Disclaimer: Haven't I repeated this often enough?
Author's Note: Okay, I'm changing Kagome's eyes back to blue, as they are that color in the manga. So no complaints about them being the wrong color, ne? Oh, and congrats to Aya Komiyama for being the 200th reviewer! And to the rest of you, words cannot express the gratitude I have for you all. And to SMILE :D, I meant Sesshou's thought.
"___" = Dialogue
'___' = Thoughts
*___* = Special 'stuff'
~ # * # ~ = Passage of time
Conflicting Desires
By Forsaken Tenshi
Chapter 8: Beginning of a Bond
Kagome found Rin plucking flowers in the meadow with a grumpy Jaken watching over her. The priestess calmed down upon seeing the placid, happy little girl. Rin, sensing Kagome's closing proximity, turned and giggled gaily as she ran towards the teen, wildflowers in her grubby hands.
"Kagome-chan, these are for you!" gushed Rin as she handed the plucked flowers to the older girl and bounced about.
"Arigatou, Rin-chan," thanked Kagome as she accepted the flowers from the demon lord's ward. She watched with a smiling face as Rin scampered off to collect more of the "pretty flowers". Jaken, seeing that Kagome had now taken over his job, scuttled back into the castle to take Sesshoumaru's orders.
Kagome settled herself on the boulder and sighed. He had revealed so much to her. . . was it unfair on her part to show him her own memories? Kagome knew that to reveal a past like his was painful. . . both on the one who remembered and the watcher. In his memory, Kagome had most definitely seen the light of love in his eyes when he was with Sakura. That she betrayed him in such a way was almost unspeakable. 'Perhaps. . . perhaps I should show him who I am. . . and what made me who I am now. . . I've judged him too harshly without knowing that beforehand. But. . . could I open up to him? Maybe. . . no. . . yes. I will. I have to. So now. . . I guess I need to find him. . .'
Finding the demon lord proved too easy. A tickling sensation on the back of the shrine maiden's neck alerted her to a presence. Turning around, she found the demon silently regarding her, his hair blowing her direction, teasingly soft on her face. She gulped before starting.
"Sesshoumaru, I. . . I. . ." she stuttered.
"You what?" he asked in a clipped tone.
"SESSHOUMARU-SAMA!" burst out a happy Rin as she clamped one of the dog demon's legs. "Rin is happy to see Sesshoumaru-sama!" Her grubby hands, clasping uprooted wildflowers, stained his white pants.
Sesshoumaru glanced down, his eyes softening slightly. "Rin. . ."
"Gomen, Sesshoumaru-sama," she apologized with a wide, toothy grin.
The Lord of the Western Lands gingerly patted the girl on the head. "Rin, go pick some more flowers. The miko needs to speak with me."
"Okay!" crowed a jubilant Rin as she scuttled back into the meadows.
Sesshoumaru's eyes followed the girl, then he trained them on the teen before him. "You were saying?" he prodded, face emotionless. He gracefully crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for her to say her piece. His eyes fell to his dirtied pants and he sniffed disdainfully, slightly wrinkling his nose with distaste.
"I. . . I was just about to go looking. . . for you. . ." she stumbled.
"So?" he prompted, eyes once again on her.
Kagome took a deep breath and mumbled, blushing, " Gomen nasai. . . I shouldn't have said all those things back there. . . and I feel as though it is only fair that I show you some of what I went through. . . my past. . ." '. . . my lost loved ones . .'
*Kagome's flashback*
"Chotto matte!" called a six-year-old Higurashi Kagome. She sprinted frantically after the retreating form of a graceful eighteen-year-old girl.
The brown haired teen stopped walking towards the village square and turned to face the child scurrying to catch up. She smiled, kneeled down, and held her arms out wide. Kagome leapt happily into her embrace. To Kagome, Ayume was the older sister she never had, and the same held true for Ayume, who cherished Kagome like she would a little sister.
"Kagome-chan, daijobu desu ka?" asked Ayume, stroking the girl's ebony hair.
"Hai, daijobu desu!" replied Kagome, smiling sweetly at the teen as she gazed into Ayume's viridian eyes with her own warm cerulean ones. "Onei- chan, where are you going?"
The teen sighed. "I have to go meet the Lord of the Western Lands, little one," she answered, "However, I do not really want to go."
"Doushite?" asked Kagome, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Ayume sighed. "If he picks me to go with him, I cannot see you for a year."
"A year?" Kagome echoed, perplexed.
"Hai, a year," replied the teen sadly.
Kagome thought a little. "Onei-chan," she called, "You will come back and see me, won't you?"
"Hai," responded the older girl, a smile gracing her lips. "I'll come see you right when I am able to."
"Promise?" A chubby pinky was extended in the air, waiting for the other girl's finger to link with her own.
"Promise." Their fingers linked, and Ayume gave Kagome a squeeze before she straightened up and continued towards the village square.
~ # * # ~
A year later. . .
"Ayume-chan!" called a seven-year-old Kagome.
The now nineteen-year-old brunette turned and eyed the ebony haired child dashing towards her. Ayume carried herself with what could be labeled as arrogance. She masked her face with make up, and dressed in an eye- catching array of colorful silks. Her hair was worn up elegantly and decorated with expensive ivory combs and the like.
Kagome reached Ayume and wrapped her arms around the teen's waist. "I missed you, onei-chan!" cried Kagome as tears of happiness trickled down her cheeks.
Ayume gently but firmly pried the younger girl off. "Onei-chan?" asked Kagome, perplexed.
"Iie. Don't call me that. I never was, and never will be your onei-chan," she rebuked, her face impassive. Yet her eyes were what disturbed Kagome the most. They were cold, hollow. . . uncaring. Without another word she spun and left a shocked and hurt Kagome.
"Onei-chan. . ." she whimpered, her tears of joy transforming into tears of grief. She fled to the arms of her mother.
Later, during the evening, Kagome strode solemnly, thoughtfully through a meadow on the edge of the village. Fireflies fluttered about blinking their lights, giving the field an enchanted look. Several of the creatures lit on the girl and decorated her light blue kimono with gentle pulses of light.
A coquettish giggle broke Kagome's thoughts, and in the darkening light, she could make out the faint outlines of Ayume and a man. They kissed intimately, whispering in a conspiring manner while giggling in each other's arms. The scene was to repeat itself many times, each time with a different man.
Later during that same year, Ayume was found, alone in the meadow, her slender neck slit in a thick pool of blood.
~ # * # ~
Kagome ran as hard as she could, her heart pounding furiously. The ten- year-old's eyes were wide and dilated in fear. Alongside her were her parents and her newly born brother, clutched in the relative safety of her mother's arms. The colossal lizard demon was gaining on the family. Ahead of them, perhaps about an eighth of a mile away, lay their destination, another small town. The Higurashi family had fled their village when the aforementioned lizard demon had completely demolished it, in addition to devouring all the inhabitants. Luckily, the Higurashi family had lived on the side opposite to where the demon came from, and therefore were able to escape. But not now. Not anymore.
Kagome's father, knowing that all of them would never make it, stopped suddenly. "Keep running!" he screamed to his family as he turned to face the demon. Kagome and her mother froze as they watched him brave the towering demon. The villagers of the town, along with their head priestess, had seen the lizard demon and were watching from a safe distance.
"Run for it! Damn you, run!" shrieked Kagome's father frantically at both Kagome herself and her mother.
The lizard chuckled sinisterly. "Foolis-s-s-s-sh mortal," it hissed.
"I'll. . . I'll fight you!" called the father, raising his fists in a feeble attempt of power and self-defense.
"You'll do no s-s-s-s-such thing," hissed the lizard as its tongue streaked out, wrapped around his waist, and dragged him into its gaping mouth, slamming its jaws shut with an audible "SNAP".
"OTOU-SAN!!!" screamed a horrified Kagome, lunging, infuriated, at the lizard.
"Kagome, NO!" cried her mother as she struggled to catch the girl and keep hold of Souta. "KAGOME!"
The ten-year-old sprinted up to the lizard, which had its eyes lazily closed and was enjoying its "snack" of human flesh. With all the strength she could muster she smacked the demon on the forearm with her palm.
SMACK.
The lizard glanced down at the angry little girl. "Another s-s-s-snack, I pres-s-s-s-sume?" it hissed greedily.
"In your dreams," retorted the black haired girl as she charged the lizard again. This time, the lizard's tongue descended upon her. Yet she wasn't touched by it. She emanated a blue light, a pure spiritual radiance. She irately slammed her fists into the demon's side, and to the lizard's utmost surprise, it hurt. . . _really_ bad. With a pain filled screech the demon lunged for the girl, who, by instinct, dodged the attack and latched onto its neck. The power she felt filled her, and she channeled it into her hands. It was pure, clean, and _very_ potent. The demon shrieked in pain and tried to fling her off. But she stayed on.
The demon wailed in pain one final time and collapsed, its soul purified but unable to inhabit the cursed body. The once glistening eyes glazed over with a cloudy film.
Shakily Kagome detached herself from the demon. With tears welling in her eyes, she stared dumbly at the lizard's swollen belly. "Otou-san. . ." she whispered. A single tear escaped the prison of her eye as she bowed her head in loss and respect.
"Kagome-chan," murmured her mother as she cradled the infant Souta.
"He. . . he died, okaa-san, he's. . . gone. . ." Kagome said quietly, as though in a daze.
"Kagome-chan, your father died because he loved you very much. He wanted to protect you from that youkai. He was a brave man, willing to risk his life for yours, Souta's, and mine. He loved you in so many ways. . . there are not enough words to express the amount of love he had for you," stated Kagome's mother as she gently hugged her silently crying daughter.
"Pardon me," asked a low, warm voice.
Both females glanced up to see the village priestess a respectful distance away, flanked by the entire village.
"Yes?" replied Kagome's mother.
"I have watched the entire spectacle from afar, and your daughter has an extraordinary gift. Would you mind if I train her to become a miko? She has very good potential," added the shrine maiden.
"Kagome? Do you want to become a miko?" asked the girl's mother, shifting Souta in her arms.
"I will provide you shelter while she trains, and you all may live in the shrine after she becomes the official miko of the village," offered the priestess.
Kagome knit her brows together in thought as she stared at the ground. 'If I become a miko, I can protect other people and their relatives. Then they won't have to suffer the same fate otou-san did.' Her mind made up, she gazed resolutely into the priestess' eyes and replied, "Yes, I want to become a miko."
~ # * # ~
"Kagome," called the older priestess weakly. "Come here, please."
"Coming," replied Kagome. The fifteen-year-old girl entered the small back room of the shrine. The older woman lay on a low futon, covered by a few thin blankets, her pallid face beaded with sweat.
"Kagome," she started, turning glassy eyes on the girl, "My time is coming shortly, as you can plainly see."
Kagome nodded solemnly.
"I want you to take this." Her she lifted a frail hand, in which was clasped a pearly light pink orb. It glowed slightly with its own warm luminescence. Kagome reached out and gently took the small sphere from her. "This is the fabled Shikon no Tama," explained the aged shrine maiden, "The one that so many demons lust for. A young miko by the name of Kikyou dropped it off not too long ago, saying she did not want it in her possession any longer. As I am leaving soon from this life, I want you to guard this priceless gem. Do not, Kagome, by any means do _not_ let the jewel fall into the hands of any demon. Evil and despair shall befall this world should the gem come into the grasp of one not worthy to hold it."
The elderly priestess' dulling, clouding hazel eyes sought and held Kagome's own warm blue eyes.
"Promise me, Kagome. . . guard it with your life. . ." pleaded the priestess.
"I promise," conceded Kagome softly, but loud enough for the old priestess' failing ears the catch.
"Arigatou, my child," breathed the priestess as she gently squeezed Kagome's hands in her own.
The priestess died in the early morning hours of the following day.
~ # * # ~
Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and months turned into years. Kagome bore well the responsibility of safeguarding the Shikon no Tama. She fought demons, her skill growing with each and every battle. There were all sorts of demons, from lowly weak ones to more powerful ones that she had to struggle to defeat. But luck was with her, and she had always emerged victorious.
~ # * # ~
A seventeen-year-old Kagome sat up on a tree limb, her feet idly dangling in mid air. A cool breeze played with her long hair. She sat, watching the sun's gold fingers touch the land before succumbing to the darkness. The gold faded into deep, rich hues of red, violet, and navy. Stars, small pinpricks of twinkling light, dappled the heavens.
An arm already wrapped around her waist pressed her closer to its owner's body. "Did you enjoy it?" he asked in a low, gruff voice.
"It was beautiful," breathed Kagome, looking into her boyfriend's brilliant amber eyes. "Arigatou."
"It was nothing, Kagome," replied Inuyasha warmly as he captured her lips in a sweet, gentle kiss.
~ # * # ~
Eighteen-year-old Kagome stood, dressed up in a homemade blue silk kimono, waiting for Sesshoumaru to arrive. Her mother's dress was undeniably beautiful; it had been sewn with great love and care. Kagome wondered why her mother spent all the time making this kimono for her presentation to the man she despised most.
'Perhaps as the miko of this village I am not allowed to look too shoddy,' she thought snidely. She glanced at the direction Inuyasha had left to hunt. Her lips curved in an amused grin. 'He can be so sweet at times. . . when he's not being a jerk. . .'
There was a collective excited squeal from the bunch of girls as the Lord of the Western Lands stepped out of the forest.
~ # * # ~
Kagome ran as hard as she could, tears trailing her cheeks. He betrayed her. That man, her love, Inuyasha. Left her. For Kikyou. The traitor.
'How could you, Inuyasha? I loved you!' her heart cried. 'I would have gone to the ends of the earth to be with you, and you simply drop me for her?'
Kagome slipped into her room and shut the door. She made her way to the mirror and gazed at herself. 'Was I not pretty enough? Not caring enough? Do I have a bad personality? An ugly soul? What, Inuyasha, what is it that she has that I do not? Was I just a. . . a replacement for her?'
Her hand slid into her obi and produced her stiletto. 'I love you okaa- san, Souta. . . honto ni gomen for not returning home to you. . . I'll miss you all. . .'
The dagger plummeted for her chest, only to be caught by. . . Sesshoumaru.
*End flashback*
Sesshoumaru opened his eyes and gazed at the priestess sitting across from him. Her face was tensed, her expression grim; Sesshoumaru knew that her allowing him to view these memories, especially the latter ones, were quite painful on her part. He knew that there had not been a sufficient amount of time for her to emotionally heal. He thought back to her very first fight with the lizard demon, and understood how painful it was to lose a parent. He was quite amazed at her brazenness, her perseverance, her courage, her maturity, and most of all, her capacity to love.
This last one astounded him most of all. He could tell that when she had thought she would go to the ends of the earth for Inuyasha, he really and truly believed she would. He was quite peeved at the way his foolish half brother acted towards her. "Baka hanyou," he mumbled under his breath.
Kagome peered at him. "Did you say something?"
Sesshoumaru gazed steadily at her, his anger evident in his rich gold eyes. "Up until now, I never truly realized how _stupid_ that little half-wit of a hanyou could be," he grumbled.
"But he's your brother. . ." she began.
"Half brother," Sesshoumaru automatically corrected.
"Okay, half brother. But wouldn't you have known about it? Surely he's talked to you one on one?" inquired Kagome.
"If you haven't noticed, Inuyasha and I are not exactly close. He still holds a slight grudge for killing that idiot girl. Add to the fact that he chooses to roam about like a vagrant," grumbled the demon.
Kagome fidgeted a little. "I see," she said. Evidently Sesshoumaru disliked the idea of his half brother roaming the lands like a vagabond. Silence ensued.
"You are brave," Sesshoumaru stated quietly, thoughtfully, breaking the stillness.
"Huh?" asked Kagome, not quite believing what her ears were filtering in.
"I said, you are brave. . . Kagome," he said, adding her name after a moment's hesitation.
"I. . . I. . . arigatou, Sesshoumaru," she stuttered, bowing her head in a futile attempt to shield the blush tingeing her cheeks from the demon lord's sharp eyes.
Sesshoumaru chuckled inwardly. Beneath her tough exterior was a kindhearted girl- a side of her he never thought much of even after he'd seen her when she was with Rin. 'I don't understand why Inuyasha had left Kagome for. . . Kikyun? Kikya? . . . or. . . whatever her name was,' he thought. While she was indeed very beautiful, she was beautiful in an icy way, as though she could never truly be touched. Kagome, on the other hand, was pretty and vivacious, her eyes always bright and alive. Sesshoumaru much preferred Kagome to that new. . . and/or old. . . wench of Inuyasha's.
Sesshoumaru was suddenly seized with the impulsive desire to hold the priestess. Why he did not know. Perhaps he had finally found another soul that could relate to his past experiences. Or perhaps she understood him better than anyone since the death of his dearly beloved mother. Or maybe he wanted to help her learn how to cope with the pain of it all- especially after the upsetting loss of Inuyasha in her life.
His mind made up, Sesshoumaru slid next to Kagome and snaked an arm around her shoulders. She gasped and tensed up; he smirked. She eyed him suspiciously, while he simply kept a straight face.
"Relax, miko, I do not aim to do anything you are thinking about," he said calmly, briefly touching her thoughts. 'I have no intentions of harming you,' he stated in her mind.
Kagome silently heaved a sigh of utmost relief. Perhaps opening up to the stoic demon lord was not so bad of an idea. 'At least he treats me in a more civil manner. . . not to mention saying my name for the first time,' she mused.
"Civil? Who ever said I was not civil?" asked Sesshoumaru of the priestess.
Kagome rolled her eyes. "Maybe you should see yourself from someone else's point of view," she replied.
The demon lord smirked. "Perhaps."
~*~*~*~
FT: Konnichiwa, minna-san! I finally was able to type this up! *cheers*
Sesshoumaru: Am I getting _soft_?!?
FT: Shush, Sesshy, I'm just allowing you to warm up to her. *wink*
Sesshoumaru: Sure. . .
Kagome: . . .
FT: Anyways, this chapter was quite a bit longer than usual. Hopefully you all will enjoy it! Domo arigatou gozimasu for the 200+ reviews!!! I really luv you all!! Review more! ^_~ Oh, and I will try to get a picture of ten-year-old Sesshou posted somewhere. . . I can't guarantee it though. . .
~*~*~*~
Author's Note: Okay, I'm changing Kagome's eyes back to blue, as they are that color in the manga. So no complaints about them being the wrong color, ne? Oh, and congrats to Aya Komiyama for being the 200th reviewer! And to the rest of you, words cannot express the gratitude I have for you all. And to SMILE :D, I meant Sesshou's thought.
"___" = Dialogue
'___' = Thoughts
*___* = Special 'stuff'
~ # * # ~ = Passage of time
Conflicting Desires
By Forsaken Tenshi
Chapter 8: Beginning of a Bond
Kagome found Rin plucking flowers in the meadow with a grumpy Jaken watching over her. The priestess calmed down upon seeing the placid, happy little girl. Rin, sensing Kagome's closing proximity, turned and giggled gaily as she ran towards the teen, wildflowers in her grubby hands.
"Kagome-chan, these are for you!" gushed Rin as she handed the plucked flowers to the older girl and bounced about.
"Arigatou, Rin-chan," thanked Kagome as she accepted the flowers from the demon lord's ward. She watched with a smiling face as Rin scampered off to collect more of the "pretty flowers". Jaken, seeing that Kagome had now taken over his job, scuttled back into the castle to take Sesshoumaru's orders.
Kagome settled herself on the boulder and sighed. He had revealed so much to her. . . was it unfair on her part to show him her own memories? Kagome knew that to reveal a past like his was painful. . . both on the one who remembered and the watcher. In his memory, Kagome had most definitely seen the light of love in his eyes when he was with Sakura. That she betrayed him in such a way was almost unspeakable. 'Perhaps. . . perhaps I should show him who I am. . . and what made me who I am now. . . I've judged him too harshly without knowing that beforehand. But. . . could I open up to him? Maybe. . . no. . . yes. I will. I have to. So now. . . I guess I need to find him. . .'
Finding the demon lord proved too easy. A tickling sensation on the back of the shrine maiden's neck alerted her to a presence. Turning around, she found the demon silently regarding her, his hair blowing her direction, teasingly soft on her face. She gulped before starting.
"Sesshoumaru, I. . . I. . ." she stuttered.
"You what?" he asked in a clipped tone.
"SESSHOUMARU-SAMA!" burst out a happy Rin as she clamped one of the dog demon's legs. "Rin is happy to see Sesshoumaru-sama!" Her grubby hands, clasping uprooted wildflowers, stained his white pants.
Sesshoumaru glanced down, his eyes softening slightly. "Rin. . ."
"Gomen, Sesshoumaru-sama," she apologized with a wide, toothy grin.
The Lord of the Western Lands gingerly patted the girl on the head. "Rin, go pick some more flowers. The miko needs to speak with me."
"Okay!" crowed a jubilant Rin as she scuttled back into the meadows.
Sesshoumaru's eyes followed the girl, then he trained them on the teen before him. "You were saying?" he prodded, face emotionless. He gracefully crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for her to say her piece. His eyes fell to his dirtied pants and he sniffed disdainfully, slightly wrinkling his nose with distaste.
"I. . . I was just about to go looking. . . for you. . ." she stumbled.
"So?" he prompted, eyes once again on her.
Kagome took a deep breath and mumbled, blushing, " Gomen nasai. . . I shouldn't have said all those things back there. . . and I feel as though it is only fair that I show you some of what I went through. . . my past. . ." '. . . my lost loved ones . .'
*Kagome's flashback*
"Chotto matte!" called a six-year-old Higurashi Kagome. She sprinted frantically after the retreating form of a graceful eighteen-year-old girl.
The brown haired teen stopped walking towards the village square and turned to face the child scurrying to catch up. She smiled, kneeled down, and held her arms out wide. Kagome leapt happily into her embrace. To Kagome, Ayume was the older sister she never had, and the same held true for Ayume, who cherished Kagome like she would a little sister.
"Kagome-chan, daijobu desu ka?" asked Ayume, stroking the girl's ebony hair.
"Hai, daijobu desu!" replied Kagome, smiling sweetly at the teen as she gazed into Ayume's viridian eyes with her own warm cerulean ones. "Onei- chan, where are you going?"
The teen sighed. "I have to go meet the Lord of the Western Lands, little one," she answered, "However, I do not really want to go."
"Doushite?" asked Kagome, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Ayume sighed. "If he picks me to go with him, I cannot see you for a year."
"A year?" Kagome echoed, perplexed.
"Hai, a year," replied the teen sadly.
Kagome thought a little. "Onei-chan," she called, "You will come back and see me, won't you?"
"Hai," responded the older girl, a smile gracing her lips. "I'll come see you right when I am able to."
"Promise?" A chubby pinky was extended in the air, waiting for the other girl's finger to link with her own.
"Promise." Their fingers linked, and Ayume gave Kagome a squeeze before she straightened up and continued towards the village square.
~ # * # ~
A year later. . .
"Ayume-chan!" called a seven-year-old Kagome.
The now nineteen-year-old brunette turned and eyed the ebony haired child dashing towards her. Ayume carried herself with what could be labeled as arrogance. She masked her face with make up, and dressed in an eye- catching array of colorful silks. Her hair was worn up elegantly and decorated with expensive ivory combs and the like.
Kagome reached Ayume and wrapped her arms around the teen's waist. "I missed you, onei-chan!" cried Kagome as tears of happiness trickled down her cheeks.
Ayume gently but firmly pried the younger girl off. "Onei-chan?" asked Kagome, perplexed.
"Iie. Don't call me that. I never was, and never will be your onei-chan," she rebuked, her face impassive. Yet her eyes were what disturbed Kagome the most. They were cold, hollow. . . uncaring. Without another word she spun and left a shocked and hurt Kagome.
"Onei-chan. . ." she whimpered, her tears of joy transforming into tears of grief. She fled to the arms of her mother.
Later, during the evening, Kagome strode solemnly, thoughtfully through a meadow on the edge of the village. Fireflies fluttered about blinking their lights, giving the field an enchanted look. Several of the creatures lit on the girl and decorated her light blue kimono with gentle pulses of light.
A coquettish giggle broke Kagome's thoughts, and in the darkening light, she could make out the faint outlines of Ayume and a man. They kissed intimately, whispering in a conspiring manner while giggling in each other's arms. The scene was to repeat itself many times, each time with a different man.
Later during that same year, Ayume was found, alone in the meadow, her slender neck slit in a thick pool of blood.
~ # * # ~
Kagome ran as hard as she could, her heart pounding furiously. The ten- year-old's eyes were wide and dilated in fear. Alongside her were her parents and her newly born brother, clutched in the relative safety of her mother's arms. The colossal lizard demon was gaining on the family. Ahead of them, perhaps about an eighth of a mile away, lay their destination, another small town. The Higurashi family had fled their village when the aforementioned lizard demon had completely demolished it, in addition to devouring all the inhabitants. Luckily, the Higurashi family had lived on the side opposite to where the demon came from, and therefore were able to escape. But not now. Not anymore.
Kagome's father, knowing that all of them would never make it, stopped suddenly. "Keep running!" he screamed to his family as he turned to face the demon. Kagome and her mother froze as they watched him brave the towering demon. The villagers of the town, along with their head priestess, had seen the lizard demon and were watching from a safe distance.
"Run for it! Damn you, run!" shrieked Kagome's father frantically at both Kagome herself and her mother.
The lizard chuckled sinisterly. "Foolis-s-s-s-sh mortal," it hissed.
"I'll. . . I'll fight you!" called the father, raising his fists in a feeble attempt of power and self-defense.
"You'll do no s-s-s-s-such thing," hissed the lizard as its tongue streaked out, wrapped around his waist, and dragged him into its gaping mouth, slamming its jaws shut with an audible "SNAP".
"OTOU-SAN!!!" screamed a horrified Kagome, lunging, infuriated, at the lizard.
"Kagome, NO!" cried her mother as she struggled to catch the girl and keep hold of Souta. "KAGOME!"
The ten-year-old sprinted up to the lizard, which had its eyes lazily closed and was enjoying its "snack" of human flesh. With all the strength she could muster she smacked the demon on the forearm with her palm.
SMACK.
The lizard glanced down at the angry little girl. "Another s-s-s-snack, I pres-s-s-s-sume?" it hissed greedily.
"In your dreams," retorted the black haired girl as she charged the lizard again. This time, the lizard's tongue descended upon her. Yet she wasn't touched by it. She emanated a blue light, a pure spiritual radiance. She irately slammed her fists into the demon's side, and to the lizard's utmost surprise, it hurt. . . _really_ bad. With a pain filled screech the demon lunged for the girl, who, by instinct, dodged the attack and latched onto its neck. The power she felt filled her, and she channeled it into her hands. It was pure, clean, and _very_ potent. The demon shrieked in pain and tried to fling her off. But she stayed on.
The demon wailed in pain one final time and collapsed, its soul purified but unable to inhabit the cursed body. The once glistening eyes glazed over with a cloudy film.
Shakily Kagome detached herself from the demon. With tears welling in her eyes, she stared dumbly at the lizard's swollen belly. "Otou-san. . ." she whispered. A single tear escaped the prison of her eye as she bowed her head in loss and respect.
"Kagome-chan," murmured her mother as she cradled the infant Souta.
"He. . . he died, okaa-san, he's. . . gone. . ." Kagome said quietly, as though in a daze.
"Kagome-chan, your father died because he loved you very much. He wanted to protect you from that youkai. He was a brave man, willing to risk his life for yours, Souta's, and mine. He loved you in so many ways. . . there are not enough words to express the amount of love he had for you," stated Kagome's mother as she gently hugged her silently crying daughter.
"Pardon me," asked a low, warm voice.
Both females glanced up to see the village priestess a respectful distance away, flanked by the entire village.
"Yes?" replied Kagome's mother.
"I have watched the entire spectacle from afar, and your daughter has an extraordinary gift. Would you mind if I train her to become a miko? She has very good potential," added the shrine maiden.
"Kagome? Do you want to become a miko?" asked the girl's mother, shifting Souta in her arms.
"I will provide you shelter while she trains, and you all may live in the shrine after she becomes the official miko of the village," offered the priestess.
Kagome knit her brows together in thought as she stared at the ground. 'If I become a miko, I can protect other people and their relatives. Then they won't have to suffer the same fate otou-san did.' Her mind made up, she gazed resolutely into the priestess' eyes and replied, "Yes, I want to become a miko."
~ # * # ~
"Kagome," called the older priestess weakly. "Come here, please."
"Coming," replied Kagome. The fifteen-year-old girl entered the small back room of the shrine. The older woman lay on a low futon, covered by a few thin blankets, her pallid face beaded with sweat.
"Kagome," she started, turning glassy eyes on the girl, "My time is coming shortly, as you can plainly see."
Kagome nodded solemnly.
"I want you to take this." Her she lifted a frail hand, in which was clasped a pearly light pink orb. It glowed slightly with its own warm luminescence. Kagome reached out and gently took the small sphere from her. "This is the fabled Shikon no Tama," explained the aged shrine maiden, "The one that so many demons lust for. A young miko by the name of Kikyou dropped it off not too long ago, saying she did not want it in her possession any longer. As I am leaving soon from this life, I want you to guard this priceless gem. Do not, Kagome, by any means do _not_ let the jewel fall into the hands of any demon. Evil and despair shall befall this world should the gem come into the grasp of one not worthy to hold it."
The elderly priestess' dulling, clouding hazel eyes sought and held Kagome's own warm blue eyes.
"Promise me, Kagome. . . guard it with your life. . ." pleaded the priestess.
"I promise," conceded Kagome softly, but loud enough for the old priestess' failing ears the catch.
"Arigatou, my child," breathed the priestess as she gently squeezed Kagome's hands in her own.
The priestess died in the early morning hours of the following day.
~ # * # ~
Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and months turned into years. Kagome bore well the responsibility of safeguarding the Shikon no Tama. She fought demons, her skill growing with each and every battle. There were all sorts of demons, from lowly weak ones to more powerful ones that she had to struggle to defeat. But luck was with her, and she had always emerged victorious.
~ # * # ~
A seventeen-year-old Kagome sat up on a tree limb, her feet idly dangling in mid air. A cool breeze played with her long hair. She sat, watching the sun's gold fingers touch the land before succumbing to the darkness. The gold faded into deep, rich hues of red, violet, and navy. Stars, small pinpricks of twinkling light, dappled the heavens.
An arm already wrapped around her waist pressed her closer to its owner's body. "Did you enjoy it?" he asked in a low, gruff voice.
"It was beautiful," breathed Kagome, looking into her boyfriend's brilliant amber eyes. "Arigatou."
"It was nothing, Kagome," replied Inuyasha warmly as he captured her lips in a sweet, gentle kiss.
~ # * # ~
Eighteen-year-old Kagome stood, dressed up in a homemade blue silk kimono, waiting for Sesshoumaru to arrive. Her mother's dress was undeniably beautiful; it had been sewn with great love and care. Kagome wondered why her mother spent all the time making this kimono for her presentation to the man she despised most.
'Perhaps as the miko of this village I am not allowed to look too shoddy,' she thought snidely. She glanced at the direction Inuyasha had left to hunt. Her lips curved in an amused grin. 'He can be so sweet at times. . . when he's not being a jerk. . .'
There was a collective excited squeal from the bunch of girls as the Lord of the Western Lands stepped out of the forest.
~ # * # ~
Kagome ran as hard as she could, tears trailing her cheeks. He betrayed her. That man, her love, Inuyasha. Left her. For Kikyou. The traitor.
'How could you, Inuyasha? I loved you!' her heart cried. 'I would have gone to the ends of the earth to be with you, and you simply drop me for her?'
Kagome slipped into her room and shut the door. She made her way to the mirror and gazed at herself. 'Was I not pretty enough? Not caring enough? Do I have a bad personality? An ugly soul? What, Inuyasha, what is it that she has that I do not? Was I just a. . . a replacement for her?'
Her hand slid into her obi and produced her stiletto. 'I love you okaa- san, Souta. . . honto ni gomen for not returning home to you. . . I'll miss you all. . .'
The dagger plummeted for her chest, only to be caught by. . . Sesshoumaru.
*End flashback*
Sesshoumaru opened his eyes and gazed at the priestess sitting across from him. Her face was tensed, her expression grim; Sesshoumaru knew that her allowing him to view these memories, especially the latter ones, were quite painful on her part. He knew that there had not been a sufficient amount of time for her to emotionally heal. He thought back to her very first fight with the lizard demon, and understood how painful it was to lose a parent. He was quite amazed at her brazenness, her perseverance, her courage, her maturity, and most of all, her capacity to love.
This last one astounded him most of all. He could tell that when she had thought she would go to the ends of the earth for Inuyasha, he really and truly believed she would. He was quite peeved at the way his foolish half brother acted towards her. "Baka hanyou," he mumbled under his breath.
Kagome peered at him. "Did you say something?"
Sesshoumaru gazed steadily at her, his anger evident in his rich gold eyes. "Up until now, I never truly realized how _stupid_ that little half-wit of a hanyou could be," he grumbled.
"But he's your brother. . ." she began.
"Half brother," Sesshoumaru automatically corrected.
"Okay, half brother. But wouldn't you have known about it? Surely he's talked to you one on one?" inquired Kagome.
"If you haven't noticed, Inuyasha and I are not exactly close. He still holds a slight grudge for killing that idiot girl. Add to the fact that he chooses to roam about like a vagrant," grumbled the demon.
Kagome fidgeted a little. "I see," she said. Evidently Sesshoumaru disliked the idea of his half brother roaming the lands like a vagabond. Silence ensued.
"You are brave," Sesshoumaru stated quietly, thoughtfully, breaking the stillness.
"Huh?" asked Kagome, not quite believing what her ears were filtering in.
"I said, you are brave. . . Kagome," he said, adding her name after a moment's hesitation.
"I. . . I. . . arigatou, Sesshoumaru," she stuttered, bowing her head in a futile attempt to shield the blush tingeing her cheeks from the demon lord's sharp eyes.
Sesshoumaru chuckled inwardly. Beneath her tough exterior was a kindhearted girl- a side of her he never thought much of even after he'd seen her when she was with Rin. 'I don't understand why Inuyasha had left Kagome for. . . Kikyun? Kikya? . . . or. . . whatever her name was,' he thought. While she was indeed very beautiful, she was beautiful in an icy way, as though she could never truly be touched. Kagome, on the other hand, was pretty and vivacious, her eyes always bright and alive. Sesshoumaru much preferred Kagome to that new. . . and/or old. . . wench of Inuyasha's.
Sesshoumaru was suddenly seized with the impulsive desire to hold the priestess. Why he did not know. Perhaps he had finally found another soul that could relate to his past experiences. Or perhaps she understood him better than anyone since the death of his dearly beloved mother. Or maybe he wanted to help her learn how to cope with the pain of it all- especially after the upsetting loss of Inuyasha in her life.
His mind made up, Sesshoumaru slid next to Kagome and snaked an arm around her shoulders. She gasped and tensed up; he smirked. She eyed him suspiciously, while he simply kept a straight face.
"Relax, miko, I do not aim to do anything you are thinking about," he said calmly, briefly touching her thoughts. 'I have no intentions of harming you,' he stated in her mind.
Kagome silently heaved a sigh of utmost relief. Perhaps opening up to the stoic demon lord was not so bad of an idea. 'At least he treats me in a more civil manner. . . not to mention saying my name for the first time,' she mused.
"Civil? Who ever said I was not civil?" asked Sesshoumaru of the priestess.
Kagome rolled her eyes. "Maybe you should see yourself from someone else's point of view," she replied.
The demon lord smirked. "Perhaps."
~*~*~*~
FT: Konnichiwa, minna-san! I finally was able to type this up! *cheers*
Sesshoumaru: Am I getting _soft_?!?
FT: Shush, Sesshy, I'm just allowing you to warm up to her. *wink*
Sesshoumaru: Sure. . .
Kagome: . . .
FT: Anyways, this chapter was quite a bit longer than usual. Hopefully you all will enjoy it! Domo arigatou gozimasu for the 200+ reviews!!! I really luv you all!! Review more! ^_~ Oh, and I will try to get a picture of ten-year-old Sesshou posted somewhere. . . I can't guarantee it though. . .
~*~*~*~