Current mood:	curious
Entry tags:	r&r

Fanfic 7: Scent of a Woman
Part1. The Scent and the Seal.

Sesshomaru had watched her for a long time, she was an enigma to him, at first glance he had thought her nothing more then a worthless human, when she refused to die by his poison in his fathers tomb he had though it a fluke, then she shot him with an arrow, forever earning the title enemy in his head for he had failed to kill her twice, not that his inner self agreed, no his inner self rather liked the fiery miko. His inner self’s admission to liking the female had him on edge and though he would hate to admit it even his conscious side tended to like her extravert tendencies. She was untrained as a miko, and though his half-brother could be heard constantly complaining about her weakness’ over time, he had seen and heard differently. This female was a selfless creature and always willing to allow the world to walk over her in order to make others happy. She was protective, and dangerous when threatened to extremes, he truly admired her for being a human, possibly one of the few to cross him and live to tell the story of it.

Kagome was her name, deep down his inner self had realized her potential and it was soon after that he had taken the ward, Rin. He knew perfectly well why he’d taken the girl child under his wing, a test to see if something so frail could bring him strength that his half-brother seemed to draw from the fiery woman. He had seen first hand how Kagome’s actions with his half-brother had given the whelp strength, and that above all he craved, though he had not anticipated the emotional challenges that came with having a human ‘pet’ so to speak, he had grown to love the female child in his own way, as she was a constant reminder of Her, Kagome. The strength he felt from being around the small child was proof enough to him that love was no weakness…not that he would show off this new found knowledge, no he would keep it to himself until the time was right, above all now he needed to figure out his intentions towards the human miko.

Her damned-able scent was the breaking point though, sakura, orange blossoms and tea were the foremost scents but lingering underneath it was the scent of moonflowers, a scent indicative of only inu youkai, even himself and Inuyasha smelled of it, under the stronger scents of male that were both his own and his half-brothers, moonflowers were what kept him awake thinking about her. The scent of a woman destined to be his enemy drove him crazy with want, he blamed both her and the half-breed for his lust for her, his brother because he had something coveted beyond what he once wanted of Tetssaiga, and her because she flaunted herself about, seemingly unknowingly in small flagrant clothing not fit for whores. But he was no fool, it had only taken a few trips following the travelers of his half-brothers pack to realize she was not of this time which explained her strong tongue, her unique knowledge of things only well educated should know, the lack of common knowledge that any human should in this time should have, it had proven to make her more understandable. She was a stranger to this time, he knew that, and yet she seemed suited here.

Vaguely he knew his inner self was to blame as well, her scent reminded him that a mate was necessary, that an heir was necessary, and more then anything he wanted that with her. Sesshomaru wanted to possess her, to take her, hide her and bury deep within her his seed, and yet that same thought repulsed him to the point of being near physical sickness. To have her in such a way would be dooming himself to follow in his fathers footsteps, and as much as he wanted her, he loathed the idea of such a fate, being so weak.  Which brought him to his current position, waiting near her well, the portal to her home, that had also been a reason to follow her, everything about her was an enigma, she was as open as a book, and yet to understand her it was like reading a foreign language. The woman had been gone for a while now, the jewel was complete, Naraku dead, and killed by the very female herself nearly a year before.

He had found that she was usually away now-a-days finishing higher forms of education, yet another reason he could not stop the want he had for her, educated females were rare, and usually were only hime’s or miko’s, though she was a miko, her education boarded on that of a higher youkai‘s possibly more being from the future. She would be returning soon, he some how missed her, yet he was not known to be around her often, his presence had been growing, he often brought Rin to her and the huntress, as well as the old miko.  His once young ward was growing with age and in need of some form of training, though the idea of another miko or youkai hunter was a bit annoying to him, he indulged the whim of his ward.

Sesshomaru knew more then anything that he would have to end this odd obsession he had with the miko, they were concluding the hunts for the last shards when she returned and he thought soon she would be leaving the past not to return again. As his luck would have it, Naraku in a last attempt to ruin the hunting parties lives, re-shattered the jewel, making another few years worth of work for his little miko and keeping her coming back. She had grown so much in three years, at first she’d been so small and scrawny, untrained, worthless, just another worthless human. Now though, near the age of eighteen, she had become far more shapely, her long legs longer, her sun kiss skin perfectly tanned all over, even her hair seemed to obey her wishes now as it had never before.

Sitting there near the well he became lost in thoughts, thoughts that would upset him later but the same thoughts drove him to follow this woman with everything he had. Little did the dreaming lord know that life for the little miko was not going according to plan. On her side of the well she was turning eighteen soon… within days, the age of an adult, barely graduating high school with a low B average, she had no plans for college just yet, with more reasons then just going back in forth in time, her mother had been sick for over a year now. No doctor could tell them what was wrong and after a while her mother refused to go altogether.

Sayuri Higurashi was a stubborn woman, she like her father before her had been born with high spiritual powers, she came from a long line of spiritual beings. The sickness that was suddenly claming her health had nothing to do with a sickness at all, years of surprising her daughters powers had begun to wear her thin. Before Kagome fell in the well it was easy, simply a matter of keeping the growing spiritual powers in check, and the demonic powers dormant. Sayuri had never planned in her life that Kagome would be pulled from this time into the well to the feudal era, and since having completed her miko training on the other side, her demonic powers had woken up and began to fight the suppression. Sayuri knew she could seal away the demonic powers for good, but that would doom Kagome to the life of a human, something she just was not, something that was not her destiny.

“Eighteen.” Sayuri said to herself more then anyone else, she remembered so many little moments when her daughter had done something cute, laying in her bed, she looked at the woman her daughter was becoming. Sighing she knew it was time to tell her the truth. “Kagome?” The young woman with hip length onyx hair looked at her mother.

“Yes momma?” she answered concerned for her mothers health.

“All your life you will be my daughter, as long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be. But there is something I have to tell you, it involved your fate in this world and maybe my own.” she said still calmed but pained seeing her daughters confused face. “Did you know there are other demons in this time Kagome?” came her peaceful voice. Her daughter shook her head ‘no.’ “Do you know why you can’t feel them and why they cant since the jewel shards you bring back with you?” again Kagome shook her head no. “Well I supposed I did a good job then. Kagome, you were not born from my body, though in my heart you will always be my daughter, we are of no relation.” Sayuri said, watching the play of emotions on her daughters face. Confusion was most evident, and yet understanding as well.

“I have to say for some time I’ve thought as much, I look nothing like either you or father, and my eyes… they’re blue, not brown, no one in our family has blue eyes.” Kagome said with a sad smile. “But Momma, it is okay if I still call you momma right?” she asked tentatively earning a slight smile from the woman she knew only as mother. “If your not my mother, then how do you know my birthday? And who are my parents? Why does this involve your fate as well?” she questioned hitting the ones on top of her head first. Sayuri sighed it was time she knew everything. Leaning up and opening the dresser draw of the nightstand she pulled out a well handled book, opening it to a page in the middle was an old piece of parchment paper and handed them to Kagome.

Picking it up Kagome read the letter aloud.

Miko Sayuri of the Land of the Southern Star,

I have seen both a holy miko, and a demonic seer and have come to the conclusion that I have no way to save my daughter but to abandon her to time, and allow her to fulfill her destiny. I have foreseen that she will be planted more then five hundred years from where I am now, and that she will be found by a young couple who long for a child. You will be foolish and hide her markings and her power, for that, I will forgive you for the love you will show her will know no bounds. She will grow too powerful though, and one day that power will consume your own, eventually causing your death.

For this I am sorry, I would hope that you allow her the choice to make, for I know your heart better then you might think, like myself you will do anything to save her hardship, though some cannot be helped. You must allow her to grow, she is not meant to stay, only to live for a time until she can return. I in trust you Sayuri and Kenshi Higurashi with my most precious treasure, the light of my life, and the hope for all our future, Lady Kagome of the Radiant Southern Star, heir to the southern lands.

Lord Shinosamu of the Southern Star

Kagome could hardly believe it, she looked at her mother as thought it were a joke, Sayuri though gave her a serious face and pulled the book the letter had been pressed in handing it to her daughter as well. Kagome looked over the pages, it was a book of mythology based on Japanese demons. Sighing she noticed it was almost in the middle of the story but the page was on a part about the southern lands, Kagome began to read aloud.

“The proud Inu youkai did the only thing he could to save his only child and heir, his daughter from the slaughter of the unrelenting panther and tiger demons of his lands who were lead by his own younger brother, once the Southern Star had been allied with the traitorous youkai, but those allies grew thin. It was said that his younger brother had received word that an heir had been born, and that the fates had hidden within her the sacred Shikon Jewel, lost to time years before when the priestess protecting it was killed by her hanyou lover. His only hope was abandoning her to time and the fates, he sealed the well of time, allowing no demons to pass through and died at the sight. Some said that a dark hanyou, or half breed demon, had instigated hatred among the demon villages in The Great Southern Star’s territory, others insisted that it was Shinosamu’s love of the human race that was his down fall, all of this is just ledged but part of the story was been validated. The well he supposedly dropped his infant daughter in and the same sight of his death, lays upon the Higurashi shrine grounds to this day, it is called the ‘Bone Eaters Well’ and is said to have the abilities to rid the world of whatever demonic reelect is placed within its walls, vanishing into thin air or a wash of blue light. Upon visiting the shrine, the care takers dismissed much of this story saying it was all folk lore, but that the well was there alone has given light to such a fabled story.” Kagome finished.

“But…” Kagome staggered. Reading it all in print and the hand written letter from her real father Shinosamu, that she was a demon? She wanted nothing more then to cry. Closing her eyes she shook her head willing this to be a lie, to be a dream.  A cool hand founds its way to her lap causing the girl to look into tear filled eyes.

“Its your choice now Kagome, if you go, then no one will judge you, and maybe in time we might meet you again. If you stay, you will give up everything you were truly meant to have, everything I cannot give you, your birthright.” her mothers eyes began to glow, as did her hand, suddenly Kagome’s insides screamed at her to remove herself from the spiritual powers peaking from the frail woman. And yet her own spiritual powers cooed at the embrace, her body burned a bit, her cheeks and forehead hurt the most, along with a general ache of her whole body. Looking at the woman known only to her as mother, Kagome questioned.

“What’s happening.” she asked, her voice shaking.

“I’m releasing the seal I placed on you when I found you so many years ago.” she said smiling. “It will only be for a moment, so you can see what you should look like.” she said warmly. Kagome nodded and then stood to look in the full length mirror her mother had. Kagome’s jaw basically dropped. If at all possible her body seemed to become curvaceous, and womanly, taller if possible, her hair had grown long like ever demon she knew. She was beautiful, but it was not truly her. Looking at the mirror the spell began to fade and she turned back into her human form. Finding her words again Kagome asked the one question that would make the difference for her.

“If I stay this way, as a human, the seal you’ll place on me to do it, it will kill you won’t it? That’s why it involves your fate as well?” tears were already forming at her mothers eyes. “That’s what’s kept you sick this whole time hasn’t it?” her mother nodded. Looking downcast Kagome stood. “Then my choice is an easy one, allow me one day to tell my friends, and then release the spell, live your life well, I’ll see you again soon, thank you momma.” Kagome was already at the door when her mother stopped her dead in her tracks.

“KAGOME!” Kagome was crying by now.  

“I’m sure momma, you’ve always been there for me when I needed you, now I’ll be there for you, release the spell 24 hours after I leave, and get well, if I’m a demon then I will see you again.” she said calmly, though on the inside she was in a panicky, she wouldn’t let her mother know she was so confused, that she didn’t want to leave. But Kagome knew her mother, for her to stay as she was here in this time, she would kill her mother slowly, to let the seal be broken in this time would cause unwanted attention, and then she had an uncle to deal with, and lands to see over. Duty and Honor called out to her like never before.

“Take these then, you might need them.“ she said giving her daughter the parchment and the book on demon history as a mythology. She was about to leave after grabbing the book and paper when her mother’s voice called again, “Kagome.“ the young woman looked at her mother, who held up a small pendent, she walked over to it as Sayuri held it to her. “This was with you when we found you, I fell its demonic spirit, but it is not evil, I think it was supposed to teach you, from your real father.“ Taking the pendent from her mother she placed it around her neck, Kagome smiled her winning smile and caused her mother to tear up as well. Walking from the room she went to pack the necessary objects and clothing pieces she would need to remain in the feudal era for good. Packing mostly panties, and bra’s Kagome also packed a toothbrush, and a few bars of soap. She didn’t know what she would do when she got to her real time, for the first time, in years she would be home, though it would not feel like it. Kagome heard her door open slowly, turning to see who it was, Kagome noticed both her grandfather and brother standing there, an unreadable look on both their faces.

“So she’s told you?” asked her grandfather.

“You knew also?” Kagome asked.

“I was the one who told her how, though I hadn’t had an idea why, then, I’m glad I helped them. I do love you, it will be hard for us all.” Said her grandfather.

“Just don’t make her sick again.” was all her brother said before leaving. Kagome wanted to cry but instead she pulled herself together and mustered a face of indifference she’d seen on Sesshomaru so many times before.

“I know this hurts but he’s worried, be the strong gi-- Woman, I know you are. Kagome, be careful.” she nodded her head as the man she knew only as ji-can who was about to leave.

“Ji-chan, make sure she releases the seal in 24 hours, I’ve asked her to do so, to save her, but we both know where I get my stubbornness from. Make her if you have to.” Kagome ordered before standing with her pack and making her way downstairs and to the well, looking back over her childhood home, in the dying light it was beautiful, she’d have to wait five hundred years to see it again, turning to go in the well she stopped when she heard her name being called out by her mother.

“Kagome! Wait!” she panted hard coming over to the well, both Ji-chan and Souta were out on the porch watching the exchange. “I know better then any that I can’t change your mind once its made up, but I want you to have this, tomorrow at sundown, I’ll release it, and here.” she handed her a large wrapped gift and a picture of her ‘father and mother’ as well as one with just her, Souta, Sayuri, and Ji-chan, one they’d taken the Christmas before.

“Thank you!” exclaimed Kagome, while throwing her arms around her mother. “I love you momma” she said turning and jumping right into the well. Sayuri fell to her knees the second the light faded, knowing she might never see Kagome again.

Part 2. An interesting turn of events.

Blue light brought the demon lord out of his thoughts, as he knew the girl in those thought had just returned. He could always feel her aura; it was horribly obvious that she was ridiculously powerful, and completely untrained. Her usual like pink aura leaked from her very being, having no control to stop it, he had witnessed either at his own expenses or in travel that she only seemed to dawn control when fits of emotions raged within her. Sesshomaru waited, usually it only took a moment for the bright yellow bag to be thrown from the well shaft, and then moments later the top of her raven head would grow like a sprout from its depths. Minutes seem to grow long as no yellow bag came forth, no head full of onyx tress appeared, he needed to find out why the most sorrowful aura he’d ever felt was coming from the well, surely it could not be the fiery female with the fast tongue.

Leaping from his hiding spot, Sesshomaru walked towards the well, the closer he got the stronger the aching sorrow filled the air with heavy melancholy. Peering down he could see that she sat at the bottom of the well, some bulging brown wrapped package of sorts along with her yellow bag, her body and shoulders visibly racking with her soundless sobs. He wondered what could have happened to leave her like this, he rather liked her when she was mad and fearless, this side of her he didn’t like at all, and it reflected the flaw in her, her humanity.

Kagome had felt him around them for longer then she could remember, his demonic aura lashing out reaching and brushing against her pure one, caressing her own aura with his.  Sesshomaru brought his daughter to them, and would leave, but he never really go. Then there were times when he would just be around, not fighting with his brother, just there. He’d stay out of all of their ranges except hers. She sometimes wondered if he knew and was doing it on purpose, or if he had thought so little of her that she couldn’t feel his presence, either way she was tired from her emotional issues, tired from stress, and mostly she just wanted for a little while to be left alone to her thoughts.

Kagome also knew that all too soon, a red clad hanyou would be on his way, and right now she did not feel like dealing with him or his brother. Inuyasha was an emotionally challenged, he was like a horrible train wreck, fascinating, and yet a mess no matter how you looked at it. He hadn’t really been the same though, not since Kikyo die. Again, she thought. More often then not he was even more short tempered, often silent, and more or less always brooding.

Inuyasha had pushed her away, and Kagome had allowed it. She knew more then anything, at least at the time, that she wanted to be with Inuyasha, but as time wore on, she felt as though a weight had been lifted from her, and more and more, the love she felt for him was brotherly, more then that of a lover. Chasing her feelings away with a large sigh Kagome focused on the here and now. Here at the bottom of the well where her father had dropped her into time, and died trying to save her from a certain death from her power hungry uncle. She sat and waited; Kagome could feel him looking down, so without so much as tilting her head towards him she asked no louder then her normal speech, “What do you want Sesshomaru?”

To say that he was shocked would be an understatement, he had stalked up to the well without a sound, hid his presence, and his scent as well, not that she could smell him, no that little trick was for his brother. Looking down he gave a curt “Hn.” Before moving away from the well, taking this all in Kagome gave a small ‘Mona Lisa smiles’, neither happy nor upset, she tossed her yellow backpack up the well and over its lip, taking the parcel her mother had given her and placing it between her legs she pulled herself out.

Sesshomaru watched as the tattered yellow bag was thrown up, then moments later when he saw the delicate and creamy skin of her hand finding the lip of the ancient well, followed shortly there after but a stock of onyx tress. He watched she pulled herself up and over, tossing a long creamy tanned leg over as well followed by another, until she sat with legs crossed looking very sexy regal and sullen all at the same time, damn temptress, he thought. “Miko, why do you sit at the bottom of the well in such a way?” he asked. Her reply both started and amused him.

“Lord Sesshoumaru… Can I trust you?” she asked as she leveled a serious glare upon him. It really was something to ask, for her group and pack did consist of his half-brother, someone whom he considered an enemy, yet she was the natural enemy of Naraku as well, making her his ally, along with the fact that even if he didn’t want to acknowledge his half-brother, he was still pack, thus making her pack as well the alpha female, seeing as he had none of his own.  Kagome watched as he pondered her question, placing blind trust one anyone was something Kagome’s large heart had always allowed her to do, and yet, she was asking for it openly from this demon, this honorable lord. He walked towards her and gentle caressed her jaw line bringing her down cast eyes to meet his own before saying.

“Have faith miko, you have nothing to fear from me.”

“And can I have your word that if I tell you my secrets you’ll keep them safe?” she said again leveling him with her gaze.

“I have no one with whom I would tell your secrets miko.” he answered and she smiled that small sad smile. Pulling her yellow pack to her lap she dove into it finding a book, that held a manillied piece or rice paper. Handing the book to him with her thumb on the page in which the rice paper was, she watched and waited for him to read about her history. She watched as he read the ‘myth’ of the long lost southern Lord, who had once been a great ally to the west. His eyes widened in the smallest fraction as he read about the infant pup, a pup that had been betrothed to himself when he was not much older then a pup.

Sesshomaru handed the book back while still holding the rice paper, “May I?” he asked, she nodded and averted her gaze from him, missing his reaction to her fathers letter. As she looked up she noticed his far away look, noting that he was seemingly deep in thought, about all he had read, she thought, not knowing that it had not been the only thin effecting him, if what she held was correct, then she was an inu youkai, and the lost heir to the southern lands that had never been found, not to mention that she and he were to have been mated on her three hundred and fiftieth year, which would be soon if he remembered correctly, he had been about 55 years old when she’d been born, he’d only seen her once before news had reached the western lands that the south had been attacked, the lord and his family killed and the infant missing.  Her voice broke him from his thoughts.

“I’m not sure if you know, you seem to know everything, but I’m from right here, raised on these very grounds, five hundred years in the future. All my life I felt that something was wrong with the world, I remembered seeing normal people with tails, wings, fangs when I was small and out with my family, and then it just went away, I didn’t see those things anymore and I forgot. I didn’t think demons existed until I was pulled into this same well that still sits on my family’s grounds. I came here three years ago not of my own will and I had thought that it was my fate to free Inuyasha, protect the jewel and kill Naraku. It seemed I’m fated for much more.” she finished looking at him.  “Did you know them? This Shinosamu?”

Thinking over what she had just offered him, Sesshomaru answered quietly, “He was one of my father’s greatest friends and allies, an Inu youkai who was strong, wise, and tactful. He and my father grew up together, they had hoped that with their heirs, they could forge an unbreakable alliance, they had hoped that we--.” Kagome was a smart girl though and had already figured out what he was saying.

“We were set as an arranged marriage?” she asked quietly not looking at him. He noted that her heart rate was calm, and she had no scent of fear upon her, it was something he had always loved about her. “My mother, the one that raised me, is a great miko. As  my grandfather is a priest as well, my mother hid my jyaki and youkai, while my grandfather hid the jewels presence until my now human body built up enough reiatsu to shield it myself. Though by the time that occurred, my grandfathers powers were depleted if not gone, and my reiatsu is actually my mother’s having collected over many years of forcing it upon me. Its killing her because my jyaki is fighting back, I’ve asked her to remove her concealment as of sunset tomorrow, when I should revert back to my true form.” she finished looking up at him again.

Kagome could see he was still thinking when she began again. “I’m not above asking for help when I know I’ll need it. As far as I can remember I’ve never been a demon, I know no laws, rights or rituals, and as far as I can tell I’m going to have another fight on my hands the moment my uncle finds out about me, if he’s still even in power.” she sighed. “Lord Sesshomaru, will you help me?” She asked with determination shining in her eyes.
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okay so is as far as i've gotten with this one. please let me know if i should attempt to finish this one, put it on the back burner, or should i just discontinue it. i'm not fixing or editing any of it, because well thats more work. - r0o