An Exposed Encounter
A/N: And the story begins...
Emerald eyes looked up hopefully. The demon lord who had sheltered his adoptive mother, who had tenderly addressed his human ward. Couldn't be all bad? Shippou spoke up nervously to Rin's Empty room.
"Is Kagome okay?" Sesshoumaru heard the small Kitsune, it was not unnatural for demons to go days even months without sleep, but demon children however did require regular sleep. Then the thought accrued.
'Could this fox know of the human's village? Perhaps he could shed some light on this particular subject.' Sesshoumaru was about to address the small child, however Rin was human and would kick up a fuss if woken.
Kagome tossed and turned in her sleep. The pain in her shoulder was unbearable.
"Girl, you know you can heal yourself, why do you not?" The voice in her mind spoke, very much like Kagura would. Straight to the point, sincere but still bristly.
"I'm too tired." Kagome lied somewhat.
"Try again." The demoness wisecracked. Kagome sighed in her sleep, she really wanted to just sleep. With no more interruptions.
"Mai Yu?" Kagome started, "Who are you?" all this treading around the story was beginning to grate on the futuristic teen. Her mind was silent for a moment, Kagome could feel a great pressure from within, she knew the feeling all too well. Apprehension.
"I was, a part of China's vast high society" Kagome listened intently, pictures of foreign dignitaries flooded her mind. The images flooded over her eyes so quickly, they made her seasick. However a particular image repeated over and over. A female stood next to Lord Bo Lei, smirking like a pair of old friends.
"Were you and Lord Bo Lei, you know…" Mai Yu chuckled.
"You are yet still innocent at such an age, priestess." Mai Yu continued to chuckle much to Kagome's aloofness. "No, we were not so close, we were associates. Friends to use your tongue." Kagome furrowed her brow, "The talk of fondness is normal between us." Mai Yu stated not wanting to talk more on the subject.
"What happened?" Kagome probed gently.
"I was murdered." Mai Yu spat, but not directed towards the bubbly teen, Kagome didn't take offence, still taken aback by the statement. "You will ask why, I will tell you." The voice continued for Kagome too stunned to voice her thoughts. "Better yet, I will show you…"
Kagome jolted in her sleep, memories not her own becoming a clear sequence like a moving picture from her time.
The room was abuzz with chatter, Kagome could not understand much as she suspected Mai Yu wasn't really listening, as she walked through the room in her fine silks of brilliant red. A pair of blue crystal eyes broke out from the crowd, playful and yet warm to the approaching Mai Yu.
"Bo Lei" Kagome heard Mai Yu address him, and he addressed her in the same manner. The two talked of their dislike for certain members of the room, much like Kagome would at a party in her time. Gossip seemed as old as time.
"Have you thought much on my offer?" Kagome would have leaned in to the conversation had she not been lying on a futon, trapped in her own mind. "Mai Yu" Bo Lei pressed.
"Do not talk nonsense. You cannot just up and leave," Lord Bo Lei looked serious, he really was her friend Miroku, in demon form.
"I am not the old man's…" he began,
"But you are his favourite." She finished for him. "It would be suicide to dishonour him so."
The pair stood stoic as another female approached, dressed in ocean blue.
"I think you have had him long enough, concubine" the woman spat. Mai Yu glared at the noble woman. At least she wasn't a consort like the overly polished witch in front.
"As you please." Mai Yu retaliated before excusing herself. Kagome interrupted the mini movie,
"Wait, wait. You were a concubine and this other lady was a consort?" she said hurriedly. "You weren't involved with the emperor were you?" Kagome couldn't believe that Lord Bo Li was involved with the Chinese Emperor, favourite of what? Dishonour to whom? Kagome wanted answers for once.
"I was one of the Emperors concubine, yes. But not that human excuse for an Emperor. We demons have our own society and 'that' human sloth refused to listen to our demands. Too busy indulging, no wonder war broke out. I digress though" she spoke passionately. It was all so surreal to the working class priestess. "Our emperor was impressive, a fearsome warrior of thunderous night." Mai Yu spoke with obvious pride. "He was cruel." She hushed, her voice strained with possible memories. "Lord Bo Lei is his illegitimate son." Kagome gasped, "He is related to your Inu lord, by a distant marriage." She paused to see the futuristic priestess's reaction.
"You both wanted to leave." Kagome spoke shell shocked. "An illegitimate, but favourite son and the concubine of a cruel emperor." Even I would have thought the two of you were lovers, she blushed at the thought. "So, how…."
"How did I die?" she spoke bravely. "Power can be given and it can be taken. There were others who wanted my position in the court. Some were bold enough to take what they wanted. They wanted more however, and that is why I was murdered." Mai Yu finished.
"The woman in blue?" Kagome asked.
"She was part of it, but she is not that smart to pull off what she has." Kagome thought of a manipulative fiend but decided even Naraku wasn't old enough to meddle in this affair, unless.
"When did you die, Mai Yu?" Kagome waited,
"It has been three summers" she calculated. Kagome snapped up in shock, three years that was about the time of Naraku's disappearance, it couldn't be. Could it? "You have many memories with this Naraku priestess, who is the beast?"
"Someone who takes joy out of others misfortunes." Kagome responded, her dislike shining through her inner thoughts. "You see into my memories, does he look familiar?" Kagome questioned the older demoness.
"No" Kagome sighed, despite this it could still be him.
'Wouldn't hurt to investigate' she thought.
"Mai Yu, what is the last thing you remember" Mai Yu relayed her last memories, and Kagome began making a plan.
"Priestess, what the younger Inu did to you. You understand the implications, I presume." Kagome sighed in her makeshift dream sequence.
"I do, but it does not feel like I thought it would." Kagome confessed.
"It is because you do not love the half breed." Mai Yu admitted. Kagome looked horrified. "Do not misunderstand, I feel your feelings. I know you care for the boy. But you do not love him. And he does not love you." Again Kagome paused for thought. It was true she didn't love Inuyasha that way anymore, and she always knew he didn't love her as much as he loved Kikyo. But then why did he do what he did. "Because he is going through an early transformation, something I thought was impossible for half-blooded beings." Kagome thought over all this information.
'Transformation, what does she mean?'
"Ask Sesshoumaru." She spoke teasingly to the young human. Kagome will first thing in the morning, but she really needed to sleep now. Mai Yu got the message and began to settle down for the human girl. "One last thing, you should be able to heal your mark, you have the power. And yet you continue to store it within yourself. Why?" Kagome smiled warmly.
"I healed Sesshoumaru's. I mean Lord Sesshoumaru's arm within a matter of seconds, I thought I could try and restore your body." Kagome said, shocking the demoness inside. She was a priestess through and through. A pure compassionate being.
"You should not waist your energy on such a thing Kagome. I am content with my fate when my justice is served." Kagome sighed, surely the woman would want to have a second chance at living. "It is not necessary, my fate has ensured Lord Bo Lei have the life he wanted, and for that I would not wish to change anything." Kagome smiled sadly at the demoness's confession. These times were entirely different than the era she was born into. People seemed to understand that death was absolute, and something to be expected. Far different to her own era, with life expectancy tripled and in some small cases quadrupled.
"I will make sure you find your justice Mai Yu." Kagome spoke outright.
"Kagome, I see what everyone else sees in you." Kagome began to feel warm inside, her body relaxed in the way when she took a long soak. Her head became blank and sleep began to overtake her mind. Kagome however woke up as her door slid open, and closed again. Quickly she threw the covers off her body. If this house was adamant she stay awake, then so be it. Kagome poked her head outside, the corridor black and lifeless. Another door slid closed to her right.
"Sesshoumaru" she breathed annoyed the man may have disrupted her beautiful sleep. Carefully she snuck into the room. "Shippou?" she whispered, noticing the small bundle huddled into the side of said demon lords legs. Silently she walked closer to the now obvious sleeping forms. Sesshoumaru was casually propped against the hidden passageway door, she briefly thought he might awaken, as she wasn't exactly graceful.
Carefully she proceeded. Rin had cuddled herself into Sesshoumaru's left side, her brown orbs focused on Kagome, she smiled warmly to the older human female before her eyes shut content with her newly found resting spot. Shippou fiery locks had ruffled over his angelic face, she could not help but smile. Clearly it was Rin who had disrupted Kagome's sleep in search of Shippou. Brushing one of her fallen bangs, that tickled Shippou's baby skin, off the boy. He protested sleepily at her touch.
'Fine, if you want to wake up next to a grumpy Sesshoumaru, who am I to disagree?' lying on her front next to her beloved child, she tucked down for the night, she had missed her adoptive son so much.
Shifting slightly, Sesshoumaru wondered what had constricted his movements. Reluctantly the tired demon lord opened his eyes. His body tensed as he found three sleeping forms by his body. Obviously Rin was the instigator of such an act. His clawed hand held the small child close. The small form of Shippou was against his right leg cuddled into one of the arms of the insufferable priestess. The other anchoring her mouth off the floor. He deducted that she cannot be comfortable.
Rin protested in her sleep, but Sesshoumaru had to move. Shippou awoke immediately. Looking at the now fully awake Sesshoumaru, Shippou gulped. The demon lord looked directly passed him and Shippou realized then that he was covered by something heavy and warm.
"Kagome" Shippou called, burrowing into the girl still sound asleep. Instantly Shippou remembered the last time he had seen Kagome, she had not been his mother Kagome, but another Kagome. A scary Kagome. The futuristic priestess shifted, followed by Rin. The females groaned in unison, Rin chuckled sleepily at their shared human reaction. Kagome began moving her hand away from her face and subconsciously fumbled around for a duvet that was not there. When her fingertips grazed over bamboo, Kagome began patting the floor, causing both children to giggle uncontrollably at her silliness. Kagome fluttered her brilliant blue eyes up and she saw white silk.
'Oh no' she suddenly tensed 'Shit! I fell asleep on Sesshoumaru's floor' Kagome pushed her body off the floor that was not her futon. Sesshoumaru's extremely sly grin caused Kagome butterflies in her stomach. Thankfully Rin broke the awkward silence.
"Good morning Lady Kagome." Kagome blinked, smiling warmly towards Rin.
"Good morning Miss Rin" she replied. Rin began her innocent way of speaking,
"Don't forget Lord Sesshoumaru" she looked up at her much loved father figure. Kagome almost laughed at the idea, but did not. Kagome wished a sincere good morning to Sesshoumaru.
"Good morning." His tone, as suspected was characteristically flat. Her gaze fluttered to Shippou, who now crossed his arms with a pout.
"What about me" he rightly exclaimed, Kagome finally laughed. Picking up the small child away from Sesshoumaru, Kagome shifted into a sitting position.
"How could I forget you, Shippou" Kagome held him close, his scent like flowers and natural forest fruit and nuts. Rin felt somewhat left out, her eyes opened fully taking in the loving affections. Kagome could see Rin's hopeful but hurt look, smiling Kagome opened her free arm and Rin instantly bundled into the young Miko.
Sesshoumaru watched in astonishment, he knew Rin was not receiving the same level of affection that Kagome gave the Kitsune. But he had not realized she actually craved those affectionate displays. Feeling somewhat guilty for not understanding Sesshoumaru was glad the Miko was accepting Rin so freely.
"You wish to go home" Sesshoumaru startled Kagome, still holding the children close. He had spent the time thinking over what she had said to Amaterasu. The human lived in a village beyond the bone eaters well, but he could not think of such a village. What had intrigued the ice prince was that not everyone was allowed to enter her village.
A village he understood Inuyasha could only enter. With the aid of a pendant. Oh yes he had gathered a lot of information on the priestess. Kagome's voice snapped the demon lord out of his thoughts.
"Well, I just. That is…" Kagome sighed. "Yes" she spoke. The pain of missing her family was evident even to the naive children.
"Very well" was all he said, Kagome looked shocked.
"Wait, you're letting me go?" she asked in disbelief. Sesshoumaru dropped his eyes, with a single nod he agreed. "What about…" Kagome started, her eyes narrowed as she once again tapped into the back of her mind.
"I wish to speak to you about that." He revealed. He was always so cool about everything, so collected. "Privately" he added.
Shippou understood nodding. Standing down off Kagome's knee, he took Rin's and led her out of the room to her own. Kagome shook her head,
'Shippou is being extraordinarily compliant' she mused, her mind wondering to the interior motives the trouble maker could be having.
Kagome waited for the demon lord. "You are aware what Inuyasha has done?" Nodding Kagome was now avoiding the stoic lord. "What is it you feel?" Kagome furrowed her brow.
"Sorry?" she asked in retaliation. Sesshoumaru's sunset orbs eyed over the woman, she was a priestess was she not. Surely she knew some aspects of demon courtship. After no words from the otherwise chatty teen, Sesshoumaru came to realize evidently not.
"Your mark connects you to your mate, it is a primal reflex. So your mate knows how you are feeling. It usually works both ways." Sesshoumaru relayed, still relaxed against the hidden doorway. The Miko was directly opposite sat engrossed in his teachings.
"I see, well I felt happy this morning. And then however when thinking of home I felt sad." She began, Sesshoumaru seemed unimpressed. "But these are my feelings." She reminded him of Rin sometimes. Yet her answer was perplexing. Inuyasha was agitated a lot at the moment. He knew this from the constant growls and hot headedness.
Sesshoumaru acted, kneeling forward he got extremely close, he had good intentions of doing this. If Inuyasha was competent he would sense her discomfort, her embarrassment of being this close to the demon lord and would react through her.
Kagome blushed, he was way too close. The sudden movement from Sesshoumaru caused Kagome to lean back, but he kept approaching. To his frustration, Kagome did not react. His half-brother was still and idiot is seemed.
"Er, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Kagome whispered her face covered in a crimson glow.
'Oh god, please tell me he is not about to do what I think he is?' her emotions were riddled with embarrassment, 'to be honest I don't think I'd mind too much' she joked. Thinking over what Sesshoumaru had said about the mark, she wondered if her thoughts about Sesshoumaru would surface Inuyasha. 'He is extremely attractive and in my defence he started it' she pondered, but nothing happened.
"I do not believe Inuyasha's mark took" She admitted, still uncomfortable with the closeness of Sesshoumaru. "I think it's my fault" her left hand rested on her lips in relocation. Sesshoumaru seemed to get an icily vacant expression on his face.
"Did you wish to be mated to the half-breed?" If his eyes were not molten gold, he would freeze hell with that cold gaze and tone of his. Kagome felt like an idiot, that is not what she meant.
"Ah, no. That is not what I meant" Kagome tried to laugh her idiocy off, beginning to bump her index fingers together "After I ran away from our 'discussion' last night, I had a nice chat with Mai Yu" Sesshoumaru raised a slender eyebrow.
"You accused this Sesshoumaru of being without compassion." he sounded almost annoyed Kagome noted. Sesshoumaru backed up ever so slightly. "Well?"
"Well, what?" she started,
'She can be incredibly dense.' he thought.
"Your talk with the parasite." he began very high and mighty. Kagome explained all she had be told. She was speaking truth for she knew secret information about his relations with Lord Bo Lei she would not have known if the demoness was not on familiar terms with the foreign lord. But why all the teasing, this demoness this Mai Yu seemed hell bent on tormenting Sesshoumaru. This could not be just her personality. Then again she was friends with Lord Bo Lei and he too had an aptitude for teasing the Inu Lord. After Kagome had finished, Lord Sesshoumaru was silent for a moment.
"You may return to your village. But you must return here after seven days. Your presence is still required. Inuyasha will not be permitted to accompany you." he added dryly.
Kagome didn't care for the other regulation the man in front was drawling out anymore. She was going home. Agreeing to all the terms she happily clapped, bouncing up off the floor.
Sesshoumaru was overwhelmed by her attitude, but did well to keep his indifferent façade.
Both now standing Kagome forgot herself, throwing her arms around the demon lord in a short hug, before skipping out. When eyes collided with his ex-nannies his wide eyes went back to unfeeling pools of gold.
Kagome closed the screen to her room.
'I just hugged Sesshoumaru.'
A/N: Sorry if there are mistakes, I have been working a lot of hours and I cant delay this chapter any longer, If it is truly unreadable, I will re-upload a cleaner version later.
Thank you for my reviews, I am especially thankful to those who explain that my story is a tad jumpy, I am trying to clean it up and round it off to make it more understandable. It is difficult to pick up after five years and not change it, with author growth and the like. So thank you so much for your advice and I will try :) x