Serendipity
Upcoming Crisis / An Unexpected Miko
Hello! Hope the wait wasn't too long for this
chapter. Have big Socials Final Exam coming up next week, then have a trip, so I don't want to
put this off another week or two, so here you go!
"Blahblah" - Dialogue
-------- Scene change [may go back in time a little to incorporate the POV of
another character during the same time.]
/Blahblah/ - thoughts
[Blahblah] - AN & translations / explanations
Serendipity
~ sometimes blessings are disguised in the most unexpected ways ...
out through his nose. Looking down at the scroll again, he stated simply."War is imminent."Chapter 6
Upcoming Crisis / An Unexpected Miko
¡¡
Inuyasha stared, while the shocking news slowly
registered in his brain ...
"WAR WHAT?!!?"
"You heard me fine. Now calm down and stopadding to my already piling problems; I really do not need a panicking imbecile
on my hands." Sesshoumaru bit out with a sweltering glare directed at the
almost panicking hanyou currently looking aghast."But-but the last war lasted for almost a
century! With unprecedented losses and unbelievable extents of destruction on
all sides! If father had not sacrificed himself to seal Ryuukossei, who knows
how long that devastating war would last? Besides, how do you know there will be
a war anyway? This rocky peaas las lasted for over 4 centuries, nothing's changed
recently to indicate a cause for war." Inuyasha sputtered, horrified at the
possibility of a war on the magnitude of the previous one. He was only a kit at
that time, but he had seen and understood enough to know he never want anything
like that again. He still remembered the pain from the loss of both his parents
to that war all too clearly, and the pain had magnified with time instead of diminishing.
"That's where you are wrong, something has
changed. This is a report from one of my spies rooming the lands, he says that
Ryuukossei is missing from his tomb. There are-" Sesshoumaru replied
evenly, having calmed himself somewhat during Inuyasha tirade.
"Missing?! Ryuukossei MISSING??!!"
Inuyasha became agitated again, his voice raising unconsciously. "How can
that sealed corpse be missing?!"
was just getting to that." Sesshoumaru gave Inuyasha a hard look, clearly
stating that any more of his nonsense and he would not be leaving the study in
one piece."There are traces of a strange jaki [AN:
evil aura of youkai] where Ryuukossei's body was, my spy did not recognize it as
anything he had felt before. Also, he reports that Ryuukossei's body did not
seem to be removed, there were no sign of movement of such a large being as the
dragon youkai. Rather, his scent and youki seem to just have abruptly
disappeared. From the residual scent and youki, it would seem that this happened
about a week ago. The strange jaki also seemed to have just appeared and
disappeared out of nowhere, there was no traces of it approaching or leaving the
body.""So what do you make of this? How would this
cause a war anyway?" Inuyasha still refused to believe that a war would
commerce from such an event, he did not see what it had to do with anything."I will need to see the tomb for myself to
determine the possibilities this incident represents. However, it is my current
belief that any being interested in the body of Ryuukossei, our father's sworn
enemy, will not be harbouring amiable feelings towards the Western
Lands." Sesshoumaru explained.
"So...what do you need me to do? You didn't
just call me here to tell me about this." Inuyasha knew Sesshoumaru
probably had something that he needed him to do; he was one of the very few that
he trusted, and he could tell twas was high confidential.
"If it wasn't you we're talking about, I
would have thought you have gotten smarter over the years." Sesshoumaru
said with a slight smirk. In fact, he had gotten used to the brat over the
centuries, and did not mind him as much as he let on. "I want you to travel
to the Northern and Southern lands to inform Lord Miroku and Lord Kouga about
this. Remember, this is highly confidential; you must deliver the message to
them, and only them, first hand. Then bring their responses back to me, I should
be back at the Western castle by then."
"Alright. You do not want me to go see that
Lord of the Eastern lands?" Inuyasha inquired.
public is not to be trusted. Furthermore, the tomb is situated on his lands, he
should already know of it. He might even be responsible." Sesshoumaru said."When will you be leaving then?"
Inuyasha wanted to know.&;Ear;Early tomorrow morning. You will leave then
too." Sesshoumaru told him. Then he proceeded to ignore his presence by
pretending to become engrossed in reading the scroll.Inuyasha left quietly, recognizing Sesshoumaru's
dismissal, deep in though mulling over the information he had just been given. /This
does not seem good, Sesshoumaru's deductions are rarely wrong. If he thinks this
is a sign of war to come ... I hope we can find out what's going on and stop the
war in time./Before he knew it, he had arrived at the door to
his room. Suddenly, he felt the hair on his body stand on end and strange tingle
travel down his spine, and his senses were assaulted with a strong scent
of mint and power. His preserving instincts went on red alert, telling him to
high tail it out of there while the rest of his brain was shocked out of his
momentary stupor and registered that the strange power was emanating from his
room. "Kagome!" He muttered under his breath
as he burst into the room. There, on his futon, was the girl tossing and turning
in a nightmare. The power rolled off her in waves, fluctuating with her
struggles with an invisible foe.
/Purifying powers! She's a miko!!/
Inuyasha registered the strangely familiar power for what it was, the purifying
energy of a miko.
Squashing down his instincts screaming at him to
get away from the danger, he rushed to Kagome's side, cautious of the energy
that could blast him into oblivion. Grasping Kagome's shoulders, he pulled her
into his arms, and tried to shake her awake.
"Kagome!! Kagome, wake up!" Inuyasha
called urgently, worried about the girl that had been the first in almost 5
centuries to touch his heart.
With a sharp gasp, Kagome tensed up impossibly
and her eyes poped open wide as she grasped Inuyasha's arm with a death grip.
Her face was positively ashen, and in a strange strangle voice she uttered
breathlessly:
come! The twin swords of the West is the only hope!"With another gasp, Kagome went completely limp,
and collapsed into Inuyasha's arms.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sesshoumaru continued to read through the reportsof his various spies all over the lands as Inuyasha left. He must admit, though
he would never let the brat know, that Inuyasha had been a vital help to him
over the centuries. In fact, he was in part what had kept him sane during the
war all those years ago, witnessing the death of one loved one after another.
When Inuyasha's mother had passed away, the knowledge that someone else shared
the same pain at losing her kept him from finally losing it and going over the
edge.Inuyasha's mother had been like a second mother
to him. His own mother, Lady of the Western Lands, was killed by Ryuukossei
while trying to protect him. Her mu was was the reason for the war, and what a
horrific war that was. Fueled by the pain, guilt, and hate of losing his mate,
their father Inutaishou put everything he had into the war. For a few decades at
the beginning of the war, Sesshoumaru barely recognized his own father, so
twisted by hate and vengeance he was.
Izayoi, Inuyasha's mother, had been one of the courtesans
at the castle. A few years before the war, Inutaishou had been ensnared by her
vibrant beauty after getting drunk at a banquet. She conceived Inuyasha that
night.
received it from his mate. He still loved her, that night was only a slip, a
mistake of drunkenness. However, when Inuyasha was born, Inutaishou's time spent
with his mate decreased drastically, as he became engrossed with his new son.
Izayoi's gentle fragility fascinated him, Inuyasha's adoring love captivated
him. He no longer seemed interested in wel welfare of his mate and elder
son. During those years, young Sesshoumaru developed a
hatred for the human courtesan and her son for stealing his father away fros s
mother and him, making his beloved mother so sad. Then on that fateful day, when
his mother was teaching him fighting techniques in some woods close to the
west-eastern borders, they were attacked by Ryuukossei. Sesshoumaru blamed his
father for her death; she never would have been teaching him if Inutaishou had
not neglected his duty of instructing his elder son, and she would not have been
so far away from the castle if she was not driving by the pain of losing her
mate. When the war started, Inutaishou made sure to
instruct Sesshoumaru well and thoroughly to be a great warrior, driving him
beyond physical limitations. He was cruel and harsh in his treatments, which
could be due to Sesshoumaru's resemblance to his deceased mate. Often
Sesshoumaru would be left bloody and and exhausted on the dojo floor after a
training session. Ironically, Izayoi, the woman he hated, was the one who cared
for him is tis time of need. She painstakingly took care of him time and again,
despite his insults and accusations. Inuyasha had also done his part in trying
to cheer him up when he was stuck in bed healing, innocently bringing his big
brother his human story books and toys.
At first Sesshoumaru had been exceedingly hostile
towards the small hanyou. However, the kit had only looked at him like a whipped
puppy, then would come back the next day with more things as if trying to make
up for making him angry. Sesshoumaru's young conscience felt bad about his
treatment of the sweet and innocent kit, and became more friendly in his
treatment of him. He may have even learnt to care for him, though any feelings
he might have was lost when he became an icicle after Izayoi's death.
Gradually Sesshoumaru started to see Izayoi as
his mother, they were both so gentle and caring. Under the warm embrace of
Izayoi's love, he was able to come to terms and let go of his mother's death.
Witr anr and Inuyasha to take care of him, he was able to endure the brutal
treatment from his father all those years.
carnage he had been partly responsible for. With Izayoi's gentle persuasion, he
was able to come back to his right mind, and notice the cruel way he had been
treating his elder son. However, the damage had been done, and Sesshoumaru had
never forgive his father.Almost century after his mother's death, the
beginning of the war, his father finally has had enough of the carnage. In a
final resort to destroy Ryuukossei and end the war, Inutaishou sacrificed his
life to seal him, using his life force to force the dragon youkai into eternal
slumber. Even though he still blamed his father for his
mother's death, and hated him for his cruel treatment of himself, Sesshoumaru
still loved his father in the deep corners of his heart, and he took his
father's death very hard. Soon after, while he was still vulnerable from his
father's death, the final blow came. Izayoi, heartbroken over Inutaishou's
death, had kd hed herself. He almost became lost to his first demon rage, and be
doomed to be a crazed animal for the rest of his life until he was hunted down
and killed. It was only Inuyasha who had kept him sane. Inuyasha had clang onto
him for months after her death, seeking comfort from him yet at the same time
comforting him.
It was then that he vowed never to let anyone
into his heart ever again.
Suddenly, his youkai instincts set off red alerts
in his mind, startling him out of his reminiscing. Concentration on his senses,
he was mildly shocked at feeling strong purifying energy, inside his castle!
Standing up immediately, he set off to investigate the source of this power.
Tracing the power, he could only stare in shock
when he arrived at Inuyasha's door. Inside, he could see Inuyasha holding his
new slave girl in his arms while she trashed around, struggling for all she's
worth, the purifying energy rolling off her in waves. He was hard pressed to
stop himself from becoming slack jawed with shock when she abruptly tensed up
and gasped:
come! The twin swords of the West is the only hope!"Then the girl collapsed bonelessly into
Inuyasha's arms.
"Kagome! Are you alright? Come on, wake up!
Please!" Inuyasha pleaded with the unresponsive girl.
Sesshoumaru decided to make his presence known
then. "Inuyasha," he called commandingly, "what is the meaning of
this? Why have you brought a miko into my castle?"
With a start, Inuyasha whipped around to stare at
Sesshoumaru, tightening his hold around Kagome.
"I had no idea she was a miko, I swear!
Please don't kill her!" Inuyasha, terrified out of his mind over Kagome's
welfare, begged Sesshoumaru before he knew what he was doing.
Sesshoumaru was taken aback at Inuyasha's
response. He wondered what was their actual relationship, for Inuyasha to be so
concerned over her life.
Just then, Kagome started to regain consciousness.
With a slight moan, she blinked her eyes open drowsily.
"Kagome! You're awake! Are you alright? What
happened? Why didn't you tell me you were a miko? What did you mean by what you
said?" Inuyasha shot one question after ano at at her, attention focused
on her and had all but forgotten about Sesshoumaru's presense.
"Whaa...Inuyasha?" Kagome muttered,
pulling herself up to stare at Inuyasha's face, their noses almost touching.
"Is that you Inuyasha? Why is everything so blurry?"
Inuyasha was too startled to control the blush
that spread over his face, which Sesshoumaru noted with interest. Before he
could make a reply, Sesshoumaru decided to remind them of his presense.
"Miko, explain yourself." He demanded,
eyes hard as steel trained on the disoriented girl.
Kagome turned her head to look at him, then
immediately shut her eyes in pain with a groan. "Oww...my head
hurts..."
"Miko, answer me!" Sesshoumaru was
losing his patience, and he was not used to not getting his way immediate when
he want it. The ones who had not complied with him were all pushing daisies,
with the only exception of the annoying hanyou currently clutching the girl
protectively against himself.
"Hey, back off, Sesshoumaru! It's obvious
she's in no shape to answer you!" Inuyasha came to Kagome's defense.
"I did not ask you, hanyou. Miko, I will not
repeat myself again." Sesshoumaru glared at the girl.
"Sesshoumaru...? Miko...?" Kagome was
now rly rly confused. She blinked at the man standing in front of her, trying to
focus her sight. Long, silky silver tresses were the first thing that registered
in her mind. Then she noticed the beautifully sculptured face, with strange
markings. It was the piercing gold eyes currently assessing her hostilely that
brought her back to her senses.
"You're Sesshoumaru! Lord of the Western
Lands!" Kagome uttered in shock, her jaw dropping.
"That would be correct. Now, are you going
to answer me?" Sesshoumaru asked one last time.
"Answer you? Did you ask me something?"
Kagome was truly muddled, she had no idea why the feared Lord Sesshoumaru would
be in Inuyasha's room talking to her, while the said hanyou held her to his
chest tightly.
/Wait a second ... Inuyasha's Holding me! I'm
practically in his lap, no, I AM in his lap. What's going on!?/ Kagome's
mind panicked. All she remembered was going to sleep after Inuyasha left, then
suddenly she's stuck under the glare of the Taiyoukai of the West.
/This girl is annoying./ Sesshoumaru
decided. Before he could act on his thoughts, Inuyasha intervened.
"Kagome, why did you not tell me you were a
miko?" He asked.
"A miko? Me? What are you talking
about?" Kagome stared at him, uncomprehending.
"Do not lie, girl. It was obvious from the
purifying energy you gave off just now who you are." Sesshoumaru was
starting to become very irritated.
"I...I'm a miko? You're joking right?"
Kagome could only stare.
"This Sesshoumaru does not joke. Though, it
would seem that you do not know of your power." Sesshoumaru prided in his
ability to read people, and he could tell she was telling the truth in noknowknowing about herself.
"He's right, you know. You were giving off
miko energy just now, in your sleep. That reminds me, what happened just now?
Did you have another nightmare? And what did you mean by what you said?"
Inuyasha wanted to know.
"What happened just now? I think I had a
nightmare, though not the kind I usually get I d I do not remember this one. All
I know was that it was horrible ... but I couldn't escape from it, from
him." At this, Kagome shuddered and pressed herself even tighter against
Inuyasha's comforting presence. Then she registered the second question.
"What do you mean what did I mean by what I said, what did I say?"
"You said 'The dark one who shall consume all has
come! The twin swords of the West is the only hope!', and what do you mean you
couldn't escape from him? Who is 'him'?" Inuyasha asked while Sesshoumaru
looked on, letting Inuyasha inquired about what he also wanted to know.
"I ... said that? I don't remember anything
... nor do I have any idea what that meant. He...it was something in the
nightmare, I don't know!" Kagome suddenly felt scared, fear gripped her
whenever she thought back to the 'he' in her nightmare. She did not remember
anything, but somehow knew that this 'he' was not someone she want to ever
really meet.
"It's alright." Inuyasha muttered,
trying to comfort her by awkwardly stroking her hair softly.
"It would seem that the miko does not know
anything. However, she would need to be removed from the castle. She also need
to be trained, as she is a potential hazard. " Sesshoumaru ordered.
"No! She's mine and I won't let anyone take
her away!" Inuyasha yelled in defiance.
"Inuyasha, even you must know that an
untrained miko in the midst of a castle full of youkai is hazardous to both
parties involved." Sesshoumaru was getting exasperated. Now he had more
problems added to his mountain of them.
"Fine! I was taking her with me on my
mission anyway, so she won't be in the castle while we're gone. We can worry
about her training later, but I will not let you just take her away from me.
Even you can't order what slave I can or cannot have." Inuyasha conceded,
determined.
"Fine." Sesshoumaru conceded, impatient
to be on his way. "I trust you will keep her out of trouble until your
departure.&qu/fon/font>
Turning on his heels, Sesshoumaru swept out of
the room, thoughts occupied with one annoying untrained miko and her strange
prophecy.
¡¡
There! That was
my longest chapter so far~ Hope you liked it! Wow, Sesshoumaru talked so much
... though ... he is semi-different from the original since this is AU, besides,
this is a complicated situation and he needs to talk to get his point across,
especially when the other two weren't paying much attention to him most of the
time XD. Wow ... I'm surprised at the turn of events, my mind and hands just
flew away from me XD This was not what I originally planned ... what did I
originally planned anyway x_X I forgot ...
What will happen now~? Ooo I'm excited to know
too XD Who knows what strange turns the plot will take when I write the next
chapters, the story has a mind of its own! I have lost control! =.=
Thank you to all who have reviewed, and I really
appreciate the commennd ind ideas. I have made my
decision regarding how Sesshoumaru/Kagome will have their first time ... though it
will be a long way to go until they get together.
-Kura
PS: If you would like to be notified by email
when I update, join my mailing list here: http://kura-sama.notifylist.com
¡¡