Title: Home
Genre: Romance
Rating: G
Pairings Represented: Sesshoumaru/Kagome Romantic
Theme: Set #1, Theme #06, "Nostalgic"
Word Count: 626
Warnings:
Universe: Alternate Universe
Reading the latest e-mail from her mother, Kagome smiled. Everybody was hard at work in the hotel room preparing for the last of the candidate debates, the work between now and then basically incidental. A quick trip to Utah then on to Los Angeles, the third debate being held there. It seemed as if the home stretch of the campaign was just flying by. So, it was natural that, as she got to slow down just a touch, things would start to hit home.
Her mother's e-mail didn't help either as she was filled in on the on goings of her grandfather and little brother. Souta would be graduating university it seemed, and her grandfather, though high in spirits, was slowly declining in health. For the first time since her arrival in the U.S., she wanted to go home and help out where she could.
Her grandfather worried her the most, simply because she knew he wouldn't slow down. Despite the doctor's warnings and his ailing health, he would continue to act as the shrine's priest as well as its caretaker, most likely until the day he died.
"Kagome?" She looked up to see Miroku, of all people, looking at her with concern and she realized she must have been wearing her worry on her face. Forcing a smile, she tried to placate him. "I'll be fine. Home stuff."
The answer seemed to suffice, as he let it go and handed her another pile of papers.
Newspaper clippings.
All of them from the different southern cities of Utah. "What's this?" she asked, setting her laptop aside for a moment.
"Low yield nuclear simulation test information according to the local media. The current government is planning on releasing these. There's fear that it will cause side effects including radiation. It had been a testing ground in the past and supposedly caused a lot of health problems."
Eyebrow raised, she question. "Supposedly?"
"What actually happened and the official government line differ," Sesshoumaru interjected as he walked back into the room, sitting next to her on the couch. "There's a higher than normal cancer rate and most of it is attributed to nuclear testing. This is something that's being ignored by the Department of Energy. We'll be speaking with a bunch of these claimants tomorrow."
Appalled, she didn't know what irritated her more; the fact that the Department of Energy was planning testing once again, despite the consequences, or the fact that they were taking advantage of this and going to speak with those who were affected by the first round.
"I'm asking questions and making some observations, that is all," he clarified, placing his hand on her knee. "I don't want to see the nuclear testing go through at all either. I understand the need, but there are better ways. I would be campaigning on that regardless of how many people were ill or why."
Reading the reports, she learned of the stories and got to know a few of the people, understanding the trouble and turmoil they were facing because of this. "This is because you're youkai, right?" she whispered as she read a particularly harsh article regarding the effects of radiation poisoning.
A simple nod was her answer.
"Nuclear radiation is one of the man-made weapons you can no longer survive against, right?"
Another nod.
Satisfied, she opened her laptop. She was determined. By the end of the night she would have all of the information he needed to plead his case.
"Your grandfather will be fine," he whispered, moments later, gesturing to the e-mail on her computer that still sat opened. "If they needed you, they'd have asked you to come home."
"You need me," she replied in return, hiding her irritation over him reading her private e-mail.
"That I do."
Title: Awakening
Genre: Romance, Introspection
Rating: G
Pairings Represented: Sesshoumaru/Kagome Romantic
Theme: Set #1, Theme #044, "Growth"
Word Count: 744
Universe: Alternate Universe
The sickingly sharp smell of antiseptic and medicine could make even the average man dizzy and unwell. For a youkai, it was almost deadly; the scent overpowered all of Sesshoumaru's senses. As a general rule he tended to stay away from medical institutions, knowing they caused him more trouble than good.
But this wasn't about him; it was about the Presidency and his need to reach out and connect with the voters so he could garner the goodwill of the majority. The more people he impressed, the better his chances at achieving the goal. However, that didn't make it any easier to walk through these halls.
"Are you okay?" Kagome asked, as she tugged on his sleeve to catch his attention. "You look a little green."
"The smell," he whispered, not wanting to catch the attention of anybody else, most definitely not the reporters standing five feet away.
The look on her face was full of confusion, he saw, as she tried to understand what he was saying. However, he wasn't suicidal enough to explain it further. What the reporters would leave of him if he ever uttered the word 'youkai' would then be fed to the scientists. Not only that, though. He would risk exposing the rest of the youkai population and everything they had worked so hard for would be destroyed.
"Too strong," she deduced, pressing her face closer to his so as not to speak up. "You, being a dog, would have an enhanced sense of smell. If that's the case, why are you here? You could have sent Shippo here instead."
"Fox," he reminded her, mumbling beneath his breath, so only she could hear. "Just as bad."
"Oh yeah."
Holding her close so they could speak without extra ears, he directed them through the hallways until they found the ward he was looking for.
Oncology.
Within these halls were people who suffered as a result of years of radiation poisoning. Sure, some of them contracted the disease naturally, but there were many others who had it unnecessarily inflicted upon them. These were the people he wanted to speak with. These were the people, and youkai he noted, as he felt the spike in power while walking by a room.
Turning around quickly he made sure to hold her tight while pushing through the media into the youkai's room, closing the door behind him. They didn't need to be in here for this; he wasn't doing this as a photo op.
"Sesshoumaru?"
Ignoring Kagome for a minute he approached the bedside, silently observing the occupant. "I know him."
"Who is he?"
"He served under my father years ago. He retired shortly after my father died, to take a mate and raise a family. He was a good man."
"Is he one of those who was exposed to radiation?" she asked, her hand falling on his shoulder for support.
Nodding his head, he was in shock as his gaze fell upon the sleeping form of his father's old friend. Though his youki was still prominent, it was much weaker than he had ever seen it before, his skin withered and grey with the illness. The scent of death clung to him like a second skin and Sesshoumaru knew the youkai didn't have much longer. The youkai's breath laboured each time he tried to breathe in, causing Sesshoumaru to take notice of the growth upon his neck. "This illness was caused by man. He was once strong. He would never succumb to a natural disease such as this."
"I'm sorry."
Turning, he left the room and moved to the next, taking the time to speak with each of the patients. The stories they told him filled him with both a sense of dread and a sense of hope.
Hours later, as he sat upon the private jet, he would contemplate each of their words today; go over every thing they had said to him. It baffled him that the current government was thinking of doing the same thing once again. Releasing a wave of low-level radiation, no matter how mild they may think it is, would only cause the same problems to arise.
Holding her hand he stared out the window. "Things will change," he vowed. And her hand tightened around his in support.
Title: Elements
Genre: Romance
Rating: G
Pairings Represented: Sesshoumaru/Kagome Romantic
Theme: Set #1, Theme #084, "Danger"
Word Count: 523
Universe: Alternate Universe
"A tie?"
Smiling brightly, Kagome beamed at him as he opened the small, slender package she had handed him earlier in the day. Los Angeles was one of the most intimidating, yet one of the most exciting, cities she had visited to date. No, she wasn't 5'8", slender, with bleached blonde hair and fake boobs. And, no, she didn't walk around in designer clothing and four-inch Jimmy Choos, but she had to admit that, somehow, she survived the trek.
The morning was spent in meetings with various city officials and members of his team, preparing for next week's third and final debate. Though they didn't necessarily need to be in Los Angeles until then, it seemed best to familiarize themselves with the climate and with the people. This was perhaps the event by which they would be judged most critically. Everything until now, while important, was technically only a prelude. He had one more chance to prove to the nation as a whole what kind of leader he could be.
And she knew he wouldn't fail.
But that didn't mean she couldn't help.
Taking the day that was offered to her, she relished the few hours in the afternoon where all she had to do was window shop, instead of trying to decipher statistics and formulate plans. Rodeo Drive was only a dream to many women, but it was a thrill to walk down it nonetheless, despite the fact her bank account didn't favour the neighbourhood. 'The dresses,' she thought wistfully, particularly of the deep green ankle-length one in the Chanel window. It was one of those must-haves if she could have afforded it.
"It suits you," she said as he placed the package down, lifting his hands to remove the one tied around his neck.
The trip to Holt's hadn't been wasted, however, as she spied the tie in the window; a combination of red, blue and white. It was American, yet distinctly powerful and bold. It commanded attention, though, in her eyes, not in a negative light. It was perhaps the first gift she had picked up for him, she mused idly as she thought of the amber and silver hairpiece he had given her. Some would call it quid pro quo. Kagome thought of it as nothing more than a small gift of affection.
'Well,' she thought as she stared him. 'Perhaps a little more.'
"It's perfect," she murmured as she lifted her own hands to it, straightening it out as if she were his lover. Blushing, she dropped her hands to her sides before taking a step back. "It screams everything I ever imaged in would."
"Which is what?"
Stepping back Kagome admired him from afar. "Power, intrigue, intelligence, but also something more. Just a touch of danger, like you're not a man to be trifled with."
"I'm not."
Smiling, pleased with her selection she returned to his side. "No you're not. It's one of the reasons why I know you're honest." Watching him fiddle around with the bottom of the tie, she knew.
'Yes,' she thought, 'I have chosen well.'
In more ways than one.
Title: "We Choose To Go To The Moon"
Genre: Romance
Rating: G
Pairings Represented: Sesshoumaru/Kagome Romantic
Theme: Set #1, Theme #066, "It is Made"
Word Count: 673
Warnings:
Universe: Alternate Universe
Disclaimer: Speech portions in this story are written by and belonged to former President John F. Kennedy. This is based on one of three brilliant speeches (in my opinion) that he made during his Presidency.
"We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too."
-John F. Kennedy's address at Rice University, "We Choose To Go To The Moon," September 12, 1962
Sitting in the hotel room, Sesshoumaru replayed the speech over and over on his laptop computer, watching the young President intently as he gave his speech. The passion on his face as he spoke these very words showed that John F. Kennedy not only thought of them, but believed them to his very core.
The beginning of his legacy was the Mercury missions that took the first American man, Alan Shepard, into space. They were followed by John Glenn and his orbit around the world. It was laughable really, given that the government at the time had no clue that the Russians were so far off of sending a man to the moon. It didn't say much about their intelligence agencies in that era. But the speech... that was something that lasted for decades due to its sheer impact alone.
We choose to go to the moon.
Of all the things we could do, or all the places we go, we choose the moon. Not because it's easy, but because it's hard. It spoke very highly of Kennedy's determination, and that of those who followed him, to see those missions through.
It was a diamond in the rough. For all of the examples out there of what not to do as a president, there was the occasional good example offsetting them. This speech fired up the passions of the people. It was something he could only aspire to.
"You're not John Kennedy," Kagome said as she walked by him, closing the lid to his laptop in the process. "And don't deny it. I know you were thinking of what you could do to be like him."
"Not like him. Just rouse the people like him," he admitted, pulling her in to sit on his lap. He knew he should be working during this small reprieve, but at the moment his mind didn't want to focus. To be honest, he was tiring of walking the campaign trail and making promises he couldn't keep unless he reached the desired position. There was so much more he could be doing at this moment. However, his hands were tied as he went through the maneuvers human tradition demanded and proved himself to the people first.
"You'll rouse the people in your own way. You already have in many cases," she said, placating him. "Each President has their own thing and their own way of doing things. Your speeches aren't without meaning and people see that. So you don't inspire them to go to the moon. Who cares? We've been there, done that. You'll inspire them to do other things; perhaps like go to Mars."
"Not because it's easy, but because it's hard," he replied, stroking her hand.
"Because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win" Kagome quoted.
Rising from his seat, he gently deposited her feet-first on the floor before scooping his speech into his briefcase. Tonight's speech, though not as epochal as Kennedy's speech, was important, and he intended to deliver it to the best of his ability.
"Hey," she called to him before pointing to his neck. "Where's the tie I gave you earlier? I bought it for tonight."
Smiling, he fingered the striped green and white one he was wearing. "I have selected a better occasion to wear it. One more suited for it."