InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Little Faith ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu and Moriko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

 

A/N: Entropy9, whimsy007 and HentaiVixen…As always, thanks for reading and reviewing the last chapter. Now that the background bit is mostly done, the story will begin to focus on the actual plot. Please enjoy…

 

 

A Little Faith by elle6778 - Chapter 3

 

 

 

The hotsprings had been blissful, Kagome thought with a sigh as she padded barefoot onto the tatami mat carpeting her room. When Natsumi had told her about it last night, she had felt a little apprehensive about bathing out in the open. However, the place had been temptingly deserted this morning and anyway, it was not as if she was completely naked. Still, she missed the amenities in modern Tokyo even though she had only been in the Feudal Era for a few days.

 

She still could not quite figure out how the old dried up well in the shrine grounds had managed to transport her five hundred years into the past. As exciting as it was to see history first hand, she knew that she had to get home. The first thing she needed to do today was to convince that arrogant demon lord to allow her to leave. After all, this was all a big mistake, right? Yes, she would find him and talk to him about it as soon as she finished dressing.

 

Her decision made, she hummed to herself as she put on her new clothes. Not exactly used to wearing traditional garb, she had fumbled for a while before she figured out how to put everything together. There were strips of cloth which she assumed meant for binding her breasts, but since she had no idea how to do it, she decided to forgo it. Her bra was damp from her swim, so she had to manage without it as well for the time being.

 

The thick cream hakamashita had gone on first, followed by the black hakama. She tucked in the ends like what she had seen in the pages of her history books. Dimly, she realized that what she wore resembled the outfit of a priestess in this era. Jaken must have had that in mind when he ordered Natsumi to deliver the clothes.

 

As she was about to close the wooden chest, Kagome noticed an ornately decorated box. Curious, she lifted it out and flipped the lid open. Inside, there was a small tub of what appeared to be white powder. Next to it was a small bamboo brush, a stick of what looked like charcoal and another red stick.

 

“Oh!” she exclaimed out loud as she finally recognized the contents of the box as the olden day version of makeup. She toyed with the idea of applying it and then quickly changed her mind when the image of a geisha flashed across her mind.

 

Lowering the box back to where it came from, Kagome closed the chest and straightened. Just then, a soft tap came from the shoji screen.

 

Kagome stilled. “Yes?” she called out, wondering who it was.

 

The shoji screen slid open to reveal Natsumi. “Ohayou Gozaimasu,” she greeted politely as she balanced a tray on her palms.

 

Kagome smiled as she returned the greeting, eyeing the tray held by the other girl. The smell which came from it reminded her of how hungry she was.

 

“Breakfast,” Natsumi announced needlessly as she placed the tray on a small table.

 

“Thank you,” Kagome replied, eyeing the tray hungrily.

 

“You should eat before it gets cold.”

 

Nodding her agreement, Kagome quickly sat on the floor and began devouring the simple breakfast comprising of rice, pickles and soup.

 

“Lord Sesshoumaru wishes you to join him in the dojo after breakfast, Miko…Kagome.”

 

She looked up with a confused frown. “Huh? Why?”

 

Natsumi gave her an apologetic look. “He did not say why. Simply that you will join him there.” Then, hesitantly, the girl added, “It is best that you comply with his wishes.”

 

Kagome's lips tightened. Who did Sesshoumaru think he was, ordering people about like that? It was just as well that she would be bored out of her mind with nothing to do or else she would decide to stay put just to spite him. And anyway, she would need to see him to get him to understand that she was not a miko and that he should let her leave.

 

Polishing off the last of her food, Kagome sighed in contentment and picked the tray up. Now that her stomach was full, she felt more energized.

 

Natsumi quickly intercepted her. “I'll clean it up. You should go, Kagome. Just turn right and walk till the end. Turn left and go straight out of the side door. Turn right and follow the garden path until you reach a door, and then turn left. The dojo is right there.”

 

Blinking at the rapid instruction, Kagome tried to absorb it all. Right, left, right, left. It could not be that hard, right? “Thank you,” she said uncertainly as she began to head towards the shoji.

 

The other girl's voice halted her. “Kagome?”

 

Kagome turned around to give her a questioning look. “Yes?”

Natsumi gestured to the wooden chest and then at her face. “Aren't you going to prepare your face?”

 

Eyes widening, Kagome quickly shook her head and laughed nervously. “Uh…I think I'll give it a miss. Especially seeing that I'm going to a dojo.” She hoped that Natsumi would not insist that she painted her face. Walking around looking like a geisha was not something she intended to do.

 

The other girl simply gave her an odd look before she nodded.

 

Sighing in relief, Kagome smiled and quickly walked out of the room.

 

 

 

…***…***…***…

 

 

The dojo was situated at the south end of the compound, separated from the servants' quarters by the armory. Not knowing what miko training entailed, Sesshoumaru had selected this location for the pending meeting for its versatility.

 

Sesshoumaru glanced at the impatient hanyou beside him. Katsuo had been his general for the past half a century and his most prized warrior for a quarter of a century before that. Although relatively young, Katsuo had served the Western Lands well and Sesshoumaru was certain that he would continue to do so.

 

Katsuo had been giving him questioning looks ever since he had been summoned away from his routine morning training. It was obvious that the hanyou wanted to return to his daily task of training the warriors.

 

However, Katsuo's presence was required as he was the only one in the entire place who could assist with the miko situation. The reason was simple. Whilst his father was an inuyoukai, the hanyou's mother was a village miko. Katsuo had never spoken about the circumstances behind his conception, but it was common knowledge that his father and mother never mated and that his mother hated demons with vengeance.

 

Strangely enough, even though Katsuo had lived with his mother until the day she had died, he had never lost his demonic fighting instincts. It had been that instinct which had caught Sesshoumaru's attention when he was passing the village one day, as Katsuo single-handedly held off a group of demon bandits from attacking the village. Katsuo had been instantly recruited then. Over the years, his knowledge of miko practices and his immunity to purification had benefited the Western Lands more than once.

 

Knowing that it was time to inform his general of his role, Sesshoumaru said, “Your task would be to train a human miko. You will ensure that her powers are brought forth without delay.”

 

Katsuo looked stunned. Then an expression of misgiving crossed his face. “A miko, Lord Sesshoumaru?”

Sesshoumaru arched a questioning brow.

 

“Wouldn't it be better if we summoned a village miko or something to revive her powers?” Katsuo ventured hesitantly, after a while.

 

“You have observed your mother as you grew up, have you not?” Sesshoumaru asked flatly, slightly irritated at his general's obvious reluctance to train the miko.

 

Katsuo nodded. “Yes. But that doesn't mean I could train a miko. What if I make a mistake?”

 

“You're not one to make mistakes easily, Katsuo,” Sesshoumaru said dryly.

 

Sighing heavily, Katsuo questioned, “Why is it so important that I do it?”

Katsuo's query was valid. Sesshoumaru simply had no intention of letting other mikos corrupt her into hating demons. This miko would be on their side. And she would be sufficiently trained to release Inuyasha from his pitiful state. It incensed him that Inuyasha had been weak enough to allow himself to be sealed to a tree. Furthermore, the sealing had occurred at the most inappropriate time, preventing Inuyasha from carrying out his duty as the son of Inu-no-Taishou.

 

Irregardless of how valid his general's query was, Sesshoumaru had no intention of explaining Inuyasha's disgraceful situation. “You question this Sesshoumaru?” he asked coldly.

 

His grey-haired general stiffened. “Forgive me, Lord Sesshoumaru. It will not happen again.”

 

“Hn.”

 

At that very moment, Sesshoumaru sensed the approach of the human. He allowed his gaze to travel until his eyes landed on the approaching miko, noting idly that her appearance had improved marginally with her new garment. At that thought, an involuntary flash of her naked skin suddenly came to his mind, making him tense in reflex. Disgusted with him wayward thoughts, he quickly brushed away the image.

 

When she reached them, Sesshoumaru found a pair of determined brown eyes fixed on him. “So, you summoned me, Lord Sesshoumaru?” she asked. “It's a good thing, since I need to talk to you about something.”

 

Her tone was polite, but he did not miss the inflection on the word `summoned'. Making sure that his expression showed nothing of his annoyance, ignored her latter sentence and intoned, “You will undergo training under Katsuo.”

 

She flicked a brief glance at the silent Katsuo. A look of bewilderment crossed her face as she asked,. “What do you mean? Training? What on earth do I need training for?”

 

“To bring forth your powers.”

 

She shook her head quickly. “No. I don't need whatever power it is that you think I have.”

 

“The training would be beneficial to your strength, Miko. This Sesshoumaru suggests you take advantage of it,” Sesshoumaru said tightly, hating how he had to stoop so low as to persuade her to accept the offer. It was bad enough that he required her assistance in the first place.

 

A frown made its way to her forehead. “Um…I think you're wasting your time. Why don't you just let me go? I'm useless to you.”

 

“This Sesshoumaru's senses do not lie. You possess the power of a miko,” he said with absolute certainty.

 

She let out an exasperated sigh. “Fine. If this is what I need to do to convince you that I'm not a miko, then I'll do it,” she snapped irritably.

 

It was obvious to him that she had every intention of proving him wrong. However, he had no doubt that with proper training, she would turn out to be useful. Satisfied with his deductions, he gave her a curt nod before he turned to Katsuo.

 

“You may commence,” he intoned.

 

Katsuo bowed respectfully.

 

Spinning around, Sesshoumaru made his way down the steps leading away from the dojo. Now that the miko was dealt with, he could concentrate on other, more pressing issues. Heading towards his study, his mind began to run over the items which required his attention.

 

Once ensconced in his study, he progressively went through the pile of scrolls.

 

The day passed quickly for Sesshoumaru and the next thing he knew, the sun was already setting. Straightening, he glanced down at the diminished pile of scrolls, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction at his success in making a dent in the never-ending pile of work.

 

It was time for him to inspect upon the miko's progress.

 

“Shin,” he called out.

 

The shoji immediately slid open and his inuyoukai guard stepped in. “Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru?” he queried respectfully.

 

“Summon Katsuo and the miko.”

 

The guard nodded once and left, sliding the screen shut behind him.

 

It did not take long before Sesshoumaru felt Katsuo's approach. He could also sense the miko's gentler aura which emanated happiness and to his puzzlement, mischief. It was completely at odds with the emotions she had displayed during their previous encounters. Could it be because of Katsuo? Had the hanyou managed to change her mind so quickly?

 

What concerned him, however, was the mischief. What was the miko up to? Before he could arrive at an answer to his question, a soft tap sounded.

 

“Enter.”

 

Katsuo appeared with the miko close behind him. “Lord Sesshoumaru,” he greeted with bow.

 

Sesshoumaru inclined his head at his general, noticing that the miko did not even bother looking at him. Her manners were appalling, even by human standards. Not that he was overly familiar with human culture.

 

He narrowed his eyes at her, willing her to submit, to acknowledge his superior station.

 

Katsuo stiffened visibly beside her, but the miko simply stared at him fearlessly. Why did she not fear him like the others? Did she not possess any sense of self preservation? If he had wanted to, and if he did not require the use of her skills, he would have simply relieved her of her life. His annoyance at her behavior was certainly more than sufficient to override the fact that she was a gift from the Northern Lord.

 

“You will show your respect, Miko,” he finally demanded in a clipped tone.

 

Her eyes widened in a parody of innocence. Then she bowed, somehow managing to make the small action mocking. Sesshoumaru's lips tightened. It seemed that the miko required lessons in manners as well as the miko training. He would decide on the appropriate action later. Ignoring her, he turned his attention to Katsuo.

 

“Report on the training.”

 

Katsuo nodded. “I've trained her in the basic art of meditation. The miko is now able to meditate continuously for half an hour.”

 

Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to groan. “Half an hour,” he repeated flatly. “Was that all she was capable of?”

Katsuo flicked glance at the miko. “Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru,” he replied, but there was a hint of strain in his tone.

 

Sesshoumaru immediately sensed that his general was hiding something. Suspicious of his general's odd behavior, he asked pointedly, “Is there something you wish to add, Katsuo? Perhaps an assessment of how long you require to complete this task?”

 

“I-It is too soon to tell. She is completely untrained.”

 

Sesshoumaru raised a brow. “In more ways than one, it seems.” His tone was dry. “Perhaps you should instruct her on the appropriate level of conduct expected of one in her position.”

 

“Hey! Don't talk about me like I'm not here,” the miko interjected indignantly.

 

Continuing to ignore her, Sesshoumaru ordered, “You will proceed to instruct her to call forth her powers. Meditation is not required.”

 

The miko interjected, “The training is not required in the first place!”

 

Sesshoumaru kept his eyes fixed on Katsuo, suppressing his mounting irritation at her interruption.

 

Katsuo's eyes flickered. His tone was respectful when he explained, “It is the basic step, Lord Sesshoumaru. After this, she would undergo more advanced training.”

 

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and willed forth his patience. This was more complicated that he had thought. The miko would be useless to him if all she learnt was meditation. But knowing that Katsuo was trying his best, he finally nodded and said, “Very well. Report to me every evening on her progress. This Sesshoumaru expects to see improvement. You're dismissed.”

 

Katsuo bowed as he turned around to leave, only pausing when he realized that he was alone. The miko, it seemed, did not wish to be dismissed, Sesshoumaru thought darkly. Perhaps this was the appropriate time to remind her of her station. At Katsuo's questioning look, Sesshoumaru gestured for him to leave.

 

Leaving the miko alone in the chamber with him.

 

Taking a deep breath, she began, “Look, I know you want me to train so that I serve you. But can you just let me explain why I can't stay here?”

 

He raised a brow, but he did not stop her from continuing.

 

“I'm not from this place. Few days ago, I got dragged into the well near my home, and the next thing I know, I ended up in some forest. There was this weird centipede demon who was chasing me, so I just ran. When I finally got away from her, I was already lost. I tried to find my way back to the well, but I must have been going in the wrong direction because everything was unfamiliar. It was growing dark, so I decided to rest. Kouga captured me when I was asleep and then drugged me to bring me here,” she finished, eyeing him expectantly.

 

He knew of the lowly centipede demon she had referred to. The creature had once possessed the Shikon no Tama until she had been relieved of the bauble by demon slayers. He had thought that the demon had been slain. Perhaps he was mistaken. It was clear, thought, that the miko's words were sincere, for he was able to sense a lie. However, the circumstances behind her capture held no interest to him.

 

“So?” she prompted impatiently.

 

He gave her a stony look. “Return to your chambers, Miko. Your presence here is no longer required.”

 

She sputtered disbelievingly, “That's it? That's all you're going to say?” Glaring at him, she yelled, “I had enough of this. I'm going to leave whether you like it or not!”

 

Sesshoumaru felt his anger spike at her insolence. He had reached the end of his patience. In a blink of an eye, he had her neck in a firm grip. As she choked in his hold, he raised her off the floor. She would learn to fear him.

 

“S-Sess…Unh…” she gasped. “L-Let me go!”

 

“Remember this, Miko,” he hissed into her face. A feeling of satisfaction rose in him when he saw the hint of fright in her eyes for the first time. The pungent scent of her fear laced her own peach scent as she tried to dislodge his clawed fingers. Tightening his grip to reinforce his words, he added, “You will learn to show respect to those above your station.”

 

With that, he released her, allowing her to crumple to her hands and knees. His expression was impassive as he watched her heave for breath. The raspy sound tore through the otherwise silent chamber. A twinge of something coursed through him at the sight, making him oddly uncomfortable. Lips tightening, he dismissed the unwanted feeling.

 

When her breath had evened out somewhat, she turned to him.

 

He had expected her to be submissive.

 

He was wrong.

 

Her eyes flashed with anger and defiance as she stared mutely at him. Then, struggling to her feet, she spun around and walked out, leaving him alone in his study.

 

 

 

…***…***…***…

 

 

 

Seated at the imported oak dining table in the kitchen, Sesshoumaru glowered at the steam rising from his tea. He had woken up in the middle of the night to find himself unable to return to sleep. This dream of his was ridiculous. He would never have allowed a miko to treat him with such disrespect. However delectable her naked body appeared to be.

 

Let alone instruct Katsuo to train her. His general had better things to occupy himself than training a miko. Though he had to admit that if Inuyasha had not succeeded in releasing himself, there was a slight possibility that he would order the capture of a miko to force her to release the hanyou.

 

The sound of jangling keys reached him and then he heard the front door open. A moment later, Inuyasha appeared in the kitchen.

 

“You're still awake? Don't you have work tomorrow?” his brother asked.

 

“Indeed.” His tone was dry.

 

Sesshoumaru's nose flared in distaste at the scent which trailed in with the hanyou. It was obvious that Inuyasha had spent the earlier parts of the night rutting. Right before his eyes, Inuyasha shed his concealment, revealing a pair of dog ears, fangs and clawed hands.

 

“Do we have any food around here?” Inuyasha asked as he pulled the fridge door open and stuck his head inside.

 

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. Perhaps he should have assigned Inuyasha to another rotation instead of assigning the hanyou to the same one as him. It was his own mistake for keeping those close to him within the same rotation. Being in the same rotation meant that when they move from one country to another, all of those in one particular rotation would end up in the same country within a few years of each other.

 

And now, with Inuyasha living with him, there was no escaping the hanyou's presence. Sesshoumaru took a small measure of relief in the fact that Inuyasha was not working in Taishou Securities. Instead, the hanyou currently headed the media and entertainment sector of Taishou Holdings. It was a useful branch which allowed them to monitor the media for demonic activities and other events which may affect the demon population in general. On rare occasions, IY Media and Entertainment had also been responsible for the cover up of accidental demonic activities.

 

The slamming of doors as Inuyasha searched through the cupboards broke his contemplations. As Inuyasha moved, the scent of rutting continued to waft towards him. Sesshoumaru lifted his eyes, his nose flared in revulsion.

 

“You should curb your distasteful habits, Inuyasha.”

 

Turning around, Inuyasha widened his eyes. “What do you mean? Eating?” he asked sarcastically as he pulled out a bowl of ramen from the cupboard.

 

“Females,” Sesshoumaru bit out disapprovingly.

 

A pair of dog ears twitched. “We're not having this conversation again,” Inuyasha bit out in a clipped tone.

 

“One day, you might find yourself fathering pups with one of your playthings.”

 

“Keh! As if I'll rut with them while they're in heat,” the hanyou retorted carelessly as he poured hot water into the ramen. “I'm not that stupid.”

 

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. Due to their wealth and Inuyasha's lifestyle, there had been many attempts in the past where women had claimed that one of them had fathered their child. Sesshoumaru was certain that he had never fathered one. Inuyasha, however, was another matter.

 

“Have you not been reading your messages?” Sesshoumaru asked evenly. “Less than three years ago, Shin saw a picture of an abandoned boy with hair and eyes like ours.”

 

Inuyasha gave him an incredulous look. “How is that even possible? I was with you in the States for the last three decades.”

 

“Perhaps you rutted with a Japanese tourist,” Sesshoumaru suggested flatly.

 

“Hey, the kid could be yours,” his brother pointed out before he paused in thought. His eyes flashing mirthfully, the hanyou continued, “Oh, hang on. That can't be true. You'd need to rut with someone to sire a pup.” Then Inuyasha burst out in laughter.

 

Sesshoumaru glowered at his brother. Just because he was more discreet in taking his pleasure, it did not mean that he did not enjoy a female's body on occasion. A small voice within him pointed out that such an occasion had not occurred in the recent past, something like over a century or so, but Sesshoumaru quickly brushed it away. He simply did not wish the company of a female just yet. However, he saw no reason to justify himself to the hanyou.

 

Deciding that he had had enough of Inuyasha's company, Sesshoumaru stood up to leave.

 

“By the way, did you hear about the incident in the north?” Inuyasha asked as he finished the last of his ramen.

 

Sesshoumaru paused. “Incident?”

 

Inuyasha frowned thoughtfully. “It's just a rumor that I picked up in one of the clubs. Apparently, there had been sightings of demonic attacks in the north, near Sapporo.”

 

Sapporo? Northern Japan was not their territory. “That is none of our concern,” Sesshoumaru dismissed disinterestedly. He did not wish to have anything to do with the north.

 

“It will be once the thing starts so spread. I wonder if Akiyama is doing anything about it,” Inuyasha mused. “It's not like him to sit back on something like this.”

 

Sesshoumaru simply growled.

 

Akiyama had been nothing but an annoyance ever since he had taken over the Northern Isles more than five hundred years ago. Suddenly, it occurred to Sesshoumaru to wonder if the attack in Sapporo was somehow related to the recent complications Taishou Securities had been experiencing with the assignments.

 

“Do you have any details of the attack?” he asked the yawning hanyou.

 

Inuyasha shook his head mid-yawn. “No. Didn't you hear what I said? It was just a rumor. Call up Akiyama and ask.”

 

Sesshoumaru's expression darkened.

 

Inuyasha smirked. “I guess not. By the way, have you seen Shin around? I've been trying to call his cellphone, but he's not answering.”

 

“Shin is injured.”

 

“What?!” Inuyasha exclaimed, looking stunned. “Where is he?”

 

“Tsukuyo Medical.”

 

A flash of unease crossed Inuyasha's expression. “I see,” he remarked in a strained voice.

 

Sesshoumaru quirked a brow. “Something is bothering you, Inuyasha?” he asked with a smirk. He understood exactly why Inuyasha had such a reaction to the medical facility.

 

The hanyou stiffened. “What are you going on about? Of course not!” he protested indignantly.

 

“Perhaps you should pay Shin a visit,” Sesshoumaru suggested evenly.

 

Inuyasha folded his arms across his chest. “Keh! With his thick skin, he would be fine in no time, I'm sure. There's no need for me to turn up at that place.”

 

“You are foolish to allow your reservations to dictate your movements. A coward refusing to face his mistake.”

 

Bristling, Inuyasha snapped, “What happened between me and Shiori is none of your business, so butt out!”

 

Sesshoumaru smirked inwardly. It was laughably easy to rile Inuyasha.

 

 

…***…***…***…

 

 

Seated on the couch in the living room next to a pile of textbooks, Kagome tapped her lips absently as she read through the familiar paragraph for what seemed like the hundredth time. Vaguely, she could hear the homely sound of dinner being prepared in the kitchen and the bickering of the two boys behind her.

 

“Okaa-san!” Sachimaru whined piteously as he tried to escape Souta's fingers. “Souta is trying to pull my ears again.”

 

Kagome flipped the pages of her trauma care textbook. “Leave him alone, Souta,” she muttered automatically. Such events were the norm in their house, after all. Not to mention with Sachimaru's pointed ears, it was inevitable that Souta would end up teasing the younger boy about it.

 

“Hear that, Souta?” Sachimaru exclaimed smugly.

 

Souta laughed. “Can't take a bit of teasing, Sachimaru? You're such a kid!”

 

Sachimaru immediately bristled. “I may be a kid, but I'm stronger than you,” he declared.

 

“Oh yeah?” Souta taunted childishly.

 

A battle cry pierced the air as Kagome attempted to focus on the treatment of trauma patients. “Head trauma. I've done that. Maybe it's better to concentrate on spinal trauma for the moment,” she muttered to herself. This was the fourth time she was going through the book, but she was not leaving anything to chance. Her finals were approaching and her entire future depended on it.

 

“You demonic boys!” her grandfather yelled when a loud crash reverberated through the house.

 

Kagome jerked up and turned around. Her eyes widened as she took in the situation.

 

Sachimaru had somehow managed to subdue the older boy. Sitting on Souta's stomach, Sachimaru was pounding the other's boy chest. Scattered around them was the contents of a broken wooden shelf nearby. Her mother would kill them for this, Kagome thought with a grimace.

 

“Sachimaru, stop this right now!” she scolded as she stood up and walked around the couch.

 

“Submit!” Sachimaru barked, completely ignoring her.

 

Groaning in pain, Souta nodded. “Alright, alright! I give up.”

 

Smirking smugly, Sachimaru peeled himself off Souta and gave the other boy a triumphant look.

 

Rubbing his chest gingerly, Souta turned to her and grumbled, “Onee-chan, your son is a menace. Maybe it's time to confiscate his bokken.”

 

Kagome frowned at him. “You asked for it, Souta. Stop teasing him and you might even have a few ribs left intact when you reach twenty,” she said flatly as she turned a stern gaze at Sachimaru. “And you. What did I tell you about fighting?”

 

Sachimaru had the grace to look sheepish.

 

Shaking her head as she let out a sigh of exasperation, she picked her son up and went to the couch, deciding that watching television might calm the overactive boy a little. Settling him down beside her, she turned on the television and picked up her book. Sachimaru sat beside her meekly, his eyes trained upon the screen. The sound of a program filtered through the air as she resumed her studies.

 

Unfortunately, the peace did not last long. Her attention was cut short when the silver-haired boy beside her tugged her arm and exclaimed, “Okaa-san! Look!”

 

Kagome glanced at the television. A series about supernatural events were being broadcasted. According to the commentator, this one took place at Sapporo.

 

Kagome watched as one very bulky man raised his arms to block what appeared to be a flash of fiery light from a tall, thin man. The instant it connected with him, the fiery red light morphed into an orb, allowing him to throw it back at his opponent with a loud snarl, his sharp fangs bared threateningly. His opponent sidestepped quickly as the orb rushed past him, slamming into a lamppost nearby. The lamppost instantly disintegrated into nothing.

 

The hair at the back of her neck rose. The fight disturbed her, but she did not understand why.

 

Then the screen went static before a commentator came back on. Eyes gleaming in excitement, the commentator gushed, “We received this video just a couple of hours ago from an anonymous source. No one knows if the event was staged…” Lowering her voice, she continued, “Or could this really be a proof of demonic activity in this modern day?”

 

“Wow! Real demons!” Sachimaru exclaimed.

 

“Demons are not real, Sachimaru,” she said with a smile.

 

Sachimaru frowned. “Why not?”

 

“Of course demons are real!” her grandfather interjected loudly. Out of nowhere, he suddenly brandished a handful of ofudas and waved them threateningly at the television.

 

“Jii-chan…” Kagome gritted out in warning. The last thing she needed was for her grandfather to feed such things to Sachimaru. Who knew what Sachimaru might do if he decided that he wanted to banish demons? Not that he would find any.

 

The only time she encountered demons was during her dreams which had started about a month ago. She frowned as she realized that recently, it seemed to be increasing in frequency and detail. At first, she did not remember much of the dream, but nowadays, she did not seem to have any problems remembering the events.

 

Now that it was all clear in her mind, it seemed like a story of sorts. Maybe the dream came from a story she had read somewhere and somehow, she had cast herself into the role of the heroine. And she must have made up the main villain, Sesshoumaru, as some who looked like Sachimaru because no decent parent would have abandoned such a sweet boy.

 

Her textbook lay forgotten in her lap as she recalled her dream last night.

 

 

 

…***…***…***…

 

 

Two weeks had passed and she was beginning to feel edgy. She needed to leave this Feudal Era and go home. But there was no way of escaping the heavily guarded place. And ever since Sesshoumaru had almost strangled her to death, she had not bothered to bring up the topic or to speak to him. He had made it abundantly clear that he had no intention of listening. And from what she could tell so far, Sesshoumaru was one of these individuals who did whatever they liked. Fortunately, he had kept his claws to himself for the last couple of weeks. It must be because she had given him no reason to lash out at her, and he did not seemed bothered by her silence every evening during the reporting session.

 

At least she had Katsuo to keep her company. But she knew that Katsuo was longing to return to training his warriors. He had said just as much.

 

Kagome sighed. But her plan was simply not working. She had suggested it to Katsuo on the third day of her training. Simply put, if she did not exhibit any worthwhile skills, Sesshoumaru would stop paying attention to her and perhaps then she could leave. Initially Katsuo had balked at the idea, telling her that Sesshoumaru would be furious if he found out what she was up to. But as the days passed, she had persisted and Katsuo had begun to come around. Now, he was just as keen as she was to get the whole thing over with so that he could return to his regular duties.

 

But Sesshoumaru was not cooperating. The lack of evidence of her skills did not seem to bother him at all. Instead, she could have sworn that his interest seemed to be increasing.

 

What was going on?

 

Sesshoumaru should have been mad that she was such a waste of space. But every evening for the past two weeks, he had merely nodded at Katsuo's fake reports and then instructed them to continue training.

 

Kagome scowled. Never mind that in reality, Katsuo had actually managed to coax something out of her. She had been shocked out of her mind when just one week ago, her palms had glowed with some strange purple light. Katsuo had worn this odd look on his face when she screamed at him to get the light away from her. Then every day after that fateful day, the glow seemed to grow stronger. Not fully in control of the odd glow, she had even managed to accidentally injure Katsuo.

 

It was then when Katsuo had finally explained the basics to her. He had explained that the mikos of that time held some sort of prejudice against demons. Their main function was to destroy demons, and in Katsuo's words, indiscriminately. Their miko powers could easily purify most demons instantly. The stronger ones such as Sesshoumaru tended to be immune to purification.

 

Sighing heavily, Kagome slumped. Sesshoumaru was right after all. She was a miko.

 

But that did not mean that she had to stay in this era to serve him. She did not belong here, for Kami's sakes. She had a home in Tokyo and a family who was probably worried sick by now.

 

“Kagome?”

 

Startled, she jerked her head up to find herself staring into Katsuo's blue eyes.

 

He gave her an exasperated look. “Your plan isn't working.”

 

“Tell me about it,” she muttered dejectedly as she lifted her palms up. With a little mental push, her hand began to glow. Then she concentrated more and the glow turned into a beam of purple light shooting straight up. Before it could reach the high ceiling, she quickly pulled it back before she broke anything. “It would have helped if I really didn't have these miko powers,” she continued dejectedly.

 

“Lord Sesshoumaru will not be happy if he knew that we're keeping this from him,” Katsuo remarked glumly. “Not to mention he'll have my head mounted on a post outside the palace walls.”

 

Shocked, Kagome gaped at him. “You're kidding, right?”

 

“No.”

 

“The guy's got a stick up his ass, but he couldn't be that evil, right?” she exclaimed, appalled at the entire idea. Then she recalled the time he had almost choked her to death. Maybe Katsuo was right, she thought darkly. Come to think of it, maybe she should put a stop to this plan and think of a safer one. She did not want Katsuo to get punished because of her.

 

The corner of Katsuo's lips lifted. “Well, I guess I might have exaggerated a little. Sesshoumaru had been good to me. But he won't take this lightly.”

 

Kagome suppressed a shiver at his words. Reflexively, her hand came up to rub her neck. “Maybe we should forget the idea. I don't want you to get into trouble,” she said softly. Even if it meant that she had to think of another plan.

 

He gave her a small smile. “Don't worry about it, Kagome.” Then he stood up, holding his hands out to her. “Come on, let's see what else you can do. You still got a lot of untapped power.”

 

With a resigned groan, she grabbed his hand and pulled herself to her feet.

 

 

…***…***…***…

 

 

Sesshoumaru could barely contain his smirk as he moved stealthily away from the dojo as he had done for the past one week.

 

It was as he had suspected.

 

For the first few days, he had been puzzled by the lack of progress in the miko's training. His senses never lied. And they told him that the miko was powerful. After those few days, he had decided to see for himself. His instincts had told him to cloak his presence. Never the one to ignore his instincts, he had done exactly that as he approached the dojo. Neither Katsuo nor the miko had noticed his presence as they trained.

 

Sesshoumaru had been surprised to say the least when he discovered that the miko had offensive powers. For it had been clear that the purple light emanating from her hands was capable of hurting any youkai, and perhaps even human. He had originally thought to use her powers as a healer, after she had released Inuyasha, but faced with this new development, he decided that perhaps the miko would be useful in other ways.

 

At first, he had been incensed that Katsuo dared to conceal something like this from him. And then, when Sesshoumaru had observed the interaction between the hanyou and the miko, he understood the reasons.

 

Although Katsuo was formidable in the battle field, the hanyou also possessed softer feelings towards females. There was no explanation for it except that the trait must have been passed down from his human mother. It seemed that he had simply been unable deny the miko. For that, his punishment would be no less severe.

 

However, it certainly would not involve the hanyou's head mounted on a post outside the palace walls, Sesshoumaru thought with some amusement. Katsuo was irreplaceable. In addition to his strength and loyalty, he had never failed in any of the tasks given to him. He had even managed to coax the miko's power to the surface, despite her foolish reluctance.

 

What astonished him was the fact that the miko had been concerned about Katsuo's welfare enough to forgo her own plan. It was selfless act, one which he did not expect of her kind. To his dismay, Sesshoumaru felt a twinge of something which felt like approval at her action.

 

However, it was clear that the miko was strong-willed and worse, intelligent. With her female wiles added to the mix, Katsuo did not stand a chance. After all, the hanyou was still fairly young and inexperience when it came to such things. Sesshoumaru made a note to have a discussion with his general. It would not do to have a general who could be so easily swayed by feminine wiles.

 

As for the miko, perhaps it was time to open her eyes to the dangers of deceiving a taiyoukai. It was obvious that his treatment of her two weeks ago was insufficient. Since then, the miko had not spoken a single word to him. Although her silence felt strangely out of place, Sesshoumaru decided that it was preferable to her constant rudeness.

 

However, it was time for her to explain her actions to him.

 

 

…***…***…***…

 

 

Kagome sighed in bliss as she stretched languidly on the futon. Finally, after a full day of training followed by Sesshoumaru's stony looks during the reporting session, she could now rest. Yawning, she snuggled deeper under the covers. Just as she was about to fall asleep, a tap sounded on the screen. Her eyes shot open and she groaned in frustration. Who could it be at this time of the night?

 

“Yes?” she called out, barely managing to hold in her annoyance.

 

The screen slid open to reveal a worried-looking Natsumi. “Kagome?”

 

Wide awake now, Kagome sat up. “What's wrong, Natsumi?” she asked, concerned for the other girl.

 

Her hands clasped tightly in front of her, Natsumi said hesitantly, “Lord Sesshoumaru summons you to his chambers.”

 

Silence filled the room as Kagome digested the other girl's words. His room? Now? When she was already so tired from all the training?

 

Her temper got the better of her. Gritting her teeth, she bit out, “At this time? In his chambers? Who does he think he is?” Considering that she was not even on speaking terms with him, how dare he summon her?

 

Natsumi fidgeted beside the screen. It was clear that she was growing increasingly anxious about something. “He's the Lord of the Western Lands, Kagome. He has the right to do what he wishes,” she said softly.

 

Kagome dropped back down to the futon and pulled the covers over her body decisively. Setting a mutinous look on her face, she declared, “Well, you can tell him that I'm already asleep and you couldn't wake me up.”

 

To Kagome's surprise, Natsumi fell to her knees. “Please go to him,” she pleaded, her voice cracking. “If you don't…then…”

 

Frowning, Kagome sat up again. “What?”

 

“I will be punished if you don't go to him,” Natsumi mumbled, her head lowered.

 

Closing her eyes, Kagome groaned. The tricky bastard. Knowing that she had no choice, for she did not want to see Natsumi punished, Kagome pushed aside the covers and got to her feet. But claws or not, this time she would not stand there and let him have his way. After all, Katsuo had taught her some self-defense moves in the last few days.

 

“Come on. Show me where his chamber is.”

 

Natsumi instantly brightened. “Follow me.”

 

Glowering, Kagome muttered under her breath, “And I'll personally tell him exactly what I think of his summons.”

 

 

…***…***…***…

 

 

A/N: Things are not exactly going well between Sesshoumaru and Kagome at the moment…(sighs). I hope you've enjoyed this chapter. Leave me a review to let me know what you think.