Disclaimer: Inuyasha was Rumiko Takahashi's brain child not mine. I only seek to perpetuate her legacy and hope that she appreciates the gesture of an avid fan.

SMI: My CPU had some problems lately and I had to overhaul it. But it took my files and research as well as some half- finished chapters for the three of my stories along with it. The horror! So I had to start from scratch. Unfortunately, that accident depressed me so much. But I got good news! I got promoted at work (9 months ago!) And…I got myself a new laptop so I'm so inspired to write!

CHAPTER 30

DUNGEONS, BEASTS AND MAIDENS

Her feet were trying their best to tread quietly on the cold stone floors. Each step was carefully measured but she was getting frustrated at the slow going. One wrong move and someone, anytime and on the next corner would appear and catch her skulking around in the middle of the night. She's not only already scared to death but pissed on top of it. If not for the moonlight shining and spilling over from the glass casement windows she would have tripped over a low table beside the pillar. Where in the…? She couldn't remember that furniture being there that morning!

Imagine if she didn't stop….! Oh god! The noise!

I better go around that obstacle…

Oh! Sh…t!

One second, two seconds, three…four…five….

Her whole body was cringing, frozen on the spot, waiting for the crash. Then of course the entire household would come charging in from all directions and then the jigs up.

She opened her eyes slowly, gingerly; forehead dripping in sweat. Her heartbeat sounded like gongs banging in her ears.

The floor was still freaking cold, the room is still creepily quiet but for the sound of the wind that the drafty castle walls couldn't seem to keep out. She's still alone.

Whew! That's a close one! Breathing slowly in relief, very, very carefully she replaced the decorative vase on the pedestal (she swore it wasn't there this morning) and even more carefully checked what other things she might snag carelessly.

This damned hair! Ooh!

Grabbing her hair in a bunch she could see over at the patio the door leading to the lower part of the castle but with all the obstacle before her it looked like it was a kilometer away. If this were Sesshoumaru he would have traversed any kind of obstruction without even getting his hair ruffled. Or snagging something.

Of course the damned guy would turn around and smirk at her. Could you do better than that, miko?, would be behind that smirk, eyes challenging her. And of course, she would not let him escape without egging the taiyoukai back. Easy for him to say, he was born one. It's sometimes so frustrating (more than frustrating) to be like this-to be a hybrid. It's taking her far longer to get used to.

First one is her new strength. She couldn't afford to be careless (that word seemed to be used a lot lately, in her case) because it could and might end in some embarrassment or worse, disaster. About seven sake and china cups have suffered abuse from her hands. The last time she cracked a beautiful tea cup, Sesshoumaru (with that irritating smirk), told the servants to give her the plain ones.

The second one is her hair-its way too long and it's so damn difficult to manage. Why does it keep getting in the way? Dammit! She glared and gripped the silver tresses tightly in anger. I forgot to cut it. Again. So now its hanging way below her knees when just yesterday it was down to the middle of her back.

She noticed that peculiar thing after a few days of being a hybrid. Then she remembered Rin told her that if her hair were not cut everyday then it would grow too long for her to manage.

"No way!" Kagome looked at the cut silver hair on the floor as Rin began trimming it. "Half a meter? Are you sure?"

"Yes, one-chan. Father cuts his hair everyday."

"By himself?"

"Yes, he uses his own nails. This way." Rin slashed at her own pony in demo.

"Gosh! That's too troublesome!"

"That would be preferable." They both turned at the speaker. "Unless you'd you like to trip on your hair each day, miko?" The western lord stood right outside the door. "Pity the people who would get caught in your 'accidents.'" Rin giggled at the image and Sesshoumaru, she could have sworn, tried not to shudder.

Kagome turned her nose up at the taiyoukai in the effect of pointedly ignoring him. "Hey Rin, do you remember that story I told you about Rapunzel?" Kagome threw a glare at Sesshoumaru hoping he'd take the hint and leave.

Rin paused cutting. "Uh, was that the princess with the very, very long hair? The one who lived in a tower?"

"Yes, that's her."

Out of curiosity the taiyoukai ventured into the room, "Who is this hime Ra-pun-zeel, daughter?" he stopped beside the open shoji doors.

"Oh, it's one of Kagome's stories, father. The hime's hair was as gold as the sun and magical and grew so long!" Rin pointed outside the door.

"How long?"

"Hm, maybe that far down to the blue room."Sesshoumaru turned to follow Rin's hand and imagine the distance and length of the hair.

"Hn. Fascinating." Sesshoumaru folded his arms inside his sleeves.

"Yes, because the hime was taken forcefully from her family by an…" Kagome began.

"And I must presume that akin to the stories and legends about hime, that one with the long hair was kept in tower to keep her beauty and perhaps her magical hair away from the prying eyes of lesser men by a jealous rival." The Western lord paced the length of Rin's room. "That unless a male with exceptionally good looks and fighting skills arrive would the fair haired hime let the male in the tower and rescue her."The inu lord stopped before the two surprised women.

Kagome snorted. "You know, you take the excitement out of a really really nice story, Sesshoumaru. And no," Kagome turned up her nose. "it was an evil witch who trapped her up there."

"And she let herself be caught?" the lord frowned. Rin shook her head and shrugged in response. "Did she try to escape? Commit seppuku?"

Kagome was stumped. "Uh well…uh, no! What? No seppuku!"

"Why? Was she an invalid?" He snorted softly in exasperation at Kagome's shake of the head. "She must be a little daft."

"She is not! Sesshoumaru, women in those stories come from a different culture. "Kagome held up a hand to stop the taiyoukai from retorting. "But the point is: can you imagine my hair growing that long?"

Sesshoumaru stood motionless for a long time; his implacable gaze on Kagome. Then when she and Rin thought that he must have zoned out on them they were startled when he spoke.

"Miko, this one is aware of that story and would disabuse you of that notion. There is no connection between you and that long haired hime. Cease dreaming." Then before she could retort in kind, he was gone.

{O}

Ooh! I'd like to throw one of these vases at him! But then Sesshoumaru would just avoid the missile.

Aw shucks! She missed Rin and Shippo. And…Sesshou…? Hah! Never mind.

Looking around again to make sure she wouldn't make another 'almost' accident, she hastily went to the patio door leading to the side stairs. Good thing her youkai speed helped in catching that vase or else…

{O}

Her youkai speed. Not human speed. Not anymore.

Way back when they were still looking for the Shikon shards, Shippo asked her a rhetorical question after they had a small victory in collecting the shards. They were at the hot springs and Kagome and Sango were excited to take a bath while Inuyasha and Miroku hunt for dinner. They and the little ones were excited as well to go to the spring to rid the travel grime and to relax in the simple pleasure of bathing and savor some peace for once.

"Hey Sango, are those gonna be gone by tomorrow?" The young kitsune worried as Sango applied balm to her wounds after their bath.

"Uh, no, Shippo." Sango replied, putting the stopper on the small bamboo container. "It doesn't happen that fast."

"Huh? But why?" the young boy exclaimed wincing at one of Kagome's wounds where she scrapped it raw avoiding an attack. An area about the size of his small palm was red and raw.

"Because…" piped Rin as she dried her hair. "humans are not like you or Lord Sesshoumaru. We don't heal as fast as youkai."

"Oh, that's terrible! What about the pain?" the boy cringed.

"Pain is part of it, Shippo." Rin looked like a small grown-up and Kagome and Sango couldn't help but smile at the girl.

"Hey Shippo, it's all right. Look, it doesn't hurt that much now." Kagome tried to assure the young boy knowing how he gets worried about her. "Don't worry."

So dinner came and went; they had their usual arguments, Inuyasha was once again 'sat' by Kagome for being bull headed. Miroku once again became the recipient of Sango's Hiraikotsu, Kagome told the kids another one of her stories… and Kagome thought the little boy had forgotten his concern but he blindsided her with a shocking question as they were preparing for sleep.

"Kagome. If you were given youkai power, what power would you like?" the kitsune's face bear the remains of a whole pound chocolate bar. Beside her, unlike Shippo, Rin had gotten the hang of eating the dark candies neatly.

"What do you mean? Youkai… power?" Kagome and Rin exchanged surprised glances with each other at the question.

"Yeah." The kitsune boy continued, licking his fingers with gusto. "Well, humans were way too weak, right? They can't run very fast, can't fight for a long time, they heal slowly unlike me. So, if you become youkai, Kagome…only if, okay? What power would you want?"

Wow. What a flabbergasting question out from the mouth of babes.

And now in one she would call a universal joke, she's a youkai herself. Well, she likes calling herself a hybrid, courtesy of Kagami, the entity in the mirror. Whether what happened to her was a blessing or a curse, temporary or permanent, serious or, yes, a joke; she has to learn how to be one and accept this situation the same way she had to accept her role as the Shikon no Miko and, goodness, lately, (how could she had forgotten) the Guardian of Souls.

Who died and made me Guardian of Souls? And why is this castle full of annoying knick knacks?

The wind was like a cold slap on her face carrying the sharp tang of the sea, her hair escaped from her hold and whip her pale hair when she opened the door. Annoyed, she gathered them and tied it with one of her soft hair bands in a pony as she continued to walk down the rough stone stairway in the direction she saw Rylanion went earlier.

{O}

That aftenoon:

"But that is not possible." Rylanion paced around the table where Kagome's books and notes were scattered about. He let the paper about the bathysphere exploration report about Lake Baikal flutter down.

"Why not?" She shrugged in confusion as she picked up the paper and shuffled it to join the other reports.

"The very bottom of that crevasse is quite deep. Not even a powerful youkai could dive in its depths."

"In my time it has been explored quite thoroughly…"

Rylanion shook his head, a smirk on his lips. "Yes, you've mentioned that before. Quite frankly I am not convinced that such a feat is possible."

"Rylanion, in my time people have gone to places where it was impossible to explore before. We have also reached the moon. Can you imagine that?"

"In your time…you keep on saying that. This is your time, isn't it?" The man held up his hand. "Yes, I remember the story you told me. But it's much too fantastic for me to believe."

"Well, unless you're telling me I'm making all these up that's what it is." Kagome pushed, a little irked. "I'm not from this time. I am not a youkai." Rylanion snorted. "this…" Kagome pointed at herself. "is Kagami's doing. You know who Kagami is, right?"

"Zyriana…my…"

"No! I'm not!" Firmly, Kagome brushed away his hand off her face and took a step back.

Like a man waking up from a dream Rylanion blinked. "Kagome, forgive me." He dragged a shaking hand over his face.

"No. Please don't come near." She held up a glowing hand until the man backed away in dismay.

Rylanion was staring at her hands, "In…in Sesshoumaru's shiro, did you…did you also have to defend yourself like this?"

Kagome frowned in confusion, shaking her head. "He never gave me any reason to." Then… "Well….there was the time when we were slashing our clothes off of each other…" her eyes and Rylanion's widened in horror. That didn't sound right. "No! I mean…that's not what I mean…it's not like that. We…we..he was trying to show me uh….teach me something." Kagome felt herself getting flushed. "I mean, he wanted me to show his style." Hastily… "Of fighting. That's it…uh, fighting." Kagome ended lamely.

"I see." The man took a deep breath.

Kagome could see the effort Rylanion was giving and her heart went to him. "I m sorry for your loss, Rylanion but… I am not…. Zariana."

Rylanion shut his eyes as if in pain. "No…No, you're right. You're not her." Rylanion gritted his jaw.

"My lord." Both she and Rylanion started at the servant's voice. "A word please."Rylanion beckoned the servant in and both went to the far area of the room to talk. Kagome went back to her notes to continue her findings. But before she could sit Rylanion was back.

"My immediate attention is needed right now. My apologies. The servants are here to take care of you." He pointed to a servant who bowed to the waist.

"Sure." Kagome shrugged, partially relieved Rylanion is leaving. "No problem."

"Kagome…"

She smiled at him. "I understand, Rylanion. Uh…maybe we could talk later for dinner?"

The man stopped in surprise and looked back. "I…I would like that."

"See you at dinner then." She waved at him. He nodded. "Bring our guest some refreshments. Now!" The startled servant hastened, running to the direction of the kitchen.

Kagome waited until both men have left. She sat very still, one ear cocked until she heard a door open downstairs and heard their faint voices.

In an instant she was by the window. The servant who was to bring her food hasn't come back. They only move fast whenever Rylanion is here. It would take the manservant about thirty minutes—like they always do.

Soon, Rylanion and the other servant came out from under the side door awning, the former striding with a stiff gait. Her breath caught when Rylanion turned towards where the library was at. Eyes wide, Kagome was fast enough to move out of sight. She sidled carefully back to the edge of the window, not wanting to lose them.

Kagome's eyes narrowed as Rylanion took a set of keys from the servant and opened a gate at the very far end of the garden; the one where there was a small maze. She craned her neck as the two men disappeared from within the warren of well-tended shrubbery, after a few minutes they were back in the path. She opened the door and positioned herself where she could see Rylanion gesturing angrily at the servant. She never left them out of her sight as she went behind the pillar until the two men entered the door leading down to the dungeons.

{O}

Every now and then she constantly looks back in case she was being followed. Below, the churning sea boomed against the wall of the cliff. Dark clouds hung far beyond the sea fighting with the moon to shine its light on her path. But it suited her mission so she has to hurry.

She did not bother reaching the gate. As soon as she was near she vaulted up and over the walls. She didn't want to be lost in the maze and lose precious time so she kept vaulting over the shrubbery. Once there, she paused before she opened the heavy wooden door. Rylanion must have forgotten to lock it because whatever he did here had gotten him late for dinner. The man had profusely apologized for his tardiness.

The door, surprisingly, did not creak, probably because of the constant wear. Good for her. It was quite a relief when she entered its shelter and the wind as just a slice of cold draft under the door. Her cheeks felt numb and a little raw from its icy blasts. Against the dark walls as the stairs turned a curve leading down further.

{O}

This scenario sparked another story that she couldn't help but run in her mind.

Back in Tokyo in the library one afternoon, two days before the second major exam, she was trolling through the aisles and found herself in an area in the library where she doesn't usually venture into: the international books section. Reading the titles, she was intrigued at one book—The Grimm's Book of Fairytales.

The book was old. The pages were dog-eared and yellowed; almost brownish. She has not seen a book like that before. It was obviously gaijin-made and the writing was Romaji. But the pictures!

She was fascinated by the beautiful black and white drawings of magical places and of beautiful princesses, fairies, elves, dragons and enchanted objects and animals that could talk.

One of the stories was Beauty and the Beast.

In the story, quite different from the usual fairy tales she grew up with Beauty married the Beast and stayed at his castle because of her father's deal with the creature. But in all the time Beauty stayed in the castle she would only hear his voice. After making his customary visit in the morning, he would leave her to his invisible attendants to take care of all of her needs. But at night whenever he would to come to her to claim his marital rights Beauty knew that he is flesh and blood; a real man.

When Beauty asked why she couldn't see him he told her if she saw his face they would never see each other again. But Beauty fell in love with him and one day as her father visited her he gave her an oil lamp so she could sneak in to take a look….

{O}

Back in reality, Kagome held on to the stone walls as she took another step. The circular stone stairs seemed to go on forever and from the depth she could tell this went deep under the castle level. It was also very cold; even colder than the outside the deeper she went. Kagome couldn't help but shiver and got a little disoriented at the curving walls.

So to continue, as all fairytale stories goes, Beauty fell in love with Beast and she wanted to see him. So one night she took a lamp and went down to his den.

Hm, is this like a den?

Kagome wondered as her train of thought about the fairy tale was diverted. I think I could see the landing….was that a light? Indeed it was a light; a lone torch flickering in the dark. Kagome stopped to get her bearings. The landing had four passageways but the one on the right was the only one lit with the torch.

Kagome peeked at the darkened corner on her left.

{O}

The walls were cold and slightly slippery as her hand brushed against it. The hall on this side is dark, Kagome's enhanced eyes couldn't even see. Only the sporadic sound of trickling water somewhere through the gloom could be heard. It added in making the whole place look dreadful like out of an old Dracula movie. Kagome couldn't help but brush her tongue lightly against the fangs she now sport.

Ok, nothing in here so far. Hm…what do we have here?

Is that a mirror? A picture? No, a painting?

Her steps stopped just a few feet before the frame struck by the thought that this was the first time she ever saw a framed painting anywhere in the castle. She squinted in the gloom…she gasped.

It was not a painting.

The box is roughly rectangular and about two meters high. All four sides were glass and inside….

Kagome backed away confused and wide-eyed and in fear.

She could now see better in the dim and she could feel blood drained from her face. She turned to go back to the stairs, back to the wind and back to the Western lands…

Kagome hit something solid and she almost screamed when something held her fast.

She looked up to glowing eyes.

It's the beast!

~[O]~