Chapter 8: Conversation with a Demon Lord
Sesshomaru & Kagome sat on the park bench for a few minutes in silence.
Kagome, because she was trying to keep herself from staring up at him, and Sesshomaru because he was trying to fight down his inner beast from trying to overrule him and make her his then and there.
"Um…so…what shall we discuss," Kagome asked Sesshomaru.
'Brave and to the point as usual I see,' he thought to himself.
"I know you have questions…and while we are here…I can answer them for you."
Kagome nodded…and then gave him a sheepish look.
"What?"
"I have tons of questions."
"Okay…"
"But right now…"
"Hai?"
"I can't think of a single one."
Sesshomaru chuckled.
Kagome gaped at him.
Catching her look he asked,
"What?"
"You…you laughed.'
"I know."
"When do you show emotions?"
He shrugged.
"According to the half breed, I've loosened up a bit in the last five hundred years."
Kagome laughed.
"That sounds like something Inuyasha would say, but I'm sure he wasn't that polite."
"No…he wasn't."
"Thank you for not killing him."
Sesshomaru shrugged again.
"He's family."
"Oh…so your admitting it now."
"I admitted it before."
"But you thought it tarnished your line."
"Would you readily admit that Inuyasha was your kin?"
Kagome thought about that and had to admit that Inuyasha took a bit of getting used to…he even tried her nerves numerous times…and she loved him. Although her love for him, now, was more like a sister than a boyfriend, husband, or lover…but still.
She merely shrugged.
He chuckled again,
"Your loyalty gives you points."
"I'm earning points now?"
"Hai."
"And what are the points for?"
'You shall see in time little Miko."
"You seem to have a problem calling me by name…maybe it's a family thing…or an inu-youkai, thing… it's rare for Inuyasha to call me by name too...no…wait…Kouga had problems calling me by name too…"
"Oh I've heard the words Inuyasha uses for you, but I don't think they apply in my case and I do not appreciate what the wolf calls you."
"If you know a way to get him to stop."
"I could kill him."
"No way, he's my friend."
"If he oversteps his bounds again, I will hurt him badly."
Kagome rolled her eyes.
"I don't know what to do with you."
Sesshomaru smiled a real smile.
Kagome's jaw dropped
"You smiled."
"I did."
"A real smile."
"Yes, I know."
"You should do it more often."
"Why?"
"Because it makes you even more handsome…oh wait a minute…please tell me I didn't just say that out loud…oh no…I did," Kagome put her hands in her face to stop her mutterings as his smile grew and he sat back on the bench, adopting a very laid back position.
He then tugged her hands away from her face and said,
"I'm glad my looks please you.
"You…you are?"
"Oh yes, my little Ka-go-me…. I am."
His words and tone caused a shiver to travel down her spine.
He smiled inwardly this time.
Either his words or his tone had caused her scent to spike with arousal… which mixed with her innocence, and already pleasing scent caused him to close his eyes in ecstasy.
It took him a moment to fight his inner demon once again as it banged around in his inner cage begging for release. Once he was in control again, he was able to rejoin their conversation.
Fortunately for him, Kagome hadn't been saying anything, for she had been too preoccupied in trying to get her hentai thoughts out of her mind.
Kagome shook her head lightly.
"What?" he asked softly.
"Nothing…it's just…I'm still trying to get over the fact that you aren't actively trying to kill me or Inuyasha or any of the rest of us…I guess my mind is still trying to adjust to being home for good and then you all show up…and now I have to get used to you all being here, in my time…and all the reincarnations.
It was sure easier being one than seeing one. I guess I now understand how Inuyasha or Kikyo used to see me.
Which brings me to the question, if I'm the reincarnation of Kikyo, how can Akarui exist as a reincarnation of Kikyo as well?"
"I believe it has something to do with the extra piece of your shared soul that Kikyo kept up until her second death. Do you remember that part of your soul returning to you after she died again?"
"Actually…no…I didn't.
"Then I believe that's the part that was reincarnated into what is now Akarui…Inuyasha mentioned that she said that he had helped her save her soul…so I take it this time that she ascended to the heavens and was eventually reincarnated again."
Kagome nodded.
"I guess that kinda makes sense…hold up…if there is an actual demon under society…why is that I've never noticed it before?"
"We have a spell concealing us from humans."
"But I can see through it…slightly."
"But you couldn't before?"
"No…seems strange, huh?"
"Not particularly…your Miko abilities are much stronger now that they used to be…so it makes sense that you can now sense more things than before."
Kagome nodded.
"Yeah, I guess so."
As she got quiet, he asked,
"And…what else is it?"
"Well…and then…well…and then there's you."
"Me?"
"Hai…the way you're acting…it's so different…well mostly."
"And do you like the new me Kagome," he asked her softly, his husky whisper sending shivers up and down her body and making her heart beat triple time.
Kagome opened her mouth & then closed it without saying anything.
She was speechless & still very confused.
Sesshomaru was aware that he should give her more time, but really one small taste a day ago was not enough for him. H e was used to taking what he wanted…not waiting for it…after all, he was still the Taiyoukai of the Western Lands.
He leaned forward, only pausing briefly to see if Kagome would pull back from him, and lowered his head when she didn't, and lightly pressed his lips to hers.
Hearing her soft involuntary sigh he smirked against her lips and when he pulled back and she followed he allowed himself to kiss her once again, this time pressing a bit harder.
He ran his tongue along her lips when he pulled back the second time and when she gasped in shock he slid his tongue into her mouth to caress her own.
He chuckled softly as she moaned again and when she leaned into him, her fists unconsciously clutching his shirt in an effort to pull him closer, he gave her what she wanted and deepened their kiss even more.
Eventually he pulled back, not for want, but because they both had a desperate need to breathe.
Kagome was almost gasping trying to pull air into her shocked, but happily deprived lungs and Sesshomaru seemed to be in a likewise state, although he recovered far quicker than she did.
"Wow,' Kagome said, when she could speak again, and only realized she had said it out loud when he replied,
"Indeed."
Kagome blushed deeply and Sesshomaru chuckled once again before pulling her closer, to lie her head on his chest while he pulled her onto his lap and cradled her close.
After lying there quietly for a few minutes, Kagome asked,
"Sesshomaru?"
"Hmm?"
"This isn't a new way to kill is it?"
Sesshomaru laughed out loud.
Kagome could hear the rumble start deep in his chest.
When he had stopped laughing he simply said,
"No."
"Oh…okay…. not that I mind, but why?"
"Why did I kiss you?"
"Yeah"
"I would have thought that was obvious…I'm going to have to limit both yours and mine's interaction with the hanyou…his stupidity must be catching."
"Do you ever call Inuyasha by…hey, did you just call me stupid?"
Sesshomaru laughed again.
"Ahh…I see then," he muttered aloud, but definitely to himself, ignoring both her struggles to push away from him and her outraged voice when she had asked him her question," … it's only in matters concerning your heart and relationships."
"I would have once asked if you even had a heart," Kagome muttered, although she stopped trying to push him away…it was obviously a useless task, for she couldn't compete with his youkai strength with her ningen strength and she didn't want to use her Miko powers against him…he was no longer her enemy.
"And I would have either ignored you or beheaded you for bothering to question This Sesshomaru."
"Yes, I remember that attitude of yours quite well."
Sesshomaru nuzzled the top of her head and growled soothingly.
Kagome was shocked to find out that such an action from him comforted and soothed her ruffled feelings.
As soon as she was calm once more, Sesshomaru leaned down and kissed her gently before saying,
"Don't you want to know what happened to your companions?"
"Oh…yes please."
"As you've seen for yourself, your kitsune son has grown…and is doing quite well."
"Yes my little Shippo is all grown up…he's even older than me now."
"He was older than you then…youkai children grow slower than ningens do, remember."
"I remember…I wonder how old he was then?"
"Around 50 or 60 years old."
"Wow…"
Sesshomaru chuckled and then waited for the inevitable question, judging from the way she was now glancing up at him.
"Exactly how old are you?"
"I'm not exactly sure as ningen's would measure it…but I've seen tree's grow and die…I'd figure it's roughly close to 1600 ningen years…give or take a century or two."
Kagome's eyes grew wide.
"Oh wow…you look …"
"About 20 or so in ningen years, yes…I know."
Kagome nodded with him and then shook her head.
"Okay…the rest of my friends…what was their fate?"
"The fire neko you're taijiya companion used to ride died only just 150 years ago. You've met her reincarnation already."
At Kagome's blank look he continued,
"The shy, quiet onna named Mai."
"Mai is Kirara?"
Sesshomaru nodded.
"Okay…she does have feline features…and now it makes sense why she's so quiet…and that really explains why Shukke-kun calls her his little fire neko."
He only started calling her that two years ago…because she was in a play and played a neko…he teases her that she was so hot as a cat that she was on fire….hence the nickname….if only he really knew the other reason…but he doesn't. I think she might have a hint of remembrance though."
"How can you tell?"
"It's in her scent…but it's real faint. Also…she gave me a look of recognition the first time she met me."
"Was she wary of you?"
"No…she came right up to me and smiled and then bent down to play with Karen."
"Maybe she just thinks you're a hottie."
Kagome gasped and covered her mouth while moaning at the fact she had said that aloud.
Sesshomaru chuckled and then stated,
"Possibly…but her and Shippo are an item…I'm not really interested in the former kitten."
To himself he continued, ' And I have my sights set on another onna.'
He didn't say it aloud though, simply because he knew she would stop and question him and he wouldn't get a chance to continue talking about her life 500 years ago and the people she had met. He wanted to tie up all of their loose past ends before they could get on with their future.
Kagome smiled, her Shippo really was growing up if he was seeing Mia now.
"Kei said they were just friends."
"The former taijiya doesn't have the senses I do…she cannot know everything."
"I guess not," Kagome said before asking.
"Whatever happened to your serving youkai companion…what was his name…oh right…Jaken?"
Sesshomaru gave a wicked smirk.
Kagome imagined all sorts of ways that the kappa youkai had finally met his demise at the hands of his lord, when Sesshomaru said,
"He is still with me and still serving the Tashio family."
"For a while there, I thought you had done something horrible to him."
Sesshomaru chuckled.
"I've always knocked him around a bit…he seems to deem it necessary…and it's a great stress reliever on my part. Don't give me that look…I seem to recall you thoroughly enjoying that particular brand of entertainment when we had first met and I was engaged in battling with Inuyasha."
Kagome couldn't help but smile, for it had been true.
"You've heard Karen and Inuyasha talk about him…he uses the name Funuke now."
"Oh yeah…although at the time, I was just too busy staring at Karen. She looks so much like Rin did. And that hairstyle."
"Yes, she loves to wear it just like that…and yes, her memory is just fine…she remembers Jaken, Inuyasha, and myself as if we had never parted from us, only she uses our real names as middle names, that way if someone questioned it like they did when she was younger, there's a legitimate answer for it."
Kagome nodded.
"Did she grow up, or die young again?"
"She grew up, and eventually married a young man I knew she cared for. They had several children and I occasionally watch over their descendants…help them out if they are wanting for money, etc."
"Did she live a long time?"
"Oh yes, Jaken was concerned she would live as long as we would just to torment him. Although he was put out when she finally passed…so when we met with her reincarnation, Karen, he mumbled to himself that now he had to put up with her all over again, but he was actually thrilled."
Kagome giggled, thinking about how the child had tormented the kappa youkai by jumping on him occasionally, though usually by accident, and also by draping him with flowers and such.
"I'm glad she had a nice life…what happened to Kaede?"
"The younger sister of my hanyou brother's Kikyo?"
Kagome nodded.
"Well you've seen her reincarnation…and she was elderly when you met her…she lived for another 12 years before she passed away in her sleep. Your friends were sad to see her pass on."
Kagome sniffed a little, remembering how Kaede had seemed more like a doting grandmother to her, before she remembered that Kaede had been reborn and was once again at the side of Kikyo, but they had a much happier life now than they had before.
"Sango & Miroku?"
"Those too married a couple of months after Naraku's defeat and lived many happy years together…"
"Did they have any children?"
"Hn."
"That is not an answer you know…well not one I can really interpret."
"They had enough children to repopulate the taijya's former village and then some. Shukke is a descendant you know."
Kagome burst out laughing.
"I guess Sango finally stopped slapping Miroku away."
"Only when she was too tired with her brood. I told you, they had a lot of children. Or she didn't slap him hard enough…or maybe she did and he really liked it…you shall never really know…and this Sesshomaru wasn't that interested in their sex life to begin with."
Kagome blushed hard.
Sesshomaru chuckled.
"I swear you say things like that just to see me blush."
"Hn." 'Of course.'
Kagome gave him a look, but was sure he was just doing that to irk her so she held her tongue.
Sesshomaru smirked knowingly before continuing,
"I only know about those two of your companions from seeing them time and time again when traveling with Rin and when Inuyasha coerced me to come to the village they restarted with him."
At Kagome's puzzled look he said,
"He didn't want to be the only other demon besides Kirara in attendance."
Kagome laughed and then sobered.
"I'm glad they had good lives…I was wondering about them and how they lived, etc."
Sesshomaru nodded and pulled the bag near his feet to him and pulled out an old, very thick, leather bound book with yellow pages.
"Your houshi friend outlived his beloved taijya by five years. He gave this to me two years before he too passed away. It is for you."
"Me?"
"Hai."
"Why would Miroku give you something for me?"
"He figured that I would survive 500 years and would be able to see you again."
"Oh…but why not Inuyasha?"
"I asked him that."
"And?"
"He said that as impulsive as the hanyou is, he didn't want to take the risk that Inuyasha would get into a battle or forget it somewhere…he knew I would be more careful with it…and he knew I would look for you … so he figured I was what he called 'the best bet'."
Kagome nodded…'that would be Miroku.'
"What is it?"
"Open it and find out."
"Have you read it?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"It is for you…from your friends."
"You weren't even a little tempted?"
"No…I only looked at the writings every couple of decades to make sure it was still legible and wouldn't fade in 500 years."
"So you did look in."
"Only to make sure the ink had not run or faded…I have not read the words meant for you Miko."
"Calm down, I wasn't accusing you of anything…"
Sesshomaru lifted an eyebrow at her and she grinned at him before returning to gaze down at the thick book in her hand.
"I'm kinda scared to see what they wrote."
"I'm sure it's of ningen interest only, be glad he can't grope you through the pages."
Kagome laughed once again.
"I think Shukke's a far bigger hentai…did it increase every generation?"
"Thankfully no…but that may have been your taijiya companion's influence. Most of their offspring were decent…for ningen…"
Sesshomaru paused and glanced over at her to see stick her tongue out at him before chuckling a bit and continuing,
"…and they had plenty of female offspring, so maybe it was only product of his male genes…for Shukke is a descendant of one of their sons."
Kagome really laughed at that and then looked at him once again,
"Thank you for giving me this."
"You are welcome."
Kagome nodded.
"Well…you've told me about my friends…and your companions…the only one you haven't told me about…was you..."
"What would you like to know about me?"
The intense look in his eyes almost made Kagome forget what she was going to ask him.
Shaking her head slightly to clear it, she said,
"Well…everything…how did you go from a ningen hating youkai to…well the softer side of Sesshomaru?"
Sesshomaru chuckled.
"Live long enough…and although I still am not overly fond of ningens…most are…acceptable."
Kagome rolled her eyes at him.
"However did you survive the centuries?"
"The first couple of centuries were…. difficult."
"I'm sure."
Sesshomaru gave her a pointed look.
She laughed but nodded for him to continue.
"The increase in ningens and their weapon advancement…became…a hindrance. Had you not warned us in advance, many of us would not be alive now."
Kagome nodded, glad that some of the youkai that she knew were able to survive because she had forewarned them.
"Eventually we formed a base of sorts, an underground society, masked our features, and began to live with the ningens."
He glanced at her, expecting her to make some comment but she didn't say anything, although her eyes danced with mirth. She was apparently holding whatever she wanted to say to herself.
'Difficult ningen'
"Sesshomaru?"
"Hm?"
"You've just told me about the society…"
"Hai"
"I asked you about you. What have YOU been doing up until now."
"What in particular are you asking Miko?"
"When did your arm grow back Youkai?"
At Sesshomaru's look, she said, "If you're going to call me Miko, I'm going to call you Youkai."
Sesshomaru rolled his eyes, which Kagome found hilarious.
"It grew back 250 years ago."
"It took 250 years to grow back?"
Sesshomaru nodded.
"Wow. I'm glad though."
Sesshomaru smirked at her.
"I knew it would regenerate…it just would take some time."
"Have you done any traveling?"
"Hai."
"Where did you go?"
"Just about everywhere. Because youkai age slower than ningen we couldn't just stick in one spot for longer than 30 years before people started to take notice…that's why once we got the advance concealing spells firmly in place, we could stay in an area longer."
At Kagome's look he explained.
"The spells give off the appearance that we are aging…so after 100 years or so, we fake our own deaths and then stay underground for a year to a decade, move somewhere else and start all over again. "
"Wow…will you take me to see the demon society one day?"
"Of course, but not today."
"Why not?"
"Because it's time for both of us to be home…and I'm sure you can't wait to see what your friends left for you."
As the walked back to his car and headed for Kagome's family shrine, Kagome thought on all she had learned.
Sesshomaru wasn't bothered by her quietness, knowing she was processing everything she had learned today.
Once they had reached their destination, Sesshomaru opened the door for Kagome and walked her to the top of the stairs.
Reaching the summit, she turned to tell him goodbye, only to be caught in a tight embrace and kissed thoroughly.
Finally pulling back, Sesshomaru caressed her face with his clawed one and then turned her in the direction of her house and pushed her gently to get her walking.
Smiling at the dazed look on his face, he softly said,
"Goodnight" and was gone in a blink of an eye.
Had it not been for the sound of the car at the bottom of the shrine hill starting up, she would have sworn that she had dreamed the whole thing.
As it was, she blushed deeply and continued into the house, determined to start reading her notes from her friends.
End of Chapter 8
A/N: Thanks for the reviews...I love you all!!! Hope you enjoy!
