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Souta commented, "The characters look just like you guys."
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed and he spat, "Hardly."
Kagome read the description of the game and opened the "More Info" window. The game was set in the forests and mountains of feudal Japan. The group of players had a quest to recover magical tokens and fight a series of battles with the minions of the Vampire Lord, the ultimate boss. Players could choose to play as several different characters: a school girl witch, a sorcerer, a kitsune trickster, a female vampire slayer, an elf fighter, or the featured brawny hero, Inukami.
Kagome didn't usually play too many games with Souta, but this one was way too close to her life. It would be worth parting with some of her carefully hoarded cash to see this. "I'll give you, no LOAN you the money to go buy it if you want," she told the boy.
With an excited yell he raced up the stairs and brought back down a purse, handing it to Kagome. As quickly as the money was in his hands Souta raced out the door.
"Miko, who is responsible for this play?" Sesshoumaru inquired.
Kagome stared at the screen thoughtfully. That was an excellent question. Moreover, what did they know about the double life she was living in the present and in the past. "Do you think they know how our quest turns out?" she mused.
Sesshoumaru examined his claws; it seemed obvious that his idiot half-brother must have survived until this future time. "That is something we shall discover," he resolved.
These video games were easily grasped and excruciatingly tedious once one mastered the fundamentals Sesshoumaru decided. He failed to see what so enthralled the young boy. Now Inuyasha . . . the characters and manner of play fairly reeked of the hanyou. He was obviously behind this mis-told tale. While Souta remained absorbed by the first campaign, Sesshoumaru had played all the scenarios to their various endings. Kagome kept notes on the computer and printed out the results to take back with them.
"Do we need to go back right away?" she asked Sesshoumaru as he reviewed her notes.
She seemed to be asking his permission. "There is something else you wish to do? This Sesshoumaru sees no need to go back immediately. The group will certainly wait for our return."
"Souta has a football festival this weekend and Mama and Ji-chan are going to watch the games and the yasakoi parade and dances afterward." She glanced over at him uncertainly. "I would like to go with them. Would you come too?"
Sesshoumaru's eyebrow lifted, he shrugged with one shoulder and answered "Hn."
Kagame smiled and clapped her hands. His reaction was so different from Inuyasha's tantrums.
Sesshoumaru smirked inwardly; they had worked well together and she was so easily pleased without any effort on his part. They could certainly stay longer, if only to benefit his campaign to win the miko.
The soccer festival was somewhat tedious in Sesshoumaru's opinion. The games were played through rapidly as teams were eliminated. The children, friends, and families there to cheer them on were certainly enthusiastic. His ears rang from the screams of excitement.
There were quite a few of the crowd wearing some form of traditional dress. Many of the groups seemed to have a uniform of sorts. Sesshoumaru grasped Kagome's shoulder and pulled her close. "Kagome, do these teams represent the local lords? I see many groups in livery."
Kagome flushed; he was so close. His breath wafted across her cheek. She waved her hands, "No, no, nothing like that. They are probably groups who will be performing in the yasakoi parade or maybe the dance exhibitions tonight."
He settled back, "Hn." Exhibitions, the glimmer of an idea began to form. This could be his opportunity to "display."
The crowd slowly drifted along the road following the dancing groups and soccer teams in the informal parade to the festival grounds. Their progress was accompanied by a cacophony of various types of music, ranging from traditional historical sounds to modern Jpop, rap and techno. It was as if many groups of musicians were competing to see who could play the loudest. Souta's team had come in third overall and he seemed very pleased with their performance. Kagome returned his high five as he chattered excitedly.
Sesshoumaru seemed interested in observing the various groups. Kagome impulsively grabbed his hand as the crowd threatened to separate them. "We have a spot at the tables just ahead under those trees," she gestured with her other hand.
Groups of tables surrounded the large open space in a scattered ring. Booths selling various types of food lined one side. A raised platform was successively occupied by a variety of musicians of widely ranging degrees of talent. As darkness fell, the traditional yasakoi dancers gave way to more dramatic individual and group performances. The acts ranged from juggling, hoop dances, fan dances and martial arts demos, swirling team banners and glowing props.
Sesshoumaru fastidiously licked the juices off his fingers that dripped from his seared meat skewer. He glanced to the side, Kagome seemed entranced by the glowing lights as she absently stuffed rice balls into her mouth. Let's see what she thinks of "this" performance. Quicker than the human eye could follow, he moved toward the center of the open area.
Kagome turned toward Sesshoumaru, "Did you see that?" The space he had occupied was now vacant. "What? Where did you go?" she asked the open space.
A murmur rippled through the crowd accompanied by applause. Kagome blinked; it couldn't be. In the center, flashing green light whips accompanied leaps and spins of the white silk clad figure. Sesshoumaru, moving slowly enough to be easily seen, enacted a battle scene or kata. The whips disappeared and his swords flashed in a slower sword dance that resembled a theatrical kami mai. She was caught by his eyes, their gleaming gold focused on her. He was dancing for her. This was like nothing she had ever imagined him doing. She was frozen by his strength, grace, and inhuman beauty. And then suddenly the circle was empty; he had vanished.
Kagome jumped; he was back on the bench next to her again. He drew her close and nuzzled her hair. She vaguely heard Ji-chan saying, "Yes, that dancer is a visitor at the Higarashi Shrine. Perhaps there will be a festival performance." Her grandfather was scheming again, hoping to draw Sesshoumaru into his crazy ideas.
Sesshoumaru huffed, "Hn. This Sesshoumaru displayed for you . . . Kagome. This one shall not perform for the amusement of the peasants."
Kagome gasped, "What do you mean?"
Sesshoumaru sighed; she was so oblivious. This was not something one addressed directly. But since she did not seem to grasp subtlety, he stated, "That is an ancient sword dance of this one's clan. A dance the male performs for the female he has chosen."
"Chosen for what?" the clueless woman asked.
Sesshoumaru looked heavenward in a rare appeal to the kami. "His chosen mate. You, Kagome, are this Sesshoumaru's choice."
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