JeniNeji' Comments:

Hello Everyone, I humbly ask for forgiveness for my tardiness. I have been having too much work to do, college is driving me crazy. I made the chapter longer to ease your curiosity. Hope you can forgive me, and hope you all enjoy it.

As always, my gratitude to my beta reader Chezka, love you very much, and you are the best!!

DisclaiMer: I don't own Inu-Yasha, nor Sesshomaru, or Kagome, less Naraku…and you know all the others…

When the Past is the Future….

Part 2: The Beginning of the Future...in the Past

Chapter 11

The Beginning of the Future

"My dearest friend!" exclaimed with great happiness a masculine and excited voice "It has been far too long without enjoying of your presence" finished the demon, taking his friend in a strong hug. They patted each other's back and laughed wholeheartedly. "I heard you have a new daughter, if that's right. Perhaps, we can now make an arranged marriage so we'll be finally related by blood" said the demon hopingly.

The demon laughed, and it almost sounded as a bark. "If you thought it was going to be hard with my first daughter, I assure you, with my second one, it's going to be harder, Taishomeseinaru" he said in a serious tone. That was the truth, he would not lie to his friend.

"Is she too stubborn as well?" asked the father confused. He had been hoping to engage one of his sons to one of his friend's daughters. He knew that their kind was not the best of friends, but, things could work out…sometimes.

Inu no Taisho laughed, his silvery hair tied in a low ponytail, his yellow eyes sparkling with amusement at his friend's question. "My first daughter had an unbelievable dislike for cats, I'll grant you that, but my second one…where are your boys?" asked Inu no Taisho with a hint of worry on his voice.

The proud cat demon ran his hand over his black spiky hair and raised his green eyes in thought "I guess they are around, somewhere" he said simply, his eyes then engaged Inu no Taisho's golden ones "Why? Is something the matter?" he asked alarmed.

"No, I just hope they don't get on the bad side of my second daughter" he said with a smirk on his face. He knew how spontaneous and creative his little miko could be, but seeing that they were cat demons, they shouldn't be facing a big problem. "Come, my friend, let go take a walk around my lands" he said and began to walk away, motioning his friend to follow. The cat demon did, but not without taking a glance at the castle grounds before leaving.

"Leave me alone, demon!" yelled the voice of a young girl. The short, black haired girl huffed in anger as she walked away from the cat demon. The cat demon boy still followed, muttering many incoherent things that were getting on her nerves.

She tried to remember the rules of the castle, or what her mother so many times referred to, protocol. That word was hard to remember, but to her, it had been carved on her mind. Her parents used it endlessly. They said she needed to learn it very well, that she was in a world where her kind was despised, and she needed to protect herself. 'Must treat every single visitor with respect' she recalled the rule, but she also recalled that there was another one she had to obey 'Behave in other places that are not your own' and this castle certainly was not of cat demons.

She tried to walk faster, but the cat demon did the same. "I like you black hair, and your voice, and you eyes, and your clothes, and your scent, please, be my mate" kept repeating the cat demon. Those phrases got on her nerves. "How he dares?" she asked herself once and again.

She turned and locked her angry blue eyes on the cat's green ones. He was wearing black pants and a black shirt, his eyes were a yellowish green and he was some inches taller than her. "Stop following!" she yelled frustrated, she fisted her hands and grounded her feet on the ground. She had a hakama that was red in color, but long and tied around her waist, making it look more like a dress than a hakama.

The cat demon smiled. Kagome made a sound that sounded almost like a growl. Taking on the tradition of her family, she turned away from the young cat demon. She was glad that he had stopped following her, but soon regretted her thoughts, as she felt him walking again. She wanted to burn him to the core, if not, she wanted to sit on the floor and cry out of frustration.

She felt a familiar aura and ran to it. Hope filled her heart, she spread her aura to let her mother know she was coming to her. She walked around the corner and saw her mother, Lady Sephira, standing and facing towards her. Her mother was always aware of everything. With a smile on her face and blue eyes sparkling with happiness, she extended her arms to her mother, asking to be taken. Her mother narrowed her eyes, but took the little miko in her arms, then, she saw as Taishomeseinaru's son came as well. She smiled discretely, now she understood.

"Good evening, young lord" she addressed the little one politely. She saw as his eyes widened for a moment, and then the little one bowed. "Good evening, Lady" he answered with the same amount of politeness. Sephira saw on the corner of her eye as Kagome stuck out her tongue at the young lord, and heard as a low hiss left the boy's throat. She smiled once again. "Well, young lord, this little lady and I must excuse ourselves, something needs of our attention" she bowed again and began to walk away. As her back was to him, Kagome was holding onto her. She heard her own little miko hiss at the cat, and she couldn't hold it anymore and broke onto giggling.

Sesshomaru watched from the north tower as his sister fought the cat demon. It had always being like this, every single time the cat's demons have come, Momo would die before letting any of them near her. He still didn't understand well, he was a dog demon as well, but his sister's hatred for them was unmatchable. He felt proud at his sister's skills. As a child she always complained about training, but it was in moments like this that he was grateful that he took his time on her. She was using her twin blades, what meant that she had been aware of their arrival before hand, she never carried the blades on the castle grounds.

Sesshomaru watched the young cat dodge her blows easily. Cats were fast and had incredible reflexes, after all, Momo was faulty in that aspect. He tensed when he saw the cat demon going offensive and ran to his sister, but he saw as she skillfully raised a barrier. He smirked, Sephira had been training her as well. Sephira's skills were down to making barriers, but the best barriers he had ever seen. She trapped her enemies and killed them. Another thing she had that he lacked, patience. She could let the demon starve on one of her barriers…

Sesshomaru decided to keep his way and walked down the tower. As he walked, he began to replay Momo's fight in his head to help her train later. As he reached the last step, he came face to face with Lady Sephira, who was carrying Kagome.

He took a deep breath and fixed his golden eyes to Kagome's blue ones. He instantly saw as Kagome's aura shifted and she tensed. It took no other signal for Sephira to know that Sesshomaru was near, she turned in search for him, and then her eyes settled on him and she noticed that he was staring at the little one in her arms. "Sesshomaru" she called forth to his attention. A little annoyed, the golden eyes turned to her pink ones. "Your father asked me to tell you that there will be a hunt tomorrow and you may assist if you like" she said politely. She had never understood Inu no Taisho's worry for Kagome, as he never allowed Sesshomaru near her, even as her brother. However, Sephira's attention was brought back to Kagome when she unconsciously dug her nails on her upper arm.

Sesshomaru bowed and left to his chambers. Sephira watched his retreating form and decided to walk to the opposite direction Sesshomaru had taken, she didn't want Kagome more nervous than she was already.

Sesshomaru walked to the stone window in his room and looked at the bright sun in the horizon, dinner time was coming near, but he never ate with them anyway. His eyes turned cold as a memory returned to him.

It had been the day after his father had returned from the battle with the half demon, the battle were Midoriko had lost her life. He had come to his chambers, with Kagome on his arms. Sesshomaru found it a very odd casualty, but he had then understood that it was not. "You won't cross paths with this little one in my arms" said Inu no Taisho coldly. Sesshomaru opened his mouth to protest, but Inu no Taisho's hateful expression stopped him "Are you going to deny that you tried to kill her?" he asked enraged, his tone high and commanding. After some moments where Sesshomaru remained quiet, out of surprise and regret, Inu no Taisho turned to walk away. "I hope we are clear on this matter" he said coldly as he began to walk away down the hall.

Sesshomaru was enraged. He couldn't believe what his father was doing, and without thinking twice about his actions he ran after his father, freeing his entire aura around him. Inu no Taisho stopped as he felt his son's raw aura; he turned to him, his eyes as cold as snow. Sesshomaru stopped some meters away from his father. "She's mine, she still carries my scent, you can't have her, you cannot order such a thing" he said his eyes turning red.

The baby in Inu no Taisho arms began to cry in fear. Even when Kagome was unaware of it, she was a miko and this demonic aura must be bothering her. "You will do as I say!" yelled Inu no Taisho and stood still, waiting for Sesshomaru to acknowledge this, but the answer he got was very different. Sesshomaru jumped towards Inu no Taisho with every intention of hurting him. Inu no Taisho dodged it and caught Sesshomaru by his tail and knocked him against the stone wall with all the strength he had. Sesshomaru cried in pain as some of his ribs were broken instantly and fell to the floor. Kagome kept crying and Inu no Taisho growled menacingly to his son and walked away.

Sesshomaru growled at the memory and walked away from his window. He walked through the room anxiously. He then remembered the day that Kagome crossed paths with him on the castle, it had been less than a year ago. He was petrified when he had come face to face with her, she was still a young human woman, but he felt very unsure in her presence, about everything. Somehow, he felt uncomfortable when those awed blue eyes stared confusedly at him. She had no idea of anything, and there he was, thinking about who she was and who she could be…but her soft voice awoke him at that moment. "Good evening, brother Sesshomaru" those were her words, those said with sweetness. The same words that fueled his anger, he should have held his tongue, but it had been on impulse. "I am not your brother" he said. He remembered his tone, it had been so cold. He hadn't intended it to be, he didn't even notice until he saw Kagome's eyes widening in fright, so he left before making another mistake. But he was sure of what he said, he didn't want her to see him as a brother. If he fell in love with her in the future, he was not going to allow her to treat him as a brother.

He decided that he was going to the hunt. He was not going to lose this chance, even when the cat demons were going to be present.

That night both girls went to sleep. Kagome was still in a foul mood, her ear-length black hair was still wet from her bath. Her sister, Momo, was looking out the window, at the moon. "Momo" called indignantly Kagome "Are you listening to me?" asked the younger one hurt.

"Yes" was the soft reply from Momo, who was still looking out the window. "I hate cats" was the next thing the silvery haired female commented. Kagome sighed and walked to her sister "What are we going to do?" asked Kagome confused, she couldn't possibly purify them. Momo stood up and smirked at her "Well as brother says, let's play" said Momo and Kagome could only stare in disbelief.

Momo walked to the futon and laid down. "Come Kagome, let's have our rest, tomorrow is going to be a long day. Father's going to take us to the hunt, we'll show them" said Momo, closing her eyes and slowly shutting her mind and drifting to sleep. Kagome sighed and walked to the futon and lied down next to her sister, and went to sleep as well.

…

The sound of the shogi door opening awoke both girls. But both had the very same reaction, a whine and a low growl. Kagome was now eight years old, and she had, to the dislike of their father, taken many bad habits from her sister. Not being a morning person was one of them.

Sephira walked to the girls and remained standing in front of the futon, her second way of telling that it was time to wake up. Sephira smiled and sighed "Well, if my little darlings want it this way…" she stopped her threat and Kagome quickly sat on the futon "I'm awake mother" she announced quickly, not wanting her mother to reach the third one…

Sephira smiled and walked away. Kagome looked at the retreating form of her mother and sighed once again "Coward" muttered Momo half asleep. Kagome scowled and walked to dress herself. She took on a sleeveless white hakama and green gi. She took one of Momo's greek shoes and put them on, it was easier to run with this type of shoes than with sandals. Kagome walked to the shogi door and stopped before opening "Momo, remember the cats" she said and walked away.

Momo quickly sat and smirked. She quickly raised and put on her white silk pants and her purple shirt. Happily found her twin blades and put them on her sides and walked out of the room. She found Kagome half way and walked with her. "Cats are fast, we need to be smarter, it's the only way" commented Momo, who hated the idea of losing to a cat demon. "Sure" responded Kagome.

They made it to the end of the stairs and were greeted by Sesshomaru. Momo screamed in delight and jumped to her brother, she loved him dearly, and the fact that he was such a great fighter made her happier, the cats would lose today.

Kagome remained still, and silent. She had barely seen him in her life, and the times she had seen him were not nice ones. She bowed her head politely. Sesshomaru hugged his sister back and he began to walk away, still holding her, knowing she wasn't thinking of letting go any sooner. His eyes met Kagome's, but quickly left her. Kagome followed. When they finally reached the garden, they met Inu no Taisho's cold stares. Sesshomaru ignored it and put Momo on the floor and walked to him, his eyes hard as they settled on his father.

"Sesshomaru" the cheerful voice of Taishomeseinaru greeted him. Sesshomaru's eyes turned to the cat demon and he nodded his head in acknowledgement. "You have grown much" commented the cat demon.

Sesshomaru watched as the younger cat demon walked past him happily and walked past Inu no Taisho, but decided to ignore him. "How are the lands Neko no Taisho?" asked Sesshomaru to the cat demon to engage in some type of conversation and avoid his father.

"Oh, good of you to ask, little one" exclaimed the cat and Sesshomaru couldn't suppress the urge to raise one of his eyebrows at the name "They had been more problematic these last years. We had some hard battles, but now, it seems like peace had returned to our lands" informed the great lord proudly.

"I'm glad to hear it, there are some priceless places to visit there and…." but Sesshomaru stopped mid sentence when he felt Kagome's miko energy spark audibly. He turned to see the cat demon looking at her some feet away and Kagome holding her hand menacingly. Sesshomaru smirked.

Inu no Taisho sighed, but he was secretly enjoying the event. "Well, shall we go?" asked Inu no Taisho cheerfully and began to walk out of the castle. Kagome hissed at the cat and followed her father. Momo smiled "Fool" and walked behind Kagome, quickly catching up. The cat demon smirked, and turned to see his older brother following and ran to catch up with Inu no Taisho.

"At last, we see the lands of the West" spoke a young woman. Her short black hair that reached her shoulders dangled with the wind, and a sad smile rushed to her face. She had a destiny to fulfill, and today, she was nearer than she had ever been. The woman began to walk down the hill, with sword in hand. "The Lands of the Great Inu no Taisho, let's see how great he really is" said the woman seriously to what seemed no one in particular.

She walked down in hurried steps, being called by the aura of the Great Inu no Taisho, but did it with caution, she could feel many more strong auras. Suddenly she stopped. Her heavy armor made a sound of protest and almost rushed her forward with its weight. The woman let the end of the heavy sword rest on the green grass for some moments, without letting go of the hilt. "A miko…" she whispered absent-mindedly "…surrounded by so many demons"

The confounded woman shook her head and resumed her path to find Inu no Taisho. After all, he was a far distance away.

The group finally reached the clearing where the hunt was going to take place. Inu no Taisho set Kagome on the floor, he carried her the way here, not wanting her to tire. She was a great girl, but she was still too young. He marveled of her, even today, humans grow so fast. She looked only a few years younger than Momo, when Momo was almost eight decades old. The little girl looked at him with a smile and nodded her head, after that, she walked to Momo's side.

Inu no Taisho turned to Taishomeseinaru. "That's my second daughter" said Inu no Taisho with a smirk. Kagome turned her eyes to the cat demon for the very first time, she had ignored him along the way. It was then when the young cat demon began to point with his fingers at Kagome and jump. His father doubled over to hear him and laughed out loud when he understood what was going on.

"I think your daughter has an admirer" said the Cat Lord between laughs "my son has fallen for her eyes" he finished. Inu no Taisho let a smirk grace his features. He was most pleased, the future promised some fun. It was then that Inu no Taisho turned to Sesshomaru, who was doing his best to look uninterested. After enjoying his son's reaction he turned to the cat. "Well then, let the hunt begin, the one with the most impressive prey wins!" he announced and pointed to Sesshomaru "You are with me" he said with a big satisfied smile. Sesshomaru's growl of dislike only served to make his smile more real. Inu no Taisho began to walk away "Momo, Kagome, watch it" he said and walked away. Sesshomaru glared at his father's back, but followed none the less. As Inu no Taisho began to disappear in the forest a last yell was heard. "Neko no Taisho! I'm going to beat you"

"You wish! Cats are hunters by nature!" he replied, and the spiky black haired cat jumped to the forest, intending to catch the best prey he could. The young ones remained standing there a few seconds, until Momo sighed and walked away with Kagome.

Dark clouds began to appear in the distance and the cat brothers looked at each other. After sending a silent message, they began to walk away, to the only way that no other group had gone before…to the castle grounds… Besides, cats got sleepy on rainy days.

"Kagome, you purified the demon again" said Momo tiredly taking the arrow from the tree and giving it back to Kagome. "But it was fun" said Momo with a cheerful voice. "I say we will be miserable tonight, the cats will win" she said with a sad tone now. Kagome kicked a rock angered. "Well Kagome, now I will lead, before night falls and we have to return" said Momo.

Momo stood and sensed the area around her. Her eyes widened and sparkled to pink an instant before returning to their golden color again "Close, little one" she said to herself. "There's a boar, come on" said Momo and jumped forward and into the dark forest. Kagome frowned, but followed swiftly, running through the dense forest. Kagome stopped a second when she saw Momo running after the boar. She saw Momo's barriers, she had been trapping the boar's escapes. Kagome enrolled in the chase as well, but the boar surpassed her speed. However, the fate of the animal ended with one of Momo's twin blades piercing its chest.

Momo jumped next to Kagome "Now, who carries the bleeding thing?" she asked with a smile, but when Kagome's blue eyes settled in hers, her smile faded "I killed it…why should I carry it?" asked hurt the young demoness. Kagome tied the end of a rope to the legs of the huge animal, and then took the other end. She quietly began to walk and when the rope ended, she could move no further. She began to pull and pull, but it was useless. Kagome sighed tiredly "I say we should just leave it" she said annoyed and began to walk away.

Kagome looked at the moon, the sky was darkening enough, it was only minutes before night caught them in their hands. Moments later, she felt Momo's aura coming behind her and a knowing smile came to her face. Momo was pulling the rope "You are terrible Kagome" she said annoyed "You knew I wasn't going to let the cats win" she informed sincerely.

Kagome stopped suddenly and turned to Momo with a frowned expression. Momo looked at her sister and then opened her senses, her sense of smell was not as good as her brother's but she managed by locating simple and complex auras with extreme ease. "There's someone" commented Kagome in a low voice "Yes, but the aura is wrong, I don't understand" said Momo in thought.

A loud sound awoke both girls of their musings and they had to run when a blast of raw power came towards them. Kagome jumped to her right and ran behind some trees and Momo jumped as high as she could, finding the top of the trees and trying to see the enemy. Momo managed to see the trial of destruction the attack had left and at the beginning of the path, she saw a lone warrior. It was a young woman wearing red armor. The woman fixed her brown eyes on Momo and she gasped in alarm jumping to the forest once again. Momo heard the explosion of another attack and ran for it. "Kagome! To the castle grounds, quick!" yelled Momo. Kagome, hearing her, sister ran as fast as she could, soon she had made it to the clearing where everything had started.

Kagome stopped and looked back, waiting for Momo, but she didn't come. Kagome expanded her aura, to let her sister know where she was and to try to locate her as well. Kagome quickly made an aura scan of the area and found the place to be full of Momo's demon barriers. She found her sister's aura jumping from barrier to barrier, and she saw the dark pooled energy of the demonic attack crash Momo's barrier easily. She sensed Momo getting out of another of her barriers and came to her, having felt her aura. Kagome then took on her bow and arrow and prepared herself. Moments later, Momo came out of the forest and into the clearing. Immediately, Momo raised two barriers that allowed a little space to pass, but only she could see through her barriers. She passed and stopped next to Kagome.

The young armored woman came out of the forest, her steps were slow and impassive. When her eyes settled in the young girl with her arrow, she stopped. She looked down at the sword in her left hand, and at her lower arm, that was completely covered in white bandages. Still looking at the sword, she raised her left arm, and a strong wave of demonic power was shot toward the girls. Momo quickly settled in front of Kagome and began to create a labyrinth of barriers, were the power was being diffused in them, but still, all the barriers collapsed. In the very same instant the barrier in front of Kagome and Momo fell, Kagome shot her arrow, and the arrow pierced the armor of the woman in the heart.

The arrow didn't explode with miko powers, nor did it purified the woman "She's human" yelled Momo in disbelief.

Kagome gave some steps backwards "She's not, the aura she has is demonic" said Kagome, but still, her nerves were growing with each second, she made a clear shot, but her miko powers didn't stop the woman.

The woman raised her hand to make another attack, but her chocolate eyes blinked and rage invaded her face. Soon, miko powers sparkled and fell upon the sword. The woman screamed in pain and the girls began to run away from the place. Momo took Kagome and carried her in her back and flee to the castle as fast as her legs would take her. "She's coming" alarmed Kagome to Momo. Momo nodded, they were near the castle, the castle was only four kilometers from the river, they could make it.

Momo jumped easily to the other side of the river. She stopped a moment to look back, but she instantly regretted it. A blast was heard and the trees fell merciless at the strong attack, but what made her run once again was more trees falling to the river. She was nearer that she had thought. Momo entered the second forest towards the castle when a familiar aura passed her at incredible speed. She stopped and turned to the river once again.

There stood Sesshomaru, dressed in white, a huge contrast against the dark night and the dark feeling that the woman in front of him sent. Sesshomaru eyed the woman coldly. He would never forgive anyone who dared to hurt what was his. It was his sister and it was his…Kagome. The woman stopped in her tracks and eyed Sesshomaru suspiciously.

"Are you Inu no Taisho?" asked the woman with a commanding voice, raising her sword defensively. She fixed her eyes to Sesshomaru's form "You are not him, your aura is weak" she said and jumped to attack, her sword making a blast of power to Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru easily dodged the attack and looked at the woman's eyes, they were dull and lifeless. Sesshomaru then turned and made for a kick on the back, but the woman turned and hit his leg aside, her eyes now lively and attentive. She jumped back and away from him, and settled over a formation of rocks.

Sesshomaru eyed the female wearily. He felt a huge demonic energy, but he didn't understand how a mere mortal woman could handle such strength, she seemed to be mortal, though Kagome was mortal as well. He fixed his golden eyes to the sword, it was silver in color and it had a pink sphere on its end.

"What is your business with me?" asked the rough voice of Inu no Taisho. Momo and Kagome quickly turned to the voice with a relieved smile. Inu no Taisho passed them without a glance, his eyes were flaring and angry. Both girls felt like shrinking, both scared that he was mad at them. Inu no Taisho walked to Sesshomaru and put his hand on his son's shoulder. Sesshomaru stiffened at the contact "Retreat now, protect the girls" whispered Inu no Taisho and Sesshomaru's aura flared in frustration but walked to the girls nonetheless.

Inu no Taisho fixed his angry eyes to the woman in front of him. No one dared lay a hand on his family. His instincts screamed to destroy that woman in front of him, but he had to suppress that urge at the moment. The woman's lifeless eyes settled on Inu no Taisho, and in a second, the sword gathered energy, much more than it had done before and shot against Inu no Taisho, who quickly drew Tetsusaiga out of its sheath and transformed it, then used a Wind Scar to pierce the attack. The woman began to step backwards, suddenly aware of the power of the demon in front of her, but stopped when her eyes became alive again. She scowled and sent a jolt of power to her left hand and into the sword. The sword changed and flashed in colors for a few moments and then returned to its original color.

"Lord Inu no Taisho" she said with a polite voice and a little bow. She twitched in pain at the small gesture. "I need to speak with you alone, I don't want anyone to get injured tonight" she said, asking for the others to leave. However, the sword once again took on her conscience, but was back down this time by a stronger attack from the woman, who didn't stop until the sphere on the sword became black.

Inu no Taisho nodded and signaled for Sesshomaru to take the girls to the castle. Sesshomaru did as he was told, but underneath his cool demeanor. He was angry, he wanted to fight the woman, he wanted to defeat her, but seemed like his father was going to get the pleasure.

Inu no Taisho kept his eyes on the woman in front of him, he had a bad feeling about her, that why he told his children to leave as she told. She was young, but her aura radiated age, much more. "Good Night Milord"greeted the woman with a polite tone.

Inu no Taisho's eyebrow twitched at the irony of the situation. "What is your business with me?" he asked impatiently.

The woman took on a determined face "I need you to take this sword, I cannot control its influence, you are the strongest warrior, you are the only one capable of wielding Souunga" she said pleadingly "I was capable of holding it for almost two hundred years, I am not sure if you can feel it, but I am a half demon, and half miko. My miko powers had been able to dull the sword's evil aura, but my spirit has weakened with the years and I'm no longer capable of suppressing the demon within" she said full of regret.

Inu no Taisho looked at the woman in disbelief, a half miko and half demon. He had never heard of something like that before. His eyes then settled on the sword, he tried to sense the aura of said item, and yes, it did have a demonic aura. Its aura screamed darkness, it screamed pain, and screamed evil. Never had he heard of such a tainted sword. He then looked at his fangs resting at his hips. He felt Tetsusaiga gave a beat and Inu no Taisho's eyes fell on the Sword of Heavens, the sword that he secretly despaired.

"So, are you going to take it Milord?" asked the woman once again. Inu no Taisho saw the woman again and her pleading tone softened him a little. He then eyed her arm, her left, that was holding the sword was rigorously bandaged. Blood covered them. The woman's eyes turned to her arm, already knowing that it had been what had attracted the Lord of the West attention. "The sword has possessed me. In some years, the sword will merge with me, therefore, it will possess a body of its own" said the woman with a sad smile on her face.

Sadness emanated from her very core, it seemed like the woman had been living under this curse for a long time. She no longer had the desire to win against it, the effort she had seem to put for so long seemed to have devoured her, and now, only remained the leftover of the powerful woman she must have been. "I'll take the sword" said the Western Lord.

The woman looked at him with wide eyes, she was caught by surprise by his acceptance of it. "Will you Milord?" she asked hopingly.

"I will" he repeated, this time in a stronger voice. She gave him a joyous smile, the first one, he guessed, she had showed in many years.

Tetsusaiga vibrated in its sheath and Inu no Taisho saw the woman in front of him tense. He jumped backwards as he felt the demonic aura around the woman increase. "I will not allow you to have me" said a male voice. The woman raised her left arm, and her eyes seemed dull once again, she let the sword fly down with a clean swipe of it, and a blast of power left the sword at high speed against Inu no Taisho.

Inu no Taisho drew Tetsusaiga and with a Wind Scar stopped the attack. He eyed the woman in front of him skeptically…had she betrayed him? He searched within her, but couldn't find anything left from the woman who had talked to him earlier.

A hushed voice began to speak and he had to concentrate greatly to hear the words that left the woman's mouth. "There is no redemption possible for my soul, but I prefer to pay for my sins in the deepest hell than to keep walking the earth"…after those words, the woman eyes fixed in Inu no Taisho's golden eyes, a lone tear was flowing down, and before Inu no Taisho could take another breath, the woman in front of him sparked in miko powers. Moments later, her skin began to burn itself. The woman screamed in pain and agony. Inu no Taisho clenched his teeth to stop himself from intervening.

The moon now rested in the middle of the night sky, announcing the midnight. Inu no Taisho walked silently toward the lone sword. The sword protested in anger as he neared it, but when he took the sword by its hilt, all protest died, the demon possessing it succumbed to the farthest corner of the item. Inu no Taisho's own demonic power was overpowering the sword easily. He then looked at the ashes lying on the ground. He gave a small bow and disappeared in the forest, once again returning to his castle.

Kagome walked around the castle, trying to stop her erratic heart. She had been afraid today, she had been afraid of the woman, of the sword, and of Momo getting killed. She felt she was weak, her father and her brother were strong. They were always courageous. Momo too, but she, she was weak, and she was nothing like the rest of them. She didn't deserve to be here, living with all of them.

She walked to the Royal room, where her father spent almost all of his time. She heard that it was used before to receive visits from other Lords, but now, scrolls rolled over the place, her father said he worked in there. She didn't understand his work well yet, but she guessed that it must be a hard one, from the looks of it. She closed the shogi door behind her silently, and walked to the center of the room, where a well designed column had been set. She walked to it and placed her hands in the cold surface of it and rested her head as well.

The shogi sliding open made her gasp out of surprise, in the door stood Sesshomaru, looking straight at her. She rapidly let go of the column and lowered her gaze. "Why are you here?" he asked coldly.

Kagome raised her head and looked at him, her mouth opened and closed but no words came out. Sesshomaru raised one of his eyebrows, silently telling her that he was waiting for an answer. Kagome sighed and turned her face away from him "I…I like this place" she said softly and nervously "I feel…calm" she finished uncertain, as if trying to find the exact word to express what she felt.

Sesshomaru kept his golden eyes on her, listening to her words. As he opened his mouth to say something, his father's aura stopped him. He turned and saw his father coming. He turned to Kagome, and her eyes were wide in fright, she had also felt Inu no Taisho's approach. Sesshomaru then understood, that his father had also told her not to talk with him, it was the only thing he could think of. After all, Momo visited him many times, but Kagome never walked near his presence. A sublime rage settled on his heart. His father was making things difficult for him.

"Kagome" called Inu no Taisho. Kagome quickly walked towards Sesshomaru, her blue eyes fixed on him, but she broke eye contact when she passed him and walked in front of her father. "Are you all right?" asked Inu no Taisho concerned.

Kagome smiled weakly "Yes, I am father, Momo protected me" she said calmly.

Inu no Taisho smiled and ruffled her hair "Go to sleep, little one" he said with a soft voice and Kagome gladly obeyed. She began to walk down the hallway and into her room. After seeing her disappear in the hallway, Inu no Taisho entered his room.

Sesshomaru stared at his father, and a soft gasp left his mouth when he saw the sword the woman had carried on his father's back. Inu no Taisho kept walking, knowing his son's thoughts right away. As he came near the column, he took the sword from his back and reclined it against the column. Inu no Taisho turned to Sesshomaru. "The woman left me the sword" said simply the Demon Lord. "She was being possessed by its demonic powers" said Inu no Taisho and sat on a corner. Sesshomaru walked to the sword, wanting to take a better look, but when his hand was about to touch it, Inu no Taisho stopped him. "It's a dangerous sword, the demonic spirit possessing it is wicked" warned Inu no Taisho. Sesshomaru obeyed, but kept staring at the sword skeptically.

"Then, the sword should not be in this room father" said Sesshomaru pointing at the column. Inu no Taisho's eyes opened in concern and he immediately stood and took the sword. Once again, he seated in the corner of the room, setting the sword on the cold stone floor.

"Why was Kagome here?" he asked worried.

Sesshomaru blinked several times "She likes a certain feeling she gets when she's here" he said coldly.

Inu no Taisho sighed, dejected. "Her soul still searches the Jewel" he said eyeing at the column with a sad look. "She doesn't even remember it, but, her soul recognized the cursed item" he said full of regret.

Sesshomaru made a sound of uninterest; he cared not for his father's feelings. He turned to walk away but a question from his father stopped him. Sesshomaru thought over the question, what was that he wanted? He asked that to himself. Images began to appear in his mind, images over other images…and he turned to his father and looked at him with determined eyes.

"I want power" he said determined. After that he walked away.

Inu no Taisho sighed and reclined his tired self against the cold wall. His eyes then turned to the window and the dark night sky. He could see the moon, and sadness crept upon his heart. His beloved one had liked the moon. He felt depressed when he saw what their son had become, but there are things that cannot be taught.

Still, there was something that he would not allow. He would not allow someone like him to come near his second daughter. She deserved happiness, not a miserable life. He hid the Jewel to allow her freedom, he could also go against his own son if he had to. He will care for her happiness.

To be Continue...

JeniNeji's Note:

I hope you all have liked it. I wrote it some time ago, but this semester my beta and I have been the busiest on our lives. I swear, never before has college been so hard on me. I began chapter 12 already, so, I expect to show it soon. Bye...and I would really love some reviews...