InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In The Well ❯ Meeting Sesshoumaru ( Chapter 2 )

Sesshoumaru was in the midst of doing something he thought he would never do. Have a conversation, (though not a very civil one) with a human being - a Miko, but a human nevertheless. He never thought he would sink as low.

Which was why when said human fell unceremoniously on top on him, he was less than pleased. When she started to panic at the sight of something other than the bottom of an old well, he was admittedly irritated. Her flailing arms were, after all; smacking him repeatedly on his face - something that he did not take too well towards.

"I would appreciate it if you would kindly stop screaming and calm down, Miko." Sesshoumaru said; his voice strained with suppressed anger. He could not exactly kill his only hope for escaping from the humiliating barrier the dark Miko had set around him.

The Miko had wide blue-grey eyes and black hair, a rather common trait shared by humans of Japan. Said eyes focused on him once the Miko finally gathered her wits.

"Are you sure you are Youkai?" she asked insiquitively. "You look perfectly human for me. Except for the ears. And the eyes. And the hair. And the claws. And, ooh... The cool tattoos on your face."

Sesshoumaru was outraged, or as outraged as he could allow himself to be through the cold exterior that he had planted around himself. He had never been so insulted before - never been compared to a mere human, when he already despised ordinary Youkai.

"Do not presume such matters just because you have not seen me in my true form." He growled slightly.

"Suuuure..." said the annoying Miko, rolling her eyes; as if not believing him.

Sesshoumaru could feel red bleeding in the white of his eyes, his instincts demanding him to make her regret her words. His Youki flared and he could smell the acidic scent of poison dripping slightly from his claws. The fumes could very well make an ordinary human ill, but a Miko could purify the fumes enough not to be affected by it. In other words, all he wanted to do was to scare the girl a little, intimidate her and let her know her place.

The Miko merely goggled at his eyes.

"So you aren't lying after all."

"This Sesshoumaru, Lord of Western Lands; does not lie!" he said indignantly.

The Miko glared at the barrier around them, as if she could will it to disappear by mere thought. Sesshoumaru watched her, mildly entertained at her determination.

"Of course you don't… But how am I going to get out of here?" she finally wailed, after a few minutes when the barrier did not dissipate when she stared at it.

"This Sesshoumaru would suggest climbing." He said, pointing to the stone walls surrounding them. He crossed his arms and watched as a horrified expression crossed the Miko's face.

"What if I fall?" she cried, her eyes fixed on him, as if begging him for help.

"Even if you are human, I doubt death would come so easily." said Sesshoumaru dismissively.

"I'm not talking about death, but possibly severe injuries!" she complained, waving her arms about. "Concussions, dislocated spines..."

"And cuts and bruises that would probably take you but a few days to heal." He said, interrupting her rambling impatiently. Despite her animated ranting, he wanted to see whether she could get out of the barrier. He was not exactly pleased at the thought of spending the next few days with her until she finally dies of starvation. He could almost imagine the putrid smell.

"Hmph," pouted the Miko. He felt a flash of unexpected endearment and squashed it down before it could develop into anything else. She began to climb and Sesshoumaru enjoyed the view. He was, after all, male, and being sealed in a well for five hundred years was not much help. He was slightly surprised that she had enough strength to pull herself up, he had thought she was the kind of simpering human female who did nothing but eat and sleep like most of the spoiled Hime that he had met before.

"Oh. It worked." he commented, as he watched her exit the well with relative ease.

"Did you expect it not to?" he could hear her muffled voice from the 'outside' (as he had labeled it).

"I had thought the barrier might have blocked you as if had blocked me." he said truthfully, trying to figure out the complicated curse the damned Dark Miko had put on him.

"What!" screeched the Miko. Sesshoumaru's ears twinged slightly. "Wouldn't you even care if I had gotten injured?"

"The most the barrier could do was to block you, Miko." Sesshoumaru growled slightly. She was taxing on his patience the way no one could. (Which was mostly due to the fact that no one had ever actually dared to annoy him - the penalty was, as they all had known; death or the loss of vital body parts)

"Well, it did not," said the Miko in a huff. She was obviously angry and Sesshoumaru could almost picture her crossing her arms over her chest.

"That is... peculiar," he said, slowly revising the facts he had about the barrier. "It seems that you can escape but I could not."

There was a short pause from the Miko before she began to speak thoughtfully: "I wonder if I can get out of the barrier if I fall in again..."

"Would you risk eternal imprisonment with this Sesshoumaru should you be unable to exit?" he said dryly.

"I don't think that's likely to happen." said the Miko, as she put a leg (a rather nice one, he noted silently) over the well and began climbing down again. "The barrier might reject me from entering in the first place." As each leg crouched lower, closer to the barrier; Sesshoumaru felt anticipation clawing at his nerves. He was barraged by the possibilities of what would happen - and was not disappointed when she landed on her feet next to him.

"Ta-da!" she said triumphantly. Sesshoumaru could only stare at her blankly. When she noticed the lack of enthusiasm, she grumbled something that went like; 'bloody emotionless Youkai' and said: "Now to climb up the well one more time... Seriously, this is more exercise than I have been doing the past week."

Noticing that the comment was directed more to her own self, Sesshoumaru wisely refrained from insulting her intelligence yet again.

A few minutes of waiting later, along with an apparently scraped knee and a few random cuts from the irregular surface of the stone that built the well, the Miko stood outside the well once more.

"Do you think that anyone other than yourself can enter this well, Miko?" Sesshoumaru asked, once the complaints of the slight injuries had ended.

“I-I don't know,” the Miko admitted. “I might bring Buyo along next time for confirmation.”

“Wh-?” began Sesshoumaru.

“I've got to go! I promised to meet Ayame for the double date she set! I'll be back, soon!”

And she was gone, even before he could ask the meaning of the strange words she had uttered.

`How uncouth,' he muttered darkly to himself, wishing that the newfound attraction he had for this odd Miko whose name he didn't even know would go away.

“Where were you?”

A red haired, green haired young woman stood at the door, glaring at Kagome.

“I assumed when you said you would come over, it would be immediately.” She raved. “Do you know I cancelled a prior arrangement with one of my patients just because you were coming?”

“Don't pretend it was a huge sacrifice on your part,” Kagome laughed. “You and I know you probably cancelled Mrs. Utari's appointment - the woman you have repeatedly told her that she could easily find the solution to the diminutive problems that she appeared to always have if she merely found the time to mull over them a little. This is also the same person whom you only agree to see because she pays generously.”

“That's not the point.” Huffed Ayame. “Come in already.”

Kagome entered the cozy three room apartment; a joint place Sango and Ayame had paid for. Kagome had stayed in the cramped apartment she called her home because it was paid for by her distant uncle who lived somewhere in China.

The apartment had a small living room with a kitchen of sorts attached. It branched into two equally small bedrooms that belonged to Sango and Ayame respectively. The two girls had managed to squash a maroon sofa, a quaint coffee table and a television that had been a graduation present from Sango's parents, despite the miniscule size of the room.

“So, when are we going out with your patient and his friend?” asked Kagome. “I need names to make sure I haven't seen them on the wanted ads, by the way.”

“Kouga Ookami and his friend's name is Yeenu something, I can't remember exactly.” Ayame muttered, shaking her head.

“Yeenu?” asked Kagome dryly. “That sounds interesting. What, is he foreign?”

“No, Japanese.” Ayame replied, biting her lip as she walked towards the fridge, rummaged for a while before grabbing a mauled can of Coke and a bottle of juice. “But I heard he looks… different, slightly exotic I think. I remember Kouga telling me something about him but I can't quite remember.”

“Er… Sure.” Kagome said, blinking. She caught the bottle of juice with practiced ease. “When is this date again?”

“Kagome,” Ayame said, squirming. “Don't-kill-me-for-this.”

“Why? What are you talking about?” asked a confused Kagome, sipping at the juice as she lounged on the sofa.

“It's today, at six.”

“Oh okay- What!” shrieked Kagome. “Whatever on earth possessed you to tell me on the exact day I'm supposed to go on this date?”

“Well,” trailed Ayame nervously. “He kind of asked me yesterday, and it's safer for me to do that so you have less time to change your mind.”

“Great,” cursed Kagome. “So I'm resigned to a horrible day no matter what?”

“I'm sorry, Kagome.” Ayame said apologetically. “But I really was drawn to him by his sincerity and I couldn't date someone new without a person I know around after…” her voice wavered and she paused, unable to find words to say.

“You know I'll do it for you, despite all the complaining,” Kagome said reassuringly.

“Wait -why did you come over when we could have easily settled everything through the phone?” asked Ayame all of a sudden, true psychiatrist at heart; always trying to figure out motives behind simple gestures.

“Well, my phone bill had been reaching to extents not known to man.” Kagome said, laughing. It was a half-hearted lie - obvious to Ayame who had been accustomed to Kagome's pathetic attempts to fib.

“Seriously, Kagome-” Ayame said with a sigh, plopping herself down on the couch as she toyed with a fluffy cushion. “Tell me. You know you can talk to me about anything.”

“And have you explain in words I cannot understand about my behavioral patterns?” Kagome asked, frowning slightly as she faced Ayame. “Never mind - I know you would never do that to a friend. It's nothing.”

“There is never `nothing' when you act like that around me.” Ayame said confrontationally. “I wish Sango were here, and then both of us would force it out of you; whatever's that's bothering you.”

“Okay fine… Stop making me feel bad with your `concerned friend' charade.” Kagome complained. Ayame opened her mouth to rebut when Kagome raised a hand. “I know it isn't a charade. I'm just saying that because - I don't know. It's just that I haven't talked to mum for ages since Akito moved in.”

“That's what's troubling you?” Ayame cried in shock. “You've been indifferent on that subject all this while. In fact, I, your best friend;” she said, almost self-importantly. “-didn't even notice that you were troubled until you came over for a mere thing as setting a date.”

“You, as a human being; shouldn't even realize there was anything bothering me over an innocent act like me visiting you!” Kagome said, rolling her eyes. “As I was saying, before I was rudely interrupted…” she said dramatically, with Ayame groaning in response. “I haven't had a decent conversation with my mother for ages. I feel like a stranger around her, as if I wasn't her daughter anymore.”

“It's probably because you weren't `consulted' when your mother decided to have a man move in the shrine with your grandfather.” Ayame pondered. “Souta's in Tokyo University, isn't he?”

“Yes, but let's not get sidetracked.” Kagome said, nervously remembering the time where a conversation they had veered from the actual content of Kohaku's (Sango's younger brother who was aspiring to be the World's renowned cook) ramen to the colour of Hojo's underwear. (Kagome's colleague who had worn extremely low cut jeans that one time) “I want the close knit relationship I had with my mother to return - but Akito seems to be always there when I talk to her, hovering over us.”

“Maybe you should arrange a get-together with her,” suggested Ayame, unraveling one of the threads that was sewn on the cushion case. “It isn't as complicated as it seems to be.”

“Of course it doesn't.” replied Kagome with a sad smile. “It never does, at least to the outside observer.”

`It is not you who feels awkwardness that should not exist between a mother and daughter. It is not you whose mother lives with a man that you do not know. The same man who might be replacing your father, whom you have always adored, in the place in her heart.' She silently said to herself.

“I guess so…” trailed Ayame. “I'm sorry Kagome.”

“Thanks… Anyway, I have to go,” Kagome said, picking herself up from the sofa. “I have an appointment.”

“An appointment? Whom with?” Ayame managed to ask as Kagome hurriedly put on her slippers.

“The Lord of the Western Lands!”

Ayame smiled at what she thought her friend's bizarre sense of humour.

Kagome rushed back to her house, grabbed Buyo, a few random books and headed back to the well - surprised at how easy it was to find it; even with her perfectly lousy sense of direction. She had found her old bicycle in the shed (which she had somehow stupidly forgotten to use when she was rushing to work earlier that morning) and cycled with Buyo perched on the basket.

“You have returned.” Sesshoumaru said, from the well; as soon as her feet touched the grass next to the well.

“Wow,” mused Kagome. “Your auditory and nasal receptors really must be sharp.”

“Hn.” Acknowledged Sesshoumaru, who had appeared to be deep in thought. “Why have you returned, Miko?”

“My name is Kagome, Ka-go-me,” emphasized said person, her hands on her waist. “I came back because I'm curious, I guess. And I don't really want to leave you to rot to death just from a lousy spell.”

“Hn.” Said Sesshoumaru again. “You have brought a cat.”

“Yes,” Kagome said, stroking Buyo's head gently. “I'm trying to see if other living beings aside from myself can enter the well. I don't think you would exactly appreciate it if I brought another human.”

There was no response. Kagome took it as a silent agreement and jumped down the well with her arms wrapped around her cat and the books she brought in the satchel on her back.

Her feet touched the ground and she once again stood in front of Sesshoumaru. She looked in her arms to see nothing but air.

“It appears that only you can enter.” He said calmly. “But it seems like your possessions can penetrate the barrier as well.”

“Maybe it's because they're inanimate objects?” Was Kagome's hypothesis.

“Maybe.”

There was silence as they both stared at each other wordlessly.

It was soon interrupted by a disgruntled meow.

“That's my cue to go,” joked Kagome feebly. “I'll be back soon but I won't be here most of the times so I brought these books to accompany you. Or at least temporarily satiate your curiosity.

Sesshoumaru said nothing, merely staring at her. It perplexed her, after all; he had been so talkative earlier that day. She faced the wall and began to climb.

“Wait,” he added out of the blue. “Thank you, Kagome.”

A smile spread across her face. “You're welcome, Sesshoumaru.”

“Ayame!” Kagome shouted, knocking Ayame's bedroom door. “What's taking you so long? They're going to be here any minute now!”

“Just a minute, I'm doing my hair!” said Ayame's muffled voice.

The door bell rang through the air, as if emphasizing the truth of Kagome's words. Kagome smoothed her white sundress and opened the door casually, slightly put down at finally meeting her date whose name was Yeenu.

When Kagome saw Kouga Ookami, she realized the true reason Ayame had accepted his offer for a date, despite their anonymity.

“Hello, I'm Kouga Ookami.” A grinning black haired man said at Ayame's doorstep. “You must be Kagome.”

“I am,” Kagome said with a smile and a polite nod of a head. “I'm pleased to meet your acquaintance.”

`Sincerity, my ass,' she thought with a smirk, as she appraised the good looking man standing in front of her. `Anyone with half a brain could see that it was anything but!'

“Kouga's here already?” Kagome heard a squeal from Ayame's room. A few seconds later, she rushed out and wrapped her hand around her date's proffered arm.

“Kagome,” Ayame said with a secretive smile, as if unveiling a great surprise - which in a way it was, if this Yeenu guy did not bore Kagome to deepest depths of hell. (She had a suspicion that Ayame already found out the exact name of her date but was keeping it a secret) “Meet your date, Inuyasha Taisho!”

And Kagome came face to face with a man with golden eyes and midnight black hair.