Rise Of The Shikon Miko

Chapter 5

Kagome didn’t know what she would do without Inuyasha in her life.  He looked out for her and made her laugh.  He made her cuddle on the couch with him when she was moody and didn’t want to be around people.  He loved fiercely, with his whole heart, just as she did, so he always understood her heartbreaks.  He didn’t get weirded out by the thoughts in her head or her constant nightmares or even when she was having one of her less-than-sane episodes like when she could swear she smelled her father, which seemed to happen every time she was in her darkest moods.

Heading in to the spice aisle, her favorite place in the store, she remembered the first time they met.  She was new to the General, as the GVI was called before they built the brand new ER and Global Vascular Institute building and moved there.  She had been training on days and this was her first night shift.  In her usual Relationship Kagome way, she cheerfully introduced herself to everyone, completely ignoring that everyone was running around like chickens with their heads cut off.  Then she set up at her desk, placing her giant, pink Nalgene bottle full of Crystal Light, heavy on the ice, on a folded paper towel, placed her big, ugly, yellow book bag that had definitely seen better days under the desk and signed on to the computer.  She did the same thing in the old ER she did in the new, doing discharge charts and taking and placing calls.  Nurses and doctors would yell things at her and she created order in the chaos.

Inuyasha tended to yell the loudest.  And he didn’t bother learning her name, merely calling her “wench.”  She wouldn’t be exaggerating to say she had violent fantasies about that boy.  She also liked to imagine “Puppy Boy,” as she liked to think of him in her head, digging a massive hole for the bone she would give him and while he was deep in that hole, she would fire up a backhoe and bury him alive, adorable, furry puppy ears and all.

A month in to her new job, she broke up with her boyfriend, turning her in to Dumped Kagome.  She had to work that night, but was in no mood for canines with attitudes.  It was a particularly stressful night in the ER and when Inuyasha started yelling, “Wench!” from across the department, she pointedly ignored him.  He came blustering up, half muttering-half rumbling about stupid secretaries who can’t respond to their own damn names, Kagome had it. 

Stalking her prey, she bided her time until the unsuspecting inu was right next to her chair before jumping to her feet so fast her office chair went skittering behind her.  He opened his mouth to take a breath before continuing his rant, but Kagome beat him to it.  Channeling her mother, a regular virago when she was displeased, Kagome let him have it, “Just what kind of healthcare professional do you think you are screaming and yelling like a spoiled child?  Who do you think you are?  You’re a nurse’s aide but you’re acting like a stuck up, self-important neurosurgeon.  For your information, my name is not ‘wench!’  My name is Kagome!  Ka-Go-Me!  Go ahead, you can say it, c’mon!  Ka…Go…Me!  What? Cat got your tongue?  Good.  Keep it that way.  Your coworkers will thank you.  Now, go SIT, boy!”  With that she sat back down at her desk, answered the ringing phone and everyone—doctors, nurses, aides—within hearing distance started applauding.  She kept her head down and hid her smile, completely embarrassed to have gone off like that, but not remotely sorry.  Inuyasha stayed away from her the rest of the night and it was blissful.

As a special treat to herself, every payday Kagome would buy herself a hot European drinking chocolate and an orange from the vendor in the lobby on her break at 3am.  On the next payday, when she came in to her shift, there was a cup with her name on it on the desk and next to it was a big, shiny, delectable orange.  The evening girl told her the inu hanyou aide had just brought them for her when he came in.  They switched off the computer and though Kagome was fielding calls and managing charts, she kept eyeing her gifts.  How did he know she liked them?  She wasn’t sure if this was a peace offering or if the bratty dog had spit in it so she didn’t touch them.

She was getting up to take her break, slipping her bag over her shoulders and leaving her gifts on her desk when Inuyasha suddenly appeared.  Gruffly he asked, “What’s wrong?  I know you like them, so why the hell didn’t you touch them?  Is it because the hanyou gave them to you?  Is that it?”

“Why would it matter if you were a hanyou?”  She knew some people thought like that, but she had never been one of them.  She chose to judge people on how they acted, not on how they were born.  “To be honest, after our last confrontation, I wasn’t sure if it was meant in a friendly way or if you had defiled them in some way before presenting them.”

“Keh!  I didn’t do anything to them.  If you don’t believe me, just ask Dr. Teuscher.  She’s a fox demon.  She could smell it if I did anything to them.  Gods, I was just trying to make things up to you.”

Peeking over at Dr. Teuscher from the corner of her eye and seeing her nod, Kagome let out a sigh.  “Thank you, Inuyasha.  I don’t know how you knew what I liked, but it really means a lot that you made an effort.”  Picking up the drink and fruit, she smiled at Inuyasha before heading towards the hallway that led to the breakroom.

“I can smell you!” he yelled after her, drawing the attention of everyone nearby.

Stopping in her tracks in shocked embarrassment and slowly turning to face him again she ventured, “Excuse me?”

Blushing profusely and suddenly finding the floor very interesting, Inuyasha walked over to where Kagome stood and clarified, “I can always smell oranges on you and on paydays I know you get that fancy thick hot chocolate so yeah…that’s what I meant.”

Smiling at his awkwardness she said, “That is unbelievably sweet.  Thank you again.  Maybe we can be friends now, huh?” Then she turned around and headed out the double doors, leaving the hanyou with his mouth hanging open.

……………………………………

Sesshoumaru’s mind was reeling.  He had been filled with hatred and rage for the people he thought had betrayed his mother’s memory for so long that he felt empty and like he was freefalling having that foundation ripped away.  His mother wasn’t betrayed.  His father had intended to honor his bond.  Izayoi was not an opportunistic seductress.  She was hand chosen by his mother to be a mother to him.  Remorse filled his golden eyes.  ‘Gods. What can this Sesshoumaru say to the woman after hundreds of years of scorn?’  He voiced the thought he knew he and his brother were both thinking, “Father, why on earth have you kept this from us?  Do you not realize what damage this has wrought?”

“Sesshoumaru, my son, do you realize this is the first time I’ve seen emotion from you since your mother’s passing?  I honestly thought you had hardened your heart to all and would not have even heard my words if I had chosen to tell you the truth.   While I am delighted to see real emotion on your face, I am more ashamed that I could think you capable of such a thing.  But why?   Why would you close off your emotions so?  Was it because you thought we had betrayed your mother?” 

“In my child’s mind, this Sesshoumaru thought you chose so quickly because you saw my grief as a weakness.  That you did it because you felt I needed a new mother to console me for losing mine.  I hated myself for making you think you had to break your vows to my mother.  So this Sesshoumaru made a vow of his own: that no one would ever think of me as weak again.”

Downcast eyes hidden by his bangs and still smelling of tears, Inuyasha mumbled, “So you really did hate me.  I had no idea why.  I’m so sorry about your mother, Sesshoumaru.”

“Inuyasha, cease.  This Sesshoumaru has never harbored feelings of hatred for you.  You do, however, have a talent for aggravating this Sesshoumaru to within a micrometer of his control.”  Knowing what the next words out of his brother would be, he raised his hand to halt their progress.  “Has our sire never explained to you any of our customs, Inuyasha?”

At the raised eyebrow from his eldest and the confused look from his youngest, stunned comprehension dawned in Toga’s eyes, “You mean you were trying to teach him all this time?   My gods…” 

“Well, Dad?  What the hell is he talking about?  How is calling me names supposed to teach me anything?”  Just when he thought he had everything figured out, there were more mysteries.  What the hell?

“Inuyasha, I sought to teach you the parts of our culture that you would need.  I just…with the way Sesshoumaru acted, I never dreamed that…”  Clearing his throat, he continued, “Older packmates have the responsibility of seeking out the weaknesses of the younger and exposing them.  This allows the younger to see their areas for improvement and work on them to become stronger.  Think back.  Sesshoumaru didn’t start picking on your heritage until after you first came to us asking what a ‘half-breed’ was.  While myself and Izayoi agreed to downplay it and, essentially, coddle you after that, your brother stepped up and tried to prepare you for the harshness of the world.  Even today, hanyou are quite rare.  Demon beasts tend to choose demon mates.  It’s about balancing strength.”  With a thoughtful frown he added, “Speaking of which, that must mean Kagome is much more powerful than what we can sense.  That is truly some curse she has.”

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