~Disclaimer=I own everything!!! (pounding on the door) Many Voices: "Open up in there! We know you've got 'em!" O_O No, no!! I own nothing! I own absolutely nothing!!! Not the white jacket again!! AHHHHHhhhhhh.....!!! (screaming fades as Mistress Nika is dragged away by the men in white coats)
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"We perceive when love begins and when it declines by our embarrassment when alone together."
-La Bruyere
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Sesshoumaru studied the woman before him. It was hard to believe she was the same giggling girl who had first summoned them to her world and then proceeded to bash he and his hanyou brother into the ground. She sat straight, with her hands in her lap and a mask of indifference much like his own. He suddenly realized that she was not a young girl, as she appeared.
"May I ask a question of you?" he said politely.
"You may." she replied with a flick of her hair.
He studied her for a minute more before asking, "What is your age?" (A/N=no rule among youkai for asking a woman's age. youkai are proud of being older)
"I am two hundred and thirteen years old." she said plainly. "May I ask yours?"
Sesshoumaru grimaced. He was the youngest lord ever, and the other lords didn't let him forget it. "I am two hundred and ninety-six."
Suzuka smiled faintly. "I expected you to be older."
Sesshoumaru detected the playful tone in her voice and countered with, "I expected you to be younger, from the way you act."
He didn't mean it as an insult, however, from the way the small smile left her face and her eyes darkened, he knew he had struck something deep.
"It's necessary." she said sadly. "For Yuki and Jodea. I can't let them see the weight of responsibility that plagues me. I have to be as strong and lighthearted as possible, for them. To make them happy."
Sesshoumaru nodded. He understood the weight that she bore. He understood it better than most. He had bore the same weight, when his father had died and left him to rule at such a young age. But, unlike her, he hadn't had anyone to be happy for. No one to hide his responsibility from. But then he corrected himself. He did have someone. A little brother he had ignored and hated with great passion, mearly for being who and what he was.
Suzuka watched Sesshoumaru's eyes flicker slightly with long suppressed emotion. It was true that he had never been to the island before, however, she had met him long ago. In a land where everything was possible. She remembered vividly how she would pour over volume after volume of long forgotten history. Unlike most young youkai, she had loved to study. To learn everything possible about every subject imaginable. And that was when she had come upon the legends of the Sengoku Jidai. And the stories that had struck her in particular, were the ones dealing with the young Lord Sesshoumaru. She had studied every aspect of him she could and when her younger siblings had come to live with her, she had gotten them interested as well. Although, they could never understand her fascination with the taiyoukai. They much preferred the stories of action and adventure dealing with his younger half brother, InuYasha.
And then, one night she cast a spell. She yearned to know the truth behind the stories.
~~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~
Suzuka sat on her bed with her favorite book dealing with the handsome youkai lord in her lap. It was well after midnight and the entire house was asleep. All the better. She didn't want anyone to know what she was about to do. She was still a child and technically not allowed to do magic without supervision. But her teachers had said she was the most naturally gifted they had seen in a thousand years. She was confident she could accomplish this task with no problem.
She lit the candle she had placed by her bedside for just this purpose and placed her hand on the thick leather cover of the book. She brushed her fingers fondly over the elaborate cover illustration; a giant demon dog with a crescent moon on it's forehead. She closed her eyes and focused on the feel of the raised picture beneath her fingers. Then she took a deep breath and whispered, "I am the soul of imagination. I see what the eyes cannot see. I hear what the ears cannot hear. I feel what the mortal heart cannot feel."
Suddenly, she lost all rational thought as the earth gave way and she fell through a vortex of spiraling colors. She felt weightless, as if she were floating though water. Cold fingers grazed her skin and she shuddered. Feeling slightly nauseous, she clinched her eyes tighter together. She gasped as she felt herself hit the ground hard.
Sitting up, she found herself in the garden of an ancient castle. Or it would have been ancient, if it hadn't looked so new. Looking down at her hands, she found she could actually see through them! But she wasn't concerned. This was what the spell was supposed to do.
"Sesshoumaru!" a woman's voice called out gently. "Sesshoumaru, where are you?"
"Here, okaa-san!" came the childish reply as a chibi Sesshoumaru leaped out of a bush and growled fiercely at the beautiful woman who had appeared just moments before. She mearly laughed and scooped the growling pup up into her arms.
Her golden hair cascaded down her back in luxurious waves, curling around her pointed ears and caressing the mark on her forehead; a gold diamond in the center of an indigo crescent moon. Her kind brown eyes sparkled with joy and a passion for life. "Now, Sess-chan, don't you know you shouldn't growl at your mother?" she said with a chuckle. "It's rude."
"Awww, okaa-san!" he whined as he stuggled to free himself from the woman's unrelenting affections. "Don't call me that! It's embarrassing!"
She just laughed again and set him on his feet. "How is it embarrassing?" she questioned, "When I am the only one to hear it?"
He puffed out his chest and lifted his head, saying proudly, "I'm gonna be a Great Demon! Youkai Lords don't let there mom's call them nicknames! It's a sign of weakness!"
At this she knelt down in front of him, putting them face to face and looked into his eyes. "Sesshoumaru, you must remember. Affection isn't a sign of weakness, only of strength. We deceive ourselves when we fancy that only weakness needs support. Strength needs it far more."
Chibi Sesshoumaru just stared into his mother's eyes, concerned for what he saw there. He saw sadness, and great pain. Wanting to comfort his mother, he reached up and hugged her tight around the neck. "Okay, okaa-san. I won't forget."
~~~~~~~~~~~~End Flashback~~~~~~~~~~
Suzuka had found herself awakened the next morning by her mother pounding on her door and shouting to wake up. She would have thought it a dream, except the next night, without casting the spell again, the same thing happened. Only this time she had seen a young Sesshoumaru happen upon his father in the garden. But he wasn't alone. There he found the human woman with his father, sitting together and talking as if they were mates. And the next night, she had seen his mother driven to suicide by his father's attentions on the human woman. But more than that, she had felt his anguish at discovering her lifeless body, and his bitterness and hate for both his father and the mortal woman. This had continued on every night. And every night she would see an important event from his life. She would feel his emotions as they played out before her. And then, she had stopped feeling his emotions as he cut himself off from them. She knew that he had rationalized to himself that feeling nothing was better than feeling everything. She had seen every aspect of his life, until just after he had taken in the human girl, Rin. And that was when she had begun to feel his emotions again. Everytime he looked at the child, she could feel his heart warm slightly.
Without realizing it, Suzuka began smiling again while staring vacantly into the eyes of the supposedly cold youkai sitting across from her. She could only imagine what he would say if he knew that she had witnessed his entire life.
Sesshoumaru watched the girl, lost in her own thoughts. At first she had seemed so sad, but then...she smiled. It was a totally unguarded smile, straight from the soul. He thought to himself that he had never seen such a wondrous sight. Not since he was very young.
Suddenly, the carriage rocked to a stop and the door opened, drawing both it's occupants out of their reveries.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Outside with Sango, Kagome and Miroku~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miroku watched spellbound as the two girls in front of him bounced up and down as their horses trotted along. Not least among the hentai thoughts filling his mind was how to get close enough to grope one, if not both, of the girls without their noticing it. As he was preparing to urge his horse forward, he noticed they were leaving the carefully trimmed forest they had been traveling through and entering a bustling city. The city itself rested between a high mountain and the sea. On their left was a harbor which strangely had no boats and no business. It was completely deserted. But to his right, perched atop the mountain, looking down on the city, was a magnificent golden palace with high walls. He could only guess who lived there.
The city itself was strangely full of life, despite the late hour. Hanging lanterns lit the streets and all the shops radiated the warm glow of fires burning within. Most of the people he saw were youkai. A few were dressed in elegant robes and were obviously of the elite. But for the most part, they were all dressed moderately. In well made clothes that didn't nessacerily exhibit great wealth. Here and there he saw a few humans, dressed in rags, darting through the shadows and rushing to do the bidding of their youkai masters.
He suddenly realized that their little entourage stood out greatly and were given considerable birth by passerby. He saw no other horses and no other carriages on the street. It seemed everyone was on foot, but them.
The driver of the carriage called out to Kouga as they neared an alleyway. "Ouji-sama!" he called. When Kouga turned around the man motioned to the alley. "In here." he said and turned the carriage into it, Kouga following suit.
When they had pulled to a stop, Kouga and the three humans behind dismounted. The driver jumped down from his perch and quickly opened the carriage door. With a sweeping bow to the occupants within, he held up one hand.
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Suzuka quickly snapped back to herself and lost the goofy smile, returning to the mask of indifference mirrored by Sesshoumaru's own. She took the hand that was offered her and stepped out, followed by her companion. Miroku, Sango, Kagome and Kouga came to her side and looked at her expectantly.
"Alright. This is Alvene, the capitol city." she said. "We have to do this right. I don't want anyone suspicious." She reached and took Kagome and Sango by the arms, positioning them directly behind her. "You are both ladys-in-waiting. This means you should walk just behind me. Never leave my side. Both of you hold status over all other humans and no youkai can order you, save me. Ladys-in-waiting are basically just window dressing, if you get me."
Both nodded but didn't look too happy at being told they were just there for appearances. But they supposed it would keep them safe from other youkai.
Suzuka then turned to Miroku and positioned him just behind Kagome. After Kagome gave him a look that clearly said 'hands off', Suzuka said to him, "Miroku, you are a priest. That means you were brought from mainland specifically for the purpose of tending our shrine. This also gives you higher status than normal. Just remain respectful and you shouldn't have any problem."
Then she looked at the wolf who was glaring at Miroku, just waiting for him to try something on 'his woman'.
"Kouga." No response. "Kouga!"
He quickly dashed to her side and said, "Yes?"
She sighed and said, "You'll walk slightly behind me and to my side, just in front of Kagome. Just...try to stay close!" She shook her head at the way he kept glancing back at Kagome. "Look, you can't show the slightest bit of interest in her! If you do, it will give us away! She's a human servant. You're a youkai prince. You have to act above her!"
He turned to Kagome one last time and said painfully, "Sorry."
Then she turned to Sesshoumaru to position him, but instead found him already at her side.
"I stand here." he said.
She nodded dumbly and began their little procession out of the alleyway and into the street.
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Walking down the street, they attracted a great deal of attention. All eyes turned their way. Specifically to the two taiyoukai leading the retinue. Whispers flew up and down the street of the princess and the legendary great demon.
Suzuka was just glad that they were nearing their destination. But then her sensitive ears picked up something other than the gossip flooding the crowd. The taunts of several women, followed by a voice she knew all too well.
She stopped suddenly, causing those behind her to nearly bowl each other over. She looked down a side street and saw three female youkai blocking the way of an increasingly angry inu-hanyou. In the hanyou's clenched fist she saw a steel fan. She mentally cursed and turned to her companions.
"Stay here!" she ordered, then without waiting to see the stunned looks on their faces, she dashed away and toward the bickering group. She didn't even look back, otherwise she would have seen Sesshoumaru following after her.
He doubted she needed protection, but for some reason his body moved without his brain's permission, causing him to chase her into that side street. However, when he saw what she was doing, he stood back a ways and gave her room. He convinced himself he wasn't hiding, but still...he didn't really want her to see him either.
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"What do you think you're doing here?" sneered one woman haughtily.
"Contaminating our city with your dirty blood!" said another.
The hanyou growled softly and clenched her hand harder around her fan. She didn't want to use it, but she could feel her control slipping. If they didn't stop she knew they'd soon be dead. That would be a terrible mistake.
"Filthy hanyou!" spit one.
Just after that comment, a clawed hand grabbed the woman by the shoulder and spun her around violently.
"WHO'S A HANYOU!!?" shouted an angry Suzuka as her fist collided with the youkai woman's face.
The woman slid unconscious to the ground and the remaining two were faced with a very angry youkai princess staring them down.
Both of them immediately dropped to their knees and began begging for their lives.
"Please, princess!! We didn't mean to insult you! O_O Not to say you're a hanyou! Everyone knows you're almost a full blood!! O_O NO!! I mean, you are a full blood!! O_o I mean, you're considered a full blood!! o_o Please don't kill us, princess!!!"
Suzuka shook her head in disappointment. Such fragile creatures... Then she proceeded to play punch-a-peasant! She had great fun and in the end all three of the offending women were unconscious.
Finally she turned to the now-calming hanyou. "Hakura-chan, good to see you." she said warmly with a smile, apparently forgetting the three women she had just pummeled into oblivion.
The hanyou turned a bright smile on her and said, "Suzuka-sama! I'm glad I got to see you before I left!"
Suzuka looked at her longtime friend with sad eyes. "You're leaving?" she asked.
Hakura just nodded and said, "Yeah, I was on my way to the harbor when these three decided to corral me." She gestured to the three fallen bodies.
Suzuka entwined her arm with her friend's and said, "Well, why don't you let us walk you there. Wouldn't want you to kill anyone on the way!"
They laughed good-naturedly, but then Hakura spotted Sesshoumaru who had moved to stand in front of them. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth just hung there, unable to form words. After gawking for a few minutes she bowed low and said, "Sesshoumaru-sama!!" But it seemed that was all she could get out. Her eyes remained the size of dinner plates and she literally clung to Suzuka as if she were dreaming and couldn't decide whether or not she wanted to wake up.
Sesshoumaru enjoyed the young hanyou's stunned reaction. But for some strange reason, he didn't like how friendly and close, both emotionally and physically, the hanyou was to Suzuka. He was overcome by the desire to have her act that way with him. So, he decided to do something that would probably cause rumors to fly for years. He removed Hakura's arm from Suzuka's and proceeded to replace it with his own! Then he said calmly, "Come. The other's are waiting...Suki." (O_O)
Suzuka's eyes then went as big as Hakura's. As Sesshoumaru began to lead her away, she just followed along mindlessly. Halfway to main street she regained what was left of her mind and looked back over her shoulder to her friend. Hakura was just standing there, watching in the same state of shock as Suzuka had been. Suzuka mouthed to her 'I don't know!' and motioned with her head to follow them.
Hakura ran to catch up with them and then just walked along behind them, still staring in amazement.
When they re-emerged Sesshoumaru considered removing himself from the girl, but decided against it. He reasoned that it didn't matter what people said or thought about it, because it wasn't his world. He would leave, and Suzuka's popularity could only grow when connected to him. The only flaw in his plan with his brother. InuYasha would never let him live it down. But he could just frighten the humans into keeping it secret, and the wolf wouldn't be a problem either. So, he could simply enjoy her company...with no consequences.
Suzuka felt her body heat up at his close proximity. She thought to herself that her crush was quickly becoming more than just a crush. But there was no way he could actually like her! He was Sesshoumaru, for Kami's sake!! But then, she reminded herself that, who knew him better than she. And who knew how much of his heart remained beating within that cold exterior? She did. She knew even better than he what he was capable of.
Kagome almost fainted when she saw Suzuka return arm-in-arm with Sesshoumaru. And followed by a female hanyou who looked a great deal like InuYasha.
Sango leaned over to her friend and whispered, "Kagome-chan, you don't think they got into a battle and he was struck on the head, do you?"
Kagome didn't reply, mearly stared at the strange sight approaching.
Miroku noticed the girls were distracted, but he also knew they could get into serious trouble if he groped them. He was supposed to be a humble priest, not a complete hentai. But he just couldn't stop himself. His hand began moving of it's own accord, straight for Sango's behind! He grabbed his cursed hand with the other and forced it back to his side. He mentally screamed at himself. He musn't do it!! Not now!!
When they came upon the others Suzuka tried to pry her arm from Sesshoumaru's, to no avail. He wasn't letting go, so it seemed she was stuck with him. Although that thought wasn't entirely objectionable. She just hoped no one decieded to take news to her father of this! Knowing her father, he would blow it way out of proportion and immediately insist to meet her mate! That man could be so dense sometimes...
Suzuka reached behind her with her free arm and grabbed Hakura, dragging her to her side with a wide grin. "Everyone, this is Hakura. I met her in Osaka once and we've been friends ever since."
Kagome, still stunned at Sesshoumaru's weird behavior but deciding to ignore it, asked, "But I thought hanyou's aren't allowed here. Except your family."
Suzuka nodded and said, "Yes, but I had her granted special permission. She can come and go as she pleases, but she can't stay more than a few days." Then she picked up a strange pendant that was hanging around Hakura's neck, displaying it. It was solid silver, engraved with a starburst. "This pendant allows her to pass through the barrier surrounding the island and it also grants her immunity from the law which restricts hanyous."
Hakura smiled and said to her friend, "But I'm afraid my time is up. I have to leave now."
Suzuka nodded and said to her friends, "Do you think you guys could get a few...uh...dozen pizzas while I walk Hakura-chan to the docks?"
Kagome cocked her head to the side. "Pizza? You have that here?"
Suzuka just laughed and said, "Of course! We're civilized demons!" She pointed down the street to a bakery and said, "Just order whatever you want. Here." She handed Kagome a handful of coins and said, "That should be plenty. You shouldn't have any problem since humans often run errands such as picking up food. And if you do, Kouga will be there." She giggled slightly and said to him, "Just growl at them if they give you guff. That should set them straight!" She laughed again at the mental image of Kouga growling at the poor baker for whatever crime he had commited against Kagome.
She turned away and said with a parting wave, "Just wait for me outside. I shouldn't be gone long."
Kagome, Sango, Kouga and Miroku watched her go, with Sesshoumaru still attached to one arm and Hakura walking along on her other side.
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(A/N) Short, I know. I'm not happy with it. I planned to make it longer, but I'm low on energy and high on ideas. Which means the ideas torment me while I'm not able to get them out. But I must confess, I hadn't planned out what would happen when they got to the city. In fact, if it hadn't been for Hakura-chan wanting to be in it, the chapter may have mostly consisted of Jodea.
What will happen to the three humans and the obsessive-possessive wolf while Suzuka's gone? Was it wise to leave them alone? Will they get in major trouble? Will Sesshoumaru ever let go of Suzuka? Will Suzuka's arm go numb? Will we ever find out what's happening with Rin and Shippo? What's InuYasha up to while Kagome is gone...with Kouga? Will our house survive Hurricane InuYasha? Or maybe it'll be destroyed by Hurricane Hyper-Kids? R&R!! ^_^
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Reviews! Reviews! (skips merrily through the wildflowers) I love reviews! (trips over something cute, silver and luckily breathing) O_O INUYASHA!!!!! (glomps InuYasha and tweaks his ears)
Ann: Hehehe... I'm gonna do just that! ^_^
lilhillbillie: Okay! After what happens next chapter, they're gonna need some training! ^_^ And you're just the one to do it! And thanks for you bio.
Anglprncss: Thank you and a youkai like Sess-chan can take a pounding or two. Besides, you didn't hear him complain, did you? In fact, he seems to be rather amused by it. ^-^ But....SESS-CHAN'S MY MATE!!! He's all mine I tell you!! BWAHAHAHAHA!!! (men in white coats return) No! No! It's true! I swear!! He's right over there!! (men look over to see the demon lord sitting on the couch watching Baywatch) Men: By golly!! It's true!!
bluefuzzyelf: Of course not you!! *sigh* I would never hit a fellow Sake Sister! And thanks, I love it too... (hentai grin) Wait until we get back to the house. Everyone remembers how in the first Rin episode Sesshoumaru said he doesn't eat human food, right? Well, what's he gonna do while everyone else is eating? ^_^
sephroth2020: Thanks. That's a real compliment. And if you like this story, go read my other eight.
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"We perceive when love begins and when it declines by our embarrassment when alone together."
-La Bruyere
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Sesshoumaru studied the woman before him. It was hard to believe she was the same giggling girl who had first summoned them to her world and then proceeded to bash he and his hanyou brother into the ground. She sat straight, with her hands in her lap and a mask of indifference much like his own. He suddenly realized that she was not a young girl, as she appeared.
"May I ask a question of you?" he said politely.
"You may." she replied with a flick of her hair.
He studied her for a minute more before asking, "What is your age?" (A/N=no rule among youkai for asking a woman's age. youkai are proud of being older)
"I am two hundred and thirteen years old." she said plainly. "May I ask yours?"
Sesshoumaru grimaced. He was the youngest lord ever, and the other lords didn't let him forget it. "I am two hundred and ninety-six."
Suzuka smiled faintly. "I expected you to be older."
Sesshoumaru detected the playful tone in her voice and countered with, "I expected you to be younger, from the way you act."
He didn't mean it as an insult, however, from the way the small smile left her face and her eyes darkened, he knew he had struck something deep.
"It's necessary." she said sadly. "For Yuki and Jodea. I can't let them see the weight of responsibility that plagues me. I have to be as strong and lighthearted as possible, for them. To make them happy."
Sesshoumaru nodded. He understood the weight that she bore. He understood it better than most. He had bore the same weight, when his father had died and left him to rule at such a young age. But, unlike her, he hadn't had anyone to be happy for. No one to hide his responsibility from. But then he corrected himself. He did have someone. A little brother he had ignored and hated with great passion, mearly for being who and what he was.
Suzuka watched Sesshoumaru's eyes flicker slightly with long suppressed emotion. It was true that he had never been to the island before, however, she had met him long ago. In a land where everything was possible. She remembered vividly how she would pour over volume after volume of long forgotten history. Unlike most young youkai, she had loved to study. To learn everything possible about every subject imaginable. And that was when she had come upon the legends of the Sengoku Jidai. And the stories that had struck her in particular, were the ones dealing with the young Lord Sesshoumaru. She had studied every aspect of him she could and when her younger siblings had come to live with her, she had gotten them interested as well. Although, they could never understand her fascination with the taiyoukai. They much preferred the stories of action and adventure dealing with his younger half brother, InuYasha.
And then, one night she cast a spell. She yearned to know the truth behind the stories.
~~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~
Suzuka sat on her bed with her favorite book dealing with the handsome youkai lord in her lap. It was well after midnight and the entire house was asleep. All the better. She didn't want anyone to know what she was about to do. She was still a child and technically not allowed to do magic without supervision. But her teachers had said she was the most naturally gifted they had seen in a thousand years. She was confident she could accomplish this task with no problem.
She lit the candle she had placed by her bedside for just this purpose and placed her hand on the thick leather cover of the book. She brushed her fingers fondly over the elaborate cover illustration; a giant demon dog with a crescent moon on it's forehead. She closed her eyes and focused on the feel of the raised picture beneath her fingers. Then she took a deep breath and whispered, "I am the soul of imagination. I see what the eyes cannot see. I hear what the ears cannot hear. I feel what the mortal heart cannot feel."
Suddenly, she lost all rational thought as the earth gave way and she fell through a vortex of spiraling colors. She felt weightless, as if she were floating though water. Cold fingers grazed her skin and she shuddered. Feeling slightly nauseous, she clinched her eyes tighter together. She gasped as she felt herself hit the ground hard.
Sitting up, she found herself in the garden of an ancient castle. Or it would have been ancient, if it hadn't looked so new. Looking down at her hands, she found she could actually see through them! But she wasn't concerned. This was what the spell was supposed to do.
"Sesshoumaru!" a woman's voice called out gently. "Sesshoumaru, where are you?"
"Here, okaa-san!" came the childish reply as a chibi Sesshoumaru leaped out of a bush and growled fiercely at the beautiful woman who had appeared just moments before. She mearly laughed and scooped the growling pup up into her arms.
Her golden hair cascaded down her back in luxurious waves, curling around her pointed ears and caressing the mark on her forehead; a gold diamond in the center of an indigo crescent moon. Her kind brown eyes sparkled with joy and a passion for life. "Now, Sess-chan, don't you know you shouldn't growl at your mother?" she said with a chuckle. "It's rude."
"Awww, okaa-san!" he whined as he stuggled to free himself from the woman's unrelenting affections. "Don't call me that! It's embarrassing!"
She just laughed again and set him on his feet. "How is it embarrassing?" she questioned, "When I am the only one to hear it?"
He puffed out his chest and lifted his head, saying proudly, "I'm gonna be a Great Demon! Youkai Lords don't let there mom's call them nicknames! It's a sign of weakness!"
At this she knelt down in front of him, putting them face to face and looked into his eyes. "Sesshoumaru, you must remember. Affection isn't a sign of weakness, only of strength. We deceive ourselves when we fancy that only weakness needs support. Strength needs it far more."
Chibi Sesshoumaru just stared into his mother's eyes, concerned for what he saw there. He saw sadness, and great pain. Wanting to comfort his mother, he reached up and hugged her tight around the neck. "Okay, okaa-san. I won't forget."
~~~~~~~~~~~~End Flashback~~~~~~~~~~
Suzuka had found herself awakened the next morning by her mother pounding on her door and shouting to wake up. She would have thought it a dream, except the next night, without casting the spell again, the same thing happened. Only this time she had seen a young Sesshoumaru happen upon his father in the garden. But he wasn't alone. There he found the human woman with his father, sitting together and talking as if they were mates. And the next night, she had seen his mother driven to suicide by his father's attentions on the human woman. But more than that, she had felt his anguish at discovering her lifeless body, and his bitterness and hate for both his father and the mortal woman. This had continued on every night. And every night she would see an important event from his life. She would feel his emotions as they played out before her. And then, she had stopped feeling his emotions as he cut himself off from them. She knew that he had rationalized to himself that feeling nothing was better than feeling everything. She had seen every aspect of his life, until just after he had taken in the human girl, Rin. And that was when she had begun to feel his emotions again. Everytime he looked at the child, she could feel his heart warm slightly.
Without realizing it, Suzuka began smiling again while staring vacantly into the eyes of the supposedly cold youkai sitting across from her. She could only imagine what he would say if he knew that she had witnessed his entire life.
Sesshoumaru watched the girl, lost in her own thoughts. At first she had seemed so sad, but then...she smiled. It was a totally unguarded smile, straight from the soul. He thought to himself that he had never seen such a wondrous sight. Not since he was very young.
Suddenly, the carriage rocked to a stop and the door opened, drawing both it's occupants out of their reveries.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Outside with Sango, Kagome and Miroku~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miroku watched spellbound as the two girls in front of him bounced up and down as their horses trotted along. Not least among the hentai thoughts filling his mind was how to get close enough to grope one, if not both, of the girls without their noticing it. As he was preparing to urge his horse forward, he noticed they were leaving the carefully trimmed forest they had been traveling through and entering a bustling city. The city itself rested between a high mountain and the sea. On their left was a harbor which strangely had no boats and no business. It was completely deserted. But to his right, perched atop the mountain, looking down on the city, was a magnificent golden palace with high walls. He could only guess who lived there.
The city itself was strangely full of life, despite the late hour. Hanging lanterns lit the streets and all the shops radiated the warm glow of fires burning within. Most of the people he saw were youkai. A few were dressed in elegant robes and were obviously of the elite. But for the most part, they were all dressed moderately. In well made clothes that didn't nessacerily exhibit great wealth. Here and there he saw a few humans, dressed in rags, darting through the shadows and rushing to do the bidding of their youkai masters.
He suddenly realized that their little entourage stood out greatly and were given considerable birth by passerby. He saw no other horses and no other carriages on the street. It seemed everyone was on foot, but them.
The driver of the carriage called out to Kouga as they neared an alleyway. "Ouji-sama!" he called. When Kouga turned around the man motioned to the alley. "In here." he said and turned the carriage into it, Kouga following suit.
When they had pulled to a stop, Kouga and the three humans behind dismounted. The driver jumped down from his perch and quickly opened the carriage door. With a sweeping bow to the occupants within, he held up one hand.
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Suzuka quickly snapped back to herself and lost the goofy smile, returning to the mask of indifference mirrored by Sesshoumaru's own. She took the hand that was offered her and stepped out, followed by her companion. Miroku, Sango, Kagome and Kouga came to her side and looked at her expectantly.
"Alright. This is Alvene, the capitol city." she said. "We have to do this right. I don't want anyone suspicious." She reached and took Kagome and Sango by the arms, positioning them directly behind her. "You are both ladys-in-waiting. This means you should walk just behind me. Never leave my side. Both of you hold status over all other humans and no youkai can order you, save me. Ladys-in-waiting are basically just window dressing, if you get me."
Both nodded but didn't look too happy at being told they were just there for appearances. But they supposed it would keep them safe from other youkai.
Suzuka then turned to Miroku and positioned him just behind Kagome. After Kagome gave him a look that clearly said 'hands off', Suzuka said to him, "Miroku, you are a priest. That means you were brought from mainland specifically for the purpose of tending our shrine. This also gives you higher status than normal. Just remain respectful and you shouldn't have any problem."
Then she looked at the wolf who was glaring at Miroku, just waiting for him to try something on 'his woman'.
"Kouga." No response. "Kouga!"
He quickly dashed to her side and said, "Yes?"
She sighed and said, "You'll walk slightly behind me and to my side, just in front of Kagome. Just...try to stay close!" She shook her head at the way he kept glancing back at Kagome. "Look, you can't show the slightest bit of interest in her! If you do, it will give us away! She's a human servant. You're a youkai prince. You have to act above her!"
He turned to Kagome one last time and said painfully, "Sorry."
Then she turned to Sesshoumaru to position him, but instead found him already at her side.
"I stand here." he said.
She nodded dumbly and began their little procession out of the alleyway and into the street.
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Walking down the street, they attracted a great deal of attention. All eyes turned their way. Specifically to the two taiyoukai leading the retinue. Whispers flew up and down the street of the princess and the legendary great demon.
Suzuka was just glad that they were nearing their destination. But then her sensitive ears picked up something other than the gossip flooding the crowd. The taunts of several women, followed by a voice she knew all too well.
She stopped suddenly, causing those behind her to nearly bowl each other over. She looked down a side street and saw three female youkai blocking the way of an increasingly angry inu-hanyou. In the hanyou's clenched fist she saw a steel fan. She mentally cursed and turned to her companions.
"Stay here!" she ordered, then without waiting to see the stunned looks on their faces, she dashed away and toward the bickering group. She didn't even look back, otherwise she would have seen Sesshoumaru following after her.
He doubted she needed protection, but for some reason his body moved without his brain's permission, causing him to chase her into that side street. However, when he saw what she was doing, he stood back a ways and gave her room. He convinced himself he wasn't hiding, but still...he didn't really want her to see him either.
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"What do you think you're doing here?" sneered one woman haughtily.
"Contaminating our city with your dirty blood!" said another.
The hanyou growled softly and clenched her hand harder around her fan. She didn't want to use it, but she could feel her control slipping. If they didn't stop she knew they'd soon be dead. That would be a terrible mistake.
"Filthy hanyou!" spit one.
Just after that comment, a clawed hand grabbed the woman by the shoulder and spun her around violently.
"WHO'S A HANYOU!!?" shouted an angry Suzuka as her fist collided with the youkai woman's face.
The woman slid unconscious to the ground and the remaining two were faced with a very angry youkai princess staring them down.
Both of them immediately dropped to their knees and began begging for their lives.
"Please, princess!! We didn't mean to insult you! O_O Not to say you're a hanyou! Everyone knows you're almost a full blood!! O_O NO!! I mean, you are a full blood!! O_o I mean, you're considered a full blood!! o_o Please don't kill us, princess!!!"
Suzuka shook her head in disappointment. Such fragile creatures... Then she proceeded to play punch-a-peasant! She had great fun and in the end all three of the offending women were unconscious.
Finally she turned to the now-calming hanyou. "Hakura-chan, good to see you." she said warmly with a smile, apparently forgetting the three women she had just pummeled into oblivion.
The hanyou turned a bright smile on her and said, "Suzuka-sama! I'm glad I got to see you before I left!"
Suzuka looked at her longtime friend with sad eyes. "You're leaving?" she asked.
Hakura just nodded and said, "Yeah, I was on my way to the harbor when these three decided to corral me." She gestured to the three fallen bodies.
Suzuka entwined her arm with her friend's and said, "Well, why don't you let us walk you there. Wouldn't want you to kill anyone on the way!"
They laughed good-naturedly, but then Hakura spotted Sesshoumaru who had moved to stand in front of them. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth just hung there, unable to form words. After gawking for a few minutes she bowed low and said, "Sesshoumaru-sama!!" But it seemed that was all she could get out. Her eyes remained the size of dinner plates and she literally clung to Suzuka as if she were dreaming and couldn't decide whether or not she wanted to wake up.
Sesshoumaru enjoyed the young hanyou's stunned reaction. But for some strange reason, he didn't like how friendly and close, both emotionally and physically, the hanyou was to Suzuka. He was overcome by the desire to have her act that way with him. So, he decided to do something that would probably cause rumors to fly for years. He removed Hakura's arm from Suzuka's and proceeded to replace it with his own! Then he said calmly, "Come. The other's are waiting...Suki." (O_O)
Suzuka's eyes then went as big as Hakura's. As Sesshoumaru began to lead her away, she just followed along mindlessly. Halfway to main street she regained what was left of her mind and looked back over her shoulder to her friend. Hakura was just standing there, watching in the same state of shock as Suzuka had been. Suzuka mouthed to her 'I don't know!' and motioned with her head to follow them.
Hakura ran to catch up with them and then just walked along behind them, still staring in amazement.
When they re-emerged Sesshoumaru considered removing himself from the girl, but decided against it. He reasoned that it didn't matter what people said or thought about it, because it wasn't his world. He would leave, and Suzuka's popularity could only grow when connected to him. The only flaw in his plan with his brother. InuYasha would never let him live it down. But he could just frighten the humans into keeping it secret, and the wolf wouldn't be a problem either. So, he could simply enjoy her company...with no consequences.
Suzuka felt her body heat up at his close proximity. She thought to herself that her crush was quickly becoming more than just a crush. But there was no way he could actually like her! He was Sesshoumaru, for Kami's sake!! But then, she reminded herself that, who knew him better than she. And who knew how much of his heart remained beating within that cold exterior? She did. She knew even better than he what he was capable of.
Kagome almost fainted when she saw Suzuka return arm-in-arm with Sesshoumaru. And followed by a female hanyou who looked a great deal like InuYasha.
Sango leaned over to her friend and whispered, "Kagome-chan, you don't think they got into a battle and he was struck on the head, do you?"
Kagome didn't reply, mearly stared at the strange sight approaching.
Miroku noticed the girls were distracted, but he also knew they could get into serious trouble if he groped them. He was supposed to be a humble priest, not a complete hentai. But he just couldn't stop himself. His hand began moving of it's own accord, straight for Sango's behind! He grabbed his cursed hand with the other and forced it back to his side. He mentally screamed at himself. He musn't do it!! Not now!!
When they came upon the others Suzuka tried to pry her arm from Sesshoumaru's, to no avail. He wasn't letting go, so it seemed she was stuck with him. Although that thought wasn't entirely objectionable. She just hoped no one decieded to take news to her father of this! Knowing her father, he would blow it way out of proportion and immediately insist to meet her mate! That man could be so dense sometimes...
Suzuka reached behind her with her free arm and grabbed Hakura, dragging her to her side with a wide grin. "Everyone, this is Hakura. I met her in Osaka once and we've been friends ever since."
Kagome, still stunned at Sesshoumaru's weird behavior but deciding to ignore it, asked, "But I thought hanyou's aren't allowed here. Except your family."
Suzuka nodded and said, "Yes, but I had her granted special permission. She can come and go as she pleases, but she can't stay more than a few days." Then she picked up a strange pendant that was hanging around Hakura's neck, displaying it. It was solid silver, engraved with a starburst. "This pendant allows her to pass through the barrier surrounding the island and it also grants her immunity from the law which restricts hanyous."
Hakura smiled and said to her friend, "But I'm afraid my time is up. I have to leave now."
Suzuka nodded and said to her friends, "Do you think you guys could get a few...uh...dozen pizzas while I walk Hakura-chan to the docks?"
Kagome cocked her head to the side. "Pizza? You have that here?"
Suzuka just laughed and said, "Of course! We're civilized demons!" She pointed down the street to a bakery and said, "Just order whatever you want. Here." She handed Kagome a handful of coins and said, "That should be plenty. You shouldn't have any problem since humans often run errands such as picking up food. And if you do, Kouga will be there." She giggled slightly and said to him, "Just growl at them if they give you guff. That should set them straight!" She laughed again at the mental image of Kouga growling at the poor baker for whatever crime he had commited against Kagome.
She turned away and said with a parting wave, "Just wait for me outside. I shouldn't be gone long."
Kagome, Sango, Kouga and Miroku watched her go, with Sesshoumaru still attached to one arm and Hakura walking along on her other side.
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(A/N) Short, I know. I'm not happy with it. I planned to make it longer, but I'm low on energy and high on ideas. Which means the ideas torment me while I'm not able to get them out. But I must confess, I hadn't planned out what would happen when they got to the city. In fact, if it hadn't been for Hakura-chan wanting to be in it, the chapter may have mostly consisted of Jodea.
What will happen to the three humans and the obsessive-possessive wolf while Suzuka's gone? Was it wise to leave them alone? Will they get in major trouble? Will Sesshoumaru ever let go of Suzuka? Will Suzuka's arm go numb? Will we ever find out what's happening with Rin and Shippo? What's InuYasha up to while Kagome is gone...with Kouga? Will our house survive Hurricane InuYasha? Or maybe it'll be destroyed by Hurricane Hyper-Kids? R&R!! ^_^
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Reviews! Reviews! (skips merrily through the wildflowers) I love reviews! (trips over something cute, silver and luckily breathing) O_O INUYASHA!!!!! (glomps InuYasha and tweaks his ears)
Ann: Hehehe... I'm gonna do just that! ^_^
lilhillbillie: Okay! After what happens next chapter, they're gonna need some training! ^_^ And you're just the one to do it! And thanks for you bio.
Anglprncss: Thank you and a youkai like Sess-chan can take a pounding or two. Besides, you didn't hear him complain, did you? In fact, he seems to be rather amused by it. ^-^ But....SESS-CHAN'S MY MATE!!! He's all mine I tell you!! BWAHAHAHAHA!!! (men in white coats return) No! No! It's true! I swear!! He's right over there!! (men look over to see the demon lord sitting on the couch watching Baywatch) Men: By golly!! It's true!!
bluefuzzyelf: Of course not you!! *sigh* I would never hit a fellow Sake Sister! And thanks, I love it too... (hentai grin) Wait until we get back to the house. Everyone remembers how in the first Rin episode Sesshoumaru said he doesn't eat human food, right? Well, what's he gonna do while everyone else is eating? ^_^
sephroth2020: Thanks. That's a real compliment. And if you like this story, go read my other eight.