Year 4: Regret
"Yea I know Jun...No, I made I it okay, no problems….huh? Okay, I will….Yea you too...bye" hanging up her cell, Kagome sighed and waved down a taxi cab. Once she was settled inside she thanked the man for stopping before giving the driver directions to the Park Hyatt hotel. The plane ride to Japan had been nothing short of hectic. Why she had insisted on flying coach instead of first class she would never know. Digging into the pocket of her light blue trench coat, the demoness pulled out a pair of gloves and slipped them on her digits, Japan's winter chill getting to her.
After four long years, Kagome was back in Tokyo, the very place she had fled in fear of its terrifying leader Inu no Taisho. Only a year ago that same man who had viciously attacked her had found her in her new home of Seychelles, wanting her of all people to come and help his son, the person he had once told her to stay away from because their relationship wasn't right. She had refused, not ready to face her Anubis and after a lengthy conversation, he and his second mate Izayoi had left her alone, disappointed in her fear preventing her from being with the man she loved. He had literally been losing his mind without her they had claimed, but his contradicting statements had made her confused and angry. After three years of silence, he had suddenly wanted her to be with his oh so precious son? Something wasn't right.
As the car pulled up to the hotel, the demoness sighed at seeing the Park Hyatt's insignia, a memory of her and Anubis's first unofficial date here running through her mind, the ghost of a smile on her lips when she remembered Socrates and how his antics had caused the hotel to bar animals of any kind from its premises. Ironic considering nearly all demons were descended from some form of feral creature, even the freaking Hyatt's owner was a ram or some goat type of yokai though Kagome had never really researched the man. Grabbing her bags from the trunk, she paid the cab driver and boldly strode into the hotel's lobby, ignoring the people who whispered behind her back, most likely noting the fact that she was wearing sunglasses when the weather was so bland.
Check in was a breeze and in no time at all, she found herself in one of the hotel's best rooms. Ironically called the Tokyo suite, the room included a king sized bed and full-sized work desk, perfect for those whose lives were centered around their jobs. Taking her sunglasses off her, she tossed them carelessly on the desk. Next her trench coat and boots to relax. Looking on the nightstand, she noted the time and sighed again. Her plane had gotten delayed almost twenty-four hours because of the weather. Now it was nearly three in the afternoon and she could already feel the jet lag getting to her. She was supposed to be having dinner at five, not even worth it to take a nap. Forcing herself to get up, she yawned tiredly, showing off her fangs and began to shed her clothes while she walked into the ensuite bathroom. Maybe a bath would be best right now?
"Nubis! I want ramen!"
"Hn. Inuyasha you already ate four bowls today."
"Awwww...pretty please?"
"No."
"Nubis…."
"Inuyasha stop bothering me!"
"But I'm hungry!"
Laying down uncharacteristically on the couch, Sesshomaru glanced over at his brother who had been pestering him for a half hour about his favorite food. "When is your mother coming back again?"
"At ten o' clock!" he responded, proud that he remembered the time his mother had told him she would return.
Looking at his watch, he narrowed his eyes at seeing that it was only half past four. How much longer could he handle this?
"Nubis! Ramen!"
Wrapping her coat tighter around her body, Kagome walked with purpose down an alleyway where she was supposed to meet her companions for dinner tonight. Following the directions on her phone, she paused when the GPS alerted her that she was at her destination. "Where?"
Uncertain, the demoness went to a rather plain looking tan door, situated next to the restaurant. Looking around for a moment to see if anyone was around she hesitantly pushed on the doors handle only to gasp in surprise on what was on the other side. Immaculate stairs led up to kami knows what, the lighting giving off the impression of this being a stairway to heaven. Transfixed she climbed the polished wood and seeing the glass panels that separated the dining hall from the entrance paused, stunned at the very small area she was inside. So this was the famous Aronia de Takazawa, where legendary food was served daily, but only to eight people at a time. The sparse seatings showed that the restaurant lived up to its name, currently, the windowless room was only sporting a single table for four, apparently her company for the night had reserved it special.
"Hello, you are Kagome-san are you not?" turning to the voice the demoness was met with the kindly face of the restaurants host and server, an old gentlewoman who called herself Sakura. "Inu no Kimi-sama and Izayoi-sama have yet to arrive, can I get you anything to drink while you wait?"
"A glass of scotch," Kagome answered immediately, startling the human woman who probably wasn't used to such a heavy drink being ordered before a meal. Wanting to stun her more the demoness added as an afterthought, "And keep em coming, I can't be sober for this."
She was only in the middle of her second drink when the Taisho women finally appeared, both dressed stunningly as always, Kimi in an ice blue while Izayoi's apparel consisted of a beautiful peach colored dress and brown fur coat. Their heels clicked in rhythm as the dual mates of Inu no Taisho approached the table and waited for the host to take their furs from them, Kimi waving her off as soon as she held the expensive items in her wrinkled hands. The two women sat down and after exchanging pleasantries, they remained silent, choosing to take that moment to feel each other out.
"Well...Kimi-dono, Izayoi-sama…" Kagome began awkwardly only to trail off when they continued to bore their unblinking eyes at her. The server returned with two glasses of wine, one red the other white which she served to Kimi and Izayoi respectively. After she had finished the demoness motioned for another scotch, "This time fill up the glass…" she muttered out, ignoring the amused gazes of the two women in front of her who noted the alcohol already on her breath.
"Kagome-san…" Izayoi finally broke the ice, "You don't know how glad I am that you decided to come all this way, and just to have dinner with us no less."
"Yes...Girl…" Kimi added, "Especially considering your refusal to come here last year for my son's sake." though she spoke in a calm voice there was an edge of sharpness to her words. She still wasn't happy about her leaving Sesshomaru to his own devices it seemed.
"It...it really was no trouble…." she answered, taking another sip of her scotch, Kagome took a deep breath and continued, "Jun-Long had an assignment for me to complete in Japan anyways, I just need to take the train to Kyoto tomorrow evening and head back home from there."
"Jun-Long...the dragon king," Kimi responded, "So you have been working for the reptiles."
"Uh...Dragon's are very different from snakes Kimi-dono, I…"
"He placed you off the coast of Africa, any particular reason you wanted to go there?"
"Well I love Seychelles and Victoria city, it's like a hidden paradise and…"
"And it just so happens Jun-Long is there right now isn't he?" Kimi said, once again interrupting her. "My sources told me he's been spending more and more time on that island."
"Yes, Port Victoria is one his largest harbors, they export directly to Asia Japan so…"
"Kimi, the run around is making even my head spin," Izayoi held her head for dramatic effect, "where is this whole conversation going?"
"Yea...I'd kinda like to know that too…"
"Let's get to the point then," Kimi suddenly said, "Last year Taisho made it perfectly clear that he approves of your relationship with our child, and you refused. Why?"
Kagome drew back at her accusing tone. They hadn't even been served dinner yet and already the woman was giving her the third degree. "What.."
"I didn't miss Jun-Long's interest in you during the last great gathering girl. And almost as soon as he approached you, you requested to leave this province in favor of his."
"Wait." setting down her glass, the demoness narrowed her eyes in suspicion, "What are you getting at?"
"I think you know perfectly well what I'm implying and if that is the case then I was right all along and you were never suited for a member of nobility, much less Sesshomaru."
"Now wait just a damn minute!" slamming her palms down on the table, Kagome stood up and glowered at the woman across from her, the beginnings of a growl coming from her throat. "You honestly think I left Japan so that I could sleep with my boss?"
"Your boss?" she snorted in response. "Like I'd believe that the man is the king of dragons, and my son, though strong is still only technically a prince of this province. Who do you think a woman would choose if given the option between the two?"
"What!"
During the entire back and forth, Izayoi had remained silent and observing. Though this wasn't how this conversation was supposed to happen, she couldn't help but watch Kagome and her reactions to Kimi's accusations. This meeting had taken a lot of guts and courage to put together, the hardest part had been making sure the woman showed up on their turf and her terms. In the past year, Sesshomaru had showed signs of improvement from Miroku, but everyone had been forced to question Kagome's true reasonings behind her refusal to come back to the western heir. She had claimed it was because she didn't want to hurt him again, but one had to consider other possibilities for why she would reject the man she apparently loved. Looking deep into her wavering cerulean orbs, Izayoi pondered her gaze. Was she angry at being accused of such a shallow act or was she angry at being discovered for it?
"Jun-Long is a self-made man. He wasn't born into royalty like others, he runs on entirely new blood instead of the old like I."
"So? He did everything himself, I already know."
"Exactly, he's a far cry from a boy who must obey his father until the day he dies and then he can take over."
"Kimi-dono," Kagome growled out annoyed, "What are you trying to say? Just say it!"
"Very well," she replied standing up as well, "I believe you refused my son because in your eyes he lacks what that dragon has. Your excuse last year was just that, an excuse. You hold no love for Sesshomaru or anyone else. Look at you," she waved her hand down Kagome's clothed form, "until you met my son you lived the life of a commoner. He let you have a taste of a life you were denied since you were born, and then that dragon appears and he offers you twice what Sesshomaru does, so what do you do? You take it and when past responsibilities present you refuse to go back for less."
"You honestly believe I am so shallow?" Tears in the corners of her eyes she peeked over at Izayoi and breathed in harshly when she saw the woman looking down at her empty plate, only peeking up once in a while to see the two arguing women's expression.
"Well let's see if you are then?" the lady of the west replied. Snapping her fingers she watched as the server rushed over only to run away once Kimi ordered her to retrieve her cell phone from her purse. Coming back less than a minute later, the woman handed her her cellular device and bowed low while muttering something about dinner being ready in three minutes. She pressed a few buttons and after a couple of rings, a familiar voice picked up that made Kagome collapse in her chair in shock.
"Yes, mother?"
Inuyasha was busy running his toy car around the couch when Sesshomaru's phone rang from his bedroom. Sighing the demon rushed and grabbed it from the end table, unplugging it and raising an eyebrow when he saw the number on the caller id. Shaking his head, he quickly picked up and in a bored tone inquired,
"Yes, mother?"
"Sesshomaru, I have a question for you."
"I'm listening."
"Tell me, son, how have your therapy sessions been going?"
"My...therapy sessions?" Pulling the phone away from his ear, Sesshomaru stared at it for a moment before returning it back to its previous position. "You're calling me in the middle of your dinner to ask me that?"
"Yes, I am. It is a mother's job to worry about her son, and I want you to tell me how your last appointment went?"
"Uh...It went...well...forgive me I don't…"
"Yes and what about your pills? Did he increase the dosage again?"
"No, I'm pretty much on the standard level for my species…."
"Right. Now what pills are those exactly you're taking?"
Suspicious Sesshomaru asked, "Mother...are you alone?"
"Yes I am Sesshomaru, I just really need to know how my only pup is doing."
"You want me to sit here and name all the medications I take…."
"All? More than one?"
"Yes, I told you all of this already. I.." a crash was heard followed by the wails of Inuyasha. Cursing loudly, he apologized and hung up the phone, needing to find out what his brother had gotten into.
Her eyes red from holding in tears, Kagome tried and failed to growl her displeasure. Kimi looked completely satisfied in this moment, though the demoness was anything but, "Are you out of your mind…"
"That is my son." she replied. "I will do anything to keep him safe and sane and happy. Unfortunately, in order to do that, I need you. You never deserved him if you could be so callous as to run into the arms of a dragon just because he holds them out for you."
"Kimi-dono, I never…."
"Not once did you deny you and Jun-Long's relationship." Kimi pointed out. "Not once did you attempt to alert Sesshomaru of your presence. Why? My son may be getting treatment but he is far from well. He is sick and you made him so, I have spent the last four years watching as his mind torments him. I, my mate, and even her," waving to Izayoi, "have studied every book, been to every therapist, healer, and physician we could find and nothing has worked." to Kagome's surprise the beginnings of tears were clear in Inu no Kimi's eyes. "I may not show it but I love my son, and I love my mate. I have done the best I could with them and to know it wasn't enough, for either of them…." wiping her eyes with the back of her hand she sniffled and jerked away from Izayoi's kind touch, not wanting a human's sympathy.
"Kimi-dono…"
"Sesshomaru is losing his mind." she finished, "and it's all because of you. You severed your bond without his consent and now his entire being is in turmoil."
"Wait...What?"
"Its as she said…" Izayoi spoke, "Your bond was fractured the second you ran from him. You rejected him as your suitor and as your mate. He has been denying his own instincts that tell him to find you and force your acceptance and because of that, he is losing himself. If he keeps this up much longer he is liable to lose control and do god knows what."
"I...I have to go…." Kagome finally sobbed out, the pressure of all they had told her coming down on the demoness hard.
"Kagome-san…"
"I'm sorry…" before anyone could stop her, Kagome rushed out of the dining room, down the stairs, and out the door into the icy wind without her coat. Ignoring the chill in her bones, she raced at an accelerated pace back towards the park Hyatt hotel, her feet barely touching the ground as she ran. She couldn't do this, not again. And though she told herself this for the millionth time since she'd left, the instinctual side of her once more tried in vain to tell her otherwise, pleading with her to find Sesshomaru and make amends for leaving him.
'I cause more harm than good.'