Disclaimer: I only own Sesshy. . . ^_^ Just kidding. . . I don't own
anyone from Inuyasha.
Author's Note: To tamababymiko-chan, I merely wanted to point out that you addressed me as Tainted Demon in your review. I found that quite amusing; I adore Tainted Demon's fics and *blush* find it a bit flattering that you would mistake me for her! ^_^ And to vold, domo arigatou gozimasu for your support and saying you check my story every day! *hug* And to Aoihyou, congratulations for being the one hundredth reviewer!
"___" = Dialogue
'___' = Thoughts
Conflicting Desires
By Forsaken Tenshi
Chapter 5: The First of Many
"Kagome-chan!"
The shrine maiden's reverie was broken by the happy voice of that little girl with the gap-toothed smile. She glanced in the direction of the voice and spotted Rin running at a breakneck speed towards her. Kagome smiled at the girl and hopped off the rock. She knelt down on her knees, and Rin practically flew into the priestess' arms.
"How are you, Rin-chan?" asked Kagome as she gave the eight-year-old a gentle squeeze. She pulled away to look at Rin in the face.
"Rin spent the entire morning bugging Jaken-sama, Kagome-chan," replied Rin with a cheerful giggle.
"Oh? And how did you annoy Jaken?"
The child giggled again. "Rin claimed Jaken-sama ate bugs for food!"
Kagome smiled. "And what did he say?"
"Jaken-sama said he doesn't eat bugs."
The priestess chuckled quietly to herself. "Well, I'm glad you are happy, Rin-chan," she said. "What else did you do?"
Rin smiled as Kagome settled near the base of the boulder and held her arms out in an inviting gesture. The girl readily accepted the offer and nestled herself against the teen.
"Rin drew pretty pictures of Sesshoumaru-sama and Jaken-sama and Kagome- chan and Rin together. Rin also drew pictures of flowers."
"May I see them sometime, Rin-chan?" asked the priestess.
Rin nodded her head vigorously. "Yes! Does Kagome-chan know how to draw?" Soft hazel eyes gazed up at Kagome, and she met those wide, innocent orbs.
"I do, Rin-chan," uttered the teen quietly, all the while hugging the smaller girl close to her own body. "I'll show you what I have learned, okay?"
"Okay!" replied Rin excitedly as she wrapped her chubby arms around Kagome's waist. Kagome smiled lovingly at the girl.
Sesshoumaru snorted at the scene. Just _what_ caused them to bond like so? His mind turned over several possibilities. One. They were dreaming of their so-called artistic ability. Two. They knew they were both pathetic mortals that needed to seek each other's comfort. Three. They needed to find some source of entertainment.
The demon lord puzzled over the human girls' emotions. Each radiated a sense of peace, of comfort, of security. Secretly he envied them for what seemed to be complete contentment in their lives. But moreover, they gave off a feeling- a feeling so much like the one he felt when the priestess was meditating- a warm, fuzzy feeling that had one feeling at peace with the world. This baffled him to no end. He came here, wanting to find the cause of her sadness, and instead finds himself wondering what this _contentment_ is. A warm breeze wafted the priestess' delicate fragrance to his perceptive nose and he lost himself in it.
Kagome removed Rin's arms from her waist and stood up, suddenly alert. A presence had pricked her priestess senses. Gazing out at the encompassing forests, she said, "Rin, hide. Now."
Rin looked questioningly at the teen before shooting off to hide behind the boulder.
Sesshoumaru, from his vantage point, felt the same thing Kagome felt, albeit later. He scowled angrily at himself and the intruder; him for letting his guard down, and the intruder for coming onto his lands. 'Damned youkai.' He wanted to spring out and kill it instantly, yet he was reluctant to slay it, for he wanted to see the extent of the priestess' abilities. So he waited, ready to intercept if necessary.
Kagome cursed silently for not bringing the bow and arrows out with her. Still as resolute as ever, she drew upon her natural abilities. Seeking the demon out with her mind, she visualized a demon- Kami knew what kind it was. It had a multitude of legs, all of which were finished with claws that Kagome knew contained poison. It had a long, snakelike body covered with coarse, brown fur. It had a tapered snout, and bright scarlet eyes. She'd handled many before; what could be different about this one? All they ever wanted was the Shikon no Tama, and she wasn't about to relinquish it just yet.
Readying herself, she patiently waited for the demon to make its entrance onto the field. It came, as Kagome had expected, rampaging and uncaring of how it destroyed everything immediately around it. Spotting Kagome, it snaked its way towards her.
About a yard from her, it stopped, its legs waving in the air, head rocking back and forth in a fluid, steady manner. "Miko, hand over the Shikon no Tama."
Kagome eyed the demon. It seemed the same as any of the other ones. She glared at it straight in the face and declared, "No."
And the demon followed through with the expected actions: swipe the priestess, hiss as it misses, dive for the kill. The same actions repeated over and over. Kagome had learned this repetition of combat the hard way, and had the scars to prove it. If her bow failed, she would revert to the delicately carved, sheathed stiletto that always remained hidden in her obi. She could always count on that to help her through tight situations.
Deftly Kagome gathered up her purifying powers into her fingers as she dodged one of the demon's poisonous swipes while shooting balls of energy at it. Sesshoumaru watched in slight fascination as she swiftly and easily evaded the demon's seemingly haphazard attacks. 'This miko isn't too bad. . .' he thought. His eyes followed her now glowing cerulean hands.
Kagome, meanwhile, was working quite hard to evade the creature's attacks. 'Stupid kimono. . . I need more leg room!' Plunging her right hand into her obi, she whipped out her stiletto. She jumped to escape a blow from the demon, and at the same time, neatly sliced the right side of the skirt of her kimono from mid thigh to the hem. Landing, she decided she needed to alter the other side as well, so she flipped the knife into her left hand and launched herself into the air as the demon made a dive for her. Skillfully flipping in the air, she was able to slash the left side of her skirt in the same manner as the right, as well as letting the demon feel the razor sharp edge of the blade in its back. Legs finally free, Kagome landed and tucked the blade back into her obi. A grin slid across her face. 'Bring it on, demon!'
Sesshoumaru simply stared. How skillful she was! Not only was she able to elude the creature's attacks, but also she was also able to give herself greater agility through the "destroying" of her kimono. But in order for her to do that without hurting herself, he knew she had to possess great skill with a blade. And she definitely had that skill. His esteem of this young woman rose a notch higher.
Kagome waited for the moment to strike. An opening. She took it. Leaping towards the creature, she latched her hands on the demon's neck and refused to let go. With all the energy she could muster she poured forth her necromancy. The demon shrieked and sliced her flesh with frantic attempts to dislodge her. But Kagome knew better. If she let go, the demon's rage would get the best of her, now that a large portion of her energy was spent. She had also learned that lesson the hard way with a near death encounter. Setting her jaw, the priestess clung to the flailing beast.
The claws tore mercilessly into her arms, legs, and body, leaving lacerations all over her. Pain wracked her petite frame, yet she forced her now aching body to maintain its death grip on the beast's neck. Just a little more, and it would be all over. She poured a bit more energy into her hands, making the demon wail even more vociferously than before. The priestess felt the demon's aura virtually extinguished, and knew it was on the brink of death. With a final spurt of energy, she eradicated the demon.
The creature flopped over on the ground, its eyes glazed over, dull, lifeless, exterminated. Kagome pushed herself off the corpse and wobbled on two trembling legs. Adrenaline pumped through her veins, making her more wary and alert. Her eyes flicked back and forth in little jerks and she snapped her head in whatever direction she would look at. The shrine maiden spotted a frightened Rin peeping from behind the boulder. Kagome smiled at the girl and staggered towards the boulder. Leaning heavily on her hand, she slowly caught her breath. Rin watched silently, worry in her eyes.
"Will Kagome-chan be okay?" asked the child.
"Hai, I will be fine, Rin-chan," replied the teen, flashing a weary smile. With heavy, tottering steps, Kagome made her way towards her new home. A trail of partly completed bloody footprints was left in her wake.
Sesshoumaru hopped out of his concealed observation area and landed softly in the waving sea of tall grass and weeds. His eyes followed the teen and the unusually quiet black haired girl following her. He sniffed the winds, which carried her scent to him. She was hurt, that was obvious. But her injuries were not deep or serious. All she had was a bunch of skin-deep tears. Nothing more. He snorted disgustedly as he forcefully subdued his demon instincts to kill the injured "prey".
As he discreetly pursued the pair of females, the demon lord could not help but be impressed with the girl. She had fought off a demon, something he had never expected. Even though she had said before she would, he never really expected her to back up her words with actions. 'Not bad for a human. . . but then I wonder. . . how could her frail human body have taken such a beating and still stay fairly intact?' Sesshoumaru frowned as he puzzled over this new bit of information.
By the time he reached his home the blood footprints had disappeared. He headed straight for the priestess' room. He found her in there, as well as Rin. The child was helping to bandage up a few of the more serious wounds on her back. The teen's face was blank, controlled even though her eyes betrayed the pain she no doubt felt wracking her lithe, bent frame. He casually leaned on the doorframe before he spoke. "Miko."
The shrine maiden stiffened before she looked up. Rin glanced up from her work and shot her favorite demon a sunny smile before returning her attention to Kagome's back. Kagome stared at the demon lord. "Do you need something, Sesshoumaru?" she asked, her voice betraying the weariness she felt even though she tried to hide it from him. Silently she cursed herself yet again for letting her guard down.
A fine eyebrow raised. "Nothing at all," smoothly replied the Lord of the Western Lands. He flicked his gaze from her face to her body and back. "You look like you could use a bath," he commented.
Kagome looked down at her cut arms and legs, dusted in dirt, blood, and demon gore. She looked steadfastly at him and sheepishly agreed, "Yeah, I think so too."
Abruptly Sesshoumaru turned and left. His voice floated to her ears, "Follow me."
Gingerly Kagome stood up and, with Rin following her, they chased after Sesshoumaru's retreating form. Kagome panted slightly as she kept up with the demon's brisk pace. Rin seemed to have no trouble.
They followed the silver haired man through a series of twists and turns. At length they stopped before two massive delicately carved wood doors. The doors opened of their own accord and Sesshoumaru strutted past into the interior of the darkened room beyond. Timidly Kagome followed, while Rin grinned knowingly, as if glorifying some deep, dark secret.
A snap of fingers and torches were lit, and Kagome's eyes fell onto a beautifully decorated hot spring. Where jagged rock should have been, smooth white marble lined the spring, complete with a precisely cut obsidian border. The walls were white, of marble, and contained a few small mosaic designs embedded in them. All in all, the spring was a black and white bathroom, pleasing to the eyes.
Sesshoumaru studied the gawking human girl beside him. Rin giggled at Kagome's reaction. She then began running in happy circles around the priestess and demon, blissfully unaware of how the two were reacting.
'He has good taste. . .' she thought. 'It matches him- his personality, his looks. . . did I just think his _looks_?!? I can't be attracted to him! Ew! I already like Inuyasha! I can't like Mr. Stoic Personality here!' Kagome, noticing the demon lord was scrutinizing her, flushed a bright red under his heavy gaze.
Sesshoumaru, although composed on the outside, was frankly, quite confused on the inside now. 'Why in the seven hells is she blushing?' This human girl was getting stranger and stranger by the second. Snapping himself out of his pondering, he said, "Miko, you may use this facility to bathe. Robes and towels are on that table there." He pointed to the low table upon which several neatly folded robes and towels, white of course, were sitting. With that he turned and left.
Rin tugged on Kagome's arm. "Does Kagome-chan want to take a bath?" she asked eagerly.
Kagome nodded.
"Can Rin take a bath with Kagome-chan?"
"Sure, Rin-chan," replied the priestess, smiling. After all, they were both girls, so what harm could be done? Closing the door, Rin helped Kagome take off her torn kimono and obi. Kagome did not take off the Shikon no Tama. The priestess quickly hid the dagger under the pile of clothes; she did not want Rin to accidentally cut herself or more than likely Sesshoumaru would have her head.
Both girls eased themselves into the steaming water. Kagome winced as the hot water bit into each cut, but then relaxed as the warmth of the liquid swirled luxuriously around her aching body. Grabbing a sponge that lay in a dish near the edge of the spring, she tenderly scrubbed away the grit and other unpleasant "stuff" resulted from the battle.
Rin swam happily in the spring, occasionally splashing Kagome with water, which the teen would retaliate and splash back. After each "water fight" the two would dissolve into heaps of giggles. After about half an hour later, the girls got out, dried, and wrapped themselves in robes. Kagome hurriedly tucked the stiletto away and fished out all the "stuff" in the spring washed off of her from the battle using the tattered obi. Grabbing the remains of the kimono, they left the bathroom in high spirits.
Sesshoumaru, now in his study, was looking over the many scrolls that were on his desk. A knock on the door grabbed his attention. "Come in," he said in a monotone voice.
Two yellow bulbous eyes peered from around the door, and soon a disheveled Jaken stood in the private study of the Lord of the Western Lands. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" croaked the retainer, flopping down in a prostrate position, "This underprivileged Jaken begs for the great Sesshoumaru-sama's forgiveness!"
Sesshoumaru gazed at his loyal retainer and sniffed, returning his attention to the scroll unrolled in his hands. Jaken, after about five minutes, peeked at the dog demon and with a polite bow, left the study. "Arigatou, Sesshoumaru-sama," he said as he closed the door.
Five minutes later, the demon's keen ears detected the sound of laughing. Two girls'; Rin's and Kagome's. Finding that his interest on the scroll had waned greatly, he rolled it up and placed it back in the pile. Getting up, he stretched before heading out into the halls to find his charge. The demon lord caught sight of the two laughing mirthfully as they headed towards Kagome's room. Sesshoumaru sneaked after them, all the while thinking, 'This is most definitely _not_ lordly behavior. . . !'
His perceptive ears picked up bits of their conversation, but mostly their lighthearted laughter. He envied their carefree attitudes and sense of security. He deeply wished he could join them, engage himself in idle chatter and not have to worry about the constant threat of other power hungry demons taking over his lands. But he had a reputation to keep, and that included his constant icy, unbreakable demeanor.
Kagome and Rin entered the teen's room and the two of them knelt upon the straw mat. The priestess picked up a jar of something that smelled earthy. Rin gazed curiously at the jar. "What's in there, Kagome-chan?" she asked.
"It's a mix of ground herbs that I put in my hair to make it smoother," explained Kagome. "Then after I leave it in for a while I wash it out."
"Can I try it, Kagome-chan?" asked Rin excitedly, bouncing on her knees. Her eyes never left the jar held gently in the teen's hands.
"Why not, Rin-chan?" replied Kagome, eliciting an excited squeal from the younger girl. Kagome positioned Rin on her lap so that her short black hair pooled on the mat. Dipping a finger into the now open jar, Kagome massaged the paste into Rin's hair. The dark green goop caused Rin's hair to become matted and sticky. Rin jumped up and looked at herself in the mirror. She frowned at her reflection.
"Kagome-chan?"
"What is it, Rin-chan?" asked Kagome as she rubbed the mixture into her own hair.
Rin poked curiously at her stiff, somewhat spiky hair. "Is this how it works?" She eyed her hair doubtfully.
Kagome laughed. "Give it a little time, Rin-chan, before you wash it out."
Understanding lit a bright light in the girl's eyes and she giggled happily. "Then I'll wait until then, Kagome-chan!"
Sesshoumaru all the while had been outside the door, listening wistfully to their contented chatter. He mentally sighed as he resignedly left for the dojo.
~*~*~*~
FT: Konnichiwa, minna-san! I finally finished! *cheers* I felt as though I really owed all you reviewers!
Sesshoumaru: Of course you owe them. . .
FT: Sesshy. . .
Sesshoumaru: Nani?
Rin: *with spiked hair* Sesshoumaru-sama!
Sesshoumaru: *somewhat horrified* What happened, Rin?
Rin: *giggles and runs off*
Sesshoumaru: . . .
FT: Anyways! Oh! On February 3rd, I finally saw Rin and Kouga in the anime for the first time in my life! Yay! Review, onegai!
~*~*~*~
Author's Note: To tamababymiko-chan, I merely wanted to point out that you addressed me as Tainted Demon in your review. I found that quite amusing; I adore Tainted Demon's fics and *blush* find it a bit flattering that you would mistake me for her! ^_^ And to vold, domo arigatou gozimasu for your support and saying you check my story every day! *hug* And to Aoihyou, congratulations for being the one hundredth reviewer!
"___" = Dialogue
'___' = Thoughts
Conflicting Desires
By Forsaken Tenshi
Chapter 5: The First of Many
"Kagome-chan!"
The shrine maiden's reverie was broken by the happy voice of that little girl with the gap-toothed smile. She glanced in the direction of the voice and spotted Rin running at a breakneck speed towards her. Kagome smiled at the girl and hopped off the rock. She knelt down on her knees, and Rin practically flew into the priestess' arms.
"How are you, Rin-chan?" asked Kagome as she gave the eight-year-old a gentle squeeze. She pulled away to look at Rin in the face.
"Rin spent the entire morning bugging Jaken-sama, Kagome-chan," replied Rin with a cheerful giggle.
"Oh? And how did you annoy Jaken?"
The child giggled again. "Rin claimed Jaken-sama ate bugs for food!"
Kagome smiled. "And what did he say?"
"Jaken-sama said he doesn't eat bugs."
The priestess chuckled quietly to herself. "Well, I'm glad you are happy, Rin-chan," she said. "What else did you do?"
Rin smiled as Kagome settled near the base of the boulder and held her arms out in an inviting gesture. The girl readily accepted the offer and nestled herself against the teen.
"Rin drew pretty pictures of Sesshoumaru-sama and Jaken-sama and Kagome- chan and Rin together. Rin also drew pictures of flowers."
"May I see them sometime, Rin-chan?" asked the priestess.
Rin nodded her head vigorously. "Yes! Does Kagome-chan know how to draw?" Soft hazel eyes gazed up at Kagome, and she met those wide, innocent orbs.
"I do, Rin-chan," uttered the teen quietly, all the while hugging the smaller girl close to her own body. "I'll show you what I have learned, okay?"
"Okay!" replied Rin excitedly as she wrapped her chubby arms around Kagome's waist. Kagome smiled lovingly at the girl.
Sesshoumaru snorted at the scene. Just _what_ caused them to bond like so? His mind turned over several possibilities. One. They were dreaming of their so-called artistic ability. Two. They knew they were both pathetic mortals that needed to seek each other's comfort. Three. They needed to find some source of entertainment.
The demon lord puzzled over the human girls' emotions. Each radiated a sense of peace, of comfort, of security. Secretly he envied them for what seemed to be complete contentment in their lives. But moreover, they gave off a feeling- a feeling so much like the one he felt when the priestess was meditating- a warm, fuzzy feeling that had one feeling at peace with the world. This baffled him to no end. He came here, wanting to find the cause of her sadness, and instead finds himself wondering what this _contentment_ is. A warm breeze wafted the priestess' delicate fragrance to his perceptive nose and he lost himself in it.
Kagome removed Rin's arms from her waist and stood up, suddenly alert. A presence had pricked her priestess senses. Gazing out at the encompassing forests, she said, "Rin, hide. Now."
Rin looked questioningly at the teen before shooting off to hide behind the boulder.
Sesshoumaru, from his vantage point, felt the same thing Kagome felt, albeit later. He scowled angrily at himself and the intruder; him for letting his guard down, and the intruder for coming onto his lands. 'Damned youkai.' He wanted to spring out and kill it instantly, yet he was reluctant to slay it, for he wanted to see the extent of the priestess' abilities. So he waited, ready to intercept if necessary.
Kagome cursed silently for not bringing the bow and arrows out with her. Still as resolute as ever, she drew upon her natural abilities. Seeking the demon out with her mind, she visualized a demon- Kami knew what kind it was. It had a multitude of legs, all of which were finished with claws that Kagome knew contained poison. It had a long, snakelike body covered with coarse, brown fur. It had a tapered snout, and bright scarlet eyes. She'd handled many before; what could be different about this one? All they ever wanted was the Shikon no Tama, and she wasn't about to relinquish it just yet.
Readying herself, she patiently waited for the demon to make its entrance onto the field. It came, as Kagome had expected, rampaging and uncaring of how it destroyed everything immediately around it. Spotting Kagome, it snaked its way towards her.
About a yard from her, it stopped, its legs waving in the air, head rocking back and forth in a fluid, steady manner. "Miko, hand over the Shikon no Tama."
Kagome eyed the demon. It seemed the same as any of the other ones. She glared at it straight in the face and declared, "No."
And the demon followed through with the expected actions: swipe the priestess, hiss as it misses, dive for the kill. The same actions repeated over and over. Kagome had learned this repetition of combat the hard way, and had the scars to prove it. If her bow failed, she would revert to the delicately carved, sheathed stiletto that always remained hidden in her obi. She could always count on that to help her through tight situations.
Deftly Kagome gathered up her purifying powers into her fingers as she dodged one of the demon's poisonous swipes while shooting balls of energy at it. Sesshoumaru watched in slight fascination as she swiftly and easily evaded the demon's seemingly haphazard attacks. 'This miko isn't too bad. . .' he thought. His eyes followed her now glowing cerulean hands.
Kagome, meanwhile, was working quite hard to evade the creature's attacks. 'Stupid kimono. . . I need more leg room!' Plunging her right hand into her obi, she whipped out her stiletto. She jumped to escape a blow from the demon, and at the same time, neatly sliced the right side of the skirt of her kimono from mid thigh to the hem. Landing, she decided she needed to alter the other side as well, so she flipped the knife into her left hand and launched herself into the air as the demon made a dive for her. Skillfully flipping in the air, she was able to slash the left side of her skirt in the same manner as the right, as well as letting the demon feel the razor sharp edge of the blade in its back. Legs finally free, Kagome landed and tucked the blade back into her obi. A grin slid across her face. 'Bring it on, demon!'
Sesshoumaru simply stared. How skillful she was! Not only was she able to elude the creature's attacks, but also she was also able to give herself greater agility through the "destroying" of her kimono. But in order for her to do that without hurting herself, he knew she had to possess great skill with a blade. And she definitely had that skill. His esteem of this young woman rose a notch higher.
Kagome waited for the moment to strike. An opening. She took it. Leaping towards the creature, she latched her hands on the demon's neck and refused to let go. With all the energy she could muster she poured forth her necromancy. The demon shrieked and sliced her flesh with frantic attempts to dislodge her. But Kagome knew better. If she let go, the demon's rage would get the best of her, now that a large portion of her energy was spent. She had also learned that lesson the hard way with a near death encounter. Setting her jaw, the priestess clung to the flailing beast.
The claws tore mercilessly into her arms, legs, and body, leaving lacerations all over her. Pain wracked her petite frame, yet she forced her now aching body to maintain its death grip on the beast's neck. Just a little more, and it would be all over. She poured a bit more energy into her hands, making the demon wail even more vociferously than before. The priestess felt the demon's aura virtually extinguished, and knew it was on the brink of death. With a final spurt of energy, she eradicated the demon.
The creature flopped over on the ground, its eyes glazed over, dull, lifeless, exterminated. Kagome pushed herself off the corpse and wobbled on two trembling legs. Adrenaline pumped through her veins, making her more wary and alert. Her eyes flicked back and forth in little jerks and she snapped her head in whatever direction she would look at. The shrine maiden spotted a frightened Rin peeping from behind the boulder. Kagome smiled at the girl and staggered towards the boulder. Leaning heavily on her hand, she slowly caught her breath. Rin watched silently, worry in her eyes.
"Will Kagome-chan be okay?" asked the child.
"Hai, I will be fine, Rin-chan," replied the teen, flashing a weary smile. With heavy, tottering steps, Kagome made her way towards her new home. A trail of partly completed bloody footprints was left in her wake.
Sesshoumaru hopped out of his concealed observation area and landed softly in the waving sea of tall grass and weeds. His eyes followed the teen and the unusually quiet black haired girl following her. He sniffed the winds, which carried her scent to him. She was hurt, that was obvious. But her injuries were not deep or serious. All she had was a bunch of skin-deep tears. Nothing more. He snorted disgustedly as he forcefully subdued his demon instincts to kill the injured "prey".
As he discreetly pursued the pair of females, the demon lord could not help but be impressed with the girl. She had fought off a demon, something he had never expected. Even though she had said before she would, he never really expected her to back up her words with actions. 'Not bad for a human. . . but then I wonder. . . how could her frail human body have taken such a beating and still stay fairly intact?' Sesshoumaru frowned as he puzzled over this new bit of information.
By the time he reached his home the blood footprints had disappeared. He headed straight for the priestess' room. He found her in there, as well as Rin. The child was helping to bandage up a few of the more serious wounds on her back. The teen's face was blank, controlled even though her eyes betrayed the pain she no doubt felt wracking her lithe, bent frame. He casually leaned on the doorframe before he spoke. "Miko."
The shrine maiden stiffened before she looked up. Rin glanced up from her work and shot her favorite demon a sunny smile before returning her attention to Kagome's back. Kagome stared at the demon lord. "Do you need something, Sesshoumaru?" she asked, her voice betraying the weariness she felt even though she tried to hide it from him. Silently she cursed herself yet again for letting her guard down.
A fine eyebrow raised. "Nothing at all," smoothly replied the Lord of the Western Lands. He flicked his gaze from her face to her body and back. "You look like you could use a bath," he commented.
Kagome looked down at her cut arms and legs, dusted in dirt, blood, and demon gore. She looked steadfastly at him and sheepishly agreed, "Yeah, I think so too."
Abruptly Sesshoumaru turned and left. His voice floated to her ears, "Follow me."
Gingerly Kagome stood up and, with Rin following her, they chased after Sesshoumaru's retreating form. Kagome panted slightly as she kept up with the demon's brisk pace. Rin seemed to have no trouble.
They followed the silver haired man through a series of twists and turns. At length they stopped before two massive delicately carved wood doors. The doors opened of their own accord and Sesshoumaru strutted past into the interior of the darkened room beyond. Timidly Kagome followed, while Rin grinned knowingly, as if glorifying some deep, dark secret.
A snap of fingers and torches were lit, and Kagome's eyes fell onto a beautifully decorated hot spring. Where jagged rock should have been, smooth white marble lined the spring, complete with a precisely cut obsidian border. The walls were white, of marble, and contained a few small mosaic designs embedded in them. All in all, the spring was a black and white bathroom, pleasing to the eyes.
Sesshoumaru studied the gawking human girl beside him. Rin giggled at Kagome's reaction. She then began running in happy circles around the priestess and demon, blissfully unaware of how the two were reacting.
'He has good taste. . .' she thought. 'It matches him- his personality, his looks. . . did I just think his _looks_?!? I can't be attracted to him! Ew! I already like Inuyasha! I can't like Mr. Stoic Personality here!' Kagome, noticing the demon lord was scrutinizing her, flushed a bright red under his heavy gaze.
Sesshoumaru, although composed on the outside, was frankly, quite confused on the inside now. 'Why in the seven hells is she blushing?' This human girl was getting stranger and stranger by the second. Snapping himself out of his pondering, he said, "Miko, you may use this facility to bathe. Robes and towels are on that table there." He pointed to the low table upon which several neatly folded robes and towels, white of course, were sitting. With that he turned and left.
Rin tugged on Kagome's arm. "Does Kagome-chan want to take a bath?" she asked eagerly.
Kagome nodded.
"Can Rin take a bath with Kagome-chan?"
"Sure, Rin-chan," replied the priestess, smiling. After all, they were both girls, so what harm could be done? Closing the door, Rin helped Kagome take off her torn kimono and obi. Kagome did not take off the Shikon no Tama. The priestess quickly hid the dagger under the pile of clothes; she did not want Rin to accidentally cut herself or more than likely Sesshoumaru would have her head.
Both girls eased themselves into the steaming water. Kagome winced as the hot water bit into each cut, but then relaxed as the warmth of the liquid swirled luxuriously around her aching body. Grabbing a sponge that lay in a dish near the edge of the spring, she tenderly scrubbed away the grit and other unpleasant "stuff" resulted from the battle.
Rin swam happily in the spring, occasionally splashing Kagome with water, which the teen would retaliate and splash back. After each "water fight" the two would dissolve into heaps of giggles. After about half an hour later, the girls got out, dried, and wrapped themselves in robes. Kagome hurriedly tucked the stiletto away and fished out all the "stuff" in the spring washed off of her from the battle using the tattered obi. Grabbing the remains of the kimono, they left the bathroom in high spirits.
Sesshoumaru, now in his study, was looking over the many scrolls that were on his desk. A knock on the door grabbed his attention. "Come in," he said in a monotone voice.
Two yellow bulbous eyes peered from around the door, and soon a disheveled Jaken stood in the private study of the Lord of the Western Lands. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" croaked the retainer, flopping down in a prostrate position, "This underprivileged Jaken begs for the great Sesshoumaru-sama's forgiveness!"
Sesshoumaru gazed at his loyal retainer and sniffed, returning his attention to the scroll unrolled in his hands. Jaken, after about five minutes, peeked at the dog demon and with a polite bow, left the study. "Arigatou, Sesshoumaru-sama," he said as he closed the door.
Five minutes later, the demon's keen ears detected the sound of laughing. Two girls'; Rin's and Kagome's. Finding that his interest on the scroll had waned greatly, he rolled it up and placed it back in the pile. Getting up, he stretched before heading out into the halls to find his charge. The demon lord caught sight of the two laughing mirthfully as they headed towards Kagome's room. Sesshoumaru sneaked after them, all the while thinking, 'This is most definitely _not_ lordly behavior. . . !'
His perceptive ears picked up bits of their conversation, but mostly their lighthearted laughter. He envied their carefree attitudes and sense of security. He deeply wished he could join them, engage himself in idle chatter and not have to worry about the constant threat of other power hungry demons taking over his lands. But he had a reputation to keep, and that included his constant icy, unbreakable demeanor.
Kagome and Rin entered the teen's room and the two of them knelt upon the straw mat. The priestess picked up a jar of something that smelled earthy. Rin gazed curiously at the jar. "What's in there, Kagome-chan?" she asked.
"It's a mix of ground herbs that I put in my hair to make it smoother," explained Kagome. "Then after I leave it in for a while I wash it out."
"Can I try it, Kagome-chan?" asked Rin excitedly, bouncing on her knees. Her eyes never left the jar held gently in the teen's hands.
"Why not, Rin-chan?" replied Kagome, eliciting an excited squeal from the younger girl. Kagome positioned Rin on her lap so that her short black hair pooled on the mat. Dipping a finger into the now open jar, Kagome massaged the paste into Rin's hair. The dark green goop caused Rin's hair to become matted and sticky. Rin jumped up and looked at herself in the mirror. She frowned at her reflection.
"Kagome-chan?"
"What is it, Rin-chan?" asked Kagome as she rubbed the mixture into her own hair.
Rin poked curiously at her stiff, somewhat spiky hair. "Is this how it works?" She eyed her hair doubtfully.
Kagome laughed. "Give it a little time, Rin-chan, before you wash it out."
Understanding lit a bright light in the girl's eyes and she giggled happily. "Then I'll wait until then, Kagome-chan!"
Sesshoumaru all the while had been outside the door, listening wistfully to their contented chatter. He mentally sighed as he resignedly left for the dojo.
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FT: Konnichiwa, minna-san! I finally finished! *cheers* I felt as though I really owed all you reviewers!
Sesshoumaru: Of course you owe them. . .
FT: Sesshy. . .
Sesshoumaru: Nani?
Rin: *with spiked hair* Sesshoumaru-sama!
Sesshoumaru: *somewhat horrified* What happened, Rin?
Rin: *giggles and runs off*
Sesshoumaru: . . .
FT: Anyways! Oh! On February 3rd, I finally saw Rin and Kouga in the anime for the first time in my life! Yay! Review, onegai!
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