InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Dreamweaver's Curse ❯ The Moonball ( Chapter 1 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Pretty in Pink 
In which the Reikai attend the decennial Moonball.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Romance | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 01.04.2009 | Pages: 4 | Words: 7.0K | Visits: 895 | Status: Work In Progress
In which the Reikai attend the decennial Moonball.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Romance | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 01.04.2009 | Pages: 4 | Words: 7.0K | Visits: 895 | Status: Work In Progress
I don’t own these characters or the anime/manga they come from and I gain no profit from writing about them.
- AN/ My first full-length Hiei/Kagome fic. It will be very fairytale-esque and probably a little cliché, but I hope you can enjoy it anyway!
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The Dreamweaver’s Curse
The Moon Ball
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Yusuke glowered childishly as they waited for the last member of their entourage, pulling uncomfortably at the handsome red bowtie around his neck. “I don’t see why we gotta go to some damn ball, anyway. Can’t we just beat this guy up and demand cooperation?”
“It is an honor to be invited to the decennial Moon Ball, Yusuke. Only a select few of Makai’s most prominent figures are invited and the purpose is to forge strong bonds between the rulers to maintain order and cooperation,” Kurama explained expertly. He calmly smoothed the chest of his black montsuki kimono, but inwardly his Youko was brimming with excitement.
“The Moon Ball, Red. I never thought I’d receive an invitation to the most prestigious and sought after gathering in Makai history. Youkai kill for those invitations, you know.”
‘I thought you said you’d been to this thing before, fox,’ Hiei asserted with suspicious eyes. He leaned on the wall beside them in an easy, deceptively relaxed posture, hand resting casually on the hilt of his sword. He, like Kurama, had opted for the more traditional montsuki kimono and black hakama for the event. An emblem of a purple dragon and a red flame danced across the back of his formal jacket as he moved, as opposed to the silver fox and sakura blossoms that adorned the avatar’s.
“Ah, but I wasn’t invited that time,” Youko grinned, recalling the murderous look in the great dog lord’s amber eyes when he had caught him sneaking through the window of one of the master bedrooms. The fox may have been brazen and audacious, but he wasn’t foolhardy and had beaten a hasty retreat upon his discovery.
He had to wonder why he had been invited after his earlier escapade. By now, everyone was aware of his identity under this human guise and even though it had been over two centuries since the incident, the Lord of the West was known for holding grudges. For a moment, the thought crossed his mind that it might be a trap of some sort, but he quickly discarded the ridiculous notion. Sesshoumaru wasn’t underhanded; if he wanted someone dead, he killed them, period.
A month ago exactly, he, Hiei, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Koenma had all received personal invitations via messenger. The small, white cards lined with silver were elegant and formal. They were a clear illustration of the kingdom’s wealth and influence and had given instructions on the palace’s whereabouts, the dress expected, and a detailed schedule of entertainment. They were delivered in a flawless, white envelope tied with a decorative silver ribbon, sealed with navy wax stamped with the crescent moon emblem of the House of the Moon.
In Yusuke’s opinion, the whole thing was a “load of frou-frou shit.” Though, as he sneaked a glance at Keiko dressed in a flowing violet silk gown that clung to her soft curves and flared at her ankles in subtle ruffles, he thought that it might have its advantages. The invitation had allowed for a date, after all.
In fact, everyone except the two demon members of their party had invited a guest. Kuwabara had brought Yukina, much to Hiei’s annoyance, and was currently showering her with compliments on her appearance. She wore a simple light blue gown decorated along the sweeping hem with a dusting of snowflakes. It was elegant, but conservative, and fit the little ice maiden perfectly. Koenma, who had taken to his adult form for the event, was bringing Botan, though she had yet to show herself.
The occupants of the room turned when the blue-haired ferry girl finally appeared on her oar, hovering momentarily above Koenma’s desk before dismounting and joining them with a brilliant smile.
“Oh, this is so exciting, Koenma-sama!” she said in her most cheerful voice. She had changed from her customary pink kimono to a form-fitting, strapless cerise ball gown. Yusuke secretly likened her to some twisted version of the tooth fairy as a trail of sheer material swept the floor around her feet, the puffy bottom half of the dress bouncing with every step.
“Yes, well, shall we get going?” the Reikai prince asked, a light blush tingeing his cheeks as his “date” clasped onto his arm. Botan nodded, the spiraled strands of blue hair that dangled about her face bouncing happily with the movement. With a wave of her oar, they were soon standing at the base of a long flight of stairs that seemed oddly out of place in the surrounding forest.
Gazing up the seemingly never-ending steps lined with decorative flowers, they could see an enormous fortress that melded into the side of the mountain. It seemed the whole structure was taller than it was wide, and seemed like an extension of the nearly sheer incline it was nestled into. Though the night sky was clear and the crystal stars visible, a dense, heavy fog poured over the top of the mountain and down the slope, gathering around and clinging to the walls of the fortress. Made of white marble that seemed to glow under the moonlight, two tall towers were the focal point of the scene as they rose up out of the fog and pierced the black sky. Under them were tiered levels of floors and extending out on both sides were a series of smaller, simpler buildings they assumed were for servants and the like.
Hanging dramatically above the two towers were twin crescent, blue moons, facing each other as if looking into a mirror It wasn’t a coincidence that the event was scheduled on the precise date when both of the Makai moons were in such a position. There were numerous myths and legends surrounding the lunar synchronization, not the least of which included fantastic tales of the power of the “bewitching moonbeams” that drove weaker creatures to a sexual frenzy. As it was, the air about the castle was thick and electric with magic. Whether it be from the lunar alignment or the gathering of so many powerful youkai in a small area, Hiei was immediately put on edge.
There were many couples already ahead of them climbing the stairs and more above being welcomed into the wide-thrown double doors. As they neared the top, Kurama took a moment to appreciate the glowing white moonflowers that climbed the walls of the fortress and wound around every inch of it except the very top where the mountain ended and there was no protection from the wuthering winds that usually blew overtop year-round. The curling, green tendrils had even slithered into some of the open windows, seeming to seek to pull the structure back into the mountain and further blending it into the surrounding forest.
At the entrance stood three servants, all of obvious canine descent, to take coats and hats and direct the guests through the entrance hall to the ballroom. The servants, all dressed in white and silver uniforms, greeted them politely with a bow and pointed them in the right direction.
“May I relieve you of your sword, please, sir?” one of them asked when she noticed the katana resting at Hiei’s hip.
The hybrid just glared at her, not moving to remove the sword.
“For a show of good faith, your host requests that all weapons be left in the front hall, sir,” she tried again, beginning to fidget nervously with the hem of one voluminous sleeve.
After a short internal debate, Hiei decided he could defend himself well enough without his sword should the need arise, and untied it from his waist. Handing it over to the silver-haired woman, he warned, “If it is returned in unfit condition, your life will be forfeit.” Gulping, the servant nodded in understanding.
“Not three steps through the door and you’re already spouting death threats. Makes me wonder how you’ve stayed single all these years,” Youko teased with a snicker.
The hybrid didn’t answer, only threw a withering glare in Kurama’s direction. The avatar shrugged helplessly.
The entrance hall was tall and wide, huge stained glass windows on either side letting little of the silver light of the moons through. Instead, two large, gold chandeliers bedecked with white candles lit the room. The gilded walls beneath the windows were covered with lavish tapestries depicting bloody battles. The dominating figure in each of these was one or two of several generations of inu taiyoukai, some fighting hand-to-hand in a more humanoid form and others decimating an entire army in the form of a great, white dog.
In the safety of Kurama’s mind, his vulpine counterpart snorted derisively as they gazed over the long line of hanging tapestries on either side of the hall. “Dogs are always so showy, flaunting their achievements for any sort of praise.”
Although Hiei would have agreed, his attention was drawn to two arrases at the very end of the line. They were different from the others, and seemed out of place in the hall. They depicted battles again, a recurring theme in the palace it would seem, but the focal point seemed to be a young woman. Dressed in the robes of a miko, she appeared human with a river of long, wavy black hair and the more earthly features of mortals, but her brilliant blue eyes were ethereal and almost demonic. In both, her face was twisted with fierce determination as she faced down an army of nameless youkai soldiers, a glowing arrow drawn in her bow. However, in the first a boy in red stood beside her. He had long, unruly white hair and dog ears, an oversized fang brandished before him. In the second, he was replaced by a great white dog that towered over her, snarling viciously at the opposition. The hybrid noticed that in this one, she seemed older. Her appearance remained unchanged and unaged, but a certain vibrancy that had shown through the threads of the last tapestry was noticeably absent in this one.
Kurama noticed these as they passed, wondering to himself why there were illustrations of a miko in the palace of a taiyoukai. It even looked as though they were allies, fighting on the same side as they were. Immediately, he recognized the white dog in the last as Lord Sesshoumaru himself, a navy moon and red stripes tattooing his furry face, green acid dripping from his fangs. However, he couldn’t place the boy in red. Though he was rougher and less aristocratic in appearance, his features were reminiscent of the taiyoukai. There was also the issue of his ears, an indication of either a desire to appear less human or a lack of control over the physical form. Still, there was no denying the resemblance. A cousin, perhaps?
When the hall emptied into a cavernous ballroom, the first thing they noticed was that Enki, Yomi, Mukuro, and Genkai were among the hundreds of guests gathered in the room. The second was the sheer scale of the chamber itself. It was, to say the least, enormous both in width and height. Hiei would bet anything the great white dogs seen in the hallway could easily have fit themselves into this room and had space to scratch.
Two sets of gilded, red-carpeted stairs curved down from either end of the upper loft area and emptied into the middle of the floor. Navy velvet drapes waved in the wind of the open windows at the top. The floor was checkered in black and white marble and in the center, a large circular emblem of a blue moon dominated the décor. At either end of the room, huge double doors opened out onto a spacious balcony overlooking the forest. Three mammoth golden chandeliers, each twice the size of the ones in the hall but far more delicate in appearance, cast the ballroom in a low, romantic light. Dozens of small, round tables lit with individual lanterns and covered with pristine white tablecloths fluttered in the wind like ghosts along the sides of room, leaving the center open for mingling.
Currently, Youko was trying to devise a way to get up the steps to the upper floors without being noticed. Kurama, however, was forcibly restraining him. Seeing Yomi seated at one of the many white-clothed tables, he made a beeline for the youkai and his old acquaintance. Yukina wanted to compliment Genkai, who was conversing with a few of the lesser provincial rulers, on her formal kimono, so she and Kuwabara made their way over to her corner. Koenma and Botan, feeling very out of place in the room of powerful youkai, followed the two shortly after.
When all that was left was Yusuke, Keiko, and a watchful Hiei, the spirit detective sidled up to the apparition amiably, still tugging in annoyance at his red bowtie. Keiko, who was feeling a little uncomfortable around all the unfamiliar demons, stuck close to her date.
“So, having fun?” he asked sarcastically. The little hybrid looked up at him with disdain. “Yeah, me neither,” he agreed. “I ain’t really into these swanky sort of shindigs. Personally, I’d rather be kickin’ some ass.”
“Oh, be quiet, Yusuke! You shouldn’t be so ungrateful. This place is beautiful,” Keiko gushed, reaching up to straighten his bowtie that he’d pulled out of place. “I feel like a princess around all this gold and these nobles,” she smiled dreamily.
“Yeah, speaking of,” Yusuke said to Hiei, ignoring her scolding, “What’s with all of these ‘Lords,’ anyway? I thought Enki was the ruler of Makai.”
Hiei, still watching the room closely, answered with slightly less derision than he had used years earlier when they first met. “Enki may be the undisputed ruler of the entire demon realm, but there are still rulers of specific areas of lands and provinces. While Enki makes the rules for all demons, these others keep their own people in line individually.”
“Yeah, but we all know the Big Dog could kick Enki’s ass any day.” They all turned to look at the handsome young demon that had spoken as he approached them. He was tall and lean, like Kurama, and dressed in a black and silver tuxedo. His long, auburn mane was pulled back in a low ponytail at the base of his neck, revealing pointed, elfin ears. His eyes were bright aquamarine gems, glowing with all the mischief and cockiness of a young kitsune. Confirming Hiei’s assessment of his species, five russet tails extended from the base of his spine and swished excitedly about his thighs.
Hiei assumed he was talking about Sesshoumaru, and had to wonder just who he was to take such liberties as a nickname with the formidable Lord of the West. However, he didn’t ask, but let Yusuke do his dirty work.
Predictably, the spirit detective crossed his arms over his chest with a smirk at the youkai. “You think so, huh?”
With a fanged grin of his own, the fox nodded. “Oh, yeah, definitely.” Throwing a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the great red ruler, he snorted derisively, “Have you seen how tiny that guy is? Sesshoumaru could swallow him in one bite and spit out his bones. I can‘t imagine how he won that tournament being so small and soft.”
At this, Yusuke let out a genuine bark of laughter that had a few of the other guests glancing over at him with arrogant frowns. He couldn’t believe someone was calling Enki small! “Yeah, well, I wouldn’t know anything about that. I was unconscious for the fight.”
“Oh, yeah, you must be that kid from the Ningenkai, right? Koenma’s Spirit Detective,” he said in realization, scratching his chin in thought. “Yeah, Kagome’s been wanting to meet you. She’s going to be awfully disappointed, though; you don’t look half as tough as they make you sound,” he grinned at the detective.
Realizing the strange youkai was teasing him, Yusuke smirked back, “Yeah, well, the tuxedo hides the muscles.”
The youkai chuckled and extended a clawed hand, smiling amiably. “I’m Shippo.”
“Yusuke Urameshi,” he replied, taking the offered hand. Keiko cleared her throat, and Yusuke hurried to introduce her. “This is Keiko Yukimura, my fiancé.”
Shippo smiled charmingly and took her hand gently in his own, bowing and placing a kiss on her knuckles over the diamond ring. A blush rose in the young woman’s cheeks. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Yukimura-san,” he purred. “I haven’t been to the Ningenkai lately, but the human women just keep getting prettier and prettier.”
Hiei let out a derisive snort, drawing the fox’s attention. Ignoring Keiko’s burning cheeks and Yusuke’s not-so-subtle glare, he looked down at the glowering hybrid and chuckled. “And you’re not nearly as friendly as they say,” he said sarcastically. “I don’t know why Kagome bothered inviting you, but she seemed awfully excited to meet you. I’ll never understand that girl,” Shippo mumbled more to himself than them, shaking his head.
Hiei’s scowl, if possible, deepened. His fingers twitched, wishing he had his sword. But he found himself wondering about this “Kagome” that the fox kept mentioning. Apparently, she was in charge of the guest list, but one would assume that, as the master of the castle, Sesshoumaru would be the one deciding who to invite. Just who was this woman?
“Which part of the Makai do you rule over, Shippo-san?” Keiko asked, effectively drawing his attention away from the fuming hybrid and intercepting any fights.
“I’m not a Lord; I work for Sesshoumaru,” the fox answered, his posture straightening in a childish kind of pride and his red tails striking a pose.
“Oh,” she nodded in understanding. “What do you do?”
Winking, he grinned at her devilishly. “If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”
The young woman tittered and averted her eyes, the dangerous gleam in the demon’s eyes making her slightly nervous. She couldn’t tell if he was threatening her or just teasing. Before she could ask anymore questions, there was an unearthly squawk that caught the attention of the guests. They turned to see a toad-like creature at the base of the steps, standing tall and proudly despite his diminutive size.
He cleared his throat loudly, his bulging yellow eyes moving imperiously over the still whispering crowd. He tapped his grotesque, two-headed staff on the marble tiles twice, precisely. “Presenting the Lord Sesshoumaru and the Lady Kagome,” he squawked from his beak-like mouth and hurried out of the way.
Music began to spill out from behind the curtains that covered the wall behind the stairs on the lower floor. An organ, deep and foreboding, groaned out a chilling, powerful melody that sent shivers down the backs of the guests. A great and imposing figure appeared from one of the doorways in the loft and made his way down the steps in time with the music. By this time, a hush had fallen over the crowd as everyone turned to watch the lord and master of the West, the feared taiyoukai Sesshoumaru, descend into the ballroom.
Tall and broad, even the youkai’s more humanoid form was impressive. Dark youki poured off his magnificent frame in oppressive waves and washed over the room like a thick, choking smoke. It seemed as though it overflowed from the youkai, as if it could not be contained, and invaded every corner of the room, pressing down heavily on the guests and overwhelming their senses. His presence was overpowering and dominating.
His hair was spun moonlight, his eyes were the coldest of amber, and his regal, striped face was a mask of indifference. With every step his bangs wavered around the crescent moon that hung on his forehead like a badge of nobility. He wore the formal montsuki kimono, but in shades of pristine white and silver instead of the traditional black. An insignia of a crescent moon and three interlocking sakura blossoms marked the back of his jacket.
As he neared the bottom step and a circle of guests backed away to give him a wide birth, the organ faded and a swell of violins took its place. A gentler melody, precious and tremulous in the wake of the powerful notes of the organ, introduced the second figure that had just appeared in the opposite doorway from which he had exited. Her presence wasn’t nearly as overpowering as the youkai’s, but was still strong and the purity of it rose the hairs on the demons’ necks.
The tender twang of a harp soon joined the whining violins, reflecting the delicate beauty that now stood at the top of the steps. With one dainty, pale hand on the golden rail, she carefully descended. Her dress was woven in navy and silver, a slim, flattering bodice that flared dramatically at the hips to create a great bell around her legs of gathered and folded fabric that trailed behind her. Although the sleeves were modest and slightly flared around her wrists, the neckline, accented with lace, dipped low between her breasts and exposed the entirety of the creamy, silken flesh of her chest, ending in a “V” just above her navel. A slender, elegant neck held proudly aloft a plainly pretty face, the most striking feature her moon-blue eyes, flecked with silver in the light of the chandeliers above and framed by impossibly long lashes. Her blue-black hair, thick and lustrous, was piled dramatically in an intricate design atop her head with several jeweled combs, ending in a thick, serpentine curl that lay over one shoulder.
When she finally reached the bottom, she took the youkai’s extended hand and immediately the music swelled to an excited waltz. He swept her gracefully into the middle of the ballroom, surrounded by a circle of the guests, and together they twirled and danced over the moon. Keiko sighed enviously at the scene, subtly and quietly elbowing her own date in the ribs when the Lord and the Lady smiled secretively to each other as they moved around the center of the room. As the music finally died to a soft, low, tuneless cadence the two stopped and faced the crowd, hands still clasped together. The woman gave a curtsy with a breathless smile to the guests, visibly bouncing with her restrained excitement. The youkai dipped his head arrogantly, but did not bow. The crowd erupted in applause.
“Oh, that was beautiful!” Keiko gushed. “Why don’t we ever dance like that?” she asked Yusuke.
The young man rolled his eyes, tugging again at his bowtie. “Cause I ain’t a pansy, that’s why.” His fiancé glowered up at him reproachfully. “So, I guess that’s the Kagome you were talking about, eh, Shippo?”
The fox gave him a toothy grin. “Yeah, that’s her.”
“Oh, they make such a beautiful couple! They look so happy with each other.” Keiko became starry-eyed when the woman stepped up on her tiptoes, barely reaching his chest, to place a kiss to his cheek and smile sweetly. The man’s face registered no reaction, but he brushed her cheek with his clawed fingers and stepped away to speak with a posturing wolf near the balcony, platinum hair swaying behind him. Left alone, the woman began to greet the guests with varying levels of familiarity but always with the same warmth. The music started up again in a gentle waltz and many of the couples around the room gathered on the moon emblem to dance.
Shippo chuckled as his sharp eyes followed the woman around the room. “Oh, she and Sesshoumaru aren’t a couple. She’s actually his sister-in-law and his second-in-command. And she’s also his chief advisor and the Lieutenant General of our army,” he said nonchalantly.
At this, Hiei narrowed his eyes on the little human woman greeting a minor lord and his mate with a warm smile. He recognized her now: the miko from the tapestries in the entrance hall. For the life of him, he could not reconcile the smiling woman across the room with the form of the fierce, bloodied warrior from before, besides the jeweled eyes. But, the evidence was there. As he watched, he could see the rigid, guarded posture and the alert eyes of a fighter. Despite her size and her delicate appearance, sinew rippled beneath her silken flesh. Even her eyes were a river that ran much deeper than the kindness and warmth she projected. In spite of her appearance, this woman was a warrior through and through.
“I think there’s something more worth stealing than what’s in Sesshoumaru’s vaults,” Hiei heard Youko chuckle darkly through their mental link. The hybrid looked over to see the avatar and Yomi being received enthusiastically by their hostess. The young woman was speaking animatedly with Kurama, expressing her gratitude that he was able to attend.
Inwardly, Hiei snorted derisively. ‘You’re going to get yourself killed, fox… again.’ To emphasize his point, he subtly gestured to the taiyoukai on the other side of the room. The Lord was conversing in low, serious tones with another cardinal lord with a sort of bored candor. However, he seemed more interested in keeping an eye on Kurama as he glanced over at the red-headed avatar with each sip of his wine.
“Now, what’s the fun in thievery if the guard dog makes it easy?” the fox snickered.
However, the woman in question was currently making her way over to the detective and the hybrid. Hiei, despite himself, straightened his posture just the slightest. When the woman neared them, her eyes alighted on the red fox among them and she cooed and immediately swooped towards him, her arms thrown wide.
“Oh, Shippo-kun!” she crooned as she embraced him. The fox chuckled and returned the hug tenfold, taking care not to disturb her elaborate hair. “How long have you been back?”
The kitsune grinned and pulled back to look her in the eye. “Just a few hours. I barely arrived in time to see you and the Big Dog heat up the dance floor.”
At this, the little woman’s cheeks warmed and she smiled slyly. “You wouldn’t believe how much coaxing it took to get him to enter like that.”
“You mean nagging.”
“Oh, naturally.”
Shippo chuckled again as he looked down at the little miko who was positively glowing with excitement. She was in her element among all these friends and acquaintances. Kagome was a social creature by nature; she wasn’t meant for the battlefield, although she could hold her own well enough.
“You know Sesshoumaru will want a full report,” Kagome reminded him, smoothing out the chest of his sharp, black tuxedo with motherly hands.
“Yeah, yeah,” the fox grumbled, shrugging off her attention like a disgruntled teenager. The miko just rolled her eyes and finally turned her attention to the others standing quietly near the entrance to the hall.
Beaming, she rushed to shake the detective’s hand. “You must be Yusuke Urameshi. I’ve heard a lot about you!” she gushed. Without giving the boy the chance to answer, she turned to his date, looking nervous in her purple gown. “And may I ask your name?”
“I’m Keiko Yukimura, his fiancé,” she bowed low, not sure what the protocol for Makai royalty was.
“Oh,” Kagome cooed, smiling softly. “I should have known. You two look perfect together. And your dress is just lovely, Keiko-san.”
The girl smiled sincerely. “Thank you!”
The miko then turned her attention to the silently brooding hybrid. She smiled brightly. “And that makes you Hiei, right? You’re even more impressive in person.” The woman extended a pale hand to him.
Hiei glared at her, but couldn’t decide whether or not she was being sarcastic. In any case, he wasn’t about to shake her hand, Lady or not. “Hn.”
“And so eloquent,” the miko teased in a slightly less friendly tone than before. Slighted, she retracted the offered appendage and turned back to the detective with sparkling eyes.
“Shippo tells me that Spirit Gun of yours is really something to see. I’d love to see it sometime,” she oozed.
At Yusuke’s questioning look, the fox explained nonchalantly, “I was at the last tournament.”
“You were in the tournament?” the detective asked, surprised.
The red fox shrugged and waved a hand dismissively. “Nah, Sesshoumaru just likes to keep tabs on which bozo thinks he’s running the Makai.”
Again, Yusuke had to laugh at the youkai’s arrogance. The man obviously thought a lot of his boss. He laughed even more when the petite woman at the fox’s side smacked his arm lightly and waggled her finger at him as she admonished him for speaking rudely.
The music in the background was fading out of the slow, somber waltz to a loud, bouncing swing. Kagome stopped her fussing and turned with confused eyes to the area where the band hid behind the curtain below the steps. “What in the world…?”
She suddenly squeaked cutely and the others watched on in amusement- and annoyance on Shippo’s part- as a tall, dark-haired man grabbed her around the waist from behind, spun her around, and then dipped the startled young woman over his arm.
“Did you miss me, my lady?” the man growled charmingly.
Kagome’s face lit with joy as she threw her arms around the strange youkai’s neck, a somewhat awkward endeavor bent over his arm as she was. “Kouga-kun! Oh, it’s been too long!”
The handsome wolf chuckled and righted her, still keeping her close with an arm around her slim waist. He was clad in a black tuxedo with a bronze cummerbund. Kagome always found it strange to see him in such formal clothing when the only other thing she’d ever seen him in was a fur wrap. Even in such restricting clothing, the young wolf still maintained that rugged charm.
Paying no mind to the others, he focused his beguiling blue eyes on the priestess. “Why don’t we dance? I even got those stuffy old bags behind the curtain to play something less depressing.”
Stifling a laugh, the woman smacked his arm playfully. “I should have known it was you! Sesshoumaru will be upset. You know how he hates good music.” Her eyes danced with mirth.
Kouga took this as a yes and immediately began ushering her toward the dance floor. The woman threw a quick “It was nice meeting you!” over her shoulder before allowing herself to be pulled into the crowd of writhing and twirling couples.
Shippo excused himself, still glaring at the back of the wolf’s head as he easily spun Kagome over his head, sending the room into a roar of applause and whistles. When the fox left to catch up to the lord of the castle, Keiko felt comfortable enough to venture over to talk with Genkai and Yusuke followed.
Left alone, Hiei silently studied the woman smiling and laughing, being whirled around the dance floor by the wolf. She looked young and she smelled completely human, but the wisdom in her eyes belied that impression. She must have been very old to have so much power in her aura and to have gained such a prominent position in Sesshoumaru’s kingdom.
If Sesshoumaru was known for anything -besides his uncontested strength-, it was the exclusivity with which he granted his trust. And the powerful Lord obviously trusted the miko. It was also apparent from his manner that he cared for the little ningen on some level, although the nature of their relationship was unclear.
The fox had said that she was his sister-in-law. Hiei hadn’t been aware that the lord even had a brother. His eyes scanned the room, searching for anyone who could pass as a relative. Besides the servants, there were no other inuyoukai. He remembered the tapestry in the hall depicting the woman and the red-clad demon. Could he be his brother and her mate? If that was the case, it would certainly explain their close relationship.
“He is Sesshoumaru‘s brother,” Youko’s voice invaded his thoughts through the open mind link.
‘The man in red on the tapestry?’ Hiei questioned.
“Yeah, I remember hearing a long time ago that Sesshoumaru had a hanyou half-brother. That must be him,” the fox explained, still studying the miko through the avatar’s eyes.
‘If his mate is here, where is he?’
“Dead, last I heard,” the fox said flippantly.
Hiei took in the information and was forced to look at the miko in a slightly different light. Losing a mate was a terrible thing to go through. He’d heard it felt something like quite literally losing a part of one’s soul. But the woman wasn’t exactly the picture of a mourning widow. ‘It must have happened a long time ago.’
“A little less than five hundred years, I think. I’d just returned from the continent at that time, so I only caught the tail end of the story, and even then it was a little sketchy,” the silver fox thought, trying to recall the details. “Apparently, he won back some kind of artifact that was stolen from him, but then disappeared a few months later. No one seemed to know what happened to him, but he was assumed dead. I didn’t know he had a mate, though.”
‘That doesn’t make sense, fox. She’s human,’ the hybrid pointed out an obvious inconsistency that had been bothering him.
Youko simply shrugged noncommittally. “It’s difficult for a human to gain immortality, but it can be done. Certain mating rituals can bind the life force of two individuals. If one was a human, they’d live just as long as the other. It was said that her mate disappeared, but I don’t think a body was ever found. And then there’s the fact that she’s a miko. They can easily gain immortality by becoming a kuromiko.”
Hiei thought the former was more likely than the latter. A koromiko’s aura was dark and gave off a distinctly evil energy; this woman’s aura was almost blinding in its purity. But, if her extended lifespan was indeed due to her mating to a demon, that would mean the demon in question would still have to be alive somewhere. Something was definitely off about that theory. If she knew without a doubt that he was alive, wouldn’t she have either found him by now or still be looking?
In any case, Hiei decided it didn’t matter. As captivating a sight as she was, she was still only a human woman . A powerful one, obviously, but insignificant nonetheless and no one he needed to worry about. If he was lucky, he’d never have to see any of these self-important, throne-flaunting ’Lords’ and ’Ladies’ ever again. With his position in Mukuro’s domain, though, he doubted it. Speak of the devil…
“Good evening, Hiei. I’m surprised to see you here,” the taller youkai said as she came to stand beside him. Strangely enough, the usually somewhat boyish woman sported a long black gown and an intricately embroidered shawl that covered anything the dress didn’t. Her hands and arms, not surprisingly, were covered with satin gloves.
“Hn,” the hybrid nearly snorted. “I may not like them, but I have enough sense not to snub an invitation from a Makai noble.”
“A wise decision,” Mukuro conceded with a grin. “The Reikai doesn’t have a label for the kind of power Sesshoumaru wields. We’re just lucky he isn’t the greedy type.”
Hiei didn’t answer, but watched the Lord as he exited through the billowing curtains onto one of the open balconies with two other cardinal rulers. “How did he become so powerful?” he absently asked his silently observing companion.
“By birth, I suppose,” Mukuro replied. “He is the son of the late Inu no Taisho. However, he is said to be even more powerful than his father was. His half-brother was a force to be reckoned with, too, though I never met him.”
“What happened to him? The half-brother?”
“No one really knows except his mate, I would wager. And she won’t say much on the matter.”
“You’ve attended these gatherings before,” Hiei stated more than asked. From the way she spoke of the family and the woman, she had obviously had close contact with them.
“Yes, this would be my fifth,” the woman said in her raspy voice. “The Lady Kagome” -at the name both their eyes swung to the petite form now exiting the dance floor arm-in-arm with the wolf- “is in charge of the invitations. I received mine when I first came into power some decades ago.”
They both watched her for a while, flitting like a bee amongst flowers from one group of demons to the next. She was always received warmly and seemed to be on extremely good terms with everyone. It was easy to see now why the West hadn’t been to war in over a century.
Mukuro shifted from one foot to the other, visibly uncomfortable in the formal setting of the castle. It was strange to see the usually stonily calm demon so obviously out of her element. “She doesn’t seem like much, does she?”
Hiei “Hn”ed, then “Have you seen her in battle?”
“No, but I have heard she is quite powerful on her own. Even those who fight beside them say that the sight of the Lord and Lady in battle is a fearful sight.”
“And those who fight against them?”
Mukuro grinned. “Those who go against them don’t say much of anything anymore.”
However, before Hiei could respond with a snort of derision, the party was interrupted by a clamor of breaking glass and feminine screams from the far end of the room at the base of the grand steps. A group of women in intricate gowns seemed to be the source. In the center of the circle of gathering demons on the ground the two could make out a heap of deep blue fabric, like that of the Lady Kagome’s dress, just before the view was swallowed up by the legs of the other nobles as they swarmed around the group.
Without a word Mukuro swiftly crossed the room to the group of gathered demons. Sesshoumaru himself arrived just after her, having come in when the commotion began, and cleared a path to the center. When the others moved away, Hiei could clearly see the form of the Lady of the West, collapsed onto the cold marble floor, her glass of red wine shattered on the ground beside her limp hand.
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AN/ After I start my new classes in mid January, I should have more time to work on this. I hope to have updates out at least once a month, so we’ll see.
I’d love to know what you think so far! =)
- AN/ My first full-length Hiei/Kagome fic. It will be very fairytale-esque and probably a little cliché, but I hope you can enjoy it anyway!
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The Dreamweaver’s Curse
The Moon Ball
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Yusuke glowered childishly as they waited for the last member of their entourage, pulling uncomfortably at the handsome red bowtie around his neck. “I don’t see why we gotta go to some damn ball, anyway. Can’t we just beat this guy up and demand cooperation?”
“It is an honor to be invited to the decennial Moon Ball, Yusuke. Only a select few of Makai’s most prominent figures are invited and the purpose is to forge strong bonds between the rulers to maintain order and cooperation,” Kurama explained expertly. He calmly smoothed the chest of his black montsuki kimono, but inwardly his Youko was brimming with excitement.
“The Moon Ball, Red. I never thought I’d receive an invitation to the most prestigious and sought after gathering in Makai history. Youkai kill for those invitations, you know.”
‘I thought you said you’d been to this thing before, fox,’ Hiei asserted with suspicious eyes. He leaned on the wall beside them in an easy, deceptively relaxed posture, hand resting casually on the hilt of his sword. He, like Kurama, had opted for the more traditional montsuki kimono and black hakama for the event. An emblem of a purple dragon and a red flame danced across the back of his formal jacket as he moved, as opposed to the silver fox and sakura blossoms that adorned the avatar’s.
“Ah, but I wasn’t invited that time,” Youko grinned, recalling the murderous look in the great dog lord’s amber eyes when he had caught him sneaking through the window of one of the master bedrooms. The fox may have been brazen and audacious, but he wasn’t foolhardy and had beaten a hasty retreat upon his discovery.
He had to wonder why he had been invited after his earlier escapade. By now, everyone was aware of his identity under this human guise and even though it had been over two centuries since the incident, the Lord of the West was known for holding grudges. For a moment, the thought crossed his mind that it might be a trap of some sort, but he quickly discarded the ridiculous notion. Sesshoumaru wasn’t underhanded; if he wanted someone dead, he killed them, period.
A month ago exactly, he, Hiei, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Koenma had all received personal invitations via messenger. The small, white cards lined with silver were elegant and formal. They were a clear illustration of the kingdom’s wealth and influence and had given instructions on the palace’s whereabouts, the dress expected, and a detailed schedule of entertainment. They were delivered in a flawless, white envelope tied with a decorative silver ribbon, sealed with navy wax stamped with the crescent moon emblem of the House of the Moon.
In Yusuke’s opinion, the whole thing was a “load of frou-frou shit.” Though, as he sneaked a glance at Keiko dressed in a flowing violet silk gown that clung to her soft curves and flared at her ankles in subtle ruffles, he thought that it might have its advantages. The invitation had allowed for a date, after all.
In fact, everyone except the two demon members of their party had invited a guest. Kuwabara had brought Yukina, much to Hiei’s annoyance, and was currently showering her with compliments on her appearance. She wore a simple light blue gown decorated along the sweeping hem with a dusting of snowflakes. It was elegant, but conservative, and fit the little ice maiden perfectly. Koenma, who had taken to his adult form for the event, was bringing Botan, though she had yet to show herself.
The occupants of the room turned when the blue-haired ferry girl finally appeared on her oar, hovering momentarily above Koenma’s desk before dismounting and joining them with a brilliant smile.
“Oh, this is so exciting, Koenma-sama!” she said in her most cheerful voice. She had changed from her customary pink kimono to a form-fitting, strapless cerise ball gown. Yusuke secretly likened her to some twisted version of the tooth fairy as a trail of sheer material swept the floor around her feet, the puffy bottom half of the dress bouncing with every step.
“Yes, well, shall we get going?” the Reikai prince asked, a light blush tingeing his cheeks as his “date” clasped onto his arm. Botan nodded, the spiraled strands of blue hair that dangled about her face bouncing happily with the movement. With a wave of her oar, they were soon standing at the base of a long flight of stairs that seemed oddly out of place in the surrounding forest.
Gazing up the seemingly never-ending steps lined with decorative flowers, they could see an enormous fortress that melded into the side of the mountain. It seemed the whole structure was taller than it was wide, and seemed like an extension of the nearly sheer incline it was nestled into. Though the night sky was clear and the crystal stars visible, a dense, heavy fog poured over the top of the mountain and down the slope, gathering around and clinging to the walls of the fortress. Made of white marble that seemed to glow under the moonlight, two tall towers were the focal point of the scene as they rose up out of the fog and pierced the black sky. Under them were tiered levels of floors and extending out on both sides were a series of smaller, simpler buildings they assumed were for servants and the like.
Hanging dramatically above the two towers were twin crescent, blue moons, facing each other as if looking into a mirror It wasn’t a coincidence that the event was scheduled on the precise date when both of the Makai moons were in such a position. There were numerous myths and legends surrounding the lunar synchronization, not the least of which included fantastic tales of the power of the “bewitching moonbeams” that drove weaker creatures to a sexual frenzy. As it was, the air about the castle was thick and electric with magic. Whether it be from the lunar alignment or the gathering of so many powerful youkai in a small area, Hiei was immediately put on edge.
There were many couples already ahead of them climbing the stairs and more above being welcomed into the wide-thrown double doors. As they neared the top, Kurama took a moment to appreciate the glowing white moonflowers that climbed the walls of the fortress and wound around every inch of it except the very top where the mountain ended and there was no protection from the wuthering winds that usually blew overtop year-round. The curling, green tendrils had even slithered into some of the open windows, seeming to seek to pull the structure back into the mountain and further blending it into the surrounding forest.
At the entrance stood three servants, all of obvious canine descent, to take coats and hats and direct the guests through the entrance hall to the ballroom. The servants, all dressed in white and silver uniforms, greeted them politely with a bow and pointed them in the right direction.
“May I relieve you of your sword, please, sir?” one of them asked when she noticed the katana resting at Hiei’s hip.
The hybrid just glared at her, not moving to remove the sword.
“For a show of good faith, your host requests that all weapons be left in the front hall, sir,” she tried again, beginning to fidget nervously with the hem of one voluminous sleeve.
After a short internal debate, Hiei decided he could defend himself well enough without his sword should the need arise, and untied it from his waist. Handing it over to the silver-haired woman, he warned, “If it is returned in unfit condition, your life will be forfeit.” Gulping, the servant nodded in understanding.
“Not three steps through the door and you’re already spouting death threats. Makes me wonder how you’ve stayed single all these years,” Youko teased with a snicker.
The hybrid didn’t answer, only threw a withering glare in Kurama’s direction. The avatar shrugged helplessly.
The entrance hall was tall and wide, huge stained glass windows on either side letting little of the silver light of the moons through. Instead, two large, gold chandeliers bedecked with white candles lit the room. The gilded walls beneath the windows were covered with lavish tapestries depicting bloody battles. The dominating figure in each of these was one or two of several generations of inu taiyoukai, some fighting hand-to-hand in a more humanoid form and others decimating an entire army in the form of a great, white dog.
In the safety of Kurama’s mind, his vulpine counterpart snorted derisively as they gazed over the long line of hanging tapestries on either side of the hall. “Dogs are always so showy, flaunting their achievements for any sort of praise.”
Although Hiei would have agreed, his attention was drawn to two arrases at the very end of the line. They were different from the others, and seemed out of place in the hall. They depicted battles again, a recurring theme in the palace it would seem, but the focal point seemed to be a young woman. Dressed in the robes of a miko, she appeared human with a river of long, wavy black hair and the more earthly features of mortals, but her brilliant blue eyes were ethereal and almost demonic. In both, her face was twisted with fierce determination as she faced down an army of nameless youkai soldiers, a glowing arrow drawn in her bow. However, in the first a boy in red stood beside her. He had long, unruly white hair and dog ears, an oversized fang brandished before him. In the second, he was replaced by a great white dog that towered over her, snarling viciously at the opposition. The hybrid noticed that in this one, she seemed older. Her appearance remained unchanged and unaged, but a certain vibrancy that had shown through the threads of the last tapestry was noticeably absent in this one.
Kurama noticed these as they passed, wondering to himself why there were illustrations of a miko in the palace of a taiyoukai. It even looked as though they were allies, fighting on the same side as they were. Immediately, he recognized the white dog in the last as Lord Sesshoumaru himself, a navy moon and red stripes tattooing his furry face, green acid dripping from his fangs. However, he couldn’t place the boy in red. Though he was rougher and less aristocratic in appearance, his features were reminiscent of the taiyoukai. There was also the issue of his ears, an indication of either a desire to appear less human or a lack of control over the physical form. Still, there was no denying the resemblance. A cousin, perhaps?
When the hall emptied into a cavernous ballroom, the first thing they noticed was that Enki, Yomi, Mukuro, and Genkai were among the hundreds of guests gathered in the room. The second was the sheer scale of the chamber itself. It was, to say the least, enormous both in width and height. Hiei would bet anything the great white dogs seen in the hallway could easily have fit themselves into this room and had space to scratch.
Two sets of gilded, red-carpeted stairs curved down from either end of the upper loft area and emptied into the middle of the floor. Navy velvet drapes waved in the wind of the open windows at the top. The floor was checkered in black and white marble and in the center, a large circular emblem of a blue moon dominated the décor. At either end of the room, huge double doors opened out onto a spacious balcony overlooking the forest. Three mammoth golden chandeliers, each twice the size of the ones in the hall but far more delicate in appearance, cast the ballroom in a low, romantic light. Dozens of small, round tables lit with individual lanterns and covered with pristine white tablecloths fluttered in the wind like ghosts along the sides of room, leaving the center open for mingling.
Currently, Youko was trying to devise a way to get up the steps to the upper floors without being noticed. Kurama, however, was forcibly restraining him. Seeing Yomi seated at one of the many white-clothed tables, he made a beeline for the youkai and his old acquaintance. Yukina wanted to compliment Genkai, who was conversing with a few of the lesser provincial rulers, on her formal kimono, so she and Kuwabara made their way over to her corner. Koenma and Botan, feeling very out of place in the room of powerful youkai, followed the two shortly after.
When all that was left was Yusuke, Keiko, and a watchful Hiei, the spirit detective sidled up to the apparition amiably, still tugging in annoyance at his red bowtie. Keiko, who was feeling a little uncomfortable around all the unfamiliar demons, stuck close to her date.
“So, having fun?” he asked sarcastically. The little hybrid looked up at him with disdain. “Yeah, me neither,” he agreed. “I ain’t really into these swanky sort of shindigs. Personally, I’d rather be kickin’ some ass.”
“Oh, be quiet, Yusuke! You shouldn’t be so ungrateful. This place is beautiful,” Keiko gushed, reaching up to straighten his bowtie that he’d pulled out of place. “I feel like a princess around all this gold and these nobles,” she smiled dreamily.
“Yeah, speaking of,” Yusuke said to Hiei, ignoring her scolding, “What’s with all of these ‘Lords,’ anyway? I thought Enki was the ruler of Makai.”
Hiei, still watching the room closely, answered with slightly less derision than he had used years earlier when they first met. “Enki may be the undisputed ruler of the entire demon realm, but there are still rulers of specific areas of lands and provinces. While Enki makes the rules for all demons, these others keep their own people in line individually.”
“Yeah, but we all know the Big Dog could kick Enki’s ass any day.” They all turned to look at the handsome young demon that had spoken as he approached them. He was tall and lean, like Kurama, and dressed in a black and silver tuxedo. His long, auburn mane was pulled back in a low ponytail at the base of his neck, revealing pointed, elfin ears. His eyes were bright aquamarine gems, glowing with all the mischief and cockiness of a young kitsune. Confirming Hiei’s assessment of his species, five russet tails extended from the base of his spine and swished excitedly about his thighs.
Hiei assumed he was talking about Sesshoumaru, and had to wonder just who he was to take such liberties as a nickname with the formidable Lord of the West. However, he didn’t ask, but let Yusuke do his dirty work.
Predictably, the spirit detective crossed his arms over his chest with a smirk at the youkai. “You think so, huh?”
With a fanged grin of his own, the fox nodded. “Oh, yeah, definitely.” Throwing a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the great red ruler, he snorted derisively, “Have you seen how tiny that guy is? Sesshoumaru could swallow him in one bite and spit out his bones. I can‘t imagine how he won that tournament being so small and soft.”
At this, Yusuke let out a genuine bark of laughter that had a few of the other guests glancing over at him with arrogant frowns. He couldn’t believe someone was calling Enki small! “Yeah, well, I wouldn’t know anything about that. I was unconscious for the fight.”
“Oh, yeah, you must be that kid from the Ningenkai, right? Koenma’s Spirit Detective,” he said in realization, scratching his chin in thought. “Yeah, Kagome’s been wanting to meet you. She’s going to be awfully disappointed, though; you don’t look half as tough as they make you sound,” he grinned at the detective.
Realizing the strange youkai was teasing him, Yusuke smirked back, “Yeah, well, the tuxedo hides the muscles.”
The youkai chuckled and extended a clawed hand, smiling amiably. “I’m Shippo.”
“Yusuke Urameshi,” he replied, taking the offered hand. Keiko cleared her throat, and Yusuke hurried to introduce her. “This is Keiko Yukimura, my fiancé.”
Shippo smiled charmingly and took her hand gently in his own, bowing and placing a kiss on her knuckles over the diamond ring. A blush rose in the young woman’s cheeks. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Yukimura-san,” he purred. “I haven’t been to the Ningenkai lately, but the human women just keep getting prettier and prettier.”
Hiei let out a derisive snort, drawing the fox’s attention. Ignoring Keiko’s burning cheeks and Yusuke’s not-so-subtle glare, he looked down at the glowering hybrid and chuckled. “And you’re not nearly as friendly as they say,” he said sarcastically. “I don’t know why Kagome bothered inviting you, but she seemed awfully excited to meet you. I’ll never understand that girl,” Shippo mumbled more to himself than them, shaking his head.
Hiei’s scowl, if possible, deepened. His fingers twitched, wishing he had his sword. But he found himself wondering about this “Kagome” that the fox kept mentioning. Apparently, she was in charge of the guest list, but one would assume that, as the master of the castle, Sesshoumaru would be the one deciding who to invite. Just who was this woman?
“Which part of the Makai do you rule over, Shippo-san?” Keiko asked, effectively drawing his attention away from the fuming hybrid and intercepting any fights.
“I’m not a Lord; I work for Sesshoumaru,” the fox answered, his posture straightening in a childish kind of pride and his red tails striking a pose.
“Oh,” she nodded in understanding. “What do you do?”
Winking, he grinned at her devilishly. “If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”
The young woman tittered and averted her eyes, the dangerous gleam in the demon’s eyes making her slightly nervous. She couldn’t tell if he was threatening her or just teasing. Before she could ask anymore questions, there was an unearthly squawk that caught the attention of the guests. They turned to see a toad-like creature at the base of the steps, standing tall and proudly despite his diminutive size.
He cleared his throat loudly, his bulging yellow eyes moving imperiously over the still whispering crowd. He tapped his grotesque, two-headed staff on the marble tiles twice, precisely. “Presenting the Lord Sesshoumaru and the Lady Kagome,” he squawked from his beak-like mouth and hurried out of the way.
Music began to spill out from behind the curtains that covered the wall behind the stairs on the lower floor. An organ, deep and foreboding, groaned out a chilling, powerful melody that sent shivers down the backs of the guests. A great and imposing figure appeared from one of the doorways in the loft and made his way down the steps in time with the music. By this time, a hush had fallen over the crowd as everyone turned to watch the lord and master of the West, the feared taiyoukai Sesshoumaru, descend into the ballroom.
Tall and broad, even the youkai’s more humanoid form was impressive. Dark youki poured off his magnificent frame in oppressive waves and washed over the room like a thick, choking smoke. It seemed as though it overflowed from the youkai, as if it could not be contained, and invaded every corner of the room, pressing down heavily on the guests and overwhelming their senses. His presence was overpowering and dominating.
His hair was spun moonlight, his eyes were the coldest of amber, and his regal, striped face was a mask of indifference. With every step his bangs wavered around the crescent moon that hung on his forehead like a badge of nobility. He wore the formal montsuki kimono, but in shades of pristine white and silver instead of the traditional black. An insignia of a crescent moon and three interlocking sakura blossoms marked the back of his jacket.
As he neared the bottom step and a circle of guests backed away to give him a wide birth, the organ faded and a swell of violins took its place. A gentler melody, precious and tremulous in the wake of the powerful notes of the organ, introduced the second figure that had just appeared in the opposite doorway from which he had exited. Her presence wasn’t nearly as overpowering as the youkai’s, but was still strong and the purity of it rose the hairs on the demons’ necks.
The tender twang of a harp soon joined the whining violins, reflecting the delicate beauty that now stood at the top of the steps. With one dainty, pale hand on the golden rail, she carefully descended. Her dress was woven in navy and silver, a slim, flattering bodice that flared dramatically at the hips to create a great bell around her legs of gathered and folded fabric that trailed behind her. Although the sleeves were modest and slightly flared around her wrists, the neckline, accented with lace, dipped low between her breasts and exposed the entirety of the creamy, silken flesh of her chest, ending in a “V” just above her navel. A slender, elegant neck held proudly aloft a plainly pretty face, the most striking feature her moon-blue eyes, flecked with silver in the light of the chandeliers above and framed by impossibly long lashes. Her blue-black hair, thick and lustrous, was piled dramatically in an intricate design atop her head with several jeweled combs, ending in a thick, serpentine curl that lay over one shoulder.
When she finally reached the bottom, she took the youkai’s extended hand and immediately the music swelled to an excited waltz. He swept her gracefully into the middle of the ballroom, surrounded by a circle of the guests, and together they twirled and danced over the moon. Keiko sighed enviously at the scene, subtly and quietly elbowing her own date in the ribs when the Lord and the Lady smiled secretively to each other as they moved around the center of the room. As the music finally died to a soft, low, tuneless cadence the two stopped and faced the crowd, hands still clasped together. The woman gave a curtsy with a breathless smile to the guests, visibly bouncing with her restrained excitement. The youkai dipped his head arrogantly, but did not bow. The crowd erupted in applause.
“Oh, that was beautiful!” Keiko gushed. “Why don’t we ever dance like that?” she asked Yusuke.
The young man rolled his eyes, tugging again at his bowtie. “Cause I ain’t a pansy, that’s why.” His fiancé glowered up at him reproachfully. “So, I guess that’s the Kagome you were talking about, eh, Shippo?”
The fox gave him a toothy grin. “Yeah, that’s her.”
“Oh, they make such a beautiful couple! They look so happy with each other.” Keiko became starry-eyed when the woman stepped up on her tiptoes, barely reaching his chest, to place a kiss to his cheek and smile sweetly. The man’s face registered no reaction, but he brushed her cheek with his clawed fingers and stepped away to speak with a posturing wolf near the balcony, platinum hair swaying behind him. Left alone, the woman began to greet the guests with varying levels of familiarity but always with the same warmth. The music started up again in a gentle waltz and many of the couples around the room gathered on the moon emblem to dance.
Shippo chuckled as his sharp eyes followed the woman around the room. “Oh, she and Sesshoumaru aren’t a couple. She’s actually his sister-in-law and his second-in-command. And she’s also his chief advisor and the Lieutenant General of our army,” he said nonchalantly.
At this, Hiei narrowed his eyes on the little human woman greeting a minor lord and his mate with a warm smile. He recognized her now: the miko from the tapestries in the entrance hall. For the life of him, he could not reconcile the smiling woman across the room with the form of the fierce, bloodied warrior from before, besides the jeweled eyes. But, the evidence was there. As he watched, he could see the rigid, guarded posture and the alert eyes of a fighter. Despite her size and her delicate appearance, sinew rippled beneath her silken flesh. Even her eyes were a river that ran much deeper than the kindness and warmth she projected. In spite of her appearance, this woman was a warrior through and through.
“I think there’s something more worth stealing than what’s in Sesshoumaru’s vaults,” Hiei heard Youko chuckle darkly through their mental link. The hybrid looked over to see the avatar and Yomi being received enthusiastically by their hostess. The young woman was speaking animatedly with Kurama, expressing her gratitude that he was able to attend.
Inwardly, Hiei snorted derisively. ‘You’re going to get yourself killed, fox… again.’ To emphasize his point, he subtly gestured to the taiyoukai on the other side of the room. The Lord was conversing in low, serious tones with another cardinal lord with a sort of bored candor. However, he seemed more interested in keeping an eye on Kurama as he glanced over at the red-headed avatar with each sip of his wine.
“Now, what’s the fun in thievery if the guard dog makes it easy?” the fox snickered.
However, the woman in question was currently making her way over to the detective and the hybrid. Hiei, despite himself, straightened his posture just the slightest. When the woman neared them, her eyes alighted on the red fox among them and she cooed and immediately swooped towards him, her arms thrown wide.
“Oh, Shippo-kun!” she crooned as she embraced him. The fox chuckled and returned the hug tenfold, taking care not to disturb her elaborate hair. “How long have you been back?”
The kitsune grinned and pulled back to look her in the eye. “Just a few hours. I barely arrived in time to see you and the Big Dog heat up the dance floor.”
At this, the little woman’s cheeks warmed and she smiled slyly. “You wouldn’t believe how much coaxing it took to get him to enter like that.”
“You mean nagging.”
“Oh, naturally.”
Shippo chuckled again as he looked down at the little miko who was positively glowing with excitement. She was in her element among all these friends and acquaintances. Kagome was a social creature by nature; she wasn’t meant for the battlefield, although she could hold her own well enough.
“You know Sesshoumaru will want a full report,” Kagome reminded him, smoothing out the chest of his sharp, black tuxedo with motherly hands.
“Yeah, yeah,” the fox grumbled, shrugging off her attention like a disgruntled teenager. The miko just rolled her eyes and finally turned her attention to the others standing quietly near the entrance to the hall.
Beaming, she rushed to shake the detective’s hand. “You must be Yusuke Urameshi. I’ve heard a lot about you!” she gushed. Without giving the boy the chance to answer, she turned to his date, looking nervous in her purple gown. “And may I ask your name?”
“I’m Keiko Yukimura, his fiancé,” she bowed low, not sure what the protocol for Makai royalty was.
“Oh,” Kagome cooed, smiling softly. “I should have known. You two look perfect together. And your dress is just lovely, Keiko-san.”
The girl smiled sincerely. “Thank you!”
The miko then turned her attention to the silently brooding hybrid. She smiled brightly. “And that makes you Hiei, right? You’re even more impressive in person.” The woman extended a pale hand to him.
Hiei glared at her, but couldn’t decide whether or not she was being sarcastic. In any case, he wasn’t about to shake her hand, Lady or not. “Hn.”
“And so eloquent,” the miko teased in a slightly less friendly tone than before. Slighted, she retracted the offered appendage and turned back to the detective with sparkling eyes.
“Shippo tells me that Spirit Gun of yours is really something to see. I’d love to see it sometime,” she oozed.
At Yusuke’s questioning look, the fox explained nonchalantly, “I was at the last tournament.”
“You were in the tournament?” the detective asked, surprised.
The red fox shrugged and waved a hand dismissively. “Nah, Sesshoumaru just likes to keep tabs on which bozo thinks he’s running the Makai.”
Again, Yusuke had to laugh at the youkai’s arrogance. The man obviously thought a lot of his boss. He laughed even more when the petite woman at the fox’s side smacked his arm lightly and waggled her finger at him as she admonished him for speaking rudely.
The music in the background was fading out of the slow, somber waltz to a loud, bouncing swing. Kagome stopped her fussing and turned with confused eyes to the area where the band hid behind the curtain below the steps. “What in the world…?”
She suddenly squeaked cutely and the others watched on in amusement- and annoyance on Shippo’s part- as a tall, dark-haired man grabbed her around the waist from behind, spun her around, and then dipped the startled young woman over his arm.
“Did you miss me, my lady?” the man growled charmingly.
Kagome’s face lit with joy as she threw her arms around the strange youkai’s neck, a somewhat awkward endeavor bent over his arm as she was. “Kouga-kun! Oh, it’s been too long!”
The handsome wolf chuckled and righted her, still keeping her close with an arm around her slim waist. He was clad in a black tuxedo with a bronze cummerbund. Kagome always found it strange to see him in such formal clothing when the only other thing she’d ever seen him in was a fur wrap. Even in such restricting clothing, the young wolf still maintained that rugged charm.
Paying no mind to the others, he focused his beguiling blue eyes on the priestess. “Why don’t we dance? I even got those stuffy old bags behind the curtain to play something less depressing.”
Stifling a laugh, the woman smacked his arm playfully. “I should have known it was you! Sesshoumaru will be upset. You know how he hates good music.” Her eyes danced with mirth.
Kouga took this as a yes and immediately began ushering her toward the dance floor. The woman threw a quick “It was nice meeting you!” over her shoulder before allowing herself to be pulled into the crowd of writhing and twirling couples.
Shippo excused himself, still glaring at the back of the wolf’s head as he easily spun Kagome over his head, sending the room into a roar of applause and whistles. When the fox left to catch up to the lord of the castle, Keiko felt comfortable enough to venture over to talk with Genkai and Yusuke followed.
Left alone, Hiei silently studied the woman smiling and laughing, being whirled around the dance floor by the wolf. She looked young and she smelled completely human, but the wisdom in her eyes belied that impression. She must have been very old to have so much power in her aura and to have gained such a prominent position in Sesshoumaru’s kingdom.
If Sesshoumaru was known for anything -besides his uncontested strength-, it was the exclusivity with which he granted his trust. And the powerful Lord obviously trusted the miko. It was also apparent from his manner that he cared for the little ningen on some level, although the nature of their relationship was unclear.
The fox had said that she was his sister-in-law. Hiei hadn’t been aware that the lord even had a brother. His eyes scanned the room, searching for anyone who could pass as a relative. Besides the servants, there were no other inuyoukai. He remembered the tapestry in the hall depicting the woman and the red-clad demon. Could he be his brother and her mate? If that was the case, it would certainly explain their close relationship.
“He is Sesshoumaru‘s brother,” Youko’s voice invaded his thoughts through the open mind link.
‘The man in red on the tapestry?’ Hiei questioned.
“Yeah, I remember hearing a long time ago that Sesshoumaru had a hanyou half-brother. That must be him,” the fox explained, still studying the miko through the avatar’s eyes.
‘If his mate is here, where is he?’
“Dead, last I heard,” the fox said flippantly.
Hiei took in the information and was forced to look at the miko in a slightly different light. Losing a mate was a terrible thing to go through. He’d heard it felt something like quite literally losing a part of one’s soul. But the woman wasn’t exactly the picture of a mourning widow. ‘It must have happened a long time ago.’
“A little less than five hundred years, I think. I’d just returned from the continent at that time, so I only caught the tail end of the story, and even then it was a little sketchy,” the silver fox thought, trying to recall the details. “Apparently, he won back some kind of artifact that was stolen from him, but then disappeared a few months later. No one seemed to know what happened to him, but he was assumed dead. I didn’t know he had a mate, though.”
‘That doesn’t make sense, fox. She’s human,’ the hybrid pointed out an obvious inconsistency that had been bothering him.
Youko simply shrugged noncommittally. “It’s difficult for a human to gain immortality, but it can be done. Certain mating rituals can bind the life force of two individuals. If one was a human, they’d live just as long as the other. It was said that her mate disappeared, but I don’t think a body was ever found. And then there’s the fact that she’s a miko. They can easily gain immortality by becoming a kuromiko.”
Hiei thought the former was more likely than the latter. A koromiko’s aura was dark and gave off a distinctly evil energy; this woman’s aura was almost blinding in its purity. But, if her extended lifespan was indeed due to her mating to a demon, that would mean the demon in question would still have to be alive somewhere. Something was definitely off about that theory. If she knew without a doubt that he was alive, wouldn’t she have either found him by now or still be looking?
In any case, Hiei decided it didn’t matter. As captivating a sight as she was, she was still only a human woman . A powerful one, obviously, but insignificant nonetheless and no one he needed to worry about. If he was lucky, he’d never have to see any of these self-important, throne-flaunting ’Lords’ and ’Ladies’ ever again. With his position in Mukuro’s domain, though, he doubted it. Speak of the devil…
“Good evening, Hiei. I’m surprised to see you here,” the taller youkai said as she came to stand beside him. Strangely enough, the usually somewhat boyish woman sported a long black gown and an intricately embroidered shawl that covered anything the dress didn’t. Her hands and arms, not surprisingly, were covered with satin gloves.
“Hn,” the hybrid nearly snorted. “I may not like them, but I have enough sense not to snub an invitation from a Makai noble.”
“A wise decision,” Mukuro conceded with a grin. “The Reikai doesn’t have a label for the kind of power Sesshoumaru wields. We’re just lucky he isn’t the greedy type.”
Hiei didn’t answer, but watched the Lord as he exited through the billowing curtains onto one of the open balconies with two other cardinal rulers. “How did he become so powerful?” he absently asked his silently observing companion.
“By birth, I suppose,” Mukuro replied. “He is the son of the late Inu no Taisho. However, he is said to be even more powerful than his father was. His half-brother was a force to be reckoned with, too, though I never met him.”
“What happened to him? The half-brother?”
“No one really knows except his mate, I would wager. And she won’t say much on the matter.”
“You’ve attended these gatherings before,” Hiei stated more than asked. From the way she spoke of the family and the woman, she had obviously had close contact with them.
“Yes, this would be my fifth,” the woman said in her raspy voice. “The Lady Kagome” -at the name both their eyes swung to the petite form now exiting the dance floor arm-in-arm with the wolf- “is in charge of the invitations. I received mine when I first came into power some decades ago.”
They both watched her for a while, flitting like a bee amongst flowers from one group of demons to the next. She was always received warmly and seemed to be on extremely good terms with everyone. It was easy to see now why the West hadn’t been to war in over a century.
Mukuro shifted from one foot to the other, visibly uncomfortable in the formal setting of the castle. It was strange to see the usually stonily calm demon so obviously out of her element. “She doesn’t seem like much, does she?”
Hiei “Hn”ed, then “Have you seen her in battle?”
“No, but I have heard she is quite powerful on her own. Even those who fight beside them say that the sight of the Lord and Lady in battle is a fearful sight.”
“And those who fight against them?”
Mukuro grinned. “Those who go against them don’t say much of anything anymore.”
However, before Hiei could respond with a snort of derision, the party was interrupted by a clamor of breaking glass and feminine screams from the far end of the room at the base of the grand steps. A group of women in intricate gowns seemed to be the source. In the center of the circle of gathering demons on the ground the two could make out a heap of deep blue fabric, like that of the Lady Kagome’s dress, just before the view was swallowed up by the legs of the other nobles as they swarmed around the group.
Without a word Mukuro swiftly crossed the room to the group of gathered demons. Sesshoumaru himself arrived just after her, having come in when the commotion began, and cleared a path to the center. When the others moved away, Hiei could clearly see the form of the Lady of the West, collapsed onto the cold marble floor, her glass of red wine shattered on the ground beside her limp hand.
.
AN/ After I start my new classes in mid January, I should have more time to work on this. I hope to have updates out at least once a month, so we’ll see.
I’d love to know what you think so far! =)