InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Ghost of the Past ❯ Discussions During Dinner ( Chapter 2 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: angelic memories 
Dinner with Sesshomaru
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance | Type: Fanfiction Sequel | Uploaded On: 02.25.2009 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.9K | Visits: 282 | Status: Work In Progress
Dinner with Sesshomaru
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance | Type: Fanfiction Sequel | Uploaded On: 02.25.2009 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.9K | Visits: 282 | Status: Work In Progress
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Disclaimer: So umm... yeah... they don’t belong to me... and it doesn’t bug me at all.....at least not that much.
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Encounter Two - Discussions During Dinner
The next few days past by slowly. Kagome would go home each night and attempt to ignore the echo that plagued the rooms. She had thought that if she was busy then she wouldn’t think about the issue of her loneliness. But she had grown accustom to the giggling and shouting of Rin and Jaken. This led Kagome to a new habit.
Kagome reached the front entrance and opened the door. Her keys dangled in her hand for a few seconds until she let them fall from her fingers to a table in the hall. Her coat was tossed to the back of a chair nearby and her shoes slide off randomly on the floor. All she wanted to do was relax a little from the meeting that she had just gotten out of.
The woman’s feet carried her to the living room where she turned on her stereo. A mix CD played a few random songs over and over to fill the house with noise. It made her feel a little less alone. Next she went into the kitchen and pulled out a slice of leftover pizza. She placed it on a plate and took it to the living room not even bothering to heat the small amount of food up.
Kagome let the television flicker in silence. She wasn’t really watching it. It was just something to do while she ate. Her clock chimed six and her phone rang starling her enough that her body jolted upon hearing the two sets of ringing. The only occupant of the house walked over to the home and answered it.
“Hello Higurashi residence.”
“Miko I wished to inform you that your presentation was well done. The heads were very impressed with your work. Congratulations. Let me remind you that I will be picking you up in an hour,” there was a brief feeling in the woman’s stomach that Sesshomaru was smirking. Perhaps he knew before she uttered her next words.
“Damn it,” Kagome had forgotten about the dinner date.
“Hn. I take it your memory is not what it use to be?” the sound of mockery from Sesshomaru.
“I take offence to that. I had a full schedule today, sorry to upset your highness by forgetting a dinner date. I don’t think I can make it though.”
“You are the one who said you are doing nothing. Unless of course you wish to stay home alone for the night contemplating other events you can occupy your time with,” it was very scary, the way that Sesshomaru could guess the thing that bother a person the most.
“No, I’ll go,” she was always telling herself she didn’t like being home alone so she reasoned that this was the only reason why she wanted too go.
“Formal wear, at seven,” there was dead air left as Sesshomaru hung up, which was followed shortly by Kagome.
Her closet was fairly limited and she wasn’t sure she had anything formal. If she didn’t then it was just one more reason to not go. Kagome found her way up to the wardrobe in her room. A few minutes later proved she had been right. She wasn’t one to go out and buy formal clothing at random. There was no need for it before in her life.
Except graduation. This thought reminded her of the dress her mother had hidden shortly after her daughter had graduated from her program. Though, her mother had said the dress was special and meant to be cherished, this was an emergency. Besides, why buy a dress to wear only once?
The woman began her search it began in her mother’s former room and ending in the spare room. Hanging on a metal hanger was the burgundy dress along with its shawl. On the floor were the shoes she had chosen to go with the dress. Her hand reached out to touch the silk fabric. It was the most expensive article clothing she owned. The only reason her family could afford it in the first place was her father. When he had died, he had left all his money to his family. Most of it went to his children. A part of his will read:
I wish to take part in my children’s life, even in death.
Money will be no obstacle for their education and
other such activities.
Her mother had invested the money only using it when she had to. It wasn’t until after Kagome graduated that Kagome learned about the rest of will. Sure she had suspected their was a lot of money involved, after all her mother never had to work and they were very well off, but she never imagined that she would be given a large sum of money right after her graduation. Her mother explained it was her father’s wish for her to receive the rest of the money she never used and then handed the young woman an account book.
Nearly five hundred thousand dollars helped her get a car and pay for a new wardrobe for work . There wasn’t anything else she needed to spend the leftover money on so she saved it, like her mother Her mind reasoned that you never knew when you would be in a tight situation. She had yet to touch it since her very short shopping spree. Most of the time she forgot she even had all that money and it led her to think that she may use it one day to open her own business.
Kagome let the dress slide from the hanger into her hands, snatched up the shoes, then made her way back to her room. It took a little over forty minutes to get a quick shower, her hair dry, make-up on, and slip on her dress. She didn’t like being rushed but she managed.
The woman made her way down to the living room and was tying the lace of her black dress shoes when the door bell sounded. With one shoe on and the other off she walked to the door and opened it for her guest.
Sesshomaru stood in the doorframe with a white suit, maroon dress shirt and tie, holding flowers. It was strange that the colour of his shirt and her dress nearly match, almost like they had planned it. The colours look so familiar on him, it was a thought of his past image that reminded her of the colouring of his haori in the feudal era.
The red roses were placed in her hands as he walked into the house, taking a sit in the living room. ‘You’re early,” she looked to the clock on the wall. There was still ten minutes before she had to be ready.
“To ensure you are indeed dress and ready to go on time.”
“Let me get a vase for these,” she gestured to the roses, “Then I can finish getting ready.”
Sesshomaru nodded. It had taken mere seconds for him to memorize the image of the miko. He like the look of the deep red dress on her, a strap of material was the only thing holding the dress up in a halter style fashion. The back was low, only beginning near the small of her back. There was a high v cut decorating the front, showing very little cleavage. It pleased him that she was not one to strut around like some women did, barely hiding their breast from view. The dress was form fitting from her waist up but slowly loosen to the ankles. A slit in the material showed her left leg from the knee down. He noticed right away she was limping from only wearing one shoe. The shoe in question was black and the straps made criss-cross patterns up her leg to the knee joint. It was a simple dress but the make was surely expensive. The material a rare silk, probably imported. He was shocked someone who appeared so conservative would own something like this.
Kagome made her way back from the kitchen. The flowers were in a glass vase. Which she placed on a low table in front of him. She picked up the abandoned shoe she had yet to put on. The youkai directed his gaze to the flowers but couldn’t stop himself from watching her out of the corner of his eyes. Her slim fingers worked out a knot in one of the straps before twisting the string like material around and around her leg. The skirt of her dress was hiked up to her knees as she finished tying the straps in place.
After her shoe was on she vanished only to return moments later with a black silk purse and a shawl draped from one elbow, around her back, to the other elbow.
“I’m ready,” she exclaimed in a low voice.
Sesshomaru stood slowly, straightened his suit, then walked to the door and held it open for the woman. She walked out but had to wait till he closed the door to lock it. Her key, finished with its task,, was placed in her little bag. The tai-youkai continued to be courteous by opening the door of the white limo. She has assumed that Sesshomaru would drive them again. Apparently Kagome was wrong, but she got in without a word and slid to the other side. The silver haired Inu shut the door after he entered the vehicle. He motioned to the driver through the open window dividing the front of the limo from the back. Sesshomaru pressed a button and the window began to ascend.
“Sesshomaru?” Kagome began after a few minutes of silence.
“Hn.”
“Where are we going?” she began her ‘ask a million and one questions’ game. It reminded him of Rin but the thought left his mind as soon as it came.
“Dinner,” he replied in a bored tone only known to him. He was aware that the answer would anger her.
He wondered how much patience she had. She was dealing with his actions considerably well. The miko was also waiting for him to tell her when he was ready to deal with the past. She seemed to understand him more then he would have originally guessed. But it didn’t bother him. He liked distance when it came to people. The miko was an exception. The woman was just over twenty and had dealt with what had happened in the past. He had been trying to deal with it for over 500 years but had yet to accept things. Perhaps she was the key. Maybe this is why he was calm and content when she was around.
“You know what I mean!” she interrupted his thoughts. The anger radiating off her filled confined area quickly.
“Consider it a surprise,” he smirked upon seeing her eyes narrow.
“Whatever,” the miko crossed her arms and lean further into the seat. Her eyes darted to the object through the tinted windows, passing by too quickly to register any details. “No more ‘formal’ surprises. I don’t have the clothing for it.”
He was about to do something he never did but couldn’t correct the action in time. The word rolled off his tongue, “You look beautiful.”
Kagome nearly missed the words. His voice was low but she knew he had said it when she looked to him and he turned his face away.
“What did you say?” it was still socking, “Did you just give me a compliment?”
“Hn.”
Kagome decided not to push the issue any further. “You look pretty good yourself,” okay so she would slightly.
“Pretty good?” he was told my many throughout the years that he looked amazing, hot, charming, excellent, handsome, attractive but not pretty good. “Only pretty good?” it was a hit to his ego.
“Don’t push things. I’m still mad you’re dragging me out to some unknown place yet again.”
“You could have said no,” he pointed out.
“Would you have accepted that answer?” she retorted.
“Of course not.”
“Exactly.”
Kagome turned back to the window. Waiting for them to make it to their destination. The limo stopped in front of another extravagant building unfamiliar to the woman. The place looked ancient but modern. It was made of white stone and wooden frames. Flowers and vines decorated the outside walls. On the west side there was an outdoor balcony. To enter the restaurant you had to walk over a small footbridge.
Sesshomaru offered his arm to the black-haired beauty standing beside him. She was going to decline but he had a look in his eyes that told her not this time. She sighed, placing her arm under his so her hand could cling to the top of his appendage. He led the way escorting the woman the entire short journey to their table.
“I have taken the liberty of ordering dinner already. It saves you from having to find the cheapest thing on the menu.”
“I can pay for my own meal.”
“I was the one to ask you out, therefore, it is my responsibility to pay.”
He ordered wine once again. The waitress came back with the bottle she told him it would be another ten minutes till the meal was ready.
“Sesshomaru?” there were things Kagome wanted to know.
“Hn.”
“Why … well why are you doing this? I mean with the lunch and now dinner. I don’t understand.”
“Inuyasha,” he replied after a while in a simple, slow voice.
“Inuyasha?” she had wanted to ask the youkai about his younger half-brother but had decided to wait.
“He warned me I would see you again. I didn’t understand but he couldn’t explain. I was hoping to tell you this story in a more secure setting but seeing that the topic has already come up…” the tai-youkai searched the miko’s blue eyes. He looked for any hesitation from the human but saw none. “A short time after you disappeared Inuyasha did as well. There were rumours of course, very broad, but I took no heed. Many years passed. More rumours and soon there was a rebellion.”
“Humans began to take control of the land. I cared little what they did; I ruled the Western Lands no matter what mortal claimed the territory. Instead of ruling openly I began to reign in secret, much like many of the other tai-youkai. We let humans drown in their beliefs. We remained hidden behind the scenes taking action only when needed. I have noticed that humans find war the best way to gain land. It was during one of these wars that my half brother found me. Well, I found him,” Sesshomaru was interrupted by the arrival of their meal.
A plate was placed in front of Kagome. It was yet another alien dish to her.
“Italian,” her dinner partner supplied.
“Italian? I haven’t tried Italian before,” the woman stared at the meal, “Of course I mainly stick to Japanese foods.”
“Hn, we will have to change that.”
“Right… we have to discuss that later too.”
Sesshomaru watched as the miko’s eyes become thin slits. “Later, for now eat. I will tell you the rest of the tale when we are finished.”
Dinner was eaten in silence. Surprisingly it was comfortable. There were glances from each set of eyes which occasionally met. But Kagome found that she enjoyed the youkai’s company.
After dinner came a light dessert. Sesshomaru turned down the offer of cake. Instead he continued his story while waiting for the woman to finish her fruit covered cake.
“He was badly wounded, near death. His eyes met mine but were not filled with the hatred and rage he showed many years back. With few words he explained he had been protecting villages because you had always protected the villagers you met. He received injury from the slayers, who repopulated from a new bloodline, not linked to the exterminator you knew.”
“I question him about you. That was when he told me I would see you again if I lived for another three hundreds. His last words were for you. ‘I’m sorry that I couldn’t…” Sesshomaru let the woman take in the information he had told her.
“He wouldn’t let you revive him?” she finished with her cake and was fully focussed on the male across the table.
“No, he refused.”
“Then I believe I understand his message,” the woman smiled sadly, “He promised long ago that if anything happened he would meet me again one day in this time. I didn’t expect him to be so hung up on that idea. We both believed youkai were–well you know, extinct.”
“Hn.”
“Thank-you,” ; her voice trembled slightly, “Thank-you so much Sesshomaru.”
He didn’t reply to her. His hand lifted in the air to signal he wanted the bill. “Do you have an early morning?” he gave the waitress a card.
“Why?”
“I have something you might like to see,” he spoke a line similar to the one she used on him one time. “It is time consuming though. Do you have plans in the early morning?”
“No.”
“Very well,” the youkai stood after having his credit card returned. “Let us be on our way.”
They entered his car once more. Five minutes later the vehicle stopped. The woman was confused, “I though you said it was time consuming?”
“It is,” Sesshomaru exited the limo followed by Kagome. The taiyoukai turned his attention to the driver: “Take the car back. I will return by my own means,” the driver nodded before pulling away.
The youkai moved closer to the woman behind him but she moved away. A chuckle escaped his lips. “I have no intentions in harming you miko.”
“Then what are you doing?”
A cloud of the inu’s jaki appeared at his feet. “Without direct contact you will fall through.”
“A likely excuse,” the woman retorted but let him take her by the hand to help her onto the new way of travel. His arms wrapped around her waist as he took to the sky.
The woman took one look at the moving scenery hundreds of feet below their flying forms. It was at that moment Kagome realized something. She didn’t like heights. Jumping around on a hanyou’s back in the past was fine. Inuyasha didn’t leap very high off the ground. It was a different experience flying on a cloud she could fall through the moment the tai-youkai’s arms released her. He was the one who had attempted to kill her many times in the past.
The arms on her waist were firm, pinning her back to a brick-like torso. Her hands grasped Sesshomaru’s forearms, her fingers curled around the appendages. She closed her eyes tight to avoid seeing the drop that could happen at any moment.
“I will not let you fall,” the youkai whispered in her ear. He was responding to the scent of her fright.
“I don’t care if you do or don’t but I do not like flying.”
“Hn,” the youkai smirked before turning the woman around in his arms. Her face buried itself in his chest on its own accord and her fingers were tangled within the jacket of his suit. If it were not for his arua keeping in the warmth the woman would be frozen with what she was wearing.
“Why couldn’t we drive?” she muttered not really expecting an answer.
“The place where we are going cannot be reached by normal mortal means.”
“How much longer?”
“We are nearly there.”
Kagome could feel the motion change to that of a sudden drop. As her stomach did flips from the feeling of free falling she uttered a scream. Pitched high enough to do some damage to sensitive ears.
“You will stop that noise at once,” Sesshomaru snapped as he landed lightly on the ground.
“Next time warn me,” the woman was now on her own two feet.
“You would have known if you were watching,” the tai-youkai didn’t waste any time turning his back and continuing his journey.
The woman was about to chase after him when she finally took notice of her surroundings. It was like she had fallen back through the well. The forest was dense, a river flowed to her right leading to what sounded like a waterfall. Sesshomaru was walking along a path through the forest along the river.
Her small steps doubled to keep up with the form disappearing before her. She slowed her pace when she caught up, her eyes still taking in the view of the landscape.
“Where are we?”
“The lands of my palace,” the silver haired inu pulled a blanket of vines and branches hidden behind it was acres of clear field. The cliff they stood on was the highest point for miles. It was an advantage point to watch over the large palace of while marble below. “Come,” he grabbed her by the waist again the leapt off the cliff edge. He dropped down onto a balcony overlooking a wide open garden.
The chamber leading off the balcony was a breathtaking view of a forest of rare silks, furs, and other cloth. Sesshomaru led her past a overly sized futon and a pit of pillows facing a fireplace. The doors leading out of the room where a cream marble to match the outer hallway’s pillars, floors, and ceiling. A maid rushed down the long hallway towards them dressed in black and silver.
“Milord,” she bowed at the waist and keep her head down. The blue hair flowed from behind her back to the side of her face. “May I get you anything?” Kagome could tell she was only partially youkai from the flare of her jaki. But she couldn’t be sure how much human she consisted of.
“Have the general come to my study.”
“Yes, Milord,” her bow deepened as she backed away, not turning her back until she was around ten feet away.
“Um, Sesshomaru…?” she didn’t know what she wanted to ask him. She wasn’t exactly sure why she was here or if she was needed.
“Miko, follow me.”
Sesshomaru continued to lead the woman around until she was certain she would be lost if she were to be left alone. They past more then a dozen doors then descended down a wide staircase only to past more doors. The tai-youkai stopped at a set of double doors matching the size and look of the ones of the chamber they had matched through to begin their ‘tour’.
“Close your eyes miko,” the inu said with a hand on the door handle.
“Why?” she hated how many times she was asking that simple question in his presence.
“Do you ever do as you’re told?”
“I was very independent as a child; as if it would change now.”
“Indeed,” Sesshomaru let another of his smirks grace his face, “I have a surprise for you. Please close your eyes.”
Kagome’s eyes went wide with the shock of the gentleness that could be heard in the voice. She closed her eyes and held her hand up in front of her. It was engulfed in warmth and pulled through the now open door.
A tall figure stood in the middle of the room waiting for his lord. Outside the door he heard a familiar voice he thought he would never hear again. He waited, shivering in his stance, for the door to open. Seconds passed like hours. He was desperate enough to yank open the door himself but he knew his lord would not be happy with such actions. Finally the door opened slowly. His eyes glanced up and down the woman who entered the room. The gaze took too long to take in the woman’s figure and a low growl, inaudible to humans, was issued as a warning. The possessive tone that could be heard from the male would be denied by his lord if the subject was ever brought up but he signalled his submit to the alpha male while fixing his glance onto the woman’s face.
“You may open your eyes miko,” Sesshomaru spoke watching his general closely.
Kagome let her eyelids flutter open and took a few moments to adjust to the light of the room. Well actually the darkness for it was only lit by candles and a small fire. Recently too for there was a chill to the room that would not have been there if the fire was burning earlier that evening.
“Kagome?” the questionable voice grabbed the woman’s attention. The figure it belonged to seemed remarkably familiar in a strange way. Yet she was sure she had never seen him before.
“Do I know you?” unconsciously she stepped closer to the youkai beside her. Although she could still use her miko powers, she feared she would be too rusty to stand against a powerful enemy on her own.
Sesshomaru’s beast wanted to purr when he felt the woman’s body heat. The miko was expressing she would depend on him for protection. Instincts begged him to show his approval but he held the need at bay.
Suddenly the red flaming hair, pulled into a high ponytail, green eyes, and bushy tail flickering behind the stranger’s back sparked a memory: “Shippo?”
“It’s good to see you too.”
Kagome ran the few feet to hug the kitsune she had once known. He only hugged her long enough to not cause his lord to be upset by the contact.
“You’ve grown so much,” she spoke pulling away.
“I’ve missed you.”
Sesshomaru moved behind his desk. He would watch the exchange until the miko was ready to go home. An hour later the woman and fox were still sitting in front of the fireplace laughing and talking. Kagome build up enough courage to at last ask about her other companions.
“Shippo… what about Miroku and Sango?”
“They were really sad after you left,” he began. “Miroku never touched another woman after he married Sango. They lived on the slayer’s village, after they rebuilt it, with Kohaku. The two of them had twin boys, followed by a boy, another set of twins- this time a boy and girl, one more boy and Sango died giving birth to her final baby girl.”
“I helped Miroku out, he became very depressed after Sango’s death. He died a few years later, we believe most of it was his will to be with Sango more than the illness be had caught. They still have descendants till this day and I can take you to them sometime. Kirara is with them and I check in often.”
“Miko it is time to leave,” the inu cut into the conversation.
“Right,” she nodded to Sesshomaru and turned back to the kitsune, “I will talk to you later Shippo.”
The fox bowed his head and helped the woman up. Her hand was soon taken out of his and pulled on by the lord of the palace. She followed him but looked back at Shippo to give him a smile, “It was good to see you again.”
The taiyoukai flew her home. This time she showed less fright on the journey. A comfortable silence settled between the two of them. They came closer to the shrine grounds leaving Kagome less time with the youkai and she hated how it bugged her so much.
Sesshomaru landed on her doorstep.
“Thank-you.”
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Ja ne
angelic memories
Disclaimer: So umm... yeah... they don’t belong to me... and it doesn’t bug me at all.....at least not that much.
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Encounter Two - Discussions During Dinner
The next few days past by slowly. Kagome would go home each night and attempt to ignore the echo that plagued the rooms. She had thought that if she was busy then she wouldn’t think about the issue of her loneliness. But she had grown accustom to the giggling and shouting of Rin and Jaken. This led Kagome to a new habit.
Kagome reached the front entrance and opened the door. Her keys dangled in her hand for a few seconds until she let them fall from her fingers to a table in the hall. Her coat was tossed to the back of a chair nearby and her shoes slide off randomly on the floor. All she wanted to do was relax a little from the meeting that she had just gotten out of.
The woman’s feet carried her to the living room where she turned on her stereo. A mix CD played a few random songs over and over to fill the house with noise. It made her feel a little less alone. Next she went into the kitchen and pulled out a slice of leftover pizza. She placed it on a plate and took it to the living room not even bothering to heat the small amount of food up.
Kagome let the television flicker in silence. She wasn’t really watching it. It was just something to do while she ate. Her clock chimed six and her phone rang starling her enough that her body jolted upon hearing the two sets of ringing. The only occupant of the house walked over to the home and answered it.
“Hello Higurashi residence.”
“Miko I wished to inform you that your presentation was well done. The heads were very impressed with your work. Congratulations. Let me remind you that I will be picking you up in an hour,” there was a brief feeling in the woman’s stomach that Sesshomaru was smirking. Perhaps he knew before she uttered her next words.
“Damn it,” Kagome had forgotten about the dinner date.
“Hn. I take it your memory is not what it use to be?” the sound of mockery from Sesshomaru.
“I take offence to that. I had a full schedule today, sorry to upset your highness by forgetting a dinner date. I don’t think I can make it though.”
“You are the one who said you are doing nothing. Unless of course you wish to stay home alone for the night contemplating other events you can occupy your time with,” it was very scary, the way that Sesshomaru could guess the thing that bother a person the most.
“No, I’ll go,” she was always telling herself she didn’t like being home alone so she reasoned that this was the only reason why she wanted too go.
“Formal wear, at seven,” there was dead air left as Sesshomaru hung up, which was followed shortly by Kagome.
Her closet was fairly limited and she wasn’t sure she had anything formal. If she didn’t then it was just one more reason to not go. Kagome found her way up to the wardrobe in her room. A few minutes later proved she had been right. She wasn’t one to go out and buy formal clothing at random. There was no need for it before in her life.
Except graduation. This thought reminded her of the dress her mother had hidden shortly after her daughter had graduated from her program. Though, her mother had said the dress was special and meant to be cherished, this was an emergency. Besides, why buy a dress to wear only once?
The woman began her search it began in her mother’s former room and ending in the spare room. Hanging on a metal hanger was the burgundy dress along with its shawl. On the floor were the shoes she had chosen to go with the dress. Her hand reached out to touch the silk fabric. It was the most expensive article clothing she owned. The only reason her family could afford it in the first place was her father. When he had died, he had left all his money to his family. Most of it went to his children. A part of his will read:
I wish to take part in my children’s life, even in death.
Money will be no obstacle for their education and
other such activities.
Her mother had invested the money only using it when she had to. It wasn’t until after Kagome graduated that Kagome learned about the rest of will. Sure she had suspected their was a lot of money involved, after all her mother never had to work and they were very well off, but she never imagined that she would be given a large sum of money right after her graduation. Her mother explained it was her father’s wish for her to receive the rest of the money she never used and then handed the young woman an account book.
Nearly five hundred thousand dollars helped her get a car and pay for a new wardrobe for work . There wasn’t anything else she needed to spend the leftover money on so she saved it, like her mother Her mind reasoned that you never knew when you would be in a tight situation. She had yet to touch it since her very short shopping spree. Most of the time she forgot she even had all that money and it led her to think that she may use it one day to open her own business.
Kagome let the dress slide from the hanger into her hands, snatched up the shoes, then made her way back to her room. It took a little over forty minutes to get a quick shower, her hair dry, make-up on, and slip on her dress. She didn’t like being rushed but she managed.
The woman made her way down to the living room and was tying the lace of her black dress shoes when the door bell sounded. With one shoe on and the other off she walked to the door and opened it for her guest.
Sesshomaru stood in the doorframe with a white suit, maroon dress shirt and tie, holding flowers. It was strange that the colour of his shirt and her dress nearly match, almost like they had planned it. The colours look so familiar on him, it was a thought of his past image that reminded her of the colouring of his haori in the feudal era.
The red roses were placed in her hands as he walked into the house, taking a sit in the living room. ‘You’re early,” she looked to the clock on the wall. There was still ten minutes before she had to be ready.
“To ensure you are indeed dress and ready to go on time.”
“Let me get a vase for these,” she gestured to the roses, “Then I can finish getting ready.”
Sesshomaru nodded. It had taken mere seconds for him to memorize the image of the miko. He like the look of the deep red dress on her, a strap of material was the only thing holding the dress up in a halter style fashion. The back was low, only beginning near the small of her back. There was a high v cut decorating the front, showing very little cleavage. It pleased him that she was not one to strut around like some women did, barely hiding their breast from view. The dress was form fitting from her waist up but slowly loosen to the ankles. A slit in the material showed her left leg from the knee down. He noticed right away she was limping from only wearing one shoe. The shoe in question was black and the straps made criss-cross patterns up her leg to the knee joint. It was a simple dress but the make was surely expensive. The material a rare silk, probably imported. He was shocked someone who appeared so conservative would own something like this.
Kagome made her way back from the kitchen. The flowers were in a glass vase. Which she placed on a low table in front of him. She picked up the abandoned shoe she had yet to put on. The youkai directed his gaze to the flowers but couldn’t stop himself from watching her out of the corner of his eyes. Her slim fingers worked out a knot in one of the straps before twisting the string like material around and around her leg. The skirt of her dress was hiked up to her knees as she finished tying the straps in place.
After her shoe was on she vanished only to return moments later with a black silk purse and a shawl draped from one elbow, around her back, to the other elbow.
“I’m ready,” she exclaimed in a low voice.
Sesshomaru stood slowly, straightened his suit, then walked to the door and held it open for the woman. She walked out but had to wait till he closed the door to lock it. Her key, finished with its task,, was placed in her little bag. The tai-youkai continued to be courteous by opening the door of the white limo. She has assumed that Sesshomaru would drive them again. Apparently Kagome was wrong, but she got in without a word and slid to the other side. The silver haired Inu shut the door after he entered the vehicle. He motioned to the driver through the open window dividing the front of the limo from the back. Sesshomaru pressed a button and the window began to ascend.
“Sesshomaru?” Kagome began after a few minutes of silence.
“Hn.”
“Where are we going?” she began her ‘ask a million and one questions’ game. It reminded him of Rin but the thought left his mind as soon as it came.
“Dinner,” he replied in a bored tone only known to him. He was aware that the answer would anger her.
He wondered how much patience she had. She was dealing with his actions considerably well. The miko was also waiting for him to tell her when he was ready to deal with the past. She seemed to understand him more then he would have originally guessed. But it didn’t bother him. He liked distance when it came to people. The miko was an exception. The woman was just over twenty and had dealt with what had happened in the past. He had been trying to deal with it for over 500 years but had yet to accept things. Perhaps she was the key. Maybe this is why he was calm and content when she was around.
“You know what I mean!” she interrupted his thoughts. The anger radiating off her filled confined area quickly.
“Consider it a surprise,” he smirked upon seeing her eyes narrow.
“Whatever,” the miko crossed her arms and lean further into the seat. Her eyes darted to the object through the tinted windows, passing by too quickly to register any details. “No more ‘formal’ surprises. I don’t have the clothing for it.”
He was about to do something he never did but couldn’t correct the action in time. The word rolled off his tongue, “You look beautiful.”
Kagome nearly missed the words. His voice was low but she knew he had said it when she looked to him and he turned his face away.
“What did you say?” it was still socking, “Did you just give me a compliment?”
“Hn.”
Kagome decided not to push the issue any further. “You look pretty good yourself,” okay so she would slightly.
“Pretty good?” he was told my many throughout the years that he looked amazing, hot, charming, excellent, handsome, attractive but not pretty good. “Only pretty good?” it was a hit to his ego.
“Don’t push things. I’m still mad you’re dragging me out to some unknown place yet again.”
“You could have said no,” he pointed out.
“Would you have accepted that answer?” she retorted.
“Of course not.”
“Exactly.”
Kagome turned back to the window. Waiting for them to make it to their destination. The limo stopped in front of another extravagant building unfamiliar to the woman. The place looked ancient but modern. It was made of white stone and wooden frames. Flowers and vines decorated the outside walls. On the west side there was an outdoor balcony. To enter the restaurant you had to walk over a small footbridge.
Sesshomaru offered his arm to the black-haired beauty standing beside him. She was going to decline but he had a look in his eyes that told her not this time. She sighed, placing her arm under his so her hand could cling to the top of his appendage. He led the way escorting the woman the entire short journey to their table.
“I have taken the liberty of ordering dinner already. It saves you from having to find the cheapest thing on the menu.”
“I can pay for my own meal.”
“I was the one to ask you out, therefore, it is my responsibility to pay.”
He ordered wine once again. The waitress came back with the bottle she told him it would be another ten minutes till the meal was ready.
“Sesshomaru?” there were things Kagome wanted to know.
“Hn.”
“Why … well why are you doing this? I mean with the lunch and now dinner. I don’t understand.”
“Inuyasha,” he replied after a while in a simple, slow voice.
“Inuyasha?” she had wanted to ask the youkai about his younger half-brother but had decided to wait.
“He warned me I would see you again. I didn’t understand but he couldn’t explain. I was hoping to tell you this story in a more secure setting but seeing that the topic has already come up…” the tai-youkai searched the miko’s blue eyes. He looked for any hesitation from the human but saw none. “A short time after you disappeared Inuyasha did as well. There were rumours of course, very broad, but I took no heed. Many years passed. More rumours and soon there was a rebellion.”
“Humans began to take control of the land. I cared little what they did; I ruled the Western Lands no matter what mortal claimed the territory. Instead of ruling openly I began to reign in secret, much like many of the other tai-youkai. We let humans drown in their beliefs. We remained hidden behind the scenes taking action only when needed. I have noticed that humans find war the best way to gain land. It was during one of these wars that my half brother found me. Well, I found him,” Sesshomaru was interrupted by the arrival of their meal.
A plate was placed in front of Kagome. It was yet another alien dish to her.
“Italian,” her dinner partner supplied.
“Italian? I haven’t tried Italian before,” the woman stared at the meal, “Of course I mainly stick to Japanese foods.”
“Hn, we will have to change that.”
“Right… we have to discuss that later too.”
Sesshomaru watched as the miko’s eyes become thin slits. “Later, for now eat. I will tell you the rest of the tale when we are finished.”
Dinner was eaten in silence. Surprisingly it was comfortable. There were glances from each set of eyes which occasionally met. But Kagome found that she enjoyed the youkai’s company.
After dinner came a light dessert. Sesshomaru turned down the offer of cake. Instead he continued his story while waiting for the woman to finish her fruit covered cake.
“He was badly wounded, near death. His eyes met mine but were not filled with the hatred and rage he showed many years back. With few words he explained he had been protecting villages because you had always protected the villagers you met. He received injury from the slayers, who repopulated from a new bloodline, not linked to the exterminator you knew.”
“I question him about you. That was when he told me I would see you again if I lived for another three hundreds. His last words were for you. ‘I’m sorry that I couldn’t…” Sesshomaru let the woman take in the information he had told her.
“He wouldn’t let you revive him?” she finished with her cake and was fully focussed on the male across the table.
“No, he refused.”
“Then I believe I understand his message,” the woman smiled sadly, “He promised long ago that if anything happened he would meet me again one day in this time. I didn’t expect him to be so hung up on that idea. We both believed youkai were–well you know, extinct.”
“Hn.”
“Thank-you,” ; her voice trembled slightly, “Thank-you so much Sesshomaru.”
He didn’t reply to her. His hand lifted in the air to signal he wanted the bill. “Do you have an early morning?” he gave the waitress a card.
“Why?”
“I have something you might like to see,” he spoke a line similar to the one she used on him one time. “It is time consuming though. Do you have plans in the early morning?”
“No.”
“Very well,” the youkai stood after having his credit card returned. “Let us be on our way.”
They entered his car once more. Five minutes later the vehicle stopped. The woman was confused, “I though you said it was time consuming?”
“It is,” Sesshomaru exited the limo followed by Kagome. The taiyoukai turned his attention to the driver: “Take the car back. I will return by my own means,” the driver nodded before pulling away.
The youkai moved closer to the woman behind him but she moved away. A chuckle escaped his lips. “I have no intentions in harming you miko.”
“Then what are you doing?”
A cloud of the inu’s jaki appeared at his feet. “Without direct contact you will fall through.”
“A likely excuse,” the woman retorted but let him take her by the hand to help her onto the new way of travel. His arms wrapped around her waist as he took to the sky.
The woman took one look at the moving scenery hundreds of feet below their flying forms. It was at that moment Kagome realized something. She didn’t like heights. Jumping around on a hanyou’s back in the past was fine. Inuyasha didn’t leap very high off the ground. It was a different experience flying on a cloud she could fall through the moment the tai-youkai’s arms released her. He was the one who had attempted to kill her many times in the past.
The arms on her waist were firm, pinning her back to a brick-like torso. Her hands grasped Sesshomaru’s forearms, her fingers curled around the appendages. She closed her eyes tight to avoid seeing the drop that could happen at any moment.
“I will not let you fall,” the youkai whispered in her ear. He was responding to the scent of her fright.
“I don’t care if you do or don’t but I do not like flying.”
“Hn,” the youkai smirked before turning the woman around in his arms. Her face buried itself in his chest on its own accord and her fingers were tangled within the jacket of his suit. If it were not for his arua keeping in the warmth the woman would be frozen with what she was wearing.
“Why couldn’t we drive?” she muttered not really expecting an answer.
“The place where we are going cannot be reached by normal mortal means.”
“How much longer?”
“We are nearly there.”
Kagome could feel the motion change to that of a sudden drop. As her stomach did flips from the feeling of free falling she uttered a scream. Pitched high enough to do some damage to sensitive ears.
“You will stop that noise at once,” Sesshomaru snapped as he landed lightly on the ground.
“Next time warn me,” the woman was now on her own two feet.
“You would have known if you were watching,” the tai-youkai didn’t waste any time turning his back and continuing his journey.
The woman was about to chase after him when she finally took notice of her surroundings. It was like she had fallen back through the well. The forest was dense, a river flowed to her right leading to what sounded like a waterfall. Sesshomaru was walking along a path through the forest along the river.
Her small steps doubled to keep up with the form disappearing before her. She slowed her pace when she caught up, her eyes still taking in the view of the landscape.
“Where are we?”
“The lands of my palace,” the silver haired inu pulled a blanket of vines and branches hidden behind it was acres of clear field. The cliff they stood on was the highest point for miles. It was an advantage point to watch over the large palace of while marble below. “Come,” he grabbed her by the waist again the leapt off the cliff edge. He dropped down onto a balcony overlooking a wide open garden.
The chamber leading off the balcony was a breathtaking view of a forest of rare silks, furs, and other cloth. Sesshomaru led her past a overly sized futon and a pit of pillows facing a fireplace. The doors leading out of the room where a cream marble to match the outer hallway’s pillars, floors, and ceiling. A maid rushed down the long hallway towards them dressed in black and silver.
“Milord,” she bowed at the waist and keep her head down. The blue hair flowed from behind her back to the side of her face. “May I get you anything?” Kagome could tell she was only partially youkai from the flare of her jaki. But she couldn’t be sure how much human she consisted of.
“Have the general come to my study.”
“Yes, Milord,” her bow deepened as she backed away, not turning her back until she was around ten feet away.
“Um, Sesshomaru…?” she didn’t know what she wanted to ask him. She wasn’t exactly sure why she was here or if she was needed.
“Miko, follow me.”
Sesshomaru continued to lead the woman around until she was certain she would be lost if she were to be left alone. They past more then a dozen doors then descended down a wide staircase only to past more doors. The tai-youkai stopped at a set of double doors matching the size and look of the ones of the chamber they had matched through to begin their ‘tour’.
“Close your eyes miko,” the inu said with a hand on the door handle.
“Why?” she hated how many times she was asking that simple question in his presence.
“Do you ever do as you’re told?”
“I was very independent as a child; as if it would change now.”
“Indeed,” Sesshomaru let another of his smirks grace his face, “I have a surprise for you. Please close your eyes.”
Kagome’s eyes went wide with the shock of the gentleness that could be heard in the voice. She closed her eyes and held her hand up in front of her. It was engulfed in warmth and pulled through the now open door.
A tall figure stood in the middle of the room waiting for his lord. Outside the door he heard a familiar voice he thought he would never hear again. He waited, shivering in his stance, for the door to open. Seconds passed like hours. He was desperate enough to yank open the door himself but he knew his lord would not be happy with such actions. Finally the door opened slowly. His eyes glanced up and down the woman who entered the room. The gaze took too long to take in the woman’s figure and a low growl, inaudible to humans, was issued as a warning. The possessive tone that could be heard from the male would be denied by his lord if the subject was ever brought up but he signalled his submit to the alpha male while fixing his glance onto the woman’s face.
“You may open your eyes miko,” Sesshomaru spoke watching his general closely.
Kagome let her eyelids flutter open and took a few moments to adjust to the light of the room. Well actually the darkness for it was only lit by candles and a small fire. Recently too for there was a chill to the room that would not have been there if the fire was burning earlier that evening.
“Kagome?” the questionable voice grabbed the woman’s attention. The figure it belonged to seemed remarkably familiar in a strange way. Yet she was sure she had never seen him before.
“Do I know you?” unconsciously she stepped closer to the youkai beside her. Although she could still use her miko powers, she feared she would be too rusty to stand against a powerful enemy on her own.
Sesshomaru’s beast wanted to purr when he felt the woman’s body heat. The miko was expressing she would depend on him for protection. Instincts begged him to show his approval but he held the need at bay.
Suddenly the red flaming hair, pulled into a high ponytail, green eyes, and bushy tail flickering behind the stranger’s back sparked a memory: “Shippo?”
“It’s good to see you too.”
Kagome ran the few feet to hug the kitsune she had once known. He only hugged her long enough to not cause his lord to be upset by the contact.
“You’ve grown so much,” she spoke pulling away.
“I’ve missed you.”
Sesshomaru moved behind his desk. He would watch the exchange until the miko was ready to go home. An hour later the woman and fox were still sitting in front of the fireplace laughing and talking. Kagome build up enough courage to at last ask about her other companions.
“Shippo… what about Miroku and Sango?”
“They were really sad after you left,” he began. “Miroku never touched another woman after he married Sango. They lived on the slayer’s village, after they rebuilt it, with Kohaku. The two of them had twin boys, followed by a boy, another set of twins- this time a boy and girl, one more boy and Sango died giving birth to her final baby girl.”
“I helped Miroku out, he became very depressed after Sango’s death. He died a few years later, we believe most of it was his will to be with Sango more than the illness be had caught. They still have descendants till this day and I can take you to them sometime. Kirara is with them and I check in often.”
“Miko it is time to leave,” the inu cut into the conversation.
“Right,” she nodded to Sesshomaru and turned back to the kitsune, “I will talk to you later Shippo.”
The fox bowed his head and helped the woman up. Her hand was soon taken out of his and pulled on by the lord of the palace. She followed him but looked back at Shippo to give him a smile, “It was good to see you again.”
The taiyoukai flew her home. This time she showed less fright on the journey. A comfortable silence settled between the two of them. They came closer to the shrine grounds leaving Kagome less time with the youkai and she hated how it bugged her so much.
Sesshomaru landed on her doorstep.
“Thank-you.”
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Ja ne
angelic memories
© 2008