Hey everyone! It's time for another update for TDSFL. How's everyone enjoying those two new anime shows so far? I like 'em a lot, although new Inuyasha episodes is much preferred. Heh. Anyways, like I've been saying forever, I don't own Inuyasha, and here's the next installment:

"Sesshoumaru?"

I opened my eyes slowly. Gentle fingers were caressing down my hair. Soft rises and falls of breaths of air pressed against my own. A small hand clung to my shoulder. I shifted groggily and slightly tightened my grip on her waist. She smiled. "So you are awake." Kagome purred into my ear. "Good morning, Sesshoumaru."

"Were you awake long before me?" I rested my chin against her hair.

"…No." She thought after a moment. "I was sleeping for a good long time, too. But you made me do that." Kagome giggled. "I did enjoy watching you sleep, though. You looked very…peaceful. No worries or responsibilities in dreams."

"Did I?" She nodded happily. "I'm sure I slept well because you are here." I kissed the top of her forehead. "Thank you for the wonderful night, Kagome."

"I should really be thanking you." I felt her body stir. "We need to be getting up now, though. There's so much to do today."

"I don't want to think about it." I pulled Kagome back down. "Forget about that right now."

She laughed and kissed my neck, snuggling closer. "Mmm, you're so warm, Sesshoumaru. I love it."

"Love?" My eyes widened suddenly from remembering something. Throughout the whole ordeal, I had forgotten to whisper into her ear the one fact that mattered most—I loved her. And after that, would she in turn say the same for me? Grant me relief from my lonely feelings? Or perhaps I was too hasty in rushing her emotions during my selfish need for instant pleasure. Was it better to wait for a more suitable moment?

The answer to that question was yes, for at the same moment, my ears perked up to the sound of footsteps falling on the grass a short distance from where we rested. I reached for our robes and said "Someone is coming. It is time we left this place, Kagome."

"Oh." She scrambled up and put on her royal robe. "Who is it? Can you tell?"

"Not yet, but I suspect that it is the monk. He's most likely looking for us."

"Okay. Well, let's head back then." I nodded after straightening out my robe. Kagome folded up the blanket I had brought, and we left.

"There you are!"

And as I had predicted, the monk rushed up to us. "Where have you two been!? I've been looking everywhere since dawn!"

Kagome blushed heavily. "Oh!...Um, you were?"

He nodded severely. "YES!"

I could tell that she felt badly, but she was also trying to suppress a giggle. "Sorry, Miroku. Sesshoumaru and I just went outside for a little while to…talk."

He frowned—it was an obvious lie. "…Indeed. Well, hurry up. Kaede is waiting for you back in my home."

Kagome bowed gratefully, and together we walked back to the hut. Once we came to it, the small neko leapt out the door and into Kagome's arms, purring happily. Kagome scratched its ears and smiled. "Guess you're glad to see me, eh Kirara? Know where Sango is?"

She leapt down once again and sprinted back into the hut. We followed, only to find Kaede. There was a twinkle in her eye once she saw us, and we realized that she knew what had happened. "I have already prepared some breakfast. It's waiting on the table over there."

"Arigato." We sat down at the table together and began to eat. The human food was very strange to me, and was not exactly suitable for a youkai. Kagome glanced over at me with concern. "I can probably make something else if you would like, Sesshoumaru. I'm used to making stuff for Inuyasha and so I know what you guys tend to like."

I shook my head. "No, I'm fine…this meal is suitable for me." She knew that I was lying, but she did not insist. Kagome must have realized that I would have refused to have her cook now for me, anyways.

Just then, the woman from before entered the room. She was dressed in her outfit and ready to go. "I'm ready." She said to us. Her eyes were baggy and tired from lack of sleep. Her anticipating smile was but a mask.

"You don't have to do this, Sango." Miroku reminded her from behind the door. "You're not really…well enough…"

She nodded. "Thank you for your concern, Miroku, but they need me to testify as a witness against Naraku to clear the Emperor's name."

"We'll travel down a safe path, Miroku." Kagome assured him. "Would you like to come with us?"

He sat down on one of the chairs to consider this. "…I have many things to tend to here. Souls to send away peacefully…various villages and towns need my counsel…my job requires lots of time…time that I have little of."

"Yee must leave it to me, then." Kaede said, stepping forward. "I may be old, but I can still handle the duties of a miko."

"You might be needed as a witness as well." I prompted. Kagome smiled at me slightly from the corner of my eye. "The royal advisors are even more likely to believe the head monk of the castle than a woman from the demon slayer village."

Sango shifted in a slightly disgruntled way from the side. "Nani? Do you really think so?"

"Well, it can't hurt." Kagome said. "Will you come with us, Miroku?"

He sighed. "…Only if Sango wishes it."

She flushed a little, and both Kagome and I caught this. "Well, of course! I mean, why wouldn't I? I don't see any reason for you not to come.."

Miroku stood up. "Very well. I'll go, then."

Kagome smiled broadly. "Great! C'mon everyone—we don't have much time to waste! Kaede, look after his home, okay?" The old woman nodded. We filed out of the room slowly and began our journey to the human castle. I strolled up to Kagome in a silent motion and took her hand casually. Her eyes softened to this gesture, and she kissed me gently on the cheek to my everlasting delight, without the others seeing.

"They're not going to be very happy with me."

I glanced at Kagome, who was still walking by my side. Her stride was quick, and her face was grave. "Who?"

"I mean, everyone in the castle…they've probably been worried about me. I left without saying a word, after all. They have no idea where I am…perhaps they think that I was kidnapped or something."

"Yes, that IS troubling." I agreed. "Well, you are the Queen, Kagome. Don't let them order you around."

She sighed. "I guess you're right…"

Not too long after that, we reached her castle. Miroku and Sango both looked at us with puzzled expressions when we told them that Kagome and I needed to go separate ways from them now. I saw them off to the gate, and then turned back to her.

"I will return soon, Kagome."

"I know." She replied quietly. "Um, be…be careful…okay?"

"Hai. Once Naraku falls, we'll be able to return back home. Are you looking forward to that?"

"Yes, of course. But…oh, do you really have to go!?" She fell against my chest suddenly and tugged at my neck. To my surprise, a lone tear ran gently down her face. I automatically held her closer and took one finger to wipe away her tear.

"…Don't cry for me, Kagome. I am not worthy of your tears."

This caused her to sigh frantically. back soon, Sesshoumaru. Don't keep me waiting for too long."

I drew her chin up so our eyes could meet. I stared intensely into her face, then lowered my head down to hers for a farewell kiss. From behind I ran a hand across her hair to mat it down gently. With soft, direct kisses, I soothed Kagome down in her state of sadness, and I could tell she was grateful for that. Eventually, though I hated to do it, I pulled away from her. "It is time that you return to your home."

"No…" She whispered.

"You'll be safe here. I must go. Farewell for now, Kagome." I gave a sudden, sharp kiss against her cheek, and then I was gone. I did not turn back one last time to look at her face for fear that I would not be able to leave it.

After several hours, I found myself in the midst of chaos. Various bodies of both humans and youkai alike lay dead on the ground. Armor, weapons, and other equipment were scattered everywhere. I knew this violence could have reached the castle by then, and so I quickly ran to it.

Eventually, a few of my father's guards caught sight of me. "Lord Sesshoumaru! You're alive!" They rushed up to me happily, with various arrows from nowhere flying by and just barely missing them.

"What has happened here? Is it the human army? Or Naraku?"

They exchanged worried glances. "My Lord, you mean you don't know?"

"…Know what? Hurry, speak!"

"Naraku is battling your father and brother at the very top of the castle! He sealed all access up there!"

I couldn't believe my ears. Was I already too late? Had I lingered for too long? "When did this happen?"

"Not more than fifteen minutes ago, my Lord." Another horde of arrows swept by. I growled angrily and leapt over to the archers for a quick slash to the throat. The youkai guards watched this in amazement and clapped loudly once they fell to their feet. I stood up and moved back over to them, grabbing the armor plate of the nearest guard and moving him up to me. "Why aren't you up there trying to help him? Your leader might be losing the battle and you're just standing here evading arrows that come by!"

He began to sweat. "Y-You must understand, Lord Sesshoumaru, th-that we t-tried. We tried everything, but Naraku has blocked off the area. Whenever we tried to get close, a massive amount of wind would come and prevent us from helping. There's a rumor going around that he has the help of a wind sorceress-"

"-Kagura? She's here too!?" The situation was even worse than I thought. I devised a plan quickly. "Very well—stay here and hold the castle's defenses. Do not allow the humans to come through. I will go see the battle myself." They nodded feebly and ran off.

'My only hope…is that Inuyasha has learned the secrets behind the Tetsusaiga.' I sprinted away to the top of the castle's tower, hoping that things were not yet too late for the youkai kingdom.

Just as the guard has described, a massive amount of wind knocked me over when I tried to land on the top tower. From within, a sinister chuckle could be heard. "He told me about you. I've been waiting for your arrival, Sesshoumaru."

"Come out of your hiding place, coward." I shouted back. "Your meager tricks of wind won't work with me."

Another chuckle. "Dear dear, we seem to be a bit hasty today. Are you in a hurry for something, Sesshoumaru? You need to meet with those two imbeciles fighting Naraku, perhaps?"

I growled impatiently. "Watch your tongue, wench. Now, come out of there and show yourself before I slay you instead."

Kagura scoffed. "Not likely." Another blast of wind was sent to me. I scraped my claws against the rocks jutted partially out. "You seem to have missed a lot while you were gone." She continued. "Naraku tells me that you took a short visit to the human kingdom. Have you become weak, Sesshoumaru? Communicating with the humans, like your father?"

My blood turned cold. "…My business there is not a concern for the likes of you." I pulled myself up and again tried to sprint past her wind barrier, but Kagura threw me back once again. I growled in frustration. How was I supposed to attack something that I couldn't grasp? 'If only I could have inherited the Tetsusaiga instead…I would be able to come to their aid…'

"What's the matter, Sesshoumaru? Giving up already? That's too bad—and I was just getting warmed up!"

'Concentrate.' I reminded myself. 'Every opponent has a weakness…steady your mind—you'll find it…' I noticed then that all of her power was being controlled by her fan. 'Destroy her fan…destroy the wind…' But how?

I saw my chance suddenly and quickly formulated a plan. I leapt up to her once again and tried to land. Her tone of voice told me that she was beginning to be impatient. "Enough of this—I'm going to finish you once and for all!"

There. In the middle of the whirlwind was the empty space, where the fan was kept. As her attack began to fall upon me, I extended my whip from my two front fingers and snapped the fan out of her hands. This happened in a single instant, and as I landed gracefully on the top of the tower, Kagura staggered down, shocked. "Wh…What did you do?"

"DIE." I shut her fan blade together and was prepared to kill Kagura with her own weapon. In a flash, she pulled a feather out of her hair and leapt off of the tower, gliding away from it.

"Don't look so triumphant." She shouted to me from a distance. "By now, Naraku has probably already killed both your father and brother. I was only meant to ward off and stall any who might've approached. You're too late!" With that, Kagura flew off into the sky.

As I moved up the stairs, I looked down below to see what was happening on the ground. The battle appeared to be an even one—there was an equal number of humans and youkai fighting. I needed to hurry and stop the fighting before it would be too late.

"You've beaten my sister."

I whirled around to face this unknown voice. It was a young girl with pure white hair, holding a singular mirror at the top of the stairs. I growled angrily. "I presume you are also one of Naraku's henchmen. Well, I don't have time for you. Get out of the way."

And then, I stared closer at her face. After a moment of trying to remember passed, I realized that the girl was no other than Kanna, the same person who had captured my soul during my first stay here. I remembered all of it now—the coldness of the world that was in the mirror, the loneliness I felt inside, and how Kagome had selflessly saved me.

"Kanna. You're Kanna."

She said nothing to this. "You must not disturb the fight…he told me to take your soul. Come inside the mirror." She held it up to her face's height and began to light it aglow. How would I escape from her mirror this time? I had no means of attacking it…I had little time to think this as already I felt my own soul rip from my body.

Review Responses:

xypherscompany: Yes, yes you ARE crazy. Lol. Arigato for the review though!

Lady-Kurama: Sorry—I suppose I should tell you that I'm usually quite evil indeed! Cliffies are my specialty…hehe…

Harmony8390: Yeah I hope so too. XD Well I guess we'll just have to see, ne?

CubanBlood: The lemon part isn't in there because this site doesn't allow those types of things. To view it, go to the homepage that is in my profile and click the link to see it. I hope you like it…

butterflyrin: Ah, I'm blushing! Well, thanks! Hope you like the rest of this tale!

Wake-Robin: Arigato! Glad you like everything so far! Are you glad that they put WHR back on adult swim? I know I am!

Tsuki Yume: Hai, hai…well, I suppose a typo or two is bound to slip on by, ne? And I had no idea you live down there…that's pretty cool!

zeddy222: Hahaha. Thanks! Hope you can read the rest of this story…

Row: Hehe, yep! Now we'll just have to see what happens next…

Dark Guardian24: Uh oh, Vira's blushing again…well I dunno about that, it seems as though TIKAQ got far more reviews…meh!

fluffys-sidesick: Arigato! Happy to know you like it!

m1s7ress: lol, wow this thing really made you feel better? Well I guess that's good, ne? And I don't know the name of the plant—I made it up. Heh. And as you can see, Naraku is battling them right now…and stuff.

Isabella: Aw, don't cry! Unless it's a good type of cry. Lol. But yeah I guess it is, since you said so. XD

Miko-Princess: Cool, I'm glad to hear that someone actually didn't have trouble trying to use my site, heh. Thanks for the review!

Magician's Guardian24: Arigato! Glad you like it so far!

Okay everyone, I've developed a new method to writing this thing so it should (hopefully) only take me about a week to update. Someone poke Vira with a stick until she updates! Oh, and I'll also accept bribes in the form of cookies, hehehe. R&R! Arigato, ja ne!