InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Little Faith ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

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: Foxtale3 - Hey, thanks for all your reviews on all my fics, lol! Entropy9 - Thanks for the support! *grins* Yeah, I prefer the past bits as well, mainly because everything is happening there. Inuyashalover161 - Hugs back. Thanks for your kind words. Nomina - Glad you found it interesting!

By the way, I've been trying to find good Bankotsu-Kagome fics, preferably completed. Does anyone have any suggestions? :) Anyway, please enjoy this chapter. I've put in some `markers' in between the changes in scenes this time, so let me know if it makes things clearer or it's just distracting, lol.

A Little Faith by elle6778 - Chapter 4

Sesshoumaru glanced around his sleeping chamber, wondering not for the first time if it was wise of him to demand the miko's presence in such a private setting. No doubt his servants would talk, but he was not overly concerned about the petty gossips around him.

The reason he had chosen this location was simple. The dojo was too close to the servant's quarters and if anything should go wrong, his servants and guards might be harmed, perhaps even killed. The main palace was far enough from those quarters, separated by a perimeter all, and he instructed all the servants and guards to return to their quarters. If their confrontation went as he planned, her miko powers would not kill him, only weaken him slightly.

The next place which had occurred to him was the reception room. But the space was decorated with many priceless objects. He had also considered his study, but the space was not large enough for what he had in mind for the miko.

Why was he even attempting to justify his choice of location? Before he had the opportunity to ponder upon the oddness of his mental queries, his senses tingled. The miko was approaching and from the feel of her aura, she was not entirely pleased at his summons.

His eyes gleamed at the thought of the challenge ahead.

It did not take long for her to reach his chamber. He was unsurprised when she simply charged in, shooting a murderous glare at him. Although her action was expected, his lips tightened in irritation. She seemed to have this effect on him. Her presence unsettled him and made him edgy. And it always got worse when she opened her mouth. Not that she had done so recently. She had not spoken to him for almost two weeks, but he would ensure that she gave him the information he required by other means.

“What the hell do you think you're doing, Sesshoumaru?” she snapped, her hands planted on her hips.

Suppressing the urge to kill her, for it would defeat his purpose in retaining her presence, Sesshoumaru remarked stonily. “Your manners are still as appalling as ever.”

Her glare intensified. “You want to talk about manners? What do you call waking me up in the middle of the night to come into your room?”

His brow lifted slightly. “As the lord the Western Lands, this Sesshoumaru has-”

“Yeah, yeah,” she interrupted rudely. “You have the right and all, is that it? Well, I'm here. So what do you want?”

Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth. He would not kill her, he repeated to himself.

Yet.

“You're here because this Sesshoumaru wishes to test you.”

She blinked at him. “Test me?” she repeated disbelievingly.

He gave her a curt nod. “Prepare yourself.” She would not be given further warning.

“WHAT? Hey-”

Before she could finish her sentence, Sesshoumaru flicked his wrist and sent his whip flying to her body, just stopping short of hitting her. She jumped to the side, eyeing him disbelievingly, then at the torn sleeve of her yukata.

“You can't be serious!” she yelled as she dashed towards the shoji screen. “Get away from me, Sesshoumaru!”

“You will cease your useless attempt to escape,” he gritted out.

Another snap of his wrist prevented her from reaching the door. The scent of her annoyance hit him like a tidal wave. Just annoyance, but no fear, Sesshoumaru noted with growing irritation. Did the miko not fear him at all? Even after he had sank his claws into her neck, she still persisted in her foolish lack of fear.

Why?

Then he saw the gleam of determination in her eyes as she ran across the room, her arms wrapped around herself protectively. His disquiet evaporated to be replaced with anticipation. Holding back his smirk of satisfaction, he lashed out at her again in an attempt to force her into the fight. His whips tore through her fabric covering her legs, sending a piece fluttering to the floor. He had every intention of continuing until she revealed her powers. Surely her sense of self-preservation would surface at some point.

A scream of outrage pierced his ears, and then he felt her aura expanding outwards in her fury. She was standing still, her fists clenched by her side. He could tell that she was about to break. Tensing in preparation, he flicked his whip closer to her, ripping the rest of her sleeves before he moved on to her waist.

She held her arms out.

He felt the air crackling heavily.

Then a bright flare lighted the room.

It struck him like lightning. The force of her raw power almost brought him to his feet, but he planted himself firmly on the floor, wrapping his Mokomoko-sama around him protectively. It swept past him, ripping into the sparse furnishings and completely decimating anything close to her. Including the top half of his kimono. The novelty of being washed over by such a pure force made his skin tingle, and his youki rose in response. His body felt over-sensitized as he allowed himself close his eyes, indulging in the mingling forces.

The force dissipated, leaving the room deathly silent.

Until the miko shot a pair of murderous glare at him.

“You…You…HENTAI!” she screamed. “How could you do this to me?”

Ears ringing, Sesshoumaru simply stared at her as she clutched the tattered front of her yukata together. It seemed that his whips had managed to loosen her clothes to the point of indecency. Most of the fabric had fallen off, leaving her shoulders and legs bared to his gaze. Her neck sloped in a graceful arc to meet her shoulders, tempting in its smoothness. The flesh was only marred by five puncture scars from his poisonous claws. Covered only by her hands and a shredded piece of cloth, the top of her breasts were exposed to him. Much lower, the length of her legs seemed to extend forever.

The image of her naked body, slick from the hotsprings, jumped into his mind. He had lost count of just how many times he recalled the scene. But this time, his mind supplied the image of his hands wandering all over her wet skin.

His body instantly reacted, his traitorous lower regions twitching in the emergence of an arousal.

Surreptitiously, he shifted his Mokomoko-sama to shield himself better. His state of undress was not what he had envisaged when he had decided to confront the miko. Shaking himself inwardly, he forced himself to focus on the matter at hand. A quick glance around told him that only the walls, floor and ceiling had survived the attack. Everything else was shattered.

“It was as anticipated,” he began slowly. “Your powers are substantial.” Although unfocussed and uncontrolled, he added silently. It was somewhat disconcerting that such a small human could possess so much power, especially considering that she did not have the skills to properly wield it even after all that training.

Her eyes widened in horror as she gulped. It was obvious that she had just realized that she had exposed herself. Figuratively. And literally.

“Uh…I'm…um…” she stammered, her face turning pale.

“What do you hope to achieve by hiding your skills?” he asked quietly. Perhaps her refusal to acknowledge her heritage was the reason behind her inability to completely master her powers.

Her uncertainty dissolved and her eyes began to flash. “I don't want it in the first place!” she snapped.

“Your personal strength is something you should take pride in.”

She glared at him. “That's it. My personal strength. That means it has nothing to do with you.”

Sesshoumaru smirked. “Without the training this Sesshoumaru ordered, you would be still unaware of your powers.”

She gestured wildly in the air, sending another shred of fabric flying away from her. “That's because you just want me to do…stuff for you.”

“It is my right to do whatever I, Sesshoumaru, wish with my gift,” he intoned flatly.

Her eyes bulged. “How many times must I tell you? Don't talk about me like I'm some sort of property!” she yelled. “I don't belong to you!”

Suppressing a wince at the volume of her voice, he ground out, “You will moderate your voice, Miko.”

“After what you've done to me, you expect me not to shout?” she retorted heatedly.

Sesshoumaru was about to reply, but the sound of rapid footsteps reached his ears. Not long after that, Katsuo rushed in with a few other warriors behind him. Their expression was one of disbelief as they stared at the destruction and the two half-dressed occupants. Katsuo's eyes flickered as he looked at the miko and at him.

“Lord Sesshoumaru,” Katsuo greeted uncertainly. Then he turned to the other warriors and ordered firmly, “Return to your chambers.”

The warriors gave him a questioning look before they turned and left. However, Katsuo remained staring at them with an obvious look of concern on his face.

“Is everything alright?” the general asked.

Was his general actually questioning his actions? Perhaps the prolonged exposure to the miko had influenced him. Giving Katsuo a hard look, Sesshoumaru bit out, “Your concern is unnecessary, Katsuo. This Sesshoumaru is fine, so is the miko.”

“Who said I'm fine?” the miko snapped irritably. Pointing a shaky finger at him, she continued, “Especially after what you've done!”

Averting his gaze, Katsuo suggested uncomfortably, “Perhaps you should return to your room and put something on, Kagome.”

Sesshoumaru watched the miko flush in embarrassment as she glanced down at her shredded attire. Without another word, she stormed out of the damaged shoji screen. Turning back to Katsuo, Sesshoumaru lifted his brow questioningly.

Their gaze locked.

It was time for Katsuo to admit to his treachery. “Would you care to explain your silence with regards to the miko's powers?” Sesshoumaru asked coldly.

Unsurprisingly, Katsuo immediately stiffened in alarm. Then he fell to his knees, his head bowed. His tone was contrite when he declared, “My lord. I have deceived you.”

“So you did, Katsuo,” Sesshoumaru intoned, careful to keep his expression blank. He wanted to see how Katsuo would handle this.

“I do not expect your forgiveness. For my crime, I will welcome any punishment you deem necessary.”

His approval hidden behind his stoic mask, Sesshoumaru simply stared down at the white-grey head of the hanyou in front of him. He had known from his past week of spying that Katsuo held nothing against him. Katsuo's only weakness was that insufferable miko. He would be punished, but not too severely.

“Your actions displeased this Sesshoumaru.”

Katsuo stiffened.

“However, this Sesshoumaru has no wish to replace his general,” Sesshoumaru added.

Katsuo blinked up at him, stunned. “Lord Sesshoumaru?” he ventured uncertainly, his blue eyes hopeful.

“Your punishment is simple.” Sesshoumaru paused, and then continued, “Not only will you train the miko until she could utilize her powers on command, you will now find the time to train the warriors as well. They had been neglected for far too long.”

Katsuo's eyes widened. Sesshoumaru knew that to comply with his orders, the hanyou would not be sleeping much for some time to come. However, such was his punishment.

Then Katsuo's expression hardened in determination. “Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru. I will not fail you again.”

Sesshoumaru nodded. If Katsuo had any sense, then he would encourage the miko to train harder so that her training would end sooner.

“You will cease to give in to the miko's requests. Is that clear?”

Katsuo reddened. “Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru.”

“It is not acceptable for a Western warrior to be so weak as to give in to the whims of a female.”

Nodding quickly, Katsuo said, “It will not happen again, Lord Sesshoumaru.”

“Hn.”

With a bow, his general retreated. Once alone, Sesshoumaru surveyed the damage around him, grimacing as he did so. It needed to be repaired, which meant that he would be spending the night in one of the guest chambers.

Just as he was walking out, his eyes landed on a piece of fabric on the floor. Without thinking, he picked it up. It was one torn from the miko's yukata, he thought, rubbing his finger on it. Instantly, the memory of her naked skin flashed across his mind followed by the force of her pure power surrounding him, caressing him. To his dismay, he felt himself reacting to the image, sending a shock of molten heat running down his body.

Snarling in disgust, he spun around and stalked out of the chambers.

…***…***…***…

End Dream

…***…***…***…

Sesshoumaru shot up in his king-sized bed.

The image of the almost-naked dream miko flashed immediately across his eyes. Instantly, he felt his loins stir in recollection of the flush on her cheeks and her near-naked form. Oddly enough, it had been some time since he had felt this way. The body and the raw power of a human miko had reduced him to this state.

Sesshoumaru glowered at himself. It was somewhat disturbing to find that he had such a strong reaction to an imaginary character in his dream. Such a thing would be highly embarrassing if it came out in the open.

Perhaps his body was attempting to tell him something. That the century of voluntary abstinence was not acceptable. Shaking his head to dispel the images of the miko from his mind, Sesshoumaru forced himself to think of more calming thoughts. Such dreams…disturbed him.

He needed to focus on something else. Perhaps he should contact Akiyama to determine the accuracy of what Inuyasha had told him. Not to mention there was the little issue about the broadcast a couple of nights ago.

Fortunately, the damage had been controlled. Inuyasha had gathered a series of old video clips from the media archive, which displayed a number of `acts' similar to the incident in Sapporo. The broadcast of those clips last night had suggested to the public that the incident in Sapporo was merely something created by special effects used by the carnival and circus industry.

Still, the incident raised concern.

Sesshoumaru grimaced. The fact that certain demons were exposing their powers could pose a problem for the rest of them. If the public found out that the little display was real, there would no doubt be chaos, followed by demons being hunted down. Survival being foremost in the mind of most living beings, the demons would surely retaliate. It would be what he and the rest of the demon lords had been attempting to prevent all these years.

The outcome of a war between humans and demons would be unpredictable. The humans had the advantage of greater numbers. Although lesser in number, demons certainly possessed greater power. It was a situation which would end with many deaths and no real victor.

Sesshoumaru glanced at the window, noting that the sun was just rising in the horizon. Immediately, an idea occurred to him, making him smirk. The elemental demon was never a morning person. Picking up the phone, he proceeded to dial a number.

When it was picked up, Sesshoumaru greeted, “Akiyama.”

A terse voice replied, “Sesshoumaru. What is the meaning of this?”

“Your hold over Sapporo is slipping.”

Silence descended on the line. When Akiyama finally replied, his voice was even. “Your concern is noted. However, your actions were unnecessary. The issue was being handled.”

“The damage control was necessary.”

“Not by you,” the elemental warned harshly.

Sidestepping Akiyama's words, Sesshoumaru asked calmly, “Is this the first of such incident in recent years?”

“No.”

Sesshoumaru frowned. The issue was more severe than he had thought if such attacks had happened before. However, in all the meetings which had taken place between the demon lords, such an issue had never been raised.

“Perhaps you have something to hide, Akiyama?” he asked pointedly.

“Do not assume to interfere in the matters of the Northern Lands, Sesshoumaru.” Akiyama's voice was tight. “I'm sure you have your hands full with the East and West.”

“The East belongs to Kouga,” Sesshoumaru clarified.

“I understand that for the moment, you are overseeing the territory.”

“It is temporary,” Sesshoumaru growled. He needed to speak to the wolf soon about his territory. It was about time Kouga took back his responsibilities.

“Nevertheless, I am sure that you do not need to concern yourself with the matter in Sapporo.”

“Very well. I will leave the matter to you.” Then Sesshoumaru's voice hardened. “However, the moment it appears that situation is growing out of control-”

“It will not happen,” Akiyama interjected curtly.

“Hn.”

With that, Sesshoumaru ended the call and stared out through the window at the rising sun. A sense of unease washed over him. It concerned him somewhat that the usually calm elemental had sounded so strained over the situation. The situation must be worse than it appeared on the surface. However, Sesshoumaru decided that he would not interfere until the circumstances called for it.

Moving away from the window, he proceeded to prepare himself for work. Not long afterwards, he was driving down the streets of Tokyo. At this time in the morning, the traffic was at least tolerable.

He arrived at the tall building which housed Taishou Securities a little earlier than usual, therefore he was unsurprised to find the building almost deserted. What surprised him was female waiting for him in front of his office, listening to Natsumi's complaints about something.

“It's all really strange,” Natsumi said to the bat hanyou. “But it seems so real.”

“Sometimes those things can seem very real, Natsumi. There's nothing to worry about,” Shiori soothed. Then she turned to him with a slight nod.

“Shiori. You require something?” he asked.

“Good morning to you too, Sesshoumaru,” Shiori replied dryly. Then she added pointedly, “Shin's doing well, but he needs to stay for another day or so for observations.”

“Hn.” Surely the hanyou did not come all the way here to inform him of such a trivial matter. He had every confidence that Tsukuyo Medical Centre was able to treat Shin.

Shiori gave him an exasperated look. “Nevermind. Look, there's something I need to tell you.”

Nodding, he pushed open the door to his office and stepped in. Without looking back, he knew that Shiori had followed him. Then the door clicked shut, ensuring them of their privacy. Wordlessly, he raised a questioning brow at the female.

Shiori took a breath before she began, “The poison Shin was exposed to… I believe it's targeted towards demons as well as humans.”

Sesshoumaru's brows furrowed. “Are you certain?” he asked evenly. This could prove to be troublesome.

Shiori nodded. “It seems like it. We had to analyze it to make an antidote for Shin and the humans. And when Ryoukan was doing the analysis, he found traces of demonic influence.”

“Hn.”

“I wonder who made it. As far as I know, there could be only two possibilities. Akiyama or Naraku.”

“Hn.”

“So, which one do you think it is?” Shiori asked.

“We will find out.”

“Close-mouthed as always, I see.”

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the bat hanyou who had been in his employ for close to four hundred years. It seemed that the centuries had rendered her immune to his wrath.

Many centuries ago, Inuyasha had rescued Shiori during one of his quest to strengthen Tetsusaiga. Back then, Shiori had been just a young hanyou guarding the Blood Crystal which was responsible for the bat tribe's barrier. Once Inuyasha had destroyed her grandfather, Shiori had lived with her mother until the human had passed away. It was only a century later when the bat hanyou had joined his venture.

Over the years, Shiori had developed a liking for anything involving medicine and research. Therefore, whichever country their rotation shifted to, she would head the medical or research branch of Taishou Holdings. Taishou Holding's connection with this sector allowed them to register fake births to ensure that the demons held a `real' identity in the human world.

Shiori had also been the one to advance the concealing spell such that it could display an aging effect. Not only it allowed the demons to conceal their markings and other physical traits, it also allowed them to appear older at will. The demons utilized this advantage to appear older during the later years of their rotation to avoid suspicion.

Shiori was also the one who had managed to embarrass Inuyasha to such a point that the hanyou had been avoiding her for centuries.

Sesshoumaru smirked.

When Shiori had joined him four hundred years ago, Inuyasha had taken interest in her. By then, his brother had gone through a significant number of females. Unfortunately, Inuyasha had not recognized Shiori as the little bat hanyou he rescued a century ago, since her scent had matured. Shiori, however, had recognized him and knew of his reputation.

It had been amusing to observe as Inuyasha attempted to seduce the supposedly oblivious Shiori. His attempts had failed over and over again as the bat hanyou ignored him continuously. Sesshoumaru did not know what had happened between them after that. But something certainly had. For the next thing he knew, Inuyasha went through ridiculous lengths to avoid the bat hanyou.

“Sesshoumaru?”

Jolted out of his thought, Sesshoumaru returned his attention to the frowning bat hanyou. “You will attempt to find out all you could about the poison. Do it discreetly.”

Shiori nodded. “I'll keep you updated. I better head back now.”

“Hn.”

The moment she exited the room, Sesshoumaru brought his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. It seemed that there was more to the incident than he had first thought. Whatever it was, it meant that he had to make sure everyone increased their vigilance.

…***…***…***…

Lifting her head, Kagome let the spray of water from the shower splash against her face, cooling her heated skin. She needed to calm down or she would end up worrying Sachimaru. For some reason, the little boy was amazingly perceptive when it came to her emotions.

Calm down, Kagome, it was just a dream, she scolded herself.

Finishing off with her shower, Kagome dressed for work and went to Sachimaru's room. The boy was still sleeping, she noted with a small smile. Bestowing a kiss on the crescent moon scar, Kagome exited the room silently and went downstairs.

Greeting her mother a good morning, Kagome settled down at the table and begun to eat her breakfast. Without Sachimaru around to observe, she allowed her disquiet to surface again. The emotion she had felt in her dream instantly returned, making her tremble in barely suppressed fury. Each time she had those dreams, the images seemed to slot right in her memory like it belonged there, making her feel everything her dream self felt.

“Kagome? Is everything alright?” her mother asked as she took Souta's empty cup and bowl from the table. Her brother must have gone to school earlier for one of his extra-curricular activities.

Forcing a smile to her lips, Kagome nodded. “It's nothing. Just a bad dream.”

Water rushed out of the tap into the sink. As her mother began to wash the dishes, she asked, “Oh? What about?”

Kagome frowned, wondering how she should explain it. She had not told anyone about it. “It's a strange dream that I've been having for a little more than a month now.”

Her mother paused at the sink, but she did not turn around. “The same dream?”

“No. It is kind of like I'm in this strange place in the past.”

“Hmm…that is strange.”

“I know. And the thing is, it always begins with me falling into that old dried up well at the back of the shrine. And the other end of the well leads to the Feudal Era. The scary bit is the centipede monster who keeps chasing after me, yelling something about a Shikon-no-Tama. I remember it so clearly, like it had actually happened.”

A crazy thought suddenly occurred to Kagome.

What if she tried to jump into the well? Maybe when she lands at the bottom and break a few bones her subconscious would realize that the whole thing was ridiculous. Then maybe the dreams would let up. Yeah, it was not a bad idea.

Chuckling, she told her mother, “I was thinking that maybe if I jumped into the well, and end up on the dusty ground at the base, the dreams will stop.”

Her mother spun around, looking worried. “No. Don't do that, Kagome.”

“But maybe it'll really help.”

Stepping away from the sink, her mother took a seat at the table beside her and took her hands. “Kagome. Promise me that you won't try to jump into the well,” her mother said seriously.

A little puzzled by her mother's concern, Kagome frowned. “Mom? Why are you so worried about it?”

Her mother's eyes flickered. “I don't want you to harm yourself. I just got you back three years ago.”

Kagome lowered her head, feeling bad for worrying her mother. “I was always here, though. I was just in a coma.”

“That's right,” her mother said quietly.

Squeezing her mother's hand reassuringly, Kagome said, “Alright. I promise not to jump into the well.”

Her mother still looked worried. Kagome smiled at her earnestly, willing her to believe her promise. When the cloudiness in her mother's eyes had receded a little, she sighed in relief and turned back to her breakfast. Deciding that she was not hungry after all, Kagome stood up and cleared the table.

“I'd better go before I'm late,” she muttered.

Her mother stood up slowly. “How long more will you be working there?”

Kagome shrugged. “Not long more, I hope. My results should be out soon and if I pass, I can apply for a proper job. In the meantime, it doesn't hurt to get a bit more money.”

Eyes softening, her mother remarked, “I just wish you don't have to go through this.”

Hugging her mother, she said, “Don't worry, Mom. Everything will turn out fine.”

With that, she gathered her belongings and rushed out of the house. Almost immediately, she façade she had put on dissolved as the dreams returned to her mind.

…***…***…***…

Dream Flashback

…***…***…***…

She could not believe his nerve, she thought as she threw the tattered strips of her yukata against the wall. Fuming, she quickly pulled on a fresh set of yukata and then promptly sat down on the futon.

He had tricked her into exposing her powers.

Not only that, he had done it in such way that left her humiliated. What was wrong with him? Why did he feel the urge to rip her clothes with that golden strands of…whips from his fingers. And the whip had hurt her arms as well. Until now, she could feel the burning sting. Fortunately, the wounds were not bleeding. It would probably end up scarring like the ones she got from his claws.

As furious as she was, she felt strangely lethargic. It must be because of the overuse of her powers. She had been so angry that she had reacted without thinking of the consequences. There had been only one thought in her mind then; to stop Sesshoumaru. Then her power had surged greedily and exploded all on its own.

Groaning, she buried her face in her hands. Not only had he seen her half naked, but now he also knew the extent of her powers. How was she going to ever persuade him to let her go home? Feeling miserable, she felt her eyes burning hotly as hopelessness sank in. She would never see her mother again. Or Souta, Jii-chan and Buyo. Not to mention all her friends at school.

“Kagome? Are you well?”

She jumped, turning startled eyes towards the girl peering into the room. Natsumi looked worried. Attempting a smile and failing, Kagome simply mumbled, “I'm fine.”

She watched as Natsumi's eyes landed on the pile of shredded cloth, the remains of her unfortunate yukata. The girl's hand flew up to her lips and gasped.

“He didn't…” Natsumi faltered.

Kagome nodded. “Yeah. He did.”

Natsumi rushed towards her, looking worried. “Oh, Kami… Are you alright?”

Sighing as she thought of the angry welts on her arms, Kagome muttered, “I guess. It hurts a little.”

“I couldn't make out the words, but everyone heard the yelling.”

Kagome cringed. She had screamed that loud?

Natsumi's eyes glistened. “I was hoping that he wouldn't hurt you. Inuyoukais could be really violent, but I didn't think that Sesshoumaru was the type to take pleasure in violence. He never forced anyone before.”

Kagome snorted. “He was smirking. He was definitely pleasured.” Her tone was dry. She could not help but wonder why Natsumi seemed to be so distressed. Yes, her yukata was ripped and she had painful welts on her arms, but the girl's reaction seemed a little excessive.

Falling to her knees, Natsumi said, “I'm so sorry. You should have stayed here instead of listening to me. My punishment would have been much less awful than this.”

Kagome's eyes softened. “Hey…It's okay. I'm fine, really.”

The other girl gave her a doubtful look. “Really?”

Nodding emphatically, Kagome said, “Yes. Now go back to your room. I'd like to catch some sleep before training tomorrow.”

Natsumi stood up hesitantly. Then, at Kagome's uncompromising look, she nodded and left.

Releasing a tired sigh, Kagome leaned back against her futon and promptly fell asleep.

…***…***…***…

It had started as the usual soft murmurs in the hallway.

Each time he passed, the murmurs instantly stopped. That in itself was enough to inform Sesshoumaru that his servants were gossiping about him. His lips thinned. No doubt they were discussing about the events last night. After all, even with that distance, they must have felt the blast of miko energy a little.

But to Sesshoumaru's consternation, the whisperings and the abrupt silences had continued for three days, a record for his servants. Usually, they would have found something else by now to whisper upon.

A niggling suspicion that something was not quite as it seemed prodded at him.

Irritated that he was reduced to this, Sesshoumaru summoned Shin. When the guard stepped into his room, he went straight to the heart of the matter.

“What are the servants talking about?”

Shin's eyes widened slightly before he quickly masked his expression. “I'm not certain I understand, my lord,” he said evasively.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. “This Sesshoumaru asks again, Shin. What are they talking about?” he asked, injecting a hint of threat in his words.

The guard gulped as his eyes shifted nervously. “It's about you, my lord. Forgive me.”

Brushing away his apology with a wave of his hand, Sesshoumaru pressed, “What about?”

“About you and the miko.”

Sesshoumaru frowned. “Tell me everything you know.”

“I only heard it from the cook.”

“Nevertheless, tell me. Now,” he instructed impatiently.

Shin took a deep breath. “They said you've never taken a woman against her will and that they were surprised that you did so with the miko.”

Sesshoumaru felt his blood freeze.

THAT was what they were talking about? They thought he had forced himself on the miko? With the amount of screaming, he supposed that it was not impossible for them to arrive at that conclusion. But how did they manage to get this one so wrong?

“Is that all?” Sesshoumaru ground out.

Shin looked at him with an uneasy expression on his face. “They feel that you should do the honorable thing,” he said shakily.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed dangerously. “Are they suggesting that this Sesshoumaru take the miko as a mate?” he asked quietly.

Shin nodded once.

Where was their loyalty? Even if he had forced himself on the miko, it was his right to do so as she was, after all, his gift. However, his servants appeared to be siding with the miko. Gritting his teeth in annoyance, Sesshoumaru snapped, “That will be all. Return to your post.”

When the guard closed the screen behind him, Sesshoumaru's composure crumpled and he let out a frustrated snarl.

How did it even come to this?

…***…***…***…

End Dream

…***…***…***…

Ridiculous.

His last dream was utterly ridiculous, Sesshoumaru thought darkly as he walked to the lobby of the hotel. Pressing a button on a flat metal panel mounted on the wall, he ran his mind over the dream as he waited for the elevator to arrive.

His mind had been filled with the remnants of his dreams when he woke up just hours ago. And since then, he had not been able to brush the flashes away. The very thought of what happened in his last dream irked him. He would never have allowed such rumors to spread in his castle. And he would have beheaded his servants for even daring to suggest that he took a human miko as a mate.

It was ridiculous how the dreams seemed to have overtaken his waking hours as well. They had lodged themselves in his mind like they belonged there. He should be focusing on this issue with the poison rather than allowing his mind to mull over his dreams.

Particularly now that they had found a lead.

The intruders had claimed that they did not know where the poison came from. And the human who had paid them to carry out the job happened to have been conveniently murdered last night. However, upon further investigation, Katsuo had found the poison's original container in one of their dwellings. Sesshoumaru's lips tightened as he recalled the moment Katsuo had placed the blue object sealed in a clear bag on his desk. The imprint on the container was familiar.

Which led to his visit to this hotel.

The door to the hotel suite opened just as Sesshoumaru reached it. He was unsurprised to find Akiyama already there, wearing a bland expression on his face. Holding the door open, Akiyama inclined his head at him.

“Shall we begin?” Sesshoumaru asked as he stepped into the luxurious suite.

Gesturing to the desk, Akiyama said, “Have a seat.” Once seated, the water elemental asked, “What is so important that my presence is required here?”

Sesshoumaru eyed the elemental across the desk, and decided that he would go straight to the point. “I was not aware that your company manufactures poison.”

“What exactly are you implying, Sesshoumaru?” Akiyama asked silkily.

Raising a brow, Sesshoumaru simply slid a clear bag across the table. “Perhaps this will make it clear.'

Akiyama continued to stare at him for a moment before lowering his gaze to the object in the bag. Then his eyes flickered. “Where did you get this?”

“I'm afraid that's confidential. Suffice to say that the location of such object suggests that Envirotech is involved in the gas poison released to compromise a certain research laboratory.”

“Ridiculous,” Akiyama bit out harshly.

Keeping his expression carefully blank, Sesshoumaru queried, “Is it?”

“Perhaps you should look closer to home,” Akiyama retorted smoothly. “Such as the east.”

Sesshoumaru had his suspicions, however, he was unable to find any evidence to support them. “Are you suggesting that Naraku may be involved?”

“He owns a pharmaceutical company.”

“His facilities are far less advanced than yours.”

Akiyama regarded him stonily. “I gain nothing by such a foolish move.”

“You are suggesting that you're being framed?”

The elemental raised his brow. “This whole situation has nothing to do with Envirotech. Perhaps your security team should investigate further. Surely they are capable of such a minor task.”

Not missing Akiyama's subtle insult, Sesshoumaru's fought to keep his expression impassive.

Then to Sesshoumaru's surprise, Akiyama's expression darkened with concern. “Look, Sesshoumaru. Let's forget our rivalry for a moment and work together, much as we dislike the idea. There's something happening out there and it's nothing good. I can only guess that someone is not too happy with the way things are right now.”

Sesshoumaru quirked a brow. Although he had suspected just as much, he was surprised to hear Akiyama's words.

The elemental continued, “There have been random demonic attacks not only in Sapporo, but also in Hokkaido. I have managed to cover them all up so far, except for the one in Sapporo. And I'm sure you're experiencing some disturbance on this side as well.”

“Hn.” The elemental must be referring to the troubles he had been experiencing.

Akiyama lifted a brow. “Don't bother denying it. I heard about the issues with your security teams.”

“Pitiful attempts at marring the reputation of the company,” Sesshoumaru remarked disdainfully.

“But it definitely made things difficult, right?” Akiyama prodded.

“Perhaps,” Sesshoumaru replied noncommittally.

“I'm in the middle of tracking down the one responsible for all this. I can guess who it is, but I don't want to retaliate without some real proof.”

“You have been encountering dead ends,” Sesshoumaru guessed.

Akiyama's lips tilted. “I suppose you've been experiencing the same thing.”

Sesshoumaru stood up, deciding that it was time to end the meeting. He would consider Akiyama's words in the privacy of his own office, or home. “You will keep me informed,” he intoned evenly. It was not a request.

Akiyama gave him a curt nod. “And you will return the favor.”

“Hn.”

…***…***…***…

Kagome skipped happily as she approached the shrine, her face wreathed in a large smile.

She had been nervous when she had gone to her private college after work to check the results on the board. But she need not have worried. To her jubilation, and a smattering of disbelief, she had found that she passed the finals.

She passed!

Laughing out loud, she ran up the shrine steps. Now all she had to do was to apply for jobs at medical facilities and other emergency services. Her results were good enough to give her a good chance at securing a job as a paramedic.

“I'm home!” she yelled as she ran into the living room.

Souta looked away from the television. “You look happy.”

“I passed my exams!” Kagome declared.

Her mother gasped. And then, eyes shining with joy, she enveloped Kagome in a hug. “Congratulations, my dear! I'm so proud of you.”

Kagome grinned as she hugged her mother back. “Now I can apply for a proper job.”

“Congratulations, Nee-chan,” Souta wished with a smile.

Detaching herself from her mother, Kagome ruffled her brother's hair. “Thanks, Souta.” Glancing around, she asked, “Where's Sachimaru and Jii-chan?”

“Your Jii-chan is at a friend's. Sachimaru is upstairs looking at some of the little books you bought him,” her mother said. “Have you had dinner? The rest of us have eaten.”

Kagome shook her head. “I'm too excited to eat. I think I'll just get Sachimaru to bed and sleep earlier tonight.”

With a small wave towards her family, Kagome ran up the stairs into her son's room. Her eyes softened at the image of the boy sprawled on his stomach on the bed, his attention fixed to the book. Although he could read the letters, Sachimaru had not yet learnt how to read properly. Maybe it was time for him to learn.

Sensing her presence, Sachimaru tilted his head up. Then he smiled brightly and jumped off the bed, rushing towards her. “Okaa-san! You're back!” he exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around her thighs.

“Yes. And I passed my exams,” she announced happily.

“Really? Congratulations!”

It was time to let Sachimaru in on the surprise she had for him. “And I've got a surprise for you, Sachimaru.”

His golden eyes lit up. “What is it, Mom?”

She leaned down close to his ears and whispered conspiratorially, “We're going to the Demon Carnival tomorrow.”

Sachimaru's eyes rounded and then a squeal of delight burst from him. “Really?”

She nodded indulgently. “Now go and wash up. You're going to bed.”

His shoulders slumped. “But it's still early,” he complained.

Quirking her brow, she told him, “It's going to be a long day tomorrow. You'll be too tired for the carnival if you don't rest.”

Eyes brightening again at the mention of the carnival, Sachimaru instantly rushed to the bathroom. A while later, he returned, freshly washed. Once changed into his pajamas, Kagome tucked him into bed and settled beside him.

“Okaa-san. Can you continue the story? The one where the miko fell into the well and got captured by the evil demon lord?”

Kagome smiled. She had been telling Sachimaru her dreams as his bedtime story, embellished a little for his young ears, of course. “You still want to hear it?”

“What happened to the miko in the story? Last night, you told me that she was angry that he tricked her.”

“Oh…” Kagome paused, trying to recall at which point of the dream she had stopped. Then she remembered.

Settling in comfortably beside Sachimaru, she began, “The big bad demon, Lord Sesshoumaru, was angry with the miko for hiding such an important fact from him. But you see, the miko only wanted him to get rid of her, to allow her to go home.”

“But why does he keep her there and train her?”

“He has plans for her,” she whispered, widening her eyes dramatically.

Sachimaru sat up, his golden eyes gleaming with anticipation. “What plans?”

“Shh…I can't tell you now. You will find out later in the story. Now lie back and let me continue.”

Nodding, Sachimaru settled back down into the bed.

“The miko decided that she would leave anyway. She missed her family and she wanted nothing more than to go home. So she decided to escape.”

Sachimaru gasped.

Kagome stifled a grin at his reaction. Perhaps her dream was not really suitable as a bedtime story. But Sachimaru seemed to like it so much. “One night, when everyone else was asleep, the miko slowly crawled out of her futon and went out of her room. Tiptoeing down the hallway, she prayed that no one would notice her. She made sure she walked in the shadows until she came to an empty room. You see, the miko had been watching the guards, and she knew that the guards never patrolled outside that room. She opened the screen and jumped out. Looking left and right, she saw no one, but she could see the gates.”

Lowering her voice, she continued, “The miko was very excited and nervous at the same time. Wanting nothing more than to escape, she decided to run for it.” She paused for effect before she said, “Guards suddenly appeared from all direction. The miko panicked and ran faster, but the demons were faster. For a while, she considered using her powers against them, but she didn't like the idea of hurting them. They had not been mean to her or anything. On the contrary, they had been respectful to her. It was all very strange.”

“What happened then?” Sachimaru whispered.

“The shouts came closer and closer. And then the miko tripped. The next thing she knew, the guards were carrying her back to the castle.”

“She didn't escape?” Sachimaru asked, his eyes dimming in disappointment.

Kagome shook her head. “Sadly, no.”

“What happened next?”

Kagome grinned as she ruffled his hair. “That's a story for next time.”

Face twisting, Sachimaru whined, “Okaa-san!”

“Sleep.”

Reluctantly, the boy pulled the covers up to his chin and closed his eyes. Soon enough, his breathing evened out, telling her that he had fallen asleep.

Kagome sighed as she recalled the rest of her dream.

…***…***…***…

Dream Flashback

…***…***…***…

She was woken up by the annoyingly cheerful chirping of the birds. Yawning widely, she peered out through a pair of bleary eyes at the dim light filtering through the translucent washi. Dawn had arrived, it seemed, she thought grumpily.

Another day of training with Katsuo.

She groaned as she sat up, wincing as her entire body protested. Her muscles ached like it had never done before.

Ever since Sesshoumaru had found out about her skills, Katsuo had redoubled his efforts at her training. The blue-eyed demon had been persistent, pushing her almost to the point of collapse. The training had taken a different note now. It was as if Sesshoumaru had insisted that Katsuo focused the training in the battle department rather than the more sedate meditation type.

She had tried to escape once soon after her confrontation with Sesshoumaru. But somehow, it did not surprise her that she did not even make it past the palace walls. Well, she would not be trying anytime soon. She could feel her blood boil even as she thought about it. Once Sesshoumaru had figured out what she had attempted, he had plainly told her that should she attempt escape again, Natsumi and Katsuo would suffer. The idiot had some nerve.

She stood up and began to dress, fuming silently as she did so. Just as she had finished pulling on the tabi onto her feet, a tap sounded on the screen.

“Come in, Natsumi,” she called out as she had done for the past three weeks.

Natsumi slid open the screen and stepped in, her eyes carrying its usual hint of concern. Kagome frowned. What was wrong with Natsumi? For the last one week, the girl had been giving her funny looks. It Kagome did not know better, she would have thought that those looks were meant to convey sympathy.

The rest of the servants had been just as bad. Something was definitely going on, because every time she had neared them, they suddenly stopped talking. She wondered if Katsuo knew what it was.

As usual, Natsumi placed the breakfast tray on the small table and waited until she had finished it before standing up to leave.

“Natsumi?” Kagome called out, deciding there and then to ask the other girl what was going on.

Natsumi halted in her tracks and turned around. “Yes, Kagome?”

Now, how would she word it? “Is everything okay? I mean, everyone seems a little…different this past week.”

Natsumi's eyes flickered. “Of course,” she declared with a large smile.

Kagome eyed the other girl suspiciously. “I know there's something going on. What is it?”

A weak laugh escaped Natsumi's lips. And then, abruptly, she exclaimed, “Oh! I'm late. I need to go. I'll see you tonight, Kagome.”

With that, she sped out of the room.

Kagome tapped her foot. Now she was sure that something was going on.

…***…***…***…

A/N: I hope you've enjoyed that. Please review and let me know what you think of it!