Kagome stood entranced at the sight reflected in the pond's surface. 'Is that really me…No, it can't be! I'm a miko, not a youkai…' But it was her. Kagome could not deny that she was a demon, no matter how hard she tried, for her heightened senses confirmed it. They made feel alive. Truly alive, a kind of alive no human ever felt…
She could smell all sorts of things, a patchwork of scents that she could not even begin to sort out. Her eyesight was keen enough to describe the tiniest details over hundreds of yards and even the edges of her vision were crystal clear. But most of all was the sounds. She could hear everything: the slight wind whispering through the trees, a rabbit digging twenty yards to the north, even the fish under the surface of the pond.
'Does Inuyasha ever feel like this?' she mused.
Unbidden, something inside her answered, "No, he is only a pitiful hanyou, his senses are a mere wisp compared to ours." This statement was layered with scorn and ridicule, and not just for Inuyasha, but for all hanyous.
'How could you say that! People who think like you are despicable!'
"Hate to break it to you girlie, but I am you."
This statement silenced Kagome handily, she hated it, but those words sang with truth. 'I wonder how much of me is going to be left at the end of this…'
To combat the horrible foreboding sensation within her, Kagome turned her senses outward, away from that thing inside of her.
"Wow, I'm…." Kagome hesitated, reluctant to continue that line of thought.
"Beautiful," rumbled Kirara.
"No, not beautiful."
"Then what?"
"Monstrous, demonic… I can never go back home like this."
"Kagome-sama…"
"Hmm?"
"This may be out of turn, but I must say it." At her nod Kirara continued, "You will never find happiness if you don't accept who you are…and you are a demon." At this Kagome was silent, leaving Kirara to continue, "As a demon, you must start training, what would you like to learn?"
"How to control my beast," was the bland reply.
"Alas, the first thing you wish to learn I cannot teach you."
"Explain," demanded Kagome, sounding rather like Sesshomaru.
"Well, the only person who can teach you that is your own self…your beast, if you will. You must to accept yourself, all of yourself, beast included, and merge to form one being."
"In other words, my beast and I need to combine?" said Kagome, rather dreading the answer.
"Yes, there would be side effects though."
"Like what?"
"Your personalities would merge," seeing Kagome's horrified expression, Kirara rushed ahead, afraid that Kagome would make a premature decision, "If you don't merge, your personalities would remain separate, but your beast could emerge and take control at any time, which, in your case since your beast is so powerful, would likely result in the deaths of anyone near you, be they friend or foe."
"That's…that's horrible."
"It is," murmured Kirara gravely, "however it is the fate of many lesser youkai. Have you ever wondered why some are like Sesshomaru while others are the mindless beasts that we frequently slay?"
Kagome felt sick, "So all those demons we have slain…were once just like I am now."
"Exactly."
"I don't know what to do," Kagome admitted, "it's not exactly a win-win situation."
"Well, merging couldn't be all that bad."
"Yes it could."
"How so?" questioned a confused Kirara, "most demons' beasts are not so different from their own personalities."
"Mine appears to be an aggressive prideful monster with a very firm belief in the class system."
"Oh…but since your personality is the polar opposite of that, I'm sure it would serve as a moderating influence."
"But only to a point," Kagome reminded her.
"Yes, but it is better than the alternative."
"I guess so…what would you do Kirara?"
"I would have done exactly what I did centuries ago; however, my situation was the exact opposite of yours."
"What do mean?"
"Well," Kirara started with a grin, "I was the young arrogant one and my beast was a wise and humble creature, compassionate and quick to forgive."
"You were prideful, impossible!"
"I was, but, as you so noted, my beast's personality was dominant. That is why I stand before you on four paws, not two feet."
It took a moment for that bit of information to sink in, "So is that why Kouga looks human and some of his wolves are, well wolves?"
"Yes."
"Something doesn't fit…why can Sesshomaru switch between forms?"
"A good question, he is a rare case. Only those who end their transition with an equal balance between their beast and their original self can switch between forms easily."
Kagome cringed, "I shudder to think of what Sesshomaru was like before."
"Why do you assume he was more reserved before?"
"He wasn't?"
"Hardly, he was a playful child, always wanted to put a smile on everyone's face. However, Sesshomaru's beast was a creature all about maintaining a state of no emotion, so they combined to form a creature who has emotion, but does not show it."
"Wow, so under that mask is…" Kagome trailed off.
"A boy who just wants to make people smile," finished Kirara.
End Chapter
There's chapter three. I'm rather pleased with it. :)
Thanks to anyone who read, reviewed, favorited, or put this story on there follow list. You make me happy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Inuyasha characters, they belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I do however own my original plot of this story.