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Suffering and Rebirth	By : scattered-dimensions Category: InuYasha > Het - Male/Female > Sessh?maru/Kagome > Sessh?maru/Kagome Views: 8846 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 4
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any of the characters. This is for fun not monetary gain.

Chapter List
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Sesshomaru followed the ominous aura past the well near the Goshinboku and deep within the forest. There was a well beaten path that led to the river and the dark energy flowed freely here, almost chokingly so. He stopped and thought back to the old Miko’s explanation. No, there was no lie in the woman. She simply did not know.

He continued up the path, his youki reacting violently as he neared a gate surrounding a small piece of land. He could see the thatched roof of a hut just inside and smoke barreling from the roof. Someone was home. He took a tentative sniff of the air and his eyes flew wide. It was human.

“My, my, so many visitors I have these days.” A sultry voice said from the within shadows of the gate.

Sesshomaru’s eyes narrowed on the woman’s position. How was it that he hadn’t sensed her presence? This was an unnatural thing, something not to be taken lightly.

He watched her carefully as she approached. She was tall, wearing a simple kimono and no sandals. Her hair was knotted on top of her head and held there by a pair of chopsticks. All in all she looked completely unremarkable, just your average human woman, but the energy surrounding her said she was anything but. She locked emerald eyes on his and he saw anger swirl in them before the emotion receded.

“The ruler of the West? Well now, what would a great Taiyoukai be doing on my lands?” She asked contemplatively.

“Explain your existence to this Sesshomaru.” He commanded, not liking the disadvantage he clearly had against this possible threat.

“Tsk, tsk, Lord Sesshomaru. That would be telling.” She admonished and he felt his ire rise.

How dare she talk to him like that?! If she knew who he was, then she knew what he was capable of. He remained patient, however. He disliked engaging an enemy without proper knowledge of it first.

“Let me guess, you felt my aura and decided to investigate. Such a shame, really, I had been doing so well.” The last sentence she said more to herself then him.

So, she had purposely been trying to hide her existence. There was an ulterior motive for her being this close to the village, this close to Rin. He had to put a conscious effort towards not baring his fangs at the thought.

“You have a purpose here, this One would know it.” He stated and she outright laughed.

“This is my land, you silly dog, and I have a right to live as I please.” She answered.

He clamped his throat around the snarl threatening to rise from it. Once he got his answers, she would be disciplined accordingly for her disrespect.

“The others in the village know you are here.” He fished stamping down his anger for the moment.

She laughed again, a sound that grated on his quickly fraying nerves.

“Yes, they do and have done nothing. I am no threat to the village. They are not my concern.” She explained truthfully.

His eyes narrowed. He sensed no lie from her, but it was not to be trusted. These lands had been bewitched somehow and his senses were not working as they should.

“You have a purpose here.” It was not a question.

“Don’t we all?” She answered anyway with a sly smile.

They stood in silence for a moment. She tapped her finger to her painted lips as she thought and Sesshomaru regarded her with caution.

This woman was very powerful, but he could not pinpoint the source. It was as if the energy flowed from every recess of this secluded area, but she remained clouded as if she were not really standing before him. All he could smell was the scent of her mortality, the only inclination that she was not some kind of phantom.

It was frustrating. No mortal should be able to hold this kind of power. What exacerbated the issue was the feeling that he should know this woman. Something about her was familiar, but he would have remembered someone with her aura human or no.

“Forgive my rudeness, My Lord. It seems that being distant from the world of man has made me forget my manners. Would you like to come in? I will gladly offer you a cup of tea and answer your questions within reason, of course.” She offered sweetly.

Now she was more dangerous than she had been before. His wealth of knowledge told him so, but he could not sense any ill will directed towards him.

“Your name first.” He said smoothly, having no intentions of actually taking her up on the offer.

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten?”

No longer was her voice kind. It had taken on a hard edge and he finally sensed the danger. His eyes widened as a blast of purplish, black energy flew at him obscuring his view of the gated property and the strange woman. It reeked of holy power. She was a Miko!

He narrowly escaped the blast and landed a few yards away out of the energy’s trail. Once the reiki infused air calmed and the tingling on his skin disappeared, he headed back towards the hut, Bakusaiga drawn. She was not there.

Sesshomaru stormed through the gates and searched the small courtyard. Nothing. He briskly entered the hut, using his baser senses, knowing his youki would do him no good here, but still nothing. She had fled and to where he did not know. The power that had permeated this area was receding quickly.

He growled in irritation summoning his cloud and barreled back towards the village. The idiot hanyou might know who this dark Miko was and if not the lecherous houshi would. Besides, he needed to check on Rin. A deep sense of foreboding stuck in his gut like a heavy stone.

Noriko hid in the bushes outside of the hut in her cat form, all her energy focused on her barrier to keep herself hidden. The air escaped her lungs in a rush when she watched the incensed demon Lord fly off towards the village. She hadn’t expected to see him here. This was a human village. He hated humans. She huffed in frustration.

Needless to say, she had been confused and angered by his presence. He certainly did look every ounce like his father, minus the markings. Those were his mother’s, which made him an even more detestable sight to behold. She needed information, so she stuffed her misgivings down.

Everything had been going well until he asked her name. Foolish mutt. If he knew her name, he would surely guess her intentions and all would be lost. She couldn’t allow that. Her attack had been a diversion for her escape only. Never would she have engaged in combat with him. His youki was even stronger than his father’s and she still had work to accomplish before she died.

She padded out onto the path and took a long glance at her hut. She wouldn’t be able to return here. It was her own stupidity that caused this chance meeting. She had been so exhausted by her rage that she had let her control slip. No doubt he felt it and came to investigate. She sighed and began walking towards the village with a feral smile curling her lips.

This could work to her advantage, but it would take careful planning. Maybe the Taiyoukai did have a connection to the hanyou after all. They did favor, but only slightly. She’d have to be mindful of her every move from here on out. If Sesshomaru was lurking about the village then the old Miko was the least of her worries. She needed to get the ball rolling and quickly. Time for her had run out.

“Shika! Here kitty, kitty!” A voice called through the trees.

Well, this was most fortuitous indeed. Kagome’s powers were strong enough to possibly obscure her aura while in this lesser form. Her barrier was strong, but it was not infallible. This could be just what she needed, though she’d have to stick with the young woman like glue in order for it to work.

Noriko picked up her pace following her senses to Kagome who was stationary for the moment. She had been accompanied by the fire neko and the kit. Noriko rolled her eyes, but mewed anyway. It was the best way to gain attention as degrading as it was. The demons would hear her and get Kagome to investigate.

“Wait, Kagome. I heard something. You too, Kirara? Over here.”

Noriko sat down on her haunches and smiled ferally. Worked like a charm. She heard the group crunching through the underbrush before the trio came into view. This was her cue.

She mewed again when Kagome stepped on the path and trotted to her in what, she hoped, was taken as a happy greeting. Kagome knelt in the dirt and held out her arms. Noriko jumped into them and allowed the girl to bestow her affections. She even purred for added effect.

“What are you doing way out here, hmmm?” Kagome asked while scratching behind her ear and shivered, her head snapping up.

“This aura…it’s so strong.” She continued absently her grip lessening.

Noriko felt her heartbeat quicken when Kagome began taking steps towards her hut, but thankfully Kirara came to the rescue. The twin tail grabbed one of Kagome’s sleeves in its mouth and tugged with a pleading look on its face.

“Alright, we’ll go back.” Kagome said petting the huge cat’s head.

She climbed on Kirara’s back and clutched Noriko tightly to her chest. Shippo perched in front of her holding onto the twin tail’s fur.

“Don’t be frightened, Shika. We’ll be home before you know it.” Kagome cooed.

Noriko had a sudden sense of déjà vu when they lifted into the sky and her stomach flipped. She closed her eyes and buried her face in Kagome’s haori trying desperately to find some relief. Kami, she hated flying.

“So, she attacked you?” Miroku asked rubbing his chin. “How odd. When we encountered her, she didn’t seem violent.”

“Explain, monk.” Sesshomaru demanded and InuYasha snorted.

“We ain’t got to explain shit. I don’t blame her for taking a swipe at you.” The hanyou said from his seat next to the houshi.

Sesshomaru’s hands clenched into fists under the covering of his sleeves. He was in no mood for the half-breed’s lip today.

“InuYasha, Kagome would be very unhappy to hear you talk to your brother that way.” Miroku chastised.

“Half-brother.” They said in unison and they both scowled at one another until Miroku sighed.

“Yes, yes. My apologies to you both.”

Miroku stood from his seat and walked past the Taiyoukai to the door of his hut. He pulled the covering back, searching the perimeter, and nodded when he seemed satisfied that no one was eaves dropping. When he turned back around, the intensity on the houshi’s face caught Sesshomaru’s full attention. He knew something.

“Lord Sesshomaru, her name is Noriko, or Lady Noriko, considering that she is a priestess. However, I believe she may have ties to the West.”

Sesshomaru had heard this name before. The fact that she was a priestess was no surprise. He’d witnessed that first hand. He conjured the woman’s image in his mind. The familiarity was there in all its undeniable glory. What ties did she have to his domain? Who was she?

“The thing is, she’s not supposed to even be alive. I’ve heard stories about a Lady Noriko that used to serve your grandfather. It was said that she died shortly after your father became the Western Lord.” Miroku explained.

Yet more riddles. Sesshomaru wanted to sigh, but held it in. He would not show such things in front of his present company.

“So, it can’t be the same one. She’s human.” InuYasha exclaimed as if that was the end of the matter, case closed.

Miroku shook his head in the negative.

“I’m not so sure. The power she exuded to banish my sutras was very abnormal for an ordinary priestess, even for one with less than pure intentions. She would have to have centuries to build up that kind of reiki and to contain it would take centuries longer to master.”

Sesshomaru stood inside the human dwelling and listened with rapt attention. There were many mysteries in this world and just as many ways to prolong one’s life, but the cost was usually too high to ignore. The houshi knew more than what he was saying, but his explanations were enough. He had what he needed. Sesshomaru left the hut and located Jaken standing guard outside the old Miko’s home.

“Jaken, take Ah-Un and go to the West. This Sesshomaru requires information on a Miko that served my grandfather. Be quick or you will not enjoy the consequences.”

“Y-yes, milord. Right away.” Jaken replied nervously bowing until he was prostrate on the ground.

Sesshomaru flared his senses and discovered that the ominous aura had receded completely. She had left the area, but he doubted she’d gone far. Regardless what she said, she wanted something or someone in this village. He walked towards the Bone Eater’s well and decided to keep a vigil over his ward from the forest that shared his little brother’s name.

He settled himself against the Goshinboku and opened his mind allowing memories from his youth to filter through. Ah yes, he remembered now. It was a story he had been taught as part of the histories of the West, but he had not paid close attention. It was about a human after all and Noriko had not been present in his life at the time, so he had dismissed it as unnecessary information.

He had already made the absolute decision that he would not fall from the same weaknesses of his father and grandfather before him. Their downfalls had been directly related to humans. He would not be that foolhardy.

The tale was that an ordinary Miko named Lady Noriko approached his grandfather, the then Western Lord. She presented her beliefs to the court stating that mortals and youkai should work together. She was laughed at and mocked by Lord Masahiro’s advisors, but he silenced them quickly. He saw an opportunity to gain even further influence around his borders making the West more powerful than it had ever been and accepted her sworn oath to serve him.

Throughout the years, she travelled around the human villages and settlements expressing her Lord’s wishes and negotiated treaties of peace between the two parties. The West flourished with her aid and became the envy of the other lands. The Northern Lord attacked Lord Masahiro wounding him mortally.

A great war ensued after Lord InuTaishio took his father’s place. It lasted many years, but ended in victory for the Western Lands. The treaties that had begun to spring forth under the former Lord’s rule diminished and waned from the turmoil. The West suffered greatly for it, but recovered due to the honorable rulings of the Great Dog General and his mate.

Nothing further was said about the priestess as far as Sesshomaru could remember. He supposed that she may have stayed on and served his father in a small way, but considering his mother’s vehement hatred for mortals, he doubted it. Perhaps she died during the war and had given herself over to demons to extend her life or for the simplistic reason of power. Either way she was here now and had foolishly attacked him.

It was obvious that she hadn’t wanted him to know who she was, but even with her name and the histories involving her, her behavior made little sense. What was she up to? Was it vengeance she was after? No, surely not. His grandfather and father were long gone from this world and he had never encountered her before this day. Maybe InuYasha had angered her in some way.

Once again it didn’t add up. She would have attacked him when she had the opportunity. At any rate, she was here for a reason and he was certain all would be revealed if he waited long enough which suited him just fine. He hadn’t had a purpose to travel outside of his lands, other than Rin’s visits to Edo, since is search for Naraku. He could do with a change of scenery.

Jaken would be back soon with the information he requested, though that would probably be a fruitless venture, and Rin was nearby. She would need a constant vigil to make sure she was kept out of harm’s way. Sesshomaru was not going to expose his young ward to any unnecessary upheaval in her precious life. She had been through enough and he would kill anyone who tried anything remotely suspicious.

Sesshomaru felt the sting in his palm where his claws had lacerated the flesh. He relaxed himself and licked the blood away watching the skin mend itself back together. It was amazing how that small child had woven herself into every part of his life. She was one of a kind and he would defend her ‘til the end. She alone was deserving of his efforts and he would give her anything just as long as she remained smiling and happy.

Rin was not a weakness. She was a strength. She had taught him more than he ever thought possible from just her personality. Those who had tried to exploit their relationship had paid dearly and even though he had moved heaven and earth to save her from the clutches of those simpletons, he would have lopped off their heads eventually anyway. As far as he was concerned, his life had remained just as it had been, but he walked this earth with a higher sense of enlightenment because he had saved her that day.
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Suffering and Rebirth