Chapter 9

(In answer to those who asked: Who stuck the rod up Sesshoumaru's bum? That would be me.  My daughter thought I mellowed the poor guy out too much so I  did a little wake up of the old tendances. Sorry. Also Sesshoumaru is got something else bugging him. read and find out. It'll become clear in the next few chapters. LadySesshoumaru41)

Later that week at the palace of Sesshoumaru...

Katame was outside in the garden when Sango approached. "Katame can I speak with you for a moment."

"Sure Sango, what's wrong."

"Katame I don't understand something. I..." Sango hesitated.

"Sango, come and sit here. Tell me something and be truthful with me. Did Sesshoumaru give you a chance to apologize to him and avoid all this?"

Sango hung her head. "Yes. But I just couldn't bring myself to do it."

"Sango! Do you know what trouble you have gotten yourself into? Sesshoumaru is going to keep you a slave for whole a year, longer if you're stubborn and continue to misbehave."

"I know, I know. I don't understand it, Katame, why didn't he just kill me and get it over with?" Sango asked the dreaded question that had been plaguing her.

"Sesshoumaru doesn't want you dead otherwise he would have killed you. He wants you to show him the respect he is due because of his high station. I know you don't like demons but Sesshoumaru isn't like other demons, you should know that. Sango, you must show him respect and obey him. He will let you go. He has given me his word. Now you must give me yours. I want you to try. If you don't you may well end up having to serve him the rest of your life. Do you want that?"

"No of course not."

"Do you want to die instead? Because if you do, you are certainly in the right place for it."

"No I don't want to die. Although if you'd have asked me that earlier this week I would have said yes."

"Sesshoumaru beat you didn't he?"

Sango lowered her head and mumbled something about the circumstances surrounding the beating she had received.

"Sango!" Katame's voice had an unexpected edge to it. "I can't believe you were so stupid. Sesshoumaru runs a very tight home. His servants are expected to behave in a very exact way. Your actions probably got the other poor servant in trouble as well. Besides he really could have hurt you."

Sango looked up at Katame in surprise. "He did hurt me, a lot."

"Not nearly as much as he could have, Sango, believe me. Now, no more nonsense, Sango. You go to him and apologize for your behavior and do your best to do exactly what he says the instant he says it. That's your only way out of this mess your in. Promise me Sango, promise you will not go out of your way to cause trouble."

"I promise." Sango bowed to her friend. She was right of course but she hated the idea of having to do it. It burned inside her. But if she didn't do it Sesshoumaru would continue to be master over her. She resolved in her heart to try. The sooner she cooperated the sooner the year would be ended and she would be free.

"I'll do as you say." Sango got up and bowed to Katame and left to find Sesshoumaru. This would be the hardest thing she would ever have to do in her life. She would rather fight a dozen demons single handed than kneel at the feet of lord Sesshoumaru and apologize to him for her behavior.

Sango went to find her master. He was in the room he used to practice his fighting skills. She knocked lightly on the door and when she heard him answer she went in.

The fierce lord was standing in the center of the floor scowling. He hated to be interrupted. "What is it Sango?"

Sango stepped forward and gulped a bit. This was much more difficult that she first thought. She stammered. "I... ah..." Damn. She thought to herself why am I so nervous? It's just a simple apology. Why is it so hard?

"Speak, girl!" Sesshoumaru was getting impatient.

"I wanted to.... I have to apologize..." She walked up to a respectful distance before him and knelt down in front of him. Bowing her head till it touched the floor she started to speak.

"I'm sorry lord Sesshoumaru. I should have done as you asked. My behavior was inexcusable." 'There.' She thought to herself 'I've done it. Now what? Will he keep his word and start counting the year or will he toy with me?'

Sesshoumaru stood for a moment looking at the girl kneeling before him. 'Hmmm ... I sense Katame in this.' he thought to himself. "Do you apologize of your own volition or does my wife order it." Sesshoumaru was no fool. It was not easy to put one over on him.

"Lady Katame did speak with me. But the apology is my own."

"Do you expect me to release you now that you have done what you should have done back at the village?" Sesshoumaru was testing.

"No lord. You said that you would keep me one year. I.... Will you start counting the time now?"

Sesshoumaru smiled although Sango did not see it. She was busy staring at the floor willing it to open up and swallow her whole.

"Very well Sango. I will begin the count. But mark my words well, young maiden. I will be watching you. If you return to your old ways I will stop the count and reset your year."

Sango nodded her understanding.

"Leave me." Was all Sesshoumaru said.

Sango could not leave that room fast enough. She had humiliated herself in front of that arrogant bastard of a demon. She didn't know what she hated more. Him for doing this to her or herself for not seeing the trap he had laid, for she was trapped. Now that she had apologized she would be obligated to work for him obeying every word he uttered until the end of the year.

She promised herself that no matter what she would not disobey anything no matter how degrading it was. She would insist on being released in exactly one year's time and not one day longer.

500 years in the future...

Sugumi and Souta sat cross-legged in front of a glowing box. Souta was explaining that it was a TV. And that it wasn't any form of magic at all.

"You use these controllers to move the men on the screen, like so." Souta demonstrated the fine are of playing video games to his nephew. Souta had a hard time imagining a life without the games and TV. Programs he was used to. He thought of the kids back in Sugumi's time and how bored they all must have been.

"I get it. So now, do we begin?" Sugumi was a bright boy. He was always able to pick up new things very quickly.

The boys played the games for the rest of the afternoon. Sugumi was enthralled with the magical creatures that appeared on the screen in front of him.

Later at supper he tried to explain the strange new concept to his father. Inuyasha tried to understand his son but Kagome's era was too weird for his head to figure out. He ended up just patting his son's head and telling the boys to go outside and play.

After the boys left Inuyasha turned to Kagome. "This time you live in is very strange, Kagome. I didn't understand a word he said."

"Don't worry Inuyasha you'll get used to it. It's just different that's all. Besides we will only be here a little while longer and then you will be back in your own strange time."

Inuyasha thought about his own time. In his time the demons could walk about freely. Here, he wasn't even sure if there were any demons any more. If there were they must have disguised their appearances. There didn't appear to be any monsters either.

In his time he was always battling monsters and demons. Could they all be dead? That thought disturbed Inuyasha. He found himself missing his time and place. Now he understood how Kagome must feel every time she returns with him to his time.

"Kagome, come with me." He got up to leave the table.

Kagome noticed the change in mood in her husband. The last time he was like this he banished her to her time after a battle with Sesshoumaru. She wondered what could be troubling him.

She followed him out and hurried to his side. Taking hold of his arm they walked for a little while in the courtyard of the temple. Kagome desperately wanted to ask him what was wrong and was about to when Inuyasha finally spoke.

"Kagome I think I finally understand how you feel. When you are in my time, I mean." He looked at his wife. "I feel so out of place here. Are you sure that there are none like me living in this time? Do you think they're all dead?"

Kagome looked at her husband and thought she understood. 'He thinks his people will go extinct and he feels hopeless. There has to be some way I can help. But I'm not sure how.' She was deep in thought and didn't here him speak.

"Kagome?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry Inuyasha I was just thinking. What did you say?"

"I'd like to go back, Kagome. I'll understand if you and Sugumi want to stay but I don't feel I can stay. I don't belong here." He turned and headed toward the well house.

"No, Inuyasha wait!" She ran after him. "Inuyasha, please come back to the house with me. I'll get our things together and we will leave in the morning. Alright?"

"You would leave here with me? What about your family? I thought you would want a longer visit."

"We've been here for almost two weeks. That's enough of a visit for now. Besides I have a family of my own now to look after, and if you need to go back then so do I." She gave him a big hug. "The next time we come back we should think about how we can contact the demons in this time. I'm sure there must be some. They are probably just hiding themselves. Maybe they can help you figure out how to fit in here. What do you say?"

Inuyasha picked Kagome up and gave her a kiss. "I love you! Do you know that?" He put her down and walked back to the main house with her.

Kagome could always make him feel better no matter what was troubling him. He smiled to himself, he would do something special for her. He didn't know what but he would think of something.

Later that night Kagome's mother woke to a strange sight. There standing at the foot of her bed was a silver haired half-demon. He stepped forward. "I need to speak with you."

She sat up and pulled the covers up around her. "Why? What did I do now?" She was nervous around Inuyasha. He could be nice at times but she and he didn't see eye to eye on a lot of things especially about Kagome.

"Relax woman. You haven't done anything to worry about. I want to talk to you about Kagome." He explained what he wanted to know and Kagome's mom filled in the blanks.

In the morning Kagome got up to find that her mother and Inuyasha were gone. Souta said that they were gone into town to get something and would be back later. Kagome wondered to herself. What is happening? Those two spending time together? That can't be good.

(Suspense! Ahhh, I can't stand it. LadySesshoumaru41)