Theories

Theories- Chapter 5

Midday brought a plethora of sounds to the private haven shared by the demon Lord and his future mate. A hawk swooped down within a few feet of the resting pair, when it was suddenly struck by a high intensity greenish-yellow blade of light. Sesshomaru watched as the bird disintegrated before his eyes. Instinct had taken over, and when a predator was too close, his hand shot up and his energy whip exploded outward, ending any implied threat. During the entire incident, Miroku slept, curled next to his future mate and consummate lover. It was getting late, and they had lingered longer in this place than Sesshomaru wanted. If they were to continue on their path to find and destroy Naraku, they needed to leave this area and head in the direction the others had gone earlier that morning.

Sesshomaru moved his hand back to the sleeping monk's head, stroking it several times. "Miroku, wake up!"

Miroku yawned and stretched out his arms, barely making contact with Sesshomaru's cheek. A growl escaped the demon as a clawed hand grabbed the offending arm at the wrist and forced the human male to realize his error. Miroku tried to pull his arm back. "I'm sorry, My Lord, I didn't mean..." His wrist was released and fell with a thud onto Sesshomaru's lap.

"Do you always strike your sex partners upon awakening?" It was a curious question from the demon. Then again, it was the first time the two had actually slept together after making love- or was it just lust-driven sex? Either way, an answer was needed.

"No, My Lord. I... was merely stretching. I... didn't mean to... hit you." The words stuttered out as fear of reprisal coursed through the monk.

Sesshomaru smelled the fear pouring off the human. It was often the way of these frail mortals; a simple question could cause such a reaction. Again, something totally uncharacteristic of the demon, he calmed the trembling monk by stroking his head. "You must stop calling me My Lord, all the time. When we are alone, Sesshomaru will do." It didn't exactly say 'I'm sorry', but it was a gesture that didn't go unappreciated.

"As you wish... Sesshomaru." Miroku's body instantly responded to the calming hand on his head and the change of subject.

"We must leave, the others have over half a day lead and I don't want them catching Naraku before I get there." That was the indication that playtime was over and back to business. This time, however, Miroku would be traveling with a different party. He was unsure what precautions were taken to ensure the little girl's safety during the travel time. He had only seen Sesshomaru following them in the past. Perhaps, the child and Jaken stayed at preassigned camping sites, or Sesshomaru merely told them where to go and met with them later. Either way, he would be staying by Sesshomaru's side.

The pair got up, gathered their belongings and quickly dressed; no hasty baths this time. It didn't seem to matter that anyone knew of their trysts any longer, since the announcement of their formal mating had been made. With no real rush, they walked back to the others.

Jaken was fussing at Rin about something; it didn’t register what the problem may have been. He fussed all the time, anyway. “Jaken!” The sound of his name stopped the incessant toady chatter and brought the miniature demon scurrying before Sesshomaru.

“Yes, Milord?” Jaken, bowed low before his master.

“We are leaving. You and Rin take Ah-Un and go back to the castle. Wait there until we return in one week’s time. Have preparations made for the mating ceremony.” Sesshomaru issued the commands and walked towards Rin, not waiting for a reply.

“Rin.”

The small child looked up and smiled at her guardian as he strode near her. “Yes, Lord Sesshomaru. I will go back with Jaken. Will Houshi be returning with us?”

“No, he goes with me,” Direct and to the point, as usual.

Turning towards Miroku he stated, “Get your things, we are leaving now.”

Miroku gathered his meager belongings, threw them over his back and followed Sesshomaru.

Shortly after leaving the others, Sesshomaru knew that they had waited too long to get started this day. He wanted to catch up, but he didn’t think the human could travel at the pace necessary. He pointed to a particular spot about twenty feet from his side. “Miroku, stand there.”

Miroku stepped to the assigned location. For the first time ever, Miroku saw Sesshomaru transform to his true Demon self. It took less than a half minute, but it amazed him to watch the transformation. As if a whirlwind had started to blow around Sesshomaru, his hair started flowing in all directions. His eyes turned from the beautiful amber to crimson red. Soon, his face elongated; the nose and mouth became the muzzle of a canine. As the winds picked up around Sesshomaru, he started growing in height and as he did, he hunched over, his solitary remaining arm became a gigantic, white furred-paw, and his humanoid legs became the back paws. Clothes disappeared, as by magic, and his body was soon covered in the most luxurious coat of snow-white fur. As the winds died down, Miroku could see the transformation was complete. Where moments ago stood the stoic demon Lord of the West, now stood a three-legged white dog (with a stump where the fourth leg should have been), some ten meters tall, from ground to shoulder. Adorning the middle of the great dog’s forehead was the familiar sapphire blue colored crescent moon.

The transformed Sesshomaru squatted down on his haunches and motioned with his head for Miroku to approach and climb on his back. Grabbing a hank of fur, the monk hoisted himself up, and made himself comfortable in the middle of the huge back. He laid his staff across his lap and, held onto more of the fur, to keep his balance. Sesshomaru leapt into the air, and was soon soaring high about the ground, approaching some low-lying clouds.

Their travel to catch up to InuYasha and the others took only minutes. As he looked down, Miroku spotted the familiar red fire rat-clad half-demon. Sesshomaru spotted his brother also, and silently descended from flight about a half mile behind them, landing in a grassy glen. Miroku climbed off his back and stood to the side as a reverse transformation too place, this time, no whirlwind surrounded Sesshomaru. Had he not blinked, he might have actually seen how the reversal worked, but that was not to be. Where a great white canine stood moments before, now a fully clothed and armored Lord Sesshomaru stood, statuesque and beautiful as always.

Without saying a word, Sesshomaru started walking, led in the correct direction by the scent of his half-breed brother. Miroku followed, quickly caught up and, eventually, strode next to the demon Lord. They stayed downwind from the others, so their presence was undetected, about two hundred yards behind.

Both sets of travelers continued the same course until just about dusk.

InuYasha wanted to continue, but the girls complained of being tired and needed to eat. Now that he was the only male in the group, (Shippo didn’t count, he was just a kitsune cub), he had to gather the firewood, start the fire and do guard duty. “Damn that Miroku. Why’d he have to go and do somethin’ stupid like get involved with Sesshomaru?” That lament was heard over and over as the half-demon did all the manly chores. The girls tried to ignore his grumblings, but he really only had himself to blame. He was the one that told Miroku to leave the previous night. Well, he’d just have to buck up and do what needed to be done.

The girls got the food ready to be cooked and set out the bedding for the night. They talked softly to one another, which only irritated InuYasha more. His delicate hearing could pick up an occasional word, and it usually was his name, or Miroku’s. Bringing back the last of the firewood needed for the night’s cooking and then heating, he purposely dropped the load right in front of the gossipy females. “Alright! What’d I do wrong this time? Come on, spit it out. You’ve been sitting here yapping about me and Miroku while I did all the work.”

The young ladies looked at InuYasha and pouted. Kagome stood and put her hands on her hips, causing InuYasha to jump back. “Don’t you dare say that word again, Kagome! So help me, I will make you pay this time if you do.”

Although that is exactly what she had planned on doing, commanding him to ‘SIT’, she hesitated, not because InuYasha threatened her, but because Sango tugged at the bottom of her skirt to gain her attention. She turned and stared at the seated demon slayer who was just shaking her head. “OH!” was all she said and stomped off in a direction that was away from InuYasha.

A perplexed and somewhat angered InuYasha looked at the Sango and asked, “What’d I do today? Last night was bad enough, but today, I ain’t done nothin’ to upset her, or you.”

Sango shook her head. “It’s just that we both miss Miroku and wish he was back with us.”

“Well, I miss him too, but you don’t see me sulkin’ around. He chose to leave with Sesshomaru, he coulda stayed.” InuYasha was trying to appease the ladies, but it wasn’t working.

Then a voice from behind them spoke up, scaring everyone at its suddenness. “No, InuYasha, you made it quite clear that I was to leave.” Miroku stood just inside the clearing that was the nightly campsite. Directly behind him was Sesshomaru, stoic and ready to cut down anyone that did or said anything to hurt the monk. Miroku was neither angry nor upset, just matter of fact as he continued. “I decided that being with Sesshomaru was more important that staying, especially with all the hostility that was being shown to me, and him.”

InuYasha looked at his half-brother, hand posed on Tokijin’s hilt. Knowing any wrong word tonight, and if the poisoned claws didn’t finish him off, that sword would. Wisely choosing to not try and touch Tetsuaiga, which may seem like an aggressive act, he merely spoke directly to Miroku. “Listen, about last night. I may have been a little hasty in my judgment of your decision. It’s your life, you have a right to pick your own mate. I just thought it was Sango.”

It almost sounded like an apology but Miroku knew it would not change anything. He made his decision to be with Sesshomaru starting the previous night and nothing and no one would change it. “Thank you for saying that, InuYasha. Still, it was the right decision. We just wanted to let you know that we will be staying close by for the next week, and then we are going to the Western Lands, to the Castle. I was hoping that you would all attend the ceremony when Sesshomaru officially takes me as his mate.” Sesshomaru remained silent and made no facial expressions when the invitation was issued.

InuYasha pointed a finger at Sesshomaru. “Feh! Like he’d even let me anywhere near his precious castle. Last time I was there, he about took my head off. I ain’t riskin’ my neck to go to no mating ceremony.”

Sango and Kagome jumped up and ran over towards InuYasha, each grabbing an arm and using a hand to cover his mouth. With the half-demon silenced, well, almost silenced since he was trying to talk through their fingers, they finally got to speak. In unison they gleefully exclaimed, “We’d love to come. What’s the date?”

Miroku smiled. “First day of summer. Shippo, Kirara, I want you there too” He looked at his hand-gagged friend. “InuYasha, I expect to see you there, too. I can’t be mated without my best friend present.” He walked over to InuYasha and the girls lowered their hands from his mouth. “Please, it would mean a great deal to me.”

At that moment, InuYasha knew why he had blown up the night before. It wasn’t jealousy, like Sango suggested, and it wasn’t because Miroku’s choice of mates is his no-good, self-righteous, full-blooded demon brother. It was because he was going to really miss having Miroku around. Looking to the side and down to the ground, he replied. “Yeah, I’ll be there. But HE (pointing to his brother) better not make us feel unwelcome or try and fight me.”

Miroku turned to face Sesshomaru. “Well, My Lord, will you make them welcome?” Sesshomaru and Miroku had discussed this during their journey this afternoon, and the Demon Lord knew he had to issue the invitation. It wasn’t a monumental request that the monk made, inviting InuYasha personally.

Just as rehearsed, and although he really didn’t want to do it, Sesshomaru made the invitation formal. In his calm, emotionless tone he simply stated, “You are all invited to the castle for the ceremony, even you…little brother.”

Everyone’s face turned to smiles, except Sesshomaru, and the previous night’s hostilities were forgotten. InuYasha even went so far as to approach his brother and offer to do the human thing, shake his hand. Of course, it was refused with a growl and stare from the Demon Lord, but at least the gesture was made.

InuYasha joined his human and demon friends around the fire and dinner was cooked. As they all laughed and joked, Sesshomaru sat off to the side. Being with his chosen mate, even if he was human, was one thing, but he would not act like those fools.

Miroku waited just long enough after the meal was finished to be polite and rose. He said his goodbyes, reminded everyone that they wouldn’t be far behind, and that they would soon be together at the castle for the joyous occasion. He walked over to where Sesshomaru sat, and without anything spoken, the two walked off into the darkened woods.

(Next chapter will be at the Castle!)