Sanctuary
Author's Note: Hello! I've decided to post this chapter because… well… let's just say I want to get to the mushy stuff earlier so that the whole thing will come together. And yes, InuYasha will be paired up with someone who will appreciate him more. By the way… the whole adoption thing will be explained further
Disclaimer's Note: ARGH!
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SesshouMaru welcomed the scent of home. For some odd reason, it felt so empty. Even with the servants and Jaken around, he knew that something was missing.
'Rin… yes… that's it! Rin, without her the castle is very dull…'
You dolt! Kagome!
He shook his head and went off towards his study. The nagging feeling that was lurking in his stomach would not go away. Even after seeing his brother, he still felt like something was wrong. He stopped searching for new documents or scrolls. Nothing new had happened in his lands, nothing suspicious, no sign of anything going wrong.
"SesshouMaru-sama! SesshouMaru-sama!"
Facing his toad-youkai advisor, he lifted his eyebrow. 'Maybe this is what my instincts have been warning me about…'
" A letter from your mother, m'lord," he screeched.
SesshouMaru's brows wrinkled with confusion. Why would his mother send him a letter when she knew that he'd be back?
He opened it cautiously and read the contents. 'That's why'
Musuko, I know you shall be enraged at my request, but I just cannot do the task. Lady Kagome is much younger than I and I have not engaged in battle or even trained in more than four decades. So, I ask that you train her, in the Western lands. There is too much political banquets being held here and we cannot afford these affairs to distract her. So, after I train Lady Kagome to be a proper youkai hime, I shall send her to you. I expect you to be here tomorrow night for the ceremony and I expect you to be at the banquet for Lady Kagome's birthday.
Growling under his breath, he placed the parchment on his table and stood. If he was to get to the castle by sunset, he should leave early.
"Jaken, take care of things here. I shall return the day after tomorrow with Rin," he said. " Get the seamstress to make me Rin a fashionable kimono. She shall come with me to the banquet in three months' time."
"H-hai SesshouMaru-sama," Jaken stuttered and left without a word.
SesshouMaru headed towards the castle, his uneasiness gone.
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InuYasha felt his youkai blood coming back. His ears and claws had returned. 'Kikyou must be awake…' He had thought that he made the right choice. He thought Kikyou would be a better shard detector, a better fighter and a better woman overall… but it turns out, she was a selfish, angry resurrected miko that lived through her hatred and her love for him.
'How am I supposed to protect her and myself if I become a ningen whenever she sleeps?
He felt Kikyou's weight on his back and he ran off towards the next village. The nights' activities had left her without energy and running out of souls.
He looked beside him and saw Kirara and his two pissed off companions. They had stayed to keep him sane, and he was thankful. Whenever Kikyou slept, Miroku would talk to him and give him hope. Sango was a bit touchy lately. She would not talk, nor would she even look his way.
InuYasha stopped at a meadow and the group halted. They watched as Kikyou went into the village. Sighing, Sango made camp, knowing that it would take days for Kikyou to get the necessary souls for her to replenish her energy.
" I think we should split up"
Sango looked at InuYasha and then at Miroku. His surprised expression told her that he had no idea what the hanyou was talking about.
" What?" she asked, her voice hoarse from lack of speech. " Split up?"
InuYasha nodded. " I will stay with Kikyou and await your return. You should try to see if there are any rumors of shards nearby. It would be easier that way…"
"You do not trust Kikyou now?" Miroku asked. " Her sense of direction is lacking?"
InuYasha shook his head. "Iie… she seems to be more content in finding more souls for herself to feed off of. And her powers seem to grow weaker when it comes to the Shikon lately."
Sango nodded in agreement. The last time they found a shard, it was laying on the ground for all to see, and Kikyou had not sensed it at all. She made no move to go towards it until she was directly above it. And as she tried to touch it, she was burned. It was as if the Shikon itself did not want her touching it and would allow any youkai to.
Sango herself had to pick it up carefully. It laid in InuYasha's kimono wrapped up in a small burlap puch.
" Okay. We shall come back here," Sango said. ' Maybe we can even go to see Kagome-chan…'
Miroku, who seemed to be thinking of the same thought, nodded in agreement with Sango. ' I sure hope we can… being with that dead miko is making me sick'
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Kouga went inside his chambers and was surprised to find Kagome waiting for him. He smiled softly and shook his head.
"You know, Yuuki wouldn't even look into my eyes since that little episode you pulled today," he said playfully.
He frowned as he saw pain flash through Kagome's eyes. She bowed her head in shame and Kouga went towards her and lifted her chin up, to see new tears falling from her eyes.
"Wh-what's wrong? Y-you didn't do anything wrong… I was just saying you made things a bit interesting between Yuuki and me but…-"
Kagome hugged him and he sighed as he stroked her hair.
" You never told me that Okasan died on your adoption ceremony… no-no wonder y-you we-were s-so distant…" she said between hiccups.
Kouga sighed and gently pushed her away to see her eyes.
" Kagome-chan… its over and done with… true I was a bit pained to be reminded of my own past, but this is a happy time for Shippou and yourself!
Kagome nodded and brushed her tears away. She sniffled a bit but smiled. The happiness radiating from her was amazing. He felt proud of how strong his little sister was.
'She has to be…' he thought as he remembered the scroll. 'but she will have to be stronger to defeat Naraku…'
"Now come," he said as he pulled his little sister towards the ballroom. " Lady Yumemaru has you for the entire day to prepare for the ceremony, and afterwards…" he stopped and grinned. " You will have to train for a month and a half straight to be a proper hime"
Kagome face-faulted and groaned. " oh well, anything's better than math…"
Kouga laughed and dragged her to their destination.
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Sango and Miroku were tired and grouchy. Not one rumor of a shard at all. Sango noted that they were in the North Western Territories and that they were coming ever so nearer towards Kagome's new home. They stopped at a nearby stream and rested for a while.
"Sango-san… the moon is nearly up. We should camp here," Miroku said.
Sango shook her head. "Iie… we go. We shall visit our dear friend. I miss them dearly…"
Miroku nodded. They ate quickly and went off in search for the castle. Not noticing a rather large InuYoukai speeding towards them until Kirara hissed at it.
What are you ningens doing in Lord Komashiro's domain
Sango went into defensive mode but Miroku stopped her. She looked at the houshi suspiciously until she saw the crescent moon insignia on the youkai's forehead.
"Lord SesshouMaru, we are Lady Kagome's friends… we were just wondering where she might be," he said. " We have been searching for her."
The InuYoukai's eyes turned golden and in a short while, there before them, stood a regal InuYoukai in his humanoid form. His silver hair dancing in the blowing breeze and his large tail hanging on his left shoulder.
"I see." Was all he said.
After a moment's silence, he began to walk towards them.
" Tonight is young Shippou's adoption ceremony. He shall become Lady Kagome's pup. I believe she would like you to be present…" he thought out loud. "Very well. You shall follow me. I believe that Neko youkai is fast enough to follow."
Sango bowed with respect and hopped on Kirara with Miroku right behind her. They watched as SesshouMaru turned into his true form and began to speed away with Kirara barely able to follow him.
' Kagome-chan, we're coming… I hope you haven't forgotten us' Sango thought as she saw a huge castle in the horizon.
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Kagome examined herself in the mirror. She looked so refined. Her markings were brought out by the lovely purple kimono and her tail was wrapped around her waist and hung on her left shoulder.
'How odd, I look like a more feminine version of SesshouMaru' she mused. 'If that's even possible'
Kagome began to visualize SesshouMaru and remembered what had happened just the day before. She blushed again for the fourteenth time this week. Her thoughts no matter how jumbled always seemed to end with the handsome youkai. She fingered her necklace and wondered how he was able to return it to in her dreams.
'Maybe he just placed it on when I was sleeping?' she thought. Shaking her head furiously, she looked at her reflection in her mirror.
" I really should stop daydreaming about him…"
"About who, dearest?"
Kagome turned around and smiled. Her father stood regally by her doorway. She loved having him around. She looked at his outfit and smiled. He was wearing a light brown kimono with an slightly uncomfortable armor over it. She realized it was his uniform, ones he wore during special occasions.
"Oh, no one special, really" she said.
Komashiro chuckled deeply and hugged his daughter. Sometimes he wondered how he ever fared for so long without her.
" Well in that case, shall we?"
Komashiro opened the door and followed as Kagome walked towards the gardens.
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Sango and Miroku sat down along with the rest of the servants and found SesshouMaru sitting next to them as well. They were all gathered at the gardens in a large circle.
'This is the first time I've actually be up close and personal with youkais in an adoption ceremony… how exciting!' she thought.
She saw Shippou who slowly walked towards the center of the circle where a small table was laid out for them. On it were three items, a sharp golden dagger, a goblet, and an old scroll.
When Kagome came in, she was dressed in purple robes and looked like a hime. Her eyes were sharp and reflected the blue moon's rays. Not a sound was heard, as if even the crickets and insects knew this was a grand occasion. Only the whispering winds and their slow breathing was heard.
To Kagome, every sound was multiplied. The wind sounded like InuYasha when he was enraged, and her friends' even breathing sounded like the wind on a stormy day.
She spotted Sango and Miroku and wanted to wave at them, but she trained hard for this event. Nothing would ruin it for her pup, she would not bear accidentally harming him in the process or worse.
Finally, she reached the table as well and sat opposite of Shippou. She smiled lightly and tried to calm herself. Lady Yumemaru stepped out from the shadows dressed in miko clothing, only it was the opposite colors of the traditional miko colors. Her top was a mixture of black and silver while her pants were dark blue. Her silver hair was tied back to keep it from her eyes, but was still down that Kagome could see how long her hair truly was.
"Are you ready, child?" she asked.
Kagome and Shippou nodded in unison and watched as Lady Yumemaru held the dagger in her hands.
She mumbled incoherently and the dagger shone so bright, Sango had to cover her eyes to prevent herself from being blinded. The winds grew stronger, as if a storm was on its way.
She put her hand down to see Kagome cut herself on her hand with the dagger and saw her blood glisten in the moonlight. She witnessed Shippou do the same. He winced in pain, but managed not to cry. Yumemaru collected a few drops of both their blood and mixed it with a concoction she had prepared earlier. Then, she handed it to Kagome who began to chant under her breath.
Sango's eyes widened as she saw both Shippou and Kagome drink the contents of the goblet. Suddenly, the winds grew even stronger wrapping both Shippou and Kagome in a small tornado.
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Kagome was lifted from her feet hovered towards Shippou. She opened her arms and held him tightly. SesshouMaru stared intently just in case anything wrong would occur. He had no idea when it had happened but he had developed something deep for the woman. She was strong and kind. Something not that many women had, not even youkais. His mother was known for her kindness as well as Kagome's but their past had tainted that reputation.
'Nothing will harm you, I swear on my life koi, I wont let anyone harm you from now on'
He admitted to himself that he loved her. Now all that's left was to somehow convince her to become his mate.
He thought of the training that would happen in a few months.
'You will become mine, Kagome. You shall see'
He began to think of plans on how to woo the woman that was now laying on the ground with her pup in her arms.
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Sango continued to watch as the winds died down and all that was left were Kagome and Shippou. Shippou was asleep in his mother's arms. She smiled and noticed that he had taken on some of her physical attributes.
'Papa said that once a youkai child was adopted, the foster mother would then be like his biological mother… It would be as if he came out of her own womb…'
Sango examined the kitsune… no the inu-kitsune and saw that he now had similar light blue markings on both cheeks and arms. Sango noted that He still had his paws but they looked more like tiny hands now, and each finger on his hands had claws like Kagome's. Shippou's feet were also tiny and they no longer looked like his own tiny paws but it was like miniature InuYasha feet. The clothes he wore still fit, but it seemed that his aura had changed. She could see that his and Kagome's were almost identical. He felt stronger as well, as if being Kagome's pup had changed his strength.
'Makes me wonder how strong she really is…'
The servants began to clear things and one of the males were about to carry Kagome to her chambers when they heard SesshouMaru's low growl.
" I shall do that myself."
Sango and Miroku stared as the taiyoukai gently picked Kagome's form, careful not to wake the sleeping Kit in her arms.
"What just happened?" Sango asked.
"Shippou was adopted…" Miroku said hesitantly, not understanding her question.
Sango glared at Miroku and slapped his arm. " I know that you lecherous houshi, but what happened just a moment ago with SesshouMaru and Kagome-chan?"
Miroku thought for a bit and shrugged. " Maybe it's a youkai thing… after all she's not a ningen anymore and maybe he's warming up to her?"
Sango nodded and hoped that was it. ' I know for sure if InuYasha found out about this… he'd kill SesshouMaru in an instant…'
" Sango… do not be so worried. InuYasha respects Lady Kagome and I am sure that if SesshouMaru-sama's intentions are well, InuYasha will understand…" he said partly for Sango and partly to convince himself so. 'I just hope that InuYasha's chauvinistic side does not blind whatever is left of his logical side… if he ever had one'
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InuYasha and Kikyou ran towards the forest. No wonder Kikyou had sensed dying people and ripe souls for the picking. Low classed youkais had attacked and feasted on the bodies of the villagers. And now were aiming for them.
InuYasha looked at the rusted sword in his clutches.
'Why didn't you transform?!'
Kikyou sensed him tense and ran even faster. They were just a few meters away from a shrine. They could ask for sanctuary just until they stopped.
" Kukuku… if it isn't InuYasha… and what's this? Kikyou…"
InuYasha stopped running and placed Kikyou behind him. He pointed the rusted form of the Tetsusaiga towards the form hidden behind shadows.
" Come out here, Naraku!"
A figure wearing white baboon pelt came into the clearing. He began to chuckle and InuYasha noticed that the youkais no longer chased them.
"Those were yours?" Kikyou asked monotonously. " Why did you lead us here?"
Naraku's gaze fell towards InuYasha. " The hanyou need not hear this"
Kikyou nodded and InuYasha fell unconscious.
"What is it?" Kikyou asked. " You promised to leave us alone if I pleasured you"
Naraku smiled. " I never said I would stop asking for that favor"
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Author's Note: No this is not a lemon and there won't be one. I'm only 15! I cannot make one for three reasons: 1) I have no experience in such things. 2) I'm too innocent. 3) I don't think I can do it justice.
