InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse ❯ Fushi no Fenikkusu ( Chapter 85 )

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

Disclaimer: Don't own…don't sue. Tormenting them purely for my own sadistic pleasure. All characters and most situations owned by Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Publishing, and VIZ is in the dog-pile somewhere, too.

A/N: In real life, it may take years to recover from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) because every individual is unique. Kagome's `recovery' is being accelerated for the purposes of fiction; please do not assume that I am making light of this serious medical condition.

Many thanks to Susanne TJ for contributing the title of this, the final chapter of `Time Lapse', and heartfelt thanks to Midoriko-sama, who saved a poignant plot bunny with a crucial URL.

Bouquets as always to the ladies of the CMA; Forthright, Nokomarie the Snake, Ranuel and Susanne TJ.

The final chapter of the InuYasha manga was posted online this week; after almost twelve years, it's hard to believe Rumiko Takahashi has really ended it.

Warnings: Angst, coarse language and high lemon content at the end.

The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse

Chapter 85: Fushi no Fenikkusu (Everlasting Phoenix)

Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð–

The Western Fortress

“Is something particularly interesting?” Momiji asked, breaking the silence as Kagome inspected the massive wooden entry gates looming ahead of the limousine.

“I've never seen them,” the young woman replied stiffly. “I arrived unconscious, and left from an inner courtyard.”

“Ah, yes… it was your husband who threatened to forcibly open them upon his arrival after your injury,” the unperturbed demoness replied, as the car rolled forward into the barbican between a pair of saluting guardsmen.

Kagome peered out the window, trying to ignore the sense of dread snaking through her gut as the vehicle headed deeper into the fortress proper. When the limousine doors had locked behind her, she desperately fought off the feeling of being trapped as her politely determined kidnappers whisked her away from the wedding reception to a private airstrip on the Imperial grounds. Her feeble protests regarding her duty to her grandfather while her mother was honeymooning and her brother was at the Academy were brushed aside with brisk assurances that he would be well-looked after. That's when she knew this intervention had been thoroughly planned.

Still, she'd paused on the private jet's gangway, clutching the railing with a white-knuckled grip. “I'm fine, dammit…”

“Of course you are,” Momiji interrupted, her voice dripping sarcasm. “It's obvious that you are coping magnificently with life. Tell me, what will you do when sakÃ© is no longer enough to numb the pain?”

Kagome took her seat in the plane without another word.

Three hours later, they landed at the Niigata regional airstrip; another, identical limousine was waiting on the tarmac. The ride from the city limits up the coast to the fortress was very scenic, but Kagome had no interest in the view. Momiji remained thankfully silent for most of the trip, although the young woman was painfully aware of her close scrutiny. The demoness would occasionally point out something along their route, but kept all other opinions to herself.

The vehicle rolled to a smooth stop in front of a large pavilion that Kagome tried to place in her memory, but failed utterly. One of the twins, his concealment spell gone, opened the rear door and extended his hand; she considered ignoring it, but realized that would be unnecessarily petulant. “Thank you,” she said as he assisted her into the sunlight and a light breeze that brought the distinctive tang of salt air. On the far side of the car, the other twin was solemnly assisting Momiji with all the elaborate ceremony of an empress' aide-de-camp… but the grand effect was rather spoiled when she briskly biffed him on the ear and told him to `leave off'.

“Show Lady Kagome to her room, Ieji-kun,” Momiji directed, and then smiled at the drooping young woman. “We'll have a late supper once we're all settled.”

Inside the large pavilion, they passed through a number of spacious reception rooms, the padded hem of Kagome's elaborate kimono whispering over the flooring, before Ieji ushered her down a long corridor lined with painted wooden doors, some of which stood open to give glimpses of gracious rooms adorned with floral arrangements and hanging scrolls. He finally stopped in front of one decorated with an elegant spray of anemones and butterflies. “Here you are, my lady… your suite,” he said, sliding open the wooden panel to reveal a lovely room with a view of an enclosed garden and furnished with a lovely antique chest. Kagome hesitated on the threshold.

“Am I a prisoner?” she asked in a low voice.

Ieji was somewhat taken aback, but replied, “No more than you were the last time. We are not your enemies, my lady, nor your captors.” He studied her face for a moment before adding, “We very much wish to see your smiles reach your eyes.” The guardsman saluted before striding off down the corridor; she watched him leave, his sleek black tail of hair rippling.

Closing the door behind her, she slowly walked across pale tatami mats and sank down in front of the modern glass windows disguised by traditional shoji screens. The garden was awakening from its winter sleep; buds swelled and a faint tinge of green tipped the bare branches of the dainty maples. Kagome let down her hair, finger-combing the long strands over her shoulder, while she stared at the scenery without really seeing.

A gentle tapping on the door caught her attention, and she had barely turned to look when an apple-cheeked woman, her hair bound up in a kerchief like any village wife, bustled into the room. “Lady Kagome! Would you like to change out of those formal robes?”

“Ah, er… yes, please,” she cautiously replied.

“Such a long journey, in such unsuitable attire… however, I suppose it's better than riding a tenbaryu in a rainstorm in that short-skirted uniform you used to wear!” the woman cheerfully bubbled, whisking the elaborate combs out of Kagome's hand and carefully removing the heavy silk robe from her shoulders.

“Excuse me… did we meet at the fortress?” Kagome asked, trying to place the woman in her memories.

“Oh, no, my lady… in far more humble surroundings. I'll never forget the first time I saw you, racing up into the forest to lure away that centipede youkai.”

“You're from the village? But… how?”

The woman smiled, her dark eyes twinkling. “I am Mayuko, wife to Ita-san,” she said.

Kagome gathered her jaw up off the tatami. “I never thought I'd be able to talk to anyone from there… ever again…” She was glad that she was already seated, because this revelation made her feel rather faint. Mayuko's merry giggle tweaked her memory, and she cautiously asked, “Were you one of the two girls who gave Ieji-kun and Ita-kun parcels of food after the feast, when Kumo and Okibi came to stay at the village?”

“That I am. My friend Sumi is wed to Ieji-san.” Mayuko patted Kagome's hand when the girl seemed likely to keel over from any other information. “Would you like me to draw you a bath? Supper won't be served for a while, so you have time for a soak and a nap.”

Feeling very much like she had fallen down a rabbit hole, Kagome could only nod and submit to Mayuko's cheerful care. After a shower plus a hot bath in the modern bathroom attached to her suite, she gratefully crawled into the comfortable futon laid out in the main room and fell fast asleep.

When she woke up, the shoji screens overlooking the garden had been closed and it was very dark and still. Waiting until her eyes adjusted, Kagome listened to the silence for a while before looking around for a light source. An electric torch had been placed next to her pillow; when she switched it on, an old-fashioned candle lantern immediately appeared in the pale circle of light, with a box of matches arranged next to it. While lighting the flame, she noted a carafe of water and a stack of small bento boxes just beyond the lantern with a note propped against them. “A snack to hold you over until breakfast,” she read aloud. I must have completely crashed!

Her stomach growled; instantly ravenous, she unpacked the boxes to discover rice balls stuffed with tuna in the top container, edamame salad in the second, and two dainty red-bean mochi cakes in the bottom. Cleaning up every morsel while being careful not to drop anything on the bedding, she drank most of the carafe and settled back into the blankets, feeling a little odd. When she examined this sensation, she realized it was something she hadn't felt in a while… relaxed. Blowing out the candle, she snuggled into her pillow and again easily fell asleep.

She dreamed of the village beside the river, its flooded rice paddies sparkling in the sun, and of a one-eyed elderly priestess working in her herb garden.

Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð–

Kagome was up before dawn, refreshed and ready to face whatever Momiji planned to throw at her. Brushing her teeth and washing her face, she quickly dressed in the peacock blue kimono and emerald green hakama that had been left neatly folded at the foot of her futon. Suzume-san was definitely right about youkai not paying any attention to human fashion conventions. She hesitated over wearing her good jewellery and decided to stow the `dogwood' brooch and jade bracelet in the chest for safekeeping, since it already held the formal robes she'd arrived in. However, the necklace holding her wedding ring had become such a familiar weight that she put it on without a thought. Slipping through the painted wooden door, she retraced her path to the main entry hall. Stepping out of the house slippers and into a pair of zori from the racks of identical footwear stored in the foyer, she disappeared outside.

The air was crisp and cool, the sky clear of clouds; she wished for a jacket, but decided against returning to the foyer to acquire one. Instead, she tucked her hands deeply into her sleeves and set off at a brisk walk, her sandals tapping over the paving.

Behind her retreating figure, a shoji screen slid fully open. “Is it wise to let her go off without an escort, Oba-chan?” Ieji asked, keenly watching the young woman until she turned a corner and disappeared behind a pavilion.

“Let her wander,” Momiji replied, sipping from a steaming cup of tea. “No harm can come to her, and doing absolutely nothing will be good for what ails her. This is also a perfect time for her to acquaint herself with her surroundings in peace. Everyone else will trickle back over the next week or so; most will not miss the chance to stay in Tokyo for several days.”

“What about Lord Yashita?”

“He has reluctantly agreed to abide by my wishes and remain in Tokyo.” Momiji set down her cup and continued, “His only desire is for her happiness, so he will endure anything for her sake.”

“When will Toku-san return?” Ita plaintively asked as he prodded the unappetizing wet mass of rice reposing in a serving bowl on the breakfast table.

“Early this afternoon, after he has achieved his stated goal of acquiring the largest blue-fin tuna available in the Tokyo fish market.”

“Sashimi and grilled tuna loin for dinner?” the guardsman asked, immediately perking up.

Momiji chuckled at Ita's poorly-concealed enthusiasm before flicking her claws in the direction of the table. “Take that sorry excuse for steamed rice to your Mayuko-chan for a batch of congee. At least we'll have a decent breakfast if she's in charge of the pots… I honestly cannot imagine why Toku-san didn't make her his apprentice instead of that one.” As Ita gratefully prepared to put the rice out of its misery, Momiji tapped Ieji's arm. “Our young lady will undoubtedly become chilled without a coat; perhaps you could take her something to wear… after you've poured me another cup of tea.”

Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð–

Kagome managed to thoroughly lose herself in the maze of towers, gardens and pavilions in an amazingly short period of time. I wonder if the fortress suffered any more damage after Hakimaru's grab for power, or if that was the last? She slowed her pace and examined her surroundings more carefully. This is my chance to check out the place where Inuyasha lived and Rin grew up.

Some of the towers appeared to be of great age, constructed of massive rough-hewn blocks. Others combined ancient stones at their base with newer wood and plaster construction on top, while still others were of wood only; all were set among either paved courtyards or extensive gardens. Some of the green spaces were deliberately stark, all evocative boulders, bonsai and raked gravel, while others were oases of contained exuberance with the greenery skilfully shaped to appear completely natural. Water was common to all of them, either as serene reflecting pools or artificial streams winding their way through the trees, crossed by gracefully-arching wooden bridges.

After wandering through one garden that was so large and full of mature trees that the surrounding buildings were lost to view, Kagome abruptly found herself in the working side of the fortress. An extremely high wrought-iron fence pierced by a sturdy gate surrounded a kitchen garden of neatly-turned earth, arrow-straight rows of winter vegetables and tidy plots of herbs. A greenhouse closed off one side and a large, squat building marked by massive chimneys poking out of its tiled roof bounded the other. I wonder if that's the kitchen, domain of the famous Toku-san? It would probably be a separate building due to the fire risk… but what's the story behind this fence? Do they have super-powered rabbit-youkai or something?

It took her a few minutes to figure out how to open the elaborate latch on the gate, and then winced at the loud creaking of the hinges in the morning quiet. Carefully closing it behind her, she rapidly crossed the garden and exited through the identical gate on the other side into yet another paved courtyard remarkable by its dimensions. It's almost the same size as the Imperial parade ground! A large, imposing stone building across the way caught her attention and drew her feet towards it.

She'd just reached the enormous iron-bound doors when a pungent whiff knocked her back on her heels. Tenbaryu dung! A stable! Spying a smaller door placed into the wall just to the side of the main entrance, she quickly moved to yank on the iron ring set into the oak. It stubbornly refused to budge, but she determinedly heaved with all her strength; finally, the thick slab swung open. Kagome felt a small thrill of pride in her accomplishment as she squeezed inside.

It was high-ceilinged and echoing, but undeniably warmer inside than out. Smellier, too. Kagome wandered down the paved central passage, examining the metal nameplates attached to the half-doors of the huge box stalls. She came to a dead stop in front of one, staring at the time-darkened kanji, then carefully polished away the tarnish of centuries with her sleeve. “Kumo,” she murmured, her throat closing. “This is where you lived until you met me?”

A low groaning spun her around; it was repeated. She cautiously edged towards the source, a stall situated directly under a clerestory window. Within a heart beat of standing on tiptoe and peering over the half-door, she was inside without a thought for her safety.

A great heap of silvered scales occupied the far corner of the stall, the once-bronze hide and black manes of the beast all heavily marked by the hand of time. “Ah-Un,” Kagome whispered, kneeling in the thickly-strewn straw as she extended her hand towards the nearer of the two heads. A milky yellow eye cracked open, and the one head gave a weak squawk as it flared its nostrils over her hand, snuffling loudly. “Hello, old fellow,” she murmured, stroking one long neck as the first head nudged the second into wakefulness. The second repeated the querulous noises and the wet sniffs before it summarily took possession of her lap, while the first closed its eyes and gave itself over to the pleasures of being thoroughly scratched under the chin.

“He'll keep you at that all day,” a deep voice observed, and she turned to see one of the twins leaning on the stall door. “Ieji, my lady,” he identified himself as he stepped inside, a garment folded over his arm. Kagome took note of his geometric-patterned dark grey kimono and black hakama before nodding in greeting. The guardsman crouched beside her, and Ah-Un butted one head into his hand while the other grunted sleepily and nestled closer into Kagome's lap.

“He's so… old,” the young woman finally said, winding strands of grey forelock around her finger.

“Six hundred and fifty this coming summer,” Ieji said. “I remember when he was hatched. Big excitement, being as he was twin-headed and all.”

“H-hatched?”

“You're thinking of your mare; Kumo was three-quarters celestial horse and one-quarter dragon, so his foal with Arashi was born like a regular horse… no nests or brooding involved. Ah-Un here, on the other hand, is three-quarters dragon, so came out of an egg.” He tapped the one head under the chin. “Quit this `poor broken-down creature' act, and let's introduce Lady Kagome to the rest of the herd.”

The tenbaryu grunted, groaned and complained heavily as it lurched upright onto its talons. Ieji offered Kagome his hand; she accepted. After he pulled her to her feet, he dropped the garment he carried over her shoulders. “Thank you,” she said, working her arms into the lined coat before curiously asking, “No dragon-hide or fire-rat now that we're at the fortress?”

“We can wear our civvies until Lord Kira returns,” he answered as they followed Ah-Un out of the stall. “You'll notice that I'm still in grey and black, however.”

“Old habits die hard, huh?”

“For some of us,” Ieji grinned, and she just knew that something was up.

Outside the stable, Ah-Un's heads came up, and he executed a highly undignified full-body wriggle as he thoroughly shook himself, then fairly pranced along. Kagome suddenly understood the need for the extremely formidable fence protecting the kitchen garden when the creature cast a longing look towards the vegetable patch. “Oh, no you don't, you great glutton,” the guardsman declared, swatting the tenbaryu's rump as he followed the direction of Ah-Un's yearning. “Toku-san might be away, but that doesn't mean it's safe to raid his garden.”

Ah-Un yawned with both heads, his long black tongues lolling, before flicking his scaly tail and frisking towards a gate embedded in the perimeter wall. He waited until they caught up and Ieji unlatched the door, then bestowed an affectionate wet slurp on Kagome's cheek before galloping through the opening and taking flight.

“Geriatric show-off,” Ieji snorted. “He'll be sore tomorrow.” He waved Kagome forward out onto the landing at the top of a ramp. She gasped at the sight laid out before her; he was highly pleased with her reaction. The ramp led down into a meadow that stretched away from the walls to the top of the sea cliffs. “Aren't they beautiful?” he asked proudly, but all she could do was nod in speechless wonder as she drank in the sight of dozens and dozens of tenbaryu grazing in the dew-spangled meadow, their hides steaming gently in the pale morning sun. “Shall we?”

Kagome eagerly took his arm, trusting him to guide her down the ramp and over the grass while she gazed around in admiration. Ah-Un thumped to the ground beside them as they strolled through the herd; Ieji pointed out a very young foal nursing from its mother, its legs still wobbly. “That one was born last night; he's from the same bloodline as Okibi.”

She glanced from Ah-Un to the foal and then looked more carefully at the surrounding animals. “They're all horse-like…”

“Our breeding program changed with the times; tenbaryu that resemble horses don't require concealment spells, so more non-youkai blood was introduced with each generation. These animals are more horse than they are tenbaryu, to be blunt; none of them can fly, for example, but they're all exceptional jumpers. Look there… those are pure-blooded tenba. Impossible to pretend that they're ordinary animals!”

Kagome nodded rapidly in agreement at the sight of the delicate creatures ruffling their gossamer wings, their wild, fiery eyes betraying their otherworldly origins as much as the way their hide positively glowed with its own light. Ah-Un ambled over and rubbed muzzles with the frail-looking creatures; they fluttered their long eyelashes and flirted their silky manes. “Bet you never thought he was a ladies' dragon,” Ieji joked.

Guiding her through the contentedly nickering animals, he pointed at a dapple grey stallion hovering protectively over a grazing mare with a distinctly reddish cast to her glossy coat. “That is `Raiden's Kumori', a great-great grandson of Kumo and Arashi's colt.”

“Thunder & Lightning's Shadow,” she murmured, examining the horse for any similarities to her lost companions. Kumori was considerably smaller than Kumo, but larger than Arashi. He lacked fangs, vestigial claws and scales, but his neck held the same proud arch and his mane and tail were just as white. Dark brown eyes inspected her with solemn curiosity, but it was the red mare that stepped up to snuffle her clothes and hands while Kumori remained aloof.

Ieji scratched the mare's neck. “This is Hibana, one of Yoen's descendents.”

“Spark… very appropriate.” Kagome petted the mare's velvety muzzle, remembering the brilliant-red tenbaryu that had carried her home after the disaster at Mount Hakurei. “What happened to Arashi?” she finally asked.

Ieji stared thoughtfully into the middle distance. “She gave birth to Raiden around this time that spring. Once the colt was a year old, he came to the fortress while she remained at the village, as did Kurosei. The stallion remained devoted to the houshi throughout his life.” He seemed to hesitate before whistling and adding, “Suisei is a descendent of Kurosei and Arashi.” As Kagome turned to look, a dainty black mare was already trotting towards them in response to Ieji's summons.

“Comet?”

“Better than `Black Hole', which was one wag's suggestion.” As the black mare shouldered Hibana aside to wheedle more attention from Kagome, Ieji lowered his voice conspiratorially. “The Olympic equestrian team uses our horses, because they can run faster and jump higher than any warm-blood.”

“Isn't that cheating?”

He smirked. “Do you think that youkai in other parts of the world don't do exactly the same thing with their equine athletes?”

“I suppose…” she said doubtfully, then asked, “What about Misora?”

The guardsman chuckled fondly. “That one always had a sense of humour. She took quite a shine to the wolf prince and insisted on accompanying him back to his den. Lord Sessaki sent several more tenbaryu, including a stallion and a few pregnant mares, as an alliance gift and Misora presided over a substantial herd until her death a century ago. Dragon-like tenbaryu live longer than the horse-like by a couple of centuries, but these new hybrids' life spans are only about fifty years or so.”

“Oi!” They turned to see Ieji's heavily-burdened twin loping easily towards them, wearing a floral patterned shirt so obnoxiously bright, it practically shouted out loud. Kagome arched her eyebrow at the casual t-shirt he wore underneath along with the scruffy pair of hakama, then noted that he was carrying riding tack. Upon arrival, Ita handed a bag of thermoses and water bottles to Kagome while Ieji relieved him of the bridles and saddle pads. “Oba-chan says the tide is out,” he said matter-of-factly, letting the saddles slide off his shoulder to the ground.

Kagome looked from the thermoses to the inu-youkai and back again, but before she could say anything, Ita presented her with a spoon. “Congee-to-go, Lady Kagome.” Turning back to the herd of horses, he put his hands on his hips and demanded, “Right! Which of you lazy-assed grass-farters is going to take our guest down to the beach?” The black mare tossed her head and stepped forward. “Good girl, Suisei,” he praised, slipping one of the bridles over her nose. While the mare preened, Ieji saddled a tall blue roan that entertained itself by trying to nip his hakama.

Ita noticed that Kagome wasn't eating. “That's my Mayuko's special rescue-the-rice congee; it'll keep you going until Toku-san comes back from his urban fishing expedition,” he said, handing Ieji a spoon and the other thermos.

As she ate the savoury rice porridge, she thought of the good-natured woman who had looked after her the previous night. “Do you have any children?”

Ita grinned toothily. “Two girls for me and three boys for him. They're all in their late two hundreds to early three hundreds.” The thought of five little hanyou children taking up residence in the fortress under Sessaki's critical eye gave her food for thought.

“Ready, my lady?” Ieji asked, dusting off his hands and taking a swig of water.

She nodded, still not quite sure what to make of the situation, but game for nearly anything. Ita cupped his hands and boosted her into Suisei's saddle, then sent them on their way with a hearty smack on the mare's haunch. “Don't be too long or you'll miss lunch!” he called after them before collecting up the thermoses and bottles. Giving Ah-Un a brisk pat, he headed back towards the fortress.

Kagome followed Ieji across the meadow to the edge of the sea cliffs, then gave Suisei her head as the horses picked their way down the steep, switch-back trail. The sound of the surf grew louder as they descended; she found herself becoming more and more excited the closer they came to the shore. As they broke out onto the beach proper, she could hardly contain either herself or the mare. The sand flats stretched away into the distance while the gulls wheeled overhead, and the air was rich with salt and ozone.

“Go ahead,” Ieji said, gesturing, and she needed no further encouragement. Suisei lived up to her name as she flew over the hard-packed sand in the golden light of dawn, until Kagome was rosy-cheeked and full of fresh air. She pulled up on the reins and watched as the sun first gilded, then burned away the sea mist, revealing a panorama of pearlescent water and sky. “Lovely, isn't it?” the guardsman asked, and they sat side-by-side for awhile, simply enjoying the view, until he turned his horse's head back the way they'd come.

“How did Lord Sessaki cope?” Kagome abruptly asked.

“Cope with what, my lady?”

“At one time, he wasn't very accepting of humans or hanyou; how did he react when you requested permission to marry your wife?”

“Ah… we can thank his daily contact with Lady Rin and Lord Yashita for the change in his attitude, I think,” Ieji chuckled. “Ita and I had promised ourselves to Mayuko and Sumi before we left the village after the well closed, but we couldn't make good on our word until we returned for the marriage of the slayer's brother.”

“You must have been awfully nervous when you approached him,” she commented.

“One of the most daunting experiences of my life,” he admitted. “However, Oba-chan… Momiji… was solidly on our side, and she didn't mince words when he objected. She told him flat-out that he was a hypocrite, considering his protection of his human ward, his half-human brother, not to mention an entire human village.”

“Damn. Momiji-san has guts,” Kagome said admiringly, vividly imagining the confrontation.

“She also said that he'd better get used to the idea of humans and youkai living together in harmony, because sooner or later, youkai would be outnumbered.” Ieji chuckled, “Oba-san is a canny old girl. She pointed out that the sooner he favourably positioned himself with the human warlords, the more leverage he'd have to turn future situations to his advantage… and then slipped in the kicker that if he had a human wife, he'd have someone to oversee the inevitable negotiations.”

“That must have gone over well.”

“Oba-san showed him no mercy. She pointed out that Lady Rin was growing into a beautiful young woman, and he could either marry her himself or use her to forge an alliance. That's when he went rather quiet.”

“Quieter than usual?”

“Deadly quiet… I think you know what I mean. He gave my brother and I permission to marry our lady loves, and Mayuko and Sumi came to live at the fortress. In effect, they were the test cases for the Court, and they were very successful in winning over the sceptical. Two years later, at Lady Rin's mogi, Lord Sessaki caused another furor by presenting her with that fur stole you wore, because it implied noble rank. By the time Lady Rin was twenty years old, her hand was the linchpin of several potential human and youkai alliances.”

“So… what caused him to openly declare his intentions? `Get the stick out of his ass' so to speak?”

“No one really knows; if anyone does, it would be Lord Yashita, because he and Lord Sessaki were by necessity in each other's company most of the time. He stood at Lord Sessaki's shoulder with the Tetsusaiga when our lord announced to the Court that he had chosen a mate; you could've heard a pin drop in that room.”

“Was there any trouble?”

“Several noble noses were thoroughly out of joint, but Lady Rin was acknowledged as a sensible choice by most. Attention soon focussed on Lord Yashita, especially once he became the Heir. More than a few court ladies set their caps for him, figuring that a position as his concubine might reap rewards for their families' ambitions.” Ieji broke off as he detected a sudden shift in her scent; casting a quick glance at her closed expression, he changed the topic. “Did you know that `Inuyasha' is your husband's childhood name? When he became the Heir, Lord Sessaki wished him to adopt his adult name, but he refused.”

“Why did he do that?”

“You knew him as `Inuyasha'; he kept it for your sake.”

She was silent for a moment. “What was his adult name supposed to be?”

“The same as his honoured father, the Inu no Taisho… `Kanemaru'.”

“The perfect, golden warrior,” Kagome murmured.

“Golden-eyed, at the very least,” Ieji replied. “Shall we return to the fortress?”

“Not just yet… if it's all right?” she asked hopefully. He nodded, so they continued to ride in companionable silence, the only sounds the muffled thudding of the horses' hooves, the cry of the gulls and the whispering of the wavelets over the rippled sand.

After a few hours, hunger tugged them back up the cliff to the meadow; they took their mounts to the stables and gave the horses a vigorous brushing before turning them loose with the rest of the herd. The blue roan charged off down the ramp without a second look, but Suisei lingered. She nickered, butting her head against Kagome's chest and generally insisting on more caresses; Ieji watched the mare's antics with amusement.

“You have a way with animals, my lady,” he finally commented when Suisei rested her chin on Kagome's shoulder and exhaled a great, gusty equine sigh of contentment into the young woman's tangled hair.

Her smile was a bit sorrowful. “I haven't lost my touch with some species, I suppose.” The mare nuzzled her cheek, as if picking up on her mood, then clopped away down the ramp. At the bottom, Suisei whinnied loudly before cantering off to rejoin the herd.

“C'mon, you two! Lunch is ready!” Ita waved from the driver's seat of an electric golf cart; Kagome blinked. He grinned. After she was seated beside him with Ieji perched on the back, he sent them rolling through the grounds at top speed but found time to play tour guide, identifying the buildings they passed in a non-stop patter. As they pulled up in front of the main pavilion, he said, “Don't mention this little joy-ride to Toku-san, okay? I borrowed his hot wheels sorta without permission….”

Ieji smacked his twin in the back of the head. “Honestly! When do you plan to grow up, brother?”

Ita tipped a wink at Kagome before answering, “When I'm a grandfather… maybe!”

Lunch was raucous, and Kagome took care of her appetite while staying out of the way of flying wit and repartee while being highly conscious of Momiji's penetrating glance from the other end of the table. A nap was suggested after she finished her tea, and she was more than happy to lie down in her quiet room for a brief while. I was up rather early…

She dreamed of dapple-grey hide and shimmering steel-grey scales, of a velvety muzzle and a long white mane, of the wind streaming past her face and through her hair, of flying free through the blue sky. There were dried tears on her face when she woke up, but they weren't from sorrow.

Mayuko pounced as soon as she emerged from her room, and whisked her off to the kitchens to meet both Sumi and Toku-san. The ebullient inu-youkai put her to work chopping and slicing alongside the other two women and his rather ditzy apprentice, and soon she was laughing at his adventures in the Tokyo fish market while learning a few tricks for preparing flash-frozen tuna, the most important of which turned out to be safely operating a band saw.

That night, after a dinner featuring their handiwork arranged decoratively on large platters, Kagome took herself to bed, feeling highly contented with the world.

She dreamed of the slayer and the houshi, presiding over a swarm of tumbling, laughing children, among them a small girl with eyes the same shade of grey as hers.

Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð–

The rest of the week was spent doing more of the same; morning rides on Suisei with either Ieji or Ita and afternoons in the kitchen hanging out with Mayuko, Sumi and Toku-san. The second day, she complimented the head chef on his delicious soup stock, last tasted in Yashita's kitchen. Beaming with pleasure, he presented her with hand-written cards containing several basic recipes and urged her to ask for the ingredient list and method for any dish that took her fancy. It occurred to her that this was the sort of thing that young wives might do, but she shook away any connotations and took Toku up on his offer anyways.

If the others noted how she subconsciously fingered the wedding ring hanging around her neck as she balanced on a stool at the rotund chef's elbow, madly writing while he dictated, no one said anything. He coached her through a batch of his famous stock the next afternoon, and she proudly presided over the tureen that evening, serving out bowlfuls garnished with fancy-cut vegetables and delicate noodles.

“What were your favourite dishes, in the past?” Toku asked one day out of the blue as they kneaded dough for dumplings.

“Lady Kaede's rabbit and vegetable stew,” she replied without hesitation, “and your peach mochi cakes.”

“Not the right season for peaches,” he mused, tapping his long-handled spoon against the side of the pot, “but we might be able to do something about the stew… do you like strawberries?”

Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð–

The next day, after their morning ride, Ieji steered her towards a building she abruptly recognized and promptly dug in her heels.

“Lady Kagome?” he asked, perturbed at the way her scent changed and her heart rate became erratic.

“Ieji-kun, I just can't,” she exclaimed, backing up several steps and looking as if she might bolt at the sight of the dojo where they had battled Hakimaru. “I'm not up to assisting anyone with their stances…”

“Classes were cancelled due to the wedding,” Ieji said, puzzled. Arching his eyebrow, he coaxed, “There is someone here who wishes to greet you; what's threatening about that?”

“Oh… um… sorry.” Kagome sheepishly scuffed her sandal and came forward, just as the dojo doorway filled with a familiar tall form. “Good morning, Lord Kira,” she said, bowing politely to the retired First Sword, who leaned heavily on an elaborately-enamelled cane while regarding her with a droll expression. She was immediately reminded… again… that he had lost a leg during the First World War.

“I was hoping for an `Ojii-san' at the very least from my new granddaughter!” He chuckled at the gob-smacked look on her face, his cheek stripes crinkling, and held out his free hand. Stumbling a bit in her surprise, she came forward and found herself swept into a rib-cracking hug.

I've lost friends and family… but I've also gained; I was just too miserable to see the truth. The revelation cracked her defensive walls and she hugged him back with honest enthusiasm. “It's good to see you, Ojii-chan.”

Kira was touched by the affection; his eyes softened, and then he ruffled her wind-blown hair before glancing over her head at Ieji. “Leave our young lady with me; you track down that scruffy brother of yours and invite him to a full-dress inspection this afternoon.”

“Yes, sir!” Ieji snapped off a crisp salute, wheeled around and marched off across the courtyard.

“Now, Lady Kagome…”

“Just Kagome… since we're family,” she said firmly, and he nodded.

“Very well, Kagome; step this way, please.” He ushered her into the enormous room, last seen awash in blood and the bodies of Hakimaru's followers. She glanced around, the echoes of the past loud in her ears, and suddenly felt very cold. Alerted by her scent, Kira slipped his arm around her shoulders. “I wondered if you would do an old man a favour, my dear.”

“Of course… what do you have in mind?”

“I'd like you to demonstrate the Imperial kata for the current batch of guardsmen at the end of next week,” he said, and much to her astonishment, produced her sword seemingly out of thin air.

“Oh, no… I can't,” she said, her shoulders slumping as she found the stone floor highly interesting.

He tilted his head to the side, his long silver-streaked top-knot spilling over his shoulder. “You cannot remember the Imperial kata? I find that very hard to believe,” he chided gently, studying her defeated posture.

“It isn't that…” Kagome mumbled, studying her tabi-encased toes. Dammit, I just have to suck it up… Raising her head and squaring her shoulders, she admitted, “My sword is too heavy for me.”

He gave her a narrow look. “If a little slip like the Lady of the West can heft your blade, then I seriously doubt that you are as weak as all that.”

“Lady Rin?” She was plainly baffled.

“She was trained by youkai, as were you; she gave your Fenikkusuken a twirl just before she handed it to me, along with your bow. Lord Sessaki expressed an interest in seeing you perform the kata as well, so we'd better get cracking.” Kira tossed her the weapon, and she had to either catch it or let it fall. She chose to protect Totosai's handiwork, and the blade thrummed in greeting. He nodded, then pointed a long claw at a wall rack full of oak bokken. “Test out those and choose a weight you can comfortably handle; we'll gradually build your strength back up until you can wave him around like you've always done. You and your sword have a date with the Spirits of Darkness next summer, don't forget.”

Kagome had to admit that this was a logical training plan and moved to do his bidding, feeling a stir of confidence. I can do this! Giving Fenik's hilt an affectionate pat, she placed the sword in an empty slot and began hefting the bokken one after the other until she found one that was heavy enough to test her muscles. Kira watched her intently from the other side of the room; when she swung around, her chosen weapon in hand, he smiled.

“Very good; now, demonstrate the first two sections of the kata, please.”

Her arms were distinctly rubbery as she sat down at a boisterous lunch table an hour and a half later, but she felt terrific. That was a great workout! As Kira arranged himself on the cushion to her left, she asked, “Where is Lady Shizuka… er, Obaa-san?” she asked.

“Keeping the Tokyo cash registers humming, I expect. Babies apparently have far greater requirements now than they did back when Touma was pupped!”

“How did our young lady acquit herself?” Momiji asked from the other end of the table, her voice cutting across Kagome's subdued reply.

“Very well, Momiji-san,” Kira replied. “She'll be back up to snuff within a week… and her technique is still better than most of the so-called `professionals' cluttering up the guardroom.” This last was said with a beady-eyed look in the twins' direction; Ieji stiffened, but Ita grinned cheekily.

“Pfft. She might have the ability, but we have the looks!” he declared, and amid the eye-rolling and theatrical groans around the table, lunch was served.

Kagome sniffed deeply at the bowl of savoury stew, and began to smile. “Rabbit stew… wonderful! Thank you, Toku-san!” she said, and proceeded to fairly inhale her portion. The stew was followed by a plate of artistically-shaped strawberry mochi; she was on her third when Ieji cleared his throat.

“If Toku-san is willing to do without your help this afternoon, we'll see about adjusting your bow's draw weight, Lady Kagome,” he offered. “Lord Kira was kind enough to bring it with him.”

“Yes, please,” she chirped brightly, and the rest of the room noted the sparkle in her eyes as Kira leaned forward to fix the twins with a steely glare.

“After the full-dress inspection,” he growled, which set off a flurry of good-natured jibes about the hot-pink hibiscus flowers splattered all over Ita's shirt.

When Kagome finally returned to her room that night, exhausted but happy, she placed a thrumming Fenik in the teak weapons stand that had materialized on top of the chest at some point during the day. Propping her bow next to it, she sloped off for a well-earned shower and bath, then snuggled into her futon.

She dreamed of a cheerfully crowded hut and leaping firelight, of mischievous bright green eyes and card games and stories told long into the night.

Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð–

At the end of the third week of her stay, the Lord and Lady of the West arrived at the fortress just after breakfast, and the relaxed atmosphere imperceptibly changed. The twins were in polished boots and pressed fire-rat that morning, and Ita's irreverent humour was toned down… somewhat. Mayuko had fussed around while Kagome dressed in a black gi and hakama for her demonstration, laying out her white jade bracelet, her `dogwood' pin and her hair combs, along with an elaborate set of kimono and obi to wear to dinner that night; the edge of tension in the fortress was slightly unsettling. Knock it off, Kagome told herself sternly. I've been able to perform the entire Imperial kata with Fenik for the last two days… and I haven't touched a drop of booze for the entire time I've been here. Kagome thought about that for a moment. Haven't missed it, either.

Sessaki and Rin both came to watch her demonstrate the Imperial kata before the assembled guardsmen in the dojo; just prior to the performance, her hands were sweat-slicked and she nearly worried the hair bracelets right off her wrist, but she didn't give way to the lurking panic. Instead, she focussed on her form and executed a perfect sequence each time, first empty-handed and then with her sword. She missed the high-pitched keening sound that she associated with Fenik's movements as she parried, twisted and lunged through the footwork, but she was too happy about being able to `dance' with him again to dwell on it.

After she completed the demonstration, sheathed Fenik and had bowed her thanks for the applause, Rin slipped an arm through hers and walked her out of the dojo. They crossed the courtyard in silence and entered the maze of pavilions and towers. “It's so nice to see your confidence back,” Rin commented as they entered a garden and followed a curving path into the greenery.

“Excuse me?”

“You were so lost and pinched-looking; you had no energy, as if it had all been sucked out by the dark cloud that hung over you. Now, you have a spring in your step, you're holding your head high… we're so very pleased that you seem to have found yourself again.”

“Uh… ”

Rin sighed, and gently chided, “You've gone through so much, Kagome. It's no crime to ask for help; we've seen your kind of suffering before.” The young woman remained silent, so she continued, “When my family was slaughtered by bandits, I also lost my voice; that was my way of trying to cope with losing everyone I loved…”

Kagome halted in her tracks, her expression appalled. “I forgot that you were an orphan… I'm so sorry!”

Rin nodded to acknowledge the apology and tugged Kagome along the path. “I stopped talking; you started drinking. We all try to cope the best way we can.” She smiled quietly. “Momiji knew what she was doing, to remove you from your situation before it worsened.”

They walked in silence while Kagome digested all this, skirting a large koi pond until they reached a patch of neatly-raked white gravel. A large jagged dark boulder sat in solitary majesty in the centre of the pale landscape, its surface alternating highly-polished facets with rough textured areas. Rin let go of Kagome's arm, picked up the skirts of her hakama and crunched across the gravel. Running her hands over the stone, she glanced over her shoulder. “Do you recognize this place?”

Kagome looked around carefully, but finally shook her head. Rin fondly patted the boulder, saying, “This was the location of the Chief Wife's pavilion. It has become the memorial for all the lives lost over the centuries.” She walked over to stand beneath a towering white dogwood and caressed its weathered trunk. “I planted this after the First World War… that pink one, after Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended the Second.” Kagome eyed the sentinel trees as Rin added, “Time doesn't stand still; these plants were once saplings, but are now full-grown.” She returned to Kagome's side and again linked arms. “When you live as long as we do, our memories become like this garden… they keep growing and become more lovely.”

That night, after a semi-formal dinner that emphatically reinforced her status within the Court because she dined privately with Sessaki, Rin and Kira, not the staff in the dining hall, Kagome took herself to bed feeling vaguely unsettled.

She dreamed of chaotic, smoke-obscured battlefields stained with blood, of frantic shouts and frightened screams. Coming awake in a tangle of sweaty bedclothes, Kagome desperately worked to calm her racing heart. After a glass of water and tidying up the futon to distance herself from the images, she crawled back in and willed herself to sleep.

This time, she fought a moon-marked demon with brass-yellow eyes until his sword and his energy whip morphed into the looming fangs of an enormous serpent. Screaming, she attempted a retreat as its jaws spread wider, ready to engulf her in its coppery maw… but then a wave of familiar power washed over her and all was still.

She slowly turned, her heart already knowing her rescuer. Silver hair ruffled by an unfelt breeze, molten amber eyes glowing above jagged dark blue cheek stripes, a bold smirk… wearing camouflage fatigues and combat boots as he casually propped Tetsusaiga on his shoulder with one clawed hand while extending the other towards her.

As their fingers touched, her dream-hanyou tugged her into his embrace, pressing her to his heart as his voice rumbled through her. I'll protect you… always…

Kagome smiled in her sleep, nestling deeper into her pillow.

Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð–

“When will you keep your promise, Lady Kagome?” Momiji briskly asked as the breakfast dishes were cleared away.

“M-my promise?” the young woman asked, her eyes wide.

“To relate the story of the final battle,” the demoness said, as if it should be obvious. “We heard it many years ago, but I stand by my opinion that you can't trust a man to give an accurate account; they're always too interested in their own heroics.” This last was said with a sharp glance in Sessaki's direction; the taiyoukai coolly sipped his tea and studiously perused the newspaper.

Kagome flushed at this reminder of a promise made centuries ago, and bowed. “I would be delighted…”

“Good. I will organize it for this afternoon in the audience hall; the garrison can sort itself out as to who will attend and who will mind the ovens and gates.”

The young woman was thunderstruck. “What…? You mean… everyone?”

“Of course; we have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time,” Momiji said firmly.

“Uh… er… didn't Yashita already do the honours… back then…?” Kagome asked, breaking out into a cold sweat.

“Your husband was in no condition to address an audience larger than one or two for quite some time, and when he possibly could, time had moved on to other conflicts and concerns.” She turned her formidable attention on Sessaki and suggested, “I would like you to be there as well to assist Lady Kagome with the narrative, because she and her unit were separated from yours for significant parts of the battle.”

Sessaki inclined his head, while Kagome did her best to not demonstrate the symptoms of a full-blown panic attack. As she had done during her nightmares the night before, she practiced controlling her breathing; the others noted this attempt at achieving control and were pleased.

Even though she had managed to talk herself down, Kagome's flight response kicked in with a vengeance when she walked into the crowded hall after lunch, and the weight of all those eyes made the butterflies in her stomach turn to lead weights. Sessaki's hand on her shoulder steadied her and propelled her forward onto the raised platform occupied by two upholstered Western-style chairs.

There was an anticipatory silence as she turned to face the assembly, but then cold steel sliced through her guts. Tsu and Kohire's families must be here… oh, gods… A startled murmur ran through the crowd when she dropped to her knees and bowed her forehead to the mats.

“Forgive me; I could not protect them,” she rasped in the sudden silence. There was a shuffling sound, and then she was raised up by gentle hands.

An older woman, her wheat-blond hair pulled away from her face by delicate combs, smiled tenderly as she cupped Kagome's cheek. “You have it backwards, my lady. It is not your duty to protect us; it is ours to protect you.” At the young woman's stricken expression, she continued, “Our brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, nieces and nephews have died in the service of our House for the greater good of our country. We are very proud of them… proud in this conflict to have assisted the Phoenix of Legend.”

A round of enthusiastic applause greeted this pronouncement as the woman assisted Kagome to her feet before bowing away. Sessaki favoured her with a calm look, then indicated that she should sit. Kagome obeyed, perching nervously on the edge of her chair. The hall quieted as the taiyoukai tossed his silver hair out of the way and seated himself in a swirl of silks. “Where should we begin?” he asked rhetorically, steepling his long fingers. “The wolves had the first contact with the Band of Seven through their battle with Kokotsu… I believe you confronted the one named Jakotsu, correct?”

Kagome nodded, biting her lip. The images of that day, only a few months before, when the snaking blade had cut down a dozen guardsmen who were then melted into blackened ooze, crept out of the shadows of her memory. I have to tell this story, so that they know their family members died with honour… Swallowing hard, she organized her thoughts and began to speak.

“We had just finished questioning a local and learned about the Seven when the troops detected the scent of blood…”

Three hours, a carafe of water and a bit of judicious editing regarding her hanyou's tantrums and his encounter with Jakotsu later, Kagome finally came to the point where she fell into the well and went awkwardly silent in mid-sentence. Sessaki, who had filled in the gaps in her narrative at appropriate points while giving her time to rest her voice, inspected her carefully before declaring, “If there are any questions, pass them through Momiji for Lady Kagome's consideration.”

He stood and waited for her to rise; she bowed to the audience, who promptly broke out into applause, punctuated by a few whoops. She flashed a tired smile, which only made the volume go up a notch as she was ushered from the hall. “Well done,” he said after a little while as he escorted her across the courtyard towards the main pavilion. “Refreshments have been prepared.”

Kagome rallied at the possibility of a snack, even though all she felt capable of was face-planting into her futon. “That would be most welcome,” she said, trying not to stumble in her zori and risk the beautiful antique robe that she wore.

Rin caught up to them, her dark eyes sparkling. “What an amazing story, Kagome! I'm so glad that I was finally able to hear the entire thing from start to finish, without any of the pieces missing.”

“That was only a couple of weeks out of the entire quest,” Kagome commented, “but they were the most intense in terms of conflict. Naraku really gave us a run for our money.” She flicked a glance at Sessaki. “I wondered how Suikotsu died, and how the children came to live at the village.”

“I wish to know what transpired in the well after you fell into it mortally injured, yet emerged very much alive and unscathed,” Sessaki rumbled, “but that can wait for another day.”

Her heart lurched, but Kagome fought down her negative reaction. The rest of the day passed in a blur; she was almost afraid to go to sleep that night, for fear of the nightmares' return. Briefly considering bringing her sword beneath the blankets for moral support, she decided to tough it out.

Her dreams were eerily-lit and frightening, but she was not alone. Warm presences surrounded her, protected her, supported her, until a strong arm pulled her back against a broad chest as Tetsusaiga carved through the darkness. In the transformed fang's brilliant light, she saw Sango, Miroku and Kaede, but they were quickly joined by Shimano, Kogane, Akagane, Sota, Touma and her mother… Tsu, Kohire, Ieji, Ita, Momiji… faces from the present as well as the past.

She smiled through her tears and leaned back into her dream-hanyou's embrace. Kagome… Her name was loud in her ear, as if he was truly right behind her, and she turned to wrap her arms around his narrow waist. Hugging him tightly, she closed her eyes and listened to their heartbeat, feeling safe, contented and loved.

Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð–

The next morning, she studied the patterns on her ceiling while considering the truth of her dream. I still feel tremendously sad, and a part of me will probably never stop missing them, but this is my life; I hope that I haven't messed it up too badly.

Momiji carried her off after breakfast to assist with some flower-arranging. Kagome would have much preferred a brisk ride on Suisei or an intense session in the dojo with Fenik to what she was sure would be the equivalent of an interrogation session, but she mentally told her panicking self to shut up and took several deep, cleansing breaths while she sorted through a large pile of flowers brought in that morning from Niigata.

“You did very well yesterday,” Momiji said, breaking the silence as she plunked an iris into a porcelain vase and examined it with a critical eye before replacing it with coral-flowered quince branches.

“Thank you; it was difficult, but I was glad to tell the guardsmen's families what happened.”

“Your empathy for their feelings was remarkable… it's obvious that you keenly felt their losses as if they were your own,” the demoness remarked blandly, snipping apart a bunch of decorative grasses.

Kagome flinched. “I just wish so many hadn't died…”

Momiji gave her a sharp look. “Please tell me that you do not still hold yourself responsible for shattering the Jewel?”

“Of course I do! If I hadn't…”

“Imagine what would have happened if Naraku had gained control of the intact Jewel back at the beginning?” Momiji interrupted. “Fate most certainly broke the Shikon Jewel to give you time to form a bond with Yashita, to bring together the rest of your unit… to convince Lord Sessaki to become your ally. If the Jewel had remained whole from the beginning, the quest more than likely would have come to a much earlier and very different end.”

Kagome was plainly dumbfounded; Momiji allowed her to chew over that idea for a few minutes before continuing, “Casualties in warfare are unavoidable; yes, there were losses, but in the end, thousands were saved. If Naraku had succeeded, what would have happened to our nation?”

Selecting a rose bud that she'd set aside earlier, Momiji carefully considered her words before she showed it to the young woman. “This rose looks perfect on the outside, awaiting its chance to bloom… but it will never be successful.” Kagome frowned; Momiji rotated the stem between her fingers to display the worm-eaten other side. “This lovely blossom is being destroyed from the inside and will surely die. It is too late for the rose, but not for you. What continues to devour you, Kagome?”

The young woman went rigid; her immediate response was to flee, but realized that Momiji could easily track her down and would ask her the question until she answered. Instead, she simply held very still… and remained silent. Momiji cocked her head, inspecting Kagome's mute defiance. “Your husband has called at least once a day, hoping that I will relent and allow him to see you; I have to keep telling him that you're not ready. It's obvious that something profound happened as you travelled between the eras for the last time… something in addition to the stripping of your identity as the Phoenix.” When the young woman's scent began radiating distress and grief, the demoness voiced her deepest suspicions. “You were pregnant.”

Kagome recoiled violently, then realized that her reaction told Momiji everything. “A person who is depressed and grieving often loses interest in intimacy,” the demoness said quietly. “However, locking your husband out of the bedroom after your mother announced her pregnancy seemed to indicate that there was more going on than a serious case of survivor's guilt and post-traumatic stress. Come here, my dear… tell me what the Jewel did to you.” She slid her arm around Kagome's shoulders and urged the slumping girl to sit on a cushion beside her.

Why don't I feel relieved that this is out in the open? Because now I have to deal with it… but Momiji's right. Not talking about it will cause it to fester instead of heal… and I can ask for guidance in how to break the news to Yash. He's going to be so disappointed... Sighing deeply, Kagome straightened her shoulders. “It wasn't the Jewel… not in this case. I'm fairly sure that I got pregnant at the fortress, the night before Hakimaru's revolt. I'd forgotten to renew my birth control shot, but I figured that there were only a few weeks left in the quest and I could worry about it after Naraku's defeat.”

Momiji took Kagome's hand between hers and gently squeezed, her gaze intent. “You found out about the battle in the snowstorm… how?”

“I don't want my source to get into trouble; he thought he was doing me a favour by telling me, but instead, the knowledge put extra stress on me, knowing that I had only a few weeks left with my friends.”

“All right,” the demoness conceded. “It sounds like you paid dearly for that foreknowledge.”

“When we took down Naraku, the demonic power pouring through my body destroyed the baby's humanity. The little bit of youkai left over then died when I purified the Jewel.”

“And so you carry the burden of the child's death as well.” As a lump rose in Kagome's throat, Momiji wrapped her arms around her, hugged tightly and rocked while the young woman burst into ragged sobs. “Is this why you said you'd lost everything?” she asked softly when Kagome's breathing had quieted. At her damp nod, Momiji hummed deep in her throat while she ran her claws through Kagome's hair. “Why didn't you give Yashita a chance to share your grief?”

Blowing her nose on a proffered tissue, Kagome confessed, “I felt guilty, like I'd betrayed Inuyasha with Yashita the night before the well closed, and then when my powers killed the baby… Inuyasha's baby… I just couldn't…”

“Why on earth did you feel guilty? Inuyasha is still your husband, no matter the name he's using. It's the same pair of ears…”

“Midoriko used to say that, too,” Kagome said, cracking a crooked smile. Wiping her eyes again, she continued, “I suffered from severe nightmares for a couple of weeks before the final battle, which of course always woke up Inuyasha; when I was making love with Yashita that night, Inuyasha thought I was having another nightmare. That… bothered me a little at the time, but then really bit me when I lost the baby.”

“I must ask… why do you differentiate so strongly between them, when they are the same hanyou?”

“They are… and they aren't. I fell in love with Inuyasha over an intense eighteen months. He was loud, bad-tempered, impatient, possessive, brave, loyal, loving…” Kagome trailed off.

“Loud, bad-tempered, impatient… if you truly think Yashita is none of those things, you haven't been in my zori for the last few months,” Momiji snorted.

Kagome bit her lip. “Yashita is calm, mature, restrained; he's also very loyal, and certainly very loving, but… I don't really know him. We're committed to each other for the rest of our lives, but what if we discover we can't stand each other? He'll have wasted five hundred years for nothing!”

“Ah, we have finally reached the crux of the matter,” Momiji murmured. “I believe you expressed this same concern some time ago, when you described yourself as a `kid' in comparison to Yashita's greater age and experience, yes?” When Kagome nodded, she said, “Change is a risk faced by all relationships; people sometimes do fall out of love. However, have you really given yourself a chance to fall in love again with Yashita? Are you running from him… or from the expectations you perceive that a commitment to him brings?”

When Kagome didn't reply, just twisted the hair bracelets on her wrist, Momiji said quietly, “I suspect that these differences you perceive are merely a smokescreen for your true feelings of guilt and sorrow. Tell me, who do you dream of, when you dream of your hanyou?”

Kagome recalled Tetsusaiga, a jaunty smirk and camouflage. “Yashita,” she admitted.

“Your heart already knows the truth; it is your mind that is causing trouble,” the demoness declared, rapping her knuckles on the young woman's forehead.

“My mind has always been a really noisy place,” Kagome muttered, rubbing her scalp. “Without Midoriko and Fenik to keep order, my thoughts have run a little wild.”

“Regain control, Kagome. You can blame yourself into the grave, but it won't change a thing. Survivor's guilt is a natural stage of grief, but the trauma you've experienced adds a whole new level to your suffering. However, you are not unique; I've looked after many generations of returning warriors, who struggled to fit in with their families and meet the very different expectations of peacetime existence. Some recovered faster than others, while a few never did, but the one thing the survivors all had in common was the courage to stand and face their troubles.” Momiji brushed a stray tendril away from Kagome's cheek. “Believe in yourself; you are strong enough to overcome this, the same way you triumphed over Naraku.”

Kagome chose her words carefully before responding, “Coming here was good for me in several ways, but when I go back, all the same crap will be waiting…”

“Pick and choose which piece of `crap' you will deal with first; tiny steps, my dear. There is no time table or deadline.”

“But what if Yash runs out of patience?”

“Highly unlikely. He has vast reservoirs of it where you are concerned.” Momiji carefully inspected the young woman, trying to dissect her jumbled scent, then was struck by inspiration. “Sometimes in order to lay the past to rest, we must revisit it,” she said. “We cannot move forward until we do.”

Kagome eyed her curiously, so she continued, “Japan has seen tremendous change since you last journeyed across Honshu in pursuit of your enemy; perhaps it would be a valuable healing exercise for you to visit the other locations of your more memorable clashes… alone, before you decide whether or not you will accept the role of `Lady Kagome Nishiyori'.

“Isn't that just running away?”

“Not really; some time to yourself, without interference by any third party… no matter how well-meaning… would probably be a good thing.”

“You're suggesting that I should sneak off by myself?” the young woman demanded, intrigued. “I'd need more than luck to pull that off! Yash has been keeping tabs on me since I was a baby!”

“Think of it as a challenge. Just because youkai have enhanced senses doesn't mean they are possessed of greater intelligence or cleverness. You were trained by some of the very best, but I'm willing to bet that you could show them a thing or two if you really set your mind to it.”

Kagome chewed over Momiji's suggestion for a few more days while she enjoyed being at the fortress in the wake of Sessaki and Rin's departure. The atmosphere relaxed, and there was a sense of the various denizens exhaling… although the twins remained in uniform under Lord Kira's critical eye.

Once her plans were made, Kagome approached Momiji one clear spring morning after breakfast. The demoness noted the young woman's determined demeanour and clear scent before asking, “I take it you have made a decision?”

Kagome nodded slowly. “Yes, but I won't implicate you by telling you what I have in mind.”

Momiji chuckled. “I am more than capable of handling any threat or tantrum flung my way, but I appreciate your consideration all the same.” Cocking her head, she asked, “How long do you think you may be gone?”

“Ten to fourteen days, I think. Buses and bullet trains beat travelling on foot.”

“You've planned your, ahem, exit strategy once you are home in Tokyo?”

“I won't be there long enough for anyone to interfere… just so long as Yash doesn't find out until it's too late.”

“It might be wise for you to give me a hint as to where you plan to head… just in case.”

“I've a hankering to see the cherry blossoms in Kyoto.”

Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð–

One week later…

“Such gorgeous condition… what a shame to cut it all off,” clucked the receptionist, fingering the gleaming length of black hair and comparing it wistfully to her own greying strands.

“She said she was in mourning,” the hair dresser mused, gazing thoughtfully out the window.

“Her husband?”

“No… some dear friends, including a child.”

“So young and beautiful, to know such tragedy…”

Oblivious to the sympathetic ruminations taking place inside the shop, Kagome regretfully ran her fingers through her cropped hair before dropping a letter in the post box at the curb. Shouldering a bright yellow bag, she raised her chin and disappeared into the bustling crowd converging on Shinbashi Station.

Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð–

Two days after that…

“How can she just fucking disappear? She's riding a bright red motorcycle, we've alerted everyone we can fucking think of… why the hell hasn't she been located?” Yashita shouted in frustration, punching the window frame since Sessaki had made it perfectly clear that another attack on his desk would result in severe bodily harm.

“Your voice is obviously not impaired, so we know she is alive,” the taiyoukai dryly pointed out, moving his prize ikebana out of harm's way.

“Momiji-san seemed sure that she's fine…” Kogashu ventured; Yashita curled his lip in the wolf's direction.

“I'll bet that bitch had something to do with this,” the hanyou snarled, his cheek stripes fraying and his eyes bleeding red.

“Control yourself,” came the growled warning, accompanied by a crackle of youki, and Yashita subsided.

Everyone present at the meeting in Sessaki's office raised their eyebrows when Shimano suddenly let out a giggle. “Sorry,” he said, waving his hand. “It's just that Kagome is aptly demonstrating why she was one of the top students in my covert operations course in fourth year.”

“What the fuck are you talking about, fox?”

“She planned and executed this entire operation right under our noses, utilizing her new status as an `ordinary woman' to her advantage.” At the blank looks, he elaborated, “Think about it. Her eyes are a colour that, while uncommon, does occur in the Japanese population; she has no facial or bodily scars to cause comment in public bath houses, her aura is indistinguishable, and her scent only indicates that she's mated to an inu-hanyou… not which one.” Shimano rubbed his chin and added, “Her last bank withdrawal was the day she disappeared; I'll bet she ditched the bike right away and has headed off on an adventure.”

Yashita gripped his forehead, grimacing. “So she's fucking gone… left me behind… and there's nothing I can do to bring her back.”

“Kagome will return when she has completed this new quest,” Sessaki said with sudden insight. Yellow eyes locked onto red-rimmed amber. “I am certain that the Phoenix will rise again from the ashes of her old identity.”

“How long will that take?” the hanyou asked in anguish, his face and voice showing the strain of the last few months since the well closed.

“I suspect not as long as you might fear, brother. Have faith in her; she is a most extraordinary woman.”

Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð–

Four days afterKagome's disappearance…

“Where's this fucking letter?” Yashita demanded roughly, pinning the blonde-haired vixen with an intimidating stare.

Unperturbed at his tone, Kogane slid the envelope across the table towards the agitated hanyou. “It was delivered here, probably because she wanted to make sure you received it instead of it being tucked into a corner at the shrine.”

“Her gramps still doesn't know she's gone missing, right?” he asked, slicing open the cheap paper with his claw, half-dreading what he might find inside.

“No. We haven't told Kioko or Touma, either. She might be back before they're home from their honeymoon, so there's no point in upsetting them,” Shimano assured, taking a swig from his beer. The three adults were seated outside in the kitsunes' garden on this early spring evening. “So… what did she send you?”

Yashita's shoulders slumped as he upended the envelope and a key plus a business card fell out onto the table. Kogane picked up the card as Shimano inspected the key. “It's from a storage facility in the Shinbuya district,” she said, flipping over the card to scan the number neatly printed on the back. “About a block away from the train station.”

“Betcha it's her bike,” Shimano nodded. “She put it in storage and… what's so funny?” he asked, looking askance at his gleeful wife.

“Shinbuya Station is famous for something… come on, think about it! What's located right outside the main doors?” she chuckled, smiling broadly. The two men scratched their heads, looking helplessly at each other; she rolled her eyes. “The statue of Hachiko… the faithful guardian dog,” she declared. “Knowing Kagome, she picked the storage facility because of that connection.” While the men groaned, she chortled some more.

“Momiji called today…” Yashita trailed off, shredding the label on his bottle.

Shimano and Kogane glanced at each other before the vixen casually asked, “Did she have some news?”

“Yeah…” The hanyou shifted in his seat, then fixed both of them with an intense amber gaze. “Kagome was pregnant.”

There was a moment of appalled silence before Shimano burst out, “Was? You mean she miscarried? When?”

“Shit…” Yashita ran his hand over his face, and sighed heavily. “She lost the baby during the final battle; the energy she channelled to fry Naraku and then purify the Jewel was too much for the little squirt.”

“Oh, gods…” Kogane murmured, pressing her hand to her heart. “That does explain rather a lot, doesn't it?”

“How could we have missed that she was expecting? You didn't smell anything the night before when you were up close and personal?” Shimano demanded.

“Her scent was masked by miasma and poison… believe me, runt, I've been beating myself up quite thoroughly; don't need your assistance to make myself feel worse, thanks.”

The kitsune shook his head, agitatedly drumming his claws on the tabletop. “When could this have happened? She was always so careful…”

“More than likely when we were at the fortress, after she was bitten by that snake-youkai.”

“She wasn't very far along, then; only a matter of weeks,” Shimano said with some relief.

“It doesn't matter if it was six weeks or six months… it still hurts, runt; that, and the fact she didn't trust me enough to tell me.”

“Judging by her behaviour since the New Year, she didn't trust herself,” Kogane said decisively. “She's a strong woman, Yash… what she's gone through would have broken a lesser person.”

“Broken…” the hanyou mused, his expression sombre.

“She was cracked but not broken, like the Tetsusaiga's sheath,” Shimano said. “Plenty strong enough to do the job.”

“You're talking about that battle against the Thunder Brothers, right?”

“Was there another time that you wrecked the scabbard instead of the blade that I don't know about?” the kitsune teased.

“Keh. Who in their right mind wants to get within a mile of a steel bee colony?”

“I'm not entirely convinced that you've ever been in your `right mind', dog-breath.”

“Shut up, runt. Finish your beer and let's go retrieve the wench's wheels.”

A couple of hours later, Shimano and Yashita stood inside a narrow storage locker, inspecting a familiar red motorcycle. The matching leathers were neatly folded on the saddle; when Yashita picked them up, a small envelope fell to the ground. Shimano gave him a minute to open the missive and read before asking, “Well?”

A truly gentle smile curved the hanyou's lips, and his eyes were suspiciously bright when he showed the kitsune the simple message. A rough-edged heart had been drawn around a rectangle holding both of their names, a reference to something outside of Shimano's knowledge, but it obviously meant something to Yashita. He carefully tucked the note into his pocket and said, “Kogane's right; Kagome will be back. I just have to be patient a little while longer.”

Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð–

TwelvedaysafterKagome's disappearance…

The young woman with short, spiky hair stepped out of the public bathhouse, squinting into the bright spring sunshine. She smoothed the full, swishy skirt of her floral dress and made sure the matching sweater was demurely buttoned over the plunging neckline. Swinging her yellow bag onto her shoulder, she hailed a taxi.

“Where to, ma'am?” asked the driver, noting the wedding band gleaming on her finger.

“Sunset Shrine,” she replied, settling back into the rear seat; he admired her smile and envied the lucky man who had claimed her heart. The trip across town didn't take very long; as he held the door for her, the driver eyed the long staircase leading up to a bright red torii gate.

“Do you need some help with your bag, ma'am?” he inquired, admiring her slender figure, but she smiled and shook her head. After the taxi pulled away from the curb, she started up the stairs, her dainty shoes scuffing lightly on the stone slabs. Once at the top, she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, taking in the familiar, reassuring scene.

Crossing the empty courtyard to the house, she dropped her bag by the entry door after extracting a smaller shopping bag from the outside pocket. Heading towards the Goshinboku, she heard the familiar `scritch scritch' of a twig broom and followed it around the side of the house. Kagome smiled at the seemingly eternal sight of her grandfather scooting dust across the paving stones. Creeping up behind the elderly man, she flung her arms around him and squeezed. “Hello, Ojii-chan!” she sang, giving him another hug before releasing him.

“Kagome!” he exclaimed before raising his wrinkled hand to her cheek, and then to touch her cropped hair. “Child, do you plan to make a habit of these abrupt disappearances and reappearances? You've caused a world of worry!”

She bowed deeply. “Excuse me, honoured grandfather; I'm very sorry for the trouble I've caused.”

He enveloped her in a huge hug that left her quite breathless. “I forgive you, child. You're staying?”

“Yes,” she smiled, holding up the shopping bag. “I have a few things to give my friends, but I'll be back in a few minutes and I'll make us a pot of tea.”

The old man watched her traipse across the sun-dappled pavement, glancing up at the scar on the Goshinboku on her way past. When she disappeared through the gate in the fence leading to the old graveyard, he shuffled as fast as he could towards the house. Nearly tripping over a large yellow shoulder bag, he stumbled through the foyer to the phone. Running his finger down the list of emergency contact names written extra-large, he settled on one and dialled with shaking hands.

“Armoury; Shimano speaking,” said the cheery voice on the other end of the line.

“She's back.”

Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð–

Seating herself next to a cluster of boulders beneath the budding magnolia after making other deliveries to various memorials, Kagome rubbed her thumb over the smooth white pebble polished by long centuries in the stream bed. Pressing a kiss to the stone, she reached to place it next to Kirara's marker, but her movement was intercepted.

A large, claw-tipped hand cupped her much smaller one, cradling the pebble in her palm at the same time as a strong arm circled her shoulders. Yashita closed her fingers around the stone and pulled their joined hands to his chest. As she looked up, he tugged her close, burying his nose in her bangs. “Did you think I would blame you?” he whispered against her forehead, his voice so raw it hurt.

Kagome immediately slid her free hand up around his neck in an awkward one-armed hug. “No… never, koibito.”

Yashita inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, his control obviously fraying. “I don't understand… why did you carry this alone?”

She soothingly rubbed her thumb against his nape, feeling the tension in his muscles. “At first, I didn't know what to tell you… and then, I didn't know how to tell you, because I wasn't sure how I felt about it myself.” He muttered something into her hair while squeezing the hand held captive against his chest; then his other arm dropped from her shoulders to her hips and he scooped her into his lap.

Relaxing his grip on her fist, he allowed her fingers to open; they both gazed at the white stone cradled in her palm. “You got pregnant that night at the fortress, right?”

“I think so; I was due for my shot around that time… only five months and five hundred years ago.” She leaned into his embrace, feeling very, very relieved at finally having this issue out in the open. “I'm surprised I didn't miscarry after absorbing Mukotsu's poison.”

“Tough little squirt… just like its mother.” His voice held an edge of sadness that shredded her own composure; she turned her face into his chest.

“I'm so sorry, Inuyasha; along with losing everyone else at the same time, the baby was the last straw. I just couldn't deal with telling you that I'd failed...”

“Failed? How?” he demanded roughly. “It was the price for defeating Naraku; it isn't like we had any choice in the matter. When Momiji told me about the baby, it felt like poison claws in my heart, but I was more worried about you. All of a sudden I understood why you pulled back whenever I initiated lovemaking.”

“Sorry…” she mumbled, squirming unhappily.

“Stop it, wench. You have absolutely nothing to apologize for; it's time to stop beating yourself up over something you had absolutely no control over,” he growled, hugging her tightly to stop her restless movements. “I heard about your abject apology to the guardsmen's families… let it go!”

“I'm trying, Yash… I'm really trying. It's just hard… you know, because you went through the same process after the well closed.”

“Yeah, I do. That's why it hurts that you didn't let me share your pain.” Plucking the stone from her hand, he weighed it in his hand for a moment before very carefully nestling it into the loam next to the neko-youkai's marker. “Here, Kirara… someone else for you to watch over.”

“When did Momiji tell you?” she asked softly.

“When I was half out of my mind with worry; she's the one who convinced me to let you be… said that you had to `lay the past to rest' so you could move forward.” Kagome pressed her lips against the tender skin of Yashita's throat, inhaling his warm scent while he curled his entire body around her. “Why didn't you trust me to help you?”

She sighed, held him tighter. “I do trust you… that's never been an issue. It's more… familiarity, I suppose. You said it yourself; we only had an intense year and a half together, which wasn't enough to truly know each other. Unlike you, who had twenty years to observe me in this era, I literally had only a few days to appreciate the man you'd become… if you add up the few hours we had together before the well closed.” Kagome took a deep breath and continued, “Afterwards, I couldn't simply jump into a new life as `Lady Kagome Nishiyori'… I just couldn't, and I cracked under the strain. You deserve to share your life with someone who isn't broken, and I wanted to make sure that I'm strong enough to be with you.”

“Were you successful?”

“I don't know if I'll ever be completely `fixed', but I'm done running,” she said with determination. “I'll always feel responsible for all those lives, but I have to move on, or else their deaths will have been in vain.”

“Why did you leave me behind?” he rasped, and her heart lurched.

Cupping his face in her hands, she kissed him softly on the lips. “Without my powers I felt so vulnerable; I needed to become comfortable in my world again by testing my ability to look after myself… without the House of the West running interference.” Smiling gently to take away any sting, she added, “You were there with me, anyhow… every step of the way.”

“How?” His hands worked their way up under the cardigan to fan across her bare back.

“I kept seeing silver out of the corner of my eye, heard your voice in my head, especially when I considered doing something risky… my conscience sounds remarkably like you… felt your heartbeat in my chest,” she answered, stroking her thumbs over his cheek stripes. “You were in my dreams, too, watching over me.”

“You pulled such a thorough disappearing act that we had no idea where to look; where did you go?”

“Let me show you.” Wriggling slightly loose from Yashita's death grip, she retrieved a digital camera. Turning on the screen, she held it so he could see and clicked through the images. “I followed the same route that we took to Kyoto, mainly so I could stop at Hase-Dera Temple in Kamakura.”

Yashita blinked rapidly, then asked hoarsely, “The temple for stillborn children?”

“And miscarriages… and abortions,” she replied, her voice very low. “I dedicated a jizo statue for the baby.” The camera displayed an image of a stubby statuette of the Buddhist deity, with a tiny stuffed white dog tied to it by a red thread.

“Oh, koishii…” he whispered, his voice tight. Kagome kissed his tears away, sharing the moment's pain but not being consumed by it. When they had both composed themselves somewhat, she again picked up the camera.

“Here's the entrance to the tunnel into Mount Hiei; I was a little bummed that I couldn't go inside, so I climbed up to the crater and enjoyed the view. I tried to guess which direction Naraku pulled us once Kikyo broke the seal, but I couldn't remember enough detail to make a positive ID. Pretty area, though.”

“Why do I smell sakÃ©?”

Kagome smiled wryly at the sharp tone of his voice. “I'll get to that… and no, it isn't for me.”

Yashita gave her a careful look before asking, “Where did you go next?” Kagome leaned into his chest in an obvious request for comfort as she displayed first a seascape that included a large, distant island silhouetted by a gorgeous sunset, and then a rocky islet with a distinctive cavernous opening. “Shiori's village?”

“I recognized the headland right away… and the islet is still inhabited by bats, but of the non-human-eating variety. The locals mined the guano to sell for fertilizer.”

“You mean that Taigokumaru's shit is actually doing some good?” Yashita nodded towards Shiori's grave marker, where a rounded frosted-orange stone glowed among the leaves. “What's that?”

“I think it's from Taigokumaru's attack; I found handfuls of them buried in the sand. Apparently the area is locally renowned for this strange-coloured beach glass, and you should hear the stories they've come up with to explain its presence.”

“I've never gone back,” he murmured, stroking the screen with a long claw. “Even when we were travelling back and forth between the fortress and Kyoto during the Bakumatsu, I never stopped to have a look.”

“Great spot to build sandcastles,” she said softly as she showed him an image of children frolicking on the tidal flats. “Far enough from the fortress that we'd probably want to book a room at the town's really nice ryokan, especially during the summer.” Yashita's eyes were suspiciously misty just before he kissed her again, his mouth soft against hers.

“I found Sango's village,” she continued a few tender minutes later. “Helluva climb; took me four or five hours because the approach road was so broken up.” Clicking through the images until she found what she was looking for, she said, “I wasn't sure if I even had the right hilltop, but there were enough landmarks to indicate that I was probably close. Once I made it up, there was no doubt; I found the laundress' cave with the hot spring in it, and bits and pieces of forged bone that were definitely from the weapons we placed on the graves.”

“What about the other cave?” Yashita asked when she became lost in thought.

“Midoriko's cave was sealed by a slab of rock that fell down from the cliff face above; looked like it happened a few centuries ago, judging from the vegetation growing in all the nooks and crannies.” Kagome displayed two images in quick succession; the second was particularly colourful. “The entire plateau was covered in wildflowers, and the only sounds were birds chirping, bees buzzing, and the breeze rustling the petals; it was very peaceful.”

“Oi… tell me you didn't stay up there overnight,” he said sternly.

“Not enough daylight left to climb down, but I figured that might happen, so I'd put a blanket, extra food and water in my day pack. Fire-rat would have come in handy to keep me a little warmer, but the stars were beautiful. The grandmotherly type who ran the ryokan gave me holy old hell the next day when I arrived to pick up my stuff.” she hastily added, when it looked like he had a lecture ready to go.

“You drive me to fucking distraction, woman,” Yashita grumped.

She stroked his cheek, looking adorably contrite. “A few of the flowers had gone to seed already, so I collected some to sprinkle on Sango's grave. I don't know if it's sunny enough here…”

“We can do some pruning to bring in more light,” he offered.

“Thanks, koibito. I'd like that.” Her expression became solemn as she contemplated the next image on the camera's screen. “Part of the reason why I took so long to come back is that I walked through the mountains to reach Mount Hakurei. It's such a lovely area, full of scenic crags, waterfalls, mountain streams and small villages… not much has changed, except the addition of power lines, satellite dishes and paved roads.”

“Another place I've avoided; haven't been back since we did the clean-up operation just after the well closed.”

Kagome's lips twitched. “One afternoon I came across an old fellow selling `artisan' sakÃ© from a roadside stand. The containers were obviously old beer bottles and the contents home-brewed, but he had the best sales pitch. The rice was blessed by Inari herself, and the water collected from pools bathed in by celestial maidens under the light of the full moon…”

“Keh. Sincere bastard, huh?”

“A completely straight face with a twinkle in his eye. Probably guaranteed luck in love and cured warts, too… Miroku would have loved the spiel, so I bought a bottle and poured it over his gravestone.”

“Betcha it'll kill the grass.”

Kagome chuckled as she clasped his hand. “We have to visit Mount Hakurei together, Inuyasha. It's so beautiful! Everything is green and lush; the trees have grown back and they've built walking trails on the mountain itself. The local legends say that the holy mountain was destroyed by a demon that was cast into hell by the gods for his crime.”

The hanyou snorted. “Not the gods… a couple of dogs and a miko. Can't trust those old stories to get anything right…”

Elbowing him gently, Kagome continued, “I hiked all over the mountain and the surrounding park, and I think I found the crevasse where Kikyo died. It starts at the base of what's left of the mountain and zigzags across the plateau until it eventually empties into a larger river that drains into the lake where Hijiri Island is located.”

Her eyes became somewhat unfocussed. “The crevasse is now a steep-sided stream bed, filled with pure, fresh water. Willows overhang it in some places, and there are ferns and moss everywhere.” Kagome smiled softly up at her hanyou. “It might not be Kikyo's resting place, but I'm choosing to think so, because rooted into every nook and cranny of the banks there were masses and masses of pale blue and white Chinese bellflowers. They looked so pretty, all their blossoms nodding in the breeze, with the sound of the rushing stream below. Like Sango's village, it was very peaceful.”

With sudden insight, Yashita asked, “Is that where our child's memorial stone comes from?”

“Yes. I climbed down into the stream bed and picked that one because it was white… and it felt right in my hand.”

His reply was to gather her close, and they shared a kiss that started out gentle enough, but quickly escalated in intensity until their tongues were thoroughly reacquainted with each other's mouths. When they broke off the heated contact, Yashita hugged her, hard, pressing her as close to his lean body as he could manage on the awkward angle. “I love you so much, koishii. You believed in me, fought with me and beside me… loved an uncouth hanyou in spite of his many faults. Purifying youkai was a nice touch, but your real powers lay in your bravery, your loyalty and especially in your generous heart. Don't forget that… and don't leave me behind again, please.”

Kagome's eyes shimmered at his heartfelt plea. “I won't… but I have to admit, I'm a little nervous about the fact that we've never tried living together… you know, just the two of us,” she admitted. “You'll have to take your chances with my kitchen experiments, and I'll bet you leave the toilet seat up, don't you?”

The hanyou laughed out loud at that, and squeezed her breathless. “Believe it or not, I'm looking forward to finding out all those little everyday irritations, including cooking, doing laundry, hanging out… squabbling, making up… all of them.” He tenderly stroked her cheek. “Are you afraid that we'll grow apart?”

“Maybe… yes, a little,” Kagome confessed. “I might drive you crazy within a couple of years, and then where will we be?”

“Works both ways, but so long as we're committed to working things out instead of running, I think we'll be all right.” Yashita gently ruffled his fingers through her shorn locks; she braced herself for his reaction. “You look like Sota,” he commented.

“It was mainly so I'd be harder to trace, but also for a fresh start. I've finished mourning for the past… it'll grow back!” she said, alarmed at his sceptical expression as he continued to stroke the spiky style.

“I can't deny that it shows off your beautiful eyes and your bone structure… but I still prefer you with long hair, koishii.”

“Preference noted for future reference,” she said, and they indulged in another kiss that left them both misty-eyed and yearning. “Take me home, Inuyasha… to our home. I'm ready… ”

“Are you sure? Or do you only think you're ready?” he asked, his tone conveying the seriousness of the question.

Kagome faced him squarely. “I'm sure about us; I think I'm ready to face the future at your side. It's kind of scary, though… not knowing what's to come.”

“But that's normal, koishii; I promise that I'll protect you… forever.” Yashita's promise was sealed with a long, sweet kiss that ended too soon. “For old time's sake,” he murmured, pulling Kagome to her feet, then half-turned and crouched. Her face broke out into a sunny smile, and she moved his braid out of the way before eagerly draping herself over his back and clasping her hands on his chest. Yashita deliberately slid his hands up her bare thighs, enjoying the silky feel of her skin as he hiked her a little higher before straightening. She giggled, knowing full well what he was doing, and wriggled her hips in a highly suggestive manner. “Stop that, wench… I haven't done this for a while, you know. Wouldn't want to lose my balance and maybe fall over on top of you…”

Kagome glanced around at the silent ranks of sun-dappled grave markers and shivered. “Uh, no… as attractive as that offer is, I don't think I want an audience.”

“Are you kidding? Miroku would be cheering us on!”

He followed the path through the cemetery garden, thoroughly enjoying Kagome's weight against his back and her warm skin under his hands. She was humming softly; every so often, she pressed a light kiss to the side of his neck. Just before they reached the gate, he invoked his concealment spell and carried her right out into the courtyard.

Grandpa Higurashi stood next to Yashita's motorcycle, chatting to a pair of police officers. “Oh, shit,” he groaned, letting Kagome slide off his back just outside the fence.

“Broke a few ordinances on your way here?”

“As soon as Shimano told me, I was outta there like greased lightning… crap.” Yashita drew himself up to his full height, tossed his braid over his shoulder, firmly clasped Kagome's hand in his, and strode across the paving. “Is there a problem, officer?” he pleasantly inquired, and Kagome couldn't quite stifle her smile as she watched the two rather short traffic police look up… waaay up… to take in the sight of her broad-shouldered husband in all his camouflage-clad glory.

“Ah, er… yes… we had reports of a motorcycle matching this one's description attaining speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour along city streets.” The older officer twiddled with his pen, obviously taken aback that he was dealing with an imposing adult, not a smart-ass teen, while his younger sidekick just gaped.

“I had a family emergency,” Yashita replied, glancing down at Kagome, who immediately adopted a doe-eyed expression and moved closer to his side.

“That is no excuse for treating our traffic laws with such a cavalier attitude,” fulminated the officer, flipping open his ticket book and attempting to reclaim the high ground. “Your name?”

“Major Yashita Nishiyori.”

“I didn't ask for your rank,” he fussily pointed out, scribbling away. “Occupation?”

“Instructor, Imperial Military Academy,” came the terse reply; Kagome soothingly stroked the back of Yashita's hand as it seemed he might let loose with a full-throated growl.

“Your place of employment is immaterial… what?” he demanded, turning to glare at his sidekick, who was tugging on his sleeve. The younger man whispered urgently in his ear, and Kagome was vastly amused when the elder's expression changed from irritation to something akin to horror. Then she realized that her grandfather was also enjoying the show, his lips twitching.

The ticket book snapped shut, and the officer bowed very, very low. “Forgive my impertinence, Lord Yashita; I think it best for all parties if this incident went unreported, yes?” He was visibly sweating, while his subordinate beamed guilelessly at the `celebrities'.

“Won't you have to explain that spoiled ticket?” Yashita asked smoothly, his stance relaxing ever so slightly.

“Ah, er… let me worry about that, my lord!” the officer chirped, waving the book agitatedly. “We'll, um, return to our regular patrol. Have a nice day!” Kagome hid her smile in Yashita's sleeve as both officers practically fell over themselves in their haste to enter their patrol car.

As the vehicle backed away prior to turning around and beating a retreat down the access road, she chortled, “Membership in the House of the West has its privileges, huh?”

“Don't worry; Sessaki will give me hell just on principle,” he grinned, then turned to the senior Higurashi. “Thanks for the phone call, Higurashi-san.”

The old man straightened, and brandished his broom in Kagome's direction. “Take her home with you this instant, young man; we'll send the rest of her things later. Go on, granddaughter. Your husband has been very patient… far more so than I would have been in his place… and the time has come for you to move on.”

Kagome skipped over and gave her grandfather a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “You're absolutely right, Ojii-chan. When Mom and Tou… er, Dad, return, tell them that I'll be in touch, okay?” As she let go, he blessed both of them; she bowed and then gifted him with a bright smile before returning to her husband's side. Yashita gave him a steady look before slightly inclining his head, and he stiffly returned the gesture.

Yashita quickly bundled Kagome into his fatigue jacket and helmet, unable to contain his pleased grin when she settled herself behind him on the saddle of his motorcycle. The young woman paused while making sure her skirt was safely out of the way of tailpipes and gears to wave cheerfully at her grandfather. As the bike roared to life and rumbled away, Grandpa Higurashi wiped a tear from the corner of his rheumy eye. “Dusty this spring,” he muttered to no one in particular, energetically sweeping the paving stones.

Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð–

If his ears had been visible through the concealment spell, they would have been flattened into his hair as the wind nipped at his exposed arms and face. Yashita fought the impulse to hunch forward over the gas tank, because that would move him slightly away from the young woman plastered against his back, the one wearing his fatigue jacket and his helmet, the one with her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, her bare legs tucked snugly into the angle of his own as they both straddled his speeding motorcycle.

Home. We're on our way home…

He obeyed all the speed limits and the traffic lights between the shrine and the apartment, despite the urgings of his youki to get them there sooner rather than later. Sessaki's gonna kill me for taking off without permission, but hopefully he'll wait a decent interval before giving me the gears. I'm damn sure he's not stupid enough to show up at the apartment for the next couple of days! Their building came into sight halfway up the next block, and his heart rate surged in anticipation. Kagome's arms tightened in acknowledgement; at the final red light, he dropped one hand to cover hers where they clasped in front of his waist.

As they rolled down the ramp to sensor controlling the parking garage's gate, he asked, “Pass my wallet?” Kagome fished in his pockets until she extracted the leather billfold, then waved it and the coded card it contained in front of the electronic eye. The gate began creaking upward; he waited until it was barely high enough before ducking them under the steel grating and accelerating towards his parking stalls, one of which was already occupied by a shiny red motorcycle emblazoned with a snarling white dog logo.

Yashita put down the kickstand as Kagome slid off the seat behind him; angling the front forks, he grinned as she took off his helmet and tried to fluff her flattened hair. He reached out and scrubbed his fingertips through the short strands, saying, “Fat chance, koishii.” Taking the helmet from her hands, he slid his arm around her and pulled her against his side. Kagome gave him a heart-melting smile and wrapped her arm around his waist, tucking her fingers into his back pocket and mischievously squeezing. Yashita couldn't wipe the grin off his face as he ushered the young woman towards the elevator.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, Yashita impatiently pulled Kagome inside and punched the number for their floor. Once the doors slid closed, the atmosphere between them subtly shifted and became charged. As he turned towards her, she curled her fingers into his khaki t-shirt and pulled him down for a heated kiss that instantly ignited the simmering desire weaving between them.

His motorcycle helmet bounced off the floor as Yashita swept her up against him and then pinned her against the wall, his erection going from hard to harder in a split-second. Kagome gasped, wrapping her legs around his hips and her arms around his neck as he shoved her skirt out of the way while kissing her hungrily, exulting in her eager response, in the heat of her mouth and in her whimpering moans. Supporting her weight with one hand, he deftly sliced away her panties with the other; the air between them filled with her aroused scent. Kagome made a surprised noise when the material of his t-shirt came into contact with her most intimate flesh; jamming the scrap of lace into his pocket, he yanked up on the khaki fabric to press his naked abdomen against her. When her hips rocked urgently, he groaned into her mouth while fumbling one-handed with his buckle and then his fly. He'd only managed to pop the top button when the elevator began to slow.

“Dammit,” he growled, tearing his mouth away from hers and leaning over to punch the glowing letters for the top floor of the building.

Kagome giggled breathily into his chest. “What're you gonna do if someone's waiting to get on the elevator on our floor?”

“Tell `em they're out of luck, because this one's going up… all the way…” he rumbled, then asked in confusion, “Oi… when did you become shorter? I used to be able to reach your neck when we did it this way in the shower…”

Kagome tilted back her head, smirking. “You're a few inches taller now than you were then… you haven't noticed that you're now eye-to-eye with your brother?”

“Well, shit. Gonna have to practice a few times,” he muttered, managing to unbutton the rest of his fly and free his erection from his boxers, then aligned himself with Kagome's slick entrance and took her in a single hard thrust.

Kagome inhaled sharply at his abrupt invasion, her eyes going wide and dark as her body adjusted; Yashita hooked her legs over his elbows, spreading her thighs even wider, and set a driving rhythm that left her breathless. She barely noticed when the elevator doors briefly opened and shut, or when the car began its descent. Yashita cursed, flattened her hips against the wall and reached over to punch the correct button.

“To be continued,” he grunted before slowly withdrawing from her wet heat and propping her up once her feet touched the floor. Kagome found that her legs simply did not wish to support her weight so she clung to him while he straightened her skirt and organized his clothing into some semblance of order… and she was amused to note that the concealment spell apparently didn't extend to his pubic hair.

She was about to say something when Yashita made her yelp for a different reason when he stooped to scoop his discarded helmet and casually slung her over his shoulder at the same time. “Inuyasha! What if someone sees…!” She thumped his back, then let out a startled squeak when he nipped her bare thigh as he adjusted his hold.

“It's the middle of the day, and nearly everyone on this floor is at work,” he jocularly reassured her, stepping out of the elevator… and nearly knocking over a lady waiting in front of the doors. The middle-aged woman raked him with a decidedly disapproving look; too late, he moved his helmet to disguise his rumpled shirt, unbuttoned fly, and obvious bulge.

“Good afternoon, Nishiyori-san,” she said in a very crisp tone; he nodded agreeably. The young woman draped over his shoulder went very still indeed.

“Good afternoon, Kurosaki-san,” he gravely answered. “I don't believe you've met my wife… Kagome, this is Mrs. Kurosaki. She's our next-door neighbour.” He turned, so that a red-faced Kagome could stammer out a greeting, but didn't offer to put her down; Mrs. Kurosaki scanned the familiar fatigue jacket and the wedding band adorning the young woman's finger, then crossed Yashita off the list of `nice young men' to introduce to her granddaughter.

“Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Nishiyori. Honeymoon wasn't long enough?” she blandly replied before sailing off into the elevator.

Kagome covered her face with her hands as the doors slid closed. “I cannot believe this is how I met our neighbour… I'll never be able to look her in the eye!”

Yashita chortled as he strode up the hall towards their apartment. “It could have been much, much worse, koishii. Just imagine if she'd walked in on us?”

“Oh, that makes me feel so much better,” she grumbled, punching his back again as he carried her through the door.

Turning the lock, Yashita crouched to set Kagome on her feet and swallowed her remonstrations with a savage kiss, using the collar of his fatigue jacket to drag her up against him. He let go long enough to pull the garment off her shoulders; Kagome took the opportunity to escape his grip, determined to give him hell… just a little… for introducing Mrs. Kurosaki to her `best side'. Kicking off her shoes, she skittered out of reach, unintentionally challenging him to pursue her.

She really should have known better.

The jacket and the helmet dropped to the floor; Yashita's amber eyes narrowed as his concealment spell vanished, and he took a step towards her, a warning growl rumbling the air between them. The sound made her stomach flutter, but she stood her ground… until a purely predatory smirk crossed his handsome face. Making sure he had her full attention, he slowly stripped off his shirt and tossed it, then began loosening his braid. Kagome's mouth went dry as she admired his lean muscled torso, his blue hip markings curling up above the lowered waistband of his trousers as he shook his hair free. The exposed `v' of skin below his navel drew her eyes like a magnet, and the bulge directly beneath that made her swallow hard in anticipation.

Yashita's expression grew positively feral as he prowled forward; Kagome snapped out of her lust-induced haze and put the kitchen table between them. They feinted back and forth a few times until he lunged over the top. Giggling, Kagome darted between the furniture into the living area, only to collide with Yashita's chest as he vaulted the couch. Spreading his legs wide, he pulled her hard against his erection. “Thought you said you were done running?” he pointed out, nibbling daintily on her sensitive earlobe.

“I just… ooohhh… stop that, dog-boy… how'm I supposed to… when you're doing… uuuhhh… that…” Her knees buckled, her eyes fluttering closed as his tongue traced a heated line down the side of her throat. Powerful arms tightened in response as her ability to remain upright failed.

“Stop? Not until you've screamed my name a few times,” he purred, peeling her out of her cardigan in a single motion while mouthing the crook of her neck and suggestively rocking his hips.

“Mmm… isn't the bed… that way?” she moaned, her head falling back as he cupped her breast, rubbing his thumb over her nipple through the soft fabric of her dress until she was squirming against his hard body.

“Bed? We'll get there… eventually…” Yashita murmured from the vicinity of her collarbone. He bent her over backwards to reach her breasts; Kagome arched herself further, trying to push herself more firmly against that wicked tongue while he set about undressing her. The floral fabric rustled around her slim ankles a few seconds later and she was naked in his arms, her grey eyes dark with arousal.

Reaching behind him, he snagged the blanket off the back of the couch and stretched around her to flip the thick material onto the low coffee table before guiding her to a seat on the edge. Catching hold of her chin, he stooped to bestow a soft kiss before straightening. Kagome immediately reached for his hip markings, intently watching as he slowly eased the tough camouflage-patterned trousers down his muscular thighs, revealing a part of his body that was most definitely delighted to see her.

Kicking aside the discarded clothing, Yashita was briefly mesmerized when Kagome slowly licked her lips, her gaze fastened considerably lower than his face. Fisting his erection, he watched her keenly following the motions of his hand as he slowly pumped. “Do you want to taste me?” he asked hoarsely, vividly recalling the sensations of her mouth wrapped around his flesh.

Kagome met his heavy-lidded glance with a positively smouldering look and then leaned forward, her lips parting; he forced himself to hold still, whining with the effort, as she kissed and lightly sucked the velvety tip before her wet tongue caressed his length all the way back to where his hand gripped the base of his shaft. He dropped his free hand onto her shoulder, allowing his hips to move but controlling the thrusts to keep them shallow while she teased his tip with quick little flicks of her tongue. A long, low whimper leaked out of his throat as sweat began to trickle down his brow; he threw his head back and groaned loudly as Kagome took him into her mouth, working her tongue and teeth around the sensitive ridge until his knees shook.

Breathing hard, Yashita pulled back and pushed her flat on the table, taking her mouth in a slow, heated kiss before slowly moving down her body, kissing and licking her warm skin, drinking in her aroused scent. Smirking wickedly, Yashita paid her hard nipples a final round of attention before he slid off the table and knelt between her open thighs. Draping her legs over his shoulders and resting her feet on the couch cushions behind him, he trailed light kisses over the tender skin of her inner thigh, loving how her breath caught and her scent spiked at the attention.

Kagome let out a sharp gasp when Yashita drew his tongue in a long, slow swipe over her slick folds, followed by a gentle nibble on her sensitive nub that made her hips come right up off the table. The hanyou grinned arrogantly at her response, then set to with a will. Licking, sucking, nibbling, he listened with satisfaction to her gasping moans and thundering heart beat. Sliding his tongue deeply inside her, he cut loose with a long, low growl just to see what the vibration would do.

Her ragged cry was highly encouraging, as was the way her thighs clenched on either side of his head, so he did it again and again, until she was tensed and so close…

Kagome dug her fingers into the blanket, pushing up against his mouth, her toes curling into the couch cushions, her entire being focussed on the incredibly erotic sensations Yashita was causing. The motions of his tongue stopped briefly as his fingers circled her wrists and moved her hands to cup her breasts. “Touch yourself for me,” he commanded. As he resumed his sweet torment, he watched her thumbs and forefingers roll her nipples in time with his rapidly flicking tongue. Dropping one hand to stroke his aching erection, he stepped up his attentions as her moans and gasping cries filled the apartment. Kagome trembled, went briefly still, and then her back arched just before she screamed loudly enough that he had to snap his ears flat.

The aftershocks shook her entire body as he slowly dragged his tongue over her sensitized flesh, until she whimpered a protest and tried to twist her hips away. Pressing a pair of kisses on each quivering thigh, Yashita slowly moved up her body, leaving a trail of loving touches on Kagome's warm, damp skin, until they were face to face and heart to heart. She gazed at him with misty eyes, her lips slightly parted as she caught her breath; Yashita laced his fingers with hers while kissing her tenderly.

“Th-thank you,” she whispered against his lips, and he smiled softly.

“Hold onto me,” he urged, bringing her arms up around his shoulders. Kagome linked her hands behind his neck as he lifted her off the table and sat back on his heels, then held her steady with one hand as he reached between them. Rubbing the tip of his erection against her slick folds, he growled as she slid down his shaft, enveloping his rigid length in mind-blowing velvet heat.

They held each other tightly, consumed in the moment of being so deeply joined that they were content to remain that way for a while… until his thigh muscles began loudly protesting at the strain. In an only slightly awkward movement, Yashita levered them both up onto the couch at his back without banging his knees on the coffee table in the process. Kagome sat up, her eyes still hazy as she cupped his face and ran her thumbs along his cheek stripes. Leaning in, she rained tiny kisses over the blue markings before taking his mouth in a deep, wet kiss.

Yashita slowly skimmed his hands over her sleek curves as they kissed, revelling in her warmth and the play of soft skin over firm muscle. Desire surged when Kagome sighed into his mouth and began sensuously grinding her hips. Spreading his legs wide, he planted his heels into the floor and slammed upwards; when she protested a little, he took a steadying grip on her waist as he continued rapidly thrusting into her.

“Hold me down… too strong,” she gasped, her breasts bouncing from his powerful movements. He clamped tightly onto her hips, his claws prickling, and pulled her down hard as he pushed up. Kagome gave up trying to keep pace and just held on as Yashita grunted, groaned and growled beneath her until his hips came right off the couch as he roared his orgasm. Every muscle stood out in high relief, sweat rolling down his temples and blood beading on his lip as he shuddered, his body pulsing deeply inside her. She brushed back his bangs, pressed gentle kisses to his forehead and cheeks as he slowly relaxed into the cushions. When she licked away the drop of blood, sucking lightly on his lower lip, he opened his bronzed eyes and smiled lazily up at her.

“That was worth waiting for,” he rasped, sliding his hands around her back and pressing her close, sighing contentedly into her hair. He made no move to change their position until Kagome shivered. “Cold?” At her nod, he sat them forward and grabbed the blanket off the table. Shaking out the soft material, he draped it over her shoulders just before he lifted her away from his body and rearranged her legs so that she was cradled in his lap. Holding her firmly, he laid them both down on the couch and fussed with the blanket until they were covered. “Rest now, koishii, and regain your strength.”

Kagome blinked. “We're still making up for lost time?” she asked, puzzled.

Yashita just grinned toothily, revelling in the way her slender body fitted against his. “We haven't christened the kitchen table… the floor… the bathroom… the terrace…” he drawled, stroking his thumb along her jaw.

Smiling crookedly, she poked him in the chest. “Take it easy on me… I'm only human,” she teased, without a trace of regret.

“A fucking amazing human,” he replied, kissing her thoroughly.

Kagome chuckled sleepily at his declaration. “It's good to be home,” she murmured, snuggling close; her breathing quickly steadied and deepened. Yashita kissed her again and allowed himself to doze off, secure in the knowledge that this time, she would be there when he woke up… forever.

Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð– Ð–