Miko and Mate

by Umei no Mai

Sequel to Fangs of the Father. Kagome and Inutaisho have passed through the well into the future, but it seems the present is not as devoid of youkai as the young kami initially believed. Not having any knowledge of how the three realms were separated or the actions of the Spirit Detectives, the couple are soon thoroughly entangled in the affairs of the modern demon population...

21. Void

Void

…

Habit

On the last new moon before the end of the summer term both Kagome and her mate are training in the yard beside the house. The Shrine is far enough from the city that some stars are visible despite the glowing haze and the young kami sees no reason to fall out of practice with her night vision. Her aite can see as well by night as he can under the noon sky, though apparently the way he perceives things is very different.

Visitor

Kagome senses their guest first: a strange emptiness that somehow lives entering her lands. It does not take her many moments to recognise both the emptiness generally and the visitor specifically; void youkai are distinctive for all no other youkai or miko can sense them and Kanna still has the same soul she did five hundred years ago no matter how much she has doubtless grown and matured since.

Grown

Were it not for that instinctive certainty Kagome would have had difficulty recognising the tall, graceful and smiling stranger who flits lightly out of the treeline and across the grass, laughing in delight as Kagome and her husband turn towards her. Only the thick and luminously white hair connects this happy female to the emotionless child Kagome remembers; not even her eyes are the same. Impossibly black orbs filled with love and fierce joy now twinkle at the young kami where before there was only bleak emptiness.

Evidence

However the most obvious difference between the past Kanna and the present one is not her maturity or her inner joy, but her clothing. Rather than the plain white and very simple kimono Kanna previously favoured, she is now wearing a garment with wide sleeves and decorated with the red sakura pattern that is Sesshoumaru's personal crest.

Though Kagome has thought of the void child as a potential match for her stoic daiyoukai stepson, they are clearly much better suited that she could ever have believed possible. Some inner aspect of her bounces with glee at the prospect of adorable white-haired grandchildren and the miko-kami struggles to keep it in check.

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Kanna makes an appearance! I also get to hint at some of the goings-on of the missing 500 years, which is fun.