Shifting Spheres of Influence

Disclaimer: Nope, not yet still wishing though...*Squeezes eyes shut and chants mantra* * Takes hat off to Rumiko Takahashi...*

Chapter 1: Protector and the Protected


Present day ,Tokyo.


Hell, that’s what it felt like, well maybe not quite hell but it would of been a good foreshadowing of what hell would be like if Kami deemed her unworthy of Nirvana and sent her to the pit of eternal suffering, yup, this would be it. Waiting at the bar opposite the Italian restaurant where Kagome has scheduled to meet the bane of her life in partial to a light lunch and hopefully some airy fairy conversation then coming up with a very good excuse, while having her wing women-Ayame, bail her out with a very important phone call that something was hideously wrong at the office that needed her immediate attention. Something like that was sure to work, she hoped... So now, sitting at the bar, a glass of verve bubbling nicely in the flute glass in front of her, she eyed the place out. It was your typical night bar, one of those that ran 24 hours for all those alcoholics who were pulling all nighters and wanted to keep getting plastered well into the afternoon of the following day, the difference here, then, is that it was a little bit upper classed in the ranks for your run of the mill boozers that worked only for the pure indulgence of getting that alcoholic buzz, so the only very well boozed clients here were the ones with big fat wods of money sitting in their back pocket, often clamped down with a dragon headed peg. The oafs where often accompanied by big thugs with more muscle than brain power. The clumsy bodyguards were forced to wear suits a few sizes to small in an attempt to make the bulging testosterone steroid arms look twice their normal size and uncomfortably big at that. A few of these thugs, putting up a rather indestructible perimeter around one of the concealed booths at the back of the bar, were eyeing her out, the dark shades that they had on a pathetic attempt in being ‘in-cognito’, in the dark room, where the red lights gave the atmosphere an air of romance in the small bar. Kagome could feel their eyes on her small form, her fingers tracing the rim of the flute glass, while she scanned the opposed muscular objects with legs in her peripheral vision. The one thug pressed his hand to his ear, obviously receiving a message via the intercom system plugged into his ear. He then nodded to this accomplice and he made a move to where Kagome sat.

“Excuse me miss, my master requests your presence...”

Kagome blinked back her amusement, playing the ignorance card, she answered the large oaf.

“Ooe, and what, pray tell, could your master want with a women such as myself?”

“That miss, is information I cannot provide, only that he requests your presence and,,,”

Sliding his shades a little lower on the bridge of his nose, he gave her a very quick once over, his gaze slinking over her creamy legs, lingering on her pointed stiletto heels that hung scantily off the ball of her foot and back up her skirt clad behind and blouse to rest on her soft features. Lust glinted in the blue depths before the dark Armani shades where slid back into place.

“I can understand why he would request a presence such as yours... I could think of a few other things that he would be suggesting...” a smirk followed the tailed off phrase.

A glint of something shadowed Kagome’s eyes, smiling wryly, she closed her eyes, gathered her composure and stood. Opening her large cerulean orbs she took in the oaf that still smirked at her. A resounding slap echoed throughout the tiny bar, the Armani shades in pieces on the lush red carpet, a big red hand print plastered itself across the muscular cheek of the bodyguard.

“Why you little-“before he could finish his statement Kagome had effective kneed the large chunk of muscle in the crotch and knocked him out at the bass of his skull.

“Never mess with a women in heels...”

Straightening out her skirt and blouse, Kagome retrieved her glass of bubbly and purse and made her way over to the perimitered booth.

Sliding into one of the plush red couches, she glanced across the table to rest her eyes of a very pimped out individual, surrounded by two very inappropriately dresses women, both of them devouring up the small attention that he payed them. Glancing up at the woman across from him, his face hidden behind the pinstriped bowler’s hat that sat cocked to the side on his head, he smirked and with a quick wave of his hands, he dismissed his entertainment. Both girls left with a groan and a “awe”, pouting in what would make any member of the male species’ lower abdominal muscles twitch at the innocent gesture. Clicking his neck while he craned it from side to side, he listen to her greeting.

“You know you really should do something about those chauvinistic thugs of yours..”

Smirking at the young women, he replied

“Awe, you didn’t have to knock him out, I was growing rather fond of Tony, had a brief history in the mafia and what not, not a bad guy too."

“Hnn”

“It’s getting rather hard to find decent help these days, kitten, what with you keep knocking them out...”

Flustered by his response, she vented her frustration.

“Ooee well if you chose some decent men that didn’t look like they ate testosterone for every single square meal a day and that actually had some kind of manners, I wouldn’t be forced to knock them out so very often, or if you just got off you lazy rump and came over to me in the first place, we would of avoided this whole scene altogether... Ugh arrogant demons!!!”

“Awe kitten, no need to get all upset, sit down, take a load off, tell me how have you been?”

“How have I been? HOW HAVE I BEEN!!! INUYAHSA>>>> SITBOY!!”

The Hanyou went crashing to the ground, effectively breaking the table that sat between the old friends in half.
A muffled “Why me” was her response as she ran her hand through her hair in an effort to calm her nerves.

Recovering from his cratered stupor, he brushed his suit off and retrieved his hat, sitting it on the couch opposite him, his small triangular ears that sat atop his head, flicked free of their hooded appearance, twitching in their new freedom, Kagome watched them with a building urge. Inuyasha addressed Kagome again, but her attention stayed on the triangular ears that sat atop his head, giving into the urge, she got up and captured each small furry appendage between her fingers and gave them a good rub, effectively earning a small groan from the half-demon that sat in awkward bliss under her tiny hands. Smiling at the old effect, she sat down next to him while he regained composure, a small blush colouring his cheeks.

“You always loved my ears hey kitten?”

“Yeah, it was that only part of you that I could tolerate.”

“I love you too....”

“well ,that is debatable.”

“Keh, anyhoo, I have a message for you from General Tsukai.”

Handing her a thick envelope, she shifted in her seat.

“Ahh how is Kiki? I miss him, the old fart hasn’t been in contact with me in ages.”

“He’s good, busy though.”

“Why couldn’t he come and deliver it himself?”

“Long story kitten, well I have to go...”

Getting up, he embraced her in one of the Inuyasha bear hugs she knew him for, she returned the hug.

“Hey how did you know I was here anyway?”

“Keh, kitten I always know where you are, you are under my protection, remember?”

“How could I forget...”

Kissing her on the forehead, he made a move for the front door to the bar, his posy and entertainment in tow.

”Oh, Inuyasha, that promise was made so very long ago, why do you still keep it?” Whispering the question to herself, she fingered the crest that branded her skin on her left shoulder blade through the blouse.


****************Flashback****************

500 years in the past, somewhere in Inuyasha Forest, South Western Hokkaido.


Her body ached with exertion, adrenaline pumping through her arteries, giving her already exhausted limbs life, life to keep her alive, life that she fought so hard to keep, life that she fought to survive. The arena that they had thrown her into was some kind of gladiator take on a bating game. The rouge youkai were the ‘gladiators’ so to speak, they would of been teased to breaking point allowing their beasts to assume control of their bodies, allowing their basic instinct to take over, and she, Kagome, would be the bate. This kind of practise was forbidden in the Warring States period, penalty of death if found out, but what could a few measly humans do to a vast arena full of youkai, watching them torment each other in pure sadistic bliss and carnal reaction to blood. She had been flung into the arena while still unconscious and had woken up to her shoulder blade stinging like hell and the stench of scorched flesh lingering in the air, how she got there she was still unaware, the only thing she knew was that her Miko senses were in overdrive with all the surrounding youkai, the little hairs on the back of her neck standing at full attention. There was an electrical energy in the air, one that foretold of an oncoming storm, yet glancing up, the skies where as blue as the ocean, not a cloud on the horizon. The air pulsed though, nonetheless, with an energy that spoke of an oncoming excitement that had all the surrounding audience in a buzz.

The electricity in the air took to a new level of vibration as the crowds roared, the ground Kagome stood on quacked beneath her feet, large thumps were heard in a deafening rumble as the first youkai walked into the arena. She scanned him up and down, seconds faded into time as she took in her opponent.

‘A heavily muscled boar youkai’

,she gathered, powerful enough to retain a human form, his eyes a devilish black that spoke of the void he had given himself to and unleashed the inner carnal form that all youkai possessed. His tusks sticking out of a very hairy lip posed an immediate threat to the small miko, his clawed hands could be a problem, but that depended on how fast he moved. Final analysis of the boar gave her the impression that he was indeed very strong and powerful in bruit strength but he was in no way agile enough for her lithe form, yes Kikyou had taught her well.

The boar closed his back eyes and sniffed the air, a form of pleasure swept across his face as his eyes opened to reveal to deep red pupils, trained on the slip of a young girl.

“Blood”

The one word that left the youkai’s mouth in a promise of what was to come, he lunged at his prey. Kagome, fascinated by the youkai and his carnal side, failed to notice the force and speed with which the youkai was approaching her. Snapping out of her reverie, she fell sideways, to the left, barely missing one of the tusks of the boar as he rammed forward. He hit the opposite wall of the arena, effectively cracking the ageing stone and shaking the foundations of the circular amphitheatre. He shook himself off and turned around, brushing one of his back hooves against the gravel ground, he made to charge at her again. She braced herself to lunge out the way again, yet out of nowhere, the boar obtained a long anchor ball and chain, deadly spikes thrust out of the metal ball that was now swinging at rapid speed above the youkai’s head.

Taken aback by the sudden appearance of the weapon, Kagome failed to lunge out the way in time, effectively missing his tucks but gaining the full impact of the spiky ball to her side. With a groan she slunk to the floor clutching her wound. The youkai circled her on the floor, pleasure and amusement danced in his blood red depths, the crowds cheered, it all became a deaf roar that Kagome vaguely acknowledged, pushing the information to the back of her mind, she got up, adrenaline now pumping through her blood once more, she began to dance with the youkai, streamlining her train of thought.

‘Right, ok, what do we have...

Number one, a very nasty wound to your side,

Number 2, a very large and rather smelly boar who thinks he’s the shit

Number 3, said boar has a very spiky object.... So he has an object, where’s mine? How can I defend myself against this pig?’

Like as if fate where waiting for the moment of convenience to intervene, one of the members of the crowd were yelling at her to get her weapon and something about a real fight. Taking in her surroundings, Kagome noticed the small bamboo bow and measly arrows that were there for her to defend her ‘miserable’ life with, as another one of the members of the youkai crowd pointed out. With the boar and her still circling one another, she formulated a plan to obtain the bow and arrows.

Then the boar lunged again, again and again, yet almost all the times, he was yet to strike her again, his aim off and her near misses pushing the boar a little closer to the bow and arrows. They continued this way for a good amount of time, each of the opponents loosing energy. Finally she was close enough to the bow and arrows to put her plan into action, on the next charge of the boar, she watched his footing:

‘He swings a bit heavier on the left foot with each hard heavy step in the momentum of his run, this would be my vantage point. ‘

He charged, each stop closer echoing in her mind, finally he was close enough, Kagome hit the dirt hard, lying against the gravel, arms poised at the ready to thrust the rest of her body upwards, she swept her feet in a definite arch along the ground, timing it just right as the heavy pad of the left foot of the youkai hit the ground, her feet connected with it, hooking his foot with her ankles and following through of the momentum, knocking the boar off balance, forcing him to topple to the ground as gravity pulled him downwards to come crashing down in the muscled heap that he was, skidding to a halt still in the after effects of his charge, the youkai groaned from pain. The crowd in the amphitheatre gave a sudden simultaneous gasp and went deadly quiet, waiting for the next move. Kagome’s arms surged with life and propelled her upwards and in the same movement, she made a dash for the bow and arrow, retrieving the weapons from the ground, she very quickly notched an arrow in the poor string of the bamboo bow and took aim at her opponent, who was getting back up after his downfall. Resting on one knee, he snarled at the Miko. Her eyes took on a predatory gleam themselves, narrowing ever so slightly, she nudged her bow a little to the right, correcting her aim and let the arrow fly, muttering a quite prayer for the youkai as it sailed through the air.

The arrow hit its target dead on, impaling the youkai right in the head, a strangled cry was heard echoing throughout the arena as the youkai dissipated and his body turned to dust. A second’s delay and a roaring was taken up by the crowd, never have they seen such a fierce battle won by a mere human before, the prey out stalked the predator.

The bow slumped from her arm and Kagome collapsed to the ground. Her vision blurred as the ground began to quake again under her body, three youkai had piled into the arena, each covered in armour and wielding deadly weapons, belying their strength that Kagome felt in their auras. Rolling her eyes in an inevitable game of death, she gathered her strength and made to stand on very wobbly legs. Picking up her bow and the 2 arrows she had left, she faced her new opponents.

‘Here we go again... ‘

She stood between the 3 warriors, each of them holding a predatorily gleam in their beast inflicted eyes, eyeing each of them out, she said to no one in particular as the crowd started to die down.

“Shall we dance...gentlemen?”

Smirking the first youkai lunged forward; she easily evaded the attack, her own moves sluggish with the depleting energy from her first battle.

Just as the second warrior was about to make a move, a loud voice boomed throughout the arena, drawing the attention of everyone present. Fear reigned supreme in the fluctuating auras that surrounded our Miko.

“Cease”

A deathly silence filled the arena as they waited. Confusion rolled of the miko in waves as she watched a youkai that had obviously been watching from the left podium, came down the stairs, his face and markings hidden by the red cloak he wore.

Making his way to the front observation deck, he addressed the youkai lord in charge of the event.

“My Lord, might I request that you relinquish you hold on the Miko-ningen and seek your sadistic pleasure elsewhere?”

The fat toad youkai chuckled, causing all seven of his double chins so wobble at the request of the cloaked male.

“And what makes you think I shall relinquish such a rare gem that has managed to slay Tokito, one of my finest warriors in a matter of minutes in the arena? Hmmm?"

A smirk graced the hooded youkai’s lips, revealing his two sharp canines.

“well my Lord, if you want to remain in the Western Lords favour, you shall do as I ask immediately without question?”

“Ha what business does the Western Lord have in my area?”

A low rumble was heard from the cloaked man, his lips now in a vicious snarl as he replied.

“You dare question ME you filthy Toad! Unhand the girl or suffer you life to the fate of Kami!”

He took a step forward, claws raised to prove his point.

“Aah, and how do I know that you truly are the western Lord as you so claim Youkai?”

Swirling his aura around him and releasing some of his Jaki, the Youkai removed the cloak, revealing the mass of silver hair that tumbled down his back in a messy heap, his head still covered by the same red material that he was clothed in. Looking up at the Toad-Lord, the sun-kissed orbs of the cloaked youkai narrowed taking in the fat toad and offering him a silent challenge.

Taken aback by the sudden display, the Toad-Lord addressed the Lord of the West.

“Forgive my ignorance, my Lord, it has been necessary to be wary of youkai these days...”

“Yes I am aware of the impending danger”

A quiet moment of contemplation passed between the two youkai before the toad smiled and revealed to the youkai a set of very large off coloured teeth that looked more like wale brush.

“As you probably are aware, my Lord, I am a youkai known for my possession of valuable things, and the ningen girl has shown me just what a valuable possession she is, this power has allowed me to gain the respect and elevate myself into a place of great stature, and thus by merely giving you this women, I would be relinquishing my reputation as well as the girl...”

The Western Lord’s brown drew together as he took in the youkai’s request.

“Thus might I propose an exchange my Lord? If you can save the wretched girl from my warrior youkai, then she is yours, however if you perish and the girl lives, then she is mine, or if she dies? Well then oh well?”

As the Toad –Lord spoke, guards that had been surrounding the podium, grabbed at the Western Lord, effectively dragging him to the edge of the arena and flung him over the edge into the pit of the gladiators ring. He landed with an “umph” In a heap on the gravel floor. By now the 3 youkai had begun surrounding Kagome again, she had evaded a few other attempts by the youkai, yet she was tiring quickly. One of the youkai made anther lunge at her, slashing the air between them with his huge sword in an attempt to hit her, the other youkai was coming up from behind her, his sledge hammer held high above his head, ready to strike the young human. Kagome, while aware of the youkai in front and behind her, she wasn’t keeping a close eye on the third youkai who in his bloodied rage had made for the now opponent who had entered the ring. The Western Lord had not time to ground himself to the situation at hand before he was jumping backwards, evading the swinging axe of the oncoming youkai, using his youkai strength he back flipped over the youkai landing on the other side, unsheathing the sword at the side of his hip, he faced down the youkai. The youkai thug, realising the rusty blade that was wielded by the Western Lord began attacking with more vigour, driving the youkai Lord backwards.

Kagome, still aware of both youkai, paced backwards from the swinging sword of the youkai in front, trying to avoid its sharp tip, both demons closing in on her fast and in a mere seconds, she had stepped sideways, just in time to witness the youkai with the hammer effectively bop the other youkai on the head, rendering him immediately unconscious. The fat demon fell to the ground, his heavy sword clanking on the gravelled earth next to him. The youkai with the hammer, glanced briefly at his fallen comrade, then blinking back his confusion snarled at the fact that it was not the miko on the ground and searched the arena until his eyes trained on her. Kagome watched the big oaf bop the other on the head in your classic toon fashion, trying very hard to suppress a laugh, a small giggle bubbled to the surface as she realised the youkai had regained his composure and began to chase her around the arena, she began to back away from the huge demon after being cornered in by the big oaf. She moved backwards till she bumped into something solid and fleshy, turning around, her eyes met red.

The western Lord had managed to evade the youkai’s sluggish swings of the heavy axe, walking him backwards, he bumped into the miko, surprise laced her sent as he sniffed the air and caught the essence that is her.

‘Yup,she is the one... who knew the stuck up prick of a half brother of mine was right.’

“Hey wench watch were you are going”

“Huh?”

“Yeah, quit messing about and duck so I can finish these buffoons off...”

Slightly taken aback by his gruff manner, her anger reared its ugly head as the independent women that she is, suddenly felt threatened..

“Hey, just a minute buster, where do you get off being the hero? I was doing quite fine on my own!”

“ What, here I am risking my life for you miserable ningen ass and you yell at me?”

The argument taking place while dodging blows from both oncoming ‘warriors’, still back to back with each other.

“Just for your information, I didn’t asked to be saved, so why don’t you pack up your little hero act and move along...”

Putting a major dent in the armour of his warrior youkai with his claws, the Western Lord turned around and swung at the youkai attacking Kagome, Kagome ducking out of the way just in the nick of time as he moved around her.

“Hey watch where you are swinging that rusty thing!”

Snarling at her, he said “Ugh, will you just shut up wench, and let me protect you?”

Suddenly, a pulse was rendered from the rust Katana that rang throughout out the arena, followed by another then another and in a binding flash of light, the rusty Katana wielded by the youkai Lord pulsed to life revealing a massive fang.

“The Tetsuiga...” The youkai Lord whispered.

“What?”

“Get Down!!!”

Kagome, not giving herself any time to respond to the command, she once again came face to face with the gravel of the arena, while about her head, she felt the pulse of the transformed blade, the Lord, took one swooping ark, electricity sparking off the blade as the raw power was unleashed onto the two opposing youkai, they disintegrated within mere second of contact with the blade. Once the excitement died down, a hushed whisper swept through the arena as the crowd stirred out of its stupor. Kagome took in the bare feet of her protector, glancing up a him, she took in his muscular form, hidden behind the red cloth, he turned around and flashed her a toothy smirk as he propped the blade on his shoulder.

“Told ya”

Her gaze lingered on his face, taking in the amber eyes of his and something caught her eye, just above his forehead, on top of his silver bangs sat 2 dog ears, the cutes dog ears that she had ever seen. Before she realized just what she was doing, she had peeled herself off the ground and had made her way to her protector and was now currently rubbing the two triangular appendages between her hands. A low rumble bubbled from his chest that broke her out of her mindless haze.

“Hey wench don’t touch the ears,” snatching his head out of her grasp.

The whisper of the crowd had turned into an all out noise as the youkai members began to talk and point at the Western Lord, things such as

“ Hey he’s a hanyou, the Western Lords not a Hanyou.”

Filtered its way into the ears of the guard and the Toad-Lord.

“Guards, get him, catch the Western Lord imposter and bring me my miko!”

“Now just wait a minute-“

Before the miko could finish her response to the possession claim the Toad had made on her, she was swept off her feet and found herself tangles with a mass of silver hair as she was flung over the shoulder of her rescuer as he made for the exit of the arena.

In one fluid leap, he had sailed across the podiums surrounding the huge arena and was currently making his way on powerful legs to the forest that stretched on for a life time, just outside the Arena.

“Hey where are you taking me you fake Lord you?”

The muffled question reached his now twitching dog ears as he regarded her and spoke his answer to her behind.

“Keh, to my forest of course...”

“What, your forest? Inuyasha Forest, then you must be-“

“Yup, Inuyasha, girl, you do well to remember that.”

“What??? Ugh, not only have I been kidnapped by a demon, but he has to be a very egotistical shmoe too, AAAAHHH someone up there hates me!!!!”

“Hey , hey , hey, hold you swords just a moment woman, I am you RESCUER, not your kidnapper and I am a HALF-demon, not a full blooded demon, and what the hell is a shmoe?”

“MY name is Kagome, INUYASHA, not women or wench, KA-GO-ME, use it, please.” The last word heavy with sarcasm.

“Keh”

“ So if you are a hanyou, that would explain the dog ears...cute.”

“Hey, my Dog ears aren’t cute, they are very manly! You leave me ears alone you hear...”

“Or you’ll what?”

Giggling, Kagome tried to windle her way out of the Hanyou’s grasp, effectively earning a tightening of his arm around her mid section as he weaved his way through the trees at rapid pace.

“I’ll leave your silly KAGOME stomped butt here for that toad to find..”

“No you wouldn’t..”

“Yes, I would...”

“As if! You said yourself in the arena, you here to PROTECT me... so in YOUR face.”

“Ha, what makes you think ill protect you if you touch my ears?”

“Well I don’t need your protection, I can look after myself...”

“Keh, I’m sure you can...not!”

“Okay how about a compromise then? I won’t touch your ears if you promise to always protect me?”

“Hmm sounds fishy, what game you pulling wench?”

“Nothing i swear!”

“Well ok then, I accept.”

Little did she know that he was already her protector, weather she liked it or not, he was assigned to be by his lazy half assed brother who couldn’t get up and come get her himself, so here he was facing a win-win situation, weather she thinks that he was doing something to compromise, while it was just going to take her fascination off of his ears.

“Great, I think...”

Little did he know that she had no intention of keeping her side of the deal, those dog ears, she knew, could develop into some kind of a fetish. Slumping back against the mass of hair on his back, she let him carry her as he ran deeper into the plush green forest.


******************End flashback**************************************


The light irony of the conversation echoed in her mind’s eye, yes, she in no way had kept to her side of the arrangement, as proven just a few minutes ago, she did love the hanyou, sometime just for his cute fuzzy ears.
The crest she was fingering still branded her as a slave, she would never be rid of it, despite the modern day technology that can get rid of the scars and ailment of the skin, she kept it on her shoulder blade as a testimony to herself of the person she once was and as a silent promise to never be that week again as to let someone capture her.

“Because you’re Kagome...”

Inuyahsa’s voice echoed throughout the tiny bar in answer to her previous question. With a tiny smile she sat back down and opened the package her protector was kind enough to drop off.


^¬*¬*¬*¬*¬*¬*¬*¬*¬*¬*¬*¬*¬*¬*¬*¬**¬*¬


500 years in the past, Western Castle, House of Tashio.


Sesshomaru sat at the edge of a very big mahogany desk imported from Spain during the Spanish inquisition, where they thought that they could take over the undiscovered world. He was surrounded by his half-brother, Inuyasha, who still in his eyes was not worthy of the blood he carried in his veins, General Tsukai, his devoted friend, his retainers, Myoga, the flea, Totosai, the sword smith and Seya, the sword sheath spirit. A foreboding silence had settled upon the group, no one was willing to break it and say something that would heighten the tension all of the present occupants of the room felt.


Inuyasha had just recently returned from a mission Sesshomaru had sent him on to retrieve the Miko priestess Kikiyou, not one for words of debate, the Hanyou gladly accepted the task, not being one for the upcoming meetings of the Lords council, al that courtly fif-faf of manners and ritual just wasn’t his thing. So now he sat in a silent meeting, with his older brother and his general and their retainers to try and discuss the latest problem that had reared its ugly head in the Land of the Rising Son.

Along with the Myths that accompanied the Legendary Alliance that was forged, there was a prediction made by a witch, some said to have gone mad, yet her words still set a silent tremor to those that were there to hear her, on that fateful day.


*******************Flashback*************************


900 years ago, somewhere in the snow mountains of Japan.


The fire crackled in the pit as the small group of defenders surrounded it, warming their hands from the cold that bit at their necks and feet. It was heavy into the Winter season, the Western Lord, Inu no Tashio and his son had made their way to the meeting of the Lord Council, by then, it was just a small gathering of youkai and human descendants from the great Midoriko, who wish to keep up custom more than anything else about being there. This year was different however, the Council meeting was held earlier than normal, the meeting normally took place towards the beginning of spring, going hand in hand with the celebration of rejuvenated life, so the Meeting was suppose to symbolise the rejuvenation of the Alliance, however something very important much of been brought to light, for the lords to have the meeting months before it was due.


Sesshomaru’s young inquisitive amber orbs scanned the small room, there was the Lord of the North, Kaijen, the falcon and his mate, the South sent a representative for the Lord himself was across the great body of water attending to some international business, the representative would be the father of his now trusted general, Tsukai. The Eastern Wolf tribe where present, the old grey wolf edging closer to the burning wood. Then there were a few humans Sesshomaru did not recognise, but there scents lingered in his nose that spoke of hidden familiarity.


Finally his amber orbs came to rest on an old humanoid women, time having taken its toll on her form as her ears and nose that had grown bigger with old age drooped somewhat, the ears weighed down by the very heavy looking brass earrings that pierce through the flesh, the earrings chimed as she moved her head to and fro, shaking in an involuntary fashion that showed her reversion into her second childhood. Lords had spoken for a bit, exchanging pleasantries, yet now business was at hand, a prediction was being made by this old bag of bones that would dictate the next course of action and perhaps the future of Japan.


The room fell silent with her swaying, the women had taken up a small inhuman hum, her eyes had rolled back in their eye sockets and she spoke to the gathering of people.

“A day shall pass where a child shall be born under the Bow, the child shall be given this name... The fate of the Land of the Rising Sun rests heavily on her shoulders, Kami themselves have chosen her; she will be your chosen. The dogs and vagabonds of the world shall cradle her in their warmth.

A back dragon spider roars in acceptance of the challenge the child poses. A timeline of youth shall pass. Reincarnated souls shall be bound on the earth to take up their rightful places at her hand and the war of life shall begin...”

The old women staggered a bit, her hands falling to her head.

“Bound in love, we all shall live on, shattering of the world lies in the heart of the Bow and her chosen soul..”

The old women ended her eerie prediction by collapsing to the floor; the fire blew out with the end of her speech as if the Kami were mocking the band of people. An eerie silence was followed by the collapse of the old women, some made to help her against the wall of the small hut they were in.

Moments passed before Inu no Tashio was the first to break the silence.

“Time seems to be on our side then, the necessary precautions will be taken from our side, each of us must make the preparations for the future when it reveals itself.”

With silent nods meeting his proclamation, in a small swoop, the Taiyoukai left the hut, followed closely by his son.


*****************End flashback****************************


And prepare Inu no Tashio had, his son was taught about the prediction and what the end of Japan could mean, he was trained in combat, predictions, literature and the dark arts, all in attempt to prepare himself for something yet which cannot be name. Yes, Inu no Tashio had prepared the west well for whatever it was that they were to face and the ultimate weapon now sat at the head of the big mahogany table, contemplating the words of the old hag.


‘Dogs and Vagabonds of the world shall cradle her in their warmth... ‘

Indeed, his protection of this ultimate gift from the Kami was a necessity, yet the first problem was finding the chosen one. Bringing the priestess Kikyou here, would help shed some light on that situation. And so with a silent sigh he began his meeting.

“There have been rumours circulating of a miko priestess that possesses the power of the Kami in her palm by means of a powerful orb, the Shikon no Tama. This priestess is the one which I had you bring to us, Inuyasha.”
“Sesshomaru-sama, is this the chosen one that was spoken of so long ago?”

“No my Lord Tsukai, this is not the women that my Lord Sesshomaru speaks of but it will lead her to the One that will become the Messenger, the chosen.”

“How is it you are aware of this knowledge Myoga?”

“Why, there are many things flea would know...”

“Keh, as if, coward... well now that I have brought her here, what must we do with her?”

“Well little brother, she is what the prediction would assume as the messenger thus we must extract what the message is...”

“Well thanks for stating the obvious... “

“Mind your tongue half-breed”

“My Lords please... the message shall reveal itself in due time, we however must remain alert to the surrounding auras that wish the power of this Shikon no Tama.”

“Indeed Totosai, you are quite right, Sesshomaru-sama, how long is the young miko to be staying with us? “

“Till the conclusion of the Lords Council meeting.”

“What of her retainer, Kagome?”

“Aah, that’s her name, you mean the pretty little miko that followed Inuyasha and the older one in this evening, I think she would be an apprentice to our orb wielding miko...”

“Totosai, you hentie”

“Hush Seya, you are a fine one to talk when it comes to perversion...”

“ENOUGH... “

“Yes, the young apprentice is to stay with her, and it is this child of the Bow that this Sesshomaru is interested in.”

“Well mister Killing perfection, do you propose to say that the chosen one could very well be-“


“KAGOME!!!!!!!”

A distressed call was echoed throughout the palace at that exact moment, Inuyasha immediately recognising the distressed voice to belonging to Kikyou,

“KAGOME WHERE ARE YOU??????”

Suddenly bursting through the doors, the dishevelled priestess made herself know to the group that were having the meeting. Bowing low in a quickened pace of a kow-tow, the miko spoke to the Lords.

“Please forgive this intrusion my Lords.”

Looking directly at Inuyasha, she pleaded her case.

“My apprentice, Kagome, has been taken, please Inuyasha... we have to get her back, she’s... we have to get her back, I have to get her back...”

The distressed women collapsed to the floor in a heap as Inuyasha quickly got up to her aid. In a silent plea to his brother, he looked over to him. Their eyes connected for a brief second before Sesshomaru gave a curt nod, effectively giving him his permission, he hefted the priestess onto his shoulders and made to exit the room before he was halted by Sesshomaru’s words.

“Retrieve the girl Inuyasha, you are her protector now, do not fail...”

With his own curt nod of his own, Inuyasha left the study and the rest of the group who were a bit more enlightened as to who the chosen could be.


¬**¬*¬*¬**¬*¬*¬*¬*¬*¬*¬*¬*¬


A/N: Well here we go another chapter up and ready, I hope it’s a bit more easy to understand, soon it will all come together... Please let me know you thoughts on my progress!
Until next time...
Kaida