The Strongest, My Only

Notes – I love all of my reviewers!

Translations – Yunomi – Cup with no handles (used mainly by Chinese (but with a later influence on Japan) to drink tea)
Kazana – Miroku’s Wind Tunnel


Chapter 2: The Choice Between Living And Dying


I missed him when the sun began to bend;
I found him not when I had lost his rim;
With many tears I went in search of him;
Climbing high mountains which did still ascend,
And gave me echoes when I called my friend;
Through cities vast and charnel-houses grim,
And high cathedrals where the light was dim,
Through books and arts and works without an end,
But found him not-the friend who I had lost.
And yet I found him-as I found the lark,
A sound in fields I heard but could not mark;
I found him nearest when I missed Him most;
I found him in my heart, a life in frost,
A light I knew not till my soul was dark.

~George MacDonald (Poem “Lost and Found”)

Her eyes flew open, her mouth releasing a soft, sensual moan, and she frantically looked around her to see if the man was indeed here with her this time. He was not, and she wanted to scream and cry out in frustration because of it. Why was this happening to her? Was it not enough that she could never return home? Or that one of her closest friends lay close to her, possibly dieing from a chest wound?

Looking over to where she knew he would be in, she faintly saw a bright patch of red against the pink and white blossoms of the cherry blossom tree and felt the tears finally flow down her face. Bringing her hands to her face, she curled herself into a ball and tried to be as silent as possible. He was there in a second, holding her close to him despite the pain it must have caused him, and she choked on the sob that spilled forth in a rush of salty tears and protest.

As if reading her mind, he shushed her and settled her head against his shoulder, his silver hair fanning out around them to hide them from the rest of the world.

“Come on Kagome…don’t cry…” He whispered encouragingly to her as he stroked her hair softly. She felt his calloused fingers slid against the bare skin of her neck and whimpered as in pain, her body still over sensitized from her earlier imaginings.

“I…oh god Inuyasha, not again!” She cried out, and instantly buried her face into the red cloth of his fire rat haori. Wrapping his arms around her he cuddled her close and she cried and cried against him, the tears a never ending Niagara Falls. He didn’t mind. He could see that even now…when her deepest emotions were being let loose in torrents, she was careful not to touch his injury and cause him any pain. He was sure that if she hadn’t known him so well, that she might not have even let him know what was wrong. Hell, she hadn’t even told Sango or Miroku about it. That was saying something. He chucked and instantly regretted it as a flash of pain went through his chest.

“Oh Kagome…you’re…so stupid…!” He said, biting back on the ache. He cursed inwardly at their predicament, frustrated that all he could do was hold her. The sun began to appear over the horizon, its thin tendrils of light reaching out to wake all living creatures. He smelt her soft scent weave him into its powerful spell and relaxed, forcing the pain from his mind.

And as the sun came up, he continued to hold her, and soon, her sobs subsided and she fell asleep once more, the reason for her grief leaving her as sleep surpassed it.

Laying her back onto her sleeping bag, he grimaced again as he felt the torn skin slid against dried blood and looked over to see with slight surprise, a small pink stuffed pig resting in the dirt next to the sleeping bag. Picking it up, he carefully dusted it off, and nestled it into her arms. He heard her sigh deeply as he did so, her arms wrapping around the soft material of the pig, and then felt her aura relax.

Carefully, he turned away and cursed the pain from even that slight a movement. His wounds still needed time to heal…two days…maybe three and he could only hope he had that much time until Naraku attacked next. He knew it could not rush his recovery but his stubborn mind refused to acknowledge that he could only make his wounds worse by moving around.

Glancing back at Kagome, he let a smile touch his lips and shook his head slightly, his white ears sliding up and down as they caught the sounds of the awakened forest.

Carefully jumping back into the tree limb he had perched himself in earlier, he scanned the rolling green hills and watched two green and black dragonflies chase one another through the air. He needed rest…he would be human tomorrow night and he needed all of the strength he could get to heal as much as he could before then.

Tipping his head back, he felt the rough bark of the pine tree scratch against the back of his head and soon fell asleep himself. He never saw Kagome turning in her sleep or heard her whisper one word...

“Sesshomaru…”

*****4 days later*****

“You went through all the trouble and came all this way to me wishing to banish an apparition?” The sorceress Shikiba asked incredulously as Sesshomaru tiredly reclined on a small plush cushion.

“It is not as light as that Shikiba. I have been having abnormal…dreams about her and they will not stop. Normally I would not discuss this with you as it is neither you nor anyone else’s business, but I need to know what they all mean…and…I want to know who or what that woman is.” The cold demon lord across from her said with detachment. She gave him a crooked laugh. He tried not to growl although the temptation of if was quite strong and instead let his long silver hair swirl up slightly behind him as if lifted by an invisible breeze, to show that he was annoyed.

“I will help you if you have a suitable payment to present to me. Work like this is not cheap as you well know, although these days, it is becoming very busy. So many foolish mortals wasting their time and energy on things as trivial as love potions and death spells.” She said as she casually opened up a large leather bound book upon the polished elm table. She pretended to disinterestedly skim the pages of thick rice paper as she waited for him to speak.

“Humph. You have not changed since last we met. Curious it is to ask me for money, when you yourself taught me the art of reading another’s mind.” He said with a flick of his claws. She glanced up at him with interest, her emerald green eyes lighting up.

“Ah…so the small boy I taught did grow up, how amusingly charming. I wondered at one time, if you could have retained a bowl of soup.” She said with a smile. He did not return it, but she found herself unconcerned. He would not harm her. His honor made sure of that. His honor and his curiosity.

“This should be enough. Here is my problem. Solve it.” He said, letting his frosty voice bite through her bantering words. She raised one perfectly shaped black eyebrow at him.

“So quick to the point, my dear Sesshomaru? You are indeed the one I trained all of those years ago. Yes, I will help you, but first my money.” She said as she once again began to carelessly flip through the thick book.

“You are lucky to be receiving so much.” He said, drawing a large white silk purse the size of a grapefruit from his side where his two swords Tokijin, and Tenseiga rested casually.

She noted the swords as he tossed the silk purse to her but she made no move to catch it. Instead, a large bat appeared from the rafters and grabbed the purse to depart just as quickly. The bat squeaked shrilly from somewhere outside, its high-pitched voice ringing through the room, and Shikiba nodded her head for them to continue.

“Relax so that I may see into your mind and see these…dreams or yours.” She commanded calmly as she gestured to him to make himself comfortable. He nodded slightly and calmly took a seat on one of the soft cushions before the table.

Breathing in deeply, he felt her prodding at the barriers he had placed around himself and grudgingly let them down. He saw pictures of him and the girl flash through his mind as Shikiba played out all of his dreams from the very first, to the most recent. He felt an electrical current pass through his body but did not open his eyes. And then he both heard it and felt it…the softness of her hands as they slid over his chest, pushing the robes he had been wearing off to let them fall to the ground…and he heard her laugh…the sweet, innocent sound that always started off every dream.

It was like…summer rain…cooling…and soft to the touch and he longed for the briefest of seconds to hear it again before he controlled himself. He heard Shikiba chortle and scowled at her. Unfazed, she delved deeper, and he felt the unnatural softness of her sweet smelling hair…and the ever so slight, hint of moonflowers and sandalwood. He saw the deep brown depths of her eyes looking back at him as he hovered over her, the full, flushed pink lips, wet and bruised from his kissing and saw the rosy tint of her cheeks as she blushed…and then he was tasting her, her screams and cries reverberating around him…and then he was awake and roaring his disgust as he could not control his ejaculation. And then, Shikiba was gone from his mind and he inwardly took a deep breath to calm himself and his frazzled nerves.

He opened his eyes to look into Shikiba’s and saw something he could not even begin to define. As if reading his mind, she caught herself, and cleared her throat, looking at him seriously

“That woman is by far no apparition. I actually think you know her…and she knows you.” Sesshomaru remained still, listening and so she continued.

“But…it seems that you both avoid each other…something keeps you both apart. The girl with raven hair is a powerful miko…a quite popular one these days, too.” The sorceress grinned and ran a delicate hand through her luxurious hair.

“Your point.”

“She is the one who travels with your half brother Inuyasha…the one known as Kagome Higurashi.” She said shrugging as she flipped her hair over her shoulder, her eyes never breaking away from his face. His own eyes involuntarily widened slightly in alarm.

“Kagome was her name? The little bitch that helped my brother take my arm from me?” Shikiba shrugged and looked away lean under the table and organize something. He growled at her, standing suddenly to lean over the table towards her.

“The woman who has been haunting me for the past month is actually the little twit who is always in my way and protecting my worthless half brother?” He asked dangerously, the hairs on the back of his neck prickling in anger as another low growl came free from his throat. Unfazed, Shikiba curled a lock of hair around her index finger and sat back up at the table.

“Correct. Born in the future and transported into the past through a magic well, she is assisting your brother to find the sacred jewel shards. Inuyasha however has been recently injured, and the well is now broken, leaving her unable to return home. It seems that she is doomed to remain here.” He rose up and began to pace silently.

“She is trapped Sesshomaru and she does not wish to be.” There was a small amount of glee in the woman’s voice.

“And look at that…she is…human.” She whispered silkily, knowing it was the one thing Sesshomaru could not stand.

“I refuse to believe that this little twit has anything to do with-”

“She is having the same dreams Sesshomaru, and seeks to find the cure to them. She does not yet know who the man in her dreams is but by the next quarter moon she most assuredly shall.”

“What has the little fool been able to gain while she was here, out of curiosity? Surely nothing-I do not see her as the kind to dirty her hands.” Sesshomaru said with a sneer. Shikiba frowned, eyes flashing pure green for a few moments, and Sesshomaru felt her aura, like spindly spider legs, scuttle over him and then out into the night. She remained like that for a few minutes, Sesshomaru patiently waiting until finally she came to, her eyes flashing green once more and then becoming normal.

“Higurashi Kagome: Master with the bow and arrow, she is the protector of a small village to the east of your castle, and is an expert with plants and medicinal herbs. Surrogate mother to an orphaned kitsune by the name of Shippo, she is aged at nineteen summers. She is an oddity-her soul is large and powerful and is believed to have been descended from Midoriko herself, did you know that?” She asked cheerfully, the whole situation lighting up her somewhat uneventful life. Sesshomaru rolled his eyes, his stoic attitude gone for a second with the childish gesture.

“She is also an unnatural master with animals…particularly horses. She has been tutored to read and such, and is quick thinking and resilient. She is a good match for you whether you will accept it or not, though I fear the gods have stepped into your lives to play one of their games.” Shikiba stated, suddenly serious. He looked at her as if she was crazy.

“Whether I will accept it or not is not the word for it. It is more to the tune of will I believe it or not. Damn it Shikiba, I cannot…no…will not take a human bitch as my mating partner!” He said contemptuously. She glanced at him curiously to see if he would rein his temper under control in time as he seemed near to exploding with anger. To her disappointment, he did not and she sighed, shaking her head sadly.

‘He always controls his emotions…it was the one thing I could not break him of…’

“Won’t you? You seem to have done fine within the dream world.” She said cheekily. At his angry gaze, her tone lightened.

“Let the past be the past Sesshomaru. Your father…your mother…Monoko…”

“What does my past-wait. How do you know of Monoko?” He asked sharply. She resisted the urge to cringe.

“I have looked into your mind more then once my boy. I know everything about you.” She said smiling as a mother would to her son. He frowned and looked past her to the small window where two black and white spotted birds were perched. One was cleaning itself, its black beak skimming through the glossy feathers.

Monoko…gods that name brought back so many memories…both bitter and sweet. She had been a daughter to the lord and lady of the South, and had been a human. Ashamed of it even after all these years, he knew that he had…fallen in love with her. He smiled grimly at the sickly sweet past, his bangs covering his eyes and drowning them in shadow as he leaned forward and stared into the small porcelain yunomi that had appeared before him out of thin air. Her hair like pale honey, and her eyes like sky blue diamonds, she was an adopted foreigner from far away.

At first…it had been nothing but a late night stroll and he had found her walking past the castle, unchaperoned. He had out of courtesy requested to walk her home but she had refused and soon he found himself walking with her…and that was when it had all started. They began seeing more and more of each other and soon, he began to confide in her and she in him. After that…he found himself holding her…and then one day…oh gods that day when he had kissed her for the very first time…! He still remembered feeling like his very world had left him to be replaced with nirvana itself. He had been so young…so naïve…and had paid for it dearly. Very dearly.

Soon afterwards her father had become deathly sick and he had come over more and more often to check on her. One month later, she and her mother came over for a formal dinner party…and Monoko had tried to kill him by means of seduction and poison in the form of a cup of tea.

He did not know why she had done it…he didn’t know how he had picked himself up either, but he had. But one thing he could not do was stop the feeling of cold, numb rage that flowed through him at the thought of her. Unknowingly, he gripped the table’s edge with his one hand, his limb holding on so tightly that his pale knuckles turned a ghostly white.

Monoko had almost killed him…come so close to it actually that he had only lived because he was a youkai. But oh gods, sometimes he wished he hadn’t. Sometimes, when his mind was weak he wished that he could have left this earth and found peace in the other world. Monoko’s father did not last the night…and was found with not only signs of poisoning but signs of being strangled…strangled by his own adopted daughter.

The last he saw of her, was her golden hair…hair he had come to love so much…being cut and shaved from her head, and then having her beautiful head severed to lie in a pool or her own blood. And it had been he who had swung the blade.

After the initial shock and pain his heart had endured, he had vowed never to love again…never to feel any kind of passion or lust and yet now he was. He had never told anyone about what had happened all of those long years ago, to some degree he was openly afraid of being with a woman again. This dream Kagome…her laugh…her smile…were much alike that of Monoko’s. He dare not trust her…the fact that these events were only dreams made not a difference to him.

However he was thrown from his thoughts when without a word, Shikiba pushed a large chunk of rose quartz towards him.

“Look into that.” She said softly.

“This will help.” She said under her breath.


*****

“Kagome, duck!”

“Inuyasha!” The said girl screamed, as from nowhere, the hanyou known as Naraku appeared, his white baboon pelt flying off in shreds as Inuyasha’s Wind Scar slashed it away.

“Fools!” Naraku hissed as he appeared in his other form, green pools of slime and black, spidery arms twisting on either side of him as his face loomed into view. His black hair flowed over half of his face as he grinned cruelly at them, and then suddenly, green tentacles shot from him and threatened to impale the young woman.

“Kagome!”

“NO, Sango, don’t move!” The miko ordered as she aimed at Naraku’s chest with a notched arrow.

“Go to hell Naraku!” Then her arrow was released, flying straight and true as it hit its target full on. She saw Naraku’s head fall from his body as his chest disintegrated, but then watched it sink back into the green mountainous glob that was his body.

*****

Sesshomaru’s eyes widened slightly as he took in the battle forging on within the stones glowing confines.

“Why are you showing me this?” He asked angrily, threatening to stand.

“Because you need to see it.” She said back, her eyes commanding.

“I need to see nothing!” He declared scornfully in reply. She gave him an authoritative glare.

“That miko is fighting.” She said offhandedly.

“Perhaps she may die.”

Sesshomaru did not take the bait.

“Explain your motives to me Shikiba!” He said frigidly as his eyes glanced back down to the stone. In that brief span of time, he saw the girl collapse to the ground, tears coursing down her face in her pain as her mane of raven hair swirled down her back to rest in a heap on the muddy, blood strewn soil. Shikiba pointed a graceful finger at the girl in the stone.

“She is the one…your ideal mate my lord. I know you will believe it but something about her just seems…right.” She said smiling slightly, but then a sad look came into her eyes, as is she had heard something that he couldn’t.

“What is it?” He snapped impatiently as he saw pity appear in her eyes. The sorceress looked up at him slowly, her dark eyes softening slightly as a small red light pulsed from the stone.

“Listen.”

*****

*Your pain is something new…
It calls me in-
Hurts and heals me as one emotion…*

Crying out in pain, Kagome collapsed onto the bloody soil and looked down blankly at her right side where her ribs lay beneath her breast. Instead of skin and fabric was a bloody hole, red liquid spurting from the wound even as she sat there staring at it. One of Naraku’s tentacles had hit her before she was able to purify it. Nearby, Inuyasha and Sango slashed at the hanyou savagely, and she saw Sango let loose her bone boomerang. She felt a sort of numbness grip her body, and gritting her teeth, her fingers clenched harder around her weapon as she gingerly forced herself to stand.

*I can’t help myself…
You might die,
What a wonderful notion to my mind…*

She felt blood drip down over her forehead into one of her eyes and wiped it away only to see a long slash that went from her elbow, to the back of her shoulder. She had not even realized it was there…

*The water of life is growing dry,
The well is gone-
And you will see the angels fall…*

She drew the bow back, an arrow already notched as she took careful aim and severed a large chunk of Naraku’s body. Instantly, it was sucked in by Miroku’s wind tunnel and she saw the evil hanyou jerk towards her, dark eyes glowing with malevolence and anger.

*Wings like soft snowflakes will,
Blow apart and float around us-
As I take you…*

“Little bitch!” He snarled and swiped a spidery arm at her, his poisonous insects buzzing balefully at her as they hovered around them both.

*As I explore you…*

“Not while I’m here Naraku!”

*As I mount you…*

A flash of silver and red was seen and Naraku writhed in anger, a dozen of his tentacles falling away into the massive green globs that were his body.

*As I make your body mine.*

“Kagome, get outta there!” The silver haired hanyou screamed as he ducked away from a green tentacle. She could only stand there numbly and watch as a wall of tentacles came crashing down upon her, Naraku smiling gleefully at her certain demise.

*Don’t fight back because you know you’ll lose
This game is nearly over-
And now I will have you realize that…*

She felt the lose of blood start to affect her body but stood her ground, another arrow ready as she defiantly glared back at Naraku. His smile was wiped clean as the arrow was released and took the tentacles away in a cloud of pink.

*Your pain is something new…
It calls me in-
Hurts and heals me as one emotion…*

‘That was my last arrow!’ She thought frantically as she reached behind her to find nothing in her arrow case. The hanyou saw the slight widening of her eyes and instantly, the grotesque smile was back, his black hair whipping around his head and shoulders. His body coiled upwards like that of a snake, bubbling flesh and goop sliding against each other to create a sickening sound. And for those few seconds there was silence. All movement seemed to stop as Naraku stood still and fixed his gaze on the fiery miko.

*You will never know me…
Don’t try….
You’ll only find your destruction….*

“I’ll tear you apart miko spawn!” He snarled, as his body exploded, tentacles and spidery arms appearing in a deadly cloud of purple miasma. Each tentacle seemed to writhe on its own, swirling and snapping out at invisible objects as they distorted themselves, until claws as sharp as daggers began to pop from the acrid skin. And with that, his body was launched with lightning speed towards her.

*As I take you…*

“Kagome!”

*As I explore you…*

“INUYASHA NO!” She screamed over the rush of wind that seemed to surround her suddenly.

*As I mount you...*

“I…no…it all ends…here...” She whispered, her broken body only able to watch as the tentacles came closer. And then she reached up, her palm lifted towards him as a growing ball of light blue and pink light swirled before it.

*And as I make you mine.*

“And it all ends now…” And with that her eyes closed and her body exploded with light, the radiance flowing over Naraku’s entire body, as the hanyou reached her, his entire body wrapping with a death grip around her small form. Tentacles delved within her skin, rich red blood spurting over everything in sight. The light was blinding, and a howl of pain and anger was heard as Naraku’s body was enveloped within it, along with his insects and awaiting demons. And then all went suddenly quiet.

*Listen quietly now…*

The group watched as the miko’s body fell limply to the ground and instantly looked around, their weapons poised for action, waiting for Naraku to once again appear. They were surprised to neither sense or hear anything, and then suddenly the monk gave a startled cry.

*And look around....*

“Miroku!” Sango shouted as she ran to him. Wind seemed to be gathering around his hand and they watched as the monk slowly uncovered his kazana. They all looked down to see it disappearing slowly, wind being expelled out slowly until the entire blackness within the hole was gone.

*You will see me again.*

“It’s…gone…Inuyasha…! Inuyasha?” Looking around wildly, he spotted the hanyou leaning over the girl’s body, his hands cradling her face.

*I’ll make sure of it.*

“Kagome…Kagome wake up! Stop that, this isn’t funny! Now snap out of it you stupid idiot!” He said shaking her shoulders slightly. When she still didn’t move he shook her harder, his eyes becoming frantic as her condition did not improve and he felt the flow of blood beneath her skin beginning to cease.

*She opened her eyes slowly and saw only blackness.

“It’s so dark…where is everybody? Why isn’t there any light? Am I…is this…death?”*

“Kagome! Kagome!”

*“Inuyasha…? Is that you Inuyasha?”*

“God damn it Kagome, wake up!”

*“Inuyasha? What’s going on? Where are you? I’m scared!” She looked around and then saw a light, growing brighter and brighter. Relieved, she stood and found herself walking to it.*

“No! Kagome!”

*She stopped as she heard Inuyasha’s voice from behind her, where another light flickered, but only faintly. Like a candle in a heavy wind, it looked near to blowing out but it did not. She watched it for a moment, her head cocking to the side. Why couldn’t she feel her body?

“Inuyasha?”*

“Kagome I’m begging you not to go!”

*She looked from one light to the other in sudden realization. One was death…silent, relaxing death where time stopped and she could sleep peacefully…and the other was life…loud, chaotic life where Inuyasha was…where she should be as well. But she couldn’t move. She seemed to be rooted to the spot even as she felt some kind of force pulling her softly towards death.

“Death is so quiet…no jewel shards or demons to worry about…” As if a puppet controlled by strings, her body unwillingly started walking towards it, her eyes widening as beyond the light was a place she could not even begin to describe. It was beautiful. Sakura and apple blossom were scattered everywhere, all were in full bloom and forever beautiful. A small stream glistening and shinning cut through the endless meadows and she smiled as she saw dozens of children running and laughing with each other. Forever young…and forever happy in death.

“Maybe…death is not so bad. I’m not in pain anymore-perhaps I finally should call this my home…wha-?” Something strange…a voice?

“Ka-gooomeee…Ka-gooomeee…”

She looked at the light of death and saw nothing at first, but then slowly, a shadow formed in front of it and she looked into the face of her mother.

“Oh Kagome…what are you doing darling?” Her mother asked gently as she walked forward and looked down at her, her wise eyes knowing as she smiled.

She felt her mouth drop open in surprise and then realization kicked her. Giving a happy cry, Kagome embraced her dead mother and wanted to cry at the serene feeling her mothers arms gave her. She was warm and soft…just as she had remembered her being. And her smell…like fresh cut grass and strawberries. Her mother had always loved the outdoors…and now she was here where Kagome was sure there were lots of strawberry patches and grass to be mowed. Offhandedly, she wondered if in heaven there were thunder storms…she had always been afraid of the lightning…

“Mama…what do you mean?”*

“KAGOME!”

*She looked behind her to where she knew Inuyasha to be and suddenly, felt something wet upon her face. She brought her fingers slowly to her face and saw water. Her eyes widened.

“Tears…Inuyasha is…crying? Oh my god, Inuyasha! I almost forgot about him!” She said horrified as she turned to look back. The light seemed only as big as a firefly now, and as she watched, the firefly seemed to be floating away, as if she were in a tunnel, in a fast car, while trying to focus on a small overhanging light.

Her mother smiled.

“That is death Kagome…you forget many things even what you loved most, but once you see it...you remember. It’s not yet time for you to leave your friends…you still need to finish your life my dear.”

“Finish…?”

“Yes…Kagome you still need to find out. There is someone in life that is looking for you…the gods have told me so.”

“Mama…what are you saying?”

“Kagome…go home…back to life where you belong. There are still those who need you…Sota is one of them.”

“Sota can take care or himself, Mama…”*

“Kagome…please…I need you here with me…”

*“Inuyasha…?!” She whispered as his words came to her from the faint light of life. Her mother smiled once more.

“Go home Kagome. You still have to watch over them.”

“Mama…I…I don’t want to leave you again…”

“Go Kagome…we will wait until it is time…and remember my words. Someone is looking for you. Watch for them.”

“I…” And she closed her eyes.*


“Inuyasha, come away from her…she is gone from us…”

“NO! She would never leave me! Kagome…KAGOME! Please no…please…!” He screamed the last word, tears falling from his eyes as he leaned down next to her ear.

“I need you here with me…” He whispered brokenly, as he hunched over her broken and bleeding body. His answer was only silence. Everything had seemed to stop.

Tears blurred his vision, Miroku gritted his teeth as he watched the touching scene, one arm around Sango as she sobbed into his shoulder.

“Inuyasha…” He stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

“Step away from her.”

“Why…why didn’t you live?” He whispered as he cradled her against his chest, her face pressed against his shoulder as her body fell limply against his arms. He squeezed her tightly against him them, his hopes and fears and dreams colliding together, if only to-

“I-Inu…” He jerked upwards and looked down at her, moist tears still falling down his face. He watched her eyes flutter open and looked down into their brown depths.

“Oh gods…!” And with that he crushed her to him, the tears flowing even harder down his face as he breathed her scent in deeply, unable to get enough of it as the realization of it hit him. She was alive…that was all he could think of was that one thought.

“Inu…ya…sha…you’re…cru…shing…me…” She whimpered against his shoulder and instantly he released her and set her back gently upon the ground.

“Kagome I-”

“No…please…just…home …” She blacked out before she could finish.

*****

“So she survived then, did she?” Sesshomaru asked with cold detachment as he took in the tender scene before him. Shikiba glanced at him sharply.

“I suppose you cannot understand what has just transpired.” Shikiba said shaking her head. He glanced at her.

“Watch your tongue.” Her eyes turned hard with anger.

‘She nearly died Sesshomaru! She had a choice in which she could have taken the easy way out. Your brother’s voice saved her. ‘You’ should have been the one who-’

“Silence.” The one sharp word chilled her to the very bone and she obediently fell quiet. He turned from the stone and instantly the images disappeared.

“She may be strong as you say, but she is still human. What good is a human woman to me? There is nothing to ensure her survival once she grows old and her pups will be-hanyou.” He bit the last word out like it was poison. Shikiba frowned. She knew of her lord’s deep seated hatred for hanyou’s but surely, he could reconsider if it were for a good enough cause…?

“There would be no point.”

“Maybe so…but she is a miko…and a powerful one at that. What is to say that even if you did have hanyou children that they would not be strong? The father is what makes a litter sturdy. You will have your heir. Don’t not tell me something does not draw her to you?” She asked quietly. He eyed her disapprovingly and then turned to leave.

“Take this blade.” Shikiba said suddenly, her voice rough.

“What blade?” He asked offhandedly, the fingers of his only remaining hand, his right, tapping a smooth rhythm against the hollow wooden table. Unconsciously he looked down at them and felt the numb anger at the thought of his hanyou brother…Inuyasha.

Inuyasha… The name made him want to hiss in anger.

“This. It will show you what you want to see. A mate, am I not right? Since you seem to have just removed this Kagome girl from your mind…on your own.” She said cheekily as she brought forth a small dagger from out of the air before her.

He eyed it with detached interest as he reached for it but couldn’t help the rush of anticipation that began to course through him. The metal seemed not to be metal at all, but of a shimmering stone of some sort, the tip encrusted with a deep pinprick of an emerald. On its handle were two winged dragons, one gold, the other burgundy, as they twisted around it. Their heads touched the beginning of the diamond-like blade, the tips of their outstretched wings constructed out in an elongated oval that when put together, the two dragons formed a large circle that was the hilt. But between them, they each held a stone unlike all others, in tiny silver claws was a stone that was like a rainbow somehow captured and contained. It shone with an unreal light, pulsing as he took it into his hand.

“Keep it with you. When you become near the right woman, the two stones will turn one color. However, the further you are, it will grow dimmer and soon turn black. Keep that in mind. Sesshomaru, I want you to at least survey that girl.” Shikiba said quietly as she saw him put the knife into its matching sheaf and then tie it to where his swords rested at his waist. His eyebrows raised themselves slightly in a look of disgust.

“It does not matter what you think right now Sesshomaru. You and that girl will be together.” She said as she smiled and slowly disappeared into nothingness, her words echoing in his mind. Turning, he looked around to see if she would come back. When she did not he walked smoothly through the door and walked out into the pouring rain.

“So be it…” And with that he began to walk, the rain deflecting off of him from a simple spell he kept with him. He looked over his shoulder for a brief instance back at the small hut, but it had disappeared. Turning, he began the long walk back to his lands.