, and the room wasn't echoing quite so loudly with outcries of anger, shock, and disbelief, he looked around and simply raised his one hand for silence.
And he waited.
And he waited.
Sango finally noticed, elbowing Miroku and pointing. Inuyasha was smacked on the head, and similarly pointed. This left Kagome the lone ranter, not that was unusual, and after a few minutes more, the silence of the rest of the room got to her and she stopped.
"Okay, what?" she asked sullenly. Inwardly, the lord smirked. He really loved when people gave him the opportunity to demonstrate his superiority. He lowered his arm, and took another sip of his tea, just to draw things out. When he set his cup down, he could feel her annoyance.
"This Sesshomaru understands the difficulties in considering the precepts put forth by this strange priestess. However, this Sesshomaru suspects it might be to the best advantage to finish learning those precepts before they are judged to be correct or incorrect. Hidden answers to all questions and doubts may be farther within, or perhaps, the proof the doubts are in good faith may follow. All is moot, however, if you continue to waste both said priestess's and this Sesshomaru's time and efforts in needless strife." With that said, he took another sip of his tea.
"…What?" Inuyasha looked confused.
"I think he said shut up and let him finish reading because we're making him mad." Miroku whispered. His efforts were wasted; no whisper would be quiet enough to fail to be heard by the lord's more than excellent ears. His eyes narrowed in annoyance, but he held it in; at least the monk had tried to remain respectful in keeping his opinion private.
He set his cup down, and once again began to read. "It appears she unwittingly has created a fifth. In ripping your soul in half without destroying you both, she created a chance for the two of you. You are, quite literally, the other halves of each other's soul, the most basic definition of soul mates. As I have not seen Kikyo, I am not certain what state her soul, as now, is in, but you, Kagome, your soul has already begun to grow to fill in the gap. The ragged edges and the slowly healing new pieces are really astoundingly beautiful.
I must thank you for this unique gift; a rare blessed chance to fulfill one of my life goals.
Now, normally, a soul would not take more than 500 years, as you have said, to reincarnate. I suspect fait knew what would happen to the two of you, and waited until time had grown your soul enough for you to survive. This was especially needful for Kikyo – she has the smaller portion, and was less likely to survive.
For her to rest, she will need the time for her soul to grow enough that it will not fade to nothing upon her death. Once such time has passed, she may simply choose to die naturally. Or she may choose to join you in your time, as I suspect such a journey shall kill her immediately. She will know when she is ready; she will no longer feel the need for other souls to keep herself alive.
You, Kagome, I suggest you go home. Live your life, perhaps use some of the other scrolls I shall gift you with to improve yourself as a priestess, and honor your calling in your own time. Live with the knowledge that in your next incarnation you shall be truly cherished, as the other half of your soul will be able to find you and reunite with you at long last.
That is all."
He looked up. Kagome was crying, loudly, with lots of pathetic whimpers. She was also shaking in anger. Her tears were tears of bitterness and disappointment and wrath rather than sorrow or hurt, not that she knew the difference.
Everyone else was rather stunned and a bit pleased at someone else telling the girl to leave, even if they didn't admit it. Denial was one of their common traits.
"This Sesshomaru assumes you will want to discuss these revelations in privacy." He stood, gracefully. "This Sesshomaru will be with Rin, if any should seek me before dinner, which will be in the usual place and time." He politely bowed his head, and walked out.