Chapter 18: Conversations
"My...oga?"
"Yes, that's right." he responded, looking up at Kagome with his bright beady eyes.
Staring at him wide-eyed, the woman's expression made him smile. "So it seems you remember me after all." the old flea chuckled, moving to stand more comfortably in her palm.
"Is that a talking flea?" glancing over at the man on the floor, the demoness stared at Mirkou blankly for a moment before returning her attention back to her hand. "What else is in this house!"
"Shut up already!" Sango hissed at him, pulling at his upper body so that he could sit up.
"Forgive me," Myoga said, addressing the startled human. "I saw an opening and I just couldn't resist. You have such tasty blood for a mortal." rubbing his belly, he hummed in appreciation, "Smooth."
"I can't believe you're real…," Kagome whispered so softly only the flea demon heard her.
"Bu..But of course, I'm real!" he sputtered out. Hopping up and down in her palm he appeared flabbergasted. "Why else would I be here in the flesh!"
"Do fleas even have flesh?"
"Miroku!" Sango screamed her boyfriend's name again. "We're leaving!" addressing her friend, she sincerely apologized for his foolish behavior. "Kagome-chan I'm sorry, I'll come back later, uh..." gazing at the quarter sized bug in her hand she shook her head in disbelief, "Uh...You two should be alone to talk."
Nodding in understanding, Kagome bowed her head to the pair on her floor before pivoting on her heel, heading towards her home office, Myoga remaining perched in her hand. Barely registering the sound of the senseless pair of humans leaving, the demoness nearly toppled into her white tablet desk chair. Hopping down onto her maple desk, the flea admired the workspace, interested in her drafts and blueprints which were hanged on her walls. Particularly impressed by a sketch of a familiar castle he turned to her and said, "You drew the western stronghold?"
"Huh?" looking at the same picture, her eyes glazed over in recognition. "Yea..It was just a side project, all it is is Himeji."
"No." he corrected her, "That is...or was the stronghold of the great Honorable Shin'ichi who passed it on to his son Inu no Taisho, who bestowed it onto his own child Sesshomaru-sama."
"No way…" remembering when she had sketched it, Kagome told him of her time spent in the neighboring park, where she had spent an entire day, drawing it from scratch. "It's the castle of Himeji."
"Himeji Castle used to be the Western fortress." he said, folding his four arms behind his back. "Some assets were torn down long ago, but you have recreated them. See? There, where the wall is cracked now, you drew the imported African Sunset plants that once grew along the wall. Or here, you added the bridges and the trench that used to run deep under the castle and surrounding town, it is no longer a part of the castle however, the moat was filled in ages ago."
Closing her eyes, Kagome breathed and opened them again to show an expression of confusion and wanting. Wanting to remember her past, yet a part of her saying the truth was heartbreaking. "I have questions…" she muttered out, looking down at the flea who appeared to almost feel her pain.
"But of course, my girl," he responded, plopping down into a sitting position on her desk. "That's why Sesshomaru-sama sent me here, to help."
"Sesshomaru sent you?"
"Yes, he thought you needed the assistance."
"Really…" she narrowed her eyes a moment. "Because he told me until I find whatever book of black magic he wants me to give him, he has nothing more to say to me."
Chuckling once more, Myoga explained, "Over the years Sesshomaru-sama has gotten a little...shall we say, rusty when it comes to expressing his emotions. He doesn't mean anything by it, he is merely listening to fate and the only way he can do that without breaking down is by avoiding you completely."
"He saved my life…"
"He's been doing it for centuries. In fact ever since he found you in the 1800's he's been protecting you."
"What…." appearing confused, Kagome asked, "How has he been protecting me all these years without me noticing? I'm sure I would have…."
"By keeping his distance and having you followed round the clock. He's been making sure no harm comes to you from afar, I'm sure that would wear anyone down after a time."
"He has me followed!"
"Yes, but it is for your own good." he assured her waving his arms around. Hearing an unhappy grunt he tried to reason with her. "His loyal servants have been watching over you; ensuring the demons that come after you don't interfere with your life. The guards don't bother you personally either, in fact Sesshomaru-sama has made it clear that you are not to be approached within two miles. Nobody sees you unclothed or anything!"
"Are there cameras?"
"What…"
"Cameras!" she repeated. "Is he spying on me? Are their cameras around here?" moving to stand, Myoga hopped up to stop her.
"There are no cameras Kagome-san! I promise, our senses are more than enough to make sure you aren't agitated beyond everyday life!"
Forcing herself to relax, the demoness let out a sigh and concentrated on finding some sort of peace. She was really high strung lately and paranoid more than ever.
"Kagome-san?" Myoga asked uncertainly.
"Sesshomaru...was my lover right?"
"Huh? Oh yes."
"So we weren't married?"
"Married?" The flea demon looked at her confused before realization hit, "Oh, you mean committed! No you were not, but I'm sure it would have happened eventually if not for..." he trailed off, unsure how to proceed.
"If not for...what?"
"You see...I don't really know where to begin..."
"Start from the beginning." Kagome suggested, folding her arms onto her desk.
Standing out on his private room's balcony, Sesshomaru gazed up at the stars, which his vision allowed him to see perfectly despite the modern day lights that faded their beauty from mortals. He had never been one for astrology, but Kagome had always enjoyed the subject in their youth.
Snorting when he realized his thinking pattern made him sound like an old man, the proud demon mentally counted off his age and surprised himself to realize he was only about twenty-nine in human years. Due to her time jump Kagome was somewhat younger than him however, currently barely pushing twenty-five. Recalling Hitomiko's words he, wondered what relationship this Akitoki had had with Kagome and whether or not he had been aware of her full demon status. Having never seen or heard of such a male in her presence in the last forty years, it was safe to assume he was a character who had been around during a much earlier time.
A shooting star flew overhead and seeing the flash, he shook his head as a memory of Rin cropped up, the girl had always made a wish when one occurred. Shuddering slightly, Sesshomaru forced himself to halt his thought pattern which was becoming darker by the minute. No matter how gruesome her murder at the hands of her father had been, her death had not been entirely in vain. Looking behind him, the dog demon stared at his mantle piece from which hung the three swords of heaven, hell, and earth. Tenseiga was born from Rin's sacrifice, mixed only with Kagome's grief. And she had entrusted it to him.
"Okay so then what happened?" Kagome asked, resting her head in her hand. Glancing at the clock, she yawned when she saw that she had kept Myoga talking for the last four hours straight. No wonder she was so tired. The flea's voice had taken a droning undertone after the first thirty minutes.
"Uh...Are you sure we should continue?"
"Yea, might as well get it over with. So as you were saying; Sesshomaru pupped his mate, and I flipped out."
"Flipped out?"
"Oh. I..didn't take the news well." she corrected herself. Apparently Myoga hadn't learned that much slang in the past five centuries.
"No, you did not, though it was understandable." chuckling darkly, the flea demon sighed and crossed his arms. "Sesshomaru-sama did promise not to touch the female his parents committed him to. It only escalated when my lord expressed a desire to raise the pup he had created with Miyako-sama. He claimed it was his responsibility."
"That is understandable as well."
"Indeed, but the pup aside, he also wished for you to remain by his side."
"I see the problem." Kagome arched an eyebrow at the little flea on her table. "Even without my memories, I'm nobody's whore."
"It wasn't like that at all Kagome-san!" Myoga said.
"He was about to have a pup with his officially recognized mate. Yet I was supposed to remain by his side, childless and neutral. A harlot."
"You meant the world to Sesshomaru-sama, he never would have named you as such."
"Well what would you call it then? Mistress? Beloved bedmate? Tramp? Your choice really, but it's all the same, a whore." Her eyes remained half-lidded as she spoke, too tired to really attempt to raise her voice.
"Ka...Kagome-san!"
Shaking her head, the demoness stood and stretched her aching body. "Well this has all been revealing, but we can continue this in the morning."
"Wait...Kagome-san," Myoga insisted. "We haven't even covered the book or…"
"You have told me enough for one day…..I'm not even sure I want to remember a lover's betrayal or his attempts to turn me into his whore." heading for her bedroom, she barely registered the sound of the flea desperately hopping behind her.
"Kagome-san please wait!"
"No!" she finally snapped, standing just in front of her doorway. "Not many people get to forget the people who hurt them. I consider myself lucky not to have to deal with it."
"But you're just running from your problems! That isn't the way to…"
"Goodnight Myoga-chan." she said at last, closing the door in the tiny demon's face.
A/N: Don't worry Kagome will get over it.