InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Elsewhere ❯ Chapter Nine ( Chapter 9 )

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

By: flowers

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha nor do I profit from this.

“But tension is to be loved

When it is like a passing note

To a beautiful, beautiful chord”

- Sixpence None The Richer, Tension Is A Passing Note

Chapter Nine

She was kneeling a field of dark flowers, their musky aroma surrounded her. She stood then found herself walking toward a shoreline. The sand welcomed her tender feet with warmth from a hot day. The sun was setting. She watched as it sank into a deep purple sea. On the horizon was an island, the greenest of green. The green of a normal world would only be a shadow of it.

Dark clouds were gathering, swirling through a blazon sunset sky. “Kagome,” she heard her name faintly. Was the voice deep and wild? Or was it familiar? Against the painfully true color green in the distance there was something white. She tried to shield her eyes against the green. It was moving…

“Kagome! Wake up! You can't sleep all day!” her mother's voice snapped her from the strange and wonderful world.

“Is he here?” she croaked shaking the last of the dream from her mind. Her breath was so horrible, she thought Buoyo might have used her mouth for a litter box.

“Who's here? Did you have someone over last night? Kagome, how sneaky,” her mother continued as she picked discarded clothes up from odd places here and there. “Was it the same boy from the other night?” was her next question. She was very pleased that her daughter was interested in someone for once. She had always thought the only way to heal this `situation' was with someone new. Maybe a little romance to take her mind off things. This was turning out nicely. “Breakfast is waiting,” she didn't wait for replies.

Kagome was confused for a bit. Then the memory of last night flooded her brain and her eyes nearly popped out. She sprang up and rushed to the phone. 'Oh gods, I bet he's never going to talk to me again!' This was scary in a strange way. No sooner had she stumbled upon a link to the past now she feared of driving him away having acted like an idiot last night. She picked up the phone and the numbers came easily to her clouded mind. Damn, she had a headache.

At that time she noticed she was in her underwear. Her signature blush turned her whole body purple. Exactly what did happen? She could recall up to the point she practically threw herself on him.

“Yes," came the deep voice on the other line. She found herself wrapped up in her own thoughts and froze. “Kagome?” he continued.

“Yes! Yes Sesshoumaru, to tell the truth I really don't know exactly why I'm calling…” she kicked the wall and slapped herself in the forehead quite to the amusement of Souta. He laughed and she shot him a look that could have turned him to stone.

“I understand Kagome. You do not remember do you?” his voice was soft and she felt herself melting like butter. If something happened she wanted to slap herself for not remembering. She immediately became self conscious. “After an amusing display of dance you passed out and I put you in your bed.” He was acting as if nothing happened but she knew better. She recalled the embrace perfectly and then it all faded to dreams. Something told her not to mention her memories.

“Oh, okay then. Hey I'm sorry to bother you. I just woke up and thought I needed to call you,” she winced again. How lame was that?

“It is perfectly alright Kagome.” There was a moment of silence. She really wanted to see him again. Maybe just to rest her fears or ask more questions, she didn't know. Surprisingly he was having the same thoughts. “I would like to see you again, preferably sober,” he was trying to lighten his own mood. She laughed mostly from relief. He enjoyed the sound.

“Yeah that would be great. I really just wanted to ask you some things, not get drunk…” suddenly she remembered him almost attacking her and was at a loss for words again.

“You can stop by when you wish. You do not have to announce your arrival,” he stated. He was very used to the children coming and going as they pleased.

“Okay then.” Souta was starting to get on her nerves by making kissing noises at her back. She kicked at him. “I'll stop by today.”

“That is acceptable,” he finished and hung up the phone. `Damn, why does he hang up on me so much?' Anyway she wasn't going over there just yet. She didn't want to seem desperate. Yet she still had questions for him. Yes, that would make it very appropriate. She started walking to the kitchen when she realized a change of clothes was in order.

He had a very wakeful and thought filled night. Sleep wasn't something that ruled his body. Being a youkai meant days on end of wakefulness if need be. He rolled over many emotions like pebbles in his hand. All these feelings conflicting, contradicting, puzzle pieces that didn't fit.

Eventually he came to the conclusion that he missed Rin deeply and he had never shared the company of a miko in such a manner. So in conclusion, she was a very powerful reminder of human worth. Her purification last night saved him many hours of meditation. With recent developments meditation was exceedingly harder to accomplish, therefore, his youki had been gathering and the whole situation brought his lack of attention to a head.

This could easily be blamed on himself. He should have repressed himself extensively before visiting her home. So, all in all, this wasn't her fault. She didn't have ulterior motives. Or did she? Her intoxicating innocence told him otherwise. Nevertheless she would be arriving soon.

He walked to his bedroom and sat on the western style bed. He received the bed as a gift from one Rin's heirs. Apparently the children had relayed his sleeping arrangements to their parents. He could never find this pillow-table comfortable and used it more or less for a couch.

There was a comfortable futon situated in far corner near a window. This was his place of rest when he wasn't dosing lightly in the garden. Today he would dress a little more `traditionally'.

She stalked up to his gate at a slow pace concerned with behaving differently this time. If he wanted the real her, he would get it. She was wearing jeans today and a simple cotton tank top. No more `dressing up'. Feeling deeply embarrassed about last night she was prepared herself to try and hide it.

He was already standing in the door wearing something very similar to his old robes but in a simple white. Shockingly his pelt was wrapped about him in the signature arrangement and his markings very clear yet he still wore the high ponytail.

“Why do you pause at my gate? Enter,” he said in an unusually authoritarian voice. She quickly walked in and damned herself for jumping at his beck and call. Something was different about him today, besides the voice and appearance. Upon her approach she could feel the youki billowing from him. This was intoxicating on a level transcending sake in a way. She felt a familiar spell seize her and came to stand inches away from him.

He looked at her with a very signature mocking half smile. She was being very obedient today. “I would like to show you a place special to me if it would please you,” he stated in monotone.

She nodded slowly feeling pleased enough with this static prickling her body. The familiarity brought tears to her eyes once again. “I will need to hold your arm. I wish to travel swiftly in my youki. The distance is great,” he ignored her lingering tears. She looked at him blankly and nodded again.

He twisted around and grasped her left arm firmly. She came back to her senses just as they were leaving the ground in a flash and floating among the clouds. Panicking slightly she fumbled to grasp onto something and caught his pelt. This may have not been the best idea. She looked up at him, no response.

Seeing that he didn't mind she clung to the fur. It was everything she imagined it would feel like. As they passed through a cloud, cold moisture soaked her hair and shirt. Strangely it didn't have the same effect on him. This was very magical and scary all at once. Remembering finally to breathe she let out a large sigh and relaxed slightly.

She found breathing was a labored task at this height but was sure he was more than capable of keeping her safe. Her eyes however remained mostly shut and her face buried in the down-like fur. Looking around wouldn't be a good idea at this height.

He smiled ever so slightly as her tension lessened. He knew this would be a bit of shock for her but letting his youki free for the time being allowed him to better judge her nerves and reactions. Freeing his repressed youki was a good feeling and sharing a pleasant flight, at least to him, was something he thought she would enjoy.

So far he was correct. Little to his knowledge she was enjoying the feel of his pelt better than being several thousand feet off the ground. There was something strangely personal about flying and he imagined the close vicinity would put her at ease, at least from what he gathered of her thoughts last night. She peeked out a little and observed the vast waters of the ocean approaching rapidly and they began to descend.

A musky scent filled her senses. They landed in field of dark flowers and she was suddenly kneeling. He had released her in his demon speed and was looking onto the ocean. This was her dream. Was it real or had she fallen asleep?

A quick pinch told her she was very much among the living. She stood and stepped toward the ocean. A briny breeze caught her hair and whipped it about her face. Did she have a premonition? She had never had the gift of foresight but Kaede had explained this to her. This was foreboding. It told of something either bad or life changing, which would it be? At this moment she realized it was best not to tell him of her dream. She stood beside him now and a feeling of peace overtook her. This was at least as wonderful as her dream.

“This is where my family's fortress once stood,” he said in a usual Sesshoumaru monotone. Seeing him here in all his youkai glory was overwhelming. He was beautiful in such a dangerous way. She knew his intentions were not to hurt her but his wildness was inexplicable. She wanted to always see him like this and not the tamed dog he had turned himself into.

This was his true nature. It was powerful, mysterious, and rich in a wildness she never wanted to see him without again. His longing was so tangible she felt she could almost reach out and touch it. This was where he belonged, by the sea, in this dark garden. Did she tap into something that drunken night?

No matter, she was here now and he brought her to this dream for a reason. He turned to look at her. He was an angel fallen from grace, so lonely, so beautiful. Her heart longed to give him the truth. What truth? She didn't even know herself but something was missing, something maybe she could help retrieve.

“I wanted to see you in the flowers there. You remind me of Rin so…” he left it at that. He was struggling to remind himself of something, something he needed to remember while in her presence. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. She bent down and picked a flower then put it in her hair and smiled. This was it, almost.

“It's very beautiful here. Thank you for sharing this with me,” she replied. Of course he said nothing. Showed no emotion. “What happened to the fortress?” she asked him begging for a response, anything but this pregnant pause.

“It was taken in a tsunami,” he said flatly and turned to survey the land. “It couldn't he helped,” his eyes where empty citrine pools as usual.

“I'm sorry,” she replied and looked to the ground.

“Everything happens for a reason,” he interjected and looked at her with an intense stare. She met his gaze for a moment then looked out across the water. There it was, the island, but now it was much less green and much more brown.

“Is that where you hunt?” Her gaze remained on the ocean. He smirked a bit, she was very quick to pick up on things.

“Yes,” was his simple answer. He then seated himself on the ground. She looked around and followed suit. “Do you want to learn more about your friends?” he asked. She looked at him and nodded. Before now she felt asking would be selfish. He was such a dark riddle she found herself caught up in solving him and forgot for a moment the world around her.

“Yes please. Miroku and Sango had a family right?” she began to feel ecstatic again. At least her friends had the story book ending and instead of feeling jealous she was very happy to hear any good news.

“Yes they had a large family,” he looked out in the distance bringing to memory the haunted past. “They were cursed with girls. So in the monk's revelation this meant the family should be `extended',” he said with a dry laugh. “Seven children in all and only the last was male,” she looked very happy with this news. Finally Sango settled Miroku down. This was the best news he had given her yet.

“What were their names?” she asked eagerly. He frowned a bit.

“I remember only the boy's name, it was Inuyasha,” he replied. Strangely this didn't darken the mood like he expected.

She looked out at the island again. “That is a good name,” she whispered.

“It is,” he smiled faintly.

`Finally' she thought and smiled back widely, “What are these flowers?”

He turned to look at the field. “I do not know. I only know they bloom here.” The flowers resembled a european poppy but with many more petals.

“They are dark and wild, like you,” she said looking out onto the island where he becomes himself completely. He didn't know what to say. He had always thought the flowers were vivid and suited this land of his ancestors well but had never made that correlation. They sat in an eloquent silence for many minutes.

“I used to bring Rin to this ocean to swim,” he said with memory in his voice. “She declined to swim once she began her monthly cycle, that was saddening,” he continued. She looked at him almost like she didn't understand what he had said. He didn't like repeating himself so he looked out onto the sea.

“I guess things get awkward when girls reach that age around their fathers. I wouldn't know, my father was never there,” she replied in a melancholy voice. Being deprived of her father's presence hurt her deeply. He suddenly felt guilty that he didn't fill that gap in her life after her father left.

“I am sorry,” was all he could manage. He couldn't tell her he wished he were her father. Did he really want to be? These conversations wouldn't be as true and forthright if he were. She laughed a bit.

“It's okay. I've gotten along so far, I'll survive,” she was smiling now. Times like these were what he treasured and missed most. Truth and happiness. He committed this moment to memory, something happy to fill the long monotony of his life.

“We need to return soon, darkness is approaching,” he announced. Tonight he was going to feed but he need not share that with her.

“Why? It's so nice. I like being here,” she laid back on the soft grass and flowers letting the scent cover her completely. He wanted to cave in to her wishes but his instincts told him otherwise.

“We can return,” he stood and grasped her arm like he had earlier. The speed of his actions alarmed her and she soon found herself many feet above ground again. She buried her face in his soft fur and wrapped her other hand around his arm. This took him by surprise but he allowed it. He must have scared her. Soon enough they were on her roof.

“Why here?” she asked, not expecting him to `fly' her home.

“Did you wish to walk in the dark?” he replied perplexed at her question. Human females were structurally weak and usually chose to be in company after dark. Nevertheless he stood back from her and smiled slightly.

“Until another day, Kagome.” Not waiting for an answer he took off in the same direction. She watched him fade. Why didn't he just tell her he needed to hunt? She shrugged it off and crawled into her open window.