A Self Called Nowhere

We could be sleeping in the flowers
We could sleep all afternoon
You'd proclaim that you're an island
I'd proclaim that I'm one too

--They Might Be Giants

Slowly she turned. Very, very slowly, she pivoted on her heel to look back. She didn't want to but she did anyway. There was no stopping morbid curiosity when it reared its ugly head. Her eyes widened in fear and it took a whole helluva lot for her NOT to run screaming. The only thing that kept her rooted to the spot was the FACT that if she ran, his natural instinct would kick in. He would chase her down and he would kill her. Breathing in and out deeply, she held her ground and looked levelly into his eyes.

Wouldn't you know it?

The first reaction he gave and it was this! All of a sudden, the celebratory jig she did in her head moments earlier seemed awfully premature. She no longer just held her ground; she froze in place and prepared for imminent decapitation. He shook with rage, his face twisted into a feral snarl. The growling continued unabated and she could tell that he was moments away from leaping up and liberating her head from her neck. In another extreme force of will, she slowly backed away from Rin's grave. She held her hands up, edging around his shaking form as she tried to keep as much space between them as possible. Kind of an impossible feat, the little cemetery was doing rather brisk business. Being so full of graves that there was barely room to maneuver and only a small path in-between individual spaces.

His eyes followed her the entire time, his lips trembling and flinching to occasionally reveal his fangs. He didn't stop making that awful sound until she was far enough away from Rin's grave for his liking. Which was actually somewhere near the same place she'd been sitting before. For a moment, their eyes met and she could see that he didn't want to attack. He was too tired from fighting the poison and the pain from his wounds.

Just like that, he turned away from her. Cutting off any momentary connection they had as his gaze turned back to Rin's grave. His breathing slowed, his face went slack and he fell back into his more passive, coma-like state. She realized sadly that he was protecting her grave. Her throat tightened as she clutched the flowers more tightly in her hands. Normally, she would have just left, content that she'd done what she could. She have let everyone know that they should steer clear of the cemetery and left it at that. But something inside cried out at that moment, there was more than just physical wounds that needed healing. She wasn't arrogant enough to assume that she could really help him, but she had to try. She'd always tried. Even when it seemed impossible.

Inuyasha's hateful, supercilious brother he might be but Sesshoumaru was grieving. He hurt. He felt pain though he rarely showed it and for that reason...amongst many others...no one had ever bothered to help him. Knowing, perhaps, that he wouldn't accept any help offered. But this time...this time things were different. Kagome felt duty bound to cross that barrier. She'd always been kind of an idiot in that way. Taking paths braver men and women feared to tread. For Rin. She had to do this for Rin. The little girl wouldn't want to see her lord like this. So for Rin's sake, she'd reach out. With uncharacteristic grace, she sat down next to him again.

For an eternity, she said nothing. Not really knowing what she should say. She glanced at Sesshoumaru and then at the grave and felt a gnawing, twisting wail of grief and sadness at the sight. There were so many things not right with this whole situation.

Gazing blankly with the daiyoukai at the grave, she spoke softly, "You really cared for her, didn't you?"

She was kind of glad he didn't answer. Generally, it was a bad idea to point out another's weakness. It was an especially bad idea to point out said weakness to a youkai. An even worse idea to point one out to a daiyoukai, especially one of Sesshoumaru's stature. But she felt safe and a little sad for him that caring about someone was considered a weakness. To her, caring about others had always been a strength. It was her greatest strength; at least, she thought so at the time. Even after all the crap she'd been handed to her afterwards, deep in her heart...she still believed it.

"I bet..." She said, with mock-confidence, "...that Rin really loved flowers. Well...all little girls love flowers...sort of a 'girl' thing...but...well...you know..."

She trailed off, looking down at the bouquet she held in unsteady hands. The brilliant white of the chrysanthemums stood out blindingly in the early morning light. Pure white flowers for a pure soul. Pure white, the same color as Sesshoumaru's hair. Pure white...like death itself...colorless, formless and without description. Tears pricked at her eyes and this time, she let them slide. It was okay to let go now. She'd done what she had to. Holding out the bouquet for inspection, she looked up at the daiyoukai hopefully. Her hands outstretched over his lap, so that all he'd have to do was look down to seem them. But he didn't even look. He didn't move. Just...sat there, staring into nothing. It bothered her. His non-reaction bothered her more and more each and every moment. She couldn't stand it.

"I brought these for Rin." She stated, her voice skirting the edge between tears and firm resolution. "I think she would have liked them."

There was a moment when she faltered. When her voice became hollow and she couldn't find the worlds she wanted to say. Her mouth moved mutely as thoughts and words formed, and she could speak again.

"I was going to put them on her grave. It's...It's sort of a human tradition to do that. You probably don't understand. Being youkai...probably don't experience death the same way. I'm sure you have your own traditions..."

She wasn't really sure where she was going with this, only that she was. A few stray tears slipped from her eyes and trailed down her cheek. She quickly wiped them away, fighting the stuffy nose and the oncoming headache. Too many tears, too much crying and she was so weary. Sighing, she looked to the sky before continuing.

"Putting flowers on a grave is our way to show respect for the dead. Our way of remembering them and showing them that we still care. Silly, I know...but...it's sort of a way to let go too. A way for us to say goodbye and not feel bad for having to go on without them. I guess, you'd understand that..." She rambled on for a few more minutes, quieting as her words petered out, "Then again...maybe not." She shrugged, chewing on the inside of her cheek briefly before speaking again with measured slowness, "Our lives are so short compared to yours. Maybe you don't mourn like we do at all. Maybe you don't go on...Maybe you always remember and never let go...but humans, we have to. Sometimes, living is all you have. Sometimes, seeing the sun one more time is just enough. Sorry...I'm not making much sense...I just...I..." She paused, struggling with her emotions, with her thoughts and her words. She felt so pathetic, useless and utterly defeated in that moment that she just blurted out, "May I please g-give the flowers to Rin? Please?"

She was prepared for him not answering but her heart couldn't take the silence. Closing her eyes, her fingers tightened around the stems again and she drew the bouquet to her chest. Tears fell from beneath her closed lids as she sobbed silently. Inside, she was screaming at him, "Please, just answer!" But outside, there were no words she could think of to express what she needed to. It was like she wasn't allowed to think, to feel. As if she'd bottled it up and repressed it, and now it was raking the walls of her heart...and she couldn't do anything but cry.

Something, or rather someone, tugged at the bouquet held in her hands. It was gentle, barely noticeable really, but it was enough to bring her from her sorrowful stupor. She looked up, eyes wide, as she wiped away her tears with a balled fist. The daiyoukai was gazing down at her with his head titled to the side in curiosity. His eyes flickered from her face to the flowers while he lightly touched the stems, the flowers...his fingers skimmed them, as if memorizing their edges. Staring at the bouquet for a moment longer, he lifted his hand and fingered a single petal before setting it down again. His gaze left the flowers, and returned forward. He made a noise somewhere between snort and a grunt before nodding at the grave. She understood he was giving her tacit permission to approach the grave and she was more than just grateful. Not just for the permission but for the reaction as well.

"Thank you." Kagome said breathlessly, managing a low bow despite her current state of overwhelmed awe.

With great reverence, she stood up and approached the grave. Kneeling, she set the bouquet on top of Rin's grave, quickly saying a little prayer over it. She clapped her hands twice and bowed low to pay her final respects to the little girl. After she was finished, Kagome paused then and reached out a slim hand to pluck a single flower from the bouquet. Returning to the spot she'd previously occupied, she glanced at Sesshoumaru. He'd gone all passive again, much to her dismay. This wouldn't do. He couldn't stay like this. It was dangerous. For him and the villagers...she had to do something. Slipping the flower into his hand, she began to think. While she pondered this new conundrum, the flower she's placed in his hand slowly slipped from the daiyoukai's grasp. It had nearly fallen out of his hand until his fingers slowly curled around the delicate stem.

"You know..." She began carefully, turning over her words before speaking, "There are a lot of people in the village who'd like to give Rin flowers too..."

That comment garnered a low growl. It was loud enough to let her know he didn't approve but not so much as to be openly menacing or hostile. Nodding softly, she laid her hand on his, not sure exactly what she hoped to accomplish with the gesture. Maybe she had a death wish but something in her needed him to understand.

"Lord Sesshoumaru...who do you think buried her here? The villagers only wish to pay their respects." She explained quietly, noting that the look on his face darkened considerably.

It seemed he thought the subject closed and did not appreciate her pushing the issue. Kagome sighed, deciding that she'd rather be decapitated than not speak her mind, "I guess there's a lot of stuff you don't understand." His eyes narrowed minutely. He apparently really disapproved of that comment. Kagome realized her error and stuttered out a quick response, "N-N-Not to say that I think...I didn't mean to imply you were ignorant or anything like that...I mean...you know a lot more than any human...but there's stuff about humans you might not...you know...be aware of...being youkai and all."

This seemed to pacify him or at least it placated him enough for him to ignore the slight. Either way, she was still alive, which all in all was good. Kagome being the person she was, decided to push the envelope.

"Even so, Humans and demons aren't that different I think. We might experience it a different way but death affects us all. Losing someone dear to you is kind of universal. I mean, youkai might live a lot longer than humans but they can still die. No one is exempt." She said, going quiet as her thoughts sunk in before continuing more quietly than before, "I think what makes this harder is that Rin was just a kid. She was so young. She was innocent. She didn't...S-she didn't deserve to die." She paused, her voice too shaky to continue but still she plodded on, unable to speak in anything more than a whisper, "It's not fair..."

A breeze wafted through the trees at that moment, creating a sense of serenity that punctuated the sorrow of the moment. She felt herself crumbling again, dissolving into a puddle of tears that would drown the world if she let them. It wasn't just Rin she mourned for. There were so many reasons for her feelings on that day, too many to list, but they were all brought forward at that moment. The girl's death was just the catalyst. She let the tears fall, crying for every reason under the sun until her sorrow was spent. Kagome took several calming breaths, allowing herself to gather some semblance of control. After ten minutes, she felt it was safe to speak again. She had to get this out, if she didn't...if she'd didn't, she wasn't sure what she'd do...

"I know you don't think much of humans. I understand, I really do. I get it. But Rin was human. Just like me, just like the people in this village. Not all humans are evil and stupid. You can't base your opinion on the worst of our kind. Just like humans can't base our opinion of youkai on the worst of your kind. There are good people in this world and bad people and people in between. My point is...the people in this village are good, decent people. They took good care of Rin, even though they had no obligation to her. " She said this in one long breath, her eyes locked on some distant point in the horizon as she tried to keep her thoughts organized. "They saw to it she was put to rest properly...observing all the right rituals and ceremonies. They even made a shrine for her, so that her spirit will never be forgotten."

Kagome waited for a moment to let all of that sink in, holding back her hair as the breeze continually pushed it into her face. He didn't react but she knew intuitively that he had heard, moreover, he'd actually listened and understood what she was trying to convey.

Encouraged, she continued, "None of us knew her like you did but we still care. What happened wasn't fair. It wasn't right. Please, let the village to continue to honor her."

Sesshoumaru had remained quiet during her entire speech, and she waited patiently for some kind of answer. Nothing came and she felt her frustration grow. She really, really, REALLY wanted to shake the hell out of him, just to get a reaction out of him again. Sure, he'd probably make with the head decapitaties but at this point she didn't care. Kagome barely managed to suppress the urge but it still bothered her. Even his haughty disdain for all things human would be preferable to this. Tilting her chin up, she looked straight at him with vicious resolve.

"Sesshoumaru..." She began, deliberately leaving off his title, "The villagers have taken care of her and will continue to do so. As long as it is your wish...as long as you allow it. But they can't DO that if they're scared to pieces that you'll attack them. I give you my word. No harm will come to Rin ever again."

His eyes narrowed as the words sunk in. Her hand still lay on top of his as she looked up at him. His head turned imperceptibly, eyes flickering from her hand to her face. Kagome felt a sharp intake of fear and something else at having his red-eyed gaze turned on her like that. It was a bit unnerving and made her conscious of the fact that despite the fact that he looked human, he was a demon. No. No, she wouldn't shy away. She wouldn't be afraid. Determined now, she met his gaze unflinchingly. She had expected many reactions that day but none of them included what he actually did.

The flower fell from his hand suddenly and his fingers curled around her own. She jumped, alarmed by the abruptness of this most intimate gesture. Her mind went into a temporary freeze, made worse by what he did next. His hand let go of hers as he took hold of her wrist and with a quick yank, he pulled her into his lap. Her eyes went wide and she let out a startled little yelp. She trembled, looking up at the youkai who held her with stark, abject fear. What was he doing? He leaned down then, pressing his face to her neck and thereby increasing her confusion ten fold. What was going on? She was being embraced...sitting in the lap of...with his neck pressing against her face...Her mind hiccupped and she blinked several times before her mind came back on track. She was doing all that with Sesshoumaru. The deadliest youkai she knew, youkai who had tried to kill her on more than one occasion. A youkai who hated humans. He was holding her...He could tear her in half and he was holding her. Holding her but making no move to do anything but that. It was like her mind wasn't prepared to process the information at hand. Kagome knew it then. It was official. The world had gone insane and it had taken her with it.

He held her very closely and she became more uncomfortable with each minute that stretched before her. She had tried to squirm away and he growled. It was deep and low in his throat but she could feel it against the skin on her neck. Could feel his breath as he exhaled and it chilled her inside and out. She froze as his face dipped down to her neck again, feeling as if she'd turned to ice. The constant urge to jerk away was overwhelming. Heart hammering in her chest, she trembled violently as she tried to understand what the hell was going on. Kagome closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. She had to be calm. Had to be calm. Her body relaxed slightly, so that the tremors that racked it lessened. Opening her eyes, she lightly pressed her hands to his chest and turned her head. She couldn't see his eyes, as his head was buried in her neck. All that she could see was his ear, the elegant arch of his neck and his hair.

Taking care to remember his sensitive hearing, she whispered tremulously, "S-Se-Sesshoumaru...What're you d-doing?"

As she spoke, she pulled away slightly, trying to get a good look at him. Apparently, he didn't like this as he gave her a curt little bark, pulling her closer to him. Against her will, she was pressed to his chest now and unable to do anything else but submit to it. She was feeling more alarmed by the moment. Uncertain of what he was doing and how she could get out of this situation. She just sat there, her fingers unconsciously grasping the loose silk of his haori. His face pressed in more closely to her neck and she let out a little gasp, which she quickly stifled.

His cheek suddenly brushed against hers. All that she registered was the sudden flash of magenta as it passed her eyes and the warm feeling as his flesh pressed against hers...ever so lightly. He gently nudged her head with his own before rubbing his cheek against hers again. Doing this a few more times, he stopped abruptly to press his face against her neck once more. He inhaled deeply and when he exhaled, his breath brushed against the fine hairs on her neck. Involuntarily, she shivered and she could feel the goose pimples tickling underneath her skin. Instinctively, she shied away from the feelings this evoked. This was wrong. Very, very wrong...for so many reasons and all of them frightened her. The urge to flee overwhelmed her. Kagome couldn't fight it any longer. This was wrong, all wrong and she wanted to get away, wanted him to let her go. She began to struggle against his grip, knowing the whole time it was futile. But she had to. Couldn't he see? Why was he doing this?

Her hands let go of his haori and she pressed against his chest, trying to gain some leverage against him. To no avail. His grip on her was like iron and to make matters worse her struggles only gained another low growl from him. The growling became continuous when she didn't give up and finally transformed into an out and out snarl. It was a vicious sound, a dangerous sound which was accompanied by the feeling of his claws digging into her arm. She immediately ceased moving, staying frozen where she was.

"I don't want to be here." She whispered within herself, praying to whatever god that would listen to make him let her go.

Kagome closed her eyes and bit her lip as she tried her best to not touch him. It was impossible, but she tried all the same. The daiyoukai didn't care either way. He seemed somewhat pleased she stopped moving and had stopped growling the minute she'd accepted her place. His head nudged hers again and he continued his inspection unabated, content that there would be no further struggle on her part.

For Kagome, all she could do was endure whatever it was he was doing, hoping distantly that she'd make it out in one piece. She licked her lips, trying to shut out all sensation...which wasn't working. He was nuzzling her. That was the only way to describe it and it was infinitely unnerving. Not only because he was a practical stranger but because he was Sesshoumaru. Because he was terrifying, not only for who he was but for what he was. Because he was Inuyasha's brother, who'd tried to kill her and her friends numerous times. Because his name, his visage was synonymous with untimely death and until recently, her feelings towards him had included fear, terror, and general sense of malaise. Because now after seeing that look in his eyes those old feelings kind of...disappeared and were replaced by slightly more sympathetic feelings. Because this felt like betrayal...even if it wasn't really. Kagome felt her mind become dull and hazy. She could feel his lips and his nose graze the skin on her neck occasionally. It sent shivers up and down her spine, and she'd convinced her mind that it was fear. For it to be anything else was madness. Sometimes he'd venture into her hair, inhaling deeply as he buried himself in it. It was like...It was as if he was looking for something. At first, she stayed still because she was afraid of what she'd do if she didn't. Now she stayed still because she was curious. What the hell was this all about anyway?

Eventually, he stopped his restless searching and narrowed in on a spot just behind her ear. With mechanical slowness, he lavished attention on that particular spot. He nudged the area with his nose, pressing his face in so close and with such force that she had no choice but to tilt her head to relieve the pressure on her neck. A queer little whine escaped her throat that sounded like a boiling tea kettle if it sucked in a balloon-full of helium. The noise didn't seem to bother the daiyoukai because he didn't stop doing whatever it was he was doing. Kagome bit her lip to stop the sound, not really succeeding. It really tickled.

That and the whole absurdity of the situation made it very hard for Kagome NOT to burst out into hysterical peals of laughter. What made it worse was every time he nudged her, he seemed to inhale deeply through both his nose and mouth. It made a slight but noticeable sound that reminded her of Buyo when he was intently sniffing the floor for whatever reasons he sniffed the floor for. Apparently, Sesshoumaru and her pet cat had something in common. "Maybe I should take him home and they could go bowlin'..."That thought didn't help much and she stifled a giggle by biting down on her tongue...hard. "Think logically, Kagome. Think logical. Logical. Not working. Crap! Tickles so much..."

And then it suddenly came to her. He WAS like her cat, an idea which made absolute sense and was utterly hilarious at the same time. She wondered then if a dog demon would be insulted if compared to a rather rotund feline kept as a pet by a human.

Kagome turned the idea over in her head before thinking to herself quietly, "Yea-a-a-a-a-ah, probably."

She shook her head and turned her mind to things that'd actually help her survive all this. As opposed to those thoughts that caused her to laugh, thereby shortening her life. This was no time to make a laughter related faux pas. He was sniffing her. It wasn't like this was the first time something like this happened. Kouga and Inuyasha had done something similar once, though they weren't quite as thorough or as insistent as Sesshoumaru was. Nor did they invade her personal space quite as badly, which was funny in a vaguely ironic but not technically ironic way. Shippou would sometimes get like this though, especially when he was sad or afraid. Narrowing her eyes, she slowly formed a large mental 'NO' at that idea. The very idea that Sesshoumaru would come to her like Shippou would was grossly ridiculous. Well, he was sad...No, no, no...She didn't want to venture into Sesshoumaru's reasoning for sniffing her right now. Even so, the idea had merit. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that his more instinctual nature had taken control. Maybe this was some kind of...youkai...mourning thing that she wasn't aware of. Either way, it was weird.

She wasn't really sure what the sniffing accomplished. She'd never really understood the whole demon obsession/preoccupation with scent. Then again, her sense of smell wasn't that acute and she didn't regularly use it for much of anything. It was hardly a human's primary way of gathering information, nor was it the most important. However, she guessed that for demons it must be pretty damn important. None of the demons she knew personally had been able to explain it to her in any depth. Kouga and Shippou were dear friends but a tad lacking in the area of communicating feelings effectively. Or at least in a way that was easily understandable and made sense.

From the little she learned about the subject, scent apparently told them a lot about other people...beings...animals, whatever. According to the 'OH-so helpful' information she'd gleaned from Kouga and Shippou, a demon could detect subtle hormone changes in someone's scent. Some very strong emotions caused specific biochemical reactions in the body. She got that part from one of her old high school text books. Apparently, those changes caused a slight change in scent and therefore it made said changes detectable. This was used by most youkai to determine the health and well being of a friend...or an enemy. Anger, for instance, induced the production of Adrenaline. Sadness and depression is caused by low levels of Serotonin. Happiness and feelings of love and sexual attraction caused the production of Endorphins. There was more to it, of course. But Kouga and Shippou had been unable or unwilling to explain any further, stating rather helpfully that she was human and therefore would NOT understand.

In any event, it was hardly a perfect system but it was a rather good gauge to base certain assumptions on. In this way, truth could be told from lies but like a polygraph test, it wasn't something you relied too heavily on. Especially when dealing with other youkai, who would have finer control over their physical reactions. Humans, however, rarely had such control and she knew that scenting them was common practice amongst most youkai. Even the most practiced liar fears the detection of their mendacity. It was a human trait--to fear and fear held a firmer grip on a human trying to lie to a youkai.

Maybe that was what this was all about. Kagome was confused then and a little perturbed, and very definitely angry. But she couldn't blame him. He hadn't gotten to where he was without being overly paranoid and her reaction hadn't instilled much trust. If she'd known what he was doing sooner maybe she'd have...done better or something. As it was, she knew now and so she relaxed herself as much as she could. Within a few breaths, her fear melted away and a great deal of her nervousness went with it. This situation was as strange as it was embarrassing but she had no real reason to be afraid. If this were some kind of goofy assed youkai truth test, then so be it. She would endure it as long as she could. Not like she could go anywhere anyway.

Kagome sighed in resignation and tried to get comfortable without touching him too much. Again, an impossibility but she tried none-the-less. Her hands rested lightly on his chest and she wasn't content with it at all. She was less content when she pressed her forehead into his chest and yet she willingly turned her head a bit. Giving him full access to the scent that apparently fascinated him so much that he'd spent the last ten to fifteen minutes with his head buried there...nose to her neck. Once more, she struggled with her emotions, being somewhere between frustration and out right amusement at her current plight. But she sat through it all, uncomplaining as ever, like the good little trooper she was. She wondered if there were a hidden camera somewhere and if there was, she'd like to know when the host of the show would jump out and yell "SURPRISE!" Because all of this...whatever it was...was freaking her out. Seriously.

He inhaled...as he was wont to and she sighed, her cheeks growing red as she finally came to realize the sensitive nature of the situation she was in. Up to now, this had been alternately terrifying, frustrating, stupefying and embarrassing. It hadn't really occurred to her with real clarity the situation she was in until now. If Miroku were to stumble upon this scene at this precise moment it would look like...like she was caught in flangrante delicto with Sesshoumaru and it was a place she didn't want to be. Plus, it REALLY didn't help that his lips kept brushing against her neck and the fact that it kind of felt...nice...was bothersome. And she blushed all the harder. How did she get herself into these situations? Cursing her own stupidity, she began to meditate just as Miroku and Kaede had taught her. It was a thousand times better than thinking about Sesshoumaru and his lips...amongst other things.

Closing her eyes, she slowed her breathing and focused on the empty black of her mind. She cleared out everything else that could distract her. Sesshoumaru, the world around her and her own errant thoughts were forgotten and wiped away as she concentrated on being blank and without thought. It had taken her awhile to be able to do this but over time it had become easier. Soon, she was surrounded by the swirling well of purple light that was her power. In her mind, it looked like a small glowing sphere surrounded by spiraling waves of holy light that moved in and out of the sphere. Crashing against it like the sea as it battered the shore.

When she first had experience this vision, that power seemed untamed. It had looked to her then like the ocean during a mid-day storm, beautifully violent and utterly uncontrollable, frightening in its intensity. Kaede had told her that everything in this world has two natures. Yin and Yang. The more violent side of her power was representative of her Yang aspect. It was active and bright. As she trained and gained more control, the brighter aspect of her power dimmed somewhat. So much so that it seemed like the ocean on a flat winter night. When the water was so still that you could barely tell the moon from its reflection. This was the Yin aspect of her power. The passive and dark side. And once she'd seen for herself each aspect of her power, Kaede had shown her how to meld them together. Because you can't have one without the other, there must always be a balance between the two. The light leads darkness and darkness follows light.

Things had gotten all wonky now because she was upset about a great many things. Stress tended to cause imbalance in one's aura and so now she had plenty of time to straighten it all out. Focusing in on the knitted sphere of power within her, she forced the fingers of her mind outward. Stirring the waters and calming them all at once until her aura settled. The ribbons of light around the sphere calmed and became like the tide again. Pulsing in regular, rhythmic waves. She let it cocoon around her consciousness, enveloping her in a warmth all her own. All problems had effectively melted away. Within herself, she was allowed to be a peace. This was a place where she didn't have to be Kagome or Kikyo or anyone or anything. She was warm and safe...and happy. Free from all the annoying... poink...and aggravating...poinkpoink...things that...poink...poinkpoink...poinkpoinkpoink... 'DAMN IT! Of all the--'

Something was pushing against the calm well of power that surrounded her. It pricked her senses and pulled her out of the tranquil lull she'd relaxed herself into. Her mind's eye opened and searched for the thing that was audacious enough to break the peace she'd strived so hard to find. It wasn't hard. There was nothing but her aura and it. And it was very different than her. This aura was bright, much brighter than her own. It was so much like hers but so very different all at once. If she could give it form it would be gold in color and liquid in nature, smelling a bit like freshly cut flowers. Not like the perfume that said it smelled like flowers but didn't. Not at all like a rose...no, this smell wasn't so showy and self-important. It was fresh...like a lily or a silently blooming orchid. It was subtle...It felt like...it felt like springtime, when everything was new and straining against the yoke of frozen winter. Absurdly, her mind came up with the image of an overeager dog stretching at its leash as it was taken for its first walk after the thaw. The image seemed to fit, no matter how undignified it seemed.

Her aura flared suddenly as the alien aura in gold tested the waters again. The sacred power within her spiked, sensing that this other aura was a danger. This aura was its opposite in every way. This aura didn't belong and the holy power tensed, waiting for the go ahead to purify what endangered the one it served. She held it back, because the gold aura seemed somewhat familiar. It skirted at the edge of the water, teasingly coiling itself around her aura before letting go. This was curious. Normally when another's aura invaded your own it was usually sent in to attack. To break you and leave you defenseless. It was never a playful or gentle thing. It never teased. It broke in and destroyed, but this aura...whoever sent it in wasn't there to hurt or destroy. Perhaps to test...yes, it seemed like an inquiry. But why? Very curious indeed.

She decided to push back to see what happened. The gold aura pushed, she pushed back. Immediately, the gold aura seemed to back off. Seemingly cautious of what she could do to it. Curiouser and curiouser. She sent out a tendril of power and it recoiled like a nervous dog. It was skittish and only wanted to approach when it felt comfortable. She formed a hand in her mind and held it out. The gold aura formed itself into the dog she imagined it to be, though whether this was for her benefit, she wasn't sure. Her hand held out, she let the dog come to her as the vision solidified. Until it wasn't just formless ripples of incandescent power, but almost like a cut scene ripped from a movie reel. Like a dream given breath and life. She could see herself and she could see the dog quite clearly. One waiting on the other, seeing who'd break first. She sat on her haunches, content to wait for him and he stood warily across from her. Eyeing her suspiciously it seemed, like he was waiting for her kindness to be revealed as cruelty. She smiled softly. Silly dog.

She held her hand out farther, stretching her fingers out so that he could see she meant him no harm. 'Come on...it's okay...' she whispered to it, her voice high-pitched and sweet. It echoed effervescently in the blank nowhere of her inner eye. Her power rippled and pulled back according to its mistress's will. It became the gentle sea, loving and deep. Shushing in and out quietly like a comfortable old lullaby. The dog sensed this and tentatively stepped forward. 'Yeah, it's okay...Come on...' She sang to it, wiggling her fingers in encouragement. The dog's tail wagged and it padded just a bit closer. She smiled wider then, turning her hand over so that her palm faced outward...no longer just beckoning him. It was a gesture of acceptance; she wanted him to come closer. His tail wagged a bit more brightly and he closed the gap. Her smile widened as the dog came up and sniffed her hand cautiously, his imaginary tail wagging the entire time. She didn't move, because she wanted to make sure he was comfortable with her first. Couldn't just start petting a dog that didn't trust you yet, now could you?

His wet nose snuffled against her palm and then her wrist. The dog looked up at her then, with eyes far too intelligent for your average canine. It gave one last sniff at her wrist before quietly licking her palm. The priestess smiled just as quietly and set her hand on his head. She scratched behind his ears, ruffling the fur on his head before she began to pet him. The dog closed his eyes momentarily before sitting down. It looked up at her with wan gold eyes, flinching a little when her fingers accidentally grazed a small wound on the junction between his shoulder blades and his neck. Kagome could see it then. A dark miasma that surrounded the dog, all centering upon this small wound and before she could really register the meaning, the vision began to fall apart. But not before she noticed that the gold aura that was the dog and her own had firmly intertwined. The bright gold aura pushed against her again and she was momentarily overwhelmed by the scent of flowers and springtime. Breathing in deeply, she broke from the dream with a lingering tingle of power in her fingertips. Something nagged at her, something familiar. Something that felt...a demonic aura was near and her eyes flew open. She glanced up at the demon that held her, knowing in her heart of hearts that the invading aura had come from him.

The aura that smelt like springtime and flowers came from Sesshoumaru and she swallowed hard. She was halfway between open awe and indignant fear. What kind of game was he playing anyway? His aura pushed against hers again one final time. The sensation was slightly uncomfortable but strangely intoxicating and she closed her eyes as it ran through her body. It tingled slightly, sending an shiver of pleasure that rippled from nerve to nerve like a soft ocean wave. Defying all logic and reason, she felt his demonic aura coil around hers again. The opposing powers fought for dominance briefly before finding a tenuous middle ground. And finding that balance, they slowly intertwined. Bright tendrils of purple wrapped around bright gold, reminding the priestess of midsummer fireworks. Popping and exploding brilliantly as they screamed heavenward, lighting the midnight sky in gaudy Technicolor glory.

It shouldn't be this way. The demonic and the holy couldn't exist in such exquisite equilibrium. Since the dawn of time they'd fought. Kaede had told her so. There hadn't been peace between humanity and demons for as long as anyone could remember. Not even the oldest youkai could remember a time when it was different. So how could it be? The gift the gods gave to protect humanity. The gift of purification should have destroyed, or attempted to destroy the invading demonic aura. And the power of a youkai, though not dark by design, it was the very opposite of the power given to humanity. It should have sought to obliterate the light and yet, it didn't. They intertwined so easily it seemed. Initial resistance aside, they seemed to compliment each other. As if. As if.

Before Kagome could complete the thought, the demonic aura receded. Extricating itself from her aura slowly as if it didn't wish to leave. For a moment, she felt a fleeting pain that wasn't her own. It seemed to echo from the gold aura that left her. A dark tendril of disease tainted the gold, sucking the brilliance from it. It hurt so much. It was a stabbing pain, impaling every nerve individually and she had to grit her teeth to relieve the agony as it wracked her body. With a gasp, the feeling left her as the gold aura slipped away quickly and quietly. Her eyes widened as she stared forward blindly. If the gold aura was Sesshoumaru, then the dark tendril must be the poison. The small amount of pain she felt was only a fraction of what Sesshoumaru was feeling.

Kagome sat there in stunned silence.

She blinked her eyes into open reality, trying her best to apprehend the significance of what had just happened. Because it was significant. The last few moments had changed everything for her and she wasn't quite sure how or in what way. It was like trying to catch smoke. She grasped for it and her mind met nothing but empty air. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't place the feeling but she accepted the knowledge of it. Somehow, something had been unalterably changed.

Staring at the plain white of his haori, she gripped the garment unconsciously. With awareness dulled by her former dreamlike state, she realized where she was, which only heightened the sense of transformation within herself. During her meditations, she'd relaxed into his embrace and he into hers. She now leaned against him most comfortably; her head nestled into the crook of his neck. His head rested on her own and she could occasionally feel the puff of his breath whisper through her hair. She gasped in shock, nearly hyperventilating in embarrassment. Her cheeks immediately broke out in a bright red blush. The color was complimented by the heat in them as her mortification over this situation was well and truly complete.

Despite this, she didn't dare move, remembering quite well his previous reactions to such an action. Instead, she endured as best she could. His attentions to her had ceased and he no longer probed at her neck and hair. Evidently, he was content to just hold her for a few minutes longer. Or so she thought. He nuzzled her neck one final time, leaning in close to her ear...close enough to just brush the sensitive shell with his lips. She suppressed a shiver as she wondered what he might do next. He was so very unpredictable. She imagined a hundred thousand things he might do and again, she was left surprised at his actual reaction. He spoke to her for the first time in as many days. In such a low and unconsciously seductive tone, that she would remember the way he sounded days...years...afterward. She'd memorized the tenor of his voice, and the slight emphasis he placed on each syllable.

"Agreed." He said simply.

And though said in an entirely expressionless tone, in it could be read a subtle palate of emotion. It was hidden and inscrutable in nature, but there all the same. She was confused by a great many things, though in the forefront of her mind was what he meant by 'Agreed'. What was he agreeing to? Then she remembered that she'd tried to secure the village's safety. It was the whole reason she was in this precarious and embarrassing situation in the first place. He'd agreed to allow the villagers to visit Rin's grave without fear of censure...or imminent decapitation. It was a wonderful turn of events and all of her discomfiture over her current predicament vanished. She looked up into the demon's face with a genuinely grateful smile. He didn't react in the least and had continued his solemn vigil. Undeterred, she was just about to actually thank him when he unceremoniously tossed her off his lap.

She landed hard on the ground, skidding a bit before she stopped. Her backside had grated against a rock and was likely to bruise quite badly. Already, it was bleeding through the light cotton of her jogging pants. It was a stroke of luck that she'd decided to wear the black pair, rather than the light grey. She didn't feel like explaining the cut on her ass anytime soon. Especially to Miroku, who WOULD notice it. The wounds on her hands and arms wouldn't be as easy to conceal, much less explain away. Pushing herself off the ground, she examined her abraded flesh, taking in the damage and trying to form in her mind a likely excuse for them. Pouting, she decided that her best bet was to blame her natural clumsiness and hope that Miroku bought it.

She shrugged in resignation as she gathered her things and stood up. Scowling at the demon who was the cause of her injuries, both mental and physical, she gave him the figurative raspberry. He didn't have to go and do that. She hadn't wanted to be in his lap in the first place and had made that fact abundantly clear. He'd been the one who'd been so insistent and then he had the gall to toss her off like a sack of potatoes. The least he could have done was set her down gently if her presence was that unwanted. Or better yet, he could have avoided the problem altogether by not tugging her onto his lap in the first place like a big ol' grabby-pants. Or...or he could have just asked her to get up, like a normal, polite person. True, he wasn't a person in the strictest definition of the word, but most demons had something approaching manners...and he was noble born to boot. So he should have known better. The jerk.

She grumbled inwardly while she checked for further injuries. Finding none, she shouldered her pack and prepared to leave. Bowing low, she quietly thanked the demon lord and turned to make a hasty exit. As usual, he said nothing but this time she felt no pang of sympathy for him or at least, she tried very hard not to. Her ass hurt. Her brain hurt. And it was all his fault. She was sick to death of this strange situation and the weird feelings it brought up. The change she felt in herself and her relationship to Sesshoumaru made her feel uncomfortable. Yes, that was part of the change in herself. There was something between them now. Something that wasn't there before, a tenderness in her regard for him that had recently bloomed. It was disconcerting and she could only wonder how this would change things within her group. Because, to her, it would have to change. There was no question in her mind.

Kagome shook her head. She didn't want to think about it anymore. She needed to be away. Turning, she was about to be just that...away. Just as she started to walk away, she felt a violent tug at her wrist that caused her to stumble back. She barely managed to catch herself before she fell. It was only by luck that she didn't end up kissing the ground. She stiffened, turning to gaze at the daiyoukai with eyes blazing with anger. The nerve! There was a sudden surge of outraged fear at the way he played with her. Grieving or not, that wasn't an excuse to mess with people's minds like this. By the grace of the gods alone, she held her tongue.

"You will return." He stated monotonously, as if it were an undisputed fact.

"Of course, " She replied tersely through her teeth, "Lord Sesshoumaru."

She had used his title with as much derision she could muster without seeming insensitive or callous. Despite the sarcasm in her reply, he seemed satisfied and let her go. His hand slipped from her wrist languorously. For a horribly stifling moment, his hand slipped around hers. His long fingers curling around her own, which seemed chubby and graceless when compared to his finer ones. She swallowed hard, having to remind herself to breathe when his thumb began tracing circles on the back of her hand. He squeezed once before finally breaking the contact, much to her relief. She snatched her hand back, holding it up to her chest as if afraid he might make a grab for it again. He didn't notice, his attention was now solely focused on Rin's grave and nothing short of the end of the world would divert it. She watched his hand fall limply into his lap and noticed with startled fascination as he wavered a bit. The tranquilizers were doing their work and had finally hit his system. She could tell he was struggling against them, trying to maintain what little control he had.

"Don't fight it." She said softly, giving him a look of pained confusion.

He turned slightly to regard her, staring up at her with blood glazed eyes. Her brow crinkled as she noticed for the first time that they looked a bit lighter than before. When she'd first come into the cemetery, his eyes had been a dark red, almost black. Now, they were a bright crimson. Frowning, she wondered what it could mean. He tilted his head slightly before turning away again. The moment remained broken and she left, but not before giving him one last, long glance.

She had tried to walk away calmly and had managed to do so until she hit the ten foot marker she'd noted before. Once she reached that internal marker, she walked a bit faster, her legs carrying her into a gentle but panicked trot. The further she got away from Sesshoumaru, the greater the impact of the morning's events had on her. Soon she was all out running and she didn't stop until she reached the entrance to the cemetery where she left Miroku. She nearly collapsed into the monk's arms upon exiting it, shaking and out of breath.

At first, Miroku had been concerned that something really terrible had happened. Truthfully, something had but there was no clear way to articulate it. And if there was, the subject was far to embarrassing for her to discuss anyway. After she caught her breath, she explained to him as plainly as she could all that had occurred. Minus the parts that dealt with the weird, uncomfortable moments she spent in his lap. Not like she was overeager to try and explain Sesshoumaru's strange behavior towards her. And her even stranger feelings that were the result of his behavior.

The rest of the day was spent quietly trying to forget the morning. Kagome managed to busy herself while the rest of the village took their turns visiting Rin's grave. It was an important end to the funeral rite and many in the village had been terrified it wouldn't be observed because of the daiyoukai's intrusion. Everyone was overjoyed when they found that the young priestess had effectively solved the situation. Still, Kaede and Miroku had to spend most of their time shuttling villagers in and out of the cemetery. Even though they knew the priestess had pacified the daiyoukai, they were still appropriately wary of him. The drugs apparently had done their job well, as Miroku had reported that Sesshoumaru appeared to be asleep. He expressed his renewed awe of the medicine from her home world and his general awe of her. Kagome felt uncomfortable with the praise, but accepted it gratefully. Though she'd hoped it'd be the only bit of homage paid, it wasn't. Praises from Miroku and Kaede were welcome, because they were her friends and she lived to please them. But from the rest of the village...it made her even less comfortable. She knew most of the villagers by name, but it wasn't like she knew each and every one of them intimately. And their praise wasn't the kind one friend gave to another. It was the kind of praise someone who thought themselves unworthy gave to a superior. They praised her like a votary praised their god. She didn't like the implications of their compliments. It was too much like worship, given far too obsequiously for her to truly accept it without a bit of revulsion.

Yet, such worship couldn't be helped. Even if she hadn't come from the future, she was an extraordinary girl in more ways than one. Her subduing of the daiyoukai hadn't been that remarkable, but for the fact that she'd actually done it. To kill a youkai was one thing; in fact, it was something any ordinary priest or priestess should be able to accomplish. Even with no spiritual power whatsoever, killing a youkai was no special task. To bend a youkai to your will took a formidable amount of skill that most humans lacked. Some spiritual power was, of course, necessary for such a task but even with tremendous power most normal priests and priestesses could only manage to subdue the weakest youkai. To subdue a daiyoukai, that took a level of strength and power that no human could possibly have. Yet, their priestess had. And she'd done no more than treat him kindly and with respect, solving the situation without resorting to violence or an obscene show of power...In fact, she hadn't really subdued him at all but rumors began to fly abundantly, despite her pleasantly reminding anyone who'd listen of the actual facts. The truth was soon muddied and Kagome gave up. Letting third and fourth hand accountings of the events and gossip take over. She was too tired to protest.

The rumor mill worked overtime and soon, it was whispered amongst the village that she'd subdued the daiyoukai without the help of a spell. It was sort of true anyway. The accounts deviated from there as more details of her awesome spiritual power came into play. Soon, in terms of the story, she became some kind of pure instrument of Buddha. Hovering over the daiyoukai divinely as she instructed him in the dharma, showing him the light as it were...with lasers. Well, more like rays of brilliant, goddess-like light...which equaled lasers in her mind but that was beside the point. It was blatantly not true. Worse, people started to stuff offerings into her hands...or leaving them at her door. Giving her gifts she didn't need, couldn't use and didn't want. No matter.

They'd done the same for the daiyoukai apparently. According to Kaede, Rin's grave was awash with flowers, as was the daiyoukai who protected it. Miroku and Kaede had watched the day's events with bemused wonder. Kagome was a unique young lady and it was always amusing to watch her deal with the reverence she so clearly deserved but always graciously refused. She was far too humble for her own good. Miroku, in particular, was generally amazed by the effect Kagome had on the daiyoukai. If it had been the first time she'd done this, he'd have been a bit surprised but not overly impressed by it. The fact was, she'd had the same effect time and time again. The girl had an uncanny knack for soothing the savage beast.

He didn't believe for a moment that the tranquilizers were the only thing keeping Sesshoumaru in line. Yes, the medicine worked well. The youkai lord was dulled in perception and very often it was obvious that he was asleep. But Sesshoumaru wasn't as subdued as much as he wanted them to believe. There was something amiss and the entire day, he'd been trying to pinpoint it. Kaede had felt it as well, though she didn't speak it out loud. Her uncertainty was contained in her every manner. Particularly when he caught her gaze, the look in her solitary eye painted a picture of reserved caution and questions that lacked answers. Later tonight, he reckoned there would be a very long, private discussion between them.

This feeling of wrongness and barely sheltered mystery pervaded the day. It wasn't until Kagome came near sundown that the two feelings coalesced and he became certain where they had come from. The younger priestess was uncommonly nervous as she approached the daiyoukai and she'd practically begged Miroku to stay with her. And suddenly, it all clicked. The puzzle was solved. Something had happened between the daiyoukai and Kagome. More than just words. The wounds on her arms and hands were evidence of that. He was inclined to believe her story of tripping on a grave stone hidden in the dirt. And though her nervousness meshed with her earlier reaction, it seemed quite a bit stronger than before. He felt it in his gut. She wasn't afraid of him attacking. She wasn't afraid of a fight or battle. It was fear of something else entirely. Being an ardent admirer of the fairer sex, this fear came with being a young woman who was naive of her own feelings. She was afraid to be alone with the daiyoukai, because something had passed between them. Something that made her very uncomfortable in his presence. He wasn't sure what it was or what was said, if it was said at all. Whatever had happened, it had bought them time and assured the village's safety. And she had sacrificed her comfort to do so.

He watched her silently as she tended to the demon lord. Noting with a smile as she complained about this, that and the other thing or just babbled any thought that came to mind by random whim. Rather than concentrating on her charge, she was trying to divert her own attention. His thought was interrupted as she wondered out loud at Sesshoumaru sleeping upright.

"How can he sleep, sitting like that? It's unnatural..." She commented, mostly to herself.

Miroku gave a pleasant chuckle as a reply, keeping his suspicions from his eyes as he watched the demon wake under her touch. Yes, he wasn't entirely taken down by the drugs. His eyes fluttered open long enough to register that she was there before they carefully closed. Miroku had watched vigilantly and noticed with great surprise that the effects of the poison had been diminished. It was impossible. Once Kindoku was introduced into the system, there was no way to be rid of it except for the Gyosei cure and the only way to slow the poison...His eyes widened in realization. There was a little known ritual attached to the cure for Kindoku poisoning that could be used to halt the poison's effects in the later stages. His father had told him of it when he was still alive and knowing his father, there was only one way he'd have known it but the girl's reaction coupled with the slowing of the poison pointed to one and only one possibility. He would definitely talk with Kaede tonight.

Looking from the daiyoukai to Kagome, his mind was filled with troubled thought. The girl seemed to draw youkai to her side like moths to a flame. It was strange to watch the almost instant transformation she wrought on them. Whether it was the almost instant dislike most youkai took to her. Or the not-so-rare instances of gradual but loyal attachment. They were attracted to her innocence and purity. His father had told him that beings born of darkness often envy the light, seeking to either destroy it or make it their own. He wasn't sure into which category Sesshoumaru fell. But what rang true in his mind was that she was in many ways, very much like a youkai. Only instead of being born of nature's darker parts, she was its light. Its love. Its life. She was a child of nature, completely attuned to the universe, so much so that she didn't even notice her own unconscious observance of its rules. She protected life and the earth as viciously as its supposed guardians. The very youkai who thought her so inferior, who saw her as mere human--but he had never felt Kagome to be entirely human. She was too pure. He could see it. She was the essence of the living dharma, Buddha's teachings in the flesh.

Kagome civilized the uncivil without lifting a finger. She'd tamed Kouga and his wolf tribe. They were now unerringly loyal to her and only her. A feat no other human could boast. As disagreeable as Inuyasha could be, she'd tamed his coarse nature as well. Turning him from a feral and dangerous foe, to a rather grumpy but steadfast companion in arms. She'd helped him gain greater control of his powers over his sword and his own blood. Not to mention little Shippou in whose eyes, she could do no wrong. He wondered then, what exactly had passed between Sesshoumaru and Kagome...he wondered and he worried.

Her kindness knew no bias. There were no impassable lines between youkai and human. She crossed that barrier with no trouble and little regard. There were no bounds to her kindness, and it was given with such unnatural selflessness to deem it almost divine. During the tenure of their friendship, he'd often wondered if such kindness was a gift or a curse. Watching the girl as she gently tended to the youkai lord, he had to admit...It was a gift, a worrisome gift but a gift none-the-less. Her power resided in her kindness. It was a beautiful thing to behold. Surpassing the worry in his heart. Yes, it was a gift.

The gods had given her a gift. They had chosen her to bear the burden of great responsibility. Her large soul was evidence of this. She was no simple reincarnation. Kagome had been put on this earth for a purpose and it certainly hadn't been simply to give Kikyo's soul another chance. The fact that she looked like the late priestess to Miroku was incidental. Kagome was destined for greater things than merely paying a debt from a former life. It was plain to him that she was an instrument of the gods. What purpose her presence here served, he couldn't guess nor would he try to. That she was here was all that mattered. She'd find her purpose soon enough but he guessed that it wouldn't be without suffering on her part. Those called by the gods were often tested and put upon. They were born into this world to shoulder suffering, it was their way. He could only hope that he and the others would be able to make Kagome's life just a bit easier along the road.

Miroku watched the shifting silhouette of his friend as she tended the daiyoukai. The gilded halo of the sun set slowly turning from golden afternoon to cool evening in the blink of an eye. As the dulling sun tucked itself behind the veil of the world, Kagome reflected on the events of the day. Things had passed so quickly that she hadn't had the time to really think about it. In a way, she was kind of glad she didn't understand but part of her knew it was better to know than not. But she was resolved in her ignorance and willfully made herself not think about it. She had also tried to will herself NOT to look at Sesshoumaru and she'd failed miserably at that. Her eyes kept glancing up at him, flickering to his face when her mind wandered. Giving up, she gazed at him fully as she injected his second dose of medication. His eyes were closed and he looked for all the world like he was really at peace. But he still seemed so cold, like an impenetrable barrier of ice surrounded him. You could chip away at it all you wanted, but it would always remain. As her hands touched the flesh on his arm, she suddenly remembered what happened in the morning. How warm he felt...She blushed hotly. Such thoughts were ridiculous and wrong. She viciously wished that his skin was cold like the ice he built around himself. It'd make things easier for her over-active imagination. He was an oil painting. Beautiful to look at but utterly untouchable, and though it'd be so easy to just reach out and brush the canvas...the knock on the head you'd get from the security guard would hardly make the effort worthwhile.

Thinking things resolved, she turned her gaze to the offerings surrounding him. The little grave was indeed overflowing with flowers for Rin. There were simple little bouquets alongside artfully arranged wreaths and garlands, all a pure and dazzling white. There were even a few small toys left by local children. An edge of sadness entered her eyes as she thought of children leaving a gift for one of their own. Looking at one well loved little doll, she was stricken by the poignancy and heartfelt sorrow in the gift. The doll was obviously someone's favored toy and they'd given it to a dead little girl they hadn't even known. Feeling tears crawling their way forward she looked away, staring at the more practical gifts left for the daiyoukai--which consisted mostly of food and other things someone like Sesshoumaru clearly wouldn't want nor have any use for.

Interestingly, she noticed a small garland had joined the single flower she'd given him. The looping ring of chrysanthemums was placed haphazardly over his wrist and hung just beyond his knee. Kaede had told her that Mayu, one of the village's youngest children, had left it there for him. The elderly priestess had been horrified to see the tiny toddler trundle up to the daiyoukai, garland in hand. She had tried to stop Mayu, but the girl was irrepressible and she wasn't nearly nimble enough to run after her. Lucky for them all, Sesshoumaru didn't even flinch and had allowed the little girl to approach him without the batting of an eye. Mayu had gently set the flowers over his hand and bowing low, she thanked the daiyoukai and expressed her solemn condolences. It was no surprise to Kagome that he hadn't reacted at all, though it did, apparently, surprise Kaede quite a bit. Kagome smiled sadly at the memory and the imagined mental illustration of the moment. Bit by bit that afternoon six years ago faded away. The mosaic tiles of her memory broke away piece by piece, fluttering in a nowhere wind as they passed. Too soon the pastoral beauty of that glided remembrance transformed into the dull museum waiting room. Opening her eyes, Kagome glanced around and was somewhat sad to find herself here instead of there.

If only she'd known then what she knew now...

Blinking the tears and the sorrow away, she took a deep breath and tried her best to let the past be in the past. She had to focus on why she was here. Tokyo had long been known for many things, amongst them were their museums. Every really great city had them in spades. The Uzumaki Metropolitan Museum of Greater Japan was one of the newest. It specialized in ancient Japanese weaponry and artifacts. Not too unusual if you only looked at it from the surface. But Kagome had done her research. This specific museum dealt in rare antiquities, most of them having illustrious, infamous, or mystical origins. She'd had a chance, brief though it may have been, to take a look at their holdings. Their collection was impressive. They had armor that supposedly belonged to Nobunaga Oda. Several swords that belonged to Musashi Minamoto and quite a few scrolls of his calligraphy--though it seemed of lesser quality than those seen in the Rekihaku National Museum of Japanese History. Though the pieces that were of interest to her had little to no historical importance. Several of the pieces gave off a distinct but subdued demonic aura. It was obvious to her that enchantments had been put on them. So it wasn't like the museum didn't know what they had.

She'd been keeping an eye on this new museum and the antiquities dealer that funded the place. Saito Antiquities had backed the museum...it's one and only contributor, in fact. Saito Industries was family run and had been in the business of finding and restoring rare antiquities for a very long time. And the rare antiquities they dealt in most always had mystical or demonic origins. She'd never to come into conflict with the Saitos because despite the fact that they pedaled demonic weaponry, they'd never crossed the line. They had never been known to going looking were they shouldn't have. And any antiques of demonic origin they possessed were always neutralized before sale. She'd actually had occasion to sell a few charms to them once. That's how they got her name.

Then several months ago, a representative from Saito Antiquities had visited the shrine and began asking questions. They were looking for an expert on a very old myth to corroborate some stories about a particular sword. The woman they sent had also asked about a relic housed at the shrine. They'd come to her shrine seeking information on the Shikon jewel. She'd come here to find out why they wanted it. The pretense of this visit was to formally interview for a consultant position with the museum for an upcoming exhibit on the feudal era and its myths and legends. But her only real reason was to ascertain why they'd ask about the Shikon jewel.

Narrowing her eyes, she wondered if the evil of that damned jewel would ever stop. She had thought that after making the wish it would disappear...it should have. Her wish had been unselfish. She knew it had but it was still here and for the life of her, she couldn't figure out why. Sure, it was nearly bereft of power but it could still be used. It hadn't disappeared and neither had her problems with it. Even if it had, the scrolls containing how to 'Make Your Own Jewel in Seven Easy Steps' had to be protected. It didn't matter how much she detested the duty. She was the jewel's protector and she'd do what she had to.

Turning her wrist over, she glanced at her watch and was disturbed to see that she'd been so busy daydreaming that she'd lost a drastic amount of time. She'd been sitting in this waiting room for well over forty five minutes. Her meeting with the museum director was at two thirty and it was...a quarter after three! The interview was only supposed to last fifteen to twenty minutes, because her position was pretty much secured. Her interview was really only to propitiate the paper pushers and it was an excuse for the new museum director to formally meet her. For her part, she'd agreed only because she wanted to confirm her suspicions. This museum, though only a year old, had recently had a change of directors. The old director had died and a new one had been nominated. Satoru Saito had taken over as director at the request of his father, the late Hitoshi Saito. It interested Kagome to note that the CEO of Saito Antiquities also stood as director for their museum. Another interesting fact was that the elder Saito had died under rather mysterious circumstances.

Mysterious circumstances included a body that never made it to the coroner's office, which was odd. Hitoshi Saito was said to have died suddenly at home. All reports indicated he'd died from a fall after having had a heart attack. So there should have been a body and that body should have gone to the coroner for an autopsy...as all such cases would. But it hadn't. Mysterious circumstances also included a funeral that never happened. The papers had mentioned that it was to be a private affair. Even so, there should have been a traceable record of it. But there wasn't. It was also rather odd that the current director looked a lot like the old director, only a bit younger. Of course, it could be passed off as them being related. The fact was, not many people saw the elder Saito much less the younger one...and those who had remarked on the almost identical similarity in appearance from father to son. Like they weren't two people at all but one. It was also curious to note, that no one had seen father and son together...ever. In fact, no one had even known Hitoshi HAD a son until recently. All these facts put together, plus the Saito's link to the demonic world was worrisome and it was doubly suspicious that they asked about the Shikon.

She'd come with a twin purpose, to find out what Saito wanted and what she felt to be the truth. That Satoru Saito and his late father were one and the same. That he was a demon who sought the Shikon--whether it was the jewel itself or information on how to make one of his own was irrelevant. The fact that he wanted it and was a demon was enough for her to know what she had to do. And if those facts were as true as she believed them to be...she'd be forced to deal with him harshly.

He would regret seeking the Shikon and would pay for his foolishness with his life.

But she'd have to get close enough to him to make sure. Most demons relied on concealing spells these days. There was a counter spell but for it to work, she had to be in close proximity to the enspelled demon. Sadly, there was no way to salvage her interview. The director was late and she'd missed her appointment. She would have to reschedule as she was busy this afternoon. It was almost three thirty and she had another, most important, appointment to keep. She'd promised to meet her mother here at the museum for lunch.

With a deep sigh, she stood up and approached the odious secretary...who was still talking on the phone. After a few moments, the secretary took time out of her "busy" schedule to wait on her. Kagome left a message for Saito with her business card so they could arrange another appointment. Satisfied that she'd done all she could, Kagome wandered into the museum proper. As expected, her mother wasn't at the appointed waiting place. Typical. Her mother was many things, most of them wonderful, but she could be terribly ditzy when she wanted to be.

"Oh well." Kagome thought listlessly, mulling over whether it was worth the effort to try and call her.

She did and it wasn't. Her mother lived up to her rep by not having her cell phone turned on. Sighing and stuffing her hands back into her pockets, she strolled into the museum to search for her errant mother.