Chapter 12: Live to Regret

Too engaged in his solo game of chess, Honorable Shin'ichi didn't move until it was almost too late. Jumping back in just the nick of time, he glared at the woman who came sailing through the air towards him, behind her he could hear Sesshomaru calling out for the woman who was barking out obscenities at a rapid pace.

"Come here Kagome!"

"Leave me alone!"

Watching as the castle researcher landed on the low table in front of him, Shin'ichi turned his head towards the entryway right before the white headed blur that was his grandson appeared and lunged for the girl. Kagome quickly rolled off the low round table and onto the floor below, the elderly dog demon stared amused at the scene he was witness to.

Having missed his target, Sesshomaru remained in a crouched position on the round table; the remains of what appeared to be a tattered obi wrapped around his hands. Glancing at Kagome who was among the now scattered pillows of the area, he raised an eyebrow at the woman who was busy trying to unbind her wrists which had been tied with another obi similar to the one his grandson possessed. Inspecting the rest of her body, Shin'ichi saw the red rope markings all around which suggested she had been tied up in those areas as well. "New experiment you two?"

"Shin'ichi-dono! You have to stop him! He tied me up in his room!"

"Really?" the elderly demon appeared surprised. Turning to his grandson, he chastised, "Sesshomaru, boy are you crazy? You know better than to tie up a helpless female."

"It's for her own good! She keeps trying to kill herself!

"It's for research!"

Now in the thirty years that Kagome had worked for the house of the moon, Shin'ichi had seen and heard some of the strangest stories and explanations the quirky demoness came up with on a daily basis, but to think she would actually harm herself for the sake of knowledge; it quite frankly went beyond the pale. "Excuse me?"

Sesshomaru huffed. "Ojiisan, I've caught her trying to commit suicide three times in the past two days! She's gone insane!"

"I have not! How many times do I have to tell you; I'll come right back!"

"Huh?"

"Kagome thinks she can revive the dead and she keeps trying to prove it by killing herself!"

"I don't think, I know I can do it!"

Later after he had managed to calm the two pups down, Shin'ichi placed them both on either end of the table and gave a simple demand, "Both of you shut the hell up." swiftly he placed an object in the center of the table and after removing his hand for them to see, sat back expectantly while he waited for their questioning glances.

"A game piece?"

"Oh, it is more than that," Shin'ichi responded cryptically.

"The queen." Sesshomaru offered next.

"Right, but do you understand its purpose?"

Remembering the rules of the game, Kagome answered. "It's the most powerful piece in the game."

"Correct, but despite being the most powerful participant, the King is the one with the true power." placing the corresponding chess piece next to the queen, Shin'ichi continued on with his point. "A queen is free to move however she feels, without restriction, unlike her king who must take things one step at a time.

"Okay…."

Turning to his researcher, he asked her gently, "Kagome? What makes you believe you can honestly resurrect yourself?"

"Simple, Rehema gave me a present."

"Rehema?"

Sesshomaru elaborated. "She's a priestess from Egypt who worships the god Anubis…."

"And we've been corresponding with one another for a few months now." reaching inside the sleeve of her haori, the demoness pulled out an odd golden object, placing on the table in front of her. "She sent me this recently and said it had been looted from a pyramid in her country. She says it holds the answer to the question I've been asking since we started talking."

"And this question was on how to revive dead souls?"

Kagome nodded, a glimmering smile on her face. "The ankh; the key of life."

"She thinks if she's holding it while she dies, the thing will bring her back to life!"

"It will bring me back to life! Rehema saw it happen herself to a jackal near the temple!"

"A jackal is not a youkai!"

"Rehema's a jackal you jackass!"

"She's just as eccentric as you are!"

"Sesshomaru! Kagome! Enough!" Shin'ichi barked out to the two; rapping his knuckles against the table between them. "Boy, first of all, you know better than to insult a person who is unable to defend themselves, and girl;" He continued on addressing Kagome, "Sesshomaru is your alpha, remember that when you talk to him."

"Sorry…" She muttered out under her breath.

"Me too…"

"Now both of you, as I was saying about the two chess pieces. They are the heads of their kingdoms. A king may have ultimate power, but he must think before he acts. One step at a time. The queen, on the other hand, is free to go as she pleases, but that freedom comes with a price. It makes her vulnerable. Others can capture her and leave the King helpless without her to aid him. Like in life."

"I don't understand…."

"Kagome, Sesshomaru has been trying to keep you from harming yourself; not because he is trying to take your power away; but because he cares for you and needs you by his side. You are taking risks that are making you vulnerable to attack. I know you have been lucky in the past, but death is something I agree cannot be reversed so easily."

"But…"

"If you truly wish to test out this ability, why don't you just test it out on a small animal or maybe…"

"Because it might not work, and if that is the case the only person who should be affected is me."

"And I've already told you I won't let you do it." Sesshomaru declared firmly. Holding up the obi, he pulled it tight for emphasis. "I catch you so much as looking at another dagger again…."

"I already said I wouldn't do it that way!"

"I mean it," he growled out. "No more trying to kill yourself or I'll be forced to lock you up in the dungeons."

"You already bit my nails off…."

"He did?" grabbing her hand curiously, Shin'ichi snorted at seeing the blunted ends of her claws that looked like they had been cut down to the quick. "Now that's commitment."

"He did it after he tied me down!"

"I didn't know what you might use you loon."

"You're one to talk!"

A/N: I made this chapter with the thought in mind that youkai have lived for centuries, dominating and making up games long before humans ever thought to. The way I imagined it, games like chess and checkers where the goal of the game is to "capture" were invented by youkai a long time ago. It's like a nod to their instincts which tells them to conquer. I hope you liked this past memory. Next one shows just how far Sesshomaru's devotion to her is in the present. -Theores