Disclaimer : Inuyasha's characters don't belong to me.
Thank you : to all those who had taken the time to post a review. I didn't think that comments would motivate me so much, but it had! It is funny how happy I was to read what you hoped to see! Thank you! I hope to read you again!
About this chapter : It's been so long since I haven't written that I have been a little disappointed by my writing. I feel like it isn't the same as before, but I will make sure to work on it. So I also think that there are even more mistakes in my English than before. I hope you'll like this chapter, I tried to be original, even though there is a part that certainly should have been more detailed… But I hope you'll forgive me with the surprise of this chapter.
As we say in French : Bonne lecture!
Chapter 25 : Isle of wishes
The following night, after a long day of walk, Sesshomaru had to move away from the camp, away from all these unwanted noise and scents, because he needed to clear his mind. It was pitch dark when he finally stopped walking at a hill top.
It was unlike him to feel the need to reassure someone other than Rin. He had realized some time ago just how much the human child's life was precious to him. But, apart for the child, it wasn't like him to care for a human. So why did he care if the onna wanted to stay or leave? Why did he care if she was injured or not? Why did he care if she thought that he was rejecting her? He had so many questions awaiting for answers ...
He had tried to force himself not to care. He even tried to ignore her and had pushed her away. But nothing had worked. Fate always forced their paths to cross. Over time, he had become accustomed to her presence and every time she had returned to his idiot of brother, he had several times, surprised himself thinking about her. Sometimes, unconsciously, he had directed his feet toward the hanyo's village, always staying at an undetectable distance and had let the wind informed his senses about where onna was and what she was doing.
It was such an odd behavior coming from him, that he couldn't accept it. Only power and conquest interested him and deserved all his attention. How had she managed to distract him enough to the point of diverting him from it? For his defense, he admitted that she was an intriguing creature and as he had never met a human like her before, it was natural that he wished to observe her. But something inside him told him that there was something more. He concentrated to give a name to these foreign emotions and his eyes widened. He could feel his heart beating strongly when he remembered that some time ago, her closed proximity had slightly aroused him. Could it be that without even realizing it, he was becoming attracted to her? He was suddenly unsettled and disturbed by his trail of thoughts. It wasn't possible! He refused to be attracted to her!
Rebelling against his thoughts and emotions, he argued that he was a powerful youkai, born to fight many enemies who would dare to cross his path, leading him to the supreme conquest. Humans were worthless in his eyes and did not even deserve a look. He will not tolerate to be diverted of his path!
How dared she force him to care? He didn't care about emotions! Emotions were for the weak humans, not for a powerful Daiyoukai like him. He was furious to find himself in such a situation. He wanted to continue to fight against these unwelcomed emotions, but realized that every time he had tried to repressed these feelings, something happened to her and forced him to intervene, to feel. He felt a twinge in his heart the moment he blamed the onna for his personal humiliation. He thought it was her fault if he was feeling such disarray, such confusion today and that he was losing time by fighting against himself.
If he had not known her, things would have remained as simple as they were before. But she had to cross his path and aroused his curiosity with her strange powers and behavior! And without him noticing it, he had get used to her presence. He had trained her so she would learn to use her growing powers and this is how she thanked him? By provoking a disgusting desire in him? By forcing him to care for her welfare?
Sesshomaru growled, thinking that he should get rid of her for good to free himself of this turmoil of emotions. He sighed pitifully, knowing perfectly well he would be unable to do so. Something deep inside him prevented him to hurt her in any way. What could he do to fight against this awful attraction he had for her, while every day he had to undergo her proximity with her soft and agreeable soothing scent?
After long minutes of unsuccessful thoughts, Sesshomaru clenched his fists and raised his eyes to the moon. Looking at the moon with accusing eyes, he silently talked to his father, 'Chichue, it is your fault if I have this weakness in me! Why did I have inherited of this failure of caring for a female human? Humans are a parasite species, so why worry about their fate? After having humiliated me by leaving Tessaiga to the hanyo, who does not deserve to have your blood flowing in his veins, you are condemning me to care for the onna, to the point her image is always polluting my thoughts! Why Chichiue? Do you really want me to experience these degrading emotions? How to fight against this invisible force that is pushing me to watch over her? Chichiue tell me, why does she have such an impact on me? What does this mean? Had she made me weak?'
Closing his eyes, he felt defeated about his complex situation. Suddenly, he remembered the words Totosai had said a few days earlier, when he was following the trail of the onna and the miko. Could it be that his father had been confronted to the same dilemmas before him, concerning the hanyo's mother?
Looking back at the moon, he wondered, 'Chichiue, what questions did you had? How did you get the answers? Do you only know how trouble i feel right now? Why have you chosen to take this path? Why did you need someone to protect so much?'
Thinking back to the onna, Sesshomaru thought that he was trapped. Until today, his hatred for her kind had led him to ignore the strange emotions he felt when he was close to her or wherever he smelt her scent. When Rin had informed him that the onna was nostalgic of her modern life, anxiety had gripped his stomach and he instinctively knew that the only way to make this sensation go away, was to make sure she would stay in this world, where he could watch over her. How ironic, he, Sesshomaru, was attracted by a being of which he despised the specie!
His mind took him back to all the time he had watched her, saved her, smelled her blood, touched her and tasted her. Having these vivid images taunting him, made his body react and he could distinctly smell his aroused scent now.
His memory made him remember of the terrible sensation of loss he had experienced the day she sacrificed herself to save Rin. His instinct had been uncontrollable, pushing him to gladly go face death itself, to take her back from between the two worlds. He thought back to the day he discovered he trusted her enough to let her help him while he was injured. He had felt the need to reassure her afterward, knowing that the toad's words had hurt her... he hadn't lied to her when he said that he found her physical appearance agreeable to watch. It was true. He admitted to himself that he enjoyed watching her simple and harmonious physique.
Suddenly, he surprised himself when he wondered who she was for him. What was her place in his youkai's heart, in his life? The pictures of her fighting against the inuyoukai Gemmei appeared in his mind. He couldn't ignore the fact that watching her fight this youkai in heat had stirred something sexual inside of him, but his concern when he began to smell her blood took over it very quickly. He had felt proud of her when she had managed to win the fight and wondered why she had let the female live. His eyes held a smirk when he thought, 'The heart of a Being of Balance is too tender for this world.'
The onna may be a human and a Being of Balance, but on contrary of her species, she was far to be weak, nor filthy and disgusting…
In the course of his thoughts, he became aware how much he was intrigued by his own reactions and emotions towards her. He had finally overcome his unwillingness and had accepted to have the onna beside him and to feel emotions in her presence. To tell the truth, his curiosity was encouraging him to discover and explore these strange emotions. But he will not be able to do it if she still wishes to go to the modern world.
While Sesshomaru tried to find with eagerness an effective solution that would allow him to quench his curiosity, Totosai's voice suddenly rang through the night: "Every problem has a proper solution. Those solutions are often simpler than what we think."
The Lord didn't turn around to acknowledge the old fool. The last thing he wanted at the moment was to be disturbed from his thoughts by an unwelcomed conversation with this insane youkai.
Totosai had a large smile illuminating his old face. He had observed Sesshomaru for a long moment before deciding to make his presence known. He laughed internally thinking he was about to give the same kind of words he gave the inuyoukai's father years and years ago… He was wondering how much like his father Sesshomaru was. He was curious to see what this pup would be able to do to conquer the onna. The elderly swordsmith, even if he was a youkai, had always thought that love could make people stronger and that it was something very important and primary in life. Taking this subject seriously, he decided to come and talk some sense inside the inuyoukai's head and heart, even if he knew that it could coast his life by doing so.
Keeping a reasonable distance from Sesshomaru, Totosai continued happily, "You seem to be preoccupied and uncertain young one. You can ignore me all you want, but I know that my words will echo in your mind!"
"I can see that you have a death wish…" The Lord growled menacingly. He was starting to be irritated by the mere sound of his voice. All he wanted was solitude and concentration at the moment, not to lose his time with worthless conversation.
Totosai gulped. He could feel his goatee starting to tremble with anxiety. Deciding to protect his life, he chose to blurt out his thoughts as quickly as possible, so he could return to the safety of the camp. "Like I said, there is a solution for every problem. I know the turmoil you are experiencing at the moment. Your father had experienced the same…"
He let out a screech when Sesshomaru turned around abruptly with red eyes the moment he mentioned his father. Gulping while taking a few steps back, he ended quickly, "For a youkai, the most certain way to ensure that a female stay accessible to your curiosity and yours alone, is to court her! If Auriane-chan agree to your courting, she will not go back to her world and it will give you time to find the answers you are looking for!" Getting ready to flee the attack he knew he will receive from the young Lord, Totosai gasped when nothing happened. Instead, he saw that Sesshomaru had frozen in place, lost in thoughts. Heaving a sigh of relief, the blacksmith left the Lord noiseless to return to the camp, hoping that Sesshomaru will take the good decision. The courting would give them time to know each other better and to tame one another. On his way, the old youkai wondered laughing internally if Auriane knew anything about youkai's courting way…
Sesshomaru had been shocked by the youkai's words. He hadn't expected this and at first, he rejected the idea in disgust. Then, looking at it more closely, he decided it was certainly the most logical way to act. Looking at the moon, he concluded that if she accepted, he will have all the time he needed to satisfy his curiosity in depth and Rin will not have to suffer her departure.
Suddenly a doubt made its apparition in his thoughts. Was she attracted enough to him to accept his courting? She didn't behave like the kind of females who were usually trying to get his attention… But then, a slight smirk appeared on his lips when he remembered the time she had placed her lips on his, because she had been attracted by his aroused smell. Satisfied, the Lord decided to notify her of his intension to court her as soon as possible.
Near the camp
Even if it was very late this night, the gang was still awake. While the girls and Shippo were settling the camp, Jaken and Rin were in charge of collecting the wood for the night for the fire, while Inuyasha and Miroku were fishing.
"Can't you stop this awful sound!" Jaken barked at Rin. The little girl was humming with a bright smile and it was starting to get on his nerves.
Laughing the girl threw a branch at him, "I am just happy Jaken-sama! Sesshomaru-sama said that Auriane will not leave us! Aren't you happy too Jaken-sama?"
The toad rolled his big eyes and answered mockingly, "I, the great Jaken only care about the wellbeing and the success of my Lord, Sesshomaru-sama! The filthy human and you could be aspirated by Meidō Zangetsuha that I wouldn't care!"
"It is not nice Jaken-sama!" Rin exclaimed, even if she knew he wasn't saying the truth. She was about to argue when a sweet and soft breeze of air enveloped them. "Look Jaken-sama! What is that?"
Jaken looked over the big lake in front of them and gaped. He could see a magnificent little boat, decorated with lot of flowers, approaching them slowly. Once the boat was near enough for them to go inside it, soft melodious singing voices could be heard. The two friends, as if succumbing to some sirens' songs, looked at each other peacefully and climbed inside the boat without a word. It was as if they were hypnotized by the charming power the boat emitted. As slowly as it appeared, the boat started to slide elegantly on the water, taking them far away from the shore.
Inuyasha and Miroku
"Well, I think we have enough fish to satisfy our appetite!" Miroku exclaimed. Receiving no comment from the hanyo, the monk raised his eyes toward his friend. Inuyasha was watching the lake intently. "Something is wrong Inuyasha?"
The two friends were gazing at the lake and gasped when they saw an empty boat approaching Jaken and Rin slowly. Fear seized them the moment the child and the small youkai climbed inside it.
"Riiiiinnn get out of it!" Inuyasha suddenly yelled. The monk and the hanyo desperately tried to reach them in vain. The child and Jaken didn't seem to hear them. The moment they threw themselves in the water to catch the boat, they saw it disappear behind a sudden fog.
"Ican't feel their presence anymore!" The hanyo exclaimed desperately.
Next to him, Miroku could feel his heart beating wildly inside him, "How can a boat disappear like this? Why were they acting as if they didn't hear us?"
At the camp
Since their encounter with Tadako, Kagome seemed to be lost in her own world with hope in her shinning eyes.
"What is she thinking about?" Sango murmured to Auriane.
"I don't know… She is acting strange since Tadako's departure. I wonder what she had told her…" Auriane replied biting her lip while looking at the subject of their conversation curiously.
The miko was so lost in her thoughts that she wasn't aware of her friends' attention, who were watching her, sat on the floor with their back on Ah-Un, who was sleeping at the border of the camp. The sorceress had awakened a strong hope inside of her. What if what she had said was true? What if she would be able to live longer near Inuyasha? But every time she tried to think of the way to live longer, she felt desperation crossing her heart because she didn't any clue about how to proceed. Her heart was taken hostage between this powerful hope, her dream being able to come true and this uncontrollable desperation to not know how to realize her dream…
"Do you feel anything special coming from her with your abilities?" Sango wondered.
"Actually, she is lost…" Auriane continued groaning, "Every time I try to feel her, the feelings inside her are so powerful that it makes me nauseous… I just know that it is about her and Inuyasha."
"Do you think they fought again?" Sango wondered, "If he did something stupid again I'll…"
"No, I don't feel this kind of tension…" Auriane cut her, "Speaking about tension… I think the better way for her to evacuate it is to have sex with Inuyasha!" The woman laughed.
"Hentai!" Sango said while hitting her arm, "You have spent too much time near Miroku!"
"Aaaah stop hitting me!" Auriane said rubbing her painful arm. "Okay, they should have sex or they should just talk! But they have to do something about this tension! This situation is driving me insane!"
Everyone in the camp jumped when they heard Inuyasha's angry roar, "Riiiiinnn get out of it!"
The group of friends was barely arrived at the shore that they saw a two boats sliding toward them.
"What happened Inuyasha?" Kagome asked him.
"Rin and the stupid toad climbed on a boat like those ones!" The hanyo responded through gritted teeth.
"They were acting strangely. It was as if they didn't hear us and then, the boat disappeared behind a thick fog before we could reach them!" Miroku explained quickly.
"Well, the only way to take them back is to climb on the boats too!" Totosai intervened. In all his long life, he had never seen this kind of boats before and was very curious to know where it would lead them.
They didn't want to lose time and all embarked on the boats after giving instructions to Ah-Un and Kirara to stay on the shore and wait for their return.
The boats were emitting a kind of peaceful and appeasing sensation. Everyone stayed silent, lost in content thoughts till they could see a beautiful isle emerging through the fog. Once they were near the shore of this island which seemed to be heavenly, they could see people coming their way with Rin and Jaken following them.
Once landed, the group was happily welcomed by the people living on this magnificent isle. To their surprise, there were only a dozen of beautiful women greeting them, "Welcome on the isle of wishes! We were waiting for your arrival. Please follow us." One of them said.
Rin greeted her friends happily with a beautiful crown of flowers around her small head, "You did come! I am so happy! You will love it here! There are lots of small animals running everywhere! Oh! And lots of flowers too!"
"Sesshomaru-sama! I am so happy to see you here! You did come for meeee, your faithful servant!" Jaken exclaimed in a strident voice, with tears in his eyes and flowers everywhere on him.
Not paying attention to him, the Lord seemed to scrutinize the area. Strangely, it was daylight here while it was pitch dark at the camp. He couldn't detect any danger coming from this disturbing isle. The scents of the flowers were already starting to get on his nerves just like this peaceful and carefree atmosphere. The sooner they'll be gone from here, the better.
"Why did you climb on this boat stupid toad!" Inuyasha growled at Jaken. A part of him wanted to rush at the imp and crush him on the floor, but he another part was forbidding him to act violently on this place. It was like he could clearly feel the difference between his youkai's part and human's part. His youkai's part wasn't affected at all by this enchanting atmosphere, on contrary to his human's side, which was totally at peace and only wanted to enjoy the moment.
"It wasn't my choice stupid hanyo! My body climbed on the boat without my authorization!" Jaken was getting ready to receive Inuyasha's blow but when he saw that nothing happened, he opened his eyes and released the breath he was holding. The hanyo was already following the rest of the group farther in the isle. He was about to run after them when he noticed that his Lord was still near the boats. "Huh…My Lord… Don't you come too?"
"I have no intention to frolic ridiculously like these stupid creatures." Sesshomaru wasn't very happy with the turn of events. They had to chase Junichiro, not losing time at enjoying themselves in a fake paradise! But since Rin seemed to have found a place where there was no danger around and where she seemed to be happy, he decided to give her a little time to rest and be a child. It will also give him time to think about his intentions toward the onna and elaborate a plan to choose the right time to make his intentions known.
"Jaken." The Lord's voice rang in the silence.
"Yes my Lord?" The toad answered ready to accomplish any task his Lord was about to order him.
"Watch over Rin." Turning a menacing eye toward the imp, he added, "Make sure she enjoys herself. If not, I will have to punish you."
Trying to not throw up his heart which was stuck in his throat from the fear of the menacing threat, Jaken answered before running to find Rin, "Yes my Lord! Your great servant Jaken will not desappoint you my Lord!"
A few minutes later
"Can we ask you what is this isle of wishes and why did you sent your boats for us? I have been on this earth for a long time now and I have never heard about this place before." Totosai started the conversation. They were all sitting in a circle in a field of unknown flowers, near a few beautiful and harmonious little houses.
The women laughed and one of them answered, "The isle of wishes is a place where reign peace and freedom! You have been invited here because we could feel your exhaustion from here. We thought that we could invite you to rest on this magnificent isle!"
Another began speaking with a bright smile, "It's been a long time since we had visitors… we are so happy to have you here with us!"
"Are you the only people living here? How did you end up on the island?" Auriane asked them curiously while watching Rin and Shippo playing in the flowers.
"Yes we are the only people here. We are what you can call fairies." The woman near Kagome replied. "We used to live in every forest a long time ago…"
The beautiful woman sitting next to Sango continued, "But like a lot of magic species, we have been tracked to nearly extinction many years ago. In order to survive, we found refuge here, on this island and to make sure no one with bad intentions would find us, we used the little magic we had to protect this island and make us invisible. From here, we can pursue our work of fairies peacefully without risking any danger."
The woman near Miroku and who was particularly well endowed with a dress which left nothing to the imagination spoke, "The isle can use our magic to make the wishes of the human guests we had invited come true."
"Really?" Kagome exclaimed surprised.
"Yes. The isle can see what humans desire the most. If your wishes are not harmful in any way, it will want to make it come true. The isle despise suffering and will do all it can to appease it." One of the fairies replied.
Sango was trouble. At first, her instinct told her to get ready to slap Miroku for his bad behavior toward her and the women, but then, to her surprise, he didn't seem to notice the beautiful fairies around him. He was listening intently to the conversation and she could often see his eyes sliding toward her, causing her to blush madly.
"You seem trouble." The fairy next to her murmured.
Sango hesitated before answering. "Well… It is just that I am used to a certain kind of behavior from… my friend, but it seems like he is acting completely different today…"
Laughing the fairy answered, "Maybe because you are on the isle of wishes and apparently, what he really wishes for deep in his heart…is you!"
Sango looked at her with her eyes popping out of her head, "You mean that…"
The fairy cut her "The power of the isle is just revealing the true hope, the wish that lay inside people's heart and it is never wrong! You, dear, is what lay inside this young man's heart."
They suddenly heard Totosai's voice, "Why did you choose us as guests? Some of us are youkais, aren't you afraid of us?"
All the fairies laughed at his questions, "We are fairies. We know you more than you think. Plus, if the island thought that you were a danger for its prosperity, it wouldn't have let you land."
"We were so curious to meet you! We heard about a miko, a Being of Balance, a slayer, a monk, a child travelling in the company of youkais. So when you stopped near our island, we sent you our boats, hoping you would come!" A fairy exclaimed with an excited voice.
When Auriane started to yawn, one of the fairies said, "Oh we are sorry for our bad manners! We completely forgot that it is the middle of the night where you come from. You must be exhausted! We will escort you to your rooms. You can stay on the isle as long as you want! We will see you once you have rested."
The friends followed them to the beautiful little houses, happy to finally being able to sleep. Each of them was in separate house. Strangely, outside it was still daylight while inside the small houses it was dark except for a few soft lights coming magically from flowers spread around the only room of the houses, illuminating a comfortable futon in the middle of the space. Attracted by the call of sleep, they all went to lie down for a much needed rest.
Auriane's house
She was feeling light as if she had no body anymore. She felt peaceful and appeased from all the tension she had experienced the last months. Auriane smiled when she felt soft green grass under her feet and started to run. Laughing, she was running so fast that she thought she was flying. The ray of sun kissing her skin felt marvelous. Soon, something caught her attention at the horizon. Frowning, she could only watch thick grey fog appearing between her and the ray of light. 'What is going on?' She wondered, just a moment ago she like she was in paradise and now, a strange sensation of worry was spreading inside her.
She could see something making its appearance through the fog and decided to walk toward it. To her surprise, Auriane saw that it was the well of bones.
"What is it doing here?" She exclaimed aloud.
She let out a squeak when a voice from nowhere answered, "This is your own doing Auriane. You are looking for what you desire the most."
"And what I desire the most is to see the well?" The woman replied with an ironic tone. "Who are you? Show yourself!" She demanded.
Laughing sweetly the voice said, "I am what you are walking on. I am the island of wishes."
Looking at the ground in a strange way Auriane replied, "Oh, cool! An island that can talk! That's all I needed…". The moment her sentence ended, she could see shadows emerging near the well. Wanting to know who it was, she advanced squinting. "Hey guys! What are you doing here?" She exclaimed when the fog revealed her friends' face.
Auriane frowned when they didn't answer her. Questioning the island she asked, "What are they doing here? Why are they acting so strange?"
The island's voice explained, "The well and your friends are just an illusion created by your trouble heart. I normally don't have any difficulties to make guests' wishes come true… But you are so imprisoned by your fears that you don't realize that the solution is under your reach. In order for your desire to happen, you have to get rid of those fears first."
When the voice went silent, Auriane saw her friends' shadows and the well beginning to crack. "What is happening?" The woman asked worriedly.
"You are witnessing one of your fears. Seems like your indecision is causing this. I wonder what kind of fear is hiding inside your heart." The island of wishes said softly.
Looking intensely at her friends she love so much and the well which is her only hope to see her modern life again, the woman concentrated on her pulsing heart. "I am afraid that whatever decision I make, I will feel a part empty. I think that I will never feel complete." Auriane began. "If I chose to take the risk to go back through the well, I will regret my friends and my life here till the end of my life. And if I chose to stay here with my dear friends, I will miss the life I had before…"
Taking a deep and confuse breathing, she added, "Whatever decision I make, there will be a hole in my life!" At the same time, her friends and the well disappeared in a loud crash, leaving her alone in the thick fog. "Oh no! What should I do now!" She yelled hoping for the island to manifest itself.
"Sadly, they didn't have a chance against your indecision young one." The voice murmured, "If you really wanted to go back to the life you were living before, don't you think that you would have already gone through this well?"
Auriane gaped, looking for an answer. The island did hit a big nerve and she didn't have an answer to give. "True! But… Huh! Why do I still feel hesitation?"
"The answer is inside you." The voice answered.
"I think that if I wanted so much to be able to go through the well, it was because I thought of my modern life as a shelter. I wanted to take refuge there, far away from the violence, far away from what I am here!" Looking sadly at the fog, she added, "Here, I am a Being of Balance. If I don't get killed, I will survive all my friends. And I don't think I would be able to live without them! I don't want to walk on this earth knowing that I will never see them again…" Strangely, when she voiced her emotions, she could see a tall shadow appearing and disappearing like a flash through the darkness.
"Seems like your heart know that you'll not be all alone the rest of your life." The island whispered.
Frowning, Auriane said to no one in particular, "Sesshomaru? What is he doing here?"
"Looks like you are also afraid to open your heart to this male." The voice commented.
The woman was disturbed. She hadn't expected this. She gasped and heard the island demanding her, "What are you really scared about? Are you afraid to never go back to your old life or to not be here and live your life at your friends' side? Aren't you curious about what life reserve you here?"
Taking a determinate look, Auriane answered, "You are right! I don't want to abandon my friends. If I have to survive them, I want to be with them as much as I can! And I want to have a future here!"
The voice seemed to be relieved to hear her words, "If you stay here with the fairies, you will be able to live with your friends even longer. Thanks to magic, humans don't grow old here and can live as long as a youkai."
"Really?" The woman said thinking over the idea.
Inuyasha
Inuyasha was divided into his two parts, his youkai side and his human side. In front of him, Kagome's smiling shadow was present.
"What are you afraid about Inuyasha? Seems like your youkai's side is as much attracted to the young miko as your human's part. So what prevents you to succumb to your dream?" The island's voice rang in the air.
The two Inuyasha approached Kagome slowly and circled her. Throwing an accusing look toward his youkai's growling side, the human Inuyasha replied, "I don't trust him near her! I don't want him to hurt her if he went to take over me. I can't take that risk!"
The youkai Inuyasha barked at him with rage, "She belongs to me! You can't keep her away from me pathetic human!"
"This young miko is apparently what the two of you desire the most, but the fears your human side is experiencing is preventing you to realize your wish young Inuyasha. What are you so afraid about?" The island asked in a sad voice.
Looking back at Kagome, The two Inuyasha answered in unison, "I am afraid to lose control and hurt her…"
"Why is that?" the voice replied.
"When she is near me I feel something happening inside me, something that's becoming stronger with the passing time. I am afraid that if I let myself succumb to this need, my youkai's side will take over me and I will hurt her!" The human side said.
Then the youkai's side growled, "I am afraid every time my human side is taking over me at the fool moon, because it makes me weak and I can't protect her from danger!"
"You should trust each other to watch over your lover. Inuyasha, if you trust yourself enough, you will be able to open entirely to your future life with the miko. She had already proven to you both that she didn't fear your youkai's side. She has an appeasing effect on him, just like she has the power to make your human side stronger." The island intervened. "Your fears and doubts are affecting your love, but it is also hurting you because you don't allow yourself to love Kagome as you really wish to."
"But if I let down my guard when I'm near her, I will hurt her! I will never let her suffer because of me! I will never forgive myself if it happens." Human Inuyasha roared.
"You're pathetic! You are afraid of your own self! If you let us claim her as our own, she will be protected!" The youkai barked.
"But not from you!" The human returned.
The youkai's eyes were of an intense red, "I will never harm her! I think that I have already proved that fact numerous times! She belongs to us and… We belong to her too! You will not stop me because…" Looking suddenly at each other, both sides voiced at the same time, "I want to be with Kagome forever!"
Once Inuyasha's human heart accepted his youkai nature and trusted it to not harm his miko, his two sides mixed to leave place to the real Inuyasha with a determinate look. "I will be by Kagome's side forever!"
"I am happy! You have finally found peace in your heart young pup." The voice said and added sighing, "But you know that she is a human and her life will not be as long as yours."
There was sadness in the hanyo's eyes, "I know…"
"This island isn't called isle of wishes for nothing. If you stay here, you will not suffer the loss of your lover. She will be able to live with you for eternity!" The voice sang happily.
Miroku :
Miroku was facing a crying Sango and was desperate to rich her. But every time he made a step forward, he realized that her shadow would start to fade.
"Your insecurities cause you to act as someone who is not reliable young monk and this behavior, is causing the suffering of the one you love the most." When the island's voice talked, all the girls Miroku had tried to hint on in his life appeared between him and Sango. Panic seized him when there were so many women that he could no longer distinguish the demon slayer.
Looking for Sango frenetically through the feminine crowd he yelled, "What have you done to her? Where is she?"
"It is not my doing young man. Your heart is just releasing your fear." The island seemed to be saddened by his desperation. "Your behavior toward these women is not entirely yours isn't it? It was a way your father used to act to protect himself from loneliness and from the cruelty of life isn't it?"
At the mention of his father, Miroku froze in place. He had always known that his behavior wasn't serious. It was a way to release all the insecurities he had experienced during all his life. He acted like this without thinking, only mimicking his beloved father, who suffered a lot from loneliness. He knew that Sango didn't like it, but at the same time, her reaction toward him appeased him because like this, he was sure that he had her attention and it made him feel loved by her. Sango wasn't the kind of woman to express her feelings, so when she reacted violently when he looked at women, he thought that she wasn't indifferent toward him and with time, he hoped that it might lead to something more. But seeing her so sad a few moments ago had broken something in him. He had never realized how much his hentai behavior could really affect her. He was mortified to be the cause of those tears.
Promising himself that he will fight everything that would come between him and Sango from now on, he continued to look for his love through the crowd. "I will find you Sango! I am so sorry to have hurt you! I hadn't realized that all this time, you were the one next to me! You are the only one who is able to fill my heart with joy Sango!" With her by his side, he will never experience loneliness ever again!
His determination had payed. He could see the crowd of women disappearing slowly, living place to a placid Sango. Smiling, the monk started to walk toward her but was surprisingly stopped by an invisible force. "What the…"
"Well, I am proud of you young monk! You succeeded at appeasing your fear of loneliness. But you still have to make a wish!" The island exclaimed. "So now tell me. What do you wish the most at the bottom of your heart?"
Laughing as if his answer was obvious, he said, "My wish is to be with Sango forever… And… I want her to bear my children!"
"The world is cruel outside of here. If you stay here, you will be able to realize your dream in this peaceful atmosphere. Your beautiful slayer will stay by your side forever. Here, you will not have to fight enemies, nor risk to lose her in a deadly fight!"
Sango
She was facing Miroku who had a giant Kazaana behind him, menacing to engulf him. "Why is it here? He is free from the Kazaana now! So why?"
"You had suffered a great fear months ago. You nearly lost the love of your life by this malediction. Seems like your heart isn't totally heal yet." The island explained. "You had lost your entire village Sango and then, years later, when your heart started to finally heal and opening to others, the Kazaana menaced to take your heart from you."
The slayer could feel her fears spreading in all her body. Her mind was thinking back to every loss she had experienced in her life. The life she had led till her encounter with her friends had been a lonely life. She didn't want to experience this pain anymore, so she had always tried to keep an emotional distance with other people. But her friends had taught her to care again, to want to fight for life and to want to love and being love. But when the Kazaana with which Naraku had jailed Miroku was killing him slowly, she had felt something inside her breaking. Something inside her went to hide at the bottom of her heart and is now too afraid to come out.
"How to make it stop?" The slayer asked the voice when she saw the darkness approaching dangerously close of Miroku.
"Only you have the solution. Today he may be free from the Kazaana, but it looks like you are still afraid to lose him." The island murmured in a soft voice, "Look inside your heart and find what fear is hiding inside of it. Your fears are only taking the form of the Kazaana, but in reality, they have another appearance. Only you can find the truth in your heart!"
Trying not to panic at the terrible sight in front of her, she closed her eyes and concentrated. Looking inside her heart, the most prominent feeling she found there was insecurity!
She opened her eyes abruptly and exclaimed toward Miroku ready to void all her fears, "I am sorry Miroku! The lonely life I have led have made me insecure. Till now, I didn't know how to love without being harm. So I have learned to hide my feelings deep down. I have been so scared to lose you because of the Kazaana that I kept keeping you at distance since then. I was so blind by this feeling that I kept rejecting you! I am so sorry Miroku, because all I really want is for you to look at me… to love me. Sometimes, I surprise myself thinking that you might really love me, but my insecurities come to the surface when you look at other women. In those moments, i feel like I am not good enough to satisfy you." Taking a deep breath, she added, "But now I know that when I was jealous, it was only my fear to be abandon by you that was talking…"
She noticed, relieved, that the Kazaana had started to fade and continued, "I know now that this fear has no place to be because you had always be at my side and proved me that I was someone important for you!"
The island's voice asked her suddenly, "So now that you got rid of your fear, what do your heart wish the most?"
With bright shining eyes, Sango looked at Miroku, "I want to show him that I trust him. I want to stay with him forever!"
The island responded with a serious tone, "If you chose to live on this peaceful island, you will be able to realize your wish and live next to your love for eternity."
Kagome
Kagome was in a dark place where no living life was present. She completely was alone with herself, excepted for the mysterious island's voice. This voice had told her that her heart will materialize her fears in front of her, but apart for emptiness, there was nothing. 'Why nothing is happening? Is my heart empty?' She wondered.
Walking slowly in the dark, Kagome unexpectedly saw red clothes from afar. "Inuyasha!" The miko ran as fast as she could to catch up with the hanyo. Once she reach him, she was paralyzed on the spot at the sight in front of her.
There before her she saw Inuyasha with his back toward her, kneeling in front of a little mound of earth. She curiously approached. The miko tried to see the hanyo's face but it was hidden by his bang of hair. Turning her eyes to see what he was watching, she gasped, nearly throwing up by shock. The mound of earth was her grave. Inuyasha was mourning her! She could feel herself trembling uncontrollably.
"Your heart has finally revealed what you try to hide from your love." The island voice said from nowhere.
Kagome didn't answer. She was too stunned to talk and think. She could only watch Inuyasha. She wanted to comfort him, to tell him that she was here with him, but she couldn't make any sound. To her surprise, a few moments after her terrible discovery, a melodious voice called from the darkness, "Inuyasha!"
The miko watched as Inuysha stood up quickly with a radius smile gracing his lips. Kagome could feel herself being swallowed by the ground underneath her when she saw a beautiful unknown female hanyo, throwing herself in Inuyasha's arms. The hanyo was kissing her passionately when a small voice attracted the attention of the two hanyo. "Daddy! What were you doing here alone?" A very young hanyo said while running happily toward Inuyasha.
Kagome had her heart ripped out from her body when she heard Inuyasha's answer, "Oh nothing important! Come! It's time to take you home!"
"Inu..ya..sha…" The poor miko whispered.
"Your heart is only showing you your fears Kagome, not reality." The island tried to attract her attention, saddened by her suffering, "What you are experiencing is terrible, but you have to face it now Kagome. Tell me, what do you think about what you have just witnessed?"
After long minutes, the miko swallowed, "I…I think that it is the normal course of things…"
"Really?" the voice questioned her.
After hesitating, Kagome answered resigned, "Yes it is. If I were to die…When I'll die, I will want for Inuyasha to find happiness again."
"Don't answer with your head, but with your heart young miko." The Island demanded.
"What do you want me to say? That my heart broke when I saw him so happy in the arm of another? That I felt myself dying when he said to his child that I was nothing important?" Kagome yelled angrily. "Well yes! I hated what I saw! And I am scare to think that one day, it will happen! Are you happy now?"
"Why is your heart afraid that Inuyasha will ever think of you as nothing important?" The island enquired.
"Because…" Taking a deep breath Kagome finally confessed, "Because I am a human. I am just something ephemeral in a youkai's life. So in the end, something ephemeral can be considered as something not important, compared to the life he can have with someone who will live a long life at his side."
The miko felt stupid voicing her darkest thoughts. She felt like she was a bad and egoist person when she heard her voice talking. Then, she admitted, "I know that he loves me, and I do too with all my being. But sometimes, when I watch Inuyasha, I can't help but think that he is someone exceptional and that I am not worthy enough to dare to ask for more of him. These dark thoughts always make me think that if he notices I am not worthy, he will fall for someone who is more like him... I wish that i…"
"What do you wish?" The island wanted to know.
"I wish to be able to stay by his side forever and make him happy! Me and nobody else!" Kagome yelled in the dark with determination.
Satisfied, the island replied quickly, "What if I tell you that if you stay here with the fairies, your wishes will come true?"
Outside the houses
Totosai who was happily sitting in the flowers had the attention of all the fairies on him. He was feeling like a Lord in the middle of his court. He smiled when he saw his friends coming out from their houses after a much needed rest. They all held a kind of peaceful smile on their face. He look at Rin and Shippo running toward them to great them, while Jaken was stuffing his face with fruits, not paying attention to what was happening around him.
Looking at them approaching, one of the fairies asked sadly, "I see that you all made your decision. We are saddened by your departure, but know that you will always be welcome on this island!"
Without knowing what the others had lived during their sleep, they feel like they all had to make the same choice, to live here peacefully and protected from any danger ever after like in a bubble of protection, or to live their life together to the fullest and find comfort into each other for their fears.
Following the fairies toward the boats that will take them back to their camp, they thanked their hosts for their hospitality. To the Lord's pleasure, they resumed their journey in a perfect silence, all lost in their thoughts.
The next evening, Auriane was surprised when Jaken did come to talk to her discretely while she was eating supper.
"Sesshomaru-sama requires your presence at the spring nearby, once the moon will be high in the sky. I don't know what you had done this time, but I am sure that you deserve it!" The toad said with a smirk, leaving her gaping at him. Auriane suddenly grabbed a rock and send it in his skull. 'Why are they always thinking that i did something wrong?'
Later that night
It was a full moon that night and Inuyasha had once again turned completely human. Auriane had left the camp wondering why Sesshomaru had summoned her at the cold spring in the middle of the night.
Once she arrived at the meeting point, she saw that he was already there and he was BATHING! 'Did he want me to watch him while he is bathing?'
Sesshomaru had sensed her approaching and was getting ready to proceed with his intentions. It wasn't his natural behavior to show himself in such a state in front of a human.
He could feel her shock the moment she noticed him waiting for her in the spring and decided that now was the time. Before she could speak, he stood up with his back toward her and tied up his hair in a ponytail, earning a gasp from the woman on the shore.
'I knew he had beautiful butts!' She blushed. She hadn't expected him to be so bold! 'What is he up to?' She wondered. The woman wanted to let him have his privacy and started to turn her back to the fairylike scene before her and try to make her weakened knees obey to her to walk away.
The Lord knew that youkai's ways were foreign to her and didn't wish to scare her away, but it was part of a proper courtship. A high ranking male, who desired to court a female, had to show himself bare before her eyes, for her to deem of his worthiness, even if for now, there wasn't a mating intention, he had to proceed in the proper way for the demand. Not that he didn't thought himself of unworthy, far from it actually, but he was a noble and as a noble, he had to follow the proper way to begin to attract this particular female.
To find a mate, lot of youkais would commonly purchase a female while in heat and mark her while rutting. That was a rough manner, but it wasn't their only way… When a male choose a lifetime mate from his instinctive heart, he will set himself to take his time to court the desired female. Sometime, a courtship could take months, even years before the female finally overindulged to the male advances.
Once completely nude before her, the female could praise the male's body and see if he satisfied her. The second meaning of this base leg was to show the female of his quality as a potential reproducer. Females generally would choose a male with a perfect and strong body to produce powerful and healthy pups.
The bareness of the male also meant to prove that he came to her with harmless intensions. That way, he showed that he didn't hide untrustworthy intentions, even if a youkai's body was a weapon by itself. That code language served to assure the female she could put her trust in him.
"You may stay." Sesshomaru said when he felt Auriane uneasiness and was satisfied once he heard her stop moving away. He turned his head toward her to assure himself he had her full attention and turned his body completely to face her. It was the first time for him to be unclothed in the presence of a female. No one before had been worthy enough to attract his attention to the point of being this intimate with them. He felt really thrilled by the situation.
Auriane's mouth fell on the ground. She couldn't believe that he was doing it on purpose! 'Is he playing the exhibitionist with me now?' She yelled in her mind.
She didn't dare to look though and favored looking at the most interesting rock she ever saw at her right foot.
Sesshomaru didn't know how the onna would react to the next part of his demonstration. He felt for the first time of his life, unsure of the outcome. A female youkai would look without shame at a male's body. If she did approve of him, the male will ask her permission to court her. The Lord had learned about human females' behavior, thanks to his informant, who had gathered enough knowledge for him to try to not misunderstand any of Auriane's reaction. He decided that he will show patience toward her for once and came to stand up in front of her.
"Watch me." he said in a monotone voice.
'How can he be so comfortable?' She thought. Auriane looked at him in the eyes and said, "Okay, I am watching you now!"
'What does he want from me?' She began to feel really nervous and was scared to do something stupid. 'Such beautiful eyes, they are so deep and light right now.'
The lord could taste her emotions. They were so strong that it came out of her skin pores and he suddenly felt the unbearable urge to lick her skin. Trying to reassure her, he let slip a beautiful sincere little smile. Actually, it was more a tilt of the corner of his lips.
Auriane stared at him wide eyes. 'Did he just smile? Is he gonna kill me? No, I can't feel any threat coming from him, so what?'
"You are watching my eyes, not me. You now I don't like to repeat myself." Sesshomaru said calmly, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Why are you…" she stuttered "I thought you wanted to talk to me, not to mock me!"
Sesshomaru growled, "Just look at me."
"Ooooookayyyyyyy but why do you need me to look at you? Are you hurt somewhere?" Auriane jumped when he barked at her and obeyed immediately. Maybe he will let her go away after that. She took a deep breath and started to look at him while exhaling.
He was magnificent, the most exquisite male she ever had the privilege to taste with her eyes. His chest was firm calling for her touch, his breathing was getting heavier, deeper, her scrutinize seemed to affect him. Her gaze noticed his markings and followed it till his navel and she felt the irresistible urge to plunge her tongue inside it. At that thought she felt her face burning with embarrassment.
Sesshomaru was pleased with her. She seemed to be devouring him mentally, but soon, to his irritation, she looked like she tried to get her composure back, breaking the spell she watched him back in the eyes.
"Done!" she said and made to leave but he caught her hand before she could turn away.
"All of me" the Lord grunted.
She had never felt so mortified before! 'Is it a pervert game? He seems to enjoy this situation! Ugh bastard!'
If he wanted to finish his display, she had to look at all of him and he had to drink into her reactions, without letting himself being carried away by her wonderful scent, to not show how much she was affected him.
When she looked into his eyes once more, she saw he had barred his soul to her. It was so soft, so captivating and inviting that she didn't realized that her eyes, little by little were starting to caress his body once more.
Sesshomaru was really satisfied when he saw her beautiful deer-eyes sliding on his manliness. He will soon see her reaction and then ask for her authorization. Asking permission was new to him, but it was the part of the noble rules of courting and for her, he will respect that.
'Oh my god!' was all she could think of. Her mind had blackout the moment she witness his prominence. It was such an insane situation! Sesshomaru was naked in front of her and was demanding her to look at his body's precious parts, as if it was the most common thing in the universe. 'Ah stupid dog! To make me come here in the middle of the night to watch his danglings. Oh! Maybe we will have a little chat around hot tea after that!' she thought shocked. He seemed to be so at ease standing there, with her looking at him, that it was making her nervous.
He felt in her nervous state that she had concealed her scents, but he needed to know how much he was affecting her.
"Auriane let me praise your scent" he whispered to her, trying to relax her. She gave a nervous laugh and tried to concentrate when he asked her "Tell me what you see."
Auriane decided that she will truthfully play his game. Then she will kill him for making her feel that way. "I see a handsome male blinding me with his magnificent body . A male, who is able to awake so many deep emotions in me right now that it hurt. A male that have me trembling with a simple touch. I see what can be called perfection." She answered with a deep smile that unexpectidly lightened Sesshomaru's heart. He was an Adonis and she couldn't help but feel lust at seeing his glorious body. She was embarrassed because she knew he could smell it. Was it what he was looking for? Did he want her to desire him so much that it would hurt her?
He had drunk her words which had deliciously pierced his heart and wounded it for the rest of his life. He had drowned himself in the nectar of her arousal and could feel his body wanting to respond to hers instantly.
"Did you make me come here just to have sex with you? I know we did kiss and all but, but…" She began to panic and it seemed that her nervousness was exciting him. Auriane could smell his wonderful smell in a more pronounce way now!
Taking her red face between the tips of his fingers, the lord told her "I, Sesshomaru, have no intention of taking you."
He watched her beautiful confused features while trying to refrain himself from assaulting her delicious lips. He suddenly torn his eyes away from her and turned around to find his clothing, satisfied with the turn of events. He took his time to put his clothes back on knowing she was watching him.
Auriane was in trance looking at his body and had to wipe-off the saliva forming at the corner of her mouth. She was conflicted by two powerful emotions. She wanted to rip off his clothing and beg him to have his way with her, even though some of his body part made her nervous. And at the same time, she was furious with herself to react like a whore to his boldness.
Once he was done, Sesshomaru took her hand and made her sat down in front of him.
Calmly he explained, "I had to make sure of your interest in my person before..." he stopped himself, as if he was fidgeting with what to say next.
'So to see if I am really interesting in you, you unpack your wonderful body? Couldn't you just ask?' Of course she valued her life and didn't voice her thoughts, preferring to wait for him to continue.
Sesshomaru had a hard time trying to dominate his raging emotions that were menacing to make his body react violently. Her body's signals and her scent were driving him insane.
"I had to present myself to you without any restrain in order for you to choose if I am worthy enough in your tastes to accept my claim on you." he said in a single stroke.
"What?" Auriane stupidly exclaimed.
"I, Sesshomaru, am asking your permission to court you." he said with his eyes piercing her soul.
Her throat tightened. He had a tendency to catch her off of guard, it was scary. Her heart was trying to flee her ribcage to fly around his neck and kissed him passionately because he looked so cute there, but "What do you mean by courting me?" She unexpectedly asked and saw his eyes darken. She thought that she had vexed him with her question when she saw him turning around rapidly.
This is when they heard a loud crash coming from the camp.
Tada! I hope you'll forgive me for the part of the island of wishes that I think could have been more develop, but I think this chapter would have been interminable…
I hope you found the way of youkai courting original! Next chapter will come soon. It is already written, but I need to make lot of correction and maybe add a few things. It will be a short chapter. The plot will be back after the next chapter.