Title: Illusions of My Memories
Author: SavingRain
Rating: R for violence, bad language, and some sexual content
Summary: After Naraku's death, Kagura tries to find her place in the world.

Author's Notes: Italics denote the thoughts of characters.

The Northern Lands was the general name for a vast amount of territory that stretched across the mountains of Paektu and into the valleys of the great lakes, but Kagura easily discovered that this was not the case. Daisetsu's territory really encompassed a sparse wilderness and several convenient forts that were built on some of the highest points of Edo. For a better word, the world that Azumamaro had fought to make his own was little more than a backwards society full of ancient youkai. Many of these boastful lords had never found themselves subject to a higher ruler. Daisetsu had merely demanded respect from them, and in return he kept soldiers in the forts and occassionally descended from the mountains to scout the region.

Kagura was dismayed to find that lore was what kept his empire afloat.

Azumamaro is starting to look less and less impressive. Daisetsu's armies and his supposed 'treasures' were really just the product of imagination.

Since the lord had ruled long before Sesshoumaru had come into existence, Kagura wondered if anyone really knew his true strength.

Sesshoumaru wouldn't have let his empire stand if he knew...

Growing weary of the endless travel and sparse landscape, Kagura threw herself down on the ground and stared off into the distance.

She had inherited a wasteland.

If Azumamaro were still alive, she would have killed him for duping her into helping him establish a monarchy in such a lousy region. He was suddenly becoming less and less impressive with every memory she conjured up of him.

He was so certain...he was so boastful and arrogant...

Kagura pressed her fingers against her temples and tried to assuage the impending headache. She had always thought of herself as an expert at picking out the weak and the strong--she had found Sesshoumaru easily enough, and Azumamaro had all the right attributes. He was handsome, arrogant to a fault, and blood thirsty enough to show his worth in any fight.

Strength has nothing to do with brains...

Kagura chided herself as she rose to her feet, easily creating a giant feather to ferry her over the skies. The wind caught her body and pushed her vessel up through the clouds, sending her forward with amazing speed. One of Daisetsu's fortresses wasn't far off, and Kagura guessed it would be in her best interests to inspect it.

I should just leave here and tell Sesshoumaru to go fu--

Kagura gasped as a gale tore through the right side of her feather and pushed her backwards. She reached for her fan and easily created a whirlwind to counteract the force, but without her feather intact she would have to land.

Artificial winds...

Kagura was familiar enough with her most trusted weapon to know when it was being used against her. As she came closer to the earth, she sensed powerful youki stirring below her and--

"Sesshoumaru!" she called out to him as she descended to the earth and slid along the rocky walls of the tremendous fortress.

He barely turned to look at her.

Apparently something within the stony walls had caught his attention. Kagura watched as he discerned a sound that only he could hear, and promptly brought his blade down, creating an arc of green energy that sliced into the darkness, bringing an acrid cry forth. A bleeding behemoth emerged, charging towards them both. Kagura brought her fan up in defense as a powerful gust bombarded her body. Making a sound of irritation, she flexed her wrist to the side and dissipated the feeble attack. Her own powers were more than enough to dispell the attacks of the weakened youkai. Sesshoumaru dealt the final blow, separating the beast's head from the rest of its body.

It groaned in protest as its blood churned forth, creating a thick layer of ichor on the ground. Kagura wrinkled her nose.

"I hope you're planning on cleaning that up," she crossed her arms over her chest and he regarded her out of the corner of his eye. "Did you come here because you were worried about me?"

Sesshoumaru didn't respond. Kagura stepped forward, intending to look into his eyes.

"Hey, what are you--"

He was gone.

Kagura felt another burst of wind hit her and stumbled backwards, glancing around. The powerful youki she had sensed earlier was gone. Stealing herself against the implications of the situation, she glanced down at the dead youkai.

Was it possible that I imagined the entire thing?

"Who the hell are you talking to?"

Kagura stiffened slightly.

That voice...

"Azumamaro?"

He smiled at her through the darkness. She narrowed her eyes, discerning the pale white face and the scars that she had seen on his body after his death. One of his arms was missing.

"What the hell is going on here?" Kagura took a step back and reached for one of her feathers, preparing to create an escape.

The image of his dead face flickered slightly, and she watched as it faded away. Kagura froze. She breathed in deeply, concentrating on her powers.

I've dealt with this before...

Once, when running an errand for Naraku, Kagura had been attacked by youkai that used the power of illusion to defeat their opponents. They drew on their enemies' most recent memories and attempted to draw them into a deadly mistake.

When she had seen Sesshoumaru earlier, it was likely her own mind, working against theirs.

"So, you don't like your new ruler, do you?" She laughed, lifting her fan to summon her strongest attack. "Then you can die here with your friend." She twisted her wrist slightly and slowly twirled a tornado into existence. "NOW GO TO HELL!"

The deadly spiral tore through stone and earth, ripping apart flesh and scattering the last of Daisetsu's subjects. Kagura watched as they screamed curses and lost their limbs to the expanding forces.

As the winds dissipated and the fortress crumbled to the ground, Kagura shook her head at the futility.

"Honestly, I don' t have time to waste with idiots."

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Rin's shrine wasn't too far away from Kagura's borders. Sesshoumaru listened as Jaken prattled on about his responsibilities, allowing the lesser youkai to believe their journey was because of official business. Truthfully, Sesshoumaru was more concerned with making sure that Kagura was doing as she was told and visiting Rin's shrine. He easily picked up her scent and stopped walking to wait until she intercepted him.

I smell blood...

He lifted his head to watch Kagura descend from the skies. His powerful youki must have attracted her.

"Are you a mirage, or are you real?" Kagura laughed lightly as she fanned herself.

Sesshoumaru's expression didn't change. She looked down at Jaken and shook her head.

"You must be real, I never would have imagined that thing."

Jaken made a sound of indignation, and Sesshoumaru lifted his head slightly in interest.

"You were fighting Daisetsu's fortress guards?"

She clenched her fists.

"Yes--why didn't you bother to tell me about them?"

Sesshoumaru turned slightly, intending to walk away.

"If you could not deal with them, then you would not deserve your position."

"Oh?" Kagura snorted. "Speaking of that position, I don't want it."

"This again," Sesshoumaru began walking, allowing Kagura to trail behind him and argue.

"What do you mean--you never told me this place was so--horrible," she came astride him and smacked her fan against her palm for emphasis. "Daisetsu ruled an empire full of idiots! The youkai here are backward--and everywhere I go, I get attacked by his stupid subjects!"

"I dealt with similar circumstances when I received my father's territories." Sesshoumaru sounded unimpressed as he took stock of her situation. "I will not argue with you any longer. If you are not strong enough to take on this task--"

"I never said that!"

Sesshoumaru simply nodded and continued on. Kagura glanced at him.

"Hey," she murmured, leaning slightly to the side. Jaken muttered something under his breath. "Where are you going?"

"Away."

"I see..."

"Kagura." Sesshoumaru didn't bother to look at her. "Stop it."

She grinned at his reaction. He was obviously doing something he didn't want her to know about.

"Sesshou--"

"Rin." he stated, and Kagura shifted slightly. He lowered his gaze to meet hers. "I am going to her shrine."

Jaken sputtered some disrespectful slur of curses and was promptly reprimanded for it. Kagura was too smart to comment.

Instead, the two youkai lords continued towards the mountains.

Rin was a subject that Sesshoumaru was rarely willing to discuss, his simple admittance of her memory was enough to satisfy Kagura's curiosity. If he was willing to have her along, then she was all the more intrigued.

The last time he had allowed her to visit Rin's shrine with him, she had not been privy to the journey beforehand. They had simply arrived at a simple monument where Sesshoumaru held a silent vigil for a few hours. His behavior was awkward and she didn't bother to comment. Jaken had been the one to reveal the truth.

All of their arguments had been forgotten. For the moment, Kagura was simply basking in the dimming glow of his acceptance.