A/N – Since I got a great response to this, I'm gonna keep going! Haha, like the title of this chapter? And yes it is TREE dreams. :D I hope you enjoy this chapter, and ask questions, review, favorite. I don't own Inuyasha or the characters, just the story line. Alright, no more sad stuff. XD this chapter was inspired by "Rakuen" by Do As Infinity. (By the way, Kohaku passed away after Naraku was destroyed, which happened about two months before the beginning of the story.)
Chapter Three – Tree Dreams
"What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing." -Oscar Wilde
The sky was a lot brighter than Kagome remembered being. And it feels a lot colder. Kagome thought, pulling her sleeping bag closer around her shoulders. "Nn..." her back was sore from laying on the ground. Blinking, she realized that she wasn't in her time anymore. Last night, she remembered being exhausted from carrying her bags here. And then, changing into her pajamas, but after that. Something had stirred in the bushes, but she had ignored it. She yawned and turned over on her side, wanting to go back to sleep.
"Kagome, I would be so inclined to ask you why you're sleeping outside?" Glancing upward, she caught a glimpse of Miroku, smiling pleasantly down at her.
"And what are these bags for?" Sango asked curiously, gazing at Kagome with her unwavering eyes. Kirara mewed softly, nudging her head underneath Kagome's hand.
Kagome smiled at them, grateful for just having them as friends. "I'm staying here." Kagome winced at her own voice when it wavered slightly. Sango caught on immediately to her tone, her eyebrows coming together in concern. "How come Inuyasha didn't tell you?"
"He just told us that you'd be gone for longer than normal. What happened, Kagome?" Sango's eyes were always so... piercing. Behind her curiosity was a deep concern for Kagome.
In a flash of red hair, Shippou ran past them. "Wah! Kagome, make Inuyasha stop!" He called as Inuyasha raced after the little fox.
"Come back here, you little brat!" Inuyasha growled, whacking him on the head once before Shippou made it to the safety of Kagome's arms.
Hugging him to her chest, Kagome sighed. "I missed you, Shippou. Did Inuyasha give you too much trouble?" She knew she was avoiding Sango's question, but she didn't really want to be that vulnerable. She'd tell Sango later, at the hot spring.
"Yeah! He's been hitting me left and right!" Shippou's voice brought her out of her inner discomfort, but it was Inuyasha's response that made her laugh a little.
"Have not! You lying little... Just you wait. I'll get you, Shippou." Inuyasha crossed his arms and muttered, stalking off in the direction of the village, frown on his face. Shippou stuck his tongue out.
Miroku had watched, amused, but Sango was not to be denied. Her eyes were still watching Kagome, searching for some sort of hint to what had happened. Kagome sighed, she'd have to say it sooner or later. And besides, telling Sango might help. "Sango, would you like to join me at the hot springs?"
The monk feigned innocence. "And I'm not invited?" Kagome snorted, grabbing some towels and toiletries, while Sango shot him a glare. Despite the reason she was here for good, Kagome was happy that she was here with her friends, and Shippou. Even Inuyasha. Everything seemed almost normal.
At the hot springs, Sango stayed somewhat quiet. "Kagome? Please tell me something horrible didn't happen to you."
"Not to me exactly. There was an earthquake on my side of the well that destroyed my home, and killed my mother and grandfather." Sango, most of all, out of anyone, would understand. He pain exceeded Kagome's own. At least that's what Kagome thought. "My brother's missing." Just then, as it hadn't occurred to her before, she realized how similar their situations were, and yet not. Sango dealt with her pain differently. For Sango, it was all or nothing.
"Oh... Kagome..." Sango's eyes echoed with pain.
"I'm sorry, Sango. I didn't want to bring up old memories." Kagome sighed, and started to wash her hair.
"No, no... It's alright." It hadn't been very long since Kohaku's death, but Sango was trying. "I just... I didn't want what happened to me to happen to any one else."
Kagome smiled at Sango. "Well, we're still here. And I'm sure as long as Miroku's around, he won't let you give up. I've never been one to give up anyway. That just makes things boring."
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"But that flower was pretty on you, Master Jaken!" Rin complained as the little toad took the bright pink flower from his head.
He scowled. "Rin, you crazy girl! Stop putting flowers on me!" His arms flailed ineffectively at Rin, who just laughed brightly.
"Master Jaken, where is Lord Sesshoumaru?" Rin asked suddenly, leaning over to pick a few wildflowers.
"Oh, heavens, girl! I haven't the slightest idea. But he is Lord Sesshoumaru, so he is wherever he wants to be." Jaken had no idea why he, of all people had to be charged with watching a two headed dragon and a human girl that seemed to be obsessed with violating his personal space. The weird thing was that the Ah and Un were less trouble. Sesshoumaru had told him to stay in the area for the night, Ah and Un would keep watch. But sometimes Jaken wondered if that dragon did nothing but eat and sleep. He glanced over, where the dragon lay, basking in the sunlight.
"Master Jaken! Can we go to the river?" Rin pleaded.
"No, Lord Sesshoumaru told us to stay here." Jaken said, watching Rin run back and forth to different flowers.
Rin made a weird noise. "He always gone lately!" She cried out.
Jaken, who had grown up around demons, and lived around Sesshoumaru for hundreds of years, was unaccustomed to her random outbreaks of sadness, or just emotion extremes in general. The only emotions he'd seen from Sesshoumaru were anger, boredom, and... No, that was about it. "Silly girl! He's not bound to you or anything." Rin's lip quivered. Oh, Gods above, help me! Jaken begged. "Here, Rin, why don't you decorate the staff with flowers?" He quickly amended, holding it out.
"Really, Master Jaken?" Her previous sadness evaporated quicker than mist under morning sunlight.
He sighed heavily. "Yes, Rin." Truthfully, Jaken had no idea where his lord had been going these past couple weeks. He looked more bored than usual, a little more aggravated, which was saying something for Lord Sesshoumaru. And yet, he was always so gentle with Rin. If Sesshoumaru could be predicted, meaning Jaken was usually wrong, he predicted that Sesshoumaru would be back by that night. Or at least, that's what he hoped.
0-0-0-0-0
After speaking with Kaede, Kagome had been able to acquire a hut not too far from Kaede's. The old priestess had been more than willing with the prospect; Kagome suspected it was because she'd asked to be taught under her. Before Naraku was defeated, she didn't really have much time to teach Kagome anything, besides a few salves, and how to channel her abilities into the bow. Sango had even offered to teach her to fight. That excited her. Now, she stood in the hut, with her two bags, and unpacked a few things from them. The picture of her family, her sleeping bag, and a few changes of clothes. Kaede had given her a priestess' garb, but she didn't want to wear it just yet. Looking at the picture of her family once more, she left the hut and began walking toward the tree that Inuyasha was bound to. The God Tree. Even though it was in "Inuyasha's Forest", people still went to it sometimes when they had problems, or needed guidance. The sun was dipping into the horizon.
Earlier that day, Miroku had received a message from a nearby village that their family was being attacked by a demon every night. Sango, of course, had gone along with him, leaving Shippou, Inuyasha, and Kagome behind. She'd given the boys some food before going to her hut. The sky was turning light pink. Walking along the path she'd known for three years, she walked slowly until the path opened up into a clearing, where the centuries-old tree stood. At it's roots, she knelt, holding the necklace at her throat. Opening herself up to the tree, she felt it's presence. Sighing softly, she closed her eyes and began to pray. "Strength. For my brother, Souta. I hope that where he is, he is okay. Happiness. For Sango, Miroku, and Shippou. And a good life. For Inuyasha and Kikyo." The tree did not respond except for a slight pulse. Kagome gasped, then, after a moment, smiled. "For some reason, I thought this would happen." Good was the only thing that the tree ever emanated, even in the future. "I can't imagine what five hundred more years must have been or will be for you." Oh darn. She just got confused while talking to a tree. New level of weird there. Kagome almost laughed. The tree pulsed again, as if in response to her sentence. She placed her hand on one of the roots nearby.
Listen well, Kagome. The voice seemed to come from the tree.
"You... you can talk?" Kagome stuttered, dumbstruck.
Yes. Now, listen. The voice was decidedly, in Kagome's head, neither male nor female. It wasn't cold or overly warm, just firm. If you were to sleep under my roots, I cannot promise safety. The tree paused. No, I most certainly can't. But I can promise you visions. Be warned, however, you may or may not like what you see. Not always is the future set in stone. Or, in my case, earth. It spoke with a slight hint of amusement.
Kagome hated to ask, but she had to at the same time. "But..."
Because you are one who is light, yet dark, and has not lost herself to either. Now, I must ask you to choose.
How could someone lose themselves to both? Is that even possible? Kagome thought, pondering her choice. She sat for a long time, one hand on the root of the tree. Fear washed through her. What if she saw the future, and her friends were dead? Or Souta? But, the tree had said, the future isn't completely unchangeable. This would give her a chance to save lives, if only those of her friends. "How many times will you be able to show me visions?"
The tree's branches stirred in pink-purple of dusk. Once every six months for the rest of your life.
Kagome sat for a moment. "What do I have to do?
Just keep a hand on my roots. Or my bark. More branches creaked and shifted, leaves rustling. I will help you sleep... The words blurred as she felt crippling drowsiness overwhelm her.
0-0-0-0-0
She was around again. Or maybe it was he that was around. Either way, he could smell her. Wandering through the forest alone does not equal intelligence. Her steps were quiet, compared to most humans that trudged around noisily, breaking all undergrowth that got into their way. It was rather annoying, Sesshoumaru thought. Crouched in a tree again, he watched her walk to the God Tree and kneel in front of it. He'd seen other humans do this. They prayed for a good crop season, or for their family member to come home unharmed. But as she opened herself to it, she also opened her aura to the tree's. In anything he'd ever read or seen, it hadn't been this. He felt the energy of the tree and the priestess shift, raising higher for a moment and then dropping to it's normal. He looked at her and tried to see the girl she was a few years ago, when they had first clashed. What he saw now, though, was a young woman. She had known great measures of pain, and yet, she did not break. Her black hair, waving down to her waist, lifted in the gentle breeze to carry a wave of her scent his way. He inhaled softly. Three years ago, she was not as graceful. Clumsy, limbs everywhere, and pining away after his half brother.
Curse it. Sesshoumaru thought. It bothered him to be away from Rin and Jaken for this long. Of course, Ah and Un were protecting them, but even a two headed dragon cannot defeat everything. Staying not one moment longer, he jumped down off the tree, landing silently on the forest floor. His claws itched as he walked away.
At his camp, he had Jaken put a sleeping Rin on Ah and Un, moving them closer to Edo. Ignoring Jaken's complaints, Sesshoumaru left the camp again, making sure his aura flared considerably, warning off any would be intruders. Just a wisp of his aura usually kept everyone away. The stars were beginning to light the sky. As he walked through the forest, he noticed that her scent was still wafting around in the forest. He could hear demons beginning to stir, they were antsy. One, not particularly far from Sesshoumaru, was tracking her scent. Following, his curiosity growing, he kept close tabs on it. It was a bear demon, intent on eating her. She can't still be out here in the middle of the night. Idiotic. But why? The question roiled around in his brain as he followed the bear demon, completely undetected. This bear put demons to shame, what with all of it's crashing and fumbling. The girl would have been able to hear it; but her scent wasn't moving at all. Was she daft?
When Sesshoumaru caught sight of the clearing, it looked as though she'd fallen asleep at the tree's roots. Sesshoumaru came to the conclusion that yes, she was daft. But he hated to spill the blood of women and children. Hated it even if they weren't his claws that killed. It wasn't exactly that either, he admitted. She'd become a confusion to him. When she could have so easily done one thing, she chooses opposite. Where common sense was concerned, she lacked a lot of it. But she wasn't stupid either. A human should know when she is beaten, but she did not.
Making a quick decision, he leapt forward and beat the bear to the clearing, standing in front of the priestess. His claws dripped poison. The bear had no time to react as it's head was cleanly rent from it's shoulders. His eyes flashed, pleased with the kill, as blood dripped off his claws. He turned to look at her. Kagome. She was laying on her side, one hand pressed firmly against a wide tree root. Her breath came slowly. She was definitely asleep, but it was almost trance like. Her eyes flicked back and forth underneath her lids. Her scent was tainted with uncertainty, fear, and confusion. It was a strange and unpleasant contrast to her normal scent. She was afraid of her nightmares, but not afraid of walking in a dark, demon infested forest, by herself even? Her hair slid over her shoulder when she shifted, the black tendrils as dark as night. The power of the God Tree was somewhat of a legend, and she'd gotten it to respond, it must mean something, correct? Kneeling, he placed his fingertips on the roots of the tree. Blurry visions crowded his head. Inuyasha, sleeping, a knife held to his throat by what looked like a priestess. Kikyo stood nearby, bowing in defeat. The words came through, fuzzy and warped. "Yes... Master. I will serve you." Kikyo's voice was dead and cold, furious. That vision was replaced with another. "Kagome... Would..." The words faded in and out. "My mate?" Sesshoumaru recognized Kouga, leader of the Wolf Tribe. He was holding Kagome's hands in his own. Sesshoumaru felt an overwhelming wave of anger and... jealousy? Disoriented, he tried to make sense of it. "Kouga, I..." Kagome's voice was different than Sesshoumaru had heard it last. Of course, he hadn't heard it in a long time. And when he had, he wasn't paying attention to it. The next vision was crystal clear. Rin and Kagome's fox, Shippo, were running around in a large clearing. Sesshoumaru recognized it as a field next to his castle. They were laughing and chasing each other. "Kagome, Kagome, look at the flower that I brought you!" Rin's voice called, and as she got closer, he saw himself off to the left, sitting in the shade underneath a tree. He was smiling. "Sesshoumaru?" Her voice asked him, gentle and calm; it was fuzzy around the edges, and the image started to blur again.
Sesshoumaru tore his hand from the roots, confused and aggravated. The Great Sesshoumaru was not a confused person; that made him even more bothered. He could smell blood, the trees, and her. Sweet rain and vanilla. "What is the meaning of this, God Tree?" He said, his voice dangerously quiet.
The branches of the tree creaked loudly, swinging in the nonexistent breeze. Leaves brushed his left arm. Sesshoumaru. You have your arm, I see. It grew back, did it? The tree seemed in no rush to answer his question, rather, asking questions of it's own. Why do you not sleep? I can sense the uneasiness in your bones, Sesshoumaru.
He growled, a low, rumbling sound that reverberated around the clearing. Kagome stirred, and he glanced down at her. Taking a last glance at the confusing woman that was Kagome, he turned and walked away. Kagome chose that moment to wake up, seeing only Sesshoumaru's silver hair swaying in the soft night breeze. Sesshoumaru? What was he doing here? Kagome glanced down at the floor, and yelped. A dead bear demon lay not feet from her, it's head a few feet away from it's body. Looking at the forest, where she'd last seen Sesshoumaru, she stared at it for a while, confused. Had he protected her? Or had she just dreamt it? But the dead bear was real enough, she caught the coppery scent of blood with her nose. Slowly, she stood and skirted around the body. Facing the tree, she opened herself to it. Thank you, God Tree. A deep groan came from it's limbs in response. Kagome was a little scared of the visions she'd been shown. And confused. It was one of the first visions that had really confused her. She was standing in front of a wall. And on the wall was an enormous painting. A white dog, rearing on it's back legs in front of a crescent moon. Then, as soon as it had come, the vision was gone. A white dog. Memories came, unbidden, of Sesshoumaru, in his true form. He was huge, his fur pure white. Kagome still felt bad that Inuyasha had cut his arm off. But... Hadn't he had two arms when she'd seen him, not even five minutes ago? She remembered seeing a glint off of his nails from both sides. Maybe he reattached it? It grew back? The latter seemed more believable, to a point. Trying to gather her thoughts together, she got up and began walking. A branch bent and touched her on the shoulder.
The tree's voice this time was slightly more female. Do not forget this night. He saved your life, even though you have tried to kill each other in the past. Kagome blinked a few times. She hadn't even realized that. Why would Sesshoumaru, of all people, save her? There was no reason. So, by all rights, she would have been dead if it wasn't for him. And out of all the things she'd expected him to do. The last time she'd seen him, it was about two months ago, when they were all trying to defeat Naraku. He'd been the same then. Well, there was that little girl. Rin. Kagome had heard that he'd brought her back from the dead. Taking it all into perspective, she was a little surprised at what she found. After all the time she spent with Inuyasha, to hear him badmouthing Sesshoumaru all the time, she was a little influenced. To be honest, she had never really met Sesshoumaru, or even had a conversation with him. Then again, the only people she knew talked to him were... Rin and Jaken. She'd thought he was just cold and unfeeling. Maybe he wasn't. She didn't really know, did she? The thought caused her an unexpected pang. Pushing it away, she kept walking back to her hut.
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He wasn't going back, he promised himself. That was the only thing. No... Just the first...A voice whispered in his head, fueled by curiosity. There was nothing that would make him go back. It wasn't good for either of them, especially if she found out. She wouldn't be able to stop him if she wanted to. She was a human, and she was attached to Inuyasha. His upper lip curled at the thought of the half breed. He had no respect, and knew nothing of Inu-Youkai traditions, nor the fact that he, Sesshoumaru, was Alpha. Growling low in his chest, he sped up until he was a blur, to the clearing where Rin, Ah and Un, and Jaken were sitting around a fire. Situating himself a considerable distance from the group, he sat silently on the ground. Jaken saw the look on his face and decided that for his sake, it was better to stay silent. Sesshoumaru mulled over the visions in his head, looking for some sort of insight to things that were coming. He thought until the fire died down to scalding coals. And yet.. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes. ...the scent of her lingers.
End of Chapter Three – Tree Dreams
A/N – Sesshoumaru STALK. :3 XDDD. Hope you guys enjoyed. I liked writing it. Review, favorite, they are both greatly appreciated! :D
