Author's Note: Small refresher summary of chapters 1-26: Inuyasha and Kagome return to the future at the end of their feudal fairytale. Inuyasha wishes to become human, but over the course of time, it becomes clear that this doesn't make him fit into to big-city life. Kagome leaves for college, Inuyasha leaves the shrine, and their relationship seems doomed to drift apart. Then, Shippo returns to Kagome's life – he sees Inuyasha working at a countryside inn beside a hot spring, and he realizes that it is now Kagome's time-period!
Kagome meets Satoshi, Sesshoumaru's son, which sparks her curosity. It is not for another few months that she can meet the modern version of the Aristocratic Assassin himself. However, she hears all about Sesshoumaru from his son and from Shippo, who ended up traveling with the taiyoukai for many centuries, after rescuing Satoshi as a baby from a band of roving demons.
Sesshoumaru misconstrues one of his son's statements and believes that Satoshi has a crush on Kagome… which really, really rubs him the wrong way. Determined to force a troublesome miko named Kagome away from his son, he agrees to be a part of Shippo's scheme to re-unite Kagome and Inuyasha. But he soon learns his mistake, and after spending several months with her, they have grown to be friends. He feels he can tell her things that he can't tell anyone else, since she remembers his past and knows the truth about his heritage.
A Distant Promise – Mini-Chapter # 27
"But, but Kagome!"
The kitsune was whining on the couch, as though he was a small kit again. Why was Shippo fussing, one might ask? Because Kagome had just revealed an interesting barrier to the fox-demon's plan.
Shippo had decided to assist his adoptive mother and Inuyasha. The kitsune held happy memories of the two traveling together, and he was eager to see them in a harmonious relationship once more. So, in an effort to facilitate this reunion, he had asked Sesshoumaru to deal with Kagome, while he dealt with Inuyasha. (The hanyou would probably not talk to his elder half-brother.) The initial plan had been for each youkai to determine the root of the problems that drove a wedge between Kagome and Inuyasha and report back on how to solve these problems in a beneficial way. But then, Sesshoumaru had gone and ruined everything by spoiling the surprise – he had told Kagome about Shippo's matchmaking efforts, and now she did not want to participate!
"The way I look at it," the priestess continued firmly, "He was the one who left the shrine and refused to wait for me. I refuse to chase after him like a love-sick schoolgirl, anymore. If he wants to come back to me, then he knows where I live."
The dark-haired priestess glared at the dispirited kitsune, emphasizing her point. Then, as if for confirmation, she looked toward Sesshoumaru. Shippo followed her gaze.
Reclining carelessly on his softest leather sofa, the taiyoukai nodded absently and tried to display an air of complete disinterest in the proceedings. How did he get drawn into these things, anyway? The only reason he had agreed to play along with the fox-demon's ridiculous game was to rescue his son from the evil-clutches of this priestess. But then, he had discovered Satoshi was not in need of rescuing; there had simply been a case of mistaken identity. Because he had already given his word to aid the kitsune, he was honor bound to do so, yet he saw nothing wrong with bending the rules a little bit, informing the miko of the kitsune's plans ahead of time.
"This is all your fault," muttered the fox-demon in his direction, sounding petulant like a child.
"The priestess is correct," Sesshoumaru added blandly, "If my surly half-brother wants to see her again, let him return of his own accord."
"See!" squealed the kitsune, leaping to his feet and pointing one claw in the taiyoukai's direction. "You're doing it again! You were supposed to help get them together, not bad-mouth your brother every few minutes."
By now, the priestess was nearly fuming. Apparently, she did not like to be talked over or disregarded, even for a moment. Sesshoumaru filed this information away for future reference.
"Shippo!" Kagome exclaimed, "Sesshoumaru didn't do anything wrong. Inuyasha and I had problems for a long time, and when he left the shrine, it was the last straw. So far, I've tried to visit him twice, but he won't allow you to tell me where he is, and the one time you planned a meeting on neutral ground, he failed to show up."
"Yes, erm… Well…" the kitsune rubbed the back of his neck, sitting down again. "I'm not defending his past choices, I'm just saying that he seems ready to meet you, this time."
"Okay," the priestess relented, "I'll think about it."
With a sigh, the taiyoukai realized that they had returned to normal. If his house was going to be the site of any future altercations between the kitsune and the miko, then he would have to remember to bring ear-plugs. Of course, ear-plugs would only block out the sound of her agitation, it would not erase the scent of her distress. Maybe he should simply insist they argue elsewhere. But for some reason, even if she moved out of range, he knew the idea of her being upset would still displease him.
Honestly, the more he heard about his half-brother's treatment of her, the more he wondered why she had ever been interested in the lout in the first place. Sesshoumaru knew from experience that his sibling's behavior in the feudal era had been boorish and crude. And apparently, this had not ceased upon their return to the future. It sounded like the boy had made no effort to fit in to this time-period, and he had laid all his responsibilities at Kagome's feet. Hn. Such disgraceful behavior from a member of his clan. But what else could one expect?
Clamping down on his strange feeling of relief, and the even stranger feeling of pride, that he had formed when the miko refused to visit his half-brother, Sesshoumaru leaned into the cushions of the couch and offered the ceiling a rare smile.
