Thank you to all of my reviewers!!!!!!! A biggggggg hugggge shout out to Rachie, swasdiva, yaoiotaku, amicablenemesis, lanya, midnighttimberwolf, badkitty, sassy, inari, kagome, shadowed death, drkprncess18, silverstarphoenix, tess, anon, bettychan, inuyoukai8, secretbookofkalliope, inabindandlikinit, deatara, and hermonine!!!! THANK YOU GUYS SOOOO MUCH!! I LOVE YOU!!!! *hands you all a 2 year supply of ramen and pocky* also, THANK YOU TOO ALL OF MY REVIEWERS ON AND !!! You are all amazingly awesome!!!! *gives you the same treat as the ppl on *
Anon: I am including the 3rd movie where she's seen him but im going to have her calm down and become comfortable with him before it will hit her. Than she will...ya know..freak out! lol! hehe. thank you sooooo much for your review!!!!
Disclaimer: I OWN INUYASHA!!! WOOT WOOT!!! *looks around nervously for the men in black suites with briefcases* where are they I wonder??? *is suddenly tackled from behind* that's enough out of you missy let take you back to your cell...The padding is just wonderful, ne?
'' means there is emphasis on that word
Shoen- Japanese estate/manor
Suginoki- Japanese cedar (wood)
******
Kagome's head was turned toward the ground, her unfocused cerulean depths staring down at the rocky dirt path. Silken raven strands of hair spilled over her shoulders like ink, merging and forming a dark pool if glistening midnight tresses on her chest. Her tanned legs groaned and demanded a rest from the nonstop bunching and loosening of over-worked muscles. She, though, was unaware of her body's state, her mind racing with unanswered questions and possible solutions to a seemingly insoluble situation. Her gleaming white teeth kneaded her lush lower lip as more and more sorrow colored threads of thought wove their way in and out of the crevices of her rambling mind. They had been traveling along the same path for a few days now and the scenery never ceased to amaze her. Their path had begun to take them increasingly upward and the inclince was doing a number on her legs, but as she looked around and saw the distant mountains and wide open valleys below them, her discomfort was pushed to the very back of her mind. The beauty of their surrounds helped to take her mind off of her normally downtrodden thoughts and even though it was something simple, she was very grateful for the diversion. Her pale eyelids slowly lowered over her breathtaking eyes, her large black lashes resting just above the creamy skin of her cheeks. She brought a small elegant hand to her sweat-slick forehead and slowly rubbed soothing circles into her warm milky skin. Her life seemed to be heading down a road so full of unexpected twists and turns, what was she going to do when she finally snapped? Her frail shoulders were already strained with the weight placed upon them; they quivered and shook each day with the force of her newest burdens and fears. How much could one person take, one person who had no one to talk to? At moments like these she dearly missed the comfort her mother's warm embrace.
She was like a child, new to the world she was now placed in, learning something new each day. But around each corner some figure clad in shadows and eyes that glowed with intense ferocity and dark malicious intent stood grinning, large, sharp teeth slick and glistening with saliva, waited to contort into her newest and strongest fear. She was just so absolutely terrified of the future and what it held, absolutely terrified of not knowing where she'd be when she woke up. It seemed that each time she found close friends and a man who could be so much more she was uprooted and planted again in some new and unfamiliar place like a plant or tree. She was sick of it! And the thing that got her even more upset was that she had no say in her own life, no say in who she was meant to be and no say in what time she was placed in. It almost drove her to insanity!
Clenching her small fists into compacted balls of anger Kagome let her lungs fill to the brim with fresh, crisp air, quelling her rising temper. Slipping her eyes back open she focused her gaze on the path in front of her, her blue depths following the even rhythm of Sugimi-sama's swishing silver hair.
'I used to watch Inuyasha's hair like this.' Kagome thought with a small bittersweet smile curving her lips.
'Oh, Inuyasha…I miss you so much! You and Sango and Miroku…w-what am I gonna do without you guys?' She thought, her chin quivering with her suppressed emotions.
'What am I gonna do now that all of you are gone…you guys were my strength, you were the only reason I kept going and now…now your gone!' Kagome thought, the dam holding her emotions shuttering from the enormous blows to its already weakened walls.
The only thing holding her back from crying out the complete and utter unfair state of the world was that oh-so-familiar dancing silver hair.
He could smell her tears, any youkai with a decent nose could, but he kept it to himself like the honorable youkai that he was. He would not make her ashamed to show her emotions, that would be utter foolishness. He was not a cruel youkai deep down, he enjoyed nothing more than hearing others laughter and laughing with them, but when he was not within the walls of his estate one could not show emotion. Everything was seen as weakness, and although he had absolute belief in his abilities, he grew tired of lower level demons fighting him for his title. It was such an extreme waste of his valuable time. Just thinking back on the numerous occurrences where he had had to end the lives of those vile beasts made the prickle of a headache leisurely drag its fingertips along his forhead. He lifted his if shimmering silver hair to the wind and took in a large breath of the refreshing breeze, clearing his mind of such petty thoughts during the process. As his tawny eyes scanned their surroundings a sense of peace began to fill Sugimi, they would arrive at their destination in but a few moments.
The sun was beginning its decent behind the clouds and the house of the moon soon came into view. The Inu-no-Taisho slowed his pace as he turned to his sad young companion.
"Kagome, we are closing in on my home, we will be there but a few moments."
His smooth, deep baritone gently ushered its way into her thoughts, but she couldn't seem to make out what it said at first. Looking up at her handsome Daiyoukai companion she would have voiced her confusion had the awe-inspiring estate behind him not been there. Her mouth slowly dropped open and she stared in amazement at the enormous home in front of her very eyes.
"T-that is where you live!" she almost squealed. Sugimi would have chuckled and answered her had she actually been listening for one but she was too busy taking everything in.
The home was enormous and it was designed in the traditional style of old japanese shoens. It was made of shimmering brown wood that looked as if it were polished every day; every inch of wood seemed to glisten with the finest of care. The roof was a dark midnight blue, so dark infact that it almost seemed black, and at the very top where both sides of the roof met there was a silver crescent moon. The gigantic estate sat atop the enormous mountain they had just climbed and as she looked down she knew it gave visitors a view of the home that they would be visiting, but enemies a view of the fortress they would never conquer. From where she stood she could see the thin shoji doors and the deep blobs of color, she was guessing they were pictures but she could not make them out. Around the estate was a large, well-built and very intimidating wall and perched atop the wall every few meters were fierce looking guards. As they walked on she began to make out the disfigured blobs near the gates as two more soldiers, each holding an immensely long sunlit staff that had an angry looking crescent shaped blade attached to the very end. The very end of the staffs, which held no blade, touched the dirt at their right foot and traveled up their chests to lay on their broad left shoulders. Their faces were set in a look of grim stoicism; their bodies didn't move an inch even though their erect posture looked extremely painful to Kagome.
"How long have those soldiers been standing guard?" Kagome asked, confusion lacing her voice.
Sugimi looked back at her from over his shoulder, his lips parting to answer her question.
"They have been standing guard at my gates since sunrise, but they will soon be replaced by the evening shift." He said nonchalantly. Kagome's eyes shifted to the setting sun and a wave of sympathy washed over her.
"I feel bad for them, I couldn't stay like that for almost a whole day." She mumbled under her breath. Without looking at her Sugimi said
"You need not feel bad for them; they have been in training for years to become used to such things. Surly if I were to put you out here with them you would do more complaining for them than they would ever do for themselves. You seem the type to whine." She didn't see the glitter of laughter in Sugimi's shining golden orbs. His good nature was returning in full force as his home became increasingly closer. Not to mention riling up this hot tempered slip of a girl was extremely entertaining.
Kagome's jaw clenched at his response and her gleaming eyes narrowed. All she had done was show a little compassion and what did she get for it? Back talk from an arrogant lord, that's what! Straightening her back completely she marched up to the Inu-no-Taisho with her head held high. Making sure to be in his range of hearing she mumbled under her breath
"Inconsiderate lord! I show compassion for his overworked guards and he gets all snippy. The arrogance must run in the inu line or something."
In an instant she felt the weight of his gaze on her face, the intense heat searing her flesh. But, she did nothing except raise her finely rounded chin higher and march on. His eyes followed her every move but she heard nothing from him and it worried her. Cracking one eye open she peeked at the lord only to see him gazing at her in veiled confusion. Almost giving into the urge to growl Kagome ground out through her clenched teeth
"What are you looking at?"
Her voice awoke him from his stupor and he mentally shook his head and cleared his thoughts. His next words were both a statement and a question, his curiosity piqued.
"I did not know you knew any other inu-youkai."
Kagome gave the Inu-no-Taisho and sad smile and said softly
"Yes, I did. I traveled with an inuhanyou and I also knew a full blooded dog demon. He was not as kind as the hanyou I traveled with. I also traveled with a young fox kit...he was like a son to me."
He watched her speak and saw the shadows creep into her ultramarine eyes, but he couldn't stop the question that flew from his lips.
"You are a miko, I can sense it, and yet you befriended so many youkai. That is very unlike a priestess, in fact, it should have gone against your very nature. Why did you do something so strange?"
A small laugh passed her lips and her answer was simple.
"If you can't tell already, I'm not exactly your run of the mill miko."
A slight wiggle of the lord's eyebrows confirmed that he thought the same. After a few minutes of walking Kagome and Sugimi reached the towering wooden gates that lead to the lord's large estate. With a deep bow of respect and understanding to their lord one of the soldiers raised a callused hand and signaled for the doors to be opened. The enormous gates trembled and a dim rumble filled the air as the doors slid open slowly. Dust spurted out of the many cracks in the wooden frame and a small cloud of dust covered the bottom of the gate. With a resounding "thud" the doors swung fully open and both Sugimi and Kagome walked through the large opening. Cerulean orbs gazed around the Inu-no-taisho's courtyard in awe.
The courtyard alone seemed to be the size of at least two football fields, the grass was a vivid green and flowers were speckled around the yard like sprinkles. There was one large path of black and silver stones that led to the front of his home and a sakura tree dotted the path here and there. In the middle of the large courtyard was an ivory colored marble statue of an extremely large dog, its mouth was open in an earthshaking roar and its front and back legs were planted firmly on the lush green grass of the yard below. Sprouting from both the front and back paws was swaying ivory hair and the chest of the dog was pushed forward in a show of both power and pride.
On the face of the dog there was one jagged white stripe on each cheek that flowed down to meet the beginning of its muzzle. Kagome took in the elegant white marble of the large inu with mouth agape and eyes wide. It was beautiful.
Kagome could only utter an amazed "wow" before she continued to look on. But, to her utter dislike, Sugimi gave her some distasteful news, sarcasm lacing his first few words.
"I understand that my yard is quite awe inspiring, but the lord of the East has been waiting for me for days now to return from patrolling my lands. It would be extremely rude of me to keep him waiting much longer, so please follow me inside so I can have a servant show you to your room."
Kagome, now with her mood dampened a little from not getting her way, followed the handsome lord inside. Her mood was soon brightened though by the inside of the shoen. Unlike many estates she had seen this one was very open, not cluttered with gaudy unneeded possessions. Her eyes traveled over every inch of the main room. It was wide open and the light chestnut wood floor was polished to perfection. Looking to her left and down the hallway Kagome could see large colorful hanging scrolls decorating the walls and small tables with vases full of flowers sat here and there. The ceiling was painted mostly white and a midnight blue crescent moon traced in silver sat in the very middle of it. Looking straight ahead Kagome's wide eyes were met with a beautifully painted shoji door framed with a shimmering suginoki. A small pout formed on her full lips as she realized her eyes could not see through the beautiful door. The door itself was a dark tan color and had sturdy bamboo shoots rising from the earth. The leaves were outlined by the setting sun, making every part of the plant a rich black and flying fluidly in the background were ivory cranes with dusty grey wings.
Looking to her right she was met with another gorgeous shoji door painted intricately with red-crested cardinals perched atop the branches of a mighty sakura tree. Most had their dusty blue backs turned to the viewer with their flaming red heads turned to look over their folded wings. But, a few had other intentions and were frozen in their flight from the tree, their creamy white bellies sliced down the middle with burning red feathers that stopped just at the middle of their chests.
Taking one last look around Kagome finally sucked air into her aching lungs. She hadn't even realized she'd been holding her breath.
'I guess his home really is breathtaking.' Kagome thought with a small giggle, a drumroll echoing in her mind and causing the giggle to turn into steady laughter. Clearing his throat Sugimi said
"Forgive me but I must attend to some very pressing matters, I have called for a maid and she will be with you shortly." With that said he pivoted on his heel, his hair dancing around him like a curtain of trickling water, and disappeared down the hallway to her left.
Glancing around one last time Kagome brought her hands behind her back and wrung them nervously, awaiting her maid. The silence of the empty room was deafening and the minutes seemed to crawl by at an almost dead halt. Kagome's deep blue orbs skittered from place to place as she waited nervously. Soon her foot seemed to sprout a mind of its own and the small "tap, tap, tap" of her foot on the polished wood cracked the dense silence.
"M'lady, I am here to show you to your room."
Kagome let out a terrified "eeep!" and flew into the air. Her landing was a harsh one and she barely landed on her feet. The soft whisper of a giggle behind her made her quickly spin around, her heart racing like a frightened rabbit. There behind her sheepishly peeking from her icy blue bangs was her maid and she seemed to be enjoying Kagome's show quite a bit. Holding a shaking hand over her rapidly dancing heart Kagome gasped
"Please warn me next time you decide to pop out of nowhere, I think I just had a minor heart attack!" Her words only made the giggling of her maid that much harder and Kagome found the almost silent but hearty laugh to be quite contagious.
Kagome soon had a broad smile on her face and she too was giggling uncontrollably. Their laughter filled the silent room and gave it a cheery and welcoming vibe instead of the almost terrifying emptiness it had just held for Kagome. Once their laughter died down Kagome took a moment to take the young woman in.
She had long knee-length light icy blue hair and snowy white skin that looked incredibly soft to the touch. Her eyes were a bright ruby red and she had small fangs protruding from her still smiling lips. She had one silver stripe on each side of her face and a small silver teardrop on her brow. Her form was curvy and petite and covered in a light pink kimono with light blue sakura blossoms on it and a soft red obi was secured around her small waist. She was quite pretty.
"Wow! You're beautiful!" Kagome exclaimed under her breath. A sunny smile lit the girl's lips and she gave her a bright thank you.
"My name is Aneko." She said with a deep bow, her soft voice very easy to listen to. Kagome smacked her small hand to her forehead and grumbled to herself about her poor manners.
"How could I forget to introduce myself?" Kagome said in clear disbelief. 'Mom would be soo disappointed right now!' she thought with a small inward groan. Shaking her head of glistening raven tresses to clear her thoughts she said with a bow of her own
"My name is Kagome; it's a pleasure to meet you Aneko." Aneko smiled and gave Kagome a small nod of understanding and she said in her liltling soprano,
"If you would please follow me, Kagome-sama."
Kagome nodded and followed Aneko's graceful movements through the shoji door with the red-crested cardinals. She was led down corridor after corridor and was soon afraid she'd never figure out how to leave the enormous estate. Ten minutes easily slid by as Kagome deftly followed Aneko down the rest of the hallways to her room. Finally stopping at another shoji door Aneko turned to Kagome and said
"This is your room m'lady, I hope it pleases you." And before Kagome could utter a thank you she was hastily rushing down the hallway to disappear behind the corner.
Turning her eyes away from the corner Aneko had just disappeared behind Kagome took in the door of her room. Painted on the thin material was the perfect picture of a peaceful summer night. The sky was a deep midnight blue and the darkness was broken by what seemed to be thousands of happily glittering silver stars. A large field of red, yellow, blue, and white flowers sat beneath the endless sky only to meet it at the horizon. Small insects swarmed in the air and a tinkering stream flowed fluidly at her feet.
"Wow, he has some great taste." Kagome murmured in awe.
"Why, thank you Kagome, but the intention was for you to go inside of your room, not just sit by the door." Sugimi said with a hearty playful chuckle.
Once again almost jumping out of her skin Kagome twirled around to face the god of a man, err demon, with such a rich voice. Quite out of breath Kagome managed to get out
"Don't…do…that…again!" before gasping for breath. Her small show only made the Inu-no-Taisho laugh harder. But, what made her look up was a smooth foreign chuckle. Noticing her questioning gaze Sugimi stopped his laughing and said
"The lord of the east insisted that he meet you so, may I introduce you to Youko Kurama, Lord of the Eastern lands." Kagome gasped at the man that stepped into her line of vision.
He had long waist-length silver hair that positively glowed with care and health and atop his head sat large silver fox ears. His liquid golden eyes were narrowed seductively and held an intensity that made parts of her body awaken and throb with need. His face held no markings but when she thought about it she realized if he did have any they would ruin the beauty of his face. His lean yet perfectly muscled arms were uncovered and open to her gaze. He wore a pristine white tunic that left room enough at the neck for her to gaze in and see his broad and well-built chest. He seemed to be at least six foot seven inches tall and swishing slowly near his feet with the purpose to catch your eye was a spotless silver tail. He was absolutely gorgeous!
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Kagome." He said, his deep baritone like chocolate to a woman's ears. Swallowing thickly Kagome said with a tremor of nervousness in her voice
"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Lord Youko."
He slowly curved one side of his mouth into a seductive smirk and took her shaking hand into his larger one, placing a lingering kiss on the back of her knuckles. His lips were hot when they met her skin and a small tremor raced through her being. Gods he was making her feel strange in her own body with just the smoldering quality of his eyes.
Kagome let her hand slowly slide from his much larger and much warmer one and one thought struck her at that moment.
'This is going to be very interesting.'
*****
I'm soooooooo evil!! Hehehehe! And just in case you guys are wondering yes it is Youko from Yu Yu Hakusho. *gives a little devilish smirk" this is going to be one HECK of a fun story to write!!