InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In Death, Trust Me, as You Didn't in Life ❯ At First Sight... ( Chapter 3 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter 3: At First Sight...

A/N: italicized with quotation marks is past spoken word, and underlined test is past thought.

---wWw---

White mist flowed and eddied, billowing out around the two who passed - seemingly silently - through its confines. Within the misty veil, darker patches flashed, and black as midnight skies filled with twinkling stars were occasionally visible.

Kagome looked around with an awed expression - as eerie as the place was, it was also beautiful, and she craned her neck all around, hoping not to miss anything. She cast a glance ahead at the demon who held her hand, and wondered, then...

"Sesshoumaru?" Her voice was quiet, speaking in that still voice that people tend to use in the fog.

"Yes, Kagome?"

"What is this place and... where are we going?"

He didn't answer right away, merely tugging on her hand to get her to move a little quicker, until finally, he came to an area where the fog seemed to be thinning.

Kagome looked ahead curiously, wondering at the destination he had in mind, and was surprised when she caught a glimpse of night sky, and a hill that existed not too far from Kaede's village.

As the mist thinned further, he pulled her forward, then let go of her hand and took a seat below a tree. Sitting back, he looked up at her, then looked away, staring off into the distance. She stood before him, unsure of what to do until he gestured for her to sit, as well.

"I told you earlier that we had much to learn of each other, did I not?" At her hum in the affirmative, he continued. "Trust. It is the first thing. We are moving through time, for now, in this part of our journey."

She looked at him, stunned. "Time?"

"Yes. To find our destiny, we must first walk the path of our pasts. Here, in this very spot, Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands will shortly lay his eyes on the Shikon Miko for the very first time." He looked at her startled visage, brow raised. "Do you remember, Kagome?"

She nodded, eyes blanking as she thought back. "Yes... the oni, and then the unmother. But why are we doing this, Sesshoumaru?"

"We start at the beginning, Kagome. We will watch the past unfold - only this time, you will know the thoughts of this Sesshoumaru as we meet... from this first meeting, on to others. In this way, you will learn his mind, and how he saw you at first, but also how that changed as time went on."

As her eyes opened wide in sudden understanding, he finished. "This is the path of trust, miko. I want your trust, and this is the path we must walk for me to have it."

"I don't understand why it's so important to you that I trust you, Sesshoumaru," she said, slowly, a thoughtful frown crossing her face, "but I am... honored that it is so."

He held her gaze with an almost fierce light. "Then you are willing? To undertake this journey... to attempt to understand this Sesshoumaru?"

She nodded slowly, head tilted as she considered him, watching closely the look in his eyes. "I am." With a sudden flash of amusement, she asked, "What else do I have to do now, hmm? It's not like I'm in a hurry to get somewhere. The only place I seem to need to be is right here where you are, anyway."

He tilted his head in acknowledgement, face still, but an amused light flashed in his eyes for a few moments.

"I am glad. Then... we wait for the past to find us."

Kagome looked at him, then tilted her head back and stared at the sky.

I only hope... once we are done with the past, that I can see the shape of our future...

---wWw---

It wasn't long, really - or at least, it didn't seem that way, before she looked out, and saw a younger looking, pissed off Inuyasha come stomping along, before hopping into the tree that Sesshoumaru was sitting under. Eyes wide, she stared, first at her half-demon friend, then at Sesshoumaru.

He quirked a brow at her. "No, our past selves will not see us, nor hear us."

She sat back a bit, and nodded, then looked back up at Inuyasha, a sad longing rushing through her for a moment.

He looks so young... so untouched by all that must still come to pass. If only it could have stayed that way.

Not more than a few moments later, she stared, astonished, as she herself, looking much younger than she'd thought, came pushing her bike up the hill towards the angry half-demon in the tree. She stared at herself, then glanced at Sesshoumaru.

"Wow. I looked like a little kid, didn't I?"

"No. Younger, yes. But you must remember, in this time, girls younger than you are considered adults, and wed, with children of their own."

Kagome thought about that for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah... good point."

She looked back over at herself as she made it to the base of the tree, remembering the feeling suddenly as she saw herself shiver and look around.

That's right... back then, I felt his youki - and it startled me. I didn't know what it was...

She had to chuckle when she saw Inuyasha hurtle out of the tree and knock her younger self down, hovering over her protectively while grouching at her about the large amount of youki.

"I definitely remember that. Before I realized he was trying to protect me, I was mad because he slammed me down like that... it hurt."

"Hn. I can imagine."

She continued to watch as her and Inuyasha stared up into the sky, and saw the carriage, that she now knew carried the unmother, saw how the back matting flew up, showing a beautiful woman - and how Inuyasha's face showed shock... and pain as he whispered, "Mother?"

Then his expression turned to one of rage, and horror as a huge oni came, and attacked, crushing the carriage before his eyes... but just as he leapt towards it, a plume of fire scorched the earth near him, and he jumped back, and then...

His voice. Sesshoumaru's voice.

"Jaken. We will talk first, kill later."

Kagome stared up at him, just as she'd done in the past, only this time, she shuddered, as she knew what was coming.

She remembered her shock as Sesshoumaru taunted Inuyasha, calling him 'brother' in that demeaning way, and she shot a glance at the present Sesshoumaru. He was staring at himself, merely watching, no expression on his face.

And then she swallowed hard, just as she'd done then, when his eyes... those captivating golden eyes... fell on her.

"Well, if it isn't a human girl."

"Kagome. Pay attention now. His thoughts will be heard, and you must hear them all, however, I will warn you, they are not pleasant."

She nodded. "Not surprised."

She heard herself yell, "So what?" up at the demon who was mocking her, and then, she heard it, in a totally different way than she was hearing the voices.

'Filthy humans - has she no respect? She speaks to me that way? I should kill her, but first...'

"Inuyasha, how fitting that one such as you should hang around humans."

She cast a reproachful glance at the present Sesshoumaru. "Filthy?"

"That is the past, miko. You are here to begin to understand how my opinion changed from that," he gestured to the past version of himself, "to what it is now."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Hn."

He merely quirked a brow at her, then tilted his head and looked back at what was happening.

She tuned back in as he was berating Inuyasha for being half-demon, and bringing shame upon the family... for having a human as a mother.

He really despised humans... I wonder why?

She sat in thought, mostly ignoring what was happening before her, concentrating on past Sesshoumaru's aura, and his thoughts. They were filled with hatred, and disdain, towards Inuysha - and curiosity and disdain towards her.

Wait... curiosity? Even... then? But what was he so curious about?

Her past self called out as the oni began squeezing the unmother, and once again, his thoughts came to her.

'Why does this girl care about a woman she does not even know? Humans have no honor towards each other - and what is it that she wears? Is she his pet? A whore?'

Kagome gasped at that, glaring over at Sesshoumaru. "You.. you thought that I was a - a whore?!"

He nodded at her. "For one of my time to see you dressed as you were - yes."

She glared at him, then folded her arms across her chest and harrumphed. "And this 'listening in to your thoughts about me' thing is supposed to get me to trust you? Seems like your digging your own grave here, Sesshoumaru," she flushed lightly at his ironic look, "no pun intended, of course."

"Keep listening, miko. This is only the first of many stops."

"Hmm." She turned her attention back to the past, and she caught herself running towards the unmother, asking if she was okay, while Inuyasha screamed at her to grab his mother and get away.

She felt past Sesshoumaru's surprise, then, that she'd run towards the woman, and danger, instead of away.

'Strange human. She is not acting as she ought, as a human does. Where did the half-breed dig her up?'

Kagome giggled at that. 'Dig her up'? Not a dog at all, is he? Shaking her head, she watched as the first confrontation ended with her and Inuyasha being sucked into the illusion of the 'border between this world and the next'.

Oh, how ironic. Border, for sure. Just how many 'worlds' or 'realms' are there, anyway? She stared at Sesshoumaru then, as she caught his past's disdain for her, his amusement at her so-called weak human body - his thoughts of disgust about her, and Inuyasha... and his mother.

All he cared about then, was getting the Tessaiga. It didn't matter to him who he hurt to get it - in fact, he went out of his way to make sure it hurt. So what happened between then and now? Was it really as simple as... Rin?

She glanced thoughtfully at Sesshoumaru. He didn't seem inclined to move, so she merely sat and waited, thinking about him, suddenly realizing how deep the chasm between Sesshoumaru, then, and Sesshoumaru, now, really was.

He truly was different, and it had never been more apparent than now, when she could literally put him side-by-side with his past self.

Could all of this truly be because of Rin's influence, though? One tiny, human child? Or is there more to the story?

She looked up at him again, and caught him watching her, face expressionless, but his eyes...

His eyes... they look so different, now.

They glow.

---wWw---

She was startled out of her thoughts when Sesshoumaru stood, and held out a hand to her once again.

"Come. The rest of this encounter is about to begin."

Grabbing his hand, she stood quickly, and followed behind him as he led her into the illusion.

Ah! I remember... fighting to wake Inuyasha from the illusion of the unmother, and smashing that staff into the water to break the spell.

'Why is that onna interfering? Why does she seem to care so much for a filthy half-breed that even humans hate? Where is her hate?'

'Stupid human... does she not realize there is no escape from this Sesshoumaru?'

She rolled her eyes again. Boy, he sure wasn't real original in his thinking back then, was he? Funny enough, he sounds a lot like Inuyasha did at that time. He probably wouldn't appreciate knowing that, though. Not even now.

'Hmph. She is a waste of my time. I have the pearl, now I will take the sword.'

With those thoughts, past Sesshoumaru turned and moved towards the portal he had by now opened, leaping through and disappearing, and she paid close attention to her past self as she hustled Inuyasha through that same portal, wondering what they'd find on the other side.

She hadn't been expecting what they did find, that was for sure, and it almost seemed as if Sesshoumaru caught that thought, because he cast her a definitely amused glance, this time. She stuttered, caught off-guard at that quick flash of humor.

Did he really...? Wow.

Still caught in her surprise, she didn't resist as he tugged her towards the portal, joining their past selves on the other side...

For the rest of the confrontation.

She shook her head, suddenly doubtful. She remembered this fight well, and it didn't bode well for the trust Sesshoumaru wanted from her. After all, he'd tried to kill her - pouring his poison on her and leaving her for dead. Sure, he'd changed, some, since then... but just how much, really?

Sesshoumaru was still silent, remembering the path his thoughts of Kagome had taken that day. At first, she had been merely a footnote of curiosity in his thoughts, but it had been after this part of the confrontation that things had changed... drastically. He hadn't been too pleased with that, at the time, either. He kept these thoughts to himself, however, as he escorted her along... back into his father's remains.

He turned his head as they landed, and watched the events unfolding before them, then looked at her. "Pay attention, Kagome. You must hear, and remember these thoughts."

She cast a doubtful glance at him, but nodded her compliance.

'That girl! Why is she here? Is the half-breed such a fool that he would bring her to her death... to me?'

She could feel his anger turn to arrogant amusement, and she shook her head. He sure wasn't very nice back then, was he? What a jerk.

She watched herself get angry, then, and tell Inuyasha to take the sword - to strike at Sesshoumaru's honor that way, and humiliate him... and she caught his reaction to that statement...

Shock.

'This human female, uses a technique such as that, to strike at me? Who is this woman?'

And then, the penultimate moment... when she grabbed the sword and yanked, all unknowing. She well remembered the dead silence that had penetrated the tomb, then, and apparently, so did Sesshoumaru, because he raised a brow and looked over at her.

"You really just stumbled forward, and grabbed the nearest thing to keep from falling? It was this that caught my attention, and wouldn't let go?" He sighed. "I should not be surprised... after all, miko, you were very clumsy."

"Hey! Now wait just a minute! What do you mean about that, anyway? Didn't you know how I pulled the sword?"

He didn't look at her this time, instead opting to stare at the frozen tableau before him. "No, Kagome. I was concentrating on killing Inuyasha at that time... or have you forgotten? It is right in front of you, how could you truly miss it?"

She looked over at herself, laughing as she watched the stunned and embarrassed look settle on her face as she mumbled that she was sorry, and that it slipped. She'd looked like a deer trapped in the headlights, truly.

Her attention was fully caught, then, by Sesshoumaru's thoughts as the fight became more serious after he'd sprayed her with his poison, and those same thoughts continued, her presence a lingering rage in the mind of the daiyoukai as he fought his brother, and watched him figure out how to transform the sword... watched him promise to protect a human.

She watched the whole thing in silence, then. His thoughts had been all over the place, anger, rage, hatred, confusion, and a huge amount of curiosity, all aimed at her.

Even as he'd flown off after losing his arm, despite the pain, one thought echoed through his mind...

'What is that onna? Is she truly... human? She... cannot be...'

'I will find out what she is... and then I will kill her. None should take up the thoughts of this Sesshoumaru save what he chooses - and this Sesshoumaru did not choose to think of her. She forced herself into my mind - by making herself important. That cannot be tolerated.'

It will not be.'

"I made myself important, Sesshoumaru?" She turned and looked at him, where he stood impassively against the backdrop of his father's tomb, and sighed. "Or is that just that you were being forced to see that just because I was human, didn't mean that I was unimportant to begin with?"

Sesshoumaru frowned as he thought on her question, looking deep inside himself.

Is that... true? Was that the first time that I realized, unwillingly or not, that she was important, whether she was human or not? Was I considering her simply as a being, without label - even then?

He nodded at her, then moved to stand before her. "I will... think on that further, Kagome. Maybe you are correct. But for now, it is time to leave. There is no more to be heard here."

This time, as Kagome offered her hand, he moved instead to take her arm...

Like a gentleman would a lady.

It seems that she is not the only one with things still to learn from the past.

---wWw---

A/N: So... now, does everyone get the idea of where I'm going with this? There were a few hints in the first chapters, talks of a 'journey' and 'learning each other', but with this chapter, things should start to become apparent. There will be quite a few of these 'past meetings', some canon, and some made up, but they all have the point of showing how things develop in Sesshoumaru's mind... all when it comes to Kagome, of course. By the way, the canon 'moments' are taken straight from the manga.

Hope people enjoy the rest of the story... and the learning process between these two different, stubborn people.

Amber