Fragmentations of Our Past

Rating: M for everything, adult themes to violence to language.

Disclaimer: Property of Rumiko Takahashi and I do NOT make a profit from it

Note: Do review...it helps me greatly. This is a Ses/Kag pairing. If you don't like, (stares in shock), then don't read. You've been warned...

Act I, Scene I

Golden eyes watched as the large ballroom became a glittering, shifting mass of youkai. It was almost filled to capacity now, and yet still more guests were arriving. The crowd was serpentine in its movements, rising up to witness each new arrival before recoiling back into tightly knit groups defined by species and status. The watcher took in all details, from the alert security guards positioned at every entrance and exit, to the females who kept casting seductive glances up towards him in hopes that his eyes might pause for a moment upon them. He watched as one female let the strap of her dress fall, flashing ivory skin, before pretending to be embarrassed and move it back to its proper position. Inwardly, the watcher sneered at their grasping, desperate faces. They were nothing to him. With a practiced turn of his head, he dismissed them from his thoughts, and instead placed his attention back on the illuminated entry. Twenty more guests had arrived. They were inu-youkai from the Tetsusaiga province, but none were the one he was waiting for.

A toad-like man abruptly appeared behind him. Fear and apprehension was rolling off of him in waves, making the air smell like stagnant pond water. The small man paused a moment to catch his breath, wiping green-tinged sweat drops from his forehead before delivering his apparently urgent message.

"Lord Sesshomaru!"

"Jaken." One silver eyebrow rose in annoyance, but the golden eyes never left the ballroom floor. Jaken tugged at the edges of his brown suit in hopes to lower the stifling heat he felt. His lord was obviously not in the mood to be bothered, but this was of vital importance.

"My lord, I am sorry to disturb you, but we have a problem."

"And…" The eyes still stared outward. Jaken cleared his throat and offered a brief prayer to the gods that his lord would find his service important enough to refrain from killing his most insignificant self before speaking again.

"There is a unit from the Taijiya-Shikon Task Force at the entrance demanding to be allowed in."

Though he did not show it, Sesshomaru was greatly surprised by the information brought by his servant. He had not sensed the humans' presence, and it was rare that any human could control their aura and unique smell to such an extent, much less two. It was even rarer still that the TSTF would send a unit to a registered youkai gathering, especially one that had been approved by the highest government officials. One of the advantages of controlling one-fourth of the city companies was that the government seemed extraordinarily tolerant to his wishes.

It appears that I will now have to reassess my relationship with these 'elected' officials. Sesshomaru felt a brief twinge of nostalgia for the days when insubordinate subordinates could be taken care of with a quick swipe of the claw. Fighting these days was done in the boardroom with stocks, and takeovers, and...He sighed inwardly. It was all done with money and a bit of healthy ningen fear of losing said money. Humans had a decided fascination with it, but it made life...It made life boring.

While his master was making a decision about the news, Jaken began to tug harder at the corners of his wool suit. His lord was evidently most displeased with him. His silence was proof of it. Unbeknownst to the poor servant, his face was becoming a sickening shade of green as his anxiety grew. His eyes had also begun to bulge at the thought of the various punishments his lord might inflict upon him.

"Let them in."

"My LORD!" Jaken started forward in surprise. "You can't be serious!"

"Must I repeat myself Jaken?" As this was clearly something his lord must NOT do, Jaken quickly shook off his surprise.

"No, my Lord Sesshomaru. It shall be done precisely as you wish." Jaken began bowing profusely as he retreated from his lord's presence, thankful that he was still living.

"And Jaken…"

"Yes my Lord."

"Control yourself. You're Shifting." The eyes had never once looked upon him. Jaken stumbled in his retreat.

"Forgive me my lord! It shall not ever happen again!" Muttering silently to himself, while still bowing, the toad renewed the enchantment upon his body, and went to let the smelly humans inside his lord's most beautiful party.

A Tajiya-Shikon Task Force...this should prove interesting. Lord Sesshomaru smiled to himself, sat back in his chair, and waited.

Kagome tugged impatiently at the corners of her skin tight red dress, trying desperately to keep her chest in place. On her right, Sango chuckled evilly.

"It's all right for you," Kagome whispered fiercely, "you get to wear armor that keeps your boobs in place." She glared up at the taller woman next to her. Sango grinned back in her face, and adjusted the straps on her battle suit. "We both agreed who got to play good agent and bad agent this time Kagome. You got good...and I get to evoke memories of the old days when this suit meant death to any youkai scum!" Sango's eyes glowed with a brief fervor for times long since past.

Kagome patted the slayer understandingly on the shoulder, trying to control the guilt that always filled her whenever this happened. She had needed her friends in the future. Hell, the future had needed her friends in the future, but she was never sure that it was what Miroku and Sango had needed...and even Inuyasha and dear Shippo, although they would have been around anyway. Of course, they would have had 500 years or so to adjust instead of being violently thrust into such a life, and Kagome was not positive about the lifespan of hanyous. It may be that Inyuasha-

Kagome's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the return of the rude security guard who had denied them access to the banquet earlier. He was now accompanied by an ugly, sweating man who was wearing what appeared to be the most ill-fitting suit she had ever seen. The ugly man bowed low to the two women, before stating in a high-pitched voice, "No weapons." Sango stepped forward threateningly, but Kagome tightened her grip on the woman's shoulder, warning her not to argue. Sango sighed dejectedly and began to disarm herself.

"I'll meet you inside Sango." A brief nod of the slayer's head was her only response. Quelling the fear the rose in her stomach, Kagome stepped through the glass doors of the archway, and into the largest youkai gathering Tokyo had seen for over two centuries.

Sesshomaru felt a snarl rise in his throat when he saw just who was "crashing his party." He had never forgotten her face, her voice, her blue within blue eyes. His suddenly clawed fingers dug into the arms of his chair, causing the wood to splinter and fall in tiny pieces upon the floor. One miniscule fragment of wood embedded itself in the tip of his thumb causing a single drop of blood to well up. It caused him to look down and notice that his own Shift was beginning. He healed it with a thought and glanced back down at the woman who had shattered his careful control. "Kagome..." the name came unbidden upon his lips.
On the floor, Kagome felt all eyes literally turn towards her. Silence descended. She stood perfectly still at the top of the staircase that went down to the ballroom floor. Kagome wanted every youkai in the room to get a good look at her; she wanted them to know just who she was and the power that backed her right to be here. Of course, her second motive was trying to locate the position of the unauthorized jewel fragment that was reported to be in this place tonight.

"Any luck?" Sango murmured in her ear. With the Taijiya's appearance, a visible ripple ran through the room as those old enough recognized the affront that the second woman's clothing was to their gathering.

"No." Kagome knew it would not be as simple as walking into the place and finding the shard. It was going to be well hidden, extremely well hidden, but she had entertained the tiny hope that she and Sango could find the shard, get it, get out, and be back in time for reruns of their favorite show on tv. The sweating man walked in front of the two women and gestured imperiously at them

"This way...humans."

He led them right through the center of the ballroom, causing the youkai guests to hiss and growl out their displeasure as they passed. Several stared at them with angry red eyes, and a few were apparently upset enough to Shift completely. Kagome saw from the corner of her eye one ookami who had to be restrained by the female he was accompanying. Kagome pretended not to notice. Through the massive crowd they walked, until finally the man stopped in front of another large staircase. This one led up into a darkened corridor.

"My Lord awaits; do not stand around gawking!"

Kagome passed by the man and stepped onto the plush crimson carpet. Sango did likewise, but took a moment to press her high-heeled black boot directly down onto his disrespectful foot. She stifled a smile ashe let out a loud squawk of outrage. He reminded her of someone, but who she couldn't say...

The voices of the two women floated up to him like a melody from a song long forgotten. With their voices, came smells and memories of the past, faces and names. He stood slowly, not to turn andface the doorway where the two women would appear, but merely to insure that there would be no mistake as to just who exactly he was. As their approaching footsteps got louder, Sesshomaru let a few drops of poison enter his fingertips. The presence of the slayer was insult yes, but he would not tolerate that other female to leave here unpunished. He had told her that the next time he saw her, he would kill her. It was unfortunate that tonight would be the time, but she had been warned. His flexed his fingers, this time welcoming the sight of the Shift, and his fingers grew into claws. The women neared the final steps; he knew he was now perfectly visible.
"Sesshomaru?" Kagome gasped in shock at the regal white haired man who waited for them at the top of the stairs. As her brain screamed at her body to run and hide, only one word was able to pass through her lips.

"Shit!"

Till next time,

Aidyn

Please tell me if you like this so far...and what is confusing. Hopefully, all will be explained in due course. Thanks!