Notes: Yay! Haha, so anyway, this chapter...gets you deeper into Kazuki's character. There is a few tid bits of information about his past, so yea. lol. You'll see what I mean near the end of the chapter. ALSO, Sesshomaru is in this chapter! lol. Yep, I know there is a lot of Sesshomaru fans out there, so...woot. And what's this! Kazuki stole something from Sesshomaru's daddyback then! Also,very weirdKabuki actor next chapter. I bet ya'll sooo want to see that. I'm so excited! And yes, just a few more chapters, like five more I believe, and Reflections will be over. Renagades will be next. For those of you who read the former version of SWTS, I bet you can't wait till the 'traitor' part if you know what I mean. Hee-hee-hee.

Cuz you know, we all love TRAGETY!
Kathy :)

Disclaimer: No. I do NOT own Inuyasha. I do own Kazuki though. Kazuki's my baby-boo! LMAO!

Kazuki emerged from the room dressed in the clothes Kikyo had given him. Seeing that no one was inside, he set out unto the engawa (the porch) feeling rather uncomfortable. Although nothing about him was unusual, it felt odd to be looked upon with such care. Shrugging off lingering memories, he circled around the house, finding Kikyo and Kaede tending to a garden in the back.

"How…do I look?" He asked which got both of their attention.

Kikyo peered up at him, untying the cloth that held back her sleeves. She stood up and walking around him she said, "You look fine, Kazuki-san." Turning back around she smirked, "You know Kazuki-san, get any tenser and you'll pass out." Kaede giggled at her sister's remark.

Kazuki blushed, "I'll keep that in mind, Kikyo-sama." Kazuki wore a white kimono and black hakama. They were both brand-new and the smell of freshness surrounded them. Kikyo had offered him sandals, but he had refused. Kazuki was used to traveling on his bare feet so much that his soles were hard.

Kikyo and Kaede had gotten back to working on the garden. Kazuki stepped forward to help, but Kikyo shook her head. "No, there is something else I want you to do."

"What is that?" Kazuki asked.

"I have a Shinto ceremony I must attend to this evening and I have run out of necessary…supplies. Kaede usually goes to get them for me, but she will also be helping me prepare. There is a friend of mine who goes by the name of Yoshima Toku. He is a Kabuki actor. He gets my items for me. I want you to go and get them from him. Tell him you are…an acquaintance of mine." Kikyo explained calmly. Kazuki seemed to not like being described as an 'acquaintance' for his eyes darkened some, but Kikyo did not say anything about it.

He nodded to show her he had got it and Kikyo told him where Yoshima lived. "At the edge of the village." She had said, "In an elaborately decorated house with a small pool in front." Kazuki shook his head in return. He turned to leave but noticed Kikyo peering at him with an amused look.

"What?" Kazuki spat, obviously annoyed. It seemed all she did was look at him with amusement, puzzlement, or pity.

Kaede shook her head and went back to pulling out weeds. Kikyo, however, was enjoying this. "Though I must warn you, Kazuki-san. Yoshima has a…well, 'liking' towards men." There was something these two sisters knew, because they were eyeing each other and giggling amongst themselves. Kazuki became frustrated. "Stupid…priestess." Suddenly the humor was gone when Kikyo's face twisted into a look of anger. Kazuki had never seen anything like it, so deep and mystifying...like before...

"What is it, Kikyo-sama?" Kazuki inquired of her. He seemed rather worried about her.

"There is a demonic presence in the woods over there." Kikyo explained, pointing a finger behind him. She reached for her bow and quiver.

"No. I'll go. You stay here with your sister." Kazuki stated firmly.

Part of Kikyo's anger disappeared and was replaced with a bit of shock, "What? Are you serious? Are you even strong enough? You don't even have your katana with you!"

"I won't need it." Kazuki sighed, turning around. He stared at his hands trance-like and headed off to the forest. Kikyo and Kaede watched wide-eyed and confused.

"I hope Mr. Kazuki doesn't get hurt." Kaede simply mumbled. Kikyo didn't say anything, but continued to stare at the spot where Kazuki had disappeared into the woods. She was flabbergasted. What was with this guy?

----

Kazuki stumbled through the forest brush, peering acutely around for any details for the demon's emergence. Just as he noticed a large footprint embedded in the dirt, a flash of silver caught his eye. Suddenly a whirl of wind was felt and Kazuki leaping in a back flip, he rebounded off a tree right unto the limb of another. Kazuki peered downward from his perch at the powerful form of a silver-haired demon.

The demon spoke in a deep, yet handsome voice, "If my senses betray me, you are a rather fast mortal, but then you are not really a mortal at all, are you, Kazuki Ken'Ichi?"

Kazuki felt pierced personally, "How do you know my name?" He growled.

The demon looked up at him, a crescent moon marked on his forehead, "This Sesshomaru knows all, especially one that many a time ago sneaked into my father's residence and stole the Hell orb from him!"

Kazuki looked petrified, "Sesshomaru?"

"Why would you, Kazuki Ken'Ichi, with noble blood from your clan sink so low as to become a bandit?" Sesshomaru asked, he seemed rather amused by all of this.

"I set out to prove…my worth." Kazuki managed to say. He did not want to talk about his past. Why was this bastard trying to bring it up?

"Your worth? This Sesshomaru laughs at how foolish you sound."

"You wouldn't understand, Sesshomaru!" Kazuki yelled at the demon.

"Hmph. So where is the orb now?" Sesshomaru asked sternly.

"It broke during the destruction of my clan. It's somewhere…out there." Kazuki replied in a low voice.

Sesshomaru's face twisted in anger, but he calmed himself and simply nodded, "This Sesshomaru is powerful enough anyway." He then stared at Kazuki questionably and inquired, "Are you still seeking your worth, lowly demon?" Sesshomaru was humored all right.

Kazuki turned away, "That…and atonement…"

"Atonement…" Sesshomaru repeated, seemly astounded by such a response, "Remember your bloodline! We need no such stupid thing." He glowered at Kazuki.

Kazuki had no response to this, he only snarled in return, but what came next surprised him.

"This Sesshomaru would like to know what it was that priestess did to cause you to hide in the maskof a mortal and seek after her." A curious look spread across Sesshomaru's face. He was indeed intrigued to see such different entities by each other.

Kazuki was awe-stricken. He pondered on this, indeed…why was it he had watched her all those days and then when she had spoken to him, he followed her here?

"You are an unusual demon. I will not upset the balance of karma. What you did was a virtuous endeavor, now go in peace. I will not harm you."

"Priestess."

"Yes?" She had asked.

"What is your name?"

She was still, her face blank. "Why do you want it?"

"I want to remember the name of the woman who chose to perceive me."

Those eyes. Those deep, saddened brown eyes she had given him. For that one moment it had such tenderness to them that it felt like warm water poured over his cold soul. It had made him forget everything...

Kazuki sighed; her eyes always sent chills down his spine. He peered up at Sesshomaru, who had been waiting patiently for his answer, and said, "She understood me…"

"How amusing." Sesshomaru replied, flicking his hand at him. He turned to go, but then stopped and peered back at Kazuki, "I would kill you, but I thought better of it. You and this priestess sound like a show and I wouldn't want to miss what lay in store for you."

Sesshomaru's eyes glinted, as he added, "But you know, Kazuki Ken'Ichi, do you really think this disguise can hold out forever? What will happen if the village and priestess found out who you really were? Do you think they would truly accept you? This Sesshomaru highly doubts it. You are demon and they will kill you because of what you are."

Kazuki's breath caught in his throat as Sesshomaru disappeared into the verdant of the forest. "But…" His face grew numb and his words were stolen into the air.

He felt so alone.