InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Demon Should Act Like A Demon ❯ In the Land of the Living... ( Chapter 4 )

A Demon Should Act Like a Demon

By Ericedwyn

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and friends were created and lovingly brought to life by Rumiko Takahashi.

A/N: A glossary for Japanese terms is included, and my responses to reviews follow the glossary. BTW, text in `___' are thought expressions. _^,,^_

Chapter Four: In the Land of the Living…

~* Somewhere in the Realm of In-Between *~

Juuki lead Inuyasha inside a pyramidal structure. Four columns stood tall at each corner. "This is the Temple of Time, Inuyasha. You can view all the lives you have lived before to review the lessons you have learned, or study the lessons you need to learn in your future reincarnations. When you have been given leave to reincarnate again, this is the place you need to go to choose your next life."

Juuki stopped in front of a liquidy wall directly across the front door. "This is called the Window of Time and Place. With intent, you can view your previous lives or view the lives of those in the Living World. "For example, let us check how Kagome is faring today."

The liquidy wall stilled before an image of Kagome materialized. Inuyasha and his guide watched as Kagome erected a small shrine at the foot of a large tree. She staked a thin plank of wood with the characters of Inuyasha's name at the right of the shrine, and then placed an offering plate containing a starfruit in front of it.

"Look, Inuyasha. Kagome built a shrine for you. What a thoughtful girl." Juuki smiled approvingly. "My Shippou is fortunate to have her by his side."

"Yeah, she always did things like that. Made her happy or something." The Hanyou grinned, his fangs peeking. "Maybe she's accepting the whole demon thing."

~* On the grounds of Sesshoumaru's fortress, early afternoon *~

Kagome wiped away the speck of dust that made its way on the offering plate. She looked up to check on Shippou and Rin, playing tag at a clearing about 15 feet away, and smiled at the sound of childish squeals and laughter. `What I would give to be so carefree right now…' She failed to notice or feel Sesshoumaru's presence as he lounged on a limb of a nearby tree behind her. He questioned her self-preservation skills.

She shifted to make herself more comfortable in her kneeling position in front of the shrine, and after a few minutes, began her monologue.

"I wish things were different, Inuyasha. I feel a little guilty that I'm alive and you're gone."

"My body is changing a lot and the very idea of being a demon is really scaring me, too." Her eyes fell on her lap and she smoothed the silk material with the palms of her hands. Silence reigned for a few minutes before she continued.

"I really miss Mom, Souta, and Ojiisan. I want to go home, but if I do, I'll probably get stuck in the future, now that the Shikon no Tama is gone. There's… there's no place for a demon in the future, so I can't really go back."

A lone tear escaped and glided down her right cheek, but the young woman made no move to brush it away. "They probably think I'm dead..." She whispered hoarsely as tears began to rain freely. After awhile, she wiped her face with the back of her hands when no more tears could flow. The Miko felt the heat rise up to her cheeks as she thought about the pain that her family must being going through..

"You know, Kaede-baa-chan was right about something, Inuyasha." She felt the flame of anger beginning to erupt inside of her. "You are the most stupidest of the baka!"

"You could have just wished me alive without turning me into a demon. I could be home now. Heck, you didn't even have to wish on the jewel. You could have asked your brother to use the tenseiga; maybe he would have revived me."

"The problem with you was that you always acted first, before thinking things through. And sometimes… at the expense of others. This time you really screwed up, Inuyasha. You really screwed up!" Kagome said harshly.

"I wish I could hate you for this, Inuyasha. But I can't. I hope you visit me in my dream soon so I can tell you this to your face. BAKA, INUYASHA. BAka… baka…" She stood up and kicked some dirt at the Hanyou's shrine and stalked off towards the direction of the children's laughter.

Sesshoumaru, from his vantage, saw and heard everything she said and did. He followed her through her sorrow, then through her anger. He even managed a smirk when she called his half-brother "the most stupidest of the baka."

`This woman is very strange. She can ride one extreme emotion to the next.' He mentally kicked himself a second after the desire to comfort the woman crept up unbidden.

`I wonder what will happen if her emotion gets the best of her and her demon instincts kick in.' He sighed before leaping from his perch, landing soundlessly on the dried leaf covered ground. `I better start her training soon.'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

~* Somewhere in the Realm of In-Between *~

Juuki turned to examine the young man standing beside him. "I believe it would be best if you wait awhile before visiting her again. I would also advise you to choose your words carefully the next time you speak with her."

"Feh! What can she do to dead guy like me?"

Juuki shook his head and whapped the back of Inuyasha's head. `What an arrogant ignoramus."

"Nani!?! What was that for?" The Hanyou frowned up at Juuki questioningly.

`Oh, Kami-sama! I hope Shippou did not pick up any bad habits from this ruffian.' Juuki groaned inwardly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

~* On the grounds of Sesshoumaru's fortress, afternoon *~

Kagome calmed down a bit by the time she reached the clearing where the children were playing. She wrapped her arms around a tree and laid her cheek on the rough surface, as she watched Rin chase the kitsune cub. They reminded her a little of her and Souta.

She began to feel balanced as she hugged the tree… feeling her anger absorbed by nature and drained out to the earth.

"Kagome-oneesan!" Rin squealed in delight upon espying her, and ran towards the elder just as quickly as her little legs could take her. Kagome laughed brightly as she bent down to pick up the 6-year old and gave her a bear hug. Shippou followed shortly, and not to be left out, scampered up Kagome's kimono to perch on her shoulder. He hugged the young woman's neck.

"You two always know how to make me feel so special." Kagome chimed cheerfully.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin exclaimed just a decibel below shouting and squirmed in Kagome's arms. The Miko set her down and watched as the little girl ran towards her adoptive father before wrapping her little arms around his legs. `There must be something about Sesshoumaru this little girl sees…' She looked up and locked gazes with the Demon Lord.

Sesshoumaru approached her without relinquishing his hold on her eyes. "The kimono brings out your eyes, Kagome." He said softly. Although his face was devoid of any emotion, she saw a glitter of something she couldn't yet identify in his amber eyes.

"Arigatou, Sesshoumaru-sama." She felt a blush creep up from her throat to settle on her cheeks.

"I hope you liked what has arrived thus far. More should arrive within the next few days."

"It's too much, Sesshoumaru-sama." She lost the battle of the gaze as she claimed her eyes back from his hold.

"Not at all. You are now a High Lady of the Western Lands, and must be properly attired as befits your rank and station."

"Just what exactly does that mean?" Kagome asked without looking at him, but he detected the concern in her voice.

"Rin, Shippou… Why don't you two find Jaken and tell him to arrange for dinner to be brought outside since the weather is fair."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama," said the human girl and the kit in unison before leaving the adults to talk.

He examined the young lady before him in silence before answering. "It means that you are now part of the family, Kagome." He said softly.

She said nothing, but appeared to be digesting his words, as she looked down at her tatami sandals.

"I think we should begin your training soon. You need to understand and get used to your demonic powers." He waited a few seconds before resuming. His gaze followed the spray of cherry blossoms from her shoulder to her wrist.

"I would also like to teach you how to protect yourself and how to use the tetsusiaga, as Inuyasha requested. Perhaps I can train you to use other weapons as well. It is my hope, one day, that you may be able to help me protect the Western Lands."

Kagome opened her mouth as if to say something, but clamped them shut. She thought about his words before replying. "The things you want me to learn are what you would have taught Inuyasha if things had been different, right?

He considered her words before nodding. He gazed moved towards the mountains in the far distance. He hesitated a little before speaking. "When Father died, many youkai came to challenge me for the Western Lands. Although Father made me promise to watch over my half-brother, I was kept very busy protecting our birthright. When I wasn't at home nursing my wounds, I was out there keeping our legacy intact."

Sesshoumaru took a few steps past her. "I do not want tetsusiaga anymore, but back then, as I was coming into my own power, I really wanted the sword. It would have made things… a lot easier and some lessons less painful."

"One day, Inuyasha left without telling anyone. He had heard about the Shikon no Tama and lusted after it." He turned around to gaze into Kagome's eyes. "I found out from Jaken that my half-brother was sealed by a human Miko while attempting to steal the jewel a few minutes before I battled the Neko Youkai clan. That was 53 years ago."

He closed his eyes and murmured, "That day, I felt very alone… without family."

When he opened his eyes again, Kagome was looking up at him with tears in her eyes. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around his waist, and buried her face to his chest. "Gomen ne, Sesshoumaru-sama."

He stared down at the top of her head in surprise. `She is crying for me?' He couldn't remember being hugged or comforted like this since he was even younger than Shippou. But it felt good, and for once, Sesshoumaru allowed himself to succumb to the feeling that is slowly boiling inside of him. He lowered his head to inhale the sweet scent of lavender on her hair before laying his cheek on the top of her head. `This woman… Why am I allowing her to affect me like this?'

Feeling overwhelmed with happiness, he felt the need to return it. Before stopping himself, he decided to… "Kagome?" The Demon Lord asked as he lifted his face hesitantly from her hair.

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama?" came the muffled response.

"About your kitsune cub… Would you like to formally adopt him?"

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!" He almost jumped when Kagome tightened her hug suddenly. "Arigatou gozaimasu, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Kagome all but screamed. She smiled brightly at him. He held his breath at the spectacular display of happiness that shone from her eyes. "You have just made one little kitsune the most happiest youkai in the world!" She squealed in delight.

He took a step backwards to steady himself when she released him so suddenly. Kagome didn't notice as she grabbed his hand and dragged the poor Lord towards the fortress to break the news to Shippou.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Glossary: (If I am using the Japanese terms wrong, please let me know. I'm already butchering up English… I don't want to butcher up Japanese too. Arigatou! _^,,^_ )

Arigatou - Thank you

Arigatou gozaimazu - Thank you very much

Baka - Fool; Stupid; Idiot

Hai - Yes

Hanyou - Half-demon, half-human

Juuki - The name I gave Inuyasha's guide (also Shippou's departed dad) means "treasure or invaluable person"

Kami-sama - God

Kitsune - Fox

Gomen ne - Sorry

Miko - Priestess

Nani - What

Neko - Cat

Oneesan - Sister

Tatami - straw

Tetsusiaga - A guardian sword Inuyasha inherited made from his father's fang.

Tsumi - The name I gave to Kagome's hanyou servant. It is the Japanese name for the Japanese Lesser Sparrowhawk

Youkai - Demon

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Responses to Reviews: Arigatou, Reviewers! I really appreciate your input. _^,,^_

Miss_Marilyn: Thank you for your input! I'll try to keep it up!

Lady Sethia: Thank you for the rating!

Nick Stoehr: Thank you for supporting the plot so far! The Hanyou will reincarnate… but I won't say anymore :)

Lady Neese: Thank you for the rating and your supportive words! Sess… ::drools::

Dethorats: Please stay tuned for the youkai in Kagome will be unleashed… in the near future. ::wicked grin::