Kagome took a deep breath of clean cool air. She sat astride Ah-Uh looking over the treetops of the forest, stealing glances at Sesshoumaru's back where he floated across from her. It was still rather early, and she could hear the birds singing below. Autumn was here and the trees were changing vibrant hues of red and orange.
She leaned over to the right digging into her satchel to remove her water flask. Her hands rested on the painted Inuyoukai mask that she had packed. A smile spread across her face at the thought of Katsurou and his approval of the silly took a sip of water to dislodge the lump in her throat. Katsurou, I miss you terribly...
Ah-Uh abruptly reared back causing the water to go up her nose.
"Ack!" She sputtered, trying to clear her airways.
A whistle of air passed too close for her comfort as she felt a sharp pain against cheek. She immediately drew a hand to it, ducking down against Ah-Uh's saddle. She looked left and right, but Sesshoumaru was already gone.
She patted the mane of the large dragon. "Stay steady, Ah-Uh." She pulled him down towards the forest when she saw the origin of the arrow. Below her was a group of about eight youkai shouting, loosing arrows into the trees hoping to hit their target. Sesshoumaru had wasted no time engaging them. I can't let him have all the fun.
She stood upright, balancing on the saddle as she watched Sesshoumaru grab the nearest youkai by the throat, another charging at him. She pulled her bow from her back and notched an arrow. Kagome released a breath letting the arrow find its target. The charging youkai fell dead at Sesshoumaru's feet with an arrow through his eye.
Sesshoumaru stepped over him and drew Bakusaiga. At the sight of the fearsome sword, a few of the youkai began to retreat. Kagome took aim with a new arrow and let it fly, knocking a retreating youkai to the ground with a thud.
A large, rather ugly youkai searched for the source of the arrows and snarled. Before Kagome could react, he lunged into air, making a grab at her.
Ah-Uh swerved the left to dodge the attack, but in doing so, Kagome lost her footing and fell with a thump on her stomach.
"Shit!"
A clawed hand grabbed her calf in a vice grip. "Come 'ere, little girl." He flashed her a rotted grin as he pulled, his nails digging into her armor as they attempted to reach flesh. Ah-Uh roared in fierce protest, as it turned its heads trying to bite at the attacker, effectively spinning them in a circle midair.
Kagome risked a hold on the saddle and made a grab for the dagger at her side. The ugly youkai found footing on the stirrup and raised himself gripping her body for support.
"Oh, little girlie. Aren't you pretty?" His rasped to her, his hands grabbing her hips. Everything about him reeked and Kagome couldn't help but gag as she kicked, but it was hard to do from her stomach. He grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked it back as he took a deep inhale of her hair. "Now, now...No need to fight"
Ah-Uh suddenly rolled midair, and the youkai lost his grip, falling backward. Kagome held on for dear life as the world spun around her.
The youkai was not deterred by the ornery dragon. He managed to hold onto its tail and climb back towards Kagome. Once upright again, Kagome rolled and lashed out with her blade. The youkai had no chance to react as her blade caught him across the chest. He stared at her open mouthed as she leaned into the cut using her body weight, forcing her reiki to stab deeper into his body.
He roared as surprise was replaced with pain, the youkai's hands feebly trying to get a grip on her. Kagome lunged back and kicked his lifeless body off the back of the dragon.
Kagome climbed back into the saddle patting Ah-Uh's side appreciatively. "Thank you. I owe you for that."
Ah-Uh snorted and tossed its heads.
Kagome looked down to see Sesshoumaru swing his arm back and let loose the power of Bakusaiga. The destructive energy wave seared across the ground and caught the last of the fleeing youkai.
Dirt and debris fell along the path. The youkai were no more, obliterated by his energy. Sesshoumaru turned and looked up at her.
Her breath caught in her throat as she watched his youki whip around him aggressively. No one-human or demon- in their right mind would come anywhere near him unless they had a death wish. Years ago she would have run away from him too, but now...
He looked at her intensely. The hair rose on her neck. He exuded pure power. She knew that Sesshoumaru would not hesitate to kill for her. He would protect her; in the middle of this war that was a powerfully empowering thing. The mere thought was somehow intoxicating. A sudden realization caused her to shudder. I want him.
Ah-Uh landed softly a few yards away, and Kagome slid down off the saddle. She purposefully ignored his stare and moved around the area. "I lost my bow when Ah-Uh had rolled mid-battle," she murmured, searching around for the sight of it trying to get that thought out of her head.
"Kagome-dono."
She heard the question in his voice. She felt overwhelmingly shy in her feelings. Does he know what's going through my mind right now? He moved closer to her after getting no response.
Kagome leaned back and shielded her eyes and she looked up into the trees. Gotta distract myself. Find that bow.
"You're hurt." He stated.
Her wandering thoughts derailed. She turned to face him. "What?"
His hand came up to her face, his thumb moved over her cheek. He showed her the blood on his hand.
"Oh!" Her hand shot to her cheek in surprise. She pulled her hand away to see that it was indeed bloody. I completely forgot...
"Ah...I guess that arrow did get a bit close to me."
Sesshoumaru pulled her close and rested his cheek on the top of her head. His protective energy covered her like a cocoon. Kagome's eyes fluttered shut.
In her mind's eye she could see so easily how without any effort, he curled a finger around the tendril of their combined energy and moved it over her to heal the cut on her face. The act was so miraculous that most would not believe it possible. Some would just chalk it up to the immense power of Sesshoumaru, but it was only something they could accomplish together.
Sesshoumaru pulled away and ran a clawed finger over the smoothness of her cheek.
"Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome whispered softly, her eyes instinctively moving away as she tried to keep her heart calm. "I've still got to find my bow."
"Let me assist you." He replied glancing around the area.
Kagome laughed, caught off guard. "Alright then."
They both turned to survey the area. Kagome moved around, pushing aside tall grass and weeds. Sesshoumaru took an easier route. He could use his sense of smell to locate it. He found a fragment of Kagome's scent in the tree next to him. He leapt up into its limbs and his eyebrow twitched in disgust at the sight before him.
Unfortunately, Kagome's bow had landed hooked against the branches near the horrible smelling yokai. His body was tangled by his armor; his arms and legs crooked and bent like a broken marionette.
Kagome ran under the tree and looked up, shielding her eyes from the sun. She couldn't see Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru-sama?"
Kagome let out a surprised shriek as the dead body of that horrible youkai fell out of the tree with a thud. The realization of what it was made her jump back, pulling her sleeve to cover her nose and mouth.
Sesshoumaru jumped down beside her, her bow in hand. He held it out to her to take without a word.
"Thank you," she murmured from behind her sleeve as she slung it around her back. She sighed in relief now that it was back; its weight a comfort she hadn't realized she had missed.
Sesshoumaru's eyes lingered on her for another moment before he tilted his head to the right, then turned, facing the south.
Kagome tensed, feeling an approaching youki energy.
A tall, blue-haired female youkai dropped out of a nearby tree in a crouch, twigs and leaves falling around her as she stood to her feet.
"Sesshoumaru!" She exclaimed. "What a surprise!"
"Leave before I kill you." He said bluntly.
Kagome stared at her a moment before her memory jogged. "You're from that cat tribe, aren't you?" She tapped her finger against her chin thinking. "What was your name again?"
The youkai stood tall, raising her nose in the air. "Toran of the Panther tribe."
"Ah, yes. Excuse my mistake." Kagome replied politely. It would do her well to remember her manners lessons from Manako. Toran paid her no attention though, instead focusing solely on Sesshoumaru.
"My lord..."
Sesshoumaru's eyebrows rose at Toran's use of his title.
"Our land has been taken over by invading youkai! These filthy snakes have even forced Asahito-sama from his mountain!"
Kagome looked between Sesshoumaru and Toran, listening intently to the conversation.
Sesshoumaru looked deep in thought. He crossed his arms, tucking them into his sleeves. "How were they able to make Asahito leave?"
"I'm not quite sure. I heard that he had been ill recently..."
Sesshoumaru stared off to the side lost in thought. It was deeply troubling that this invasion had caused Asahito to flee. Did the others of his clan leave too?
"Sesshoumaru-sama, could you explain...?-" Kagome was rudely cut off by Toran.
"Don't bother him! Go do...whatever humans do." She made a shooing motion with her hands.
Kagome's teeth ground together at the blatant disrespect. Sesshoumaru's attention was brought back to the two in front of him when he felt the snap of reiki.
"Watch yourself, Toran. Do not disrespect my intended." He warned, violence seeping into his voice.
Toran's eyebrows rose in surprise. Her sharp blue eyes looked over Kagome from head to toe. She flicked her hair over a shoulder with a haunty scoff. "You have got to be kidding me."
"You forget whose land you are standing on." Sesshoumaru growled.
Toran held her head high. "Look, dog I have no quarrel with you."
Kagome chose to ignore Toran's slight against her and Sesshoumaru, and focus on the matter at hand. She looked to Sesshoumaru. "Does this Asahito person live near Gifu?"
He gave a small nod. "He lives on Mount Haku. The situation is worse than this Sesshoumaru thought."
Toran gave a low growl of frustration. "Look, you know I would not bother approaching you unless it was urgent." She then leveled a very serious stare directly at Sesshoumaru. "The Tengu have abandoned the mountain."
Sesshoumaru frowned.
Kagome began to feel agitated with her own confusion. The tengu left the mountain? Is that some kind of code or did Toran mean that literally?
Toran turned to leave. Looking over her shoulder she tossed a simple, "Good luck."
Kagome and Sesshoumaru watched the tall panther youkai rush off into the treetops heading north. Kagome gave a sigh and adjusted the bow across her back. "What did she mean by all that? What's going on?"
Sesshoumaru stared off in the direction that Toran headed. "There is an ancient Tengu clan that lives on the mountain range near Gifu. They are a…formidable group of youkai. For them to have abandoned their home…"
Kagome shivered. Adrenaline was wearing off and the cool morning air was starting to chill her. "It's worse than you thought."
Sesshoumaru nodded.
A thought suddenly occurred to her. "Ne, Sesshoumaru-sama...Are these snake youkai as susceptible to cold weather as normal snakes?"
Sesshoumaru seemed to ponder this for a moment before answering. "Yes, generally speaking. As far as I know, they tend to settle in with families during the winter months."
Kagome tilted her head to the side, regarding the orange and yellow hues of the trees. "So perhaps once winter is here, they will stop their advancement into our land."
Sesshoumaru felt a beat of pride when she said our land. It seemed he was becoming sentimental in his old age.
"Possibly, or they will launch a large scale attack before they must withdraw for the winter."
"Let's hope that we can deter them long enough for the temperature to drop. It might give us a much needed reprieve to rally our troops." Kagome said, folding her arms into her sleeves.
Sesshoumaru regarded her for a moment. She looked like a doll dressed up as a samurai, with her feminine features covered in head to toe in armor. He noticed her bottom lip had began to shiver, her teeth clacking for a few moments before she tried to hide it.
"Are you cold?"
Kagome opened her mouth to say, No, but then remembered he would know she was lying. Little white lies became real lies where Sesshoumaru was concerned.
She rubbed her arms with a sheepish look about her. "Ah, I am. Now that the adrenaline from battle has worn off, the morning chill has just set in for me. It will warm up by noon, I'm sure."
Sesshoumaru placed a hand on her arm, drawing her attention to his concerned face.
"Eh?" Kagome turned toward him with her eyebrows raised.
His hand slid down her arm to grasp her cold hand, his brows tilted in concern. I forget how weak humans are to the elements. I can't imagine how any of them survive the winter.
Kagome closed her eyes as she felt his youki creep from where his hand rested against her arm before it spread across her body, filling her with warmth. She gave a small sigh of relief as some of the chill disappeared. Kagome's eyes flew open when she felt a large amount of white fur surround her head. "Sesshoumaru-sama!"
He carefully curled his pelt around her head and left the end dangling behind her like a scarf. The pelt wrapped around her head in such a way that she could barely see over it. Kagome pushed down the fur in front of her face.
"This is a bit much..." She said, her voice muffled a bit by the fur.
"Are you warmer?"
Kagome laughed, "Yes, I admit I am."
He stepped close to her, wrapping his arms around her. His cheek pressed against the top of her head. He gave a soft hum of appreciation before he stepped away.
Kagome's cheeks flushed and she gave a soft smile. "Thank you."
She gave a sideways glance to Ah-Un. "Well since I am much warmer now, I suppose I can continue to ride Ah-Un. How long do you think it will take us to reach the mountain if we fly?"
Sesshoumaru grabbed the two-headed dragon's reins and pulled them closer. "It will take most of the day to get there. We should reach the mountain by nightfall."
Kagome let out a small sigh and heaved her body over the saddle. "I should stop at a village and see about purchasing some warmer clothing. Maybe someone will have a cloak for sale. " A thought struck her.
"Oh I know just what would go perfect with your pelt!" She leaned over and dug through one of her bags till she pulled free the inuyoukai mask. She tied the leather strings together behind her head. She brought her hands up bending her fingers mimicking claws. "GRRR! Do I look like a ferocious inuyoukai?!"
Sesshoumaru's brows furrowed together with just the slightest upturn of the corner of his mouth.
He moved to her side, and gently pushed the mask up on top of her head. Kagome leaned into him as he gave her a slow kiss. He pulled back from her face enough to say, "You could frighten the smallest of human children."
Kagome pulled the mask down over her face, and laughed as Ah-Un jumped into the air.
I guess I'll take that as a compliment...
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Katsurou sat in the family den, eyeing the plateful of pastries in the shape of various animals on the table. He picked up one that looked like a cute bunny. He licked his lips before he bit its head off, enjoying the sweet red bean flavor inside. The screen door slid open quietly to reveal his grandmother.
"Hi, Obaa-san!" He sang, crumbs falling from his mouth as he waved.
Her cool amber eyes took in his smiling happy face. He had had some rough couple days since Kagome and Sesshoumaru had left him in her care.
She had been working with him on using his amulet to focus his energy. He had been somewhat successful, but at the price of his energy. Training his body to accept both youki and reiki had taken a toll on him. Often, he would be so exhausted he would fall asleep in her arms. Manako did not mind though; she knew that he would not always be this small. The past couple nights she cradled him in her arms by the fire in the family den while he dozed away.
The little black ears on his head flattened as he frowned. "Is it time to practice?"
Manako smiled. "No, my love, I think we should have some fun today. Why don't we go to the lake?"
Katsurou's mouth opened wide in a grin. "Yes!"
A short walk later, they found themselves standing on the shore of a small lake, the castle looming in the horizon behind them.
"Let's go swimming!" Manako said as she pulled the pelt from around her shoulders.
Katsurou did not hesitate. In a moment, his discarded clothes were in the air as he dashed by her naked. With a bounding leap,Katsurou got about knee deep in before he squealed. He came rushing back to shore, holding his arms above his head.
Manako immediately went to him, picking him up."What's wrong?!"
"It's COLD!"
Manako furrowed her brows for a moment. It didn't occur to her that the water would be too cold for him. Youkai could easily withstand the cooler lake temperature, but...Katsurou was not a full youkai. She kissed his forehead, sending a small warming spell onto him as she did it. "I'm sorry I did not realize how cold it was. That should help."
Katsurou looked at his hands as he felt the presence of her youki spread across his body. He marveled at the odd, but familiar sensation.
"What did you do?" He asked her.
"A simple warming spell. You should be able to go swimming now without getting too cold." Manako set him down to his feet again. Katsurou cautiously returned to the water, clearly having an internal debate on whether or not he should trust his grandmother's spell.
"Come on now. Don't be shy."
Katsurou looked behind him. Manako had removed the white fur shawl from around her neck and a few layers of her kimono. She bent over and tied up the ends of her under robe.
His face lit up. "You're going to swim too?"
"Of course. What would be the fun of sitting on the shore?"
That was all the encouragement that he needed. Katsurou bounded into the water with a large splash. He was surprised at the difference in water temperature! The water was warm, and didn't make him shiver. An ear to ear grin spread across his face. "Obaa-san, can you teach me how to do that?"
Manako waded into the water with much more finesse. Her fingertips grazed across the water as she moved deeper into the lake. "Teach you to do what?"
The small boy swam around as if it were second nature to him, kicking his legs and waving his arms in a rather uncoordinated manner. "How do to that spell? Can I learn to do spells?"
She tilted her head to the side in contemplation. The thought had never occurred to her. Not many youkai learned the art of youki magics aside from whatever innate abilities they were born with. There was no reason to think he couldn't learn to do spells. His strength and abilities amazed her everyday.
"We shall see." Manako answered, floating towards him. "Ne, Katsurou-chan..."
Katsurou wiped the water from his eyes. "Yes?"
Manako grabbed him and chucked him up and out of the water, sending him several yards away.
He shrieked as he flailed his arms in the air, before smacking the water.
Manako watched the water for him, and after a moment his head popped up.
"THAT WAS AWESOME!" Katsurou paddled back to her."Do it again! Do it again!"
Manako laughed as she threw him back out over the water again, much to his delight.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It was late afternoon when they neared a village near the base of Mount Haku. To not cause a disturbance, Kagome urged Ah-Un to land in a field on the outskirts of the town.
Sesshoumaru took Kagome's hand and helped her off the back of the dragon. "Be quick." He said as he handed her a small bag with coins.
Kagome nodded. "Of course, I only need a cloak." With much reluctance, she unwrapped the white fur from around her neck and handed it back to Sesshoumaru. She gazed at the wonderfully soft and warm white pelt with longing. "I admit I am reluctant to give up your pelt; it was very warm. Thank you for letting me use it."
Sesshoumaru wrapped the pelt back around his shoulder with a nod. "I should see about getting you your own pelt."
"Oh, and imagine what kind of statement that would make!" She said laughing.
Sesshoumaru gave her a soft knowing look. "Yes. One that said you were my wife."
Kagome snapped her mouth shut as a furious blush covered her face. Her heart pounded at being reminded of their decision to finally court. She stepped past him onto the path leading to the village, trying to hide her blush. "I'll return soon."
The village was like any other: children chased after a ball in the street, people stood around vendors' stalls haggling prices, the calls of fresh produce from the shop owners ringing voices. As Kagome walked further into town, she noticed heads started turning and eyes became trained on her. It wouldn't be the first time that I stood out, she thought, trying to ignore the stares. She usually wore her miko clothing, but today she was dressed as a warrior and her armor screamed wealth. It was no wonder she stood out like a sore thumb. She quickly moved to the closest vendor selling apples.
"Excuse me, I am looking to buy a cloak. Do you know anyone that can sell me one?" She asked in the softest, most unassuming voice as possible.
The man running the stall eyed her up and down. He scratched his chin as if thinking. "Hmm." He grumbled as his eyes drifted to her coin purse.
Kagome wanted to roll her eyes. He obviously wanted money. "Oh yes, may I purchase a few apples?"
"Sure, pretty lady. It'll be five gold pieces."
Kagome choked on her spit. Are you kidding me!? There's haggling but that's outrageous. I don't have time for this. She smiled, trying not to clench her teeth. "Now, sir, surely you did not just say 5 gold pieces for some apples. How about one gold coin for some apples, and if you'd be so kind to tell me where I can find a cloak..."
Even one gold piece was a ridiculous amount for some measly apples, but she really wasn't in the mood to deal with money grubbing salesmen.
The man seemed to think on it for a moment, but it was a moment too long for Kagome. They still had to reach the mountain before nightfall and they still had a few more hours of travel ahead of them.
"Very well. I will find someone else who will assist me."
"No no! Honorable Lady, please allow me to tell you." He moved quickly from behind his counter, his hands open in apology. "The fourth vendor on the left sells fabric. His name is Kubota."
Kagome opened her small coin purse and pulled out a gold coin. The man's eyes sparkled as he took the coin from her.
She narrowed her eyes at him and sighed. "And the apples?"
The man jumped and ran back behind his cart and quickly filled a bag for her.
Kagome slid the gold coin across the counter as she took the bag of apples from him in exchange. "Thank you." She said softly with a slight bow.
Kagome continued on her way through town, keeping an eye for the fabric shop the man mentioned. Sure enough on the left, she found a small shop with a sign that read 'Kubota Fabrics'.
She ducked inside, swiping the noren door fabric out of the way.
"Hello? Kubota-san?"
A young gentleman looked up from his spot on the floor near a pile of neatly stacked fabric. He had been stitching on a piece of clothing.
" Irasshaimase!" He called standing up to greet her. "How may I help you?"
Kagome bowed. "I am looking for a cloak. My companion and I are traveling up the mountain and I need warmer clothing."
"Of course! Let me show you what I have."
Kubota moved to a large cabinet against the far wall. He began pulling out a few folded bundles.
"I usually have more around this time of year, but-" He was interrupted by the sound of loud coughing. He paused in his words, but the coughing continued and quickly became choking.
"Excuse me," He said darting away and ducking into a room at the back of the small shop.
Kagome knew she should mind her own business, but her curiosity was too strong. After a moment, she followed after Kubota. She quietly slid open the door leading to a small back room. She was immediately hit with the smell of infection.
Kubota knelt by a young woman on a futon. Her face was flushed and sweaty. Her coughing continued as Kubota beat on her back. He looked up at Kagome with concern. "Honorable lady, please leave. You might get sick!"
Kagome instead knelt on the opposite side of the woman. "It's alright. I'm a Miko. How long has she been sick?" She placed a hand on the sick woman's forehead. She was hot with fever and as Kagome kneeled, she could hear the fluid in her lungs as she gasped for breath.
Kubota's eyebrows rose in surprise. "A miko?!"
"Yes. I come from the western territory. Have her coughs been productive?" Kagome asked while gently picking up the woman's hand and examining her nails. Her nail bed was turning blue. Kagome frowned. "Kubota-san, has her spit been green or bloody?"
Kubota's mouth open and closed in obvious discomfort at the frank discussion. His face turned red and he looked away before he answered. "Yes."
"What's her name?"
Kubota helped her lay back down on the futon. "My wife's name is Keiko."
"She is very sick. I will do what I can for her, but you must follow my directions."
Kubota looked stunned.
Kagome leaned over Keiko and placed her hands on either side of her neck. Closing her eyes, she drew on the well of her reiki power. She concentrated on getting rid of the infection and breaking the fever. Reiki flowed from Kagome to Keiko making her feel as though she had slipped into a warm bath.
"Do you know what is wrong with her?" Kubota asked quietly.
"She has a very bad infection in her lungs. It's like..." Kagome paused trying to think of how to explain pneumonia to someone in this era. "It's like your body is trying to drown you. Your body needs air." Kagome took a deep breath to demonstrate. "But with this illness, she is not getting enough air. Her lungs are filling with mucus and making it difficult to breathe. She needs to cough and get as much up and out as she can." She pulled her hands away from Keiko's neck.
"I have done all that I can. She needs to drink a lot of water. It will help her cough. And you," she said looking pointedly at him. "need to wash your hands after taking care of her."
Kubota gave a disbelieving side glance. This would not be the first time someone didn't understand modern medical practices. Kagome gave up a long time ago trying to explain germs to people.
"It's a purifying ritual. It pleases the gods to cleanse yourself after dealing with illness." She explained.
The uncertainty on Kubota's face cleared. This was a common excuse that worked. They moved to back to the front room of the store to allow Keiko to rest.
Kagome picked up a simple brown cloak with rabbit fur lining. "I'll take this one." She said pulling out a few gold coins.
Kubota looked distraught. "No, no Miko-sama! I can't accept payment after you healed my wife!"
The shop door slid open, drawing both of their attentions. Sesshoumaru ducked inside. His eyes alighting on Kagome immediately.
If Kubota had looked upset before, he now looked horrified. He fell to the floor trembling. "My lord!" Kagome had only seen this type of behavior a few times. Those of higher rank in this era could be incredibly cruel. The poor shopkeeper didn't know if this noble person would be one to terrorize him or not, thus he took no chances at offending Sesshoumaru.
Sesshoumaru paid the man no attention. "Kagome-dono." Even though he only said her name, he spoke volumes.
"I'm sorry Sesshoumaru-sama. I didn't mean to be gone so long. I got the cloak and I'm ready to go. " Kagome held up the cloak for him to see.
He stepped close and placed his hand on her cheek, tilting her head up.
"You healed someone." His amber eyes bored into hers until she looked away.
She understood. What he really meant was, "You spent more energy than you should have and look tired."
Kagome pulled away from Sesshoumaru, feeling her cheeks turn red. She placed a few coins more than what the cloak was worth on the table.
"Please don't be afraid Kubota-san. There's no need for that. Please rise."
Kubota stood up slowly refusing to look either of them in the eye for fear of offense.
Kagome gave a small bow. "Thank you for all your help."
Sesshoumaru and Kagome left and headed back outside of town. Once they had reached Ah-Un, Kagome pulled a water flask and a bar of soap from their bags. His eyes followed her every movement as she washed her hands. Feeling the weight of his questions lingering between them, Kagome tried to fill the silence.
"His wife was very sick." She paused for a moment to dry off her hands. "Without healing, she would not have lasted much longer."
"Are you not concerned that you may become sick as well?" He asked watching her every movement.
"I could not leave her to die knowing there was a chance I could heal her." Kagome threw the cloak around her shoulders and tied it. "In my time, pneumonia is still a deadly illness, but we have medicine to cure it." She said softly.
At the mention of her time period, Sesshoumaru's interest piqued. It wasn't too often that she spoke about it. He figured it was a painful subject, given that she could not go home. He usually avoided the topic, but could not help but feel curious.
"It must be difficult to see people sick with illness that you know can be treated but do not have access to the cures to do it."
Kagome paused with her hands on Ah-Un's saddle. "Yes, it is frustrating to say the least. There are even small things that people can do to lessen the chances of getting ill, but they don't believe me." She gave a humorless laugh. "I'm cursed with knowing the future, but having no one believe me. There's a greek tragedy in there somewhere."
She hauled herself into the saddle with a jump. Kagome startled when she felt his hand on her thigh. She looked down at him from the saddle.
"I believe you. I know you speak the truth." He said earnestly.
Kagome gave a sad smile. "Is it because you can smell a lie or because you trust me?"
He answered honestly. "It is both."
"I see…" After a moment of much mental debate, she added, "you know, Inuyasha witnessed my time period."
His eyes widened and his silver eyebrows shot right up his forehead. "He did?"
She nodded. "Yes, it is amazing to think that he just…went along with it. Sure he complained about the smell, but…"
"Smell?" Sesshoumaru asked, too curious to care that they were discussing Inuyasha.
Kagome sat up straighter in the saddle, "Yes, so in my time, there is air pollution. Like…miasma but created by humans and machines. It is not so bad where I lived, but there are places, like on the mainland, that have such horrible pollution that it makes humans sick. Even our weak noses can smell it."
Sesshoumaru found this fascinating. "How do the youkai stand it?"
Kagome pulled her canteen out again, but this time to take a sip of water. "I don't know. I'm not sure I ever met one in the future. I like to imagine they are in hiding, blending in with the human population."
"Hiding?!" He asked incredulously.
"Youkai are a thing of legend and myth in my time. The human population is unbelievably large. Just in the capital city, there is over 9 million people. Buildings are close together and so tall they touch the sky. There are trains that take you places…" Kagome explained wistfully.
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed in thought. It was difficult for him to imagine that many people in one area. A world where youkai were gone, or in hiding? What of the youkai territories? Would he be dead by her time period? What of his descendants?
Kagome knew this particular type of information would be hard on him.
"In my time, we have scholars that focus their studies on the universe and the possibilities of worlds outside of our own. Some have proposed that there are alternate universes."
Sesshoumaru was drawn in by her had a habit of throwing in words from her time that could not be translated without explanation. This was one of those situations were he worked hard to understand what she was saying despite the vocabulary that she used.
"Alternate universes?" He mumbled trying to follow.
"Yes. What if there was another world in which Naruku never rose to power? What if there was a world where Inuyasha never met Kikyou, and was never sealed to a tree? What if your father had not died when he did? There is an infinite amount of possibilities."
"That sounds ridiculous."
Kagome gave a short laugh. "Perhaps, but what if…when I fell down the well, I was taken to an alternate universe, instead of my world's true past? That might explain why there are not youkai in my time. Everything could be truly different for this world, and I actually have no idea of this world's future."
Sesshoumaru marveled at her intelligence.
"Which scenario would you prefer? Your true past, or another alternate world?" He asked.
"I would prefer the alternate universe. I don't want to know the future. I want to feel as though I am in control of my life, and that it has not already been decided. Besides," she said sliding a shy look in his direction. "I want to believe that you are there in my future."
Sesshoumaru surprised her by growling with conviction. "This Sesshoumaru swears he will be there."
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Author's Note: I'M BACK! It has indeed been forever since I have updated, but this story has not been forgotten. Look for another update soon as I have several chapters already written! :D
A huge shoutout to my wonderful beta reader Saruwarui. This story would not exist without her.